Twenty-Four

Campar, Ghati, and Danna undergo vacuum-sealing procedures to explore a dead enemy command ship in space. Led by the enthusiastic slug-like Vaudai, they scan the ship's internal structure to map shield vulnerabilities, discover a charred corpse, and locate a sealed door that cannot be opened—until Vaudai obtains permission and cutting torches for a dangerous return expedition despite approaching enemy vessels.

The chapter opens with Campar undergoing the Sinen's vacuum-sealing procedure, which coats his body in protective gel, embeds communication devices in his ears, and provides an oxygen mask. He joins Ghati and Danna (already sealed) aboard an expedition ship carrying various alien species, including the Carryx soldier commander and Vaudai, a massive slug-like creature. The group travels to an enemy command ship rotating helplessly in space. Campar and Ghati, serving as Vaudai's physical appendages, place scanning poles to map the ship's internal shielding and identify weak points from battle damage. As they progress through the dead corridors, they discover a charred corpse lashed to a wall near a sealed metal door—Ghati notes its human-like appearance (four fingers, plausible jaw), though Campar observes that evolution can converge. Campar collects a flesh sample. When they attempt to scan behind the sealed door, the equipment fails, revealing it as a critical mystery. An evacuation order arrives as enemy ships reenter the system, forcing them to return to the expedition ship. Vaudai is devastated but persuades the Carryx commander to authorize a second expedition with cutting torches, arguing that understanding what lies behind the door could reveal how to defeat the enemy. Though the battle has "in essence already begun" with enemy ships within light-speed range, Vaudai insists they must hurry back to the command ship, claiming the knowledge justifies the risk.