The Cause of the Delay in the Falling of the Ship Karnak

“The only question is, which of the alternatives you mentioned should be chosen—that is, to wait somewhere or to add to our journey by a ‘detour.’

“You say that to make a detour will greatly lengthen our journey but that waiting will take still longer.

“Good, my dear Captain. Suppose that by making the detour we should save a little time, what do you think: Is the wear and tear of the parts of our ship’s machinery worthwhile for the sake of ending our journey a little sooner?

“If the detour should involve even the most trifling damage to our ship, then in my opinion we ought to prefer your second suggestion, that is, to stop somewhere until the path is cleared of the noxious ‘Zilnotrago.’ By that means we should spare our ship useless damage.

“And we will try to fill the period of this unforeseen delay with something useful for us all.

“For instance, it would give me personally great pleasure to talk with you about contemporary ships in general and about our ship in particular.

“Very many new things, of which I still know nothing, have been done in this field during my absence from these parts.

“For example, in my time these big transspace ships were so complicated and cumbersome that it took almost half their power to carry the materials necessary to elaborate their possibility of locomotion.

“But in their simplicity and the freedom on them, these contemporary ships are just embodiments of ‘Bliss-stokirno.’

“There is such a simplicity for beings upon them and such freedom in respect of all being-manifestations that at times you forget that you are not on one of the planets.

“So, my dear Captain, I should like very much to know how this boon was brought about and how the contemporary ships work.

58