Candle peered into Hansen's eyes. "I'm sure you have. I'm sure that you will find out a lot more things for yourself. You're the kind. And we're going to need a lot of your kind, because failures--failures of so-called perfect mechanisms--are becoming more and more commonplace." Candle pointed to the emergency light on the traffic control panel. "That light will be flashing with more and more frequency in the months to come. But not just to signal trouble in space. If I were a superstitious man, I'd think that the age of the perfect machine is about to be superseded by the age of the perfect failure--mechanical failures that can't be explained on any level. I have several friends who've been in touch with me recently about--" "You think that it's time for a change?" Candle smiled quickly. "That's the idea. And the truth of the matter is that I _am_ a superstitious man. I really believe, childishly, that the mechanics and motions of the galaxy may turn themselves upsidedown just to snap man out of his apathy and give him some work to do." * * * * * Upsidedown turned out to be a good word. They boarded the big ship an hour later and were respectfully ushered into the presence of Captain Fromer and his staff. "We're underway," Captain Fromer said. "We'll be landing in nine days to deliver R'thagna Bar home." "How is he?" Hansen asked. Fromer shrugged. "He's been thawed out, frozen, and thawed out so many times, it's anybody's guess. Take a look for yourself." Someone pulled back a curtain to expose the recumbent, thawing, steamy form of His Exhalted Excellency R'thagna Bar. "Why's he undressed?" Hansen asked. "Funny, now that you mention it," Fromer said, puzzled, "why _is_ he undressed?" "Fascinating! Damnedest thing I've ever seen," Candle said. "What's so fascinating?" Fromer asked suspiciously, moving closer. "His belly. Never saw anything like it. Those black squares keep appearing and disappearing. If I've ever seen a truly random pattern--" "It started right after they froze him the first time," Fromer said disconsolately. "Fascinating, by Heaven," said Candle, who was now down on his hands and knees. "Look at that top sequence! Random, yet physiological. I've got a friend on Bridan III who'd trade anything for some photos of this. Get me some photo equipment, will you?" Captain Fromer ran his hands through what was left of his hair. "Get him some photo equipment," he said to no one in particular, "and somebody make a truce with that idiot doctor long enough to get me a sedative." About this time the ship turned upsidedown. "But there's no reason for it!" the chief engineer said, running alongside Hansen and Candle. "The ship can't turn upsidedown. Everything is functioning perfectly!" "Really not interested," said Candle, running down the corridor's mile-long ceiling. "Figure something out for yourself for a change."