Paresi returned the smile. "Drug addicts ... Catatonics ...
illusionaries ... and saints. I guess it's up to us to add to the
category."
"How about dead people?"
"Ives! How long have you been awake?"
The big man shoved himself up and leaned on one arm. He shook his head
and grunted as if he had been punched in the solar plexus. "Who hit me
with what?" he said painfully, from between clenched teeth.
"You apparently decided the bulkhead was a paper hoop and tried to dive
through it," said Paresi. He spoke lightly but his face was watchful.
"Oooh...." Ives held his head for a moment and then peered between his
fingers at the darkness. "I remember," he said in a strained whisper. He
looked around him, saw the engineer huddled against his chessboard.
"What's he doing?"
They all looked at the engineer as he moved a piece and then sat
quietly.
"Hey, Hoskins!"
Hoskins ignored Ives' bull voice. Paresi said, "He's not talking just
now. He's ... all right, Ives. Leave him alone. At the moment, I'm more
interested in you. How do you feel?"
"Me, I feel great. Hungry, though. What's for chow?"