Chapter 33

           Buttheendnevercame,atleastnotthen.

           Quitesuddenlythebarragestopped,andthesuddensilenceafterwardswaspunctuatedbyacoupleofstrangledgurglesandthuds.

           Thefourstaredateachother.

           "Whathappened?"saidArthur.

           "Theystopped,"saidZaphodwithashrug.

           "Why?"

           "Dunno,doyouwanttogoandaskthem?"

           "No."

           Theywaited.

           "Hello?"calledoutFord.

           Noanswer.

           "That’sodd."

           "Perhapsit’satrap."

           "Theyhaven’tthewit."

           "Whatwerethosethuds?"

           "Dunno."

           Theywaitedforafewmoreseconds.

           "Right,"saidFord,"I’mgoingtohavealook."

           Heglancedroundattheothers.

           "Isnoonegoingtosay,Noyoucan’tpossibly,letmegoinstead?"

           Theyallshooktheirheads.

           "Ohwell,"hesaid,andstoodup.

           Foramoment,nothinghappened.

           Then,afterasecondorso,nothingcontinuedtohappen.Fordpeeredthroughthethicksmokethatwasbillowingoutoftheburningcomputer.

           Cautiouslyhesteppedoutintotheopen.

           Stillnothinghappened.

           Twentyyardsawayhecoulddimlyseethroughthesmokethespace-suitedfigureofoneofthecops.Hewaslyinginacrumpledheapontheground.Twentyyardsintheotherdirectionlaythesecondman.Nooneelsewasanywheretobeseen.

           ThisstruckFordasbeingextremelyodd.

           Slowly,nervously,hewalkedtowardsthefirstone.Thebodylayreassuringlystillasheapproachedit,andcontinuedtoliereassuringlystillashereacheditandputhisfootdownontheKill-O-Zapgunthatstilldangledfromitslimpfingers.

           Hereacheddownandpickeditup,meetingnoresistance.

           Thecopwasquiteclearlydead