Assessing the Damage

"We'll solve it", Hereshoff answered. "Yeah, we'll solve it. You mean I'll solve it, because I always do. Because I have to solve it is why!" Without giving Hereshoff time to even think about what he said, Captain Wallace started on the solution. "Can that ladder fall off?",  he asked. "I don't think so.", Hereshoff paused, "Unless we hit some atmosphere or something." "Something?, What?" Hereshoff began to anger. He had a slow fuse. He was always like that. "You know, I'm the one that got you through school! How can you call me stupid? Sir!" "I didn't call you stupid. I said it looked stupid!" "Turbulence, resonating dust or a vibrating hull from the engines, any kind of harmonic motion might throw it off, but it's not likely." Hereshoff was not only a genius, he actually liked this stuff. Captain Wallace barely passed his tests and he hated everything about spaceflight. He was, however, an excellent commander, and he would solve this problem. He understood people very well.  

"What  actually happened?" Jim thought hard.. He had to resist  blaming anyone, especially Heshy. Larry Hereshoff and Jim Wallace both were students at the Dartmouth "A and E". Larry was a natural. He seemed to have ship design and function in his blood. He loved it as well. It excited him. Jim was in class because his dad forced the issue. Perhaps for this reason, he hated it, and the theory gave him enormous difficulty. His genius was with people and business. He was no end of fun and help. He was outgoing where Larry was shy. So they teamed up and the pair became enormously successful at nearly every activity open to them at school.

When Jim received his commission for search and salvage from the space agency, his first act was to name Larry as first mate. Together they put together quite a record. Unfortunately, they became bored after a few years and started playing games like they did in college, which is something you don't do in deep space rescue.
He remembered now. Coming up the ladder, faint blue starlight reflections, thinking about Wheelock Hall. Laughing with Heshy, coming in through the cabin door and then going blank, totally blind for an instant. He could never tell anyone. He knew now.