A patched-together Cascasсian freighter broke apart right in the middle of space due to age. Its passengers—human Juan Kidd, the lobster Tewtuzim, and the computer “Malcolm Mowis”—survived by reaching an emergency lifeboat. Rescue will get to them only in three weeks. The lifeboat has enough air, water, fuel, and food. But all that food is Cascasсian—silicon-organic, something like sand or gravel. They’ll have to eat someone from the crew. Who will become food for whom, they decided to determine by playing “Baldy” (a game).