Captain Littlecrow took a long look at this thing that laid claim to the other half of Dr. Kang's mind. It resembled a flayed man with metal bones and muscles, but just enough wet viscera to make it truly repugnant. The lack of skin meant it's face was frozen in a permanent mocking grin.

"We shouldn't waste any time," she said "I had my people clear the way between here and the shuttle bay. If we work quickly we can have your shuttle ready in under 48 standard hours."

"That won't be necessary anymore," said the Kang "I'm sure you understand, Captain, that I have a much more valuable hostage in you. I have also deprived my opposition of their leader. There's no reason why I should have to settle for the shuttle; I'll be able to leverage this situation into command of the Armstrong."

"You vile-" Littlecrow began.

"Yes, yes," said the Kang "We had a deal any so forth. Compromise is what one does from a place of weakness. I'm no longer in a position where I have to compromise."

"You do realize they're going to kill you, don't you?" said Littlecrow "I was the only member of the command crew that even considered you a person."

"They won't risk anything dangerous, not with your life on the line," said the Kang "I don't want you to think I'm completely without humanity. While I see no reason to honor our original agreement, we can salvage some of your plan. I'm willing to allow you to perform the modifications your described to one of your shuttles. You can take as many of your crew as you can fit in it and make for Foundation space to fetch help for the rest. I'll make sure to put them down on a reasonably hospitable world with provisions and an emergency shelter. Everyone lives."

"...and a Foundation Star Cruiser is in the hands of a madman," finished Littlecrow.

"Yes, well, one can't let the perfect become the enemy of the good, can one?" replied the Kang.

* * *

"That bastard's never going to honor his deal," Mitzner spat.

"Of course he won't," said Dr. Kang "Don't be ridiculous. His hand is too strong. He'll be in command of the Armstrong by the end of the day and we'll all be in that shuttle."

Everyone gave him a nasty look. This required looking down, as nobody had bothered to undo his restraints. Dr. Kang was taking that last fact in stride.

"I'm getting a place on that shuttle," said Dr. Kang, indignant "The first thing they're going to ask you when you get back to Mars is where I am."

"You're lucky you're even on this side of the airlock at the moment," said Mitzner "Don't push your luck."

"The inability of anyone in this room to mentally separate the actions of two completely separate instances of myself is becoming downright pathological," said Dr. Kang "We are both individuals. You might as well blame me for things I do in your dreams."

"That thing, whether he's you or someone else, will never be in command of the Armstrong," said Gibson, as much to the rest of the crew as to Kang.

"The alternative, of course, is to let the Captain die. You can all make whatever resolute noises you like, but not one of you would be willing to make that sacrifice when the money is on the table. Since that eliminates one of only two possible outcomes, I can state definitively that the alternate Dr. Kang will shortly have command of this vessel."

Mitzner had heard enough. She loomed over Dr. Kang, casting a long dark shadow.

"I want you to understand something," she said softly, carefully enunciating each word "If that happens, if we have to give that thing you made command of this ship in order to save the Captain, or if she dies for whatever reason, I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you and there isn't a single person on this ship who will try to stop me, or who won't back my story when we get back to Foundation space. You had better start cooking up a viable third option in that foul cauldron you call a mind because your life literally depends on us finding another way out of this."

"Commander," Dr. Kang barked at Gibson "Are you going to tolerate that kind of insubordination?"

"You heard the woman," said Gibson "The other Kang said he was looking out for his own survival, well now so are you."