Chapter 4

The Improbability Drive comes as an advantage to many, but some consider it somewhat annoying if they aren't too keen on picking up hitchhikers who would've died in the next second if the ship they were flying in particular wasn't on Improbability Drive; a story strangely familiar to Arthur. But now he was flying. A skill he was forcibly taught by Trillian three years back. Then he was not at all comfortable with flying The Heart of Gold and even now, flying it is a chore.

As Arthur laid his hands on the controls, he realized that it was on auto-pilot and wanted to beat up the cascade of sweat pouring down his face, nose, and chin that is, if the sweat was a living, breathing, two-armed and two-legged organism.

Arthur packed several cases of tea and appliances to use so that he wouldn't have to put up with the annoying, but for some reason successful, Nutri-Matic Drinks Synthesizer. As he pressed his lips against the cup he was drinking out of, a warm sensation tingled his body and he felt better that he wasn't drinking the crap that the Nutri-Matic Drinks Synthesizer called: "tea".
"Heavenly isn't it?" A voice called from behind, "Just like life."

Arthur spun around and spat each and every drop of brown tea out of his mouth.

"Marvin!" He shouted. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I couldn't stand the thought of an ignorant human being flying a spaceship like this all alone," replied Marvin.

Arthur's face went a bright red; he pursed his lips and clenched his fists.

"Now," started Marvin, "before you have the mind to destroy me, I want you to know, life is precious to me and I'm no to keen on losing it."

Arthur stopped and took a senseless stroll to the security control room; anything to keep him away from Marvin.

He examined each monitor thoroughly for no apparent reason until he came upon the last monitor which was watching over ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha, he saw a shady figure with a trench coat scratching his head.

"Marvin!" called Arthur.

Marvin came in and said, "Is there anything I can do to satisfy your needs, Arthur?"

"Get that man," demanded Arthur, pointing at the monitor.

Marvin said nothing and trudged off towards ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha to get this mysterious figure.

Wihkat Huntsijke was glancing at his surroundings and leaped when the doors in front of him opened and, apparently sighed.

"Hi and welcome to the Heart of Gold," greeted a strange silver robot with red triangular eyes, "The captain would like a word with you."

"Why are you so cheery?" Wihkat asked in what an Earthling would recognize as a cockney accent. "I dunno if my presence is allowed."

"Just follow me, please," said Marvin bluntly.

Wihkat followed compliantly; if he disobeyed he could wonder the consequences. For all he knew, the robot in front of him could be fifty-thousand times smarter than he was.

"Please eliminate any ideas to escape," announced Marvin, "I am fifty-thousand times smarter than you, so I wouldn't suggest risking life trying…." Here he paused and looked as if he was thinking something over, "to die, in which case you'd end up dead anyway."

Kevin groaned under his breath.

"Unless you're severely suicidal, please follow me," Marvin continued.

Wihkat followed and took a seat in the security control. In front of him was the back of what an Earthling would recognize as an office chair. It spun around and Wihkat gasped at what he saw.

"Whassis Earthling doin' crontrolin' a space ship?" Wihkat shouted. "I thought you was all dead."

"I managed to hitch a ride," replied Arthur.

"Oh, so you would understan' my story?" assumed Wihkat.

"What is your story?" asked Arthur.

"I come from a suicidal Planet called Itisia," explained Wihkat (Marvin said, "I know the feeling."); "Until we know the meaning of life people are committing suicide left and right."

"I'm supposed to find some odd supercomputer; I just can't seem to even get a clue as to where it is."

"That supercomputer," explained Arthur "is Earth."

"No kiddin'," said Wihkat.

Arthur shook his head and said, "I'm even headed there now."

"You wouldn't min' takin' me, I presume," said Wihkat.

"What's your name?" Arthur asked.

"Wihkat," replied Wihkat.

"Good, I'm Arthur," explained Arthur. "Let's get a move on; I don't have all the time in the galaxy."

The Heart of Gold streaked across the stars and continued their epic quest.