Chapter 7 Summary

The Vogon captain (known as Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz) has found Ford and Arthur in their hiding place and has taken them as prisoners. They are strapped to a battery of electronic equipment designed to fully heighten the experience of the poetry they are about to hear. After subjecting them to complete and utter nonsense, which is every bit as excruciating as Ford Prefect had anticipated, the Vogon captain demands that they either tell him how good they thought his poem was, or be tossed into outer space to die in its vacuum. Arthur has a flash of brilliance and pretends to believe the poem was wonderful. Ford is suitably impressed, as he has never considered faking such a reaction. Unfortunately the ploy doesn't work, and they are ordered off the ship. As they wait in a cylindrical chamber waiting to be ejected, Ford...