the floor slopes upward slightly here as the corridor funnels in and ends in the entrance to a narrow passageway or crawl-way. this passageway connects the nose of the ship with the lifeboat.
roby is listening to all this on the communicator. he can hear the shrieks and crashing noises.
roby comes hustling up to where the lifeboat is berthed. hands full, he starts to enter the connecting passageway.
roby leaps out of the passageway, bounds to the controls, and throws the switch. the hatch door slams shut, locking the thing in the lifeboat.
reeling, gasping for breath, roby staggers into the vestibule where the lifeboat is berthed. he grabs the flamethrower and turns it toward the passageway.