Once awoken, the crew board the derelict ship and find a device capable of time travel. They learn the derelict ship's crew contracted an influenza virus in the 20th century, 800 years before the ship's origin. They all soon died, and their last act was to pilot the ship into deep space and generate the mine-field to drive off looters. The crew test the device, but as it only allows "Starbug" to travel through time, not space, it is of no use at the moment; however, if a faster-than-light drive can be found, then the time machine will allow them to travel to any time and place they desire.