Swamped

"We call 'em inside-outers," Cookie explains. "Because they're kind of like barnacles, but with a tendency to cluster indoors instead of out. Well, they're like that until they grow up, then they're more like cockroaches. Thing is, when they get wild like this, they get all over everything. Real unpleasant, and you especially don't want 'em getting near the food. You seriously never ran into 'em before? They're always slippin' in."

"This is all new to me. So what do I need to do, exactly?"

"It's a two step process. For the first step, you need this." Cookie reaches over and hands you a bucket full of powder.

"Isn't this laundry powder?"

"Yeah. Don't know why, but it wrecks 'em. Especially their eggs. Thing is, whatever it does to them leaves a huge mess. Sticky bits of inside-out bugs everywhere. So step two is mopping up. Come back here when you're done with step one."

"And I'll be going with you," Rebecca interjects. "Disturbing as these pests are, I have important things in my quarters and it's going to be far easier on us both if I can warn you about them in advance."

You mull over this.

"So hang on. What do I do if these bugs are on something important? Do I just put the laundry powder on it anyways?"

"That depends on what it is," she says. "I'll handle it if it requires particular care."

Great. So you've got to do a messy job killing bugs, while under her watchful eyes. You could hardly imagine a less enjoyable task.

Well. You're inclined to just go and get it over with, but on the other hand, if there's anything else you need to clear up, you should probably do it now.