Attitude

In "Attitude" by Hal Clement, a group of space travelers find themselves captured and imprisoned in a mysterious place. Despite being allowed to build whatever they need to escape, they are rendered helpless in the vast emptiness between galaxies. Surprisingly, their captors have not harmed them and allow them to utilize their equipment. The strangeness continues as their captors remain silent and their location remains unknown. Determined to break free, the space men engage in a battle of wits with a completely unfamiliar life form. This intriguing science fiction story, first published in Astounding Science-Fiction in September 1943, takes readers on a thrilling journey as the space men strive to escape and discover their captors' motives.