Gus is a plumber of few intelligible words. A typical Gus conversation involves a great deal of incoherent mumbling that even Harold's intuitive knack for languages cannot decipher. On occasion a tangible word does emerge, but usually only when emphasizing something of which he disapproves.

The only plumber trusted with the facilities of the White House, Gus has no ambitions, no sense of destiny, and is perfectly happy where he is and with what he is doing. When circumstances warrant his services on the "Ship of Thooles", he makes every effort to escape the claws of manifest destiny, and is about as eager to explore this strange new world as a prisoner facing execution. But in the end, Gus is not one to shirk duty when there is absolutely no other way to avoid it. At Earth's darkest hour he is there to throw a wrench (as well as a pipe cutter and some elbow grease to boot) into the Thoolian plans to destroy mankind.