"'It's capable..." "of so many things. '" "Tell me!" "Oh... no." "'Oh... no!" "'" "'The pain... the pain." "'For always." "'Forever. '" "'All irregularities will be handled 'by the forces controlling each dimension." "'Transuranic heavy elements may not be used where there is life." "'Medium atomic weights are available." "'Gold, Lead," "'Copper," "'Jet, Diamond, Radium," "'Sapphire, Silver and Steel." "'Sapphire and Steel have been assigned. '" "'Sapphire?" "'Sapphire?" "!" "'" "'Please, Sapphire, where are you?" "'" "Good morning!" "I fixed the lift, I'm afraid." "I wasn't going to walk up!" "Oh, it's all right, I haven't touched your knot." "Silver!" "Don't touch it." "I'd be careful if I were you." "It's a capsule from 1,500 years in the future." "But of course, you don't have to take my word for it." " Oh, I believe you." " Good." "Steel?" "Steel." "Where's Sapphire?" "What?" "What is it?" "I'll show you." "Ah, there you are." "What do you mean "know"?" "Oh, I just know." "She won't be in there." "Not in there." "Look, if you know something..." "No, no, I know about communications, about machines, that's all." "Um, would you excuse me?" "Oh, that's not the only capsule, by the way." "There are two others." "Did you know that?" " What exactly are you doing here?" " Me?" "Yes, why did they send you?" " I just happened to be passing." " Why?" "It has nothing to do with the danger to this planet." "Not directly, anyway." "But if you were to destroy that capsule, you'd increase the danger." "That's why they sent you?" "To tell me that?" "Not exactly." "Ah." "Some unknown force is doing its best to cause havoc with that capsule." "And if I destroy the capsule, I would be assisting that force." "If you like, yes." "Ah." "How is it that you seem to know more than I do?" " Oh, I wouldn't say that." " I would." " My information was wrong." " No." "Not wrong." "Incomplete, perhaps, but not wrong." "I'm going to need this." "Whatever attacked me is in that capsule on the roof." "Something that came with those people from the future." "If we're going to eliminate it, we have to get into that capsule but we are not equipped to enter a place that isn't there." " We?" " Sapphire and I." "Ah!" "We cannot enter a structure that does not exist." "I was almost destroyed trying and now Sapphire has disappeared." "But there must be a way in." "Yes, well, actually... there is." "And that's why I'm here." "'But there must be a way in. '" "'Yes, well, actually... there is." "'And that's why I'm here. '" " What's wrong?" " Hm?" "Oh, nothing, really, just a sort of echo." " Here, in this room?" " Yes." "No." "Half in this room, half in my head... '... head, head, head... '" "I don't hear anything." "It's gone." "'I don't hear anything... anything. '" "Well, whatever it was... it's gone." "When can we go in?" "As soon as I've prepared the way." "Good, because I need Sapphire back." "Oh, quite." "I know how you feel." " You do?" " Yes, we..." "Well, she's very attractive." "The other two capsules... where are they located?" "You don't need to worry about them." "They don't matter any more." "Urban study group calling rural study group." "Anyone there?" " Nothing at all, see?" " And you called them?" "I've been calling them for the past hour." "Rural experiment, room four." "It could be just a minor breakdown." "Remember how they were always going wrong during the preparation course." " We should still see the others." " Not necessarily." "We're seeing that, why not them?" "Because they're all we've got." "Rural experiment, room three, please." "If we're trapped here, they are all we've got." "No one else can help us." "The others - they wouldn't have gone back without us, would they?" "No, of course not." "It'll be dark soon, I must see to the child." "Yes." "Come with me." "What's happened to it?" "Look." "Eldred..." "The child, he's gone." "How can he have gone?" "And look." "It... it feels like sand." "There was a glass..." "a glass of water on that table." " Perhaps you believe me now." " Rothwyn." "No." "I'm going to find my child." "'No. '" "They have some sort of communications room and we have to find the room that's directly below it." "It'll be on the same scale." " I saw it, you know." " What?" "The inside of the capsule, briefly, before Sapphire disappeared." " Well, can you describe it?" " No." "Would you hold that for a moment, please?" "Thank you." "It was just a glimpse, nothing more." "Can't be helped." "Apparently, all three capsules have the same ground plan as this flat." "Identical layouts." "You've worked with her a lot, haven't you?" " Did you hear that?" " Yes." " No, Rothwyn!" " What's your solution this time?" "Do I have another talk to a box on the wall, will that help?" "Rothwyn!" "Whatever's happening here, whatever happens to us, nothing is going to harm my child." " Quickly, Rothwyn." " But I know him." "Please, Rothwyn!" "But I do, I know him." "'No." "'The other hand. '" "Are there any more rooms?" "Just one." "Silver?" "Ah." "What is this, then?" "Success at last." "Catch." " This is the one." " Good." "'Steel?" "'" "What was that?" " I thought I..." " 'Steel?" "'" " You did." " 'Sapphire?" "'I'm in the top floor flat." "Where are you?" "'" "'I'm in some kind of communications room 'but I can't find any controls. '" "'You mean you're above us in the capsule on the roof?" "'" " 'No, I'm not. ' - 'Where are you?" "'" "'I'm in another capsule, call it capsule number two. '" "'Have you looked in any other rooms there?" "'" "'Yes, I've seen it all. ' 'Does it have a crew?" " 'Sapphire?" "' - 'They're all dead. '" " So they don't matter any more." " That's right." " 'Sapphire. ' - 'Yes?" "'" "'Silver is here with me. '" "'Good. '" "'He's going to get us into the capsule - this one here. '" "'I understand. ' 'Sapphire?" "'" " 'Silver?" "' - 'I shall... '" "'Silver says this is the governing one, 'where the power source lies. '" "'Silver's right, of course." "He always is. '" "'Tell me more about the crew of the second capsule. '"