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Gail had taken Rhiannon to the observation lounge and strapped her into a
couch. Drew had hung around looking concerned for a while, but had eventu-
ally been called away by Urquardt to help with the repairs to the shuttle and
the preparations for the funeral. Gail had sighed with relief when he d gone
and Bernice had allowed herself to share a smile with the younger woman.
She had warmed to Gail considerably when she had shown such initiative in
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her use of the laser drill in the earlier battle against the predator. At her in-
vitation Gail began to tell her about Rhiannon, about what had happened to
her, what she thought had happened to her.
As Bernice and Gail talked in low voices the Doctor had spent several min-
utes studying Rhiannon. He d opened her eyes and studied them, taken her
pulse and then made a detailed examination of the shiatsu lines on her body.
Overhearing Gail tell Bernice about the spores Rhiannon had inhaled, he d
even bent low across her face and smelled her breath. Then he d stood with a
smile and pronounced her fit.
I expect she s probably feeling a little misplaced guilt, but that s only natu-
ral, wouldn t you say?
He d beamed at Gail, who d returned the smile thoughtfully.
Bernice, however, had learned to grade the Doctor s smiles by now. He was
more worried than he showed. He had also obviously found out more than he
cared to tell about Rhiannon.
When he left, ostensibly to look for Ace, she had waited a few minutes and
followed him outside. But by the time she got clear of the airlock he had
completely disappeared.
The funeral had occupied the next couple of hours; only now was Bernice
free to look once more for her travelling companion. She pulled herself hand
over hand across the battered hull of the shuttle, wondering if the Doctor
would be anywhere in sight by now.
He was. She found him lying along the shuttle s rear fin, hands clasped
behind his head, his body still, eyes wide, apparently drinking in the incredible
view he had of the first chamber of the Artifact.
All right, Doctor, what s going on? she asked without preamble. Where
did you go and what have you been up to?
By way of an answer the Doctor unclasped his hands and pointed upwards,
at right-angles to both his body and the shuttle. You see that? A kilometre or
so away a field of rocks was drifting past, some linked together by vast tangles
of weed, glittering blobs of water bouncing between them, splashing in slow
motion to form a shining rain of bubbles. Those rocks must have emerged
from the ocean, he went on slowly. I wonder where they ll end up; whether
they ll just keep on going until they smash into the rim forests, whether atmo-
spheric drag will slow them down, how long it would take. Perhaps gravity
will pull them together. That ll be interesting. A world within a world. Worlds
within a world.
Bernice closed her eyes. Doctor, I ve been awake for nearly twenty hours
now and I m very tired. What s your point?
The Doctor put his hand back behind his head. Perhaps I don t have one.
He smiled wistfully. I was caught inside a new-born planet once, you know.
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It was exhilarating. He thought for a moment before adding, Bit hot though.
Bernice sighed. Look. We have to help these people, you know that. Half
of them are dead already. Something strange is going on here and it s linked
to you in some way.
The Doctor sat up suddenly. Bernice was surprised he didn t go shooting off
into the distance. She sat carefully beside him; not too close or too far away,
a companionable distance. How do you do that? Sit up like that? If it d been
me I d be ten metres away by now, yelling for help.
The Doctor glanced sideways at her. All you need is better control over your
potential energy, he said quietly. I can probably teach you how if you ve got
nothing planned for the next fifty years or so.
Ah. Change of subject disguised as facetiousness. Despite her worry Ber-
nice smiled. You know, there are days when I could cheerfully strangle you.
The Doctor gazed at Bernice with an indecipherable expression. You know
me so well, he said quietly. How s your arm?
Bernice flexed her arm gently. Ah. Change of subject disguised as concern.
You re really not in a chatty mood today are you?
And you won t take a hint, will you?
Bernice folded her arms. No.
The Doctor sighed. What do you want to know?
I think you know something about what s going on here. And I know you
know more about what s happening to Rhiannon than you let on. I want you
to tell me about it.
The Doctor nodded. All right. He hesitated, then took a deep breath and
began to speak: When we first got here did you feel you were . . . well, did
you feel you were being watched?
Bernice nodded slowly. How did you know?
I felt it too.
Ace didn t seem to.
The Doctor s face settled into a worried frown. I know. And I would have
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