BOOK 4: PREPARATION / CH. 12: STUCK

10PM MONDAY EVENING

[Was I wise, Karen, to tell the minister?] Eliza asked, that night.

[Just before you rescued yourself, I told a plane-full of soldiers about me having the gift. They knew who I was.]

[Oh. So, one minister of the crown isn't too much to worry about?]

[It depends how well he can be trusted doesn't it? But there's no point worrying. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?]

Eliza thought for all of two seconds before answering, [Headline news on every channel, protest riots in the street, and to stop them Albert has to choose between me and renouncing the crown?]

[Well, OK, that's pretty bad. But I don't think that'll happen. I mean, no one's done as much as thrown a rotten egg at the Institute.]

[Well, it does have that security screen up every day. The palace doesn't have one of those. Or the dazzle lazers, either.]

[Kate tells me she's decided that it spoils the view too much, and there's no sign of protest, so that barrier's not going to be going up unless there's some sign of a crowd gathering. But I'm sure there are lens detectors at the palace, even if it's not polite to blind the public. And I expect there's a nice big forcefield generator on standby somewhere.]

[Oh, I expect so.]

[Well then. What are you really worried about?]

[Who said I was worried?]

[You did, when you called me.]

[Oh yes, I did, didn't I?]

[So?]

[I don't know. It's all happening too fast, I guess. Wedding plans and things.]

[You knew that.]

[Intellectually, yes.]

[Oh, you mean it's beginning to sink in what you've let yourselves in for?]

[Yes.]

[This is probably going to sound super-spiritual; but worry is a really good indicator that you need to spend a lot of time in prayer, Eliza. The same goes for me too.]

[How's your prayer life doing?]

[To be brutally honest, miserably.]

[Oh? Why?]

[Normal reasons... I'm making silly excuses about being too busy.]

[Shall we pray then, rather than talk?]

[Just like that?]

[Any reason why not?]

[All my lists of lists?] Karen asked.

[They'll wait. Mine are, like my research.]

[How much time are you getting for that?]

[Not much. I'm too busy. For instance I'd planned to spend the afternoon following up some more data, but instead I had to talk about dress styles, fashions, and colour schemes.]

[For your wedding?]

[No, that would have been easy. No, it was a basic education in something I need to think about for the rest of my life, it seems.]

[Ah. Life in the public spotlite.]

[Yes. Suddenly, I need to be far more aware of what I'm wearing.]

[You've got good dress sence, Eliza!]

[Not good enough. Too many old styles, not enough variety of shops. I need to think about the socio-economics of what I wear, apparently, as well as what I think looks good on me.]

[You could always delegate. Wear what they tell you to.]

[I know. She offered, but I don't want to. It's looking like it's about the only area that I'm always going to be allowed a lot of freedom in. As long as I don't only choose one supplier, or wear too much which is old stock.]

[I understand. So, what is the fashionionble bride-to-be going to be wearing out and about this winter?]

[I have no idea. Personally, I'm going to be going for comfort, not fashion. And since we're leading an austerity drive, I'm not going to be wearing a new dress to every event, or anything stupid like that. I'll probably do a lot of mixing and matching though.]

[Sounds sensible. Speaking of which, I think I need to head to bed. I've got an early lecture tomorrow.]

[What counts as early?]

[Pre-dawn. In this case, six O'clock.]

[What!] Eliza was shocked [Why so early?]

[I'm not sure if it was that the computer got into a panic, and put this course anywhere it had space, or if it's something to do with the topic.]

[What, you're taking lectures on how most student's can't get out of bed that early in the morning?] Eliza asked.

[Almost. It's a course on different people's responses to unusual challenges. It seemed like it would be... relevant.]

[Is it?]

[It's been pretty interesting so far, yes. I get the feeling that it's part of a recruitment drive for Security. The lecturer is on loan from the civil service, anyway, and I'm pretty sure I recognise him.]

[Has he said hello?]

[No, he's been the soul of discression. But I have noticed he has to think a bit before he uses the name I'm attending the university under, like he knows my real one and has to stop himself using it.]

[Oh. How does that work? You get a certificate under a false name?]

[No, the University gets a polite request from the civil service to print the certificate it in my real name, and they put a note in my file so it doesn't get too complicated if someone asks for references.]

[I'll let you get to bed then.]

[Thanks. But lets pray first. OK?]

[Yes, of course.]

Linked in thought, they prayed together, and lifted their concerns to their heavenly Father. Neither was aware of how or when it happened, but both noticed that by the end of their short time in prayer their attitudes to the things they'd been worrying about were not the same. The facts hadn't changed, and some of them wouldn't be easily solved; but the problems weren't going round in circles in their thoughts any more, tying their stomachs in knots. There was an extra thought there: the troubles would pass, and God would bring them out of them.

----------------------------------------

5.55AM, TUESDAY MORNING. 5TH DECEMBER. RESTORATION UNIVERSITY.

Karen nodded to the caretaker who was sweeping the foyer, and entered the assigned lecture room. At a squeeze the lecture hall could seat a hundred, this class usually had about thirty students, who tended to sit dotted around the room in their preferred places. This morning, Karen wasn't the first, but numbers were lower than usual — ten in total.

No surprise there, she thought. Maybe others would arrive later. After taking out her notepad, she looked for the lecturer to arrive. No sign of him at all. The front desk was bare, not even the computer console which was normally set up was on it; totally bare except there was a small piece of paper. She asked the young woman next to her “Did anyone look at that piece of paper? It looks suspciously like a note.”

“I don't know. I mean, who'd use paper for that? So archaic! I really hope it doesn't say that this is all a joke.”

“I agree, that wouldn't be funny.” Karen agreed, and asked the room in general “Did anyone check to see if that scrap of paper is a note?”

No one had; or, at least, no one was admitting to it. Someone, she couldn't see who, had his head on his arms. He didn't say a thing and looked like he'd fallen asleep.

Karen decided she'd look herself, and went back down the steps. It was a note. “To the finder of this message: Don't say anything, or give away that this has instructions on it. Please don't spoil the exersise by failing to obey them carefully.” The first instruction was to return immediately to her seat, taking the message. There she obeyed her next instruction: she waited two minutes and walked out, leaving the sheet at her place. There were similar instructions for people who came after her.

The caretaker was still cleaning the exact same bit of floor, Karen noticed. He was obviously in on the plan, and silently showed her another piece of paper: the lesson was actually going to be the next door lecture theatre.

In that room, Karen was the first. “Congratulations for finding the note, Karen. Is there anyone else in there?” Dr Holmes asked.

“Yes. I'd say... nine and a half.”

“The half being my accomplice who's feigning sleep?”

“Yes. I didn't recognise him. Not a student?”

“Psychology postgraduate.”

“Ah. He's making sure if the instructions are followed?”

“That too. And seeing if anyone says anything. Did you?”

“I asked if anyone had checked to see if the paper was a note. No one had, so I checked.”

“And did anyone ask you if it was?”

“No.”

“So, they were just sitting there, wondering when the lecture would start?”

“Or whether this scheduling was a practical joke, in which case at least one of them was planning on forming a committee to lynch the professor.”

“Well, that's certainly one reaction to unexpected circumstances. Speaking of which, since you've demonstrated your leadership skills, you're elected to give today's lecture.”

Karen had heard him decide she'd be excellent for that role, so she wasn't caught by surprise. Nor was she going to play. “I think, perhaps, that's not the wisest suggestion you've ever made, Doctor Holmes.” she said cooly.

“You don't think you could share some insights?”

“Oh, undoubtedly. But, after all, you're being paid, I'm not,” at that point the young man who'd been sitting behind Karen entered. Karen thought his name was Kevin.

“Good morning, professor.” he said.

“Good morning, urm, Keith isn't it?”

“Calvin, sir.” He said. Bright, alert and hard up, if she read him correctly. Time to turn the tables on the professor.

“Hi, Calvin!” Karen said. “The good doctor thought that one of us should be volunteered to give today's lecture, as yet another unexpected event. I pointed out to him that he's getting quite well paid to teach us. And he was just about to name a fee when you came in, weren't you, sir? So, how much would Calvin receive for giving your lecture?”

“Urm, err, actually, I was thinking it would be worth extra marks for today's exercise.” Dr Holmes said, embarrassed at being put on the spot like that.

“Oh, I don't think you can do that, sir.” Karen said. “There are university rules about that sort of thing. But none at all agaist paying people for work done. Why don't you just offer Calvin enough to cover a meal and see where that gets you? Or should it be a meal for two, Calvin?”

Doctor Holmes began to see what she was doing, making it socially impossible for him to insist on her, and laughed. “Are you two in cahoots? All right then, if Calvin's happy.”

Calvin wasn't going to miss out on his chance for a meal ticket. “Oh, enough for a meal for two would do very nicely, sir.”

Karen chipped in “Of course you wouldn't want to insult Calvin with only enough for just the food hall on campus, would you, sir? A proper meal in a real restaurant, please.”

“Very well, Calvin, you can have your fancy meal, and the lecture notes. Just beware of what Karen wants for a negotiator's fee.” He handed over a data-crystal. “Please add to them how Karen here managed to wiggle her way out of presenting the material and assigned herself the role of negotiator instead. You have about ten minutes before the others will get ushered in, assuming they don't read the note themselves.”

Dr Holmes left the room to talk to his unmentioned accomplice, the caretaker.

“Thanks Karen! Did you know it's Flora's birthday this week?”

“No, Calvin. I didn't even know you were going out with anyone. Thank you for agreeing to do it. I really didn't want to.”

“Why not?”

Karen had been thinking about that question too. What was she going to say? She couldn't tell the whole truth: She was here under a false name, to learn. not to attract attention to herself. So, as she had many times before, she made up with a rhetorical question, implying that it was her reason without actually lying: “It's bad enough that I read the paper first; but giving the lecture too? That'd make me seem like a real teacher's pet, wouldn't it? You should't say that of course.”

“Urm, probably not. So, do I just say you didn't want to?”

“That leaves people wondering why not. Say I've got a sore throat. It's true, too.”

“But not your reason.”

“No.”

“I don't particularly want to lie to the class.” Calvin protested.

“Fair enough. I don't like lying either. So if you have to, say something like 'Dr Holmes asked Karen to give this lecture, but without revealing her reasons, she adopted the role of negotiator instead. She later told me she has a sore throat.”

“That's implying something that's not true.”

“No. It's not telling the whole truth.”

“So what is the whole truth?”

“I don't want to be the centre of attention.”

“Why not? You don't come across as shy.”

“No, I'm not shy. But you need to read those notes, and I've just remembered something I have to check up on.”

Karen left the bemused Calvin looking at the lecture notes. They were quite complete, he was glad to see. So why had Karen been so reticent? Karen retreated to the back corner of the lecture theatre, and tapped first some commands and eventually a query about Dr Holmes on her wrist unit.

She'd been right, partly. He hadn't ever been security, he'd been auditing, and now, when he wasn't lecturing he was assigned to recruitment. He had clearance, if she decided to tell him anything. But he didn't have a need to know much about her. But she felt she did need to put him on notice not to pick on her, though.

The others still hadn't come, so she slipped out the door. He was chatting to the caretaker. Noticing her approach, he checked his wrist unit. “Oops, I've kept you from your last task! And this young lady has come to remind us about it, I expect.”

“Not quite, but I would like a brief word before the lecture begins, sir.”

“I'll go and wake the rabble then.” the caretaker said, leaving his mackine and heading to the first theatre.

“Yes?” Dr Holmes asked, expecting it to be something about assignments.

“I've just checked — you have sufficient clearace, but no need to know. My contacts or relations and my past or present are not for public consumption, nor should I be put in a spotlight at the moment. Please don't ask me to speak, except when everyone else is, that's too high a profile.”

He paused for a little and said “And you have the access to check up on me. That's unusual. You stood out as being far more aware of the basics than most students. I see there's a reason for that... You could probably have given the first few lectures, couldn't you?”

“The practical side, but not the theoretical background, sir; and I hope to learn more of that.”

“I'll try not to disappoint. I keep feeling I should know who you are; but,” he paused “perhaps it's better that I don't.”

Karen smiled. “Indeed.” Thinking, hopefully that's the end of his probing. Calvin gave the lecture reasonably well, and as Karen had half suspected, the student news channel had been tipped off, and there was a photo shoot afterwards. Probably the caption would be something like “Bleary eyed student gives unexpected lecture about the unexpected.” It was inevitable. So much the better that it hadn't been her delivering the lecture.

----------------------------------------

Karen was waiting for George, reading some notes, when she realised someone was approaching. “So, was that why you didn't want to give the lecture? There was another reason, wasn't there?” Calvin asked; he'd caught up with her. Bother, he's persistent, and he's not going to drop it. she thought.

“I didn't know the press would be there, if that's what you're saying.”

[George, where are you?] they'd agreed to meet by the library, where she was waiting. [Just passing the back left door of the library. Why?]

[Classmate asking too many questions.]

[Can't you handle it?]

[Yes. But it'd be nicer if you were here.]

“Well?” Calvin asked.

“Pardon? Sorry, my mind was elsewhere.”

“So what was the real reason for you not giving the lecture?”

“I told you it would look like I was the teachers pet.”

“Yes. And I was supposed to assume that was why, wasn't I?”

“Yes. You were.” She looked around for George.

“You're waiting for someone in particular?” Calvin asked.

“My fiance.”

“Oh. So, why don't you want to be the centre of attention?”

“Would it offend you deeply if I refused to answer that?”

“Urm. No. Personal reasons?”

“Look, Calvin. Can you just drop it? Go enjoy your meal for two, and forget about it.”

“Are you in some kind of trouble?” Calvin persisted.

“Not if I stay out of the lime light.”

“You are in trouble? I don't know if it helps, but my Dad's a lawyer.” Karen decided he was radiating scincerity from every pore.

“Thanks, Calvin. No.” She looked him in the eyes. “I am in no trouble with the law. But I don't want to be the centre of attention, and I certainly don't want my picture in the press.”

George arrived with a bag “Hi Karen, I bring breakfast!”

“George, meet Calvin, my classmate, Calvin meet George, my fiance.”

“Hi, Calvin.” George greeted him. “Hi. I was just wondering why Karen convinced the lecturer to pay for a meal for me and my girlfriend instead of you.”

“She has a generous heart.” George said.

“And, he was offering his Dad's legal help if I was in trouble.”

“That's generous. Maybe we could break a window or two so we can take him up on it.” George joked. “Thank's Calvin, but we're not short of help.”

“I don't understand then. What's wrong with a bit of public recognition?”

[George, he's not giving up. Let's give him something to nip this in the bud properly. OK? Tell him of a threat.]

[Uncle Roland?] George suggested.

“Calvin, other than criminals, can you think of other people who might not want their pictures in the press? Or for people to remember where they'd seen them if they were shown a photo, or to recognise them from a distance?”

“Urm...spies?”

“Or?” Karen prompted.

“Trainee spies?”

Karen laughed. “You've watched too many films, Calvin. Think harder.”

“People who have enemies, people in witness protection. Urm... royalty, film stars, no everyone recognises them already. People about to be famous? .... I don't know how that might work.”

“Very easily, in the right circumstances.” Karen said. “Look, Calvin. There are people, you've just listed some categories — there are more — who really don't want lots of people, or even ten, with a strong memory of them. It would cause trouble for them. George and I are both like that category.”

“You're the one they call paranoid George?” Calvin asked.

“Yes.” Karen said. “But the word paranoid assumes you're making up enemies. George is just careful. And I'm happy to say, still breathing.”

“You make it sound like you're serious.” Calvin protested.

Karen replied calmly “Calvin, we are. Have you heard of Roland Underwood? He knows our names, and we're not on his Christmas list. He still has friends, and some influence.”

Calvin's face paled. “OK. That's serious.”

“And he's only one threat. We seem to collect them. Just being at university is a risk for us. Like we've said, avoiding publicity is safer. So, please don't put us in the limelight, OK?”

“OK. Urm thanks for trusting me with that.”

“You're not going to spread it, are you?” George asked.

“No. Shouldn't you have bodyguards or something?”

“That'd just make us stand out in the crowd.” Karen said with a sigh.

“I think we're going to find somewhere a bit less windy to eat, Calvin.” George said.

“I'm meeting Flora soon. I hope, so I'll stay here. Take care, you two.”

“We'll try.”

----------------------------------------

As they left, Karen started to ponder a thought she'd had while talking to Calvin. “Are you OK?” George asked, as they went into the library's sandwich area.

“Just wondering. We're going to get married in a blaze of publicity, pretty soon. That's not exactly staying low-profile, is it?”

“No.” George agreed.

“And nor does it let us go back to low profile afterwards.” Karen pointed out.

“No more hiding behind a false name for me.”

“No. And with our faces all over the news, there's quite a chance that people will recognise us.” George agreed.

“Of course we can hope that all eyes are on Eliza.”

“Oh that'll work. I doubt.”

“So, do we cancel the wedding?” Karen asked, knowing that he knew she wasn't serious.

“No. But, we can ask your parents what they were thinking our security would look like after such a flamboyant wedding. Not to mention our career prospects if everyone knows who we're related to — different sorts of security risks on both sides, I mean.”

“Hmm. Yes. Let's ask. But you have sent in your application to the service, haven't you?”

“Yes, of course. You?”

“Yes. Well, not so much sent it in as had it snatched from my hands by my eager mother.”

“Ah.”

“So, what our careers look like is not really our problem, is it?” Karen pointed out.

“Not if we're accepted, no. It really was a very short application form, wasn't it? I was surprised.”

“Well, they know all about us anyway, from our getting clearance and stuff. If you're not cleared already then it's a longer form.”

“Oh. That makes sense. Any idea when we hear if we've been accepted?”

“I think they normally let people graduate before they get assigned anywhere.” Karen said.

“And you don't know you're accepted until then?”

“I've no idea. We could ask, if you like.”

“Who?”

“Well, my lecturer that got us into this conversation works in Recruitment.”

“Is he around?”

“Just over there.” Karen indicated the other side of the hall. “Very good croissants these, by the way. Thanks.”

“My pleasure! I do like watching you eat.”

“Ha! I know you, George. You like watching me, full stop.”

“Guilty as charged. So, shall we go and interrogate your lecturer?”

“Yes, let's.”

Crossing the hall, Karen saw that Dr Holmes had noticed them. She also realised that by approaching with George she was giving him an extra clue to her identity. Well, he had clearance. “Hello, sir, George has just asked me a question I couldn't answer, but I'm pretty certain you'll know.”

“Oh, yes?”

“Between application to join the civil service and notification of assignment, what happens?”

“You're planning to apply?” he looked pleased.

“We have already, actually.”

“Oh. Well, then, depending on clearance being granted... Hold on, you've probably got it, haven't you?”

“Yes, sir, one gamma.” Karen admitted.

“No wonder you could find out I had clearance.” he noticed the ring on her. finger for the first time. “George has the same?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Congratulations on your engagement. Hold on...” he dropped his voice to a whisper “You're using an assumed name for security purposes?”

“Need to know?” Karen shot back.

“None. Well done. It's all changing; six months ago, your applications would have been a matter of course. No question about that, with you already cleared that high. Now, you'll need to pass a civics test, except that they've not worked out the details of how you take it yet. You ought to have got a welcome to the family pack about the next stages within a week of applying, but you're probably on hold until the testing regime is set up. You'd have been told this if you'd got the form for people needing clearance checks, since the first stage there is an interview. As for your branch of assignment... That would be a matter for discussion, probably after you graduate but it would normally be related to your current clearance.”

“Thank you, sir.” George said.

“My pleasure. You're still a bit young for the diplomatic corps, but you did well in that area this morning, Karen. It is high profile, too, of course.

There are a lot of different branches of the service which people don't always think of. And I must say that I've found Auditing a nice challenge, and it's certainly lower profile than quite a few roles.”

“Thank you, sir, we'll bear that in mind.”

“Hmm. Very diplomatically said, but I saw your eyes, young lady. You think auditing isn't for you.”

“You did point out that it's low profile, sir. Unfortunately, we're not going to be able to stay low profile very long.”

“Oh? Don't tell me, I don't need to know.”

“Thank you, sir.”

He paused, then said “Don't pass this on too freely, but it could be relevant for you. There is obviously high level discussion in the university about what to do about closing down for the impact. One idea that's gaining ground is to not reopen after Christmas; make everything virtual that we can, and book lab space at other institutions for practical topics. The more radical proposal is that since that'll take a lot of time and effort, we shut down all the courses until September, and all we have after christmas is finals. The even more radical suggestion is that the students help pack up the university, in an orderly manner in exchange for credit. That one's got support from sciences and has the librarians in a state of shock. My thought is that this all makes lovely material for next year's course, and that all three are inevitable.”

“That does make sense, sir. Otherwise, I don't see how everything can be kept safe from the blastwave.” George said.

“So you're not in the 'It's all a sham, It'll never happen' camp, then?”

“Certainly not.” Karen and George said at the same time.

“I'm not giving away secrets to say the vice-chancellor is one of those not so convinced.”

“I'm sure that he'll be convinced when all that's left is a pile of rubble.” George said. “Unless there are any buildings here built to the same standard

as the Institute, that is.”

“I'm not sure I follow you.”

“Only one building was seen in the visions as surviving with only partial damage. The person who had the vision had no knowledge of which building or where it was. It was the Institute for the Human mind. The part which is prophesied to withstand the impact turns out to have been designed to withstand an almost direct nuclear strike, something like half a kilometre from ground zero, if I remember correctly. The part which was seen as damaged was 'only' built to withstand a nuclear strike five kilometres away.” Karen expanded.

“I'm not at all sure that's publicly available information.” Dr Holmes said.

“I'm fairly sure it's not been restricted, but I will make enquiries.” Karen said.

“And you're sure of those facts?”

“Fairly. I might have got the design distances wrong, of course.” Karen admitted. She certainly wasn't going to say it was the king who had that vision, either.

“I might be misjudging the man, but I think what you've just told me would convince the vicechancellor that it's not just a coincidence, and stop delaying the decision. I suppose I don't have a need to know where you heard that little gem?”

“Where, how, or who from, no. But I'll certainly make enquiries as to whether it has been published anywhere. That would be best, I think. Otherwise the vicechancellor will just have to trust his king has more evidence than he does.”

“Would you be willing to brief him?”

“Of course, but perhaps someone else with a little more... shall we say, natural authority, would be better.”

“Well, if you think you could arrange for a royal visit...”

“I was actually thinking the director of the Institute could be asked to confirm it, but, well, I suppose it's possible, if that's what it's going to take.”

“That was a joke, wasn't it?”

Karen smiled. “Now, if you had a need to know, you'd know if it was a joke or not. So if I tell you if it was a joke or not then I'd be giving away things you don't need to know.”

“You must be a diplomatic corps child, young lady. That much you've given away. And I know that standard procedure is for you to attend university under an assumed names. So I wonder what your real name is, and why you look familiar.”

“Oh, don't worry, sir, I promise you'll know before the impact.”

“Who's chancellor now?” George asked. “I know there were elections recently, but missed the result. But I mean, if the V.C. is effectively delaying a decision because of his disbelief, then that's the sort of time the chancellor should step in, isn't it?”

“I'm afraid I don't know. That's mainly a figurehead role, isn't it?” Dr Holmes asked.

Karen thought for a moment “I have a feeling they might have elected Prince Albert.”

George looked it up. “Unanimously elected for the next five years by the student body, after the other candidates were ruled to have failed to give their knowing, written conscent to the nomination. The duck's foot-print was deemed to have been applied under suspicious circumstances which might amount to duress, and the bill received from the pizza shop not indicating any willingness to serve in the role.”

“The high level of the competition must have made him feel very honoured to be chosen.” Karen said.

Dr Holmes said. “It's traditional. One real candidate and some jokes. He shouldn't be offended.”

“So, perhaps the vicechancellor does get a royal visit.” George said. “As I understand it, an application for the chancellor's intervention has to come from a student, but supporting evidence from a staff member is useful.”

“I don't know this is worth doing.” Dr Holmes said. “I mean, how long will it take before the prince even looks at the application, let alone has time to schedule a visit?”

“Sir, I'm perfectly willing to make the request, but would very much appreciate your willingness to give written or verbal support. As a civil servant your evidence will carry more weight than most other staff members'.” Karen said. “I'll also try to identify the document I spoke of earlier.”

“I'll support your application. When would you like it?”

“Thank you, sir. If you could write it now, then I'll go and look up the relevant form, and we can see if the Prince reads his mail before or after lunch.”

“I admire your faith, but I doubt you'll get a response that quickly. This is

going to have to go through channels, after all.”

“Actually no.” George corrected, “An appeal to him as chancellor should go straight to him, with no beaurocracy involved at all.”

“Maybe you're right. I'll have your supporting document ready in half an hour. Does that satisfy you, Karen?”

“Yes, sir. I've got my next lecture at nine, so I've got time. George, have you got time to help? Let's put our heads together on this, and dispell the vicechancellor's doubts. OK?”

“Fine, that shouldn't be too hard!”

A bemused Dr Holmes watched them go. They seemed to have incredible confidence.

Was it just the impetuosity of youth? He doubted it. Karen had mentioned connections and relations, her past and present. She had them all. He was sure.

If she'd grown up in diplomatic circles, probably an overseas posting, that would give her the clearance, the confidence and familiarity with the systems.

Where they'd heard the secret briefings was an interesting question. As was their casual mention of the IHM. They obviously knew, or could contact the director. They seemed to have friends in unusual places. He could certainly call up a list of recent applications, to find out their names, but he had no need to know. It would be more interesting to work things out himself. With that settled he thought about how to formulate his supporting document. Obviusly this morning's briefing document to staff would be a good place to start, or maybe end. “No decision will be made until more conclusive data is available.” Sitting on his hands indeed!

----------------------------------------

Karen and G¹eorge went to another part of the library. There were consoles there which would make filling in the form faster, and that time of day they had privacy. [So, do we just give Eliza a shout?] George asked.

[Not just, but I'll tell her the application is on its way. Can you find it while I talk to her about the King's memory?]

[Of course.]

[Eliza, am I interrupting anything?]

[No. We're just crossing the city to the palace. Yet another crazy route, I think It'll take about twice as long as normal.]

[I'm glad you've got time. The vice-chancellor here is in denial about the impact. Refusing to make any real plans, just letting ideas float about, because he believes it's all a load of fuss about nothing.]

[Ouch.]

[Anyway, we were talking to Dr S. Holmes, my lecturer in dealing with unexpected events, I really hope his parents didn't call him Sherlock. He's semi-retired from auditing, cleared to one beta. He told us about the V.C's indecision. George mentioned the Institute being the only building standing, and partly at that. We know it, as far as I know it's nor restricted information at all, but how can we get that gem to the V.C. in a way that's not hearsay? Has it been published anywhere?]

[Hmm. Maybe minutes from the committee?]

[Possibly, but me having access to that is almost as bad as me saying I was in the palace, isn't it?]

[Well, there was a TREC briefing which mentioned it. But if one of those said the sky was blue then you still couldn't quote it. So that's not very useful either. I'm not sure if it's elsewhere at all. Oh, it might be in something sent to other countries. I guess your dad would have seen that.]

[Good lead. I'll check. Maybe the committee should put something out about it, if no one else has done so.]

[Yes. There could be more doubters around. Oh, I've just remembered! The king asked for a report about how powerful the blast-wave would be, so we know how far out we need to evacuate. I'll ask.]

[Thanks. We've thought of another possible approach too, probably more effective but urm... a bigger favour.]

[Oh? You want him to get a royal knuckle-rapping?]

[We didn't really consider it. I was thinking that Kate could rap pretty well. But then we realised that your Albert is the Universitiy's chancellor. We're working on an application for him to intervene.]

[Oh? Well, if he goes for it then he could even deliver the royal reprimand and the document at the same time, I suppose. Though it might be better coming from another source. I agree, though; the V.C. can hum and hah about what to do and so ignore the King's telling him to prepare to evacuate, but I don't think he can ignore the universitiy's Chancellor if it comes to a matter of student welfare.]

[And it does, doesn't it? No one knows what's going to happen. What does the university expect us to do, study somewhere else, come back next year, or what.]

[And you'll be sending it today?]

[Yes. George is starting on the form now. I'll be signing it with my false name, of course.]

[Get half a dozen signatures if you can.]

[I'll try. We're also getting Dr Holmes to write a letter of support for it. Expect it by nine A.M.]

[Well, I'll be seeing you soon then, I expect.]

[You think Albert will go for it?]

[Probably. His majesty doesn't like being ignored.]

[Thanks, Eliza.]

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

[Happy signature collecting. I'll warn Albert.]

Karen saw that George had started filling in the form. [Eliza suggests at least half a dozen signatures if we can.]

[By nine o'clock?]

[Yes]

[We'd better write quickly then.]

----------------------------------------

9.30 A.M. TUESDAY 5TH DECEMBER. THE PALACE.

“Father, I think I need to visit Restoration.”

“Oh? The Institute?”

“No. The university. You know they made me chancellor last year.”

“Marginally beating the duck who had to be coerced to stand, yes.” teased his father.

“Do you know what competition you father faced, once when he was elected chancellor for a university?” the queen asked.

“No. Do tell please, mother.”

“A wilted bowl of chopped lettuce.”

“Please! It only wilted by the end of the campaign. It was very healty at the start. So, what's going on at the university, Albert?”

“Not much. At least as far as planning for the impact is concerned. The vice-chancellor is apparently in denial.”

“And some students are complaining?”

“With support from, urm” he checked his wrist unit. “A Dr S Holmes, ex-Audting, now part time in recruitment, part time lecturer.”

“Oh, old Sherlock? I thought he'd retired ages ago!” the queen exclaimed.

“His parents didn't name him Sherlock, surely?” Albert was shocked.

“No. Just his trainees. Well, I'd say the complaint is well founded then, just on his name being attached. Reliable man.”

“Karen and George instigated it, apparently, and they've got urm, something like fifty co-signatories.”

NoEliza, who'd come in with Albert, added, “That's fifty since about eight this morning, when they heard from the Dr Holmes that the vicechancellor didn't think the impact was a serious threat. She told me they were asking around for some co-signatories, and someone they asked got the entire rugby club to sign up, as they came in from their morning run.”

“Well! I guess that the students are feeling some tension over it then.” the queen said.

“There was a separate letter from Dr Holmes.” Albert added, “I guess its what actually prompted him to tell Karen and George 'in passing'. He got a staff memo this morning basically saying the vicechancellor was adopting a wait and see policy.”

“Karen also asks, from earlier in that conversation, if the fact that the vision showed only the strongest part of the IHM standing had been restricted, and if not, was it published anywhere, so that someone could wave a copy under the vice-chancellor's nose.”

“Not restricted, as long as it's not made clear that I had one of the visions.” the King said, “As for published... the TREC briefing paper mentions it, and the science ministry was going to work out what the safe distance from the predicted blast-wave was likely to be.”

“Did it make it into the intergovernmental advisory, Father?” Albert asked.

“You know, I think it did.” the King said. The queen checked the text. “Yes, it's in there, but only just. Estimates of the energy of the impact are being made, on the basis of a certain hardened building being undamaged in the vision.”

“That's not really enough detail, is it?” Albert said.

“Not really.” Eliza agreed. “The minutes from the committee meeting probably make a better starting point.”

“Oh? I haven't seen those.” The queen said.

“I'm sure that Pris passed on a copy, but you can't read everything, mother.” Albert pointed out.

“Do you have a copy, Eliza?”

“Yes, Maam. Here's the relevant part.” She put them up on the display.

“Confirmation from three visions/dreams. The location/viewpoints of the visions did not coincide, but features did. The dreams repeatedly showed a distinctive hook-shaped feature of a park, well known to the dreamer. Vision recipient one also saw this feature of the park, and a partly damaged building. Vision recipient one had no knowledge of where the building was or what it might be. Vision recipient two saw the unusual park, but not the building, and did not recognise the park. The parks matched perfectly and identify the impact site as Restoration. The building was recognised by examiner three as the Institute for the Human Mind. He further recognised that the undamaged portion was built to a higher standard that the 'new wing' which was seen as damaged. IHM records show the 'new wing' was added about 50 years after the original construction and was built to withstand the blast of a 5 megaton warhead detonating at a distance of 6.5 kilometres, whereas the original building was designed to withstand a 1 megaton warhead detonating at a distance of 3.5 kilometres.”

“The minutes do identify who's who, but I think Pris wrote that bit so it could be copied for release if anyone wanted to.” Eliza added.

“Well, I think we certainly want to.” Albert replied. “Have the science ministry interpreted those figures yet, Father?”

“Partially. I have had what they call a preliminary analysis note, but I don't quite know what to make of it. It says “those figures work out as the approximate contour lines of an overpressure of 14PSI (PSI is a historical unit) for the original part and 12PSI for the new wing.” They add that in the age of chaos literature most residential buildings were expected to be a mangled mess at 5PSI and even at 1PSI, there was some structural damage. Oh, and that the literature they're reading talks of the 5 PSI contour as being a reasonable estimate of how many will die, but that's just a rule of thumb.”

“So does that mean that this 5PSI line is the safe limit for peopke, but not buildings?” Albert asked.

“No, obviously there is an increasing chance of survival the further you get from the impact, but if I understand it properly, it means that if it hits a uniformly populated area, then that line represents the area where you can count up the people inside and say that's how many will die, because the number of survivors inside that contour is roughly matched by fatalities outside it.”

“Oh. That's not a safe distance then.”

“No,” the King agreed. “So, they're working out what they can, based on these findings and will eventually report back, but in any case, the two combined would make an interesting gem for some science reporter. The question I have is whether the IHM's design criteria are counted as falling under the reporting restrictions.”

“We'd have to seek legal advice, I guess.” Albert replied.

“Shall I just ask Kate, the director?” Eliza asked, then realising that the Royal family didn't know about Kate having the gift, she added “I've got her number.”

“Good plan, do it now please.” The queen agreed. “So, Albert, when are you going?”

“I guess I should make sure the V.C. isn't away, but I'm thinking it's not too late today, even.”

Meanwhile, Eliza had got Kate to pick up. “Kate, the design criteria for the different parts of the building, are they publishable?”

“Yes, I'd say they are. It was part of the planning application, so it's already public. And it's not like the tunnels, no one gains much advantage by knowing we can or can't stand up to a nuclear bomb dropped on us. But, Sarah found out something else in the records. There are some doubts about how strong the new wing actually is; about fifteen years after the new wing was built the builder was convicted of defrauding the tax-payer and corporate murder. A military bunker they'd built was found to not to be as strong as the design called for, and the poor guys inside got killed. They'd used cheap materials and hadn't done it right, apparently. But our wing was done ten years before the bunker.”

“So, the new wing posibly isn't up to specification?”

“Possibly. I don't know if or how you can tell, though.”

“Thanks. I'll pass that on.”

“No problem. Do I gather that you're going to publish the committee report?”

“Yes. I'm not sure quite how though.”

“You could just make it available on the palace news site, or we could on ours, if you prefer.”

“Or even both.”

“That might even be the best idea.”

“And someone point Tony at those old press reports?”

“I don't think you're supposed to show favoritism like that.”

“Oh I didn't say I would!”

“Well, if you want I can tell Teresa that we're about to publish, and ask if she has any input.”

“But she's certainly not allowed to be a leak!”

“No. But I could call her when Tony's in earshot.”

“Kate, you're a devious woman. I'll just check for final approval here, but I don't have any objections. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Elisa disconnected. “No objections?” Albert asked.

“No. She suggested that an easy way to publish it was to put it out on the pallace news site, or the institute's. She also said that the contractor for the new wing skimped on material on a government contract ten years after building the new wing. Corporate murder. The bunker wasn't nearly as strong as it should have been and soldiers died. So, there's a possibility that the new wing isn't made to specification.”

“OK. Well, I guess that's something the mnistry for sciences needs to know.

Eliza could you please pass that on to them? I'm sure Albert will be happy to tell you how.”

“Yes sir.” Eliza agreed, wondering if she'd get any of her own research done today.

“About publishing, I think that her suggestion has merit. Except that I don't think we will publish the whole text, merely a pointer to the article on the Institute's site. It is right, I think, that the Institute receives due credit for this.”

The queen added “From a security stand-point, I don't actually think it is wise to publish the exact design strength of the institute. After all, there are other ways of generating a shock-wave, and even if it's accessible from an archive, that's not the same as putting it in a press release. So, I suggest that the numbers be left out, and be replaced with a some phrase like, 'A very close nuclear blast.' and 'a nuclear blast further away,' and if you really want you can add a note saying 'exact numbers withheld.' ”

“Very wise. Why tell people how big a bomb they'd need to wreck the institute?” Albert said. “But Eliza, what was that about Tony?”

“Tony's on the committee, but he's also a reporter. It seems unfair not to at least tell him an extract from the committee's minutes are about to be put on the network.” Eliza explained.

“Oh, I would think everyone on the committee should be consulted.” The king said. “That's not favouritism, it's only right and proper respect for your committee colleagues.”

“Thank you for your wisdom, your Majesty.” Eliza said.

“Now, Albert.” the King declared, “I think you should tell the Vice Chancellor that there's a serious matter that you need to see him about, and don't accept excuses. Get on the transit while you're doing that. Eliza, you should go too, of course. While Albert's telling off the vice-chancellor, you could either be assessing the mood of the staff and students, or officially thanking those who signed the pettition. Probably both, actually. I suggest you coordinate with Dr Holmes to arrange for some kind of meeting place, maybe if the rugby club were so helpful they can be again. Nothing too fancy, but I'd suggest a five minute speech thanking the students for alerting us to the problem, tell everyone it's their right and civic duty to do that, and be utterly convincing that we're taking the impact seriously, and that they should too. Albert, you know that as Chancellor you have the authority to suspend the vice chancellor if he doesn't see reason. Don't be afraid to use it if you see fit. Eliza, if you could try and gague the opinion of staff and students about how liked and respected the V.C. is, that might help Albert decide how heavy handed he ought to be.”

“I'll try, your Majesty.” Eliza said, trying to work out how long she'd have to prepare for such a lecture. It was looking like about thirty seconds.

“I do hope you can delegate chasing around for input on the minutes. I think you're going to have enough to do. Albert, I don't think the vice chancellor is much of a security threat, so I'd judge that if the committee haven't published by the time you get there, you can go with what we've got here, and just make it clear that this is from a confidential royal briefing, but that a public version will be released very soon.”

“Have a lovely time you two, we won't expect you back for lunch.” the queen added with a smile.

“Thank you mother. I hope you won't expect us for dinner, either.”

“Of course not. You're going to take Eliza out somewhere.”

“Yes. Probably in Restoration, by the look of it.”

“That's not a bad plan. Maybe you should give at least half of that speach.” Agreed the King.

“I must say, I do like that idea.” Eliza said, feeling the pressure lifting.

“OK, so let's get Dr Holmes to arrange a nice big venue for towards the evening, and publicise it. We'll do some talking and then we'll ask the vice chancellor to outline the university's plans for responding to the impact, or failing that, give a farewell speach.”

“Good plan, Albert.” the King agreed.

“So, off you go then. For the sake of our friends in security, I think you should take half an hour or so to get ready before you leave the palace.”

“Eliza,” the queen added, “this is your first meet and greet event, and there are extra precautions. For safety's sake you should have some protective clothing. Mirabelle will have had something made for you.”

Eliza was surprised, “I've never noticed you wearing anything like that, maam.”

“Well, it's very discreet. Not very effective, either, truth be told. But it should protect you against very low calibre firearms, and knife attacks, so it's better than nothing..”

“I'd better go and talk to Mirabelle then.”

“Take care and listen to Bella please, we don't want anything to happen to you.” The King said.

“Thank you sir.”

----------------------------------------

10AM

At ten o'clock, Eliza called Karen. [Karen, is your lecture over yet?]

[Just. I'm just off to find a study hole somewhere.]

[Sound-proofed?]

[Yes.]

[Wonderful! Do you have anything else planned for the next hour or so?]

[Not really. Why?]

[You've wrecked my plans for the day, so I thought I'd return the favour. Well, not quite. Albert and I are just about on our way. There's nothing decent published, so putting out that section from the minutes looks like the best option. Her majesty is concerned that we don't give people instructions on how to knock down the Institute, so her suggestion is to put it less precisely, maybe with a footone saying that we're withholding the exact numbers. I need you to make sure there's no typos in my change, when I send it to you, and then get everyone on the committee to agree to it before we arrive if possible. Kate's fine with it going on the institute's site, but the king pointed out that it's only right and proper to give committee members some warning. Not least Tony, oh, and tell him to talk to Kate or Sarah about it.]

[OK. I can do all that. So you'll be here in something like an hour?]

[A bit more than one, but less than two, I'd guess. I'll send you the current draft.]

[OK. I'll get on it.]

[Bye then. Oh, a quick question, we've been told to pass on an official thank you from the King for raising the problem, and give a speech all about how seriously we're taking the impact. I don't quite know how we solve the equation of that and keeping you low profile.]

[How about a personal thank you, in private? Then, in your speach you can say something like you've thanked the people in person and won't embarrass them by calling them up to the front.]

[Thanks. Good plan.]

[So, you're really going to rake the V.C over the coals?]

[No, not at all. That's Albert's job. The King told Albert to suspend him if needed. I'm supposed to measure the V.C.'s popular approval rating. Which reminds me, does he do a good job otherwise?]

[He signs degree certificates. Is there more he needs to do?]

[Urm, that sounds really aloof to me.]

[I guess so.]

[So, does he turn up at debates, or would he be seen at a rugby game?]

[I don't think so. Maybe at a croquet match.]

[There's a student croquet team?]

[No.]

[Okaaay, does he lecture in anything?]

[I don't know of him teaching anything. Ask George and Sarah, too, though.]

[Sorry, I'll stop puting you on the spot. ]

[It's O.K. Just, I'm only vaguely aware of his name, let alone of what he does.]

[Thanks, Karen. I'll grill the others, too, don't worry. See you later.]

[O.K. Eliza. By the way, do you enjoy his new job you've got, turning people's worlds upside down?]

[I'm not sure that's part of it, but, from what I've seen so far, it's mostly fire-fighting and making sure the fires don't start. Yes, I like it, and Albert.]

[Good! I'll pray for your energy reserves, then!]

[Thank you!]

----------------------------------------

Karen decided that contacting Pris was probably going to be the hardest. But that Arwood, Teresa and Tony were the ones most likely to be in meetings with someone. She thought about sending a message to them and trying to talk to the others, but then decided that she might as well send everyone the message. She did that, asking them to reply within the hour that Eliza had given her if she couldn't speak to them, then tried calling Arwood. She got no answer from his home, so she tried the church office. A woman answered.

“Hi, is that Hannah? Karen here.”

“Hi! We've just read your note. Yes, we're both fine with that going out.”

“Thanks!”

“What's the big rush?”

“We need it published A.S.A.P. to help sort out a situation here. I'll tell you more in person, OK?”

“That's fine, dear. Go for it, I won't hold you. Bye!”

“Bye!”

A message had come from Pris. “OK. Don't call, v. busy.”

Next, she tried Teresa's work number and got a secretary: “I'm sorry, Ms Riley is with a client. Could you leave a message, or call back in twenty minutes please?”

“I'll call, thank you. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

She tried Tony next. He answered with “Hi Karen, I can't talk, I'm with someone at the moment. Yes. But when?”

“In twenty to fourty minutes, I hope. And apparently you need to talk to Kate or Sarah.”

“OK. Bye.”

“Goodbye.”

She decided Sarah was next. [Hi, Sarah!]

[Hi! John's read your message, but don't call him, he's with a client. He says fine. I think it's worded OK-ish, but I think you could say 'a more powerful device further away.']

[You're the physicist.]

[Well, it's just that if you say 'very close and then 'further away' then people might think it wasn't built to be very strong at all. This way sort of makes people think, OK, so I guess that means its not quite as strong, but it still must be pretty tough.]

[And is it?]

[Ah, yes. The great important question. Even without the right amount of reinforcement there's still a lot of concrete there.]

[How thick are the walls, just in case Albrert gets asked?]

[Good question, actually hard to answer. You don't notice them in the foyer, because of the display cupboards on the sides, and at the windows they've played tricks to make them look thinner. But... they're over a metre thick. The entire foyer area works as a blast deflector, by the way, so whichever way the blast comes from, it's partly cancelled out at the doorways, which are solid steel under the veneer, of course; don't get your fingers trapped! I'm sure the forcefield glass doesn't hurt, either, but that wasn't in the original design.]

[And the new wing?]

[One metre instead of a bit over. The main difference is it was designed with less steel.]

[But possibly there's even less in it than there should be?]

[Yes. But, unless they skimped on the amount of cement, which I guess is also possible, there's still a lot of solid wall there.]

[Thanks. Oh, Eliza asked me to tell Tony he ought to contact you or Kate, by the way.]

[Well, Kate's going to pass him to me, I expect.]

[Oh well. I wonder what he's going to write.]

[Me too. But what are you going to give as an introduction to this?]

[Oh. You mean it's not enough on its own?]

[It needs a title, at least. You could call it 'Excerpt from briefing to royal family.' or something like that. But maybe put something about it being from the committee too.]

[I guess so. So, does everyone need to check the title too?]

[I don't think so. I'd say get Pete's thoughts at least, though. Feel free to run ideas past me though, I'm interruptable.]

[Thanks, Sarah. Hmm, first guess, how does 'Excerpts from the committee on major threat assessment's report to Royal family' sound?]

[Sounds wonderfully accurate. Do you have the description of the committee that went into the UN thing?]

[I don't think so.]

[Well, this is going onto the institute's press page isn't it?]

[Yes.]

[Then I'll add that bit about the committee, if that's OK.]

[That's wonderful, Sarah. We might as well advertise our services.]

[It did read like that, didn't it? Oh well, it's better to be as open as we can be, I think. Otherwise we're just going to feed rumours.]

[Yes. Has Eliza talked to you about tne vice chancellor yet?]

[No. At the university? What's he up to?]

[Refusing to plan for the impact.]

[Ah. Hence the rush to publication?]

[Yes, and hence Eliza and Albert's visit to the university.]

[Oh. Well I guess that's like him.]

[You've met him?]

[Didn't you? I thought you were doing geology. First year course on the fundamentally faschinating properies of rocks.]

[That was him? I'm braindead! Eliza, I take it all back!] she called to Eliza too.

[Take what back?] Sarah asked.

[Sorry, I'd totally forgotten that the V.C gave us a lecture on basic geology in my first term. He's not aloof, but he's not very good as a lecturer either.]

[Hi Sarah. Would you agree? What's he like?]

[The V.C.? I'd guess he's a capable enough administator, a steady hand at the wheel, or something. Not very imaginative, or very flexible. He takes one course in geology and manages to discourage half the students from taking any more courses in the subject, out of the groundless fear that they'll get him again. The only high point of his lecture course is that he does like the subject, and if you can manage to get him into a digression from his lecture notes, he'll start to expound on how fascinating it all is. If he gets really excited, then his diction starts to slip, and there's graffiti on the lecture room desks recording some of his classic phrases.]

[And otherwise you'd say he's a capable man?]

[I think so. Maybe a bit fearful of the unexpected, and not easy to persuade.] Sarah said.

[I wonder...one of his digressions....] Karen started.

[Yes?] Eliza asked.

[He might just be the person to ask about your walls, Sarah.] Karen suggested.

[Oh! Of course! His doctorate work!] Sarah exclaimed.

[Can you expand, please?] Eliza asked, pained.

[He apparently came up with a novel way of testing what was in rocks and concrete, but while it was superior to the normal way, it wasn't widely used because it's easy enough to take a sample, normally. I can't remember all the details. But I think his way was entirely non-destructive.] Sarah explained.

[So, do you think Albert should show him your report, tell him about the uncertainty because of the dodgy builder, and ask him about testing the strength of the Institute's walls?]

[It's worth a try, I think. He'd be interested in the science, I'm sure.] Karen said.

[And here I am, a historian.]

[Well, at least you're not a philosopher.] Sarah said, pointing out the old antipathy.

[Karen, you need to stay out of this, don't you, for your security?] Eliza asked.

[I think so. Unless we tell him we're cousins, which he's going to find out soon, but it blows my cover early.]

[But it doesn't explain your link to the institute, unless we tell him that link too.]

[I'm not sure it's a very good idea, especially since I instigated that request.]

[I agree. So, if we bring him out to the Institute, Sarah, could you tell him why we're asking this?]

[Of course.]

[Wonderful! I'll fill Albert in.]

----------------------------------------

10.30 HYPERSONIC TRANSIT

Eliza watched her fiance. She liked seeing him being conscientiously studious. It was a contrast to how he'd presented himself as a rebel against duty when she first met him. He was re-reading the University's constitution, just to make sure of his powers. “Albert, it might not be necessary.”

“I know, but I need to know, just in case it is.”

“Yes, I know. Let me know when I can tell you the new plan.”

She went back to making notes for her speach.

----------------------------------------

10.35

George found Karen in the study cubicle, looking stressed, and maybe distressed too.

[How are you, love?]

[Feeling guilty. I almost ruined the vice-chancellor's carreer, just because I didn't think.]

[Oh?]

[I told Eliza no one ever saw him. I totally forgot I'd ever met him, but he actually taught a whole term of lectures in my first year.]

[Oops.]

[I guess his full name didn't stick, and I never realised he was V.C.]

[But no long term harm done?]

[No, well, only to my self esteem, I guess. Sarah saved the day. I totally misjudged him, presented him as aloof. He's not aloof, just... uncomfortable away from his topic.]

[Which is? He's never taught me.]

[Rocks, strata, fissures and other such fun stuff. Oh, and he can't lecture on the basics without making it boring.]

[Ah.]

[But he does know his stuff, and I shouldn't have passed judgement on him like that.]

[You've said that. But surely Eliza wouldn't just check with you?]

[No. But...]

[But you've had a stressful morning and need a pray and a hug?]

[I guess so.]

[Come on then.]

[But I need to call Teresa in two minutes and then...]

[Let's pray, precious.] George said.

[You're not supposed to call me that.]

[Emergency use only, I know, my precious. Prayer time!]

They prayed.

----------------------------------------

10.45AM

“Hello, could I speak to Teresa Riley please?” Karen asked the secretary once more.

“I'm sorry, Ms. Riley is with a client.”

“Still? That's an expensive consulation. Can you please tell her, from Karen, she's got urm... Fifteen minutes to reply to me before she makes me break a promise to Tony.”

“Oh, you're a friend?”

“Yes. Is she all right?”

“I hope so, I'm sure she is.”

“You hope so?”

“Well, she didn't come it in this morning. That happens, she gets emegency calls from clients, but she normally rings to let me know who she's with.”

“And I presume you've called her home number and her wrist unit.”

“Yes. The answerphone and no connection respectively.”

“But you've not called the police, yet?”

“I'm sure she's just with a client.”

“Good. Please tell the police that when you speak to them, but make sure that you also tell them it's out of character, and you're worried.”

She tried to signal to George, but he'd gone across to his own study cubicle. “You really think I should?”

“Yes. Now, I'll do some checks myself, and see if anyone I know knows where she might be, and if I manage to talk to her then I'll get back to you, OK?”

“Thank you.”

“Bye.”

Karen focussed on Teresa she was there in that odd-shaped room there. What on earth? [George!]

[What?]

[It looks like Teresa may be in trouble. {image}.]

[A room with no exits?] George asked.

[Tunnel, or rather, a cave, I guess.]

[I'll talk to Tony, you call Kate.]

[OK.]

George checked on Teresa's health as he called Tony. “Hi Tony. Did Teresa go caving last night?”

Tony got the point immediately. “Is she OK?”

“Mostly. Miserable, hungry, cold, and it looks like she's trapped. Kate's contacting the authorities.”

“I knew she was going, but not where. She said she'd be back late, so I didn't worry.”

“So you weren't the safety contact.”

“No. It was a well organised trip, she said. So, I guess that means two things have gone wrong.”

“OK, well, as I say, she's not in any pain as far as I can tell without actually listening in to her thoughts. You don't know any names of who she was going with, do you?”

“No, sorry. Just 'a group from the club.' I'd have gone too, if I didn't have a piece to write up.”

“We'll keep you informed.”

[Authorities already aware, and on-site. George.] Karen interrupted.

“Tony, the authorities are already there, apparrently.”

“Well, I suppose that's good news. But she's trapped, you say?”

“Here's Karen. She actually checked on where she was.”

“Hi Tony. I think it's water, not a rockslide.”

“Rising?” Tony asked.

Karen checked “Not noticably since I first checked.”

“That's good news at least.”

“More good news is that I can tell you where, assuming you want to go. We'll be praying.”

“Of course!”

Karen gave him directions, and said goodbye. Then George and Karen prayed once more in the little study cubicle.

When they'd finished. Karen decided that concern for Teresa was no real reason to not keep her promises. She called the office and spoke to the secretary.

“Hello, I've got news about Teresa.”

“Is she OK?”

“Yes and no. I called a mutual friend at the IHM. Teresa's underground, OK at the moment, but cut off by water, the authorities are on the scene.”

“So, she'll be all right?”

“I don't think there's any guarantee of that. We're praying she will be. ”

“Oh. Oh dear. Thank you for telling me. I'll pass the word on.”

“Good bye.”

“Bye.”

Next she called Pete, “Hi, Pete, Karen here.”

“Hello Karen. That's going to go on the Institute's news site?”

“Yes, there's going to be something from the palace pointing to it, Sarah's thinking she'll append the description of the committee from the UN application, and we've got a first draft title: 'Excerpts from the committee on major threat assessment's report to the Royal family.' ”

“Not bad, but there's no mention of the impact in that title. I'm not sure you need to say it's to the royal family. How about this: 'Credibility of Valentine's day impact threat. Excerpts from COMTA report.' And I think you should add some sort of two or three line summary. Something like

'Credibility:very high. Threat:total devastation of city of Restoration. Source: three independent dreams and visions, presumed to be divine specific revelation.' Maybe add something about there not being any profit motive for anyone.'”

“OK, But people know most of those things.”

“But now they'll know that this is the committee's assessment, not just the press or palace making things up.”

“OK. I agree. Thanks!”

“Wait up! I also think you need to make it explicit what we're being told here. I'd add something like 3 gifted individuals observed the memories of the 3 independent witnesses, to find points of similarly and points of difference in their dreams/visions. And if we could point to a picture of that hook feature, in the park, so much the better. Or shall we leave that up to Tony and the press?”

“I think Tony might not be writing much; Teresa's stuck down a cave at the moment.”

“So he's got a choice of worrying or writing?”

“I guess so.”

“I'd probably worry myself.”

“Understandable, but not helpful. Prayer's better.”

“Yes. Is anyone with him?”

“One of us gifted, you mean?”

“I guess so — you're really handy from a reassurance point of view. Or at least, their pastor.”

“I don't know who he thought to tell. Last I heard John was with a client.”

“I'll go, then. Correction, could you tell Kate I'd really like it if she came too.”

“Thanks, Pete. I think I'm needed here for this little crisis. It doesn't feel so important now though.”

“It's important. Just less immediate. But you couldn't do much to help anyway, you know.”

----------------------------------------

11.10

Kate was very glad to have Pete's request to come. That way she could go and shout at the rescue coordinator in person.

He'd ignored what she'd told them about where Teresa and the others were, and were doing it the slow way, ignoring everything she'd told them. The caves were sufficiently complex that it would probably take them hours to get near Teresa, and that was assuming there wasn't any problem with them getting past the water.

[George, have you got time to do Teresa and me a big favour?]

[Yes Kate. What is it?]

[I need your artistic memory and skills. They're relying on a crude map of the cave system, which apparently Teresa's group was planning on fixing somewhat.

But it's complicated down there and the map's wrong. Teresa's got somewhere the map shows has a nice straight connection out, but there's no such thing.

Someone must have got lazy, or something. Do you think you could take a look at the tunnels and make an accurate map?]

[Urm, yes, I'll try, for sure. But Karen said she couldn't see anything under the water.]

[Oh, that happened to me too. You just have to decide you don't care about the water, and it hides.]

[Handy.]

[Very.]

[OK. I'll give it a go.]

[Thanks. I'm going to go with Pete, so we can be there with Tony and just maybe get the search coordinator lynched; he's ignoring me.]

[Why?]

[Because 'he's not going to interrupt his team's well established, careful search plan on some mystical hunch.']

[Ah. OK. And who might be able to overrule him?]

[I'm not sure if anyone can. Cave rescue is a volunteer organization. He's the long-established leader for that cave system, apparently.]

[OK, I'll work on the map.]

George looked at where Teresa was, without the water; it was complex. No wonder the map wasn't very good. Trying to get that twisting, turning mess onto a single sheet wasn't going to work. He started to see the pattern though.

There was one set of tunnels which he guessed had followed the folds in the. rock, And wow! Was it folded! and then there were others which cut through the layers. Teresa was in the upper portion of one of the folds. There was a way

out, but first it followed the fold down and actually went under the entrance tunnel and joined it from the other side. The water was entering there he guessed, and then it could be leaving there or maybe there. He thought he'd try something; he talked to Karen and asked her to look for Teresa without bothering about still water. And he looked at where the water was flowing.

Mentally comparing the three views, Karen saw that there must have been some kind of blockage at the lower exit, so the water had gone back to an older path.

“Thanks, Karen.”

“It's a mess down there, isn't it?”

“Yes. And Teresa's path might have worked if there hadn't been so much up and down and that slot thing to the other tunnel.”

“It's called a fissure, George, but you're right. I wonder what the blockage is. And as for how to draw that tangle, I'm certainly going to leave that to you.”

“Not all of it on one sheet, that's for sure. I think I'm going to need to make a 3d model to get all of it in.”

“But you can? And.... do you need to?”

“Yes I can... Especially if you help me.”

“Of course, George! How?”

“Like asking if I need to do the whole system. Good point.”

[Teresa's there can you see where other people are?]

Karen looked for trapped people in the cave system. There was Teresa, and there was a woman in another pocket just ahead of her, and a group of three people in another branch. They'd been going another direction towards the exit, Karen guessed. She pointed them out to George.

[OK, so that means I can ignore more than three quarters of the tunnels. That's nice. Hmm, I think I can get it on one sheet with colour for height, and maybe a cross section or two.] George started a graphics program on the console, and quickly sketched the plan view. Karen had hardly ever seen him drawing, and was amazed at how quickly it was taking shape before her eyes.

[What do you think,] he asked, [blue for underwater, heading to black as it gets deeper, and say, green for just above water?]

[How about green, brown purple, like on some maps?]

[I like that. Keep things familiar.]

Karen wasn't quite sure how, but the next thing he did was started 'painting' and it seemed to change colour as he went, sometimes blue, sometimes black. The blocked channel out of the system was a little black circle Then he changed settings and the pen was drawing greens, browns and purples all in the same stroke. Karen couldn't stand not knowing. [That's amazing! How do you get it to change colour like that?]

[It's pressure sensitive, and I guess I've had practice.]

[Very Impressive.]

[Yes, but is it accurate?]

[I think so. You're going to mark the trapped people?]

[Yes. Nice visible red crosses. Then, I'm going to draw a cross section through this bit.]

[I do wonder what's caused the blockage. It must have happened while they were down there.]

[I'd guess so.] George thought to her, sketching the cross section so he could show the water level in Teresa's tunnel, and the fissure which linked it to the other chamber.

[That's amazing, George!]

[I think it's good enough. I'll send it to Kate.]

[Wait a moment. Let's label the people. Duh, I'm dumb. Let's also check on everyone's health, too, I could have been doing it while you drew, sorry.]

[Good Idea.]

Everyone down there was roughly speaking OK, they decided. Cold, grumpy, bruised, and quite a few angry. One was regretful. The three in a group were also deeply worried about someone, but Karen didn't dig deeper to find out who.

They decided they'd check on the search party too. None were on the map, but George drew arrows to them, and the time they'd checked. One of the rescue party had a sore knee, and George added that note too. Then he sent it.

[Kate, annotated map on it's way to you now. I'd recommend you send it straight on to Mr Know it All.]

[Thanks George. Wow that's great. But you're sure there were only five trapped?]

[Yes. Why?]

[When I checked, there were six. There was someone near that flowing water you're marked. There, it's sent.]

[Oh no, you think he got swept away?]

[It's possible. Probable, I guess.]

[That deepest part, that's where the stream should be going, but it's not. There's some sort of blockage. The hole's not that big, but it opens out fairly quickly underneath. I don't know if it's possible, but maybe if they could reopen it somehow...]

[Then maybe the water would go away of its own accord, and they could get out easily?]

[Yes, exactly.]

[Well, if he'll look at the map, then he might work that out himself, but I wouldn't want to be the diver who does it, if theres a risk of getting sucked in.]

[No. Me neither. I don't think it's that big a hole though.]

[Right, I'll try and talk to the rescue leader again.]

[We'll be praying.]

----------------------------------------

11.30AM

“You received the map, Sir?” said an all too familiar voice on his wrist unit.

Angus tried to be polite, but he'd told her not to contact him again.

“I saw you'd sent something, and I'll be informing the police that you're harassing me in a time of crisis. Goodbye.”

“Sir! Wait! What I sent you is as detailed a map as my contact was able to make in the time available. It shows roughly where your searchers are, which tunnels are flooded, water flow and the exact position of the five individuals still alive. It is trustworthy. Please use it. ”

“Goodbye, maam.” he said, and hung up. What arrogance! Trying to tell him about these caves. He did glance at the supposed map. How could she think anyone could draw a decent map of that mess down there? It was very pretty, he saw that, and missing three quarters of the tunnels. But, OK. It did look quite like his mental image of that part of the tunnels, except they supposedly were as full of water as they got after a heavy storm in spring. Someone had obviously been down there and taken good notes. What was that about Jack having a sore knee? Come to think of it, how did whoever it was who'd drawn this map known who was down there?

His mind racing, he called Jack. “Jack, how are you doing?”

“Slower than normal, I've done a fair bit of wading. There's something odd going on, Angus. The water level's as high as I've ever seen it, but there was the normal amount of inflow when we checked.”

“OK. And if I asked you about your knee, what would you say?”

“I'd want to know what you'd been talking to my wife about.”

“I haven't. Some woman from the city who says she's connected to the Institute for the Human Mind has sent me a map saying Mick and Edmond are in each other's tunnels, you've got a bad knee, and there are five people trapped down in the crinkles.”

“With water this high, they certainly would be trapped if they were. Mick and Ed never did know left from right, so I'm not surprised. But only five?”

“Yes, that's what the map says. Complete list with their names and health conditions too.. The map also shows the water around the bottom hole is static. Does that make sense to you?”

“It'd explain the waterlevel, certainly. So, why are we this end of the system, if you've got a live contact with supernatural knowledge?”

“Because I didn't believe a word of it. Who would?”

“I'd guess that map's right, Angus.”

“Now I think I'm starting to, too. Maybe I should have kept her on the line, rather than threatening to call the police on her. If it is, you've got two trapped separately along crinkle three and another three huddled together in the bulge in crinkle four. Crinkle two is almost fully flooded and crinkle one is taking the whole flow. One of the three is regretting something and the whole group of three are worried about someone. The other two are just hungry, cold, and feeling miserable.”

“No broken bones or anything?”

“No. Quite a bit of anger. I'd guess Mr guilty-feeling is responsible for that little flood, somehow. And his friends death.”

“Well, I presume he didn't stuff his friend down the bottom hole, so what might have blocked it?”

“A big pile of rocks, maybe? Or a backpack?”

“Who'd be crazy enough to let his backpack get near the bottom hole?”

“I don't know, but what do you think? If it's a backpack, can Ed go and free

it? Without getting sucked in himself, of course. Getting five people out form

where they are, with the full flow going down wriggle 1... Well that's going to be a seriously risky operation.”

“Maybe if he took a look, well roped. He might be able to hook a line on it and get clear. But it can't be just a soft pack, surely. Ortherwise I don't know why its not been shredded already.”

“Well, if it's rocks then we're going to have to break them somehow, and if it's got a good strong frame, so much the better. We're going to finally be glad of that hook the film crew pit in, rather than just hitting our heads on it.”

“Right, I'll get Ed to have a look.” Angus decided. He also decided he might eventually owe an apology to the woman who'd called him. But of course, the originating code had been protected, like any sensible person. So he couldn't. But he certainly didn't complain to the police like he'd threatened.

He had other things to worry about.

“Edward, you're going swimming. You too, Mick, as dive-buddy.”

“Oh joy.” Ed replied. “So, what's up with the funny water levels?”

“Exactly. We've had a map care of the IHM. Their informant says you two don't know your left tunnel from your right, that Mick's knee hurts, that the bottom hole is blocked and all the river's going down crinkle one.”

“And there are some live bodies down here?”

“Five, uninjured in crinkles three and four. But if all the water's going down one, then, well, you know. You can't get out from three and four without using one part of the way.”

“I've been down crinkle one on a rope once before Angus. Remember what happened?”

“Yes, Ed. You recovered eventually. That's why you're going to see if you can take the plug out of bottom hole. The safe alternative is we try and divert the main flow down two, somehow.”

“That'll flood three for sure, Angus, you know how they're connected.” Ed said.

“Yes. We'd be giving up on two people to keep you alive and rescue three.”

“I'll have a look at the bottom hole, then “.

“Thanks, Ed. There's still that hook the film crew put in; Mick and I were thinking that if you could set up some block and tackle between that and whatever the blockage is, then you could get yourself to a safe location, and then pull.”

“I'll see what it is first, Angus. But yeah; I hate to think how strong the current will be when it starts.”

----------------------------------------

12:00, RESTORATION UNIVERSITY

Eliza was quite enjoying visiting the university. She and Bella had decided that the easiest way to talk to lots of students was to actually conduct an opinion poll. She wasn't quite sure how it would go, but Eliza had persuaded the library porter that even though the fiancée of the crown prince wasn't a student here, it was still OK to let her use the library photocopier.

There was another candidate, a young woman in her third year, by Eliza's guess. Time for her opening line.

“Hello, my name's Eliza Underwood, and I'm here to do a bit of research for their majesties. I wonder if you could spare me about a minute of your time for some questions?”

“You look really like her too! Is this a setup?” It was so unexpected that people didn't believe a word of it. “No hidden cameras that I'm aware of.” Eliza said.

“Yeah, I'll answer some questions.”

“Do you happen to know the names of the university's vice-chancellor, dean of academic studies and chancellor.”

“I've gone blank on the first two, but it should have been the duck for the chancellor. She wasn't forced at all.”

“Thank you, I'll pass that on. What do you expect will happen on valentines day?”

“Either we'll wake up with such a big hangover and wish the world had ended, or we won't wake up.”

“You expect to be here, then?”

“I think the V.C.'s not going to close down, and if I miss another lecture then I've been warned not to bother taking my finals.”

“I very much hope you're wrong about that. Thank you for your time. No more questions. Bella?”

Bella came forward, “One letter of thanks, sorry it's a photocopy, and a genuine discount voucher for your next campus meal or course book.”

“You're serious?” the student asked. Doing a double-take at the amount on the discount voucher. It would probably buy two meals.

“Royal protection officers aren't famous for joking, and your answers are important to us, thank you.” Eliza said.

“I honestly still can't really believe you're real, but... Could I have an autograph?”

“Of course! What's your name?”

“Tiffany, with two effs.”

Eliza thought for a bit; then wrote on the back of the letter, “Dear Tiffany, 'Don't get drunk on wine, but be filled with God's Spirit' — no hangovers! And be somewhere safe for the impact. Eliza Underwood.”

It wasn't much of an autograph, but it was personal. She handed it back, “I'd love to chat, but I'd like to interview this man coming over here. Tiffany recognised him.

“Hi Gavin, your future queen wants to interview you.”

“Very funny, Tiff.” Gavin said.

Eliza tried anyway, and said “Hi, Tiffany's right, I'm doing some research, Could I ask a few questions? About a minute?”

“And you're Eliza Underwood, I suppose?”

“Correct. Could you name the Academic dean, vice chancellor and chancellor of this university?”

“We don't have an academic dean, they renamed the post to something else. Prince Albert is chancellor and the V.C. was still Dr Burton the last I heard. And if you're really Eliza Underwood, then why does me being in the rugby club matter?”

“Thank you for those answers, you're the first who pointed out the renaming of the post. Your being in the rugby club probably means that as of sometime a bit before 9 A.M. your signature went on a petition to Albert this morning, which caused us to drop our plans and come down here.”

“Hey! I'm starting to believe you.” Gavin said. “But I didn't sign, I wasn't there, since I've got a dodgy elbow since my last match.”

“How long before you can play again?” Eliza asked.

“Doctor's not sure. Maybe never. It's happened before, you see.”

“They're saying stop now before you do real damage?”

“Yes.”

“I hope it gets better. What's your impression of the vice-chancellor?”

“No idea, I guess he does his job. I've never had a run-in with him. Rumour says he can delay deciding a lot, but then makes decisions really fast if he's convinced.”

“And one last question, can I ask what you're expecting to happen on valentines day?”

“Other than proposing to Tiffany, you mean?”

Tiffany turned to him in surprise. “Really?”

“I told you I would.” Gavin said.

“I thought you were just saying it because you were drunk.”

“Doesn't make it less true. Just less of a surprise.” he told her, then turned to Eliza “I expect to be with Tiffany, wherever she is, beyond that, I don't much care if the impact happens or not.”

“Isn't he a romantic?” Tiffany asked, rhetorically.

“Hmm, I don't know.” Eliza answered. “I mean, if he's planing a big, lavish engagement then the day of the impact might not be the best, and if he's not, and you both feel like that, then I don't really see the point in waiting for a certain day just because it's considered a good day to ask someone on a first date. But, don't change your plans just because I've got wedding fever.”

“So, did you know Albert was going to propose to you?” Tiffany asked.

“Yes, I did. I was still in witness protection, so it all took quite a bit of arranging to actually be in the same place.”

“And you didn't want him to ask your Dad's permission.”

“No. I mean, he never even sent me birthday cards when I thought he was someone important. Even before I met Albert I knew my dad was an evil madman. Sorry, I can't talk more, I need to get some more answers, and I see some more candidates over there.” Bella handed Gavin a 'thank you' pack.

“I hope you have a good term and a happy lifelong marriage.”

“Thank you. Out of interest,” Gavin asked, “would you have said that if I told you I was a republican?”

“You're not, surely?” Eliza asked.

“He is, I'm not.” Tiffany confirmed.

“In answer to your question, I would, but I'd maybe advise sorting out that difference of opinion before you marry. Have you ever actually studied the history of what republics are like?”

“They can be made to work. Most monarchies aren't that great, either and even the good ones end up in war or paralysis. I'd rather suffer the odd policy change than live under a whimsical dictator whose only reason for being in power is that he got the right parents.”

“OK, fair point. That's why our constitution lets the public vote out the monarch if they start going off the rails. Or automatically ousts him or her if they break a promise.”

“What?” he hadn't expected that response.

“Of course! Haven't you read our constitution? Sorry, that's hardly fair, I only did that over the weekend. But, still, I do recommend it, it might make you change your mind about constitutional monarchies, or at least ours. Politicians can get elected for making promises they know they can't keep, but if the king acted like that he'd be looking for a new job. Which sort of person would you rather trust to rule?”

“OK, but the social stratification implicit with a monarchy — marrying into their own exclusive privileged social class — means there is no true social mobility opportunities for the lower classes, however talented. Their creativity is limited and the society eventually stagnates.”

“Urm, excuse me? Marrying into a privileged social class? You're talking to the bastard daughter of a temporary office worker, who stupidly thought getting her boss drunk and sleeping with him might be a good career move. It wasn't. I don't know how often you've gone to bed hungry. When mum couldn't find work we didn't always have much more than stale bread to eat when I was growing up. OK, my dad set up a fund which paid for my university fees, but other than that he hardly remembered I existed until he was thrown in prison. What on earth do you mean marrying into their own privileged social class?”

“Urm...”

“And I don't think her majesty is exactly from the upper echelons of society, either, an I right, Bella?”

“Grew up trying to protect her little brother from the gangs in her road, so that should tell you a lot about how privileged her upbringing was. She joined Security and won all the self defence medals going because she knew how important it is to get the winning blow in. Rumour has it that she also won a few matches because there's no rule against fighting dirty in the gangs or royal protection. The king was impressed by her fearless attitude, not her family ties.”

“Just where did you get this rubbish from?” Eliza asked “You sound like you're quoting something from before the restoration.”

“He is.” Tiffany said “His Great-I don't remember-how-many-times grandmother was the last president. She wrote it and he found a copy in the library in his second term. He's been memorising it ever since.”

“Interesting. Can I ask that you look at our present constitution, and see if there is anything that she writes which isn't covered? I'd guess the constitution was written to counter all the horrors your relative wrote about, but it would be nice to know.”

“OK, I'll read it. You've made me curious, too. Urm, how do I let you know the answer?”

“Care of the palace will get to me. Or via your chancellor. I seem to be spending most of my waking hours at the palace these days, it's not doing my masters research much good.”

“All those parties must be draining.”

“You must be joking! Cabinet briefings, talking to this or that minister about proposed legislation; and I must have explained my research results at least a half a dozen times since Thursday, but people, politicians mostly, still want more clarification. And that's without all the plans and proposals to do with the impact.”

“I thought they were just going to put up some kind of container city, doesn't seem too hard.”

“Great, yes. So what about sanitation, schools, water supply, transport, shops, rations, or both, policing implications, suggestions about emergency curfew laws to try to stop looting. Do you know how many empty containers there are in the world? And what you need to do to get tens of thousands of them in one place?

"That takes time, infrastructure, And is it really feasible? Steel isn't the best insulating material after all, and mid-February isn't exactly summer. Plus, each container takes a lorry. If you could deliver something which wasn't mostly air then you'd need far fewer lorries, which impacts on infrastructure needs and everything else.”

“So, containers for people's stuff, tents for people?” Tiffany asked.

“Probably.” Elisa agreed, “But I really must go and talk to more people.”

“Thank you for not having me arrested for treason, or something.”

“Hmm, it'd only be treason if you actually tried to bring about a republic.” Bella said. “Now spreading sedition on the other hand isn't such a serious crime, but we might have a case there. But this is a university, and I'd have to fill in a whole lot of paperwork if I tried to arrest you for spreading sedition here, so I won't bother.”

“I don't think they know you're joking, Bella.” Eliza said loudly enough to be heard by at least Tiffany, as they left.

“But I would get into a lot of paperwork!”

“Resitting your exams as punishment for trying to arrest someone for a non-crime is not what most people would call paperwork.”

“Well, all right. Next target straight ahead?”

“I guess so. Let's hope we don't meet any more republicans, or I'll never get enough samples.”

----------------------------------------

12.05PM. UNDERGROUND

Ed, who had been a professional cave diver before his accident, finished getting into his diving gear beside the water. He'd seen what the camera crew had filmed through bottom hole. A pipe, worn smooth by the water, dropping away at about twenty degrees along the seam, about the same size as crinkle one; small surprise there, it was crinkle one, for all intents and purposes. Just the bottom hole normally provided a short cut. Eventually, it would come to the surface, but not soon. Not soon enough for the missing caver, except his neck had probably been snapped by the crinkle before he had drowned. Ed felt his own. He'd survived, and recovered, but it was a near thing. He'd “only” had fractured vertebrae. None of the crinkles were for walking. If you liked wriggling yourself over slippery rock without having space to crawl, then crinkles three and four were just about perfect. Crinkle one was a bit bigger, but had too many vertical sections in it to make it a nice for anything. Three and four were were the best way to the surface from the small cavern by the bottom hole. But they both joined onto crinkle one near the exit, and if that was taking the full flow, then the cavers would need to fight against the lethal currents, with breathing apparatus. The only good news was that getting to the bottom hole was easy. It was in a cavern the size of his livingroom, and normally you could wade there from where they were now, with a three metre swim at the bottom. There would be a current, but it wasn't going to be too strong. In fact, getting to the trapped cavers wasn't going to be impossible either. Just long. It would take too long to get to them with tanks. He'd need a rebreather or air hoses. He'd always hated air hoses. But really, it shouldn't be him.

“Angus!” he called over his radio.

“Yes, Ed?”

“Plan 'B' ought to be get them either air hoses or rebreathers, and then back down to bottom hole and out this way. We'd miss the crinkle one and its currents that way.”

“Backwards down three and four, underwater? It'll take hours, Ed.”

“I know, I know. But it unless they panic it doesn't actually kill anyone.”

“The cold might, but yes, you're right. It's a better plan 'B'. Thanks, Ed. I'll try and source lots of rebreathers plus some more cave divers, and put them on standby. You're going to be out of consideration even if you immediately give up on plan 'A', you know, Ed.”

“I know. Angus. I'm too old for that game. But while we're asking for the army or navy for the impossible, some kind of mini underwater robot which could take them some hot soup and rations wouldn't go amis either.”

“What a lovely idea.” Angus agreed. “But I doubt they'd be able to get us one this week, even if they do have one.”

“Doesn't hurt to ask. You never know. Mick's ready too, so we'll go and have a look.”

“Be safe, you two.”

“Careful's our middle name. We won't take any risks.”

“Oh no?”

“Well, no needless ones.”

“You're in a cave, Ed. That too much risk for someone I know.”

“I know. But someone's got to rescue people who are as crazy as I used to be, otherwise the insurance companies would go out of business.”

“That is the most perverse motivation I've heard out of you yet, Ed,”

“Not perverse, please! I'll accept cynical, though.”

“OK, cynic, go get wet and see what you can see.”

Mick (who was still an apprentice at cave diving in Ed's books) didn't say much, ever, but he'd been listening. He'd gathered together carabinas, ropes and a set of pullies into an anti-snag dive bag. He also put in the steel butterfly cable and crowbar they had for moving rocks. He mutely showed Ed, who nodded his approval. They checked each other's equipment and set off.

Getting to the cavern, Ed pointed to the entrance to the passage they called crinkle one and gave the danger signal. Danger indeed, he could feel the tug from here. He was glad they'd been roping themselves to the wall as usual as they came along. They'd need those ropes. He also realised there was a flaw in the plan. The heavy duty hooks the camera crew had fixed into the roof were only a metre from the entrance to that dangerous channel. He'd need to be very careful, and stay close to the ceiling. Holding onto his ropes, he looked into the bottom hole.

Not a rucksack. It was blocked by what looked like a heavy duty plastic ball. He recognised it from a recent write-up. It was a prototype cave-proof laser scanner. Shock prof, scratch proof, and waterproof, it could map a cave just by being carried or dragged behind explorers.

The eye by which it had been towed was sticking up, with a broken rope attached. Not strong enough to pull it up against the water pressure, or maybe it had snagged on a sharp rock and fallen in. But it was no matter. He remembered seeing the courteous notification at the rescue centre. Someone had wanted to finally map the crinkles accurately and had arranged with the manufacturer to borrow the prototype as a final test. Obviously, somehow it had been taken by the current and instead of being the perfect survey tool it had become a perfect plug.

Ed wondered how much force the towing eye could take. He supposed that if it wasn't strong enough, then just maybe that would break the shell, then that would also be a result. He really didn't want to try and smash the thing with the crowbar.

Ed returned to where Mick was waiting. He indicated the pulley set and a carabina for each end. Mick indicated himself, did Ed need help? No, he signaled. He didn't. It was easy. Swimming close to the bottom again, he went to the bottom hole and attached the bottom set of pullies. There were four pullies here, and the tied end. Five pullies at the top. He could have got a ten to one ratio if it had been the other way up and he was pulling up himself, but he wasn't going to be doing that. Nine to one ratio was good enough, with a rope which could cope with a thousand kilos. If they put a winch on the other end they'd be able to, hmm, pull the carabinas apart, probably, not to mention pulling the hook out of the ceiling. For safety sake, he put another carabina onto the bottom. They had spares, so it seemed sensible. There wasn't so very much he could do to stop the hook from falling out, but not using enough carabinas when he had spares was silly. The hook was next. This would be so much easier if someone would just turn off the currents, he thought.

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12.20 ABOVE GROUND

Tony looked up from his report. At least Kate had been able to tell him that Teresa was still safe. It was hard to concentrate, but he needed to do something. Writing up the press release was just the thing. He copied in the text, and added the picture of the park that he'd found a while ago. He was glad there weren't rules against insider dealing in reporting. Now, what was in that message Sarah had sent. The front page of a building contract, as registered in the city archives, extension to the institute, and a press report... Interesting headline! Corporate murder: Fraud and bad workmanship killed bunker soldiers. So, the new wing, seen collapsed in the vision, was built, hmm, ten years before the bunker. Maybe it was as strong as it had been designed for, maybe not. So, is your building stronger than.... And the answer is probably no, except for underground bank vaults. That contract page — no it didn't state the blast-resistance, but it did specify the wall thickness. One metre thick walls! And yet they didn't withstand the blast. Scary. But it obviously mattered if the concrete was strong enough. Hmm, well, he could write this up anyway. 'Metre-thick walls prophesied to not withstand Valentine's day impact.' Thank you, Karen and Sarah!

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