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if someone died because I stepped out of the path of a moving vehicle and it
hit them instead.
Gail said nothing.
Puts it in perspective, doesn t it? The Doctor smiled. Where are Ace and
Bernice?
I don t know. But they might have followed Drew. He went racing off to
rescue Rhiannon.
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What? The Doctor s smile faded abruptly. Oh no, that s terrible. That s
awful. That s the worst possible thing they could do! He wrung his hands
and frowned, his eyebrows bunching together agitatedly on his brow. For one
moment Gail thought he was about to suffer a fit of some kind. Then abruptly
his expression cleared. Ah well, no use stimulating the tear ducts regarding
overtoppled dairy produce. Now, he added briskly before Gail could respond,
I seem to be missing a hat and umbrella. I don t suppose you saw fit in
your wisdom to rescue them as well? One really can t go exploring only half
dressed.
Teaching Drew the rudiments of zero-G manoeuvring had proved to be one of
the most frustrating experiences Ace had ever had. In the end she had given
up, tethering him instead to her waist by a long length of creeper ripped from
a patch of jungle drifting nearby.
Drew examined the makeshift tether with a rueful glance. I m sure I can
get it right if I practise enough, he said.
If you say that one more time, I m going to leave you here, wallowing in
your own good intentions, Ace retorted.
You re too impatient!
Ace groaned. For goodness sake, you re a spaceship engineer! Surely you
have some idea of zero-G principles?
Of course I do. Probably in the same way you understand the principles of
ballet dancing.
Oh that s a load of old Ace sighed. You re not going to wind me up, you
know.
I m not trying to wind you up. You re helping me to rescue Rhiannon. Why
would I want to
OK, that s enough. Change of subject. Ace thought for a moment. Right.
Tell me about Rhiannon. Tell me how come she s suddenly so familiar with
the environment here that she can stay ahead of me. And while you re at it,
tell me all you know about the Artifact as well.
Drew blinked. All I know?
I take it you do know something about where we are? A little about the flora
and fauna, perhaps? Whether there s anything we can eat without poisoning
ourselves?
Eat? Drew looked so puzzled Ace almost laughed. Don t you have any
food?
Ace grabbed hold of Drew and threw him as hard as she could away from
herself. He whirled away, arms and legs pinwheeling, until he was fetched
up short by the creeper. By the time she reeled him in, his face was pale
and sweating and his e-suit was soiled with vomit. Ace grabbed him by the
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shoulders and fetched him up short. She held him at arm s length and looked
at him. When she spoke her voice was like ice.
Right, ground rules. Rule one: if you say something stupid I m going to
throw you away. Rule two: if you throw up on me I m going to undo the rope
and throw you away. Rule three . . . She hesitated. Well, I ll decide rule three
when we come to it. Do you understand the rules as I have stated them?
Drew blinked. His teeth were chattering. He began to fumble in his pocket
for the bottle of anti-nausea medication. Grabbing the bottle, he popped out
a pill and swallowed it, eyes bulging frantically.
Ace s smile came nowhere near her eyes. Good. Now. I believe you were
going to tell me all about Rhiannon and the Artifact.
Before he could reply, she dug in one pocket and gave him a grubby hand-
kerchief she found there. And for goodness sake wipe your face, will you?
Have a little self-respect.
Gail curled into a ball to avoid the ten-metre wing-spans of two baby mantas
which chased themselves around her curiously before flipping over and plung-
ing back towards the ocean. Gail whirled dizzily as she was sucked into the
animals wake.
We re getting nearer the water, she observed unnecessarily, as the Doctor
casually reached out to slow her spin.
He nodded in distracted agreement. Why don t you tell me some more
about the Artifact?
Gail shrugged. As you can see there s an abundance of life inside, though
speculation is rife as to where the energy comes from to support it all. Then
again no one s ever explored further than the end of this, the first chamber.
Why not?
Gail laughed. Well, for a start, we ve only known about the Artifact for a
little over a century. It s very, very big. And the Founding Families have made
sure we haven t maintained a pioneering culture. Anyway I d have thought
you d know more about the Artifact than me, seeing as how you re a part of . . .
what expedition did you say you were part of?
The Doctor cleared his throat. Perhaps you could tell me a bit more about
these Founding Families of yours?
Gail uttered a short humourless laugh. They re not my Founding Families.
I happen to live in a society they control, that s all. I certainly don t agree with
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