the contrary, my friend. I do believe you.' The Dutchman had found a few traces of white foam near the grille opening. 'It must have escaped through the ventilating system, just as it did in the Oxygen Store Room.'
'The Oxygen Room? You mean, when that girl - Victoria -
when she was locked in?'
'Precisely.' Van Lutyens was standing on Robson's bunk, staring up into the grille opening. 'My theory is that when you saw it, it had already accomplished its purpose in this room, and was finding its way out again into the ventilator shaft.'
Harris turned to look at van Lutyens. He was puzzled.
'Accomplished its purpose? What purpose?'
'Who knows?' replied the Dutchman, rubbing some of the foam between his fingers. 'We know so little about this phenomenon, or whatever it is. The trouble is, nobody is even trying to find out. Least of all Mr Robson!'
'Robson is in no position to find out anything,' said Harris, tersely. 'He rushed out of this room as though he was out of his mind.'
'Did he now?' The Dutchman took a pointed interest in Harris's remark. 'Well, we'd better alert security. Robson may do himself some harm.'
Van Lutyens took a last look around the room, then left. Harris followed him out, and locked the door behind him. 'At least nothing's going to get out through this door,' said Harris efficiently.
The Dutchman shook his head in despair at Harris's feeble logic. 'My friend, there must be hundreds of ventilator grilles in this compound. If any of that foam is in the shaft, it could find its way out through any one of them.'
Harris looked crestfallen. Such a thought clearly hadn't entered his statistical mind. 'I suppose you're right,' he sighed. 'In which case, we must ensure that all emergency ventilators are kept shut.'
Van Lutyens decided it was pointless trying to answer Harris.
He just marched determinedly along the corridor, with Harris following close behind.
'I trust you now know what you must do?' said the Dutchman, striding on.
'Do?'
'You must exert your authority and take over the Compound.'
Van Lutyens stopped at the transparent door leading to the Control Hall. He pressed a button on the wall, and the door slid open. Harris entered first, then the Dutchman.
'Price!' called Harris, going straight to the Control Cone. 'I want you to alert all security posts. Mr Robson may be ill. I'd like to know his whereabouts.'
'Very good, sir!' Price acknowledged Harris's order, then turned back to the Control Console to carry it out.
Harris continued, displaying a gradual confidence in his own authority. 'And instruct all areas to keep their emergency air vent systems closed.'
Price swung a puzzled look at Harris.
'Do you understand?' asked Harris firmly. 'Then get on with it!'
'Yes, sir!' Price turned back again to the Console.
Van Lutyens was impressed. 'You're taking over then?' he asked, walking with Harris to the office area.
Harris lowered his eyes almost guiltily before replying. 'Mr Robson's still officially in charge.'
'I have to remind you, Harris,' said the Dutchman, 'that I have already informed my own authorities in the Hague. As far as I am concerned, it is now up to you to do the same with London.'
Harris stopped walking, and brushed the lock of hair from his eye. He hesitated a moment, tense and unsure what to do. His instinct was telling him that what van Lutyens was asking him to do was something that should have been done several days ago. 'Yes,' he said, deep in thought, 'you're right.' He looked across the Hall to the Control Cone and called, 'Price!'
Price turned quickly, and called back. 'Sir!'
'Get me Board Headquarters in London. I want to speak to Megan Jones.'
The Doctor, Jamie, and Victoria were making their way along one of the Compound corridors leading to the Control Hall. Jamie was still feeling queazy after his rescue from the foam and seaweed clumps in Harris's quarters.
'Take it easy now, Jamie,' said the Doctor, clearly worried about Jamie's
'The Oxygen Room? You mean, when that girl - Victoria -
when she was locked in?'
'Precisely.' Van Lutyens was standing on Robson's bunk, staring up into the grille opening. 'My theory is that when you saw it, it had already accomplished its purpose in this room, and was finding its way out again into the ventilator shaft.'
Harris turned to look at van Lutyens. He was puzzled.
'Accomplished its purpose? What purpose?'
'Who knows?' replied the Dutchman, rubbing some of the foam between his fingers. 'We know so little about this phenomenon, or whatever it is. The trouble is, nobody is even trying to find out. Least of all Mr Robson!'
'Robson is in no position to find out anything,' said Harris, tersely. 'He rushed out of this room as though he was out of his mind.'
'Did he now?' The Dutchman took a pointed interest in Harris's remark. 'Well, we'd better alert security. Robson may do himself some harm.'
Van Lutyens took a last look around the room, then left. Harris followed him out, and locked the door behind him. 'At least nothing's going to get out through this door,' said Harris efficiently.
The Dutchman shook his head in despair at Harris's feeble logic. 'My friend, there must be hundreds of ventilator grilles in this compound. If any of that foam is in the shaft, it could find its way out through any one of them.'
Harris looked crestfallen. Such a thought clearly hadn't entered his statistical mind. 'I suppose you're right,' he sighed. 'In which case, we must ensure that all emergency ventilators are kept shut.'
Van Lutyens decided it was pointless trying to answer Harris.
He just marched determinedly along the corridor, with Harris following close behind.
'I trust you now know what you must do?' said the Dutchman, striding on.
'Do?'
'You must exert your authority and take over the Compound.'
Van Lutyens stopped at the transparent door leading to the Control Hall. He pressed a button on the wall, and the door slid open. Harris entered first, then the Dutchman.
'Price!' called Harris, going straight to the Control Cone. 'I want you to alert all security posts. Mr Robson may be ill. I'd like to know his whereabouts.'
'Very good, sir!' Price acknowledged Harris's order, then turned back to the Control Console to carry it out.
Harris continued, displaying a gradual confidence in his own authority. 'And instruct all areas to keep their emergency air vent systems closed.'
Price swung a puzzled look at Harris.
'Do you understand?' asked Harris firmly. 'Then get on with it!'
'Yes, sir!' Price turned back again to the Console.
Van Lutyens was impressed. 'You're taking over then?' he asked, walking with Harris to the office area.
Harris lowered his eyes almost guiltily before replying. 'Mr Robson's still officially in charge.'
'I have to remind you, Harris,' said the Dutchman, 'that I have already informed my own authorities in the Hague. As far as I am concerned, it is now up to you to do the same with London.'
Harris stopped walking, and brushed the lock of hair from his eye. He hesitated a moment, tense and unsure what to do. His instinct was telling him that what van Lutyens was asking him to do was something that should have been done several days ago. 'Yes,' he said, deep in thought, 'you're right.' He looked across the Hall to the Control Cone and called, 'Price!'
Price turned quickly, and called back. 'Sir!'
'Get me Board Headquarters in London. I want to speak to Megan Jones.'
The Doctor, Jamie, and Victoria were making their way along one of the Compound corridors leading to the Control Hall. Jamie was still feeling queazy after his rescue from the foam and seaweed clumps in Harris's quarters.
'Take it easy now, Jamie,' said the Doctor, clearly worried about Jamie's
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