Ruth took a deep breath and let go. It was painful at first, like being split in two. Half of her continued to sit quietly within the shining protection of the Web, of which she was still a part. The other half slipped like a shadow into the mind of Luke and became one with it.

“You see what I'm doing? Good. Just hold it that way. “

“I have it, Luke.”

“Keep it steady at all costs. If it slips the computer will be destroyed. Besides,” there was a smile in his thoughts, “it's my only way back.”

“Be careful.” Like a vision seen through the wrong end of a telescope, Ruth saw a tiny Luke walk away from her down a long grey passage. The figure got smaller and smaller until at last she could see it no longer. Suppose he lost his way among the circuitry? Suppose he never came out again?

Her mind trembled with fear for him. She steadied it with a great effort. It required very little energy to hold open the gate, only a steadiness of purpose. Time passed. The gate was growing heavier. Years passed and the gate had all the weight of the world in it, all lying across her shoulders.

Ruth groaned and felt the strengthening touch of the Web. She drew it in hungrily and held up the weight of the Universe. Eons passed.

TOMI LOOKED up at the clock. Five o'clock. A whole hour had passed since Luke had spoken and nothing had happened at all. Nobody had moved a muscle. Only the misty golden light seemed to sink down and rise again like a flame in a flicker of breeze.

The impersonal voice of the computer broke the silence with a suddenness that made both Tomi and the Overlord jump. “I am being attacked! I must defend myself. Leave the room immediately or you will be destroyed!”

“Father, what is it?”

“I don't know. I suspected a trap, but I don't know what it is”

“How can we warn the others without breaking that Web thing? If we do that Luke and Ruth will be trapped inside the circuits. ''

“We must wait and see what happens next.” The Over- lord's voice was calm. Only the twitching muscle in his cheek told Tomi of his tension.

“But…” Tomi bit his lip. His father was right.

The warning was repeated, in the same horrifyingly neutral tone... Leave the room immediately or you will be destroyed.”

“Look. Father! Down there.”

From the circulation vents at the bottom of the mam console drifted a thin tendril of green mist.

“Quickly, open the door. Poison gas! Use your toga to fan out the fumes. Like this.” The Overlord stripped off his robe and flapped it to and fro. “Try not to breathe it in.”

The golden light dimmed. “It's affecting them. If they should lose consciousness…''