She did not lie. «I know because it was I who turned off the power. You must know that.»
«How did you gain admission and why did they trust you?»
It was her turn to smile. «There are as many fools among the Morphi as among the Gnomen, for all their brains. I used my body, what else? It was easier because it was forbidden-Morphi are forbidden to cohabit with Gnomen on penalty of death storage. Knowing the risk, they were all the more eager. Come, I will show you the very table on which I lay.»
Blade turned to Sart. «Stay here on guard.»
Sart quivered. «But the mole rats, master. If they-
Blade threatened him with a massive fist. «Take your choice. My anger or the possibility of mole rats. One is certain, the other not.»
Sart grumbled but remained on guard, peering fearfully into the dark.
Blade waved his torch at Sybelline. «After you.»
The interior of the bunker was cramped. With the aid of both torches they could see well enough. The place was sparsely furnished. Consoles covered the walls. There were dials and gauges and switches and toggles. Blade was reminded of Lord Leighton's master computer chamber. He inspected in silence for a moment, concentrating, activating the crystal in his brain so that everything he recorded would be passed on to Home Dimension without conscious effort on his part. Lord L would be listening in, and the old boffin would be in seventh heaven.
There were four sleepers. One sat at a console, his hand still raised to touch a toggle. One was stretched on a plastic cot, asleep, when a deeper sleep came. A third stood before a drawing board, a long stylus-like pen poised over blueprints.
Sybelline pointed to the fourth sleeper. «It was he… the last to have me. The others were watching and enjoying it even as they worked.»
Blade grunted. «Voyeurs.»
«I do not understand that word.»
«Of no matter. Show me exactly.»
She stepped to a table near a console. On it lay the fourth sleeper, face down, arms dangling, plastic clothing still in disarray. Like all the sleepers he was handsome, young looking, too pretty and healthy looking to be believed, even in this quasi-death.
Sex seemed to be the one constant in all the X Dimensions he had visited. No-there were other and regrettable constants-greed, hate, fear, lust for power.
And love. Not often, but he had found it from time to time.
Blade said, «Show me.»
Sybelline's face had a swollen look. Her lips were fuller, pouting, and her eyes narrowed. She began to stroke her breasts lightly. She was remembering, harking back, and the visit to the scene of such pleasure and accomplishment was arousing her beyond bearing. She pointed at the sleeper on the table. «Move him. Roll him off. Then I will show you exactly. You can join me. Now. Hurry, I have longed for you, Blade, ever since I first set eyes on you.»
Blade was cautious. He had no desire for her or for any woman at this time, but he did not want to offend her. He needed her.
«Later,» he promised. «For now just show me.»
She frowned at him but nodded. She went to the table. She pointed to the sleeper. «He lay just so, atop me. He was paying no attention other than to his own pleasure, and I reached back and pushed the button-there. You see how simple it was?»
Blade saw. It was a single small black button set in a red plaque. He measured the distance with his eye and saw that it could be done. The position was right and her slim arms long enough. He nodded.
«I believe you.» He examined the black button closely. «This shuts off the power. What turns it on?»
Sybelline pointed to a switch on a nearby console. «That was explained to me. I coaxed it from them. I had to know, you see, for part of my bargain with the Selenes was that when the time came I would be the one to turn on the power.»
Blade pondered a moment, nearly gave the command to activate the power, then decided against it. He pointed to a tunnel-like opening in one wall of the bunker. «What is that?»
«What it seems. A passage to the power cube. I was also shown that.»
«Show me now.»
With her torch high she stepped into the narrow tunnel. Blade followed, concentrating fiercely so the thoughts could be transmitted via the brain crystal. He could send only facts and his own thoughts relevant to them; Lord L must work out the rest for himself if he could. It amused Blade to think that if the crystal was working, the scientific world back in HD would be buzzing in a matter of minutes, at least that part of it connected with Project DX.
The tunnel ended in a vaulted chamber no larger than an ordinary bathroom in HD. There was a pit in the center and the plastic floor sloped to it. From the pit, a circle as large as a common auto tire, there protruded a single metal rod. From the visible end was a mobile-like structure somewhat reminiscent of the filament in a light bulb.
Stacked around the walls of the chamber were plastic bags. Blade ripped one with the hook end of his bar and a fine powder seeped out. He caught some in his palm and tested it with his fingertips. It was white, fine as talcum, and had no odor. He looked at Sybelline.
«Ditramonium,» she said. «Rock powder. How it works or why, I do not know. No one knows but the Select Five of the High Morphi Council.»
Blade nodded upward. «Those who meet in the circular building up there?»
«Yes.»
Blade started back through the tunnel to the main bunker. «Come,» he told her, «and obey me exactly.»
When they were in the bunker he went to the table and moved the sleeper who had been making love to Sybelline when she pressed the OFF button. He motioned to her.
«Lie on the table exactly as you were. Say nothing, do nothing. Observe and listen.»
Sybelline balked. «I do not like this, Blade. Not at all. I will lie on the table gladly, but only if you are atop me. What use is a sleeper-«
He gave her a grim stare. «Do as you are bid. I am going to turn on the power.»
Her jaw dropped and her green eyes widened. For the first time she seemed more Gnomen than Morphi. She made the sign of the fylfot over her left breast. «Have you gone mad, Blade?»
«I do not think so,» he said calmly, «but I am very curious. I will turn on the power for the count of ten. On that count of ten you will turn it off again. Be sure you can reach the button. Now get ready.»
Sybelline most unwillingly clambered on the table. She lay with her gown up and Blade replaced the sleeper between her outflung thighs. The sleeper's head nestled on her shoulder. Blade went to the entrance and looked back. «I will remain here. I want to observe both inside and out. I will bid Sart do likewise. All you have to do is listen to my count and press the button at ten. Are you ready?»
She glared at him. «This is a fool's trick. If something goes wrong we lose everything.»
«I will take that risk,» Blade told her. He gave the startled slave instructions and then went back into the bunker. He went to the ON switch and reached for it. «Be ready,» he said. «Do exactly as I ordered.»
He pressed the switch and ran for the door.
There was no sound, no humming, no machine noises, just the light. Sourceless light that was in the air itself, soft, limpid, the glow of a billion candles. Blade began to count aloud.
«One-two-«
He stood squarely in the doorway, his glance swiveling in and out with each count.
The four sleepers did not see him at first. They did not know they had been asleep. Each, in smooth continuity, went about completing the act in which he had been caught.
The plastic-turfed complex stretched for miles. The dome top glittered nearly out of sight. Dozens of mole rats scampered in panic for dark holes gnawed in the base of the dome. Millions of lights blinked on the endless banks of computers lining the complex. Faraway figures moved, hauling something on a cart. Nearer to Blade a man crawled toward them on his hands and knees. He looked Gnomen and he was bleeding.