police find it, you know--maybe a suspension of our license to operate." His innate Swedish caution emerged, now, and his dubiousness regarding Sebastian's psionic intimations. "Forget it," he said. "You're getting as bad as Lotta." He plomped her friendlily on the back, meaning well. "I always say, I'm not going to let the atmosphere of these places get to me; it's a technical job having to do with exact location, adequate air supply, digging accurately so you don't saw it in half, then raising it up, getting Dr. Sign to patch its busted parts together." To Lotta he said, "You're too metaphysical about this, kid. Forget it."

Lotta said, "I'm married to a man who lay dead down below, once. When I was born, Sebastian was dead, and he remained dead until I was twelve years old." Her voice--odd for her-- was unyielding.

"So?" Lindy demanded.

"This process," she said, "has given me the only man in the world or on Mars or on Venus that I love or _could_ love. It has been the greatest force in my life." She put her arm around Sebastian, then, and hugged him, hugged his big bulk against her.

"Tomorrow," Sebastian said to her. "I want you to pay a visit to Section B of the People's Topical Library. Get all the information you can about the Anarch Thomas Peak. Most of it has probably gone into erad by now, but they may have a few terminal typescript manuscripts."

"Was he really that important?" Bob Lindy asked.

Lotta said, "Yes. But--" She hesitated. "I'm scared of the Library, Seb; I really am. You know I am. It's so--oh the hell with it. I'll go." Her voice sank.

"There I agree with you," Bob Lindy said. "I don't like that place. And I've been there exactly once."

"It's the Hobart Phase," Sebastian said. "The same force at work that operates here." He turned to Lotta again. "Avoid the Head Librarian, Mavis McGuire." He had run into her several times in the past, and he had been repelled; she had struck him as bitchy, hostile, and mean. "Go right to Section B," he said.