They sat in silence for a while, digesting the small block of text on the screen. Finally Liam shrugged. ‘That they’re in trouble?’

‘Well, duh,’ sighed Maddy.

‘They need our help?’ said Sal.

‘But can we help, though?’ said Liam. ‘Can I go into the future?’

‘Of course you can.’ Maddy pinched the tip of her nose thoughtfully. ‘Think about it. Every time we bring you back from a mission in the past, you’re going forward in time, aren’t you?’

› This is correct. A mission operative can travel forward and backwards. However, energy expenditure is significantly higher moving forward.

Sal looked at the other two. ‘But maybe there are other field offices further in the future than us who will deal with this?’

Liam nodded. ‘She’s right. If we’re not the only team, then perhaps somebody else is closer in time?’

Maddy gave it a moment’s thought. ‘Then why direct the message right at us? I mean… right here, right now?’ She turned back to the desk. ‘Bob, was this a broad-spectrum signal beam, sent out for everybody to pick up… anywhere… anywhen?’

› Negative. It was a narrow, focused beam.

‘Meaning it was meant for us?’

› That is the logical assumption, Maddy.

‘But surely there are other teams in the future,’ said Sal. ‘Somebody closer in time and — ’

‘Maybe there are,’ cut in Maddy, ‘but any field office based after — ’ she looked at the screen — ‘after the eighteenth of August 2015 is going to be affected by the time wave also, right?’ She stared at the other two. ‘So maybe we’re the closest unaffected team? Maybe we’re the field office closest before this date?’

Liam sighed. ‘Aw, come on. Why is it us again? We only just got ourselves fixed up after the last bleedin’ mess and a half.’

› Hello, Liam. I have a question.

‘Good mornin’, Bob.’

› Is ‘bleedin’’ a reference to the high body count of the last mission including the extensive damage to my last organic support frame? Or is it an expression of anger I should add to my language database?