Leighton grinned like the Cheshire cat. J was normally rather reluctant to give his blessing to any of the scientist's cherished ideas. Getting J behind the two-capsule rig made it almost a foregone conclusion, given time, money, and hard work.

«So would I, sir,» said Blade. «I usually need all the help I can get in Dimension X.»

«We'll listen more carefully than usual for any strange noises from the opposition,» said J. «If we don't hear anything in the next few months, we can certainly give the matter some further thought.» He looked around at the rock walls. «This blasted tomb certainly does cost a bloody fortune.»

Blade stepped up to the KALI capsule, the twin of the one in the damaged workshop. This one had its lid standing open and the padded interior, contoured specifically to Blade's body, standing open. As he lay down, he saw Leighton press the START button on the controls for the main sequence. Then the scientist and J gripped the lid and carefully swung it shut on Blade. Now he was in darkness, as complete as if he'd already been in a lightless alternate universe. He knew that he was also linked to the computer more thoroughly than he'd ever been in the days of wires and cobra-headed metal electrodes.

Then there was no more blackness, only an eye-searing flash, which made Blade think he'd been shifted into still another universe, one filled with light. He felt a tingling all over his skin, a series of sharp blows on his chest and temples, and then he was falling endlessly through a cool clear blueness.