Blade took a deep breath, and gradually felt himself return to normal. He didn't like getting the wind up this way, but he was used to it now. He'd be a cast-iron bloody fool if he liked being fired off into Dimension X, that was certain. He turned his attention back to the discussion between Leighton and J.

It was a discussion now bordering on an argument. In fact, somebody who didn't know the two men involved would have said they were both working themselves into a foul temper. Blade knew them both too well to believe that. Neither of them would ever give up an argument without stating his position clearly and at length, and neither would push an argument beyond that point. Once each knew where the other stood, they would settle down to hammer out a compromise. Project Dimension X, and what it might do for England, was too important for anything else. So Blade listened, and tried to keep an amused smile off his face as he did so.

«Now damn it, Leighton,» J was saying, «anyone would think you didn't want us to come up with more people besides Richard.»

«That's nonsense and you know it perfectly well,» retorted the scientist. «It's just that I can't see delaying a mission that's all ready to go so Richard can do a simple consultant's job.»

«Why not? Particularly when he's the only one who can do this job?»

«If you're going to insist on bringing the Project to a standstill every time you develop some new notion-«

«You're certainly the last person to talk about new notions. What was the bill for your last proposed sub-Project?»