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noooo!' The lieutenant was screaming now, an animal howl of pain and terror. Then, just as quickly as it began, the howling ceased.

Extract from Observations and Analysis, A Journal:

`Two readings are level,' I shouted, straining to be heard above the cries of the TARDIS, 'but the third is still oscillating!'

The Doctor nodded, hands dancing across the console, adjusting the controls in search of a solution. 'I'm re-routing power from the ship's ambient systems, trying to override this negative feedback from the rift' He twisted a dial and the TARDIS lurched sideways, the central column juddering as it rose and fell.

`Doctor! That only made things worse! Two dials oscillating now!'

`Switching back,' he replied, but reversing the dial made no difference. I felt my intestines begin to churn and pulsate, as if they were being scrambled from the inside out. My knees gave way and I fell to the floor, still grasping the side of the console. I tilted my head back, eyes trying to focus on the three dials.

`Doctor - all three are oscillating now!' A series of explosions rocked the console, roundels flying across the room as flames and smoke began filling the interior.

`She's breaking up!' the Doctor shouted. 'I'll have to risk re-materialising!'

I dragged myself to my knees, all the time keeping my focus on the trio of dials. At last the three needles were in nearly identical positions. Wait! The dials - they're almost in synch!' I shouted.

Àre they level?'

Ìn a moment... nearly there... nearly... Now!'

The Doctor plunged forward three levers at once. After that I remember nothing...

Three soldiers ran into the encampment, having been patrolling its perimeter. They found Johnson and Hawthorne trying to look innocent beside the canvas bag containing lieutenant Ashe's corpse. 'What the hell is going on here?'

one of the guards demanded.

Hawthorne forced himself to smile. 'Sorry about that. I was playing a joke on Johnson here, making him think the lieutenant's corpse was moving'

The trio turned away in disgust and stomped off, muttering darkly. Once they had gone Hawthorne nudged the bag with his boot but got no response. He gave the corpse a hefty kick but still it did not move. 'Guess he's gone back to wherever he came from,' Hawthorne said. 'Nicholas, give me a hand'

The two soldiers quickly lifted the bagged body into the pine box and shoved the lid on, before sitting atop the coffin.

Hawthorne pulled out his tobacco tin and began refilling his pipe.

`How did you do it, Thorny?' Johnson asked.

`Do what?'

`How'd you get the corpse to kick like that? I've seen people throw their voice and suchlike, but getting the corpse to jump about - that was quite a trick'

Hawthorne sighed, realising he still didn't have any matches. He tipped the contents of his pipe back into the tobacco tin and pocketed both again. 'I did nothing, Nicholas.

Lieutenant Ashe did it all by himself.'

`You mean he's still alive?' Johnson jumped up. 'Shouldn't we let him out? He won't be able to breathe in there'

`He won't be able to breathe anywhere. He's deader than my fat Aunt Agnes'

`But you said -'

what I had to so those three would go back to what they were doing.' Hawthorne stood up. 'What you and I saw - it's best we forget it. You tell people you've seen corpses kicking and talking, they'll find you a nice room in an asylum somewhere and they'll never let you out again. Forget you ever saw that, Nicholas, it's for the best. I already have'

* * *

Vollmer had kept the men turning the flywheels but he was fast giving up hope. All efforts to raise Kempshall from the depths had failed. Before he went into the water the lieutenant had said his longest recorded dive was forty-seven minutes. He had certainly outdone that. Whether Kempshall was still alive to enjoy the achievement was another matter.

Clark was lying down on the pontoon, one hand resting on the guide rope in case of any movement. 'What do we do if his body can't be recovered?' the lance corporal asked. 'Can