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'None,' Barry said.

Josh was grinning. 'What are the chances of that?' he said.

'It's a spooky gift,' Tommy said solemnly.

Barry shook his head. 'I thought it was me that wasn't taking this seriously?'

'As long as you realise that,' Tommy agreed.

'Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, cross, 'Josh murmured, marking an imaginary exercise book with elaborate flourishes. 'Must try harder. See me.'

Barry sighed. 'Maybe we'll do better tomorrow,' he said.

'Doubt that,' Josh said.

'When shall we three meet again?' Tommy was smiling broadly. 'Same time tomorrow is it? I'll borrow a watch.'

'The thing is,' Barry said, 'if you'd put some effort into this you might surprise yourselves. You might shake the world. You could be on the cutting edge of research.'

'Whoah,' Josh feigned awe-struck amazement. 'You don't mean we could'

he gulped theatrically, 'you don't mean we could push the envelope?'

Irritated, Barry Hitchins turned off the capsule systems, checked the time codes on the recorders and turned them off. Despite all his preparations and all his efforts he had completely missed the significance of what he had just seen.

Chapter Three

'It's a cow,' the Doctor said as Leela warily confronted the large Friesian blocking her path. "They are completely harmless herbivores,' he added, walking on through the herd. 'Fully domesticated. Selectively bred for meat and milk.'

The animal eyed Leela with mild curiosity. 'Nothing that large,' Leela said,

'is ever completely harmless.' She put a hand out to stroke the cow and it swung its head to one side and trotted away. 'Nothing that large and that stupid is ever completely harmless.'

'I quite like cows,' the Doctor said when she caught up with him. 'They've always struck me as rather good-natured, all things considered.'

'Is there anything about this planet that you do not like?' she asked tetchily.

'Is there anything about it you do like?' the Doctor countered. 'So far?'

'No,' Leela said flatly. "This is not a place I wish to be.'

'Well as long as you've given it every chance,' the Doctor said and smiled his vivid, wolfish smile.

But Leela was not to be diverted from her souring mood. "There is something dangerous here. I can still feel it. If you were not so pleased with this Earth place you would feel it too. It is' she groped for the right expression, 'it is waiting everywhere.'

'As far as I remember,' the Doctor said, 'in this particular region there are no major predators, no lethal insects, no poisonous arachnids, no seriously venomous snakes and the climate is relatively benign.'

'Paradise?" Leela suggested, her voice full of angry scepticism. I do not think so.'

'It's probably boredom,' the Doctor said. 'Your warrior instinct is frustrated by the lack of stimuli.'

Leela shook her head. 'You do not understand what I am saying.'

You're saying you feel threatened,' the Doctor said. And I am saying there is no threat here. Unless you're scared of cows of course.' He grinned. 'A lot of people are I believe. Especially girls?' But Leela remained grimly unmoved by the obvious teasing.

They were close enough to the cluster of buildings now to be able to see that people were strolling about in paved areas and sitting on the grass in open spaces. Here and there through the grounds of the complex there were small fountains and ornamental lakes. The people looked for the most part to be young, and many had what could be books with them. Groups walked purposefully between the smoked glass blocks.

'Do you know, I think that might be a university of some sort,' the Doctor remarked cheerfully.

Leela peered at the buildings suspiciously. 'What is a university?'

The Doctor was searching the hedge for a gap through into the next field.

'It's an institution devoted to the preservation and pursuit of knowledge and the communication of that knowledge to those who want it.'

Leela unsheathed her knife and began chopping her way through the