Doctor Who_ The Algebra of Ice - Lloyd Rose [44]
The Algebra of Ice
the anomalies that do occur. If they’re random, it’s difficult to believe they have a direct cause.’
‘Such as these aliens making them happen for some reason.’
‘Precisely. Have you experienced any more time shifts?’
‘No. You?’
He shook his head. He was still concentrating on the control panel.
‘So why do you think the other two are connected? This entropy stuff and the aliens.’
‘It’s a hunch,’ he said unhappily. ‘It feels as if they ought to be connected. Entropy is about perfect disorder, so to speak, and the invaders appear to depend on perfect order to come through. At least, their attempts to come through can be thwarted simply by introducing irrational numbers into their pattern.’
‘Uh huh. You know. . . ’
‘What?’
‘Nothing, really. Only, Molecross’s place was incredibly orderly.’
‘Not likely there’s a connection.’
‘He’s well weird, isn’t he?’
‘And extremely active. It’s bumblers like that who cause nine-tenths of the trouble. Fortunately, I think we’ve discouraged him temporarily. It should take him weeks to get his programs straightened out.’
‘How long will it take Ethan to do whatever it is with those equations?’
‘As the equations don’t actually lead to anything, it’s hard to say. There’s a certain amount of help I can legitimately give him that will speed up the process. In the meantime, we just have to wait.’
‘That’s what gets you, isn’t it? Nothing to do.’
‘Yes,’ he sighed.
She thought for a moment. ‘I don’t understand why it’s so important to run those entropy numbers as far as they can go, since in the end they can’t go anywhere.’
‘Not anywhere in our universe.’
‘What do you mean?’ she said apprehensively.
‘Well,’ he didn’t look up from the console, ‘what if Unwin’s calculations are just building our half of a bridge?’
Ethan ignored the phone. This was easy for him to do; he’d found that his answering machine was sufficient for 95 per cent of his messages. On the slender chance that any given call might fall within the other 5 per cent, he kept the volume turned half up. So the rings of the phone, the click of the Chapter Eleven
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machine, the silence while his outgoing message ran, and the beginning of the message passed by him like distant traffic noise, while he stared at the numbers and symbols on the screen, as if they might suddenly shift and regroup like an anagram and give him an answer.
‘. . . really don’t know me. . . ’ the voice on the machine droned.
Was it the function that was the problem, or another element of the equation? Or was he on the wrong track altogether? Perhaps he should start again.
‘. . . greatly appreciate your. . . ’
But from where? He didn’t know exactly how far back he’d gone wrong – if indeed he had – and if he began again either too early or too late, it was hours, possibly days, wasted. If only –
‘. . . rick Unwin. I’ll try you again, then, in –’
‘What?’ Ethan almost knocked the answering machine to the floor but just caught it. ‘I’m here!’ he yelled into the receiver.
‘I beg your pardon,’ said the voice uncertainly. ‘Perhaps I have the wrong number. I was attempting to reach Ethan Amberglass.’
‘That’s me.’
‘Oh? Oh, well, that’s wonderful. I was hoping –’
‘Did you say you were Unwin?’
‘Why, yes, I –’
‘Pat Unwin, who went missing?’
‘Erm,’ the voice grew cautious. ‘I really don’t want to. . . I can’t get into. . .
Perhaps I should just. . . ’
‘No, hang on, I don’t care. But you’re the same one, right? Why are you calling?’
‘I, uh, know we’ve never met.’ The voice remained cautious. ‘But I was aware of your reputation, of course. And, after a. . . nervous episode, I’m trying to get to work again, and I was wondering if you and I might meet. I think if I were able to discuss a few of my ideas with an equally apt colleague that it would help me a great deal.’
‘What are you working