As the Deputy Administrator for the Milky Way put it, ‘We’re here to examine what went wrong; not what went right.’ — So, rather reluctantly, the Engineer had to stop the tape. On Intercom he addressed the gods down in the viewing room. ‘Mind if I make a point?’ The liason god told him to go ahead. ‘Problem is, sir, some of this tape is very old and brittle. I don’t like starting and stopping the machines and also I’m not sure how many times we can run it.’ ‘Okay, then make copies of all the VTRs we’re going to need.’ ‘That’s an awful lot of fresh tape-stock, sir. Will the budget on the Earth-holocaust enquiry run to it?’ ‘It’ll have to. I’ll order it in bulk from Cassiopeia. They can shove it on a Trans-spacial and I’ll make it first class. Cut corners in this Hearing and we might be badly deprived of data in any later diagnostic or preventive action over other planet problems.’ The engineer acknowledged and added dryly, ‘Our clairvoyant friends from the past would prefer the word UFO to a Transpacial.’ The Interrogod put in, ‘No, they weren’t dummies — they’ll make the connection … Anyway, hold everything for now.
