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Their two daemons were staring at each other； Pantalaimon as a wildcat； Annie's Kyrillion as a fox。 They were quivering。 Pantalaimon uttered the lowest； softest hiss and bared his teeth； and Kyrillion turned aside and began to groom himself unconcernedly。
〃All right then；〃 said Annie； resigned。
It was quite mon for struggles between children to be settled by their daemons in this way； with one accepting the dominance of the other。 Their humans accepted the oute without resentment； on the whole； so Lyra knew that Annie would do as she asked。
They all contributed items of clothing to bulk out Lyra's bed and make it look as if she was still there； and swore to say they knew nothing about it。 Then Lyra listened at the door to make sure no one was ing； jumped up on the locker； pushed up the panel； and hauled herself through。
〃Just don't say anything；〃 she whispered down to the three faces watching。
Then she dropped the panel gently back into place and looked around。
She was crouching in a narrow metal channel supported in a framework of girders and struts。 The panels of the ceilings were slightly translucent； so some light came up from below； and in the faint gleam Lyra could see this narrow space （only two feet or so in height） extending in all directions around her。 It was crowded with metal ducts and pipes； and it would be easy to get lost in； but provided she kept to the metal and avoided putting any weight on the panels； and as long as she made no noise； she should be able to go from one end of the station to the other。
〃It's just like back in Jordan； Pan；〃 she whispered； 〃looking in the Retiring Room。〃
〃If you hadn't done that； none of this would have happened；〃 he whispered back。
〃Then it's up to me to undo it； isn't it？〃
She got her bearings； working out approximately which direction the conference room was in； and then set off。 It was a far from easy journey。 She had to move on hands and knees； because the space was too low to crouch in； and every so often she had to squeeze under a big square duct or lift herself over some heating pipes。 The metal channels she crawled in followed the tops of internal walls； as far as she could tell； and as long as she stayed in them she felt a forting solidity below her； but they were very narrow； and had sharp edges； so sharp that she cut her knuckles and her knees on them； and before long she was sore all over； and cramped； and dusty。
But she knew roughly where she was； and she could see the dark bulk of her furs crammed in above the dormitory to guide her back。 She could tell where a room was empty because the panels were dark； and from time to time she heard voices from below； and stopped to listen； but it was only the cooks in the kitchen； or the nurses in what Lyra； in her Jordan way； thought of as their mon room。 They were saying nothing interesting； so she moved on。
At last she came to the area where the conference room should be； according to her calculations； and sure enough； there was an area free of any pipework； where air conditioning and heating ducts led down at one end； and where all the panels in a wide rectangular space were lit evenly。 She placed her ear to the panel； and heard a murmur of male adult voices； so she knew she had found the right place。
She listened carefully； and then inched her way along till she was as close as she could get to the speakers。 Then she lay full length in the metal channel and leaned her head sideways to hear as well as she could。
There was the occasional clink of cutlery； or the sound of glass on glass as drink was poured； so they were having dinner as they talked。 There were four voices； she thought； including Mrs。 Coulter's。 The other three were men。 They seemed to be discussing the escaped dasmons。
〃But who is in charge of supervising that section？〃 said Mrs。 Coulter's gentle musical voice。
〃A research student called McKay；〃 said one of the men。 〃But there are automatic mechanisms to prevent this sort of thing happening…〃
〃They didn't work；〃 she said。
〃With respect； they did； Mrs。 Coulter。 McKay assures us that he locked all the cages when he left the building at eleven hundred hours today。 The outer door of course would not have been open in any case； because he entered and left by the inner door； as he normally did。 There's a code that has to be entered in the ordinator controlling the locks； and there's a record in its memory of his doing so。 Unless that's done； an alarm goes off。〃
〃But the alarm didn't go off；〃 she said。
〃It did。 Unfortunately； it rang when everyone was outside； taking part in the fire drill。〃
〃But when you went back inside…〃
〃Unfortunately； both alarms are on the same circuit； that's a design fault that will have to be rectified。 What it meant was that when the fire bell was turned off after the practice； the laboratory alarm was turned off as well。 Even then it would still have been picked up； because of the normal checks that would have taken place after every disruption of routine； but by that time； Mrs。 Coulter； you had arrived unexpectedly； and if you recall； you asked specifically to meet the laboratory staff there and then； in your room。 Consequently； no one returned to the laboratory until some time later。〃
〃I see；〃 said Mrs。 Coulter coldly。 〃In that case； the daemons must have been released during the fire drill itself。 And that widens the list of suspects to include every adult in the station。 Had you considered that？〃
〃Had you considered that it might have been done by a child？〃 said someone else。
She was silent； and the second man went on：
〃Every adult had a task to do； and every task would have taken their full attention； and every task was done。 There is no possibility that any of the staff here could have opened the door。 None。 So either someone came from outside altogether with the intention of doing that； or one of the children managed to find his way there； open the door and the cages； and return to the front of the main building。〃
〃And what are you doing to investigate？〃 she said。 〃No； on second thought； don't tell me。 Please understand； Dr。 Cooper； I'm not criticizing out of malice。 We have to be quite extraordinarily careful。 It was an atrocious lapse to have allowed both alarms to be on the same circuit。 That must be corrected at once。 Possibly the Tartar officer in charge of the guard could help your investigation？ I merely mention that as a possibility。 Where were the Tartars during the fire drill； by the way？ I suppose you have considered that？〃
〃Yes； we have；〃 said the man wearily。 〃The guard was fully occupied on patrol； every man。 They keep meticulous records。〃
〃I'm sure you're doing your very best；〃 she said。 〃Well； there we are。 A great pity。 But enough of that for now。 Tell me about the new separator。〃
Lyra felt a thrill of fear。 There was only one thing this could mean。
〃Ah；〃 said the doctor； relieved to find the conversation turning to another subject； 〃there's a real advance。 With the first model we could never entirely overe the risk of 〃 the patient dying of shock； but we've improved that no end。〃
〃The Skraelings did it better by hand；〃 said a man who hadn't spoken yet。
〃Centuries of practice；〃 said the other man。
〃But simply tearing was the only option for some time；〃 said the main speaker； 〃however distressing that was to the adult operators。 If you remember； we had to discharge quite a number for reasons of stress…related anxiety。 But the first big breakthrough was the use of anesthesia bined with the Maystadt anbaric scalpel。 We were able to reduce death from operative shock to below five percent。〃
〃And the new instrument？〃 said Mrs。 Coulter。
Lyra was trembling。 The blood was pounding in her ears； and Pantalaimon was pressing his ermine form against her side； and whispering； 〃Hush； Lyra； they won't do it…we won't let them do it…〃
〃Yes； it was a curious discovery by Lord Asriel himself that gave us the key to the new method。 He discovered that an alloy of manganese and titanium has the property of insulating body from daemon。 By the way； what is happening with Lord Asriel？〃
〃Perhaps you haven't heard；〃 said Mrs。 Coulter。 〃Lord Asriel is under suspended sentence of death。 One of the conditions of his exile in Svalbard was that he give up his philosophical work entirely。 Unfortunately； he managed to obtain books and materials； and he's pushed his heretical investigations to the point where it's positively dangerous to let him live。 At any rate； it seems that the Vatican Council has begun to debate the question of the sentence of death； and the probability is that it'll be carried out。 But your new instrument； Doctor。 How does it work？〃
〃Ah…yes…sentence of death； you say？ Gracious God 。 。 。 I'm sorry。 The new instrument。 We're investigating what happens when the intercision is made with the patient in a conscious state； and of course that couldn't be done with the Maystadt process。 So we've developed a kind of guillotine； I suppose you could say。 The blade is made of manganese and titanium alloy； and the child is placed in a partment…like a small cabin… of alloy mesh； with the daemon in a similar partment connecting with it。 While there is a connection； of course； the link remains。 Then the blade is brought down between them； severing the link at once。 They are then separate entities。〃
〃I should like to see it；〃 she said。 〃Soon； I hope。 But I'm tired now。 I think I'll go to bed。 I want to see all the children tomorrow。 We shall find out who opened that door。〃
There was the sound of chairs being pushed back； polite expressions； a door closing。 Then Lyra heard the others sit down again； and go on talking； but more quietly。
〃What is Lord Asriel up to？〃
〃I think he's got an entirely different idea of the nature of Dust。 That's the point。 It's profoundly heretical； you see； and the Consistorial Court of Discipline can't allow any other interpretation than the authorized one。 And besides； he wants to experiment…〃
〃To experiment？ With Dust？〃
〃Hush！ Not so loud 。 。 。 〃
〃Do you think she'll make an unfavorable report？〃
〃No； no。 I think you dealt with her very well。〃
〃Her attitude worries me 。 。 。 。〃
〃Not philosophical； you mean？〃
〃Exactly。 A personal interest。 I don't like to use the word； but it's almost ghoulish。〃
〃That's a bit strong。〃
〃But do you remember the first experiments； when she was so keen to see thefn pulled apart…〃
Lyra；coutdn't help it： a little cry escaped her； and at the same time she tensed and shivered； and her foot knocked against a stanchion。
〃What was that？〃
〃In the ceiling…〃
〃Quick！〃
The sound of chairs being thrown aside； feet running； a table pulled across the floor。 Lyra tried to scramble away； but there was so little space； and before she could move more than a few yards the ceiling panel beside her was thrust up suddenly； and she was looking into the startled face of a man。 She was close enough to see every hair in his moustache。 He was as startled as she was； but with more freedom to move； he was able to thrust a hand into the gap and seize her arm。
〃A child！〃
〃Don't let her go…〃
Lyra sank her teeth into his large freckled hand。 He cried out； but didn't let go； even when she drew blood。 Pan…talaimon was snarling and spitting； but it was no good； the man was much stronger than she was； and he pulled and pulled until her other hand； desperately clinging to the stanchion； had to loosen； and she half…fell through into the room。
Still she didn't utter a sound。 She hooked her legs over the sharp edge of the metal above； and struggled upside down； scratching； biting； punching； spitting in passionate fury。 The men were gasping and grunting with pain or exertion； but they pulled and pulled。
And suddenly all the strength went out of her。
It was as if an alien hand had reached right inside where no hand had a right to be； and wrenched at something deep and precious。
She felt faint； dizzy； sick； disgusted； limp with shock。
One of the men was holding Pantalaimon。
He had seized Lyra's daemon in his human hands； and poor Pan was shaking； nearly out of his mind with ho