"I should give you one warning," Mertens said, as he opened the door to the room. "What you'll see in the machine...it is going to feel like you're really there, you need to remember that nothing you do within the machine will change what happens."<br/><br/>"I could've guessed that myself," Tom said with a chuckle as he stepped through. The air seemed to hum with electricity, to the point that Tom could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He sat down in the chair, finding Mertens had placed the helmet on his head before he could ask anything else. For a few seconds nothing seemed to happen, and then suddenly Tom became aware he was stood in a room which seemed to be in darkness, although he could see his body. "Mertens, are you there?" he called out. No response was forthcoming. "Great, I have no idea if this thing is working or not. I don't suppose you're here Ix?" he asked, more in hope than expectation.