It could be sacrifice, I suppose... [ There's a pause, and then a slight echo -- David's clearly put this on speakerphone, and there's the sound of movement. Cassandra always brings out his loquatious side. ]

But for what end? And what does it have to do with the rest of this? What part did the machine play? Is that a new modern experiment? [ He sighed. ]

I take it you have no more hints than I do?