Kryten nodded. "I hadn't thought about it in this context before, but it certainly makes sense."

"What does?" Rimmer asked.

"Well, if you remember my pebble analogy, it's simply carrying it one step further," Kryten said. "The time ripples are the surface result of the pebble, but I neglected to take depth into consideration."

"Depth?" Lister said.

"When a pebble travels downward in a body of water, it temporarily displaces the water that used to be in the space it's in now. Since we were at the point of origin of the pebble drop, or the time drive explosion, it stands to reason that we would be moved not only by the time ripples but dimensionally displaced, albeit temporarily, by the explosion or pebble itself."

"So you're saying we've all been temporarily bounced into and out of other dimensions?" Rimmer asked.

"Yes, sir," Kryten said. "The worst of it should be over now. There may be a few hiccups later, but nothing as lengthy as what you've already been through."

"So the things we saw," Lister said. "You're saying they're not going to happen?"

"Not in this universe, no, sir," Kryten said.

Lister was glad of that, and Rimmer looked gladder, though Cat looked oddly disappointed. Lister decided not to ask Cat what he had seen—it would only make it worse knowing it wouldn't happen.