A new researcher arrived today. He's a young guy, a third-year PhD student called Mo. He's bewildered; he'd just sent off a grant proposal for a year's study in The Sick Land, the idea being that he'd finish his thesis and spend the next year doing post-doctoral work here. But they've offered him the position now.

It was sudden. They asked him if he'd intercalate for a year and fly out to The Sick Land. They needed an answer right away. Mo agreed, and within a few days he was on a plane. So now there are three of us again.

This bodes well. They must be planning to continue the research if they've flown someone else out. We were told we'd be briefed tomorrow on what's going on. I hope it'll be good news.