Avon took a deep breath that entirely failed to calm him. "All right," he said, in a voice so small it embarrassed him to hear it. He lay down, folded his hands on his chest, and closed his eyes. After a moment he said, more steadily,

"No. Don't pull me out, whatever happens." He had to be clear on that. If he lost Data, he lost everything. There would be no impetus to save his own battered consciousness.