Vlad and I had lost nine years in a moment. Nine years in limbo, as the Artifact flung us through time and space to that moment Vlad had longed so much to see. We were knit back into the world with many convincing details: paunches from years of decadent Western living, and a spacious apartment in the emigré quarter full of fine suits and well-worn shoes, and even some pop-science articles Vlad had written for the emigré magazines. And, of course, our Swiss bank accounts.