When Masklin and his tribe from the Outside first ventured into the world of Arnold Bros (est 1905) they heroically saved the nomes under the floorboards from certain death. But Masklin also made a discovery that was to change his life - Thing, the little black box he carried as a talisman, could speak and was , in fact, awfully clever. So Masklin has no reason to doubt that Thing is telling the Truth when it speaks of a Ship which will take the nomes Home to their place in the Stars, and begins to seek a way of returning the nome race to its rightful place in the Universe. And if that means stealing Concorde, then so be it.