thanonceinthepast.
SlowlyFaylepointedoverthebackofArgen'schair.'What'sthat?'
It seemed like a patch of mist. More blood droplets? Vega wondered. But surelynovapourcouldremainsuspendedinthevacuumthetelemetrydisplays
saidfilledthecabin.YetthelongerVegastaredatitthemoreitseemedtohave distinct edges, and even a sort of fluid structure. Then, just for an instant, he thoughthesawadistortedparodyofafacewithintheimprobablemist.
'Helm,overridetheResolve'sautopilot.Steeritclearoftheshuttlebay.Take
itroundtoourportsideoutoftheEmindians'lineofsight.Keepitaminimum
oftwohundredmetresclearofusasyougo.'
Theremoteoperatorbentoverhisduplicatecontrolsandtheshuttlebeganto
circletheIndomitable.Inhalfaminuteithadbeenmanoeuvredintopositionon
thefarsideoftheshipfromtheCirrandariaandplacedinstation-keepingmode.
'Resolvesecure,sir,'hereported.
'Good. Prepare a science team, Mr Fayle,'Vega said. "They are to take out anothershuttleand-'
'Resolve's autopilot has been engaged again, sir,' the remote operator
interjected. 'External link has been cut.' On the screen they saw Argen's hands moving relentlessly over the controls. 'We can't override again. Main drive activated...nowmovingonanapproachvector.'
Theexternalviewscreensshowedtheshuttleonceagainheadingdirectlyfor
them.
'Shuttlebay!'Vegasnapped,'Closehulldoors.'
'It'stoocloseforpressor-beamlock,'Faylesaid.
Vega took a deep breath. "The Resolve is under hostile control. Target and destroyimmediately.'
A string of plasma bolts flared out into the void and connected with the incomingshuttle.Itvanishedinaswellingbrilliantfireballwhichslowlythinned intoacloudofluminousvapourandfadedintonothing.
'TheResolveistotallydestroyed,sir,'weaponscontrolreported.
'Noexternaldamagetotheship,'thesystemsmonitoradded.
Vega nodded absently in response, feeling sick inside. For the first time in hiscareerhehadlostashiptotheenemy.
Butwho,orwhat,wastheenemy?
Chapter14
Lost
LysetWynterslowlyrecoveredconsciousness.
The last thing she recalled was crawling on her hands and knees into the darkestcornershecouldfindandcollapsinginastateoftotalexhaustion.
Nowsheachedallover,shewasshivering,andshefeltdeathlytired.Tight
skin around her eyes suggested she had been crying. That was something she hadn't done for years, but perhaps nobody would blame her in the
circumstances.
She was huddled at the end of a blind corridor that served no purpose she coulddiscern.Thefloorwashardbutatleastnothingwasdisputingherrightto
lieonit.Ifanythingdidthensheknewshewouldnothavethestrengthtoresist oreventorun.Itfeltasthoughthelifeandstrengthhadbeendrainedfromher.
Herskinstilltingledfromtheshockofthepassagethroughtheinterface,while
deep within her burned a different and deeper cold. That was a legacy of the creaturethathadtakenher.Ifithadheldontoheranylongershewassureshe
wouldhavedied.Butithadclashedwithsomeotherwalkingnightmareandshe
hadbeencastasidelikearagdollintheensuingstruggle.Thatwaswhenshehad
madeherunsteadyescape.
Nowallshewantedtodowasgobacktosleepagain,butsheknewshemust
stirherself.Shedidn'tmove.Themindiswillingbutthefleshisweak,shetold herselfdully.Shelickedherdrylipsandwishedshecouldhaveadrink.
Idiot,shethought.Youmuststartthinkingstraightagain.
Shereachedupwithanunsteadyhandandpressedabuttononthesideofher
helmet.Feedertubesextendedwithinitoneithersideofhermouth.
Onedispensedwaterandtheotherglucosetablets.Shechewedandsipped,
and slowly began to feel better. With a tremendous effort she levered herself uprightsothatherbackwasrestingagainstthewall.
She recalled the posture of the Nimosian they'd found. Well, she could
sympathise with him, if he'd been through what she had. It was probably only luckthatshehadn'tgonethesameway.Shestillmight,forthatmatter.
She realised something was missing. Where was her camera? Damn, she
musthavedroppedit.Allthosepictureslost.
Shesuddenlybegantolaughoutloudattheincongruityofherreactioninthe
currentcircumstancesandhadtocramherknucklesintohermouthtomufflethe
sound.Careful,oryou'llloseit,shetoldherself.
Allright,forgetcameras.Thinksurvival.Whatshouldshedonow?Getback
totheothers,ofcourse.Waitamoment.Howlonghadshebeengone?
She checked her suit watch and found it was past six in the morning, ship time.She'dbeenunconsciousforanhourandahalf.Wouldtheystillbewaiting
forher?Weretheystillalive?
She'dbeenthinkingonlyaboutherself!Perhapstheywerealldeadandshe
was the only survivor. No, she told herself firmly. You must believe they got away. Either they'll wait in the landing bay or they'll come back with reinforcements.
But where was the bay? How far had she been carried? How long might it taketogetbackthere?Shetriedtoworkitoutrationally.
Excludingthetowerstructure,themainbodyoftheshipwasacylinderover
four kilometres long and perhaps seven hundred metres wide. As they'd
discovered,underthehullwasanetworkofcorridors.Iftheyranthefulllength and width of the craft that meant an equivalent area, laid flat, of nearly nine square kilometres. Multiply that by however many deck levels there might be and it was the equivalent of a small city. She'd be wandering around in it for hoursorevendaysifshewasn'tcareful.
Well,atleastsheknewthelonglevelcorridorsranlengthwise.Thatprovided
basicorientation.Ifshecouldfindtheinterfacechamber,shecouldgetbackto
thelandingbay.
Assumingthethingsdidn'tfindherfirst.
Alsoassumingtheshuttlewouldstillbewaitingforher.
The realisation struck her that the others probably thought she was dead already.PoorDonwouldtakeithard.Hewasmoresensitivethanmostpeople
realised.Assoonasshehadgatheredherstrengthshemuststartback.
Backthroughtheinterface?
Wouldshehavethecouragetofacethepain?Evenifshethrewherselfatit
would it be physically possible? Perhaps she could get out on the surface and bypassit.Yes,thatwasanidea.Therewasplentyofcoversoshe'dhaveabetter chanceofhidingifneedbe.Nowifonlyshecouldfindanexternalhatch-
Lysetfrozeinhorrorasafaintscuffingcamefromaroundthecornerofthe
corridor.Sheshrankbackwards,buttherewasabsolutelynowheretohide.
Ashaperoundedthecornerandabrightlightshoneinhereyes,momentarily
dazzlingher.
'Identifyyourself!'agruffvoicedemanded.
Herheartleaptinrelief.Itwasahumanvoice.
'Lyset Wynter, photographer with the party from the Cirrandaria. Who are you?'
The light was extinguished and she saw a man in a combat suit. He was
holdingasnub-nosedshoulder-slungpulserifle.Anditwaspo
intedather.
'SquadleaderSho,oftheNimosianSpaceMarines,'hesaidcrisply.'Andyou
aremyprisoner.'
Chapter15
Conundrum
'CommanderVega,'theDoctorsaid,leaningtowardsthecomm-screenimageof
the Nimosian for emphasis. 'The alien ship is extremely dangerous.You must avoid any further contact with it.Apart from the beings we encountered, the ship'ssystemsareactiveandunstable.Yourownmenmusthavetoldyouwhat
it'slikeinside.'
The Doctor looked desperately tired, Lanchard thought, as did all the
surviving members of the landing party currently seated round the conference table. But he seemed to be able to draw on reserves denied to the rest, and his words poured out across space to Vega with undiminished vigour. Vega,
however,appearedunmovedbythem.
'Yourconcernforoursafetyisappreciated,Moderator,'herepliedstiffly,
'but I cannot comment on any intelligence our landing party may have
broughtbackwiththem,hianycaseweshallnotleavethiszoneofspaceuntil
additionalforcesarriveandwearerelievedofourduty.'
LanchardsawtheDoctorshakehisheadwithsadresignation,asthoughhe
hadbeenexpectingjustsuchresponse.ShesuspectedbothsheandVegawould
rather be anywhere else in the cosmos right now, but each of them was constrainedbythatsamesenseofdutyandordersfromhigherpowers.
Vega hesitated slightly before adding, 'I must thank you for taking
LieutenantTanewithyou.Ishallsendatransportoverforhimshortly.'
'Ourship'ssurgeon,DrGilliam,hastreatedhimforminorinjuries,'
Lanchardsaid.'Butshesayshemostlyneedsrestandpsychiatriccare.'
'Heshallreceiveallnecessaryattention,'Vegaassuredher,thenheadded,'I
trustyoudidnotlosetoomanyofyourowncrewinsidethecraft...
orastheyretreated.Ourownshuttleexperiencedsomeinterferencefromthe
alienbeingsduringitsdeparture.'
He's being unusually forthcoming, Lanchard thought. Is he fishing for
something?
'We were OK once we got clear of the ship, but it was a bit "skin of your teeth",'Samadmittedwithwearyfrankness.'Itwasabsolutebloodyhellinthere.
ListentowhattheModerator'stellingyou.'
'Welostthreepeopleandhaveoneseriouslyinjured,'theDoctortoldVega
simply.'Isuspectyourlosseswerehigher.Iurgeyounottoriskanymorelives.'
'Wehaveanumberofpersonnelstillunaccountedfor,'Vegaadmitted.
'Nimosiansdonotabandontheircomrades,asyoushouldknow.'
'Atleastwaituntilwebetterunderstandthenatureofthebeingsdownthere andhavedevelopedsomedefenceagainstthem,'theDoctorpleaded.
'Thenperhapswecanorganiseajointrescuemission.'
Rextonlookedasthoughhewantedtoobjecttothesuggestion,butwastoo
exhaustedtodomorethanshakehishead.
'Weshallsee,'Vegasaidnoncommittally.'Myflightcontrollerwillsendyou
detailsofourtransport'sapproachshortly.Vegaout.'Thescreenwentblank.
Lanchardexaminedthehaggardfacesaroundher.Ifithadbeenasbadover
there as their expressions suggested, then she was grateful she had not gone herself.EvenBendixhadlostsomethingofhisself-assurance,andshenotedhe
no longer looked at Rexton with quite such uncritical admiration. Maybe there washopeforhimyet.Rexton,however,thoughevidentlytired,wasstillclearly
determined. Why don't you give in just for once in your life? she thought. But shehadtoputherpersonalopinionsasideforthemoment.Nowitwashertask
toconstructacoherentpictureofwhathadhappenedonthealienshipforherlog and the inevitable board of inquiry. Delray spoke up impatiently, making her jump.
'Now we've done with that, what are we going to about Lyset?' He had his arminanimprovisedslingandhadpromisedhewouldseeGilliamaboutitlater.
Butfornowheobviouslyhadonlyoneconcern.'Shemightstillbealive.We've
got to get her back.'At his side Evan Arcovian nodded in agreement. 'I sympathise, Mr Delray,' Lanchard said. 'But by your own account you barely escapedwithyourlives.AfterwhathashappenedI'mnotsureIcouldauthorise
anotherlanding.Atleast,astheDoctorsays,untilweknowwhatwearedealing
with.'
' Wynter was a volunteer and understood the risks,' Rexton said bluntly, makingLanchardwishhehadkeptquiet.
'You're pretty grateful she came, though; Sam pointed out scathingly. 'All thosepicturesshetookofyourpreciouscontrolpanels.Youmadesureyoudidn't
losethose.'
Delrayevidentlydidn'tunderstand.'Whatdoyoumean?'
'He picked up her camera and case just before we made a run for it,' Sam explained.
Delrayflushed.'Hercamerawasmoreimportanttoyouthanshewas!'
'If you mean that I did not let the vital information she had obtained go to waste,youarecorrect,'Rextonrepliedunabashed.'Inanycase,Icouldnothave
savedMsWynter.Noneofuscould.Youwerethere.'
'What are you going do with the pictures?'Arcovian demanded. 'Sorry to
soundmercenary,Don,'hesaidquicklytoDelray,'butweVegottofaceit,justin
case. They may be the last ones she took. They belong to her estate. She wouldn'twantthemlost.'
Delraynoddedheavily.
"They are with the ship's photographer,' Rexton explained. 'Fortunately he understandstheseoldchemicalimagingsystems.Ibelieveheis
"developing"theexposedfilm.Iwillbehavingthefinalimagestransmitted back to Emindar. The equipment, and those pictures not classified, will be returnedtoyouinduecourse.'
Arcovianstilllookedpuzzled.'ButwhykeepLyset'scamera?'
'Becausehewantstogodownthereagainandfinishthejobshestarted,and
thatcameraistheonlyoneheknowswilloperatedespitetheinterferencefield,'
theDoctorsaid.
Lanchard saw that the life and animation had returned to his handsome
enigmaticface,asifinafewminuteshehadthrownoffhisfatigue.Shefeltan
unexpectedwaveofreliefatthesight.Nothingwasquiteasbadasitseemedif
hewasonyourside,sherealised.
'Ithinkit'stimeyouexplainedexactlywhatwe'redealingwithhere,Doctor,'
shesaid.
Before he could reply, Rexton, who had been eyeing Arcovian doubtfully,
said, 'I would rather we didn't go into details at this moment. We must be circumspect about what we tell the passengers. There are certain security implicationstobeconsideredfirst.'
'What are you implying - that I can't keep my mouth shut?' Arcovian said indignantly.'I'maspatrioticasthenextman.'
'Wedon'tcareaboutsecurity,'Delraysaid.'WeonlywanttofindLyset.'
'You cannot expect any more volunteers from the crew, for whatever
purpose,unlesstheyknowexactlywhatthey'relettingthemselvesinfor,'
Lanchard warned Rexton. Rexton conceded with dismissive shrug. 'Please
continue,Doctor,'Lanchardsaid.
'AsIexplainedtoCouncillorRextonearlier,thealienshipisanexperimental
hyperspacebridge,'hebegan.'Theoretically,ifthecontinuumissimultaneously
stressedbyhigh-intensityenergyandgravitic
waves,thenitwillwarp,forminga tunnel through hyperspace.' 'But how do you play with real gravity?' Manders asked.'Notthesimulatedfieldsweusetokeepourfeetonthedecks,Imean.'
'Byusingmass,ofcourse,'saidtheDoctor.'It'sacrudesolutionbutitworks.
The network of pipes enclosing the main body of the craft not only provides conduitsforthetransferenceofenergy,butalsofordegeneratematter.Perhaps
evenstabilisedneutronium.''Youmeantheypumpneutroniumaroundtheship?'
'I did say it was a crude process. The actual bores of the tubes would be quite
small,perhapsonlyafewmillimetresacross.Therest,ametreormore,wouldbe solid, high-tensile synthetic, strengthened by intra-molecular force fields to enableittowithstandtheoperatingpressure.Theship'scylindricalcentralcore would act rather like a dimensional lens system, distorting space to varying degrees depending on the distribution and intensity of electromagnogravitic fieldsalongitslength.'
'Doctor, you said those streaks of light we saw at the bottom of the tower wellwerestars,'Samsaid,movingtheconversationontosomethingshecould
grasp.
'Yes.Distortedimagesofthestarslyingbetweenthetwoendsoftheship.'
'Whatdoyoumean,betweenthem?'Lanchardsaid,totallybemused.
"The two ends of that ship are really separated by a gap of several light years,formingastabletunnelthroughhyperspacebetweenhereandsomewhere
else.That'swhyoneendappearsblurredandtranslucenttous.Atthefarendof
thetunnelthatsectionwouldappearsolidandourendwouldappearintangible.'
'Isthatwherethose...creaturesthatattackeduscomefrom?'Delrayasked.
TheDoctor'sfacedarkened.'Possibly.Theymaybebeingswhosenaturesate
radicallydifferentfromourown.Ortheymaybethecrewoftheshipitselfwho
have been so affected by the ship's function that they are almost totally out of phase with this reality. That's why they appear immaterial to us and can pass throughsolidmatter,thoughit'sclearlyeasierforthemtofollowthepathofleast resistancealongconventionalcorridors.'
Doctor Who - The 8th Doctor - 14 - Vanderdeken Page 14
