Doctor Who - The 8th Doctor - 14 - Vanderdeken

by Christopher Bulis (pdf)

  The Grille was built around the lower section of the Cirrandaria's main swimming pool, and was largely illuminated by the bluish light that filtered through the large viewports set in the pool sides. One could watch as the swimmers played in the superoxygenated water, which allowed even air-breatherstostayundervirtuallyforaslongastheywished.

  Lester sat beside one of the ports nursing an orange juice and watched the plunging,twistingformsontheothersideoftheglassenviously.Thewaterlent

  evenbulkyfiguresacuriousgrace.Humanswerenottheonlyoccupantsofthe

  pool, and he saw the pseudo-crocodilian form of an amphibian Tritonite glide past with a flick of its tail. Even out here between the stars, it seemed, people werestilldrawnbacktotheenvironmentinwhichtheyhadfirstevolved.

  Might he join them? He wasn't sure he had the nerve to experiment with

  actualwaterbreathing.Somepeople'sreflexesneverallowedthemtotakeinthat firstlungful.Butitlookedfun,andhecertainlywouldn'tgetnauseousashedid whenhetriedfreefallgames,despitethedrugs.Heusedtobeagoodswimmer

  whenhewasaboy...

  Hewasrecalledfromhisreveriebyatappingontheglass.

  Floatingjustametreawayfromhimwastheyoungwomanhehadmetatthe

  railthepreviousnight.

  The momentary illusion that he had been accosted by a mermaid was

  reinforcedbyhercostumeofslenderstripsofiridescentscalesclingingtightlyto herskin,andwhichwasclearlyintendedfordecorationratherthanconcealment.

  Heswallowed,tryinghardnottostare,andsmiledbackathernervously.

  Shesmiledandwavedinturn,thenpointedupward.Withakickofherlong

  legssherosetothesurfaceofthepool.

  AndLesterfoundhimselfrisingfromhistabletofollowher.

  ThePoolsideBarwasdisguisedasasectionoftropicalbeach,completewith

  sand and palm trees, but without mosquitoes. Thatched awnings shaded tables fromaconvincinglyhotartificialsun,whichshoneoutofablueskyprojected

  ontotheinsideofoneoftheCirrandaria'slargerhulldomes.Atnight,byship's time,theprojectorswereturnedoffandtherealstarsshonedownonthepool.

  BythetimeLesterreachedthepoolsidethewomanwastowellingherselfdown

  beside a shaded beach chair. He realised he still didn't know her name and falteredasheapproachedher.

  Sheseemedtoreadthecauseofhishesitationandheldoutherhand.

  'IngridSchollander.'

  'LesterPlecht.'

  Hergripwasfirm,herhandstillcoolfromthewater.'Didyouneedtogooff

  so quickly like that last night?' she asked with unexpected directness.'You missedthemleave.''Mywife.Shewantedtogetbacktosleep.'

  'Couldn't you have told her you'd be with her in five minutes? She doesn't runyourlife,doesshe?'

  Beforehehadtimetothinkhereplied,'Shedoes,actually.'Healmostbithis

  lipinembarrassment.He'dsaiditoutloudtoaperfectstranger.Justthesortof thoughtlessremarkRhondahadwarnedhimaboutnottwentyminutesearlier.

  ButtohisamazementIngridlaughed.Itwasn'tunkindlaughterorinanyway

  mocking.Itinvitedhimtojoinin,toseethehumourofhisunguardedresponse.

  Hemanagedawrygrinofhisown,thenfoundhimselfsaying,'CanIgetyoua

  drink?'

  Asthoughinadreamhewavedtheautowaiteroverandorderedarefillfor

  Ingrid'sglassand,almostabsently,addedastrongerdrinkforhimselfthanany

  Rhondahadallowedhimforfiveyears.Thenhefoundasparebeachchairand drewitupbesideIngrid's.Andtheytalked.

  Hefoundoutshewastwenty-eight,apartnerinasmallastrominingbusiness

  and unattached. He in turn spoke about his own work. He found he kept mentioningRhonda,realisingashedidsohowmuchshehadshapedhislife.It

  felt incongruous in the circumstances, but Ingrid didn't seem to mind, and listenedattentivelyandsympathetically.

  Andthentheymovedeasilyontotastesinvids,politics,sportandfashion.

  It was trivia of no significance whatsoever and an unalloyed delight. She actually laughed at some of the things he said. Deep down he had no illusions thatthiswasthestartofsomewildaffair.

  Hewastwentyyearsolderthansheandhadnothingshecouldpossiblywant.

  Perhapsitwasjusthernaturetosparehimalittletimebecauseshefeltsorryfor him.Wellifthatwassothenhewasn'ttooproudtorefuse.Foralittlewhilehe could enjoy the pleasure of her company, aware of the envious looks he was drawingfromseveraltannedandmuscularyoungmenaroundthepool.

  The difference between Ingrid and Rhonda, Lester realised, was that

  everythingRhondadidwassocalculated,whileIngridjustrespondednaturally,

  openly, without any ulterior motive. Ingrid gave while Rhonda took. Ingrid offered her attention freely, and seemed to find pleasure in the all those trivial curiosities and inconsistencies of life that so annoyed Rhonda. When the autowaiter delivered a vile mixed drink to her by mistake, she simply pulled a wryface,laughed,tippeditbackintoitshopperandtoldittotryagain.Rhonda wouldhavecomplainedtothepurserattheveryleast.

  Suddenly Lester saw his watch. How could so much time have passed so

  quickly?'I'msorry.Imustgo.Rhondawillbebacksoontogetreadyforlunch.'

  Ingrid frowned gently. 'Why are you looking so guilty? Have we done

  anythingwrong?'

  'No. Of course not. It's been... wonderful. But she wouldn't understand... I meanaboutusjusttalking...'Herealisedhewassoundingpathetic.

  'Youcanalways sayyouwere cultivatingapotential client.Yourcompany

  deals in management systems. Perhaps we might be interested in them. Or say nothingatall.Youdon'thavetoaccountforeverysecondyou'reawayfromher,

  doyou?Doesn'tRhondatrustyouatall?'

  'She's...overprotective.'

  Ingridlookedathimthoughtfullyforalongmoment,andhefoundhimself

  meltingintothedeepblueofhereyes.'Doyouloveher?'sheasked.

  'Idid.Once,'headmitted.

  "Then stand up for yourself and find out if you still do. Or else why stay

  together?'

  'Habit,Isuppose.We'vegotnochildrentothinkof.Thatmighthavemadea

  difference,butitneverseemedtobetherighttimetohavethem.'

  'Maybe you should make the time now, before it's too late. Or if your wife doesn'twantto,atleastfindsomehappinessforyourself.'

  LesterwonderedifhehadthenerveaftersolongrelyingonRhondatomake

  alltheimportantdecisions.Thethoughtwasenticingandfrighteningatthesame

  time.

  Ingrid got up, gathered her things and smiled at him. 'I hope I'll see you again.Goodluck.'

  Lesterwatchedherwalkaroundthesideofthepool.Shewassobeautiful,he

  thought. Rhonda still had a well-proportioned body and could appear very attractivewhentheyhadtoattendsomebusinessreception.Butshenevermade

  herselfattractiveforhimanymore.PerhapsIngridwasright.

  Heshoulddosomethingbeforeitwastoolate.

  ThenhesawIngrid'sleftlegtwistunderher.Herfootskiddedsidewaysover

  thelipofthepoolandshefellheavily.

  Lesterwasathersideinamoment,catchingherjustbeforesheslitheredinto

  thewater.Asconc
ernedfellowbathersandstaffgatheredaroundthemhehelped

  hersitup.Herfacewaspaleandcreasedwithpain.

  'Areyouhurt?'heaskedanxiously.

  'Gavemykneequiteacrack,'sheadmitted,wincingasshetriedtostraighten

  it.

  'It'sbleeding...andyourotherleg'sgrazed.'

  'Don'tknowhowIdidit.Almostfeltlikesomebodyinthepooltuggedmy

  ankle.'

  "There wasn't anybody in the water near you,' Lester said. 'I would have seen.'

  She frowned for a moment, then shrugged and managed a smile. 'Just

  clumsy,Isuppose.'

  'We'llgetyoualongtosickbaytohavethedoccheckyourknee,'oneofthe

  attendantssaid.'JuststaytherewhileIfetchawheelchair.'

  'I can walk there myself, thanks,' she said, politely brushing aside their attentionsandlookingexpectantlyatLester.'Aslongassomebodywillgiveme

  anarm.'

  And so, acutely conscious of her warm body resting against his, Lester

  helpedIngridtoherfeetandsupportedherasshelimpedawayfromthepool.He

  realisedthattheeyesoftheyoungmenwhohadsurveyedhimearlierwereeven

  more envious now.The sensation, far from adding to his embarrassment, made

  himfeelhappierthanhehaddoneinyears.

  ***

  DonDelraysatinhisdarkenedroom.

  IthadtakenhimawhiletoconvinceEvanthathewassafetobeleftalone,

  andintheendhehadtospeaksharplytohim.HesawthepaininArcovian'sface

  at his rebuff, which only added to his own misery. He didn't want to hurt the little man's feelings but he had to have some time to himself. He couldn't continuetheactanylonger.

  Slowly he withdrew his arm from the improvised sling, pulled the loop of clothoverhisheadandtosseditontothebed.Heflexedhisfingers.Theyfelt

  fine.Hisleg,whichhaddisplayedthatconvincinglimpforthepastfewhours,

  moved easily as well. He was a better actor than people gave him credit for -

  perhapsbecausehewasacravencoward.

  HethoughtLysetsensedthetruth,thoughsheneversaidanything.

  Arcovianwastheonlyotherpersonheallowedcloseenoughtofindout,but

  hisnaturetendedtoblindhimtopeople'sfailings.

  Delraywentthroughtothebathroom,rolleduphissleeveandexaminedhis

  arm.Therewasaslightbruiseontheelbow.Forwantofanythingbettertodohe

  sponged a little cold water on to it.There, he had treated his own injuries. No needtoseetheship'sdoctorafterall.Bettertokeeptheslingonforafewdays though...Hesankhisheadoverthebasinindisgust,notwantingtolookathis

  faceinthemirror.Thebruisewasnothing,butthenneitherwasheanymore.It

  hadsavedhisreputationatthecostofhisself-respect.AndperhapsLyset'slife.

  Heslunkoutofthebathroomandthrewhimselfonthebed.

  He'dhadnochoicebuttoaccompanyLysetwhenshemadeitclearshewas

  goingtothederelict,despitehavingabadfeelingaboutthewholebusiness.Of

  course he could make patriotic little speeches about standing firm against the Nimosians,butthenthatwasnotsohardtosayincompany,especiallywhenhe

  didn'tseriouslybelievetheNimosianswouldattackacivilianliner.

  Still,hethoughthecouldgetawaywithit.He'dmanagedinthepastwhen

  performingthosemodeststuntshimself-gettingthebestpeopletosetthemup,

  jokingonthesetaboutthedangerandhisconcerns,secretlytakingastiffdrink just before it was time and then letting it happen. So far it had worked, but it never got any easier. In the fantasy world of the vids he could pretend to do anything. It was real life that scared him, waiting with its unscripted surprises andthebigscenethathewouldfoulupbyfreezingatthecrucialmoment.

  Inevitably,thatwaswhathadhappenedoverthereonthealienship.

  Hedidn'tthinkanybodyhadnoticed,duringthatfusilladeofgunfireasthose thingshadattackedthem,thathe'dbeentoofrightenedtopullthetriggerofhis owngun.HemightstillhavegotawaywithitbygrabbingLyset,whohadbeen

  coollytakingpicturesevenasthethingsboredownonthem,ifthatspawnofa

  nightmare hadn't snatched her. And there was a moment when he could have firedatit,orthrownhimselfforwardandattackeditwithhisbarehands.Never

  mind that it would probably have been a futile gesture, he had been too frightenedtomoveamuscle.

  Thenhehadbeenknockedoverhimselfbysomeflailinghalf-realtentacle.

  Thecoldshockhadgalvanisedhisthoughtsandfromthenonhehadfaked

  it.

  He'drolledaboutinbelievableagonysothateverybodycouldseehehadn't

  justbeentapped,he'dbeensmashedtotheground!Nobodycouldblamehimfor

  havinglosthisgunwhenheprobablyhadabrokenarm.Thelimphadfollowed

  naturallyashe'dstruggledbravelytohisfeet.Hehadn'tlostitevenasthey'drun for their lives down the tunnel with the ghost things at their heels, because by then he was into the part, and he'd rather really die than let them see he'd just beencoveringuphiscowardice,hithelandingbay,thatNimosianlieutenanthad

  been staggering about, so he'd simply grabbed hold of him and dragged him towardstheshuttle.ThatwasOK.He'dplayedthatpartbefore:woundedsoldier

  helpingcomradetosafety.Thatwasheroicenoughandnobodyexpectedhimto

  fireagunwhilehewasdoingit.

  And then they were clear of the ship and he was alive and Lyset was

  probably dead. For the rest of his life he would have to live with knowing he couldhavetriedtosaveherbutdidn'thavethecourage.

  Thenacurioussoundpenetratedtheveilofhisself-revulsion.Itwasafaint

  whineandrapidsnuffling,followedbythewhisperofstepsoncarpet,asthough

  there was an animal in the next room. Numbly he got to his feet and walked heavilythrough.

  Buttherewasnosignofanyanimal.Helookedbehindthechairsandsofa

  but found nothing.The snuffling sound came again, but now it seemed to issue fromthebedroomhehadjustleft.Howcouldithavegotpasthim?

  He returned to the bedroom. It was empty. The space under the bed was hardly deep enough for an animal of any size to crawl under, but he looked anyway.Then, feeling faintly ridiculous, he checked the cupboards. He even lookedinthebathroom.Noanimalofanydescription.Thenheheardthesound

  rightbehindhimandforamomentfeltsomethingsoftbrushagainsthisleg.

  Hestartedviolentlyandkickedoutbyreflex.Hisfootpassedthroughempty

  air.Washestartingtogomad?

  Thencamealighthesitanttapatthemaindoor.Foramomenthewondered if he was imagining that too, but it was repeated again. It didn't sound like Arcovian and it hadn't the briskness of one of the staff. Looking about him nervously,hewenttoanswerit,automaticallypickinguptheslingfromthebed

  and putting his arm back through it on the way. He was committed to the pretencenow,unlesshefoundthecouragetoadmitthetruth.

  DanFjigersJuniorwasstandingoutsidelookingverynervousandglancing

  upanddownthecorridorasthoughhedidn'twanttobeseen.Delraymanagedto

  controlhisvoiceenoughtosayheartily,'Hallo,Dan.WhatcanIdoforyou?'

  'I just wanted to see if you were all
right, Mr Dekay. My mother said I shouldn't bother you, but I had to know.' His wide eyes were locked on to the slinginhorrifiedfascination.

  "That'sverykindofyou,Dan.I'mfine.'Hetappedtheslingwithhis'good'

  hand.'Don'tworry,thisisjustascratch.'

  The boy nodded and smiled in relief, then added, 'I heard them say Ms Wynterwasstillonthealienship.Issheallright?Whenareyougoingbackfor

  her?'

  Delrayverynearlylosthiscomposureinthefaceofthatinnocentquestion,

  butsomehowhemanagedtoshapeaconfidentreply.'I'msureshe'sallright.We

  had to leave suddenly and couldn't bring her along, but we'll be going back as soonaswegetsometechnicalproblemssortedout.Gottohavetherighttools

  forthejob,youknowthat.'

  'Weretheremonstersoverthere?'

  'Yes,Dan,'hesaidsimply."Thereweremonsters.'

  'Wow!Areyougoingbacktofightthem?'

  'That'sright.I'mjustgettingtooledupreadyforthem.'

  Withanexpressionofgreatself-sacrificetheboysaid,'Youcanborrowmy

  electro-gunifyouwant.Andtheholster.'

  Putting all the sincerity he could into his reply he said, 'Thank you very much, Dan. But I think I can manage with what I've got. Now, I've got to get somerestsoI'mreallysharpfortakingonthoseoldmonsters.Byenow.'

  The boy smiled and ran off up the corridor. Dekay closed the door and staggered back through to the bathroom, tearing off the hated sling, fearing he wouldbesickatanymoment.Butonthethresholdhestoppeddead.

  Writtenonthebathroommirrorinspiderystreaksofsoapandwaterwasone

  word:

  Coward

  Chapter18

  Suspicion

  FayleturnedawayfromthebedwhereTanerestedandfollowedVegaoutofthe

  Indomitable'ssickbay.BehindhimTanecontinuedtostaresightlesslyupatthe

  ceiling.Feedingtubesandlinesconnectedhimtoamedicalsupportmonitor,hi

  thecorridoroutsideFaylespoketohissuperiorinlowangrytones.

  'Commander,wemusttakeactionagainsttheEmindians.'

  Vegalookedathimthroughtiredeyes.Forthefirsttimesincehehadtaken