Maren made an impatient gesture. All this was true enough. Occasionally Solon had treated the Sisters for minor ailments and injuries. Although virtually immortal, they were as vulnerable to life's minor ailments as anyone else. But nothing Solon had done in the past could excuse the terrible blasphemy he had just committed. 'All this we know. What do you want, Solon?'
Solon pointed. 'The Doctor. I ask you to spare him.'
'Seconded!' called the cheery voice from the stake. 'Any against?' No one took any notice.
'The Doctor is condemned,' said Maren implacably. 'He must die in the Flame.'
'But High One, he is a Time Lord. Your long-standing alliance...'
'... no longer exists!' snapped Maren.
Solon became desperate as he saw his long-awaited prize head slipping away. 'Maren, I beg you,' he cried. 'Let me have him, please!' He looked round wildly. 'If you must have a sacrifice—take my servant here.' He grabbed the reluctant Condo, thrusting him forward. Condo pulled himself free, growling angrily. He glared balefully at Solon.
Maren waved her hand in dismissal. 'Go, Solon. Leave now—while you still can.'
Solon fell to his knees, almost sobbing in desperation. 'Then if you must sacrifice him—let me have his head.'
Margin glared incredulously at him. 'His head?'
'Only as far as the cervical vertebrae. You can have the rest. But please don't destroy the head! ' Solon gazed yearningly up at the Doctor. 'I need it, High One. I need it for...'
Solon fell silent. He could tell no one why he needed the Doctor's headparticularly not the Sisterhood.
Maren had reached the end of her patience. 'We know of your unnatural experiments, Solon, and they hold no interest for us. We tolerate your presence here on Karn only as long as you keep your place. Because you have done us some small services in the past, I shall spare your life. But begone from here at onceor you too will die in the Flame!'
While Maren was speaking, the Doctor felt something sawing at his bonds. He glanced over his shoulder—and saw the face of Sarah beneath a black hood. The Doctor nodded urgently towards the doorway. Sarah nodded back her understanding. As the Doctor's bonds came free, she slipped back into the group of Sisters and began edging her way towards the door.
Solon bowed his head, accepting Maren's decision, and realising that he was lucky to leave the Sanctum alive. 'Yes, Maren—of course. I'm sorry, very sorry...' Still mumbling apologies, Solon backed out of the chamber.
Maren ignored him. She raised her hand commandingly. 'Make the offering!'
'That's right. get on with it!' confirmed the Doctor. 'I've been ready for ages. It's very rude to keep the sacrifice hanging about!'
The ceremony moved to its climax. Maren chanted, 'Flame of Life, Fire of Death, take this intruder's body into thy eternal heart.'
The Sisters weaved closer, waving their burning torches. The ray of sunlight touched the edge of the bonfire, and they all plunged their torches into the wood. Specially treated with the highly flammable oil of rineweed, the wood burst into flame at a dozen points. The Doctor decided things were getting a little too hot for him. It was time to leave. He hurtled over the flames like a circus acrobat going through a blazing paper hoop, and his long legs had carried him clear across the Temple before the astonished Sisters had time to react. So fast was he moving that he shot straight past Sarah, who hadn't even reached the entrance.
Stripping off the encumbering robes, Sarah dashed after the Doctor. Maven was the first to recover her wits. She raised a hand and the ornate ring spat its ray of fire after the Doctor. But the Doctor was already through the arch and the fiery ray caught Sarah instead. She staggered a moment, her hands to her face, and stumbled blindly after the Doctor.
He was waiting on the other side of the arch. 'Come on, girl, come on! They'll be after us any minute.'
Sarah's hands were still clasped to her face. 'I can't, Doctor.'
The Doctor realised there was no time to ask what was wrong. He scooped Sarah off her feet, flung her over his shoulder, and started to run for both their lives.
With dragging footsteps Solon entered his hall and slumped down at the table by the fire. Chin in hands, he stared despondently into the ashes. 'What a waste! What a stupid, senseless waste.'
Condo came into the hall. He stood behind Solon, brooding over the seated figure. Suddenly he rumbled, 'You give Condo. Why?'
Solon ignored him.
The giant barbarian persisted, 'Condo good servant. Why give to Sisters? Why tell them kill Condo?'
Solon was so used to treating Condo as a kind of mindless automaton, he found it hard to realise that Condo had any feelings to be hurt. Irritably he snapped, 'Silence, you chattering ape, or I'll give you to them yet. Haven't I enough to think about without...'
Condo's hook flashed out, gripping the material of Solon's robe and digging painfully into the flesh beneath. Solon was dragged to his feet. 'Condo kill you!' Already Condo's other hand had drawn the sword from his belt.
Solon struggled furiously. 'Don't be a fool, Condo!'
Condo gave a guttural laugh. 'You try to make Condo fool—but Condo not fool! Now you die!' With gloating slowness Condo raised the sword above his head.
Solon shrunk away from the gleaming blade. He struggled furiously, but the agonising pressure of the hook kept him held fast. A jumble of thoughts raced through Solon's mind. To die like this, with his great work unfinished. Worst of all to die at the hands, or rather hand and hook, of a nobody like Condo!
A babble of excuses and explanations poured from Solon's lips. 'Condo, what are you doing? Don't, for mercy's sake. I didn't mean it. I wouldn't have let them sacrifice you. It was a joke, that's all, a silly joke...'
Condo frowned. 'You joke?'
Solon smiled weakly. 'That's right. Just a foolish joke.'
There was a pause while Condo's slow-thinking mind considered this new idea. Then he shook his head. 'You not joke. Condo not joke either. You lose head now!'
The sword flashed down. Solon flung himself back with a terrified scream, tearing his robe, and a pinch of his skin, free from the hook. He crashed to the ground, taking the table with him, rolled over and scrambled to his feet. Brandishing the sword, Condo advanced towards him. Solon backed away, clutching his wounded shoulder. 'Wait—Condo, wait...' A saving thought flashed into Solon's mind. 'Your arm! You want your arm back, don't you? You can have it—if you let me live.'
Condo halted. 'Take off hook. Give back good arm and hand?'
Solon nodded eagerly. Would I lie to you? I can put your arm back, you know I can. It's what you always wanted, isn't it?'
Slowly Condo slid the sword back into his belt. 'Give arm now—Condo not kill.'
Solon gave a sigh of relief. The moment of revolt was over. It wouldn't take him long to re-establish his dominance over this stupid hulk. 'It will take a little time, Condo. There must be careful preparation. We can't have anything going wrong. You go and prepare the laboratory, and I'll go down to the pre-serving tanks and prepare the arm.'
Condo hesitated, then nodded and left the hall. Solon gasped with relief, mopping his brow with a many-coloured handkerchief. He followed Condo out of the hall, heading not up the stairs but down them. Here in the cellars of the castle were the tanks in which Solon kept those grisly remnants of living beings which were the subject of his experiments. Naturally there was no question of restoring Condo's arm. It had been put to far better use. In addition, Solon didn't want to lose his only hold over the giant servant. But he'd have to go through the motions of getting things ready. Later he could always find more reasons for delay. And if that didn't work—well, there were poisons in Solon's cabinet which would take care even of Condo.
At the foot of the steps was a heavy metal-studded door, leading into a kind of crypt. Solon moved quietly as he came near it. It was almost as if he was trying to creep unobserved. But his precautions were useless. From inside the crypt a deep groaning voice called, 'Solon! Come to me!'<
br />
Solon stopped, an expression of terror on his face.
The voice came again. It was a terrifying voice, thick with pain and hate. 'Solon!'
Solon moved to the door. Reluctantly he opened it, releasing a pulsating greenish glow which flickered eerily over his face. Slowly he moved inside the crypt...
6
The Horror in the Crypt
The Doctor lowered Sarah carefully to the ground under the shelter of an overhanging boulder, and looked cautiously around. 'We seem to have given the Sisters the slip. The barbecue is off, I'm happy to say.'
Sarah was rubbing her eyes, moving her head to and fro. 'Doctor,' she sobbed. 'I can't see.'
'What! Let me take a look.' The Doctor knelt down beside her, turned her face into the light, and peered into her eyes.
Sarah gazed sightlessly at him. 'I've gone blind. It must have been that flash...'
'Keep still,' muttered the Doctor. He went on examining her eyes.
'How do they look?' asked Sarah anxiously.
'Perfectly normal,' said the Doctor briskly. He straightened up. 'That flash must have numbed the optic nerve. It'll probably wear off in a couple of hours.'
'And if it doesn't? I suppose I can always sell violets.' Sarah mimicked the traditional Cockney whine. 'Luv'ly sweet vi'lets. Luv'ly vi'lets, Guvnor.' She reverted to her normal tone. 'That's if we ever get back to Piccadilly.'
The Doctor's face was full of concern, but he allowed none of it to show in his voice. 'If you're going to sit there wallowing in self-pity, Sarah, I shall probably bite your nose.'
Despite herself, Sarah grinned at the childish threat. 'Typical. Thanks for the sympathy.'
The Doctor took her hands and lifted her to her feet. 'Come on...'
'Where are we going?'
'Back to see Solon.'
Sarah pulled back. 'Oh no, we're not.'
The Doctor chuckled. 'Don't worry, Sarah, I've got the measure of old Solon now. Whatever else he is, he's a very gifted physician. He's obviously well acquainted with the Sisters. He may have some idea of the effect of their weapons and how to counter it.'
'He's a gifted maniac,' said Sarah vigorously. 'Do you know what he's got in that laboratory of his? A kind of monster body, no head, made out of lumps of this and that.' She poured out the story of her visit to Solon's laboratory, and of the horrible creature she had found behind the curtain.
The Doctor listened unsurprised. 'That's all very interesting, Sarah. But if my suspicions are correct, he's keeping something else alive in that Castle of his. Something far more dangerous than a mere headless monster! Come on, let's get started.'
Reluctantly, Sarah let the Doctor lead her across the rocky plain. Her fears were returning in full force. It was bad enough being suddenly blind. But to be blind on an alien planet full of unknown horrors... And now the Doctor was leading them, by his own admission, straight towards the greatest danger of all...
Solon stood in the doorway of the crypt, his face lit by the greenish glow from the centre of the room. 'I promise you faithfully that you will soon be free. I need just a little more time to conclude my experiments...'
The deep voice was like a groan of pain. 'I grow weary of these endless promises, Solon. Always you need more time, more time!'
'If you could see how much has been accomplished, how little now remains to be done...' A note of self-pity crept into Solon's voice. 'I have worked night and day in your service. When I first came here there was nothing. I had to build a laboratory out of ruined equipment, invent and construct my own apparatus before I could even begin my experiments.'
'Experiments!' said the voice scornfully. 'When we formed this plan to outwit the Time Lords, there was no talk of experiments. You told me that it could be done...'
'And so it can,' said Solon passionately, 'so it can! I have made discoveries, mastered techniques no other man has even conceived. I can transplant limbs, organs, I can even create a life-form. All this against the most appalling difficulties...'
'Yet I am still here,' the deep voice groaned. 'I can see nothing, feel nothing. I hear and speak only by means of your machines. You have locked me into hell for all eternity.'
'My lord, with so much at stake I cannot take any risks. Every step is an advance into totally new areas of medicine. Every step must be tested and tested again...'
Angrily the voice boomed, 'Do you desire to be known as my creator rather than my servant?'
'No, no, my lord. You must trust me. I face so many problems. Even Condo has become unreliable. I shall probably have to put him down...'
As if on cue, the voice of Condo echoed down the staircase, 'Master, Master, come quickly.'
'I must go. Forgive me, my lord.' As if he welcomed the interruption, Solon ducked out of the door. He was in such haste to leave that he left it ajar behind him.
'Come back, Solon, come back!'
Ignoring the summons, Solon ran back up the staircase.
Inside the hall, Condo stood waiting. Solon snarled, 'Tell, what is it?'
Condo pointed. The Doctor and Sarah stood just inside the doorway. Solon reeled visibly with the shock. Then, steadying himself, he advanced on them with a welcoming smile. 'Doctor, how wonderful! What happened, did the Sisters release you after all?'
The Doctor shook his head. 'We left rather suddenly.'
'I did my best to save you, Doctor, even at the risk of my own life. You heard me plead with Maren. I tried to make them see reason...'
'Yes, I noticed your concern. I was very touched.'
The Doctor spoke softly. But something in his expression made Solon profoundly uneasy. He licked his lips and tried another smile. 'Well, well, it's wonderful to see you again. Would you like some wine—' Solon broke off short, realising that this was rather a tactless offer, considering the circumstances in which they'd last drunk wine together.
The Doctor shook his head. 'No thank you, Solon, we've already had one taste of your hospitality. All I want from you is a professional opinion. I'd like you to examine Sarah's eyes.'
Solon looked baffled. 'I'm sorry, I don't follow...'
'Sarah was blinded during our escape from the Sisters. I'd like you to examine her eyes.'
Solon looked calculatingly at the Doctor for a moment. Then he said smoothly. 'Yes, of course. I'll be glad to give any help I can. If you'll just come up to my laboratory...' He gestured towards the stairs.
'After you,' said the Doctor politely. Solon set off, and the Doctor led Sarah after him.
Their search unsuccessful, the Sisters were filing back into the Temple. Ohica went across to Maren, and bowed low before her.
'We did not find them, High One. Yet they may still be hiding amongst the rocks. Shall I send out more searchers?'
Margin shook her head. 'The Time Lord cannot leave Karn.' She gestured towards the square blue shape of the TARDIS. 'We have his Space/Time machine. Sooner or later he will have to return for it... and we shall be ready for him.' There was a fierce glitter in Maren's eyes. 'Next time he will not be so fortunate, Ohica. When we capture him once more, he will wish that he had died in the Flame...'
Unaware of the grisly plans being made for him, the Doctor stood by impatiently while Solon, an examining light clipped to his forehead, completed his examination of Sarah's eyes. 'Well?' the Doctor asked anxiously.
Solon was silent.
'Come on,' said Sarah, a little shakily. 'What's the verdict?'
'Oh, I think there's every chance, young lady. Yes, indeed, there's every chance of a full recovery. But I'll have to check my findings first, and work out a course of treatment.' Solon's voice was cheerful and confident, but there was a warning frown on his face as he looked at the Doctor. He turned back to Sarah. 'Meanwhile, my dear, perhaps you'd wait in the hall, while I talk to the Doctor?'
'Why?'
'Oh, medical etiquette, you know. We never discuss technicalities in front of the patient. Condo, would you take our young guest back to the hall for a mome
nt?'
Sarah backed away, stumbling into the bench. 'No, Doctor, don't let him...'
'It's all right, Sarah,' said the Doctor reassuringly. 'Condo's a changed man, now.' The Doctor's voice hardened. 'She'll be quite safe here—won't she, Solon?'
The threat in his voice was quite plain. Solon nodded eagerly. 'Of course. Condo, take good care of our guest. Serve her food, and something to drink.'
Condo's huge hand took Sarah's arm in a curiously gentle grip. 'Girl not see,' he rumbled. 'Condo help.'
Not much reassured, Sarah allowed herself to be led out of the room.
The Doctor waited until she was clear of the laboratory, then turned to Solon. 'Well?'
'I'm sorry, Doctor. Very sorry.'
'There's nothing you can do? You can't operate?'
Solon shook his head. 'I'm sorry. The retina is almost completely destroyed. There's nothing I can do for her...'
'You're quite sure?' persisted the Doctor. 'Nothing at all?'
Solon sighed artistically. 'Not unless—but no, it's impossible. No one could be expected to...'
'Not unless what?'
Solon took off his examining light and threw it on the bench. 'The Elixir of Life, Doctor. The mysterious substance the Sisters distill from their Sacred Flame. As you know, it assists tissue regeneration. But there's no hope of...'
The Doctor moved towards the door. 'If that's what's needed, then that's what I'll get.'
Solon frowned. 'But how, Doctor? The Sisters control the only source. They'll kill you if you go back to the Temple.'
The Doctor shrugged. 'If I go back voluntarily, they'll have to give me a hearing.'
'You don't know the Sisterhood..:
But the Doctor was already on his way. He paused at the door. 'It would be too dangerous to take Sarah with me. I'm leaving her here in your care. I advise you to guard her life as you would your own. Do I make myself clear?'
There was no mistaking the menace in the Doctor's voice. Something about his tone made Solon shiver. But his voice was level as he replied. 'There's no need to concern yourself, Doctor. Your young friend will be quite safe.'
DOCTOR WHO AND THE BRAIN OF MORBIUS Page 5
