‘Doubt it. They don’t know how we got in before. You wait here, and I shan’t be two ticks.’
‘Wait here? Why wait here?’ Olga asked.
‘I’ll be quicker on my own. And you can warn me if lots of Cybermen come back.’
‘You think they will return?’ Lady Ernhardt asked.
‘Once they find they can’t get into the castle above ground, they might send a force back this way to try from underneath, yes.’
‘Unless they have already started an assault from these tunnels.’
The Doctor shook his head. ‘Oh you’re a bundle of optimism, aren’t you, missy?’ He raised his hand, holding up three fingers. ‘Like I said – two ticks.’
He handed Olga the sonic screwdriver. Then he ducked into the red-lit Cybership and disappeared along the corridor inside.
‘He knows what he is doing,’ Olga said.
As she spoke, the Doctor again passed the hole in the ship wall, this time heading the other way down the corridor.
The gates of the castle were closed and barred. They shuddered under the impact of blows from the other side, but so far they were withstanding the assault.
From the battlements, Klaus, Nicolai and Lord Ernhardt looked down at the narrow bridge across the precipice. They had discussed whether it could be destroyed before the Cybermen arrived, but there was no time and the bridge was solid stone, strong and robust.
‘You think they’ll get in?’ Klaus asked.
He had counted almost thirty of the metal warriors. Most of them stood on the bridge, just watching while a handful hammered on the gates. It was as many as could get close enough to be effective.
‘Eventually, they will,’ Lord Ernhardt said. ‘But how long we have before the gates give way, I don’t know.’
‘Perhaps they’ll wear themselves out before they get through,’ Nicolai said. ‘Maybe that’s the Doctor’s plan.’
The gatehouse beneath them shook under another onslaught.
On the bridge, half of the watching Cybermen slowly turned and started back down the cliff path.
‘Giving up?’ Klaus wondered.
‘Or getting something to use as a battering ram,’ Nicolai suggested.
‘No,’ Lord Ernhardt said, his face pale. ‘They didn’t know where we were going or what we were planning when they followed us here.’
‘So – now they do,’ Klaus said.
‘Exactly. They have us trapped in the castle. And they know there’s another way in.’ Lord Ernhardt turned and hurried down the steps to ground level. ‘Come on – there’s no time to lose. We have to collapse the tunnels!’
‘Gangway – coming through!’
They heard the Doctor long before they saw his shadow in the red lighting within the corridor. They also heard the distinctive tread of the Cybermen following him.
The Doctor leaped through the hole in the side of the ship, grabbing his sonic screwdriver from Olga’s hand as he passed.
‘Well, come on!’ he yelled as he ran.
Olga looked back as they reached the end of the tunnel. The first Cyberman was clambering through the gap in the ship’s hull. One hand either side, it pulled itself through and straightened up. Blank eyes stared straight at her.
‘Did you achieve what you set out to do?’ Lady Ernhardt was asking as Olga caught them up again.
‘I hope so. Managed to dodge the Cyberboys till the last minute. But I think we’re clear of them now.’
They reached an intersection of tunnels, and the Doctor chose one that sloped upwards – towards the castle, Olga guessed.
‘Are we safe yet?’ she asked.
‘Never safe with Cybermen about. But yes, probably. I think. Should be. For a while.’
A huge dark shape loomed out of a side passageway. A metal fist punched through the air, just missing the Doctor’s head and embedding itself in the rock wall.
‘Or not,’ the Doctor decided. ‘Come on!’
They raced on again. Maybe it was her imagination, but Olga thought she recognised the tunnel now. Was it wishful thinking, or were they close to the castle?
‘What is that?’ Lady Ernhardt asked.
‘What? Can’t see anything,’ the Doctor said.
‘No – listen.’
Olga could hear it too. A low rumble, coming from the tunnel ahead of them.
‘No idea,’ the Doctor said, and Olga knew instinctively that he was lying. ‘But I think we’d better hurry.’
The tunnel became steeper, and there were lamps fixed to the walls now. In most of them, the oil had been used up. But a few still burned with a flickering, guttering flame.
They rounded another corner, and the Doctor skidded to a halt.
Olga and Lady Ernhardt piled into the back of him, knocking him forwards.
‘What is it?’ Olga gasped. ‘Why have you stopped?’
‘Tunnel’s blocked,’ the Doctor said. He took out his sonic screwdriver again and shone it ahead of them. The tunnel was filled with rock and rubble.
‘It wasn’t like that before,’ Olga said. ‘We came this way – I know we did.’
‘Has the roof collapsed?’ Lady Ernhardt asked.
The Doctor shook his head. ‘This is deliberate. Your husband must have realised the Cybermen could get into the castle this way. Clever man.’
Lady Ernhardt nodded. ‘He is. Very clever.’
‘Too clever by half in this case.’
‘What do you mean? He has stopped the Cybermen.’
‘Slowed them down maybe. They’ll just dig through that lot when they get here. And that won’t be long.’
The ground was shaking under their feet – a steady, rhythmic thump of marching feet.
‘I reckon there’s about ten of them coming,’ the Doctor said.
‘We must double back, find another way,’ Olga said. She grabbed the Doctor’s arm to pull him away from the blockage.
‘There isn’t another way. We’re too close now, this is the only tunnel that goes into the castle. In any case,’ the Doctor went on, ‘the Cybermen are too close. They’re already past the last turnoff.’
Olga looked round, eyes wide with fear. ‘Then – where can we go? If there are Cybermen behind us and the passage is blocked ahead?’
‘Only forwards,’ Lady Ernhardt said. ‘If the Doctor is right, there is no other way.’
‘And the way ahead is blocked,’ the Doctor said. ‘We’re trapped.’
He led them back round the last bend in the tunnel and shone the sonic screwdriver back down the way they had come. Something glittered in the pale light.
A dark shape loomed out of the blackness, other shapes behind it. The tunnel floor was still shaking as the Cybermen advanced, the flickering light of a failing lamp glinting on their implacable silver armour as they strode up the tunnel towards the Doctor and his friends.
The leading Cyberman raised its hand, pointing along the passageway at them.
‘Delete. Delete. Delete,’ it rasped.
Chapter 16
The passageway opened out slightly at the rock fall. Even so, Lady Ernhardt had to push past Olga and then the Doctor to proceed along the tunnel.
‘It’s no use,’ Olga told her. ‘There’s no way past.’
‘There will be,’ Lady Ernhardt insisted. She grabbed one of the fallen stone slabs from the roof and lifted it away. Other rocks and debris fell to take its place.
‘There isn’t time to dig through,’ Olga insisted.
The Cyberman were advancing along the tunnel towards them. It was only wide enough where they were to allow the huge metal warriors to proceed in single file. But that would be enough. Olga knew what would happen in a few moments when the Cybermen reached them.
‘No, no, no,’ the Doctor said. ‘Marie’s right – I can call you Marie, can’t I?’ He didn’t wait for an answer. ‘Thanks.’
‘But the Cybermen,’ Olga said, as Marie hefted aside another heavy slab of stone as if it was a pebble. Again more de
bris shifted – there was now the narrowest gap at the top of the pile. But not enough to get through.
‘Same plan as before.’ The Doctor grabbed one of the slabs that Marie had pushed aside. ‘Blimey – that’s heavy.’ He lifted it with an effort, raising it above his head. ‘Get behind me, Olga.’
She pushed past, wondering what he intended.
‘Like before – we bung rocks at them!’
It wasn’t much of a throw. But the stone slab was heavy, and the ground sloped down towards the advancing Cybermen. The makeshift projectile rolled and bounced down the tunnel, and cracked into the leading Cyberman, sending it staggering backwards.
But it wasn’t damaged – merely delayed. It stepped over the slab, and continued towards them.
‘Keep working at the blockage,’ the Doctor told Marie. ‘Olga – push the rocks back towards me. Not too big, but big enough to be useful.’
As Marie frantically pulled at the rocks blocking the passage, and Olga rolled them back towards the Doctor, the gap at the top of the fallen pile of rubble grew slowly bigger. There was light – faint flickering light – shining through from the next section of tunnel.
The Doctor gathered up rocks as they reached him, and hurled them at the approaching Cybermen. Some of the rocks missed their targets completely. But others clanged into the leading Cyberman, leaving it battered and dented. The creature struggled on, making slow headway against the blizzard of stones and rocks. But it was edging slowly, steadily closer.
At last, the gap at the top of the rubble was large enough that they might – just – be able to squeeze through.
‘You must go first,’ Marie told Olga. When the woman hesitated, Marie added: ‘I am still clearing the rocks, and the Doctor is keeping the Plague Warriors back. It must be you. See if it is clear at the top, or if not then you must dig through to the other side.’
Olga nodded, too frightened to answer. The Cybermen had almost reached the Doctor, who was backing slowly up to the edge of the fallen debris. The leading Cyberman’s armour was blackened and dented. One of the metal rods on the side of its head had snapped after taking a direct hit, and green fluid dripped out and over its shoulders. But still it was advancing on them …
With a nod of urgent encouragement from the Doctor, Olga clambered up the pile of fallen rubble. It shifted and moved under her feet. She sank in, like in the muddy field by the church, but somehow she managed to scramble to the top.
A strip of darkness, with just the faintest of flickering lights coming from somewhere deep inside. Olga reached in, probing, feeling, scrabbling. She forced her head and shoulders through the gap, arms out in front of her.
Then a dark shape moved in front of the faint light, blotting it out. Something grabbed her hands, and Olga screamed.
Caplan had been left in charge of the defences at the gates. He organised his few men so that half were stationed inside the gates, the others on the battlements above the gatehouse.
The Cybermen had anew tactic. While continuing to batter at the gates – and make some progress as the wood weakened under the onslaught – they were also climbing up the walls. It was slow, but the creatures seemed to have infinite reserves of patience. They moved methodically, metal fingers working their way into any cracks in the solid façade of the castle. Where there was no handhold, they made one, punching and gouging into the solid rock face.
The first Cyberman was nearing the top of the battlements. But Caplan was waiting for it. He too could be patient. If he struck too soon he would be at a disadvantage, leaning down and off balance. It was not until the Cyberman was almost on him before he delivered an almighty blow with his sword.
Caplan’s blade slammed into the Cyberman’s upper body, knocking it backwards. But it managed to hold on. Caplan followed up with a thrust – the tip of the broad sword right into the creature’s head. Already off balance, the blow was enough. The head snapped back. An arm lashed out, almost catching Caplan, but he stepped aside at the last instant.
Then the Cyberman was falling backwards. It tumbled down the side of the castle wall, catching another of the metal warriors as it fell, dislodging that one too. Both of them fell – one smashing down on the stone-flagged floor outside the gatehouse, close to the Cybermen attacking the gates. The other Cyberman missed the bridge, and fell into the ravine.
Caplan didn’t see where it landed. He was watching the Cyberman lying on its back far below by the main gates. Watching it haul itself to its feet, and start climbing back up the wall.
‘Easy – easy!’
Olga recognised the voice, and her heart leaped. She stopped fighting the hands that had grabbed her in relief and surprise.
‘Klaus!’
‘Who else would it be?’
She allowed herself to be pulled through the narrow gap, over the rough debris, and out onto the other side. Klaus lifted her down, holding her for a moment before turning back to the pile of rubble.
‘Who’s with you?’
‘The Doctor, and Lady Ernhardt.’
Another figure stepped out of the near darkness. ‘Marie? She’s all right?’ Lord Ernhardt asked urgently.
Olga wasn’t sure how to answer that. Did he know what his wife truly was? Surely he must – but there again, she had not known it herself.
But he didn’t wait for her answer, pushing past and clambering up the pile of debris to help Klaus pull Marie Ernhardt through from the other side.
‘Victor – how is Victor?’ she gasped as soon as she was through.
‘He’s fine,’ Lord Ernhardt assured her. ‘Fine. Sleeping peacefully.’ He pulled her into an awkward embrace, balanced precariously on the side of the mountain of rubble. ‘I was so worried about you, Marie.’ He helped her down to join Olga.
The Doctor was almost through the gap when his face creased up in pain. ‘It’s got my leg,’ he cried.
Klaus was pulling at the Doctor’s arms. Lord Ernhardt checked his wife was safely down, then scrambled back up to help Klaus. The Doctor was now fully through, but a metal arm was reaching through after him, holding his ankle. Klaus hammered at it with a piece of rock – the sound echoing off the tunnel walls.
Marie started to climb back up, but before she was halfway, the Doctor broke free. He shot forward, Klaus and Lord Ernhardt falling back. The Doctor rolled and tumbled rapidly down the pile with a cry of ‘Geronimo!’ and landed at Olga’s feet.
She helped him up, and he smiled a thank you. Then he was immediately climbing back up again.
‘Back! Back! Everyone get back!’ he yelled.
‘But – they’re coming through,’ Klaus protested.
The first Cyberman was hauling itself through the gap. Arms and head were already visible. Its blank eyes stared at the humans waiting for it.
‘That’s why you have to get back,’ the Doctor shouted. He grabbed Klaus by the shoulders and thrust him backwards. ‘You too,’ he told Lord Ernhardt.
‘But, what can you do?’ Olga called up after him.
The Doctor raised his sonic screwdriver. ‘However you brought down the roof, I’m hoping its weakened the structure above. A bit of well-aimed sonic agitation, and …’
His words were blotted out by a high-pitched whine. The sonic screwdriver glowed brightly.
The Cyberman was almost through. It started to clamber to its feet, right next to the Doctor. In moments it would be on him.
A patter of dust scattered across the Cyberman’s shoulders. It ignored it and reached for the Doctor. But he was already sliding down the rubble on his backside, sonic screwdriver still aimed.
The patter became a trickle, and then several chunks of rock dislodged from above. They clanged against the Cyberman’s armour as they fell. Another Cyberman was reaching through the gap. It raised its head to look upwards – just as the roof collapsed.
An avalanche of rock and rubble crashed down, closing the gap and burying the Cyberman who was halfway through. The Cyberman standing stooped against the
roof at the top of the pile was knocked to its knees, then forwards onto its face. Dust filled the tunnel, and rocks and stones clattered down, forcing the Doctor and the others to run back up the passageway.
The dust had blown out the remaining lamps. The only light was from the now-silent sonic screwdriver. The tunnel was now filled with a solid wall of densely packed rubble. Near the top, a silver hand projected from the debris. The fingers clenched and spasmed for a few moments. Then they were still.
‘It will take them a while to get through there,’ the Doctor said. He wiped the back of his grubby hand across his grimy face, smearing dust across his features.
‘But they will try,’ said Marie.
‘Yes,’ the Doctor agreed. ‘They will try. Here, and at the main gates.’
*
The main gates were creaking under the constant strain of the Cybermen’s assault. The Cybermen seemed to have given up on climbing over the walls. Looking down, Caplan saw that instead they were attacking the areas beside the gates, hammering their fists into the stonework.
‘Are they trying to weaken the gates?’ the guard beside Caplan asked.
‘They could be trying to get at the hinges,’ he agreed. ‘Or maybe they’re just scraping their way through the walls. Either way, it doesn’t look good.’
‘What doesn’t look good?’
Caplan turned, relieved to hear Lord Ernhardt’s voice. He was surprised but pleased to see that the Doctor was with him. Caplan quickly explained what the Cybermen were up to.
‘They only need to make the smallest hole in the wall or the gates, and they’ll be inside in no time,’ the Doctor said.
‘Then what do we do? How do we stop them?’
The Doctor looked up at the dark sky. More storm clouds were gathering. Thunder echoed round the castle courtyard.
‘Well, I do have an idea. But first let’s get everyone somewhere safe.’
‘We can’t get out of the castle,’ Caplan pointed out. ‘And where will be safe if they can get in here?’
‘The catacombs,’ the Doctor told him. ‘Get everyone down into the tunnels. The way back to the village is blocked, but maybe you can hide down there for long enough for me to deal with the Cybermen.’
Doctor Who: Plague of the Cybermen Page 14
