by Doctor Who
‘The scanning equipment has also failed,’ said the second Cyberman. ‘We cannot locate the Doctor.’
The Cyber-engineer said emotionlessly, ‘I informed you that this alien machine was unreliable. You did not take that fact into account in your plans. You have failed in your duty as leader.’
‘Do not dispute my authority or you will be deleted.’
‘We are only three,’ the Cyber-engineer reminded him. ‘To reduce our number to two would be inefficient.’
‘Then we must adapt our plan,’ the other Cyberman said.
There was a moment of silence as the Cyberleader processed these words. Then he said, ‘Have you repaired the teleportation equipment?’
‘Limited function will soon be restored.’
‘We will test it with another transmission.’
‘Transmitting only one of us will reduce the strain on the focus equipment.’
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‘When the teleport is repaired you will transmit me back to the same place,’ ordered the Cyberleader. ‘The Doctor may still be in the area.
His capture is essential.’
34
Chapter Nine
Interrogation
THE DOCTOR WAS BEING driven through, the gates of Chadwick Green Research Centre. The car drove along the edge of the parade ground and drew up close to one of the larger huts.
‘Out!’ ordered one of the military policemen. He got out of the car, and the second policeman shoved the Doctor out after him.
Captain Sarandon stood waiting. She slapped the roof of the car and it drove away. ‘Come along, Doctor. Major Burton’s waiting.’
‘Just a moment, Captain,’ said the Doctor. There was an unexpected note of authority in his voice.
‘What is it?’ she said impatiently.
The Doctor nodded towards the military policeman who had jabbed him in the car. ‘One of your men is a bit too free with his hands – or rather, his elbow. My ribs are still sore.’
Captain Sarandon looked at the man. ‘Well?’
‘No idea what he’s talking about ma’am. We were a bit crowded in the back, I might have jostled him accidentally.’
‘You see, Doctor? Just an accident.’
‘It was nothing of the kind,’ said the Doctor angrily. ‘It was a deliberate assault. An assault on my ribs.’
Sheila Saran don sighed. ‘If you’d care to make an official com-plaint, I’ll see it’s investigated.’
‘Once I’ve filled in a dozen forms, I bet. Still, I don’t think we need be too formal about a little matter like this,’ said the Doctor. ‘I’d sooner deal with it informally.’
‘And how do you propose to do that?’
‘Like this,’ said the Doctor.
He reached up – he had to reach up since the man towered above him – and pulled the offending policeman’s nose. He didn’t pull it 35
very hard. But there was something scornful about the gesture that made it completely infuriating.
With a roar of rage, the policeman hurled himself at the Doctor.
Sheila Sarandon wasn’t quite clear about what happened next, even though it took place right in front of her. Somehow, the man missed his target and ended up in a heap on the ground, his revolver now in the Doctor’s hand and covering the little group.
The policeman stopped and looked to his officer for orders.
Captain Sarandon did her best to hide her shock. ‘You can’t hope to escape, Doctor.’
‘Oh I don’t want to escape,’ said the Doctor. ‘I’m just protecting my ribs. Well, maybe I’m making a bit of a point as well,’ he gestured with the revolver. ‘Get him on his feet. He’s not badly hurt.’
The policeman helped his colleague to rise.
‘Right,’ said the Doctor. He paused, seeming to notice the gun in his hand for the first time. ‘Yes,’ he decided ‘I think you’d better look after this.’ And he handed it to Sarandon. ‘Now, let’s go and see this Major What’s-his-name.’
Sarandon stared at the gun she was now holding in surprise ‘Major Burton,’ she answered automatically.
The Doctor grinned. ‘Right – let’s go for a Burton.’
Major Burton looked up as Captain Sarandon came into his office, followed by two military policemen. Behind them came a thin, youngish man with untidy dark hair wearing a rather scruffy pinstriped suit.
Major Burton gave no sign of surprise. He rose politely from behind his desk.
‘Ah, Captain Sarandon. You’ve brought a visitor to see me.’
‘It might be more accurate to say that he brought us, sir,’ said Sheila Sarandon ruefully.
The Doctor grinned affably. ‘Just helping out.’ He turned to the military policemen. ‘Now, then, you two – why don’t you clear off and study the Geneva Convention or something. The bit about the treatment of prisoners is instructive.’.
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The two policemen looked at Major Burton, who nodded briefly.
They saluted and marched out.
‘Now then,’ said the Doctor briskly, ‘I take it you’re Major Burton.
You’re in charge here?’
‘I like to think so.’
‘And I like to think that I’m the Doctor.’
‘I rather gathered that.’
‘You want to talk to me and I want to talk to you, so let’s not waste any more time. Oh, and how about some tea and sandwiches before we start? I seem to have missed lunch.’
It took some time for Martha to get away from Rachel and Fanshawe.
They were full of questions, none of which she really wanted to answer. Where had she been? Who was her friend? And why had he been arrested? But she broke away at last, promising to return later and explain everything.
It was only as she was hurrying down the hospital steps that she realised that she had no idea where to go, or what to do next. She could go to the police, tell them what had happened and demand to be put in touch with the Doctor. Or she could go back to her family
– and face still more uncomfortable questions. Still she had to sleep somewhere that night, and at least they’d give her a meal. . .
She decided to wait by the TARDIS. If the Doctor escaped or talked his way out of trouble, he’d be certain to go back there. But, when she reached the spot, the TARDIS was gone.
Martha stared at the blank space in shock. Had the Doctor gone off in it? Not with his military escort, surely. More likely the Army had taken it. Since they’d scooped up the Doctor, they might well have grabbed the TARDIS too. So now what was she to do? She’d just about decided on family as the least bad of her choices when the decision was taken for her.
The air before her shimmered. . . Seeing the danger, she turned to run, but it was already too late. A Cyberman appeared before her and clasped her in a steely embrace.
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Martha struggled for a moment, but it was no ‘Shall we dance?’ she said.
A tall blue-clad figure stepped out from between the cars – PC Jim Wilkie, making yet another of his routine patrols. He saw a girl struggling in the grip of a giant silver figure and yelled, ‘Hey! Stop that!
Let her go!’
But it was too late. The girl and her attacker simply faded away.
PC Wilkie groaned and mopped his brow.
What was the desk
sergeant going to make of this?
38
Chapter Ten
The Doctor Takes Charge
THE DOCTOR WAS SITTING, very much at his ease, in the visitor’s chair in front of Major Burton’s desk, finishing the last of a plate of ham sandwiches.
Major Burton watched him thoughtfully. He was a patient man when he needed to be. If the Doctor was prepared to be cooperative, he was willing to treat him as a guest, not a prisoner.
The Doctor swallowed the last bite of his sandwich and washed it down with a swig from his mug of tea.
‘My compliments to the cook-house,’ he said indistinctly. ‘Now, let’s get to the real meat,
shall we? Why have I been brought here?’
‘To answer questions, not ask them,’ snapped Sheila Sarandon.
Major Burton held up his hand to silence her. ‘There have been a number of curious and unexplained incidents recently, Doctor,’ he said. ‘I’m not sure if I’m allowed to tell you about them.’
‘Then why bring me here? Bit of a waste of time all round if you ask me.’ The Doctor stood up. ‘But that’s your problem. I’ll be off then, shall I?’ He waited a moment, enjoying their confused reactions, then sat down again. – ‘Don’t worry. I already know. You’re concerned about a series of raids on technology and research centres – including this base. Am I right or am I right?’
‘How the devil –’
The Doctor ignored the interruption. ‘All the raids were on well-protected, well-guarded places, which were entered with no alarms triggered and no traces of a break-in. In each raid, advanced electronic equipment was stolen.’
‘You’re very well informed,’ said Major Burton.
‘Suspiciously well informed,’ said Captain Sarandon. ‘Where did you learn all this?’
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The Doctor waved at the computer on the desk. ‘On the Internet, like everybody else. I learned something else as well. It seems very likely that the raids were carried out by Cybermen.’
‘That information is classified,’ said Sheila Saran don angrily.
‘Is it? Well, it’s also on every conspiracy site on the Web. You still haven’t answered my question.’
‘What question?’
‘Why did you bring me here?’
It was Major Burton who answered him. ‘After the recent alien invasions, the authorities issued a series of confidential reports. The reports leave out a lot of information but, reading between the lines, it seems clear that someone called the Doctor had a lot to do with defeating the invasion.’
‘I suppose that’s true,’ said the Doctor modestly. ‘Well, it was all me, really. Most of the time, everyone else just got in the way. People do that. So, are you arresting me or what?’
‘In my view, this is a Military Intelligence matter,’ said Major Burton stiffly. ‘I should prefer to deal with it myself.’
The Doctor laughed. ‘Makes sense.’ Rivalry between different agen-cies. You want something to boast about at the Intelligence Organisations’ Christmas Party.’
Sheila Sarandon interrupted him. ‘Let’s stick to the Cybermen, shall we Doctor? Since you seem to know so much about them.’
‘Just a bit. Big bit, actually. Well, rather a lot really,’ said the Doctor.
‘I take it you brought me here to ask for my help.’
‘Well, yes. . . ’
‘And, in order to persuade me to give you that help, you had me arrested in public, thrown in a car with a couple of gorillas and whizzed down here. Oh, and elbowed in the ribs. Don’t forget I was elbowed in the ribs.’
‘I’m sorry if you feel our methods were abrupt, Doctor,’ said Major Burton. ‘But there is a crisis.’
The Doctor thought for a moment. It seemed to Sheila Sarandon that, somehow, he had taken charge. They were waiting on his decision. . .
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‘Yeah, all right,’ said the Doctor. ‘I’ll help you. But on certain conditions. I want a completely free hand, no more of this under –arrest nonsense. Nothing more in the ribs either. I won’t have that.’
‘Very well,’ said Major Burton.
‘Sir, is that wise?’ protested Captain Sarandon.
‘That’s my decision, Captain,’ said Major Burton. ‘I’m impressed with the Doctor’s grasp of what has happened. If he plays ball with me, I’ll play ball with him.’
‘Oh, I used to like a game of cricket,’ said the Doctor. ‘Mind you, I’d like you to do something for me.’ He turned to Sheila Sarandon.
‘You were quite right, I do have a companion. Or “friend”, as you Earth People say when you’re speaking proper English. Her name’s Martha Jones.’ He gave a brief description of Martha. ‘She made herself scarce when you picked me up. I’d like you to find her and bring her down here. Approach her nicely. Tell her she can ring me here if she’s worried.’
‘I’ll get on to it,’ said Sheila Sarandon. ‘It’ll be quickest if I send a staff car.’
She moved over to her desk and picked up the phone.
‘Tell them to mind her ribs,’ the Doctor said. When she’d finished the call, Sarandon turned back to the Doctor. ‘Now then, Doctor, as Major Burton said, there is a crisis.’
‘Well, sort of. There is and there isn’t,’ said the Doctor.
‘And what’s that supposed to mean?’
‘There is a crisis, yes – but it may not be as bad as you think.’
Major Burton sighed. ‘Looks pretty bad to me. Perhaps you’d explain that.’
The Doctor got up and began pacing up and down the office. ‘You’re afraid that these raids are the start of another full-scale Cyberman invasion?’
‘Well, aren’t they?’
‘No,’ said the Doctor firmly. ‘Another invasion is impossible.’
‘Why?’ asked Sheila Sarandon doubtfully.
‘The Cybermen invaded Earth from another dimension – they came through something called the Void. I defeated their invasion by having 41
them all sucked back into the Void and sealing the gateway between that dimension and ours forever. They can never return to Earth.’
‘But they have! They’re here.’
‘They didn’t invade. They were here all along,’ said the Doctor.
‘A handful of Cybermen were created here on Earth. They weren’t sucked into the Void with the others, because they were never contaminated by it.’
Major Burton said, ‘A stay-behind group.
With a hidden base, supplies, weapons. . . We planned to do the same thing in 1940 if the Nazis invaded. And the Nazis did do it, in 1945, when we invaded Germany. Called themselves Werewolves.’
The Doctor stopped pacing and perched on the corner of Major Burton’s desk.
‘Whatever we call them, we still have a problem,’ he said. ‘Even a small group of Cybermen can do an awful lot of damage.’
‘What makes you so sure it’s a small group?’ demanded Sheila.
‘Even if your theory’s right, they could have an army hidden away.’
‘They didn’t have the time, or the resources,’ said the Doctor. Without anyone noticing, he had taken over the meeting. ‘Or any reason to, come to that. They didn’t know they were going to be sucked into the Void – not until it was too late. Bit of a daft plan if they did. No, I’m pretty sure there are no more than a handful of them.’
‘Why?’ asked Sheila again.
‘Cybermen always attack in large numbers – if they can,’ said the Doctor. ‘Yet nobody’s ever seen more than two of this lot at the same time. Say there’s at least one left at their base to operate the transmission equipment – there could be no more than three of them. Maybe one or two in reserve.’
Major Burton was looking a lot more cheerful. ‘Let’s hope you’re right, Doctor. I think we can deal with a mere handful of Cybermen, however powerful they are. So, all we need to know now is – where are they?’
‘And what do they want?’ added Sheila.
‘Oh, we know that,’ said the Doctor. ‘We know what they want.
What they want’s obvious – they want me.’
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He told them of the attempt to kidnap him.
‘Why should they want you?’ asked Sheila.
‘Oh thanks. Big ego-boost that was. But actually, for the same reason as you do. They think I can help them.’
‘How?’
‘As you said yourself, it’s a question of what they want,’ said the Doctor. ‘Knowing the Cybermen, their only aim is conquest. They know they can’t conquer the Earth with only a few of them. I rather imagine they want me to open up the gateway to the Void again and bring back their Cyber-army.’
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Chapter Eleven
Hostage
THE BRIEF BLUR OF teleportation faded, and Martha Jones stood looking around her in amazement. She was in a vast shadowy hall of some kind. A domed roof, supported by struts and cables, was just visible high overhead. Electronic equipment had been assembled in a small, lighted area. It was tended by two giant steel figures.
The Cyberman that had brought her released its grip and thrust Martha towards the others. ‘This female is known to the Doctor.’
‘You were instructed to bring the Doctor.’
‘The Doctor was not to be found. Transmission time was limited.
The human female was there, so I brought her.’
‘We have no use for her.’
Martha found that anger was rapidly replacing fear. ‘I’ve not much use for you lot either,’ she’ said angrily.
Ignoring her, the Cybermen went on discussing her in their flat, metallic voices.
‘It is possible that she knows where the Doctor may be found.’
‘Ask her.’
The Cyberman who’d captured her swung round, looming over her.
‘Where is the Doctor?’
‘No idea.’
‘Tell us, or you will be deleted.’
‘Killed, you mean?’
‘That is correct.’
‘If you kill me, I won’t be able to tell you anything.’
‘Tell us where to find the Doctor,’ ordered the Cyberman.
‘I don’t know where he is.’
A massive metal hand took her elbow in a claw-like grip. ‘Tell us where the Doctor is, or I will cause you pain.’
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The grip clamped harder. Martha bit her lip, determined not to scream. ‘Humans are fragile,’ she said with an effort. ‘If you hurt me, I will die.’
‘Since you will not speak, we lose nothing by killing you,’ said the Cyberman. It turned to the one who seemed to be the leader. ‘Shall I delete her?’
