Doctor Who NSAQR02 Made of Steel

by Doctor Who

  The lift took them down to a vast chamber lined with steel and rein-forced concrete. It was packed with workbenches, lab compartments and crates of supplies and equipment. And there, in a dark alcove, stood the TARDIS. The Doctor beamed and patted it affectionately.

  ‘I’ll detail a squad of men to get it back to the surface for you,’

  offered Sheila.

  ‘No, no,’ said the Doctor hastily. ‘I’ll take care of all that. You’ve got a lot to do. Your assault force is waiting.’

  ‘If you’re sure. . . Goodbye, Doctor, and good luck.’

  ‘I’ll see you at the Dome,’ said the Doctor, and disappeared into the TARDIS.

  Sheila Sarandon shrugged and turned away.

  Inside the TARDIS the Doctor stood over the control console, thinking furiously. He had to get this exactly right. Strange that a simple journey of just a few miles should be so much harder than a trip to Mars or the moon.

  His fingers moved carefully over the controls.

  Captain Sarandon had almost reached the corridor that led to the lift when she heard a strange sound. It was a sort of wheezing – yet there seemed to be a kind of groaning as well.

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  She turned and was just in time to see the battered old police box fade away. She shook her head – disappearing Cybermen, disappearing police boxes. . .

  Dismissing them from her mind, Sheila headed towards the assault force. Whoever was supposed to be in command, she knew who was really going to be running things. . .

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  Chapter Fifteen

  Arrival

  MARTHA STOOD IN THE vast and shadowy Dome, considering her next move.

  There were only two Cybermen with her now. The trouble was, the Cyberman told to guard her stayed close to her side at all times.

  Martha was sure that it would grab her at once if she tried to escape.

  Even if she managed to dodge away from him, it could easily shoot her down before she got far.

  The other Cyberman was busily working on the complex electronic equipment. It seemed to be receiving signals of some kind.

  Then the air shimmered and another Cyberman appeared.

  It stood for a moment, gazing almost arrogantly around. Somehow Martha sensed that this was the Cyberleader. She waited, but no other Cybermen appeared – and there was no sign of the Doctor.

  ‘The attack squad was destroyed,’ the Cyberleader told the two Cybermen. ‘The humans have improved their weapons.’

  ‘We have lost the entire attack squad. We have no more in reserve,’

  said one.

  Was there reproach in the Cyberman’s voice?

  Perhaps it was a rival for the position of leader, Martha thought. If Cybermen felt any emotion, it would surely be the lust for power. And perhaps these Cybermen, so recently human and converted quickly during the invasion, had a little more humanity than they should?

  ‘The loss is of no importance,’ said the Cyberleader. ‘Soon our army will return from the Void.’

  ‘That is impossible. You have failed in your mission. You have not captured the Doctor.’

  ‘It is not necessary to capture the Doctor. He knows that this human is our prisoner. To save her life, he will come here of his own accord.’

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  ‘Will you free the Doctor and the human if he helps us?’

  ‘No. The Doctor is a dangerous enemy. We shall kill them both.’

  The sheer injustice of it made Martha angry. ‘That’s not fair. You promised to let us go if the Doctor helped you.’

  ‘Promises made to inferior species have no meaning.’

  ‘I’ll show you who’s inferior,’ Martha muttered.

  The Cyberman guarding her said, ‘What if the Doctor does not come?’

  ‘He will come.’

  The worst thing about it, thought Martha, was that the Cyberleader was quite right. If there was any chance of freeing her, the Doctor would come. He’d come if there was no chance at all.

  Sure enough, a familiar sound filled the air, and the TARDIS appeared beside the collection of Cyber-equipment. The door opened, and the Doctor stepped out, leaving the door open behind him. He looked round happily.

  ‘Oh, that’s brilliant! An inspired piece of navigation, if I say so myself. These very short trips are the hardest, you know. Hello Martha.

  You all right?’

  ‘Never better,’ said Martha. ‘I’ve been having a lovely time. Song and dance and great conversation.’

  The Doctor seemed not to notice her sarcasm. ‘Good, good. Glad you’re happy.’ He looked around him. ‘Wonderful place, the Dome.

  Of course, it’s not really a proper dome at all. Not self-supporting, you see. Properly speaking, it’s a mast-supported, dome-shaped cable network. Did you know it’s covered with coated glass-fibre fabric. . . ’

  ‘You must begin your task, Doctor,’ said the Cyberleader impatiently.

  ‘There is much to do. Unless you succeed –’

  ‘Don’t bother with the usual threats,’ said the Doctor wearily. ‘If I don’t open the gateway to the Void for your Cyber-army, you’ll kill Martha – and me as well.’

  ‘That is correct. The Cybermen will return.’

  ‘There you are again,’ the Doctor said. ‘Millennium Dome – not a proper dome. Cybermen – not proper men.’

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  ‘You’re not really going to help them, Doctor?’ Martha said in surprise.

  ‘Oh, I’m afraid I have to, Martha. There’s simply no other way. I mean, what else can I do? Stand here and watch you die? Not a lot of fun in that, is there?’

  ‘But you said you –’

  Hastily, the Doctor interrupted her. ‘I know what I said, Martha. I said I wouldn’t do it. I said I wouldn’t do it whatever happened. But things have changed.’

  He hadn’t said that at all, thought Martha. He’d said he couldn’t

  – that it was impossible. But ‘couldn’t’ was clearly a word he didn’t want the Cybermen to hear.

  She made a last attempt to warn him. ‘They’re going to kill us both anyway, even if you do help them.’

  ‘Now, now, Martha,’ said the Doctor infuriatingly. ‘The Cybermen are an honourable race I’m sure they’d never break their word.’

  ‘And if you believe that, you’ll believe anything,’ said Martha quietly, But obviously the Doctor didn’t believe it at all. He was up to something.

  Quickly, Martha reviewed, the situation. Things were already improving. They were together in the Dome, and they were close to the open door of the TARDIS. Once inside, they’d be safe. She decided to watch and wait.

  The Doctor moved over to the equipment complex and studied it.

  ‘Another fine mess,’ he said scornfully. ‘Where did you collect this load of rubbish? Fell of the back of a lorry, did it?’

  The Cyberleader took the question literally. ‘It has not fallen. Some is our own Cyber-equipment, which we retrieved from the Torchwood Tower. The rest we took from the humans.’

  The Doctor continued his examination. ‘Well I can tell you now, most of it’s no use at all. I mean, who sold you that bit, then?’ He paused. ‘Except, perhaps. . . ’ He leant forwards, examining the teleportation equipment. “This might just possibly. . . ’

  The Doctor straightened up, addressing the Cyberleader. ‘I think I can boost the power of the teleportation equipment so that it reaches 63

  clear into the Void. That will create the gateway you want-Yes, that’s the way.’ He nodded at the Cybermen, hoping they wouldn’t realise what nonsense he was talking. ‘Mind you, I shall have to link it up to the TARDIS console – it’s the only way to boost the power.’

  ‘Power is available here.’

  ‘Not enough, not nearly enough. You don’t use hamsters, by the way, do you?’ He waved the question aside. ‘Never mind, not impor-tant. Now, I’ll need heavy-duty cables, lots of them. It’s a big job and we haven’t got much time. I suppose you realise that the
Army is on its way here to attack you?’

  ‘They will not succeed,’ said the Cyberleader. He pointed to a complex piece of equipment, standing aside from the rest. It was throbbing with power. ‘We have established a force field around the Dome.’

  ‘Let’s hope it holds,’ said the Doctor, shooting Martha a meaningful look. ‘I’d hate for that to go wrong or get damaged or anything. Right then, let’s get started.’

  ‘We will assist you.’ The Cyberleader turned to the third Cyberman.

  ‘You will continue to guard the girl. At the first sign of treachery – kill her!’

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  Chapter Sixteen

  The Gateway Opens

  THE ASSAULT FORCE COMMAND truck was parked outside the main gates of the Millennium Dome. Floodlights lit the whole area. Captain Sarandon stood beside the truck, waiting impatiently. Beside her was Colonel Barnard, a small terrier-like man with a bristling white moustache. He had fought the Cybermen, although not very success-fully, during the invasion. He was itching for another chance at them.

  ‘How much longer?’ he snarled.

  ‘Best to secure the perimeter, sir,’ said Sheila Sarandon smoothly.

  ‘We don’t want to lose them now.’

  A tall young lieutenant ran up and saluted. ‘Perimeter secured, sir.’

  ‘Good,’ snapped Colonel Barnard. ‘Order general advance.’

  ‘Can’t sir,’ said the lieutenant.

  ‘What do you mean, “can’t”?’

  ‘We can’t move forward sir, not at any point of the perimeter.

  There’s some kind of force field around the whole place. It pushes back men and vehicles.’

  ‘Then break through it.’

  ‘The technical blokes are working on it now sir. They’re sending for some new kind of explosive. They say it’ll take a really massive explosion – big enough to destroy the whole place.’

  ‘Good riddance,’ said Colonel Barnard. ‘Damn place was never any use anyway.’

  A bit hard on the Doctor, if he was in there, not to mention his companion, thought Sheila. Still, sacrifices had to be made in war.

  ‘Right,’ said the Doctor. ‘That’s it. Stand back everybody.’

  A spider’s web of power cables ran from the TARDIS console and through the open door. They connected the console to the teleportation equipment.

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  ‘I’ll just go into the TARDIS and power it all up,’ said the Doctor. ‘The gateway to the Void will appear at the teleportation point. Your fellow Cybermen will know it’s opening and very soon they’ll start coming through.’ The Doctor headed for the open TARDIS door, stepping over the cables.

  ‘We still have your associate,’ warned the Cyberleader. ‘You will leave the TARDIS once the power is on.’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry,’ said the Doctor. ‘I wouldn’t miss this for worlds.’

  He entered the TARDIS, went to the console and pulled a huge lever.

  The teleportation equipment began throbbing with power. The Doctor emerged and stood waiting with the Cybermen.

  For a moment, nothing happened. Then, slowly, a glowing portal appeared in the air. It was the size and shape of the TARDIS door.

  Faint and shadowy at first, it grew larger, brighter. . . Soon it was huge and cavernous. Pale blue light blazed from inside.

  The Cybermen stared at it with what looked like awe – even the one guarding Martha. Seizing her chance, she leaped away, dashed to the force-field generator and kicked it, again and again. It fizzed and crackled, and Martha yanked out a cable from the side, sending off a shower of sparks. Her Cyberman guard raised its arm and fired.

  Martha threw herself sideways – just in time. The energy blast missed her and struck the force-field generator. It exploded into flame. She scrambled to her feet and ducked behind a crate.

  The Cyber-engineer turned from the glowing doorway and studied the energy readings on the teleportation dials. ‘We have been cheated,’ it decided. ‘This ‘gateway does not lead to the Void.’

  The Cyberleader trained his wrist-gun on the Doctor. ‘Where does the gateway lead?’

  ‘It leads to the Void, I tell you,’ shouted the Doctor. ‘Your readings won’t be accurate, will they? You’re trying to get a reading from nothing. That’s what “void” means.’ He turned towards the glowing gateway and pointed. ‘Look, they’re coming through!’

  Something was indeed coming through the gateway, but it wasn’t a Cyberman. It was a colossal head, jaws full of sharp teeth, snapping and biting at the air as the massive creature tried to force its way 66

  through the opening. A Tyrannosaurus Rex.

  The Cyber-engineer fired at it, and the energy-blast hammered into the dinosaur’s head. It gave a tremendous roar of rage, and lunged towards the Cyber-engineer. Huge jaws closed round the Cyberman, ripping off its head. The second Cyberman fired, but again to no effect. Enraged, the giant T-Rex snatched the Cyberman and dragged its thrashing body back through the glowing gateway.

  “You have betrayed us Doctor!’ cried the Cyberleader.

  He raised his weapon and fired. But the Doctor ducked beneath the blast. In a single, rapid movement, he wrenched free the main power cable and thrust it into the Cyberleader’s chest.

  There was a fierce crackle of power, and sparks flowed around the Cyberleader’s body, His eyes glowed red and smoke poured from his mouth. Spinning round, he crashed to the ground.

  Martha slowly emerged from behind her crate. ‘Well done, Doctor.’

  She turned to look at the glowing gateway and saw that it had disappeared. It had vanished when the Doctor disconnected the power cable.

  ‘Where did that thing come from?’

  The Doctor had freed the other end of the power cable from the TARDIS console and dragged it clear. Now he was unplugging the rest of the cables and hurling them out of the door.

  ‘Just a simple space-time portal,’ he said. ‘Used to muck about with them at school. I connected their teleportation set-up to the TARDIS

  at the exact point in space and time where we last landed. You remember our little field trip? Tommy T-Rex lunges at the TARDIS and, at the same moment we left, the gateway opened and let him get the Cybermen. Doctor dix points, Team Cyberman nul points.’

  ‘What’ll happen to the Cyberman the creature dragged off?’

  ‘I imagine it must be pretty hard to digest. The T-Rex will probably drop bits of it all round the Jurassic period.’ He grinned. ‘Got to keep the archaeologists guessing.’

  The Doctor freed the last cable and went to the TARDIS door. ‘Come on, Martha, time we were out of here.’

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  ‘Not so fast, Doctor,’ called a familiar voice. ‘Surely you’re not leaving without saying goodbye?’

  Captain Sheila Sarandon came running into the Dome, armed soldiers behind her. Confused and cautious, the soldiers covered the Doctor and Martha with their rifles.

  ‘Ah, there you are,’ said the Doctor. ‘Glad you could join us at last.’

  He pointed to the giant silver shape on the ground. ‘And there’s the last Cyberman on Earth for you, stone-cold dead. You can have it stuffed and put it in the Mess. Or melt it down for regimental silver.’

  Sheila Sarandon looked thoughtfully at him. ‘My superiors are very interested in you, Doctor. They want you arrested and shipped off to them.’

  The Doctor sighed. ‘You’re not going to be difficult are you? I do hope you’re not going to be difficult. We’ve had enough unpleasantness for one day already, and I much prefer being pleasant. Don’t you?’ He smiled.

  Sheila smiled too. She was expecting a promotion out of all-this, and she was in a very good mood. ‘All right, Doctor, we owe you this one. Off you go. But don’t hurry back!’

  ‘Well, of all the ingratitude,’ said Martha indignantly.

  The Doctor grinned and blew Sheila a kiss, then pulled Martha inside the TARDIS. The door closed behind them.

  Sheila Sarandon turned
to her soldiers. ‘Watch closely. You’re not going to believe this.’

  With a strange, wheezing, groaning sound, the TARDIS faded away.

  Inside, the Doctor adjusted controls and checked read-outs. Martha was emotionally shattered and completely exhausted. The Doctor, on the other hand, seemed quite unaffected by their recent adventures.

  ‘Where now then – and when?’ he asked, flexing his fingers ready to set a new course.

  Martha sighed and leaned against the console. ‘I don’t know, Doctor.

  Somewhere nice and peaceful. You choose.’

  The Doctor beamed. ‘I know just the place!’

  His hands moved over the controls.

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  Document Outline

  Cover

  Contents

  Chapter One: The Raiders

  Chapter Two: Field Trip

  Chapter Three: Crisis Conference

  Chapter Four: Homeward Bound

  Chapter Five: Cybermen

  Chapter Six: Reunion

  Chapter Seven: Caught

  Chapter Eight: Arrest

  Chapter Nine: Interrogation

  Chapter Ten: The Doctor Takes Charge

  Chapter Eleven: Hostage

  Chapter Twelve: Attack

  Chapter Thirteen: Battleground

  Chapter Fourteen: The Gateway

  Chapter Fifteen: Arrival

  Chapter Sixteen: The Gateway Opens

  Back Cover