DOCTOR WHO AND THE HORROR OF FANG ROCK

by Terrance Dicks

  Palmerdale scribbled in a leather-covered notebook with a silver pencil. He tore out the page and handed.it to Vince. 'Here's the message, it's in my private business code...'

  They heard the Doctor's cheerful voice. 'Vince! Are you up there?'

  Palmerdale put a finger to his lips. 'Send the message as soon as you get a chance. And remember, say nothing to anyone. I'll step out on the gallery until the Doctor's gone.'

  Palmerdale slipped out on to the darkened gallery.

  Vince stuffed money and message into his pocket and gave a hasty blast on the foghorn, just as the Doctor entered.

  'Are you all right, Vince? We've left you alone up here for quite a time.'

  'I'm right enough, sir,' said Vince. But his face was white, and his voice quivered with nerves.

  The Doctor put a hand on his shoulder. 'Good lad. Now then, I've got something important to tell you...'

  Harker found tools and some old lumber in a corner of the coal store. He chopped a plank into a number of rough wedges, and hammered them into place around the edges of the main door. He drove the last one home just as Leela came in. 'There, that should do the trick, eh, miss?'

  Leela was chanting, 'Keep the boipressure up keep the boipressure up...' Somehow her message had got a bit garbled on the way.

  'What's that, again, miss?'

  'It is a message from the Doctor. The old one Reuben is not listening, so you must keep the boipressure up.'

  'Ah,' said Harker thoughtfully. 'Would that be boiler-pressure, now?'

  'That is what I said.'

  'Course it is, miss. Tell the Doctor not to worry, I'll see to it.'

  Harker found the shovel and began shovelling coal into the boiler.

  Leela picked up the hammer Harker had been using. She hefted it thoughtfully and slipped from the room.

  The Doctor was engaged in the difficult task of putting Vince on his guard without scaring him to death. He told him of the cry from the generator room, and Reuben's strange behaviour.

  Vince's eyes widened with terror. 'What do you reckon Reuben saw then, Doctor?'

  'I don't know yet. But I think we'll find out before sunrise.'

  'It's the Beast come back,' said Vince fearfully. 'Last time they found two keepers dead, and one mad with fear. Well, Ben's dead, isn't he, and Reuben's mad... Only me left now...' He clutched the Doctor's arm. 'It'll come for me next!'

  'That's superstitious nonsense, Vince.'

  'Is it? Look what happened to Ben—and now Reuben! '

  'Whatever happened all those years ago, Vince, things are very different now. There's something dangerous on the rock, I don't deny. But there are eight of us here now, Vince. If it attacks again, we'll all be ready and waiting. All the advantages are with us. Remember, it's eight to one!'

  The glowing shape paused underneath the gallery, gathering its strength. Its glow pulsed, then grew steadily brighter.

  Coat collar turned up round his neck, Palmerdale shivered in the darkness of the gallery. Inside the lamp room, he could see the Doctor talking earnestly to Vince. Would the fellow never shut up and go away? He considered going back into the lamp room. What did it matter if the Doctor saw him? Vince had been well paid, he'd keep his mouth shut. Still, better not to arouse any curiosity. He decided to hang on for a little longer.

  Lord Palmerdale put his hands on the guard-rail and peered out into the darkness. Still this confounded fog. He noticed a strange greenish glow from somewhere below him. A kind of phosphorescence... He leaned over the guard-rail to get a better look—and a glowing tentacle whipped up from out of the darkness and took him round the neck.

  Palmerdale went rigid, mouth distorted in a silent scream. Blue lightning flashed round his body as the tentacle snatched him over the guard-rail.

  The glowing shape slid down the tower, towards an open window just below.

  Skinsale and Adelaide were locked in furious argument. Skinsale had begun it, apparently quite deliberately. On his return to the crew room he had began making a series of disparaging remarks about Lord Palmerdale. Although Adelaide was prepared to admit to herself that his lordship's manners left much to be desired, he was a generous employer, and she felt obliged to come to his defence.

  'You've no right to say such things. Lord Palmerdale is the kindest and most considerate of men.'

  'To you no doubt,' sneered Skinsale. 'My experience has been somewhat different.'

  'You've enjoyed his friendship—and the financial advantages of your association with him. I happen to know he has been most generous...'

  'A sprat to catch a mackerel! He plans to make far more money out of me than I ever had from him.'

  'Indeed?' said Adelaide loftily. 'We both know that Lord Palmerdale is already a millionaire. How could you bring him any financial advantage?'

  'He plied me with drink, encouraged me to gamble until I was almost ruined, then persuaded me to give him secret government information, in-formation which he can turn to profit. Your precious employer is a crook and a skunk, my dear!'

  'How dare you!' stormed Adelaide. 'I refuse to listen to another word. I shall go and find his lordship and tell him what a perfidious so-called friend you are.'

  'Yes, somehow I thought you might,' said Skinsale softly. With a smile of satisfaction he watched Adelaide run from the room.

  Leela marched determinedly up to Reuben's door, the heavy coal hammer over her shoulder. The trouble with the Doctor, she thought, was that he was too considerate. If the old man had information they needed, then he must come out and give it to them.

  She came to a halt outside Reuben's door. 'Old one, hear me,' she shouted. 'If you do not open this door now I shall smash it down. Do you understand?'

  Silence. Leela stepped back and raised the hammer.

  The Doctor clapped Vince encouragingly on the shoulder. 'So, Harker will keep the boiler stoked, you look after the light and keep the siren going, and I'll organise the others to keep watch.'

  'All right, Doctor, if you think that's best. You're sure it'd be no good me having a word with Reuben?'

  'No good at all, Vince. You stay here, you've got your job to do.'

  A splintering crash came from below. They listened. The crash came again, and again. 'Stay here,' ordered the Doctor. 'I'll go down and take a look.'

  The door to Reuben's room was made of solid oak, and for all her efforts Leela was unable to smash it down. However, by hammering at the same spot, she managed to bash a hole in it. She peered through it, and saw Reuben standing motionless in the middle of the room. His face was white, his eyes stared blankly ahead.

  Leela shouted through the gap. 'Come out, old one!' Reuben ignored her.

  She stepped back, raising the hammer for another swing. She was about to bring it smashing down when a hand caught the hammer just below the head and held it still. The Doctor had come up behind her. 'That'll be quite enough of that, Leela.'

  'You do not want the old one?'

  The Doctor peered through the hole. 'He'll come out when he's ready. He's in a kind of coma at the moment. He probably couldn't tell us much, even if we did get him out.'

  They heard agitated footsteps behind them, and saw Adelaide running towards them. 'Have you seen Lord Palmerdale? I've looked everywhere for him. I thought he might have come up here to rest.'

  The Doctor shook his head. 'Old Reuben's locked himself in his room, and there's nobody in the lamp room except young Vince.' He took Adelaide by the shoulders and turned her round. 'Get back to the crew room.'

  'But I must find Lord Palmerdale,' protested Adelaide.

  'Get back to the crew room,' repeated the Doctor firmly.

  Somewhat to her own surprise, Adelaide turned and walked meekly away.

  The Doctor looked at the battered door and shook his head. 'Malicious damage to a lighthouse! That's a very serious business, Leela! '

  When the Doctor left the lamp room Vince waited for a few minutes and then went to the gallery door. 'He's gone,
sir. You can come in now.'

  There was no answer. Your lordship?' Thinking Palmerdale must be on the other side, Vince walked right round the gallery, ending up back where he'd started.

  Lord Palmerdale was gone. In total amazement, Vince stared down into the darkness.

  9

  The Chameleon Factor

  Vince gave a gasp of horror and ran back into the lamp room. Palmerdale had gone over the edge—and he had a bundle of his lordship's money in his pocket. They'd say he'd robbed him and pushed him over. He tugged the roll of five-pound notes from his pocket, crumpled them up on the floor. He screwed up Palmerdale's code message and put it with the money, struck a match with shaking hands and set light to the little heap of paper.

  It was more money than he'd ever see again in his lifetime—but there was nothing but relief in Vince's heart as he watched it burn.

  The Doctor and Leela found Skinsale and Adelaide in the crew room. They were sat with their backs to each other, ostentatiously not talking. The Doctor said, 'Ask Harker to come up here, Leela, and then see if you can find Lord Palmerdale.'

  'The fat cowardly one?'

  'That's right!'

  Leela moved silently away, and the Doctor turned to the others. 'Now then, I want to have a little talk with you two.'

  'Really, Doctor,' drawled Skinsale. 'What about?'

  'Survival, Colonel. Yours, mine, all of us here on this lighthouse.'

  'You're not still worried about this mysterious sea-beast that eats lighthouse keepers?'

  'You find the idea of such a creature hard to accept, Colonel?'

  'Come now, Doctor, we're both men of intelligence and education..

  'Quite so, Colonel. I don't believe in Reuben's sea monster either.'

  'Then why do you consistently suggest we are in danger?'

  The Doctor said calmly, 'Somewhere out there is an intelligent, hostile alien from a distant planet. I believe it intends to destroy us all.'

  An unbelieving smile spread over Skinsale's face.

  'An intelligent, hostile alien from a distant planet?' Adelaide was equally scornful. 'That is the most ridiculous suggestion I have ever heard in my life. And you are supposed to be a scientist!'

  Leela appeared with Harker close behind her. 'I cannot find the cowardly one, Doctor.'

  The Doctor nodded, and went on trying to convince Skinsale. 'I've never been more serious in my life, Colonel. We're facing an enemy with greater powers than you can imagine.'

  Skinsale rose and stretched. 'My dear Doctor, I too enjoy the scientific romances of Mr Wells but—'

  'Old Herbert George may get a few of his facts wrong, but his basic supposition is sound enough!' said the Doctor heatedly. 'Do you really think your little speck in the galaxy is the only one with intelligent life?'

  He was interrupted by a blast from the voice-pipe. The Doctor picked it up, listened for a moment and said, 'All right, stay where you are.' He put back the tube. 'That was young Vince. He says Lord Palmerdale has fallen from the lamp gallery.'

  Adelaide let out a piercing shriek and immediately Leela slapped her face.

  Skinsale said, 'Fallen? But you can't fall, there's a perfectly good safety-rail.'

  The Doctor nodded. 'I quite agree. But Vince says he was on the gallery, and now he's gone. The question is, do we go outside to look for him?'

  Skinsale studied the Doctor's grim face. 'You really believe in this—alien, don't you?'

  'Yes, I do. Leela, stay here and look after Adelaide.'

  The Doctor, Harker and Skinsale moved off. As they went down the stairs, they didn't realise that Reuben was watching them from the stairway above. His face was twisted, and his dead eyes stared glassily down at them.

  Leela stood warily by the door, while Adelaide sobbed quietly in her chair. 'I told Lord Palmerdale we shouldn't come, but he wouldn't listen. He laughed when I told him Miss Nethercott had seen danger in the stars. I knew something ghastly would happen. Her predictions are never wrong.'

  'Your stars?' said Leela. 'Ah, I understand. She is your shaman.'

  'My astrologer,' corrected Adelaide. 'I consult her regularly and—'

  'A waste of time,' interrupted Leela. 'I too used to believe in magic, but that was before the Doctor taught me about science. It is better to believe in science.'

  Harker knocked out the wedges and they all went outside, with lanterns, making a circuit of the light-house. It didn't take them long to find Palmerdale's body, lying at the base of the tower. They picked the body up and carried it into the generator room.

  While Harker began knocking the wedges hack into place, the Doctor and Skinsale carried the body upstairs to the crew room, and laid it on a bunk. Adelaide gave a cry of horror. 'Be quiet,' ordered Leela. 'Have you never seen death before?'

  'I can't bear it,' sobbed Adelaide.

  Skinsale patted her awkwardly on the back. 'Now, be brave, my dear.'

  'Keep away from me! ' she screamed. 'You did this. You pushed him over!'

  'Don't be ridiculous!'

  'You went out of this room after him, not long ago. You followed him to the gallery, and pushed him over.'

  'I was never even in the lamp room, let alone the gallery,' protested Skinsale. 'It's true I followed him, but only to see what he was up to!'

  'You did it, I know you did it,' screamed Adelaide. 'You killed him!' She began to sob hysterically.

  Leela raised a threatening hand. 'Enough!'

  Adelaide fell into a chair and buried her face in her hands.

  The Doctor looked up from his examination of Palmerdale's body. 'And what was his lordship up to?'

  'He was bribing that young keeper to send a message—.'

  'So you came back down here and wrecked the telegraph!' The Doctor pointed to the Morse apparatus. It was smashed beyond all chance of repair, wiring ripped out, telegraph key wrenched off.

  'It was the only way I could think of to stop him,' admitted Skinsale. 'I'd have been dishonoured, ruined, if he'd got that message out.'

  'So to protect your precious honour you put all our lives in danger.'

  Suddenly Adelaide realised what the Doctor meant. 'There's no way of contacting the mainland!'

  'None at all. We're on our own now.'

  Harker hammered the last wedge back into place and straightened up. Sensing that there was someone behind him, he turned. Reuben was standing at the bottom of the stairs.

  Poor old fellow looked terrible, thought Harker. With that white skin and those glaring eyes he seemed scarcely human. Best try to get him back to bed. 'Hullo, shipmate,' he said soothingly. 'How are you feeling then?'

  Reuben's face twisted into a ghastly smile, as he shuffled slowly towards Harker, hands out-stretched...

  Pacing nervously about the lamp room, Vince recollected guiltily that he hadn't sounded the siren for quite some time. He tugged at the lever. The booming note rang out—then died away in a kind of tired bleat...

  The Doctor resumed his examination of Palmerdale's body and Skinsale began talking earnestly to Adelaide. 'I swear to you, I didn't harm him.'

  'Then who did?'

  'I don't know. Could have been Harker, I suppose. He blamed Henry for losing the ship, actually attacked him earlier.'

  'Oh, that's absurd.'

  'Is it? No more absurd than saying that I murdered him.'

  The Doctor straightened up. 'I almost wish you had, Colonel—it would all be so simple then. Unfortunately he was dead before he hit the ground. Lord Palmerdale was killed by a massive electric shock. Ben, the engineer, died in exactly the same way.'

  'Electrocuted on the lamp gallery?' said Skinsale incredulously.

  The Doctor nodded. 'While Vince was in the lamp room—I was there myself part of the time.'

  'But it's not possible, Doctor. That would mean this—creature can climb sheer walls.'

  'It can do considerably more than that, Colonel. It's amphibious, it has a natural affinity with electricity and it has the technol
ogical ability to adapt its environment. Do you follow me?'

  'No,' said Skinsale frankly. 'Not a word, Doctor.'

  'It likes the cold. Not enough data yet to place the species—but heat could be a useful method of defence.'

  The voice-pipe whistled and Leela went to answer it. She listened then said urgently, 'Doctor, Vince says the boipressure has fallen—and the siren will not sound.'

  'Harker,' said the Doctor. He set off at a run, and the others followed.

  They found Harker's body sprawled by the generator. The Doctor knelt beside it, the others crowding into the room behind him. Adelaide caught sight of the body and started to scream again. 'Get her out of here,' said the Doctor impatiently. Skinsale hurried her away.

  Leela looked at the body. 'He is like the others?'

  The Doctor nodded. He rose slowly then looked at the door. Harker's wedges were still all in place. The Doctor stood thinking for a moment. He went over to the coal store, flung open the door and went inside. A moment later he emerged, dragging Reuben's body. He bent and tried to flex an arm. It was as stiff as an iron bar. 'Rigor mortis. He's been dead for hours.'

  'Hours, Doctor? That's impossible. Less than an hour ago, Harker saw him go upstairs. I saw him standing in his room.'

  'You saw something, Leela. But it wasn't Reuben. He was lying dead down here all the time.'

  'But I saw him...'

  The Doctor's face was.grim. 'Shape changing, Leela. Sometimes called the chameleon factor. Several species have developed it, and our alien must belong to one of them.' He looked at the door, still firmly barred by Harker's wedges. 'I've made a terrible mistake, Leela. I thought I'd locked the enemy out. Instead, I've locked it in here—with us!'

  10

  The Rutan

  Vince tried the siren foghorn again, but it gave only the faintest of moans. He wondered vaguely why Harker didn't get on with stoking the boilers.

  There was a dragging footstep from the doorway. He saw Reuben shuffling slowly towards him. Vince was shocked by the old man's ghastly appearance. 'You shouldn't be out of bed, Reuben. Don't you worry about me, I'll hang on here till morning. You get some rest.'