by Doctor Who
‘Not exactly hard to get the gist, is it?’ Rose folded her arms. ‘Can’t see Fynn making either of you employee of the month when he finds out.’
‘She speaks Kenga,’ said Basel disbelievingly.
‘A teenage white girl is fluent in an African dialect barely spoken outside of northern Chad?’ Adiel’s gaze hardened further. ‘Just who are you?’
‘Erm. . . ’ Rose realised the TARDIS translators had just stitched her up good and proper. ‘I’m, um, good at languages.’
‘She’s got to be press,’ said Adiel, then corrected herself, looked meaningfully at Basel. ‘No, not press. She’s a bio-pirate, sent here by 53
another agri-unit, one of Fynn’s rivals.’ She put on a sarcastic tone of voice. ‘Come to see what she can steal away from Africa for the good of Western society.’
Her words had the desired effect on Basel and his face twisted into a sneer. ‘Is that true?’ He took a menacing step towards her. ‘Rose?’
‘Come off it!’ Rose wasn’t about to be intimidated; she took a step towards him. ‘If I was any sort of journalist or pirate or whatever, would I have given myself away as dumbly as that? Don’t think so.’
‘So who are you really, you and this Doctor? How come you know so much about all this weird stuff?’
‘Sounds as if we don’t, not yet.’ She took another two steps towards him. ‘So how about you tell me everything that’s been going on?
Maybe the Doctor can help.’
‘This isn’t your business,’ said Adiel coldly.
‘Sounds like it’s everyone’s business.’ Rose gave her a challenging glare. ‘So should I go tell Fynn the stuff I do know? Or do you want to take us straight to this golden panel?’
‘Those tunnels aren’t safe for anyone,’ said Adiel. ‘Not now.’
Rose looked at each of them in turn and then made to leave. ‘The Doctor needs to know about this.’
‘Wait,’ said Adiel, catching hold of Rose’s arm. ‘I’m sorry. You’re right. The golden thing could be important. But what if I did imagine it? I mean, I was suffering from shock and dosed up on p-pills when I saw it. We don’t want to delay the Doctor’s imaging the chambers in the volcano to come with us on a wild-goose chase.’
Basel raised his eyebrows. ‘Changing your tune, aren’t you?’
Or calling the tune, Rose thought to herself as Adiel attempted an innocent shrug. ‘So what’re you saying?’
‘Maybe we should check it out by ourselves.’ said Adiel.
Not that anything sus is going on round here, of course, thought Rose.
But the idea of taking a quick shufti and finding out more did appeal.
She could actually make herself useful while the Doctor took care of the science bit.
Rose put her weight on her bad ankle – it hurt, but it held – and gestured to the door. ‘What’re we waiting for?’ she said. ‘Let’s go.’
54
∗ ∗ ∗
Fynn finished expanding the data-get’s memory wafers just as the Doctor re-entered the lab, his sharp features tugged down in a frown.
‘Funny. Well, not so much funny as peculiar. Funny peculiar.’
‘What is?’
‘No sign of Rose or Adiel.’
‘I told Adiel no more than thirty minutes.’ Fynn considered. ‘It’s not like her to disobey a directive.’
‘She’s been through a lot lately.’ the Doctor reflected, picking up the girl’s necklace from the workbench.
‘Did you analyse that properly?’
‘Yes.’ he said simply. ‘Traces of the creeping magma in some of the tektites, so it definitely came from the same place as our golem-maker.
But hopefully there’s not enough in there to be a threat.’
‘Adiel’s been wearing it long enough.’ said Fynn.
‘So she has.’ The Doctor shoved the necklace into his trouser pocket.
‘You all set with the data-get?’
Fynn nodded and passed it over. ‘I’ve snapped in five googol wafers and set it to remote output so we can monitor the results on the viewer.’ Then he cleared his throat. ‘I. . . I am not used to asking for help, Doctor, or to giving thanks when it’s offered.’
The Doctor beamed at him. ‘That’s all right, big fella. It’s the planet I’m doing this for, not you and your mushrooms. . . ’ He tailed off, as if distracted. ‘Was that rude? Sorry if that was a bit rude.’
‘We are both working for the sake of the planet, Doctor.’ Fynn said quietly. ‘I have to see my dream through. So please, tell me truthfully
– are you confident you can put right whatever’s gone wrong here?’
‘Modesty forbids that I answer that question – oh, all right then, yes. Yes! Yes, of course I can!’ He checked over his new imager.
‘Given time. Time and space to work, and assuming no one else starts pushing their nose in. Oh, and that I’m not killed before I’ve finished.’
He looked at Fynn. ‘Don’t suppose you’ve launched any spaceships or orbital probes round here lately, have you?’
‘Spaceships?’ Fynn frowned. ‘Of course not.’
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‘Afraid you’d say that. Means we’ve got visitors. Visitors who’ve parked outside and are waiting in the car.’ He started pacing round in a small circle. ‘And judging by the ion fumes up in the atmosphere, they’ve left the engines running. Why are they waiting? Waiting for someone to come out? Or for someone to return. . . ’ He threw his head back and laughed suddenly, then shook his head. ‘This is hopeless. Rubbish! Got to find out more. Director Fynn, do you have a flash car?’
‘I have my own transport. Why?’
‘I can see you’re a driven man and I could do with some driving myself.’ He grinned. ‘Once around the volcano, that’s what we need.’
Fynn bristled. ‘I am not being your chauffeur, Doctor.’
‘Then be my secretary,’ the Doctor suggested. ‘Call up Solomon so he can take me instead. Only do it fast, yeah? I don’t know how much time we have left.’
‘Before what?’
‘Before our visitors turn off the engines and come knocking on Mount Tarsus’s door,’ said the Doctor, striding from the room. ‘Whatever they’ve come for, it has to be inside that volcano. But have they come because it’s woken up – or has it woken up because they’ve come?’
The billycan Basel had placed over the magma blob finally shook so much that it disturbed the canisters stacked on top of it. They tumbled to the ground in a clattering heap.
The magma form had long since tunnelled away. But the creatures it had transformed below ground had lingered, tiny lives frozen while alien proteins reworked their cells. Now they were ready to move again.
Hundreds of gleaming bodies swarmed up from the earth, their twisted legs clanging against the warm metal, huge, bent pincers opening and closing like scissors, puncturing the surface of the cans.
Soon, thousands more were pouring out from behind the storehouse.
They went on gathering in greater and greater numbers.
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In life the driver ants had fought unthinkingly for queen and colony.
But now they were working for a higher power.
The night was only a little cooler than the day, and just as dusty. The sky was a rich purple-black, like a new bruise, swelling over the crops, the volcano and the distant dunes and mountains.
Rose did her best to keep up with the others, rubbing grit from her eyes and determined not to let on how much her ankle hurt. The moon was broad and big above, comfortingly familiar in a strange place and time, its silvery light drowned by the lantern-posts set along the paths of the compound. Basel kept looking round nervously, as if he expected something nasty to come hurtling out of the crop field.
But Adiel kept staring straight ahead, walking quickly.
They reached a large metal door set into a rocky slope. Adiel keyed in a code and it opened on to darkness. She flicked a switch and red ligh
t seeped out from circular lamps in the tunnel walls.
‘Can we leave the door unlocked?’ Rose asked a little nervously.
‘Yes,’ said Adiel, passing them each a torch. ‘That’s a good idea.
Come on. It’s this way.’
Rose and Basel followed her, traipsing along through the cool, crimson gloom. The passage widened and the slippery mess beneath Rose’s feet told her she was back in bat territory. Then the lights stopped, and they all flicked on their torches. The blood-red shadows grew thicker, shifting all around them. Rose’s eyes kept trying to make sense of the weird, twisted rock formations, finding monstrous faces and staring, misshapen eyes. It was horrible. But Adiel was not distracted. She didn’t waver once on her convoluted course.
‘Knows her way around, doesn’t she?’ Rose whispered.
‘Yeah. How many times you been down here, Adiel?’ Basel demanded. ‘There’s been no development work in this area for almost a year.’
‘That’s what we’re supposed to believe,’ said Adiel mysteriously. She stopped by a side tunnel. ‘It’s through here – the golden panel I told you about. Go check it.’
Wielding his torch like a weapon, Basel ducked under a set of toothy 57
stalactites and crept along the narrow passage. Rose kept close behind him.
Solomon swung the pick-up round the bumpy dirt track that skirted the volcano, trying to miss the largest potholes. The Doctor was balancing in the back, pointing his gadget at the steep slopes like it was an old film camera, laughing and shouting, ‘Bellissimo!’ every few seconds. ‘Work with me, baby! Yes, come on, you know you want to!’
‘Are you seeing inside?’ Solomon called to him.
‘Imaging very nicely, ta,’ the Doctor informed him.
‘What’s there?’
‘Not sure. So much data – tons of the stuff! But mushrooms apart, I don’t think it’s organic.’
‘Huh?’
‘Not living. Not alive.’
Solomon felt a little happier. ‘So it’s dead, then?’
Suddenly the sky lit up as if lightning was striking – striking again and again in quick succession. The world became bleached out bright and white. Dazzled, Solomon stamped on the brakes. The Doctor was thrown forwards on to his face. The engine coughed and died, and the light bled quickly from the night.
‘What was that?’ Solomon whispered, staring round, afraid.
The night sky was silent and clear, no storm impending, no planes or choppers up there.
The Doctor picked himself up from the dusty floor of the pick-up.
‘I don’t know,’ he said, peering at his little screen. ‘But it gave the volcano a fright.’
Solomon turned to him angrily. ‘Could you be serious just for once?’
‘The data-get picked up a massive energy surge,’ he said over the noisy ticking of the engine as it started to cool. ‘Not only from that lightning-flash effect but from inside Mount Tarsus.’
Rose followed Basel through the tunnel, focusing on his crimson butt bobbing in front of her. It wasn’t a brilliant view, but the best available.
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The walls seemed to be closing in on them, distorted faces leering out from the dark rock.
Suddenly Basel stopped.
‘What is it?’ said Rose breathlessly, craning to see past him.
‘Dead end.’ he reported. ‘There’s nothing!’
Rose spun round, started to make her way back. ‘Adiel, you’ve got the wrong –’
Bang. She bumped into something that wasn’t there, and Basel bumped into the back of her.
A dark silhouette appeared in the muddy, bloody light.
‘Adiel, what the hell is this?’ Basel stormed, striking his fist against the invisible barrier.
‘Roof prop.’ she informed him. ‘A simple cushion of charged air between ground and –’
‘I know, it’s a construction tool,’ he snapped. ‘Now turn it off so we can get out.’
‘I can’t let you go yet, it’s too important.’ she said, the weird acous-tics taking her whisper and making it something low, cold, almost inhuman. ‘Rose, you’d tell the Doctor, who would tell Fynn –’
‘He’s not like that!’ Rose started.
‘– and Basel, you might try to interfere to keep Solomon out of the firing line.’
‘When that lot get here we’re all in the firing line!’ he protested.
‘I can’t take any chances.’
‘You’re taking one hell of a chance.’ Basel hissed back, ‘and everyone’s lives are at risk. You’ll need the State Guards to take care of that lot.’
‘What lot?’ Rose banged uselessly on the wall of air herself. ‘Will someone just tell me what’s going on?’
‘The attack will come in the next few hours.’ Adiel continued.
‘You’re well clear of the route they’ll take to reach the compound.
In any case, they won’t be able to get through the barrier. It’s set to switch off in eight hours’ time or at my override, whichever comes first.’
‘We might not have enough air for eight hours!’ Basel argued.
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‘C’mon, Adiel,’ said Rose, trying to stay calm. ‘This is stupid, yeah?
We’ll keep quiet if that’s what you –’
‘Yes.’ she said. ‘I think you should keep quiet and not draw attention to yourselves.’ Then she turned and walked quickly away. ‘I’m sorry.’
she called back over her shoulder. ‘This will all be finished soon.’
‘Come back!’ Basel kicked the invisible shield. ‘Let us out!’
‘Pack it in,’ Rose told him. ‘You’ll use up our air faster.’
‘She can’t do this to us!’ He kicked the rock wall instead – then jumped about, holding his foot and swearing.
‘I’m swooning at your manliness,’ said Rose drily. ‘Just calm down and tell me – what is she on about? What attack? What’s going –’
He rounded on her, trembling with anger – or maybe fear. ‘Local villagers, right? Starving to death, and what little they’ve got is taken off them by bandits, robbers, murderers – organised into rebel groups against central government. And the village is built right over some of these tunnels.’
‘And what, Solomon’s been using them to get food out to the villagers?’ she asked. ‘Trying to help?’
‘Right. But the wrong kind of help as far as Adiel and her well-educated mates are concerned. They want to get the rebels locked up, out the picture. Standing up to the government is fine, but not when you’re killing innocent people to do it.’
Rose remembered the accusations levelled at her and the Doctor when they arrived. ‘So she’s an activist!’
‘This is about more than just politics. She’s always had it in for Fynn. It’s like she blames him for something.’ He sighed and shook his head. ‘I dunno. She won’t let anyone close. . . ’
‘Sounds like whoever’s attacking’s gonna be too close to us,’ Rose prompted him. ‘What have we got to look forward to?’
‘Adiel told the village leader – Talib, his name is – to make sure those robbers and bandits saw him coming down here, knowing they’d follow him. Knowing they’d find out about this place.’ He shook his head. ‘They’re starving too – so why settle for stealing Solomon’s free handouts when they can get into the unit through these tunnels and take all the food they want by force?’
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Rose understood. ‘Only she’ll have tipped off security, who’ll be ready for them.’
‘I’ve heard Solomon talking about those rebels. Some of them, after all that time on the run. . . they’re animals, Rose. Killers.’ He slammed his palm against the invisible barrier once again. ‘They ain’t about to come quietly.’
‘And that’s happening tonight?’
‘According to Talib’s spies. Adiel came here to meet him like she’d arranged – and that’s when she saw Solomon.’
‘Playing with his gol
den panel.’ Rose bit her lip. ‘At least, that’s her story.’
Basel frowned. ‘What d’you mean?’
‘She was acting sort of strange, wasn’t she? And that necklace. . . ’
She forced an airy shrug and a smile. ‘Oh, well. Bandits and murderers, that’s not so bad, is it? It’s almost a relief. Thought she was possessed, but now we know she’s just bonkers.’
‘What are you on about?’
Rose shrugged. ‘Well, I was starting to think she came down here to meet. . . ’
Her voice dried in her throat as a bizarre, misshapen silhouette stole into sight around the corner of the narrow passage.
‘. . . aliens.’ Rose concluded, wishing she’d kept her big gob shut.
The creature’s head was thin and spiked like a cactus. Its neck was fat like a giant toad’s, billowing out and then sucking back in.
Two spindly arms stuck out on either side of the blobby body, each ending in a heavy-duty pincer like a crab’s. Its many legs were thin and clacked together like a bundle of dry sticks.
Rose was glad she couldn’t make out the finer details of the alien’s anatomy as it scuttled across the blood-red stone towards them.
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Rose recoiled from the creature, but Basel just stood there, staring in shock.
‘What the hell is that thing?’ he croaked.
‘Dunno. But it’s all right, we’re safe,’ she told him, forcing a smile.
‘There’s Adiel’s invisible wall thing, remember? We can’t get out, but that thing can’t get in.’
The silent, shadowy creature produced a tubular object from somewhere, clamped carefully in one of its pincers. It pointed the tube at the roof prop generator and a green glow appeared. A worrying fizzing noise started up from ground level.
‘Great,’ said Rose. ‘ Lock-picking crab-cactus thing.’ She turned and started running back down the tunnel. ‘Come on.’
Basel stared after her. ‘But it’s a dead end,’ he protested.
‘It’s dead us if we don’t find a way through. Come on!’
The shadows blurred and shifted in the red glare of the torch as they pelted down the narrow passage. Soon Rose was on her knees, shuffling along as the tunnel dwindled to a crawl-space. It felt as if tons of rock were pressing in all around her, and behind, any moment now, that hideous thing would be looming up to do. . . what? She shuddered. It was a cactus-crab toad monster with about a gazillion 63
