The Doctor closed the lid. `I was wrong, Romana. The fuel tanks aren't disused. Only this isn't rocket-fuel-it's blood.'
Romana gave a long shuddering gasp of horror. `Doctor, let's get away from here!'
'I quite agree. Come on.' On the far side of the room, they found another ladder leading downwards. It led into a circular metal chamber with rough-cast metal walls, blackened with smoke. There was a circular hole, like a well, set in the middle of the floor.
`Where are we now, Doctor?'
'Ignition chamber.'
'What's that hole?'
'One of the rocket vents, I imagine.'
'Then surely it must lead to the outside?'
'Only one way to find out!' The Doctor sat on the edge of the hole, dangling his legs and then pushed himself over the side. He disappeared with a kind of whoosh, which was followed by a thump, and then a yell.
A moment later his voice came echoing upwards. 'Come on, Romana!' Gingerly Romana dangled her feet over the edge and then let herself go. There was a brief, bumpy slide through the darkness, and then she shot out of the tube, landing more, or less on top of the Doctor, who gave a yell of anguish.
`What's the matter?'
'You landed on my toe! Are you all right?'
'No, I'm tired, confused and frightened.'
'Good, good,' said the Doctor absently. 'Soon be there!'
'That's what frightens me!' The thump-thump, thump-thump was much louder now.
`What is it, Doctor? It doesn't sound like an engine.'
'I think it's the beat of a giant heart.' Romana looked around. Although they had dropped out of the bottom of the rocket tubes, they were not out in the open, as she had hoped. They seemed to be in a long narrow cave, hung with ornate stalagmites and stalactites. At the far end of the cave an altar stood before an archway.
The sides of the giant rocket disappeared upwards through the roof. By accident or design the rocket must be set into the cave system like a candle into its holder, thought Romana, with the above-ground sections forming the Tower.
The Doctor was examining the base of the rocket.
A thick semi-transparent plastic tube emerged from an outlet low in the rocket's side, and disappeared under ground. The tube was filled with the same reddish fluid as the fuel tanks. The liquid in the tube was pulsing steadily, and with a thrill of terror, Romana realised that it pulsed in time to the sound of the giant heart-beat.
'Do you know what that is, Romana?' Reluctantly, Romana made herself face the terrifying truth. `A feeding-system- for something that lives on human blood.'
'Exactly,' said the Doctor sombrely. 'Do you realise, there are vampire legends on almost every inhabited planet?'
'There are?' The Doctor lowered his voice to a blood-curdling whisper. `Yes. Creatures that stalk the night, and feast on the blood of the living. Creatures that fear sunlight, and running water, and certain herbs. Creatures so strong that they're almost immortal. They can only be killed by beheading - or a stake through the heart ...' The Doctor stared wide-eyed into space, as if gazing upon unspeakable horror.
'Please, say something,' whispered Romana, now more terrified than ever.
The Doctor came out of his semi-trance. 'Still, whatever it is, we want to find it, don't we?'
'No,' said Romana firmly.
Once again, the Doctor wasn't really listening. `That's the spirit. Come on, then!' He headed for the stone altar on the other side of the cave.
At least they were near the open air, thought Romana. The arch beyond the altar gave out upon a kind of amphitheatre, a huge bowl-shaped depression in the ground, surrounded by pillars. The whole area looked gloomy and sinister. It had a kind of ceremonial look to it, thought Romana. Like a burial ground, or a place of sacrifice.
The really frightening thing was that the entire surface of the ampitheatre seemed to be moving, pulsing gently in time to the beat of the giant heart.
Perhaps it was a burial ground after all, thought Romana. Only whatever had been buried was still alive.
'Where are we, Doctor?' Before the Doctor could answer, a deep voice spoke from behind them. `You are in the Resting Place.' The Doctor and Romana turned. A man stood in the centre of the cave. He was medium-sized, bearded, and he wore a plain and sombre robe. He had the same white face and burning eyes as Zargo and Camilla.
`Where did you say we are?' asked the Doctor politely.
'In the Resting Place,' said the bearded man reverently. 'I am Aukon. Welcome to my domain.'
The Resting Place
So this is Aukon, thought the Doctor, third member of the unholy triumvirate - the Three Who Rule.
Or perhaps the first. For all his simple dress and unassuming manner, it was clear that Aukon was a man to be reckoned with. His whole manner was one of massive confidence, and of a kind of holy exaltation. Aukon was a fanatic, far more dangerous than the petulant Zargo, or the icy Camilla.
The Doctor was both worried and frightened, and as usual he covered up by acting the fool. `Well, I'm glad to catch somebody at home.' He looked round hopefully. `Charming place you have here. Are we in time for the guided tour?'
'You are a fool to mock; Doctor. There is power here such as you have never dreamed of-can you not feel it?' That was just the trouble - the Doctor could feel it. Waves of some icily malignant power flooded from Aukon. No, not from Aukon, thought the Doctor suddenly, but through him. The source was the ampitheatre beyond the altar, and whatever lay buried beneath. Buried, but alive - and about to awake.
Clowning still, the Doctor held up his finger as if testing the wind. `Feel it? No, I can't feel anything.'
But he lied and Aukon knew he was lying. `Power, Doctor. It is the only reality. You cannot hope to fight it. Why try when you could share it, become part of it?'
`Me?'
`When I sent my winged messengers to hunt you down, I sensed the power of your mind through theirs. We seek such intelligences as yours for our great purpose.'
`What purpose is that?'
`The Time of Arising, when we, the servants of the Great One, shall swarm across the universe. You could be one of us!'
`I could? Well, it's very kind of you, but I've never been a great one for swarming.' Casually the Doctor added, `Anyway, where were you thinking of swarming to?'
`Out of this universe, and back to our own.'
Romana felt a sudden surge of excitement. `You mean you know the way out of E-Space?'
`That is the secret of the one who brought us here.'
'Aha!' said the Doctor triumphantly. `So there was a guided tour. I suspected as much.'
Aukon seemed to be gazing into the past. `We were summoned, all of us, the whole ship, to be his servants.'
`Was that when you were just plain Science Officer O'Connor?'
Aukon's eyes widened. `You know?'
Romans was even more astonished than Aukon. `Are you saying he was O'Connor?'
`Yes. The Three Who Rule aren't just the descendants of the original ship's officers - they are the originals.'
`But how could they be? After a thousand years ...'
It was Aukon who answered her question. `He has given us eternal life. He summoned us here, speaking to the others through my mind. He was wounded, near to dying when we came. We fed and nourished his body with human blood, his spirit with the souls of the sacrificed. Now he is regenerated, ready to arise.'
Romana's mind was fixed on one vital fact. Aukon, or rather whoever - or whatever - Aukon served, knew the way back to the normal universe. `Doctor,' she whispered. `Shouldn't we pretend to co-operate with these people, until we can get hold of the data on E-Space?'
For a moment the Doctor was tempted, then he shook his head. `No, it's too dangerous, that thing's too powerful. If we give way to it in the slightest, it'll take us over forever. Our only hope is to fight back every inch of the way.'
`Consider,, well, Doctor,' said Aukon persuasively. `Will you not join us - like your companion?'
The Doctor was genuinely baffled. As far as he knew, Romana was his only companion apart from K9, and she was here beside him. ` What companion?'
'The boy. He is to be the Chosen One.'
`What boy?'
'He came to the Village, looking for you. The name he used was Adric.'
Romana looked at the Doctor. 'Adric? What's he doing here?'
'The young idiot must have stowed away in the TARDIS. It's happened before.'
Aukon said, `He is now a servant of the Great One. You will all serve the Great One, Doctor, one way or another. Speak! Will you join us - or will you feed the Great One with your blood? There is no other way.'
The Doctor's voice rang through the cave. `You are wrong, Aukon. There is a third way!'
`And what is that?'
'I can destroy him. Run, Romana!'
The Doctor thrust Romana towards the arch. He was about to follow her when Aukon shouted, 'Stop! By the power that is in me, I command you !'
The Doctor found he could not move. He was trapped, held by Aukon's burning gaze. He felt it grip him like a physical force, as it turned him round to face Aukon, and began forcing him to his knees.
Summoning every ounce of his will, the Doctor struggled to resist. But the evil power that flowed through Aukon was too strong for him. 'I will not serve,' muttered the Doctor. 'I will not serve.' Slowly, inch by inch, he was forced to his knees.
When she saw what was happening to the Doctor, Romana abandoned any attempt to escape. Desperately she looked round for some way she could help. A jagged stalagmite protruded from the cave wall beside the arch. Romana grabbed it, snapped it off, and hurled it at Aukon.
Aukon whirled round, raised his hand - and the flying spear of stone shattered to pieces in mid-air.
Aukon smiled triumphantly, but the distraction, tiny as it was, had been enough for the Doctor. Breaking Aukon's spell with a mighty effort of will, he sprang to his feet. 'Cover your eyes, Romana.' he yelled. `Don't look at him.'
Deliberately turning his gaze away from Aukon, the Doctor shouted, `Your powers may be enough to bully half-starved peasants, Aukon, but they don't scare Time Lords.'
`Time Lords!' Aukon seemed transfixed with astonishment, abandoning his attempt to dominate the Doctor. `Time Lords - the ancient enemies.'
Taking advantage of his confusion, the Doctor was about to hurry Romana through the arch when Zargo and Camilla appeared, barring his way.
Zargo smiled. `Always so anxious to leave us, Doctor?' There was a red glare in his eyes.
Hungrily Camilla licked her lips. `Now is the time of our feast. We shall drain the blood from your bodies, slowly, drop by drop ...'
The Doctor prepared himself to fight for his life. But with these two in front of him, and Aukon behind-with that thing, whatever it was, beneath the amphitheatre feeding them power ...
The muffled heart-beat became louder and suddenly Aukon shrieked, 'Stop! Be silent, all of you! The Great One speaks.'
Zargo and Camilla fell back, as Aukon advanced upon the altar, his eyes wide with awe. He fell to his knees, and when he spoke there was rapture in his voice. 'I hear you, O Great One. Your faithful servant Aukon awaits your command.' He paused, as if listening, hand then bowed his head. 'It shall be as you command, Great One. The sacrifices will be made. At the Time of Arising, you shall taste the blood of your ancient enemies.' He rose, advancing on the Doctor and Romana, his eyes burning fiercely. `You have been chosen, Time Lords. You have both been chosen - for blood sacrifice, at the Time of Arising!'
Grim-faced in his guard's uniform, Tarak strode along the upper corridors of the Tower, doing his best to look like a man on some immensely vital mission, and hoping no one would ask him what it was. He was heading for the detention area, on the assumption that the Doctor would more probably be there than anywhere else, when he heard heavy footsteps tramping towards him.
Ducking into a side corridor, Tarak looked cautiously around the corner, and saw the Doctor and Romana being marched along by three guards, Zargo and Camilla following on behind. The little procession came to a halt outside an arched door. A guard hurried forward, slid a plastic code-key into a slot, and stood back as the door slid open. Zargo and Camilla went inside, the door closed behind them. The guard retrieved the card from the slot, tucked it in his belt, and took up his position outside the doors.
The remaining guards marched the Doctor and Romana onwards. Cautiously Tarak slipped along the corridor after them. He followed the little group to the detention area, where it halted for a second time. One of the two remaining guards, produced another code-key, opened a cell door with it, and ushered the Doctor, Romana and the remaining guard inside. He closed the door, retrieved the code-key and remained outside, on guard.
Zargo and Camilla weren't taking any chances with their prisoners, thought Tarak. A locked cell, a guard inside, and another outside. It was difficult. But it wasn't impossible. What he needed was a plan ...
The door through which Zargo and Camilla had passed led to a place called the Inner Sanctum, where they slept for most of the daylight hours. It was a gloomy, black-draped chamber, with a large double-bier in the centre.
Moving in their usual uncanny unison, Zargo and Camilla descended the stairs and went over to an alcove with an ornate hand basin, and began an elaborate ritual of hand-washing.
Linked as they were, Camilla could feel Zargo's unease. She put a consoling hand on his shoulder. `Courage. We are near the moment of triumph. We shall not fail.'
`Why must it always be Aukon who speaks to the Great One?' muttered Zargo peevishly. `He promised to share his power with us, yet he retains it.'
`The power is shared,' said Camilla soothingly. 'Aukon's mind is a channel, no more. Besides, it hardly matters now. The Time of Arising is at hand, and we shall all be equal before the Great One.'
Zargo was still a prey to his fears. `This Doctor... he is a Time Lord, it seems. What is he doing here, at this time?'
'We have him safe now. Tonight his blood and his soul will be merged with the Great One. Come, we must rest now. Tonight, when we wake, we shall feed.'
Zargo grasped her hands. `Ever since this Doctor came here, I have been afraid. Why am I still afraid?'
Camilla pulled her hand away - but not before she felt the sweat of fear on Zargo's palms.
The cell was just a cell, a bare metal chamber with a bunk along one wall. The Doctor and Romana sat side by side on the bunk, talking in low voices. The guard by the door paid no attention to their conversation-his only concern was to see that they stayed in the cell until they were needed.
The Doctor settled his shoulders against the metal wall. `When I was very young,' he began conversationally, ' I used to go and visit an old hermit. He lived in a cave, in the mountains of South Gallifrey.'
'I suppose he led a very sheltered life,' said Romana idly.
`Yes,' said the Doctor thoughtfully, 'I suppose he did. He knew a lot of stories, though, old myths, legends, things like that. He used to tell me ghost stories. I like a good ghost story. Would you like to hear one now?'
'No,' said Romana. She did not expect the Doctor to take any notice, and he didn't.
`One of them was a particular favourite of mine - even though it always used to give me nightmares. I was probably one of the last children on Gallifrey to have genuine nightmares.'
`That explains a great deal,' said Romana acidly.
The Doctor was quite undeterred. `This particular story was about a race of giant vampires.'
'Giant vampires?'
'That's right. They appeared out of nowhere and swarmed all over the universe.'
`What did they do, Doctor?'
`Swarmed--that was the word he used.'
'It was the word Aukon used, too.'
'So it was. Anyway, these particular vampires swarmed and swarmed, and they were so strong that one single vampire could suck the life out of an entire planet.'
`One single vampire? Rubbish! Scientific
ally speaking-'
'Well, he wasn't a scientist,' said the Doctor rather crossly. `There are other ways of looking at life, you know. Perhaps he was speaking poetically. I do wish you wouldn't keep interrupting.'
Romana gave a mutinous 'Humph!'
`Anyway,' the Doctor went on, `according to the story, we Time Lords hunted the vampires down in a war so long and bloody that we forswore violence forever. There was one great final battle, and the vampires were completely defeated.'
`So they were all destroyed?' said Romana hopefully.
`Oh yes, I think so.'
Romana gave a sigh of relief. `Good!'
`All except one.'
'I knew it!'
`One of them escaped, I think. Just vanished, into thin air.' The Doctor made a vanishing noise. 'Pff!'
`Just like the Hydrax,' said Romana. `Into E-Space.'
`That's right,' said the Doctor. `Just like the Hydrax!'
Escape
Tarak marched along the detention area corridor and came to a crashing halt opposite the guard. `I've been sent to relieve you,' he barked. 'Give me your code-key and go off duty.'
The guard stared at him in amazement. 'Why? I'm not due to be relieved till nightfall.'
'Don't argue with me - go and argue with Guard Captain Habris.'
The mention of Habris's name clinched things and the guard reached for the code-key. Then he paused, looking at Tarak with dawning recognition. 'Wait a minute, I know you. You're Tarak-Tarak the traitor. You ran off to join the rebels!'
The guard opened his mouth to shout an alarm. Tarak jumped him, choking the cry in his throat. They fell to the ground, struggling furiously.
Romana was still brooding over the Doctor's story. `When was all this supposed to have happened?'
'Oh, back in the misty dawn of history, "when even Rassilon was young." '
'I worked in the Bureau of Ancient Records for a time,' said Romana.
Doctor Who - [113] - [E-Space 2] - [Vampire Trilogy 1] - State Of Decay Page 5
