by John Peel
Burying their despair in the urgencies of the moment, the Doctor and Barbara allowed the two Aridians to hurry them along. Somehow, the aliens could tell where they were going in this vast wilderness of shifting sands. Eventually, Rynian paused, and began scraping at the sand. The glass-like surface of one of their domes began to show beneath the cleared patch.
‘This is one of the old air-locks that we used when our city was beneath the sea,’ Malsan explained. ‘It will take us to a part of our home that is still free from the mire beasts.’
Nodding his comprehension, the Doctor let the words filter through his consciousness. He was trying to ignore the pain of having almost certainly lost young Vicki and Chesterton. He knew it would be harder for Barbara, and kept the conversation going to give her less time for reflection. ‘We appreciate your hospitality, but I must warn you that we are being hunted by a group of evil creatures called Daleks. They would show you no mercy if they discovered that you had given us aid and shelter.’
‘We will face that problem when we come to it,’ Malsan answered simply. He and Rynian had seen the creatures from the dunes, and both knew that these—Daleks—augured ill for their people. That was one reason why they had agreed to help the Doctor and Barbara. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. ‘Meanwhile,’ he added practically, ‘you need food, water and rest. After that, we shall help you search for your craft.’
Rynian, meanwhile, had uncovered what he had been seeking. There was a small, recessed panel in the glass. Pressing a button resulted in a section of the sand opening to reveal a stairway downwards. ‘Please enter,’ he invited their guests.
The explosion had disturbed the Daleks briefly, and the Squad Leader had dispatched a Dalek on a flying disc to investigate the area. From its position inside the time machine, the Leader received continual updates. Once the assigned Dalek had radioed back that the explosion had not been an attack, and had merely caused a section of the tunnels to collapse on the predatory beasts of the sands, the Leader gave orders for it to continue the search. As the Dalek did so, it thus moved away from Vicki, who was stumbling through the wreckage...
Another patrol called in, and the Leader received their report with satisfaction. ‘The seismic detector is registering a contact,’ the Dalek informed the Leader. ‘The enemy time machine has been buried beneath the sands at this point.’
‘Good.’ The Leader paused for a moment’s thought. ‘It must be uncovered before we can destroy it. Take some of the Aridians prisoner and use them to dig the machine out.’
‘I obey.’
The Squad Leader regarded the control panel with a good deal of satisfaction. The Doctor and his companions were elusive, but if their ship were destroyed, it could only be a matter of time before the Daleks could track down and kill the human targets. It was time to report to Skaro Base that everything was proceeding as it should.
Soon, their hunt would be over!
Chapter 5
Deadline
The city beneath the sands was in many ways fascinating. Tall buildings, mostly carved from stone, stretched upwards towards the huge glass domes over the city. The Doctor could imagine how beautiful the view must have been when there was water all about the domes, with sunlight filtering through, the fishes playing... Now, all was dark, with the driven sands covering the exterior almost completely. The city had been built with light in mind, and the buildings were now too thickly clustered. Lighting systems had been installed, but these additions had destroyed the architectural sweep of the old city.
Added to that, many of the tunnels to the other domes had been destroyed, to keep the mire beasts out. The Doctor realized sadly that they were present during the last stages of a dying world. There were parks about, supplying the oxygen that the Aridians needed, but they were empty of people. Rynian confirmed the Doctor’s guess that the natives now numbered mere thousands. Soon, the Doctor knew—and suspected that they did also—there would be hundreds, then a handful, and then cities empty of all but the ravenous mire beasts. In time, they too would perish from a lack of food. It was sad, but the Universe sometimes cast down an advanced species like this. Probably most of the Aridians clung to life more from habit than from any real desire.
Rynian and Malsan led them to a spacious chamber, and then indicated bowls of vegetables, fruit and water. They then excused themselves, to go and talk with the city elders. Once they were left alone, the Doctor picked up something to eat, and then prowled the room. The natives were friendly, but with the Daleks in the area, it was best to have all of the available exits memorized. The room was of a glossy marble-like material, and contained mosaics and paintings that had long faded with age and had never been renewed. The furniture, too, seemed old, as did the walls. Several of the tunnels that would have led from the room had been filled in with stones and bricks of varying sizes and shapes.
The Doctor returned to the bowls, sampling from them, and offering various items to Barbara. She uniformly shook her head and refused to try them after she had slaked her thirst. ‘You should eat,’ he said, gently. ‘It’s really quite excellent, you know.’
Turning a tear-stained face to him, she asked, ‘How can you enjoy food when you know Ian and Vicki are...’ She couldn’t say it. Instead, she swallowed, and tried to fight back her tears.
The Doctor put a fatherly arm about her. ‘Barbara, my dear, do you really think that I am so callous? No. I feel their loss very deeply, more deeply than I could ever tell you.’
Looking up into his eyes, Barbara could believe him. She tried hard to pull herself together. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘That’s all right.’ He patted her shoulder. ‘Try and get some rest. I have a strong feeling that in a little while we’re going to need all the energy we can muster.’
She accepted his advice. Taking one of the ever-present Aridian cloaks, she folded it into a pillow, and placed it on a raised stone platform. Then she sank down on it. Despite her grief and her fear, the activities of the last few hours had utterly exhausted her. She sank into a fitful sleep almost instantly.
The Doctor nodded to himself, then padded over to the door. He aimed to collar their hosts as soon as they showed themselves...
Rynian and Malsan finished their report to the city elders. The First Elder, Prondyn, considered for a moment. ‘These strangers admitted that these Daleks sought to kill them, and that they might blame us for sheltering their enemies?’
‘Indeed, they were most candid,’ Rynian agreed.
A second elder spoke up. ‘A patrol reports that one of the scouts was slain by these... Daleks. He had no chance, no warning. They appear to be very aggressive. Dare we then defy them for the sake of ones who are not of our kind?’
‘They are our guests,’ Malsan reminded the meeting.
‘They are our prisoners ,’ Prondyn reminded him, gently, ‘until such time as the elders decide that they are guests.’
‘I am corrected.’ Malsan bowed his head.
‘My question is unanswered,’ the second elder remarked to the meeting at large. Before he could be answered, the entrance door crashed open, and a Dalek moved into the room.
Its gun spun to face the council, and then, slowly and with obvious reluctance, faced down again. Its eyestick centred on the meeting. ‘You are the leaders of the Aridians?’ it grated.
‘We are,’ Prondyn said, gravely. ‘You have no business here unless invited. You must—’
‘Do not attempt to give orders to the Daleks.’ The machine-like being moved across the room, examining them. ‘You will listen.’
An elder at the far side of the council table rose to his feet. ‘We are not barbarians,’ he said ‘We do not—’
The Dalek raised its gun and fired. In a stench of burning, the elder screamed and died. His body collapsed across the table, but no one dared move to examine it or to protest. ‘You will listen,’ the Dalek repeated, and all attention was centred on it, and its gun-stick, which significantly had not been lowered.
‘The Dalek Leader believes that you have the humans that we seek. You will turn them over to us within one hour, or we shall begin destroying your city. You will also supply us with two natives to clear the sand from our objective.’ Its eye swung over them all. ‘One hour.’
Turning, the Dalek moved towards the door. Behind it, a babble of voices broke out. Contemptuously, it dismissed the Aridians from its concerns. It knew weakness when it saw it. To save face, the Aridians would talk and debate—but in one hour, they would capitulate and turn over the Doctor and his friends. Such weak creatures as the Aridians were too contemptible even to conquer. Without spirit, they would be poor slaves. Better to kill them all.
The Dalek noted this in its computers. When Aridius was needed, the Daleks would take it. Till then, the natives would be allowed to live—provided they turned over the Doctor and his companions.
The Doctor was eating more of the delicious fruit when Malsan entered the room again. ‘I’ve been looking around a little,’ the Doctor said. ‘Tell me, why are the openings in the wall here walled up?’
‘It led to a part of the city that has been invaded by the mire beasts. There are sections like that all over. We have to block the tunnels to stop their advance. Please sit down. I have news for you.’
From the tone of his voice, the Doctor suspected that it would not he good. He eased himself down onto a wooden bench, and leaned on his cane. ‘Very well, what is it?’
After a short hesitation, Malsan admitted: ‘The Daleks have contacted us. They have issued an ultimatum.’
‘Yes, I suspected that something of the sort might happen.’ The Doctor glanced sharply at the alien. ‘What is it?’
‘We are to hand you and your companion over to them —or they will finish the destruction of our city.’
It was just like the Daleks. ‘Yes, yes. I’m afraid they mean what they say, you know. The Daleks don’t waste time with idle threats. Have you replied to them?’
‘Not yet. The elders of our people are still discussing it. We have a half-sun to give our answer.’
The Doctor shook his head. ‘You really don’t have any alternative,’ he said. ‘We certainly don’t wish to inflict you with our troubles. We’ll leave at once and take our chances.’ He started to rise, but Malsan gently pushed him down again.
‘No,’ he said with regret. ‘The Daleks have said that we must hand you over. We cannot do that if we allow you to leave.’
‘Then you mean—’
‘Yes. You are our prisoners until such time as our arrangements with the Daleks are complete. Then, at the appointed place, you will be handed into their custody.’
The Doctor stared at him with a mixture of annoyance, surprise and sheer contempt. Unable to face the accusing eyes, Malsan retreated. As the Aridian closed the door, the Doctor listened for—and heard—the sound of a bar being lowered.
Their status as prisoners was quite evident.
It had taken a good deal of scrambling for Vicki to reach the surface again. A large section of the tunnels had caved in under the effects of the explosions, and she had been climbing for a while. She heaved herself over the edge of the last bit of rubble—and then dived back down again.
The climb had taken her almost back to the TARDIS, which stood just over the rise from where she now was. That would have been fine—except that there were two Daleks standing by it.
Though she had never personally met the creatures, she knew her history well enough to have recognized them instantly. Added to that, her companions had told her often enough of their past encounters with those terrible foes. She had no idea why they were here, but she was quite certain it spelled serious trouble.
Luckily for her, the Daleks had been concentrating their efforts on seeing that the TARDIS be uncovered. The two Aridians assigned to the task moved away from the battered-looking box.
The first Dalek studied it, then spun its eyestick to face its companion. ‘Are the prisoners to go free?’
‘No. They are worthless, inferior creatures. They have no value. Destroy them.’
The Aridians began to back away in horror. Both Daleks fired, and the natives crumpled to the sand. Ignoring their victims, the Daleks looked back at the TARDIS. Vicki, peering over the rim, shuddered at the sight.
‘Use full power,’ the first DALEK intoned. ‘Destroy the enemy time machine!’
Both fired again, a long, sustained blast. The TARDIS was bathed in crackling electrical forces, tearing at the structure. Even at her distance, Vicki could smell ozone and the stench of various substances burning off the surface and from the surrounding desert. Then the firing stopped.
The TARDIS was unscathed. Even the paint hadn’t been touched.
One of the Daleks moved forward slightly, as if unable to believe this. ‘Again!’ it snapped. ‘Fire!!’
Again, both fired, and again the TARDIS was unaffected.
‘It must be constructed of a material that can resist our weapons,’ the first Dalek said.
‘Remain on guard,’ the other replied, ‘until the prisoners have been handed over and exterminated.’
‘I obey.’
Vicki slipped back quietly into the depths of the tunnel. It was obvious that she could not return to the TARDIS, but it was equally apparent that the Daleks had not yet caught the Doctor or Barbara. There was only one possible thing that she could do—explore the tunnels, and hope that she could find someone native to this world. The Daleks had spoken of prisoners, which had to be the Doctor and Barbara; perhaps, instead of their helping her, she might be able to help them...
Barbara awoke with a start, feeling guilty that she had slept at such a time. She sat up, and saw the Doctor sitting, brooding. Reaching out, she touched him and he jumped.
Recovering his calm, he smiled at her. ‘Feeling better?’
‘Yes.’ Barbara was amazed to find that she did feel better. The loss of Ian and Vicki was still acute, but she could push it behind her for the moment, coping with what must come. ‘What happened while I slept?’
‘Nothing very good, I’m afraid.’ The Doctor glanced at the door as there came the sound of the bar being withdrawn. Rynian entered the room, somewhat reluctantly. Malsan, looking equally glum, trailed him. The Doctor sniffed. ‘This looks like it might be the bad news now.’
‘Bad news?’ Barbara echoed. ‘What bad news?’
‘The elders have made their reply to the Daleks,’ Rynian announced.
‘Well?’ the Doctor snapped.
‘You are to be handed over when the suns set. The Daleks have promised that when the executions are over, they will leave Aridius—and our people—unharmed.’
Shocked, Barbara realized what he was saying. ‘You’re going to give us up?’
‘What else can they do?’ the Doctor asked, being terribly reasonable. ‘The Daleks threatened to destroy their city if they didn’t.’
‘But... but...’ She didn’t know what to say. ‘Just to be handed over like that... Taken out and killed by a Dalek execution squad...’
The Doctor shushed her. ‘Somehow, some time,’ he promised, ‘an opportunity will occur. When it does, we must be ready for it. We must grab it as if our lives depended upon it—which, incidentally, they do.’
This hardly reassured Barbara. Ignoring the bearers of bad tidings, she settled back against the wall behind her. Almost unnoticed, a few flakes of mortar fell on to her.
Fighting his way up from the darkness, Ian finally managed to stir. He had had this terrible dream... That book he had been reading had come to life. The monster with tentacles had chased after him and Vicki... Silly, really. He opened his eyes and sat up, expecting to see his familiar room in the TARDIS.
The blackness remained, and his memory returned. The tunnels, the monsters—both were real. His head hurt, and when he touched the spot, there was blood matted into his hair. He moved forward, and stumbled into the corpse of the mire beast that had caught him. Already, it was beginning to smell. There was
no sign of Vicki. On his unsteady feet, he began searching for her.
Elsewhere in the tunnels, Vicki made her way cautiously. She was praying that there would be no more monsters, no more tentacles reaching out for her... Every step was a nightmare, but she forced herself to continue. Then, from behind her, something clutched her and pulled her backwards. She screamed, but something clamped over her mouth, and stifled her cries. Terrified, she was hauled from her feet, and carried backwards.
Finally, Barbara noticed the small shower of mortar that was dropping on to her. She glanced up, and saw that the trickle was coming from one of the walled-off sections of the tunnels. As she watched, one of the stones moved slightly. She elbowed the Doctor. ‘Do you know where this walled-off section leads?’ she whispered.
Interrupted in his chain of thought, the Doctor snapped back. ‘Mmm? Oh, some other part of the city, I gather. A part that’s been invaded.’ He sank back into calculating their chances of escape all along the route that they would be forced to take to meet the Daleks.
As Barbara watched, another of the blocked-off tunnels showed signs of life. Again, the stones rocked, and mortar began trickling down. This time, the Doctor noticed it also. Before he and Barbara could confer, the door burst open. In stalked an Aridian, carrying in his arms...
‘ Vicki! ’
Barbara jumped to her feet, astounded. Vicki, seeing her companion, kicked out, hitting her captor on the shins. With a howl of pain, the Aridian clutched his leg, releasing her. Vicki ran to Barbara, and hugged her tightly. ‘Oh, Barbara, Barbara, Barbara,’ she sobbed in relief.
‘Vicki...’ Barbara held her out, drinking in the sheer joy of seeing her. ‘We thought that you... Ian! What about Ian!’
