Doctor Who_ The Caves Of Androzani Part 11

'Good news, Trau Morgus. Our radio satellite has pin-pointed Sharaz Jek's base.'

'You are certain?'

'Yes, Trau Morgus. I am mobilising to attack now. In approximately six hours we shall be in position for a full-scale a.s.sault.'

'If you know where Sharaz Jek's base is now, why waste six hours?'

'There are many difficult narrows to traverse. It will take that time to a.s.semble our men and move them into position.'

'Have you informed the President?'

'Not yet. I believe his Excellency is at a meeting of the Praesidium.'

'Yes,' said Morgus rapidly. 'Yes, he is. I am seeing hirn myself, after the meeting. I will tell him the good news myself. Thank you for reporting, General, and well done!'

'Thank you, sir!'

The image of Ch.e.l.lak faded from the screen, and Morgus resumed his staring out of the window.

Like many tightly-controlled people, Morgus was all the more p.r.o.ne to panic once the control started to slip. Was Ch.e.l.lak telling him the whole truth? Or was it all part of some cunning plan to entrap him? By now, Morgus was rapidly convincing himself that desperate measures were necessary.

When the second bar on the grille finally snapped, it seemed to make even more noise than the first, but once again, no one seemed to hear. Perhaps the exhausted gun-runners were all fast asleep, thought the Doctor hopefully.

At last he was free, but it was a very limited freedom, his hands cuffed behind him.

First things first, thought the Doctor. He looked round for a way to get rid of the handcuffs. His eyes brightened as he caught sight of the ship's gyro-control stabiliser.

This particular model incorporated a short vertical laser-beam that ran between the twin poles of the stabiliser.

The beam was protected by a transparent plasti-steel tube.

The Doctor regarded the instrument throughtfully.

There must be some way of removing the tube for adjustment and repair.

Raising one leg he jabbed at the control panel with his foot. To the Doctor's delight the tube slowly retracted, leaving the bright-blue laser-beam exposed.

The Doctor shuffled round till he had his back to the beam, and then extended his chained wrists.

In his hurry he miscalculated slightly, and the laser-beam touched one of his wrists. He jerked away, stifling a yell at the searing pain.

Recovering himself, he drew a deep breath and repeated the operation, much more slowly and carefully this time.

The steel chain linking the Doctor's wrists came closer and closer to the fierce blue beam.

It touched, there was a fierce buzz and a shower of sparks, and the steel chain fell apart like a snapped cobweb.

With infinite care, the Doctor used the laser-beam to cut the metal cuffs from his wrists.

At last he was free.

The question was now, what should he do with his freedom?

9.

Crash-down Peri lay half-dozing on the bunk in Ch.e.l.lak's private quarters. She opened her eyes. Gloomily she studied the strange mottling on her legs. It seemed to be spreading.

Two injections of Salateen's stimulant had undoubtedly had an effect, and for the time at least Peri was feeling much better, though the drug had left her faintly drowsy and dry-mouthed. But eventually her symptoms would be bound to return.

Peri began wondering how long it would be before the shooting pains and dizziness came back. She began wondering how much longer she had to live...

She sank back on the bunk and fell into a kind of half-sleep. She wasn't sure how long it lasted but when she opened her eyes it was to a nightmare.

Sharaz Jek was bending over her.

Peri stared at him and opened her mouth to scream. As she drew breath, Sharaz Jek clamped a white pad soaked in some fluid over her mouth and nostrils. She struggled wildly for a moment and then went limp.

Sharaz Jek lifted her body tenderly in his arms and moved away.

Perhaps because of his weakened condition it took the Doctor quite some time to get the hang of the controls. He had been holding the effects of the spectrox toxaemia at bay by sheer will power, refusing to give in. Nevertheless, his body was periodically racked by spasms of cramp, and he had to struggle furiously against recurring waves of dizziness.

'Right,' muttered the Doctor at last. 'First thing is to get that door locked.'

This achieved, he turned his attention back to the actual controls. 'Now then... auto-hold off.. With a distressing lurch, the ship left its geostationary orbit.

'That's it. And now, a return course for Androzani Minor followed by a vertical descent pattern to the planet's surface...'

The ship lurched again and settled into its new course.

Wearily the Doctor leaned back in the high-backed pilot chair and awaited events.

Someone was hound to notice something, sooner or later.

'An attempt to a.s.sa.s.sinate me me?' said the President horrified. 'Who told you of this, Morgus?'

'A man in my position has sources all over the world. It is of course only a whisper, but I think it would be wise to act with caution.'

'Yes indeed,' agreed the President fervently. 'You have no idea who the miscreants might be?'

'Not at the moment, Excellency, but I am hoping for more definite information soon.'

'I must strengthen my bodyguard,' muttered the President.

'I would take other precautions, sir,' whispered Morgus confidentially. 'Vary your routine. Cease to announce forthcoming engagements. In fact, for the time being, it might be well for you to cancel all your public appearances.'

'Yes,' said the President thoughtfully. 'Yes, that might seem prudent under the circ.u.mstances.'

Morgus rose. 'I'll have your floater brought round to the side entrance, Excellency,' he said conspiratorially. 'You may leave the building by my private lift.'

The President rose in turn. 'Thank you, Morgus. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this.'

Morgus smiled. 'Your Excellency's safety is my sole concern.'

They were standing by the lift door now, and Morgus reached out and touched the control.

As the concealed door slid open, Morgus held out his right hand as if to clasp the President's hand in farewell.

The President was surprised. It was unlike Morgus to make such an emotional gesture.

He was even more surprised when Morgus converted the gesture into a flat-handed shove on the chest that sent him staggering through the lift doorway.

There was no lift just the empty shaft. Morgus peered over the edge, and caught a glimpse of the President's body spinning towards the ground a hundred stories below. It took him a surprisingly long time to reach the bottom.

Morgus turned away, and summoned Krau Timmin.

Minutes later she appeared in the doorway, cool, blonde and elegant as ever.

'Krau Tirnmiu, the most appalling thing has happened,'

said Morgus solemnly. 'His Excellency...' He gestured towards the lift door.

Tirnrnin's eyes widened. 'Not the President?'

Morgus nodded. 'It was all over in a second. I had no time to stop him. This is a tragic loss to the world.'

'Dreadful, sir,' agreed Krau Timmin. 'And that it should have happened in this building!'

'Yes, yes,' said Morgus impatiently. 'I am deeply distressed, Krau Timmin.'

'Naturally sir, you must be.' The total lack of emotion in her voice matched Morgus's own.

'Still, it could have been worse,' continued Morgus.

'In what way, sir?'

'It might have been me. You had better tell the members of the Praesidium the sad news.'

'Yes, sir.'

'In the absence of the President,' Morgus went on impressively, 'I myself am flying to Androzani Minor immediately on a peace mission.'

'A peace mission, sir?'

'Yes. As Chairman of the Sirius Conglomerate, I shall negotiate with Sharaz Jek to end this horrible carnage.'

'The world will be forever in your debt, Trau Morgus.'

Morgus smiled. The ba.n.a.l phrase had defined precisely the situation he was planning to achieve. 'Yes, yes, quite so.

Have my private jet ready in ten minutes.'

'Yes, sir.'

She turned to leave. Morgus's voice halted her at the door. 'Oh, and Krau Timmin have the lift engineer shot, will you?'

Emotionlessly, Krau Timmin made a note on her hand-terminal and left.

After all, thought Morgus, it was only just. The man had demanded a disgustingly high bribe for adjusting the circuits so the door in his office would open with the lift still at the bottom... An immediate execution would punish his greed and ensure his silence.

An android strode into Sharaz Jek's workroom, the still unconscious Peri in its arms. Sharaz Jek followed close behind them.

At a nod from its master, the android laid Peri carefully clown on an empty workbench.

Sharaz Jek waved it away. 'Good. Return to your position.'

Moving to his video surveillance console, Sharaz Jek made a few rapid adjustments to the controls. Somewhere in Ch.e.l.lak's HQ the lens on a hidden spy-camera slid smoothly forwards.

Sharaz Jek studied the picture on one of his screens. It showed a group of soldiers in full combat-gear being issued with oval discs which they clamped to their belts.

Sharaz Jek turned away.

He took a phial of liquid from a shelf and went back to Peri. Removing the stopper, he forced a few drops of the liquid between her open lips. Peri choked and spluttered and opened her eyes. Sharaz Jek handed her the phial.

'Drink this, you'll feel better.'

Propping herself up on one elbow, Peri sipped from the phial, which contained some kind of fiery cordial.

She looked round the familiar gloomy surroundings.

'Back again. I see,' she said weakly.

Sharaz Jek loomed over her, his voice unexpectedly gentle. 'I'm sorry it was necessary to drug you. The after-effects will soon pa.s.s.'

'Have you seen the Doctor?'

'The Doctor?' Sharaz Jek said dismissively. 'Oh yes, the Doctor's gone, to Androzani Major.'

'I don't believe it!'