Doctor Who - The Colony Of Lies Part 20

"Don"t you?" she retorted, still annoyed at him.

"I know a version of what happened. The Tyrenian version.

I"d like to know what the colony ship"s version of events is,"

replied the Doctor evenly.

"It was all very confused," Zoe said. "All sorts of systems got damaged, first from the attack and then during the crash itself, but I think I know what happened. You remember that robot we found in the hold when we first arrived?"

"Some kind of automated battledroid; nasty little thing," the Doctor recalled.

"It"s a Tennyson 405 EBD - Enhanced Battlefield Droid," Zoe told him precisely before adding, "there are a thousand of them on standby in that hold."

"What?" Dee was shocked. "There are battledroids hidden on the wrecked colony ship?!"

Zoe nodded sadly. "But how did they get there. What were they doing on a civilian colony ship?" demanded Dee.

"According to the records they were placed on the ship by the regulating body of the Federation. A quid pro quo quid pro quo for the public presentation of the Colony Mission as being completely independent of Federation control." for the public presentation of the Colony Mission as being completely independent of Federation control."

"I don"t understand," said Dee, frowning. "Are you saying we are not an independent colony?"

The Doctor turned to her. "With the current Federation, very little is completely independent. An outreaching colony like this had military value. By persuading Ransom to take this little army, the Federation was getting a defensive deployment for very little outlay. The strategic thinking had been that by having forces like these on outlying colonies, they had a speedy means of defence should they face any alien incursion, like the Dalek threat they are currently dealing with elsewhere. No doubt Ransom argued about it, but at the end of the day it did allow him to launch the colony ship and, as far as he was concerned, the droids were never going to be used."

"That"s right," added Zoe. "According to the recordings he logged with the system here, he intended to drop the lot of them into the first expanse of water he came across.

Unfortunately he never got the chance -"

The Doctor picked up the story: "- because the Tyrenian satellite fired on the colony ship which triggered an automatic reaction from the battledroids."

"The EBDs have a degree of sophistication far above your average robot. They were able to react to the attack and plan a strategic a.s.sault on the perceived aggressors." Zoe continued. "They left the wreck of the colony ship and initiated an attack on the tiny Tyrenian settlement. It was all but wiped out in minutes."

Dee was horrified. "And we just sat back and watched this happen?"

"No," said the Doctor quickly. "Of course not. Ransom made every effort to abort the attack; in the end he actually a.s.saulted the Federation AI that was overseeing the EBD action. It took time but he was successful; he did manage to override the AI and order the EBDs back where they had come from. But it was too late for the majority of the Tiyrenians; their settlement was devastated, leaving only a few of their kind who had evacuated to their underground bunker to survive in Deep Sleep."

"So Ransom did the right thing?" asked Dee, still stunned by all of this.

"He tried and he paid the price," the Doctor explained. "The Federation AI activated a medical drone and killed him before going offline itself. The birth of this colony required a lot of death," he added solemnly.

Zoe was looking puzzled. "But Doctor..." she began.

The Doctor hushed her with a wave of his hand. "Not now, Zoe, eh? I think this has all been quite enough for one day.

As Dee said, you need some rest."

Zoe bit her lip, looking frustrated as the Doctor ushered Dee out of the room. Jamie hesitated in the doorway.

"What"s up?" he asked, recognising the look on her face.

"Nothing, Jamie," she insisted.

"Come on, Zoe, I know you better than that. You were going to say something just then, weren"t you? Did the Doctor get something wrong?"

Zoe thought for a moment, running the "memories" she had absorbed from the colony ship through her head. "Yes," she said finally. "I think he did."

Veena Myles strolled down the main street of Plymouth Hope and wondered what would become of it over the next few years. The influx of new colonists would be like a clean start in so many ways; how much of this original foothold would remain? She"d sat in on some of the early planning meetings and discussions and knew that the idea was to scatter the refugees around the three main landma.s.ses of the planet, but she also knew they would rely on maintaining contact with each other. The days of the horse being the main means of transport on Axista Four were over. In effect, the CEAC staff were going to kick-start a fully industrialised modern society, doing the natural evolutionary work of a couple of hundred years in just two or three. In such a transformation, what hope was there for an anachronism like this? And yet Veena found herself hoping that some of these colonists, maybe even some of the newcomers, would find a way to keep Plymouth Hope as it had always been, a living symbol of a simpler way of being. Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the Doctor.

"Has Major Cartor acted against the Tyrenians yet?" he asked her.

She appreciated his directness. "No," she told him, "not that I know of."

"Good," said the scruffy little man. "I wonder," he continued, "if we might ask for another little favour. Kirann wants to open peace talks with the Realists. She thinks the original colonists should be united in the face of the approaching influx of refugees and I would like to do something similar with the Tyrenians."

Veena was surprised.

"You think all parties can live in harmony on this planet?"

she asked him, unable to hide her lack of faith in such a concept.

"Why not?" replied the Doctor. "It"s a big enough planet."

Veena shook her head - there was something about the Doctor"s simple faith that was difficult to fault. "Okay," she told him, "I"ll arrange some transport for you myself."

On board the Hannibal, Hannibal, Administrator Greene was briefing Major Cartor. Administrator Greene was briefing Major Cartor.

"I"ve been talking to the Federation," Greene began. Cartor said nothing. "The Council has been in session and this matter has been discussed in full. It has been decided that the presence of the Tyrenians on this planet is a threat to the successful implementation of this element of the Refugee Plan. The decision was therefore unequivocal. The Tyrenians are to be wiped from the face of the planet, completely."

"Genocide?" Cartor was not impressed at the order. "How convenient."

Greene raised a surprised eyebrow. "You know the Tyrenians" history?"

Cartor"s face remained impa.s.sive, giving nothing away. "I was briefed about the possibility of encountering them."

Greene was interested in this unexpected development.

"Really? The generals want their toys back, do they? Well, I"m sorry to disappoint you. Your orders are simple. Destroy the Tyrenians. Every last one."

Chapter Seventeen.

Kirann noticed the changes at the Realist settlement as soon as Veena brought the shuttlecraft in to land. The breakaway group"s prefabs had used to be the largest feature, scattered between the crumbling ruins of the original Tyrenian buildings, but now they too were dwarfed by new structures.

The shuttles had been busy hauling materials down from the Hannibal and an army of engineers and droids were now fully occupied constructing what appeared to be a small town. In a few short hours, the site had been transformed from a makeshift camp into a bustling town that matched the size of Plymouth Hope. Kirann noted that whereas the Federation personnel on the ground at Plymouth Hope were almost entirely civilians, the occupants of this new outpost were mainly military.

The Realists themselves were milling around, watching all this activity with suspicion. Some were beginning to pack their belongings, such as they were, into bags. Kirann saw one couple starting to dismantle their home. It seemed the Realists were preparing to leave; perhaps she would have a better reception than she thought.

Hali was waiting for her in the shelter she had shared with Max. She looked up eagerly as Kirann entered.

"Any news?" she asked immediately, not bothering with any greeting.

Kirann shook her head. "Not yet," she admitted. Max was in intensive care aboard the Hannibal. Hannibal. Hali, like all of the colonists, had very little idea about the limits of Federation medical ability; it was all too much like magic, but she had great faith that the medics on board the ECSV would be able to save Max. Kirann wasn"t so sure. She guessed that medical science might have moved on during her lost years but she had also seen Max"s wounds and she was not at all certain that there was much anybody could do for him. She kept this thought to herself, however. Hali, like all of the colonists, had very little idea about the limits of Federation medical ability; it was all too much like magic, but she had great faith that the medics on board the ECSV would be able to save Max. Kirann wasn"t so sure. She guessed that medical science might have moved on during her lost years but she had also seen Max"s wounds and she was not at all certain that there was much anybody could do for him. She kept this thought to herself, however.

Hali was looking at Kirann, as if for the first time. What she saw was a young woman, perhaps 30, strong, full of life; it made Hali feel old. She was probably only a few years older than Kirann but she knew that she looked older. A harder life, she supposed. But of course there was more to it than that. And despite appearances Kirann was far, far older than she was.

"This is weird," she said eventually. "You look younger than me, but I know you used to know my great-grandfather."

"I did?"

"He used to write a diary, on paper... real back to basics stuff. It"s been handed down in my family, generation to generation. He wrote about you; I think he might have been a little in love with you. His name was Brock.

Kirann"s eyes widened. "Hathan Brock? Oh my goodness, how could I forget? We were going to live together when we reached here. He drew the short straw and got a landing a.s.signment. I remember him being there just before I went under..."

Hali frowned, not following.

"He was my penultimate visitor before I was put into suspended animation," clarified Kirann. "He survived the crash?"

Hali smiled. "And lived to a ripe old age too."

"But he found someone else... your great-grandmother?"

"Not until late in his life. I think he was her third husband.

Family legend has it that she kept wearing men out!"

Kirann laughed. "I"m glad he found happiness."

"He never stopped loving you, though," Hali told her. "Would you like to see the diary?"

Kirann looked away, to hide the tear that was trickling down her face. "Perhaps another time. I need to talk to you about more pressing matters."

Hali was already ahead of her. "You want us to come back to Plymouth Hope. Before the refugees arrive."

Kirann was surprised. She wiped her tear away surrept.i.tiously and looked over at Hali.

"Things are changing on the planet. I think my father would want to us to face the future united rather than divided."

"And Back to Basics? Back to Basics? " "

"It was never a gospel, just an ideal. Things will have to change."

Hali nodded. "I"ll talk to my people. But I don"t think there"s going to be a problem." She nodded in the direction of the Federation buildings. "Anyway, the neighbourhood has gone to the dogs recently!"

"What about your other "neighbours" - the Tyrenians?

What"s happening with them?" asked Kirann.

Hali shook her head firmly. "Nothing at all. But I get the impression they won"t be around much longer. The soldiers look like they"re preparing for war."

"As long as they don"t make any moves just yet,"

commented Kirann. "The Doctor and his friend Jamie have gone to talk to the Tyrenians."

Hali was thinking. "You know, it seems to me the aliens were here before we were... Surely this planet is big enough for us all to live on?"

"You surprise me - after what they did to Max?"

"They only attacked us to rescue what they thought was one of their own. The one who attacked Max was sick. I don"t think that"s quite enough to warrant genocide."

Kirann was struck by the pa.s.sion with which Hali spoke.

She really had underestimated her. "We"re all just trying to survive on a planet that none of us is native to. I think we all have a right to live here, and given half the chance I think we can live here in peace."

"I hope that they agree with you. That"s what the Doctor has gone to discuss with them. Peace."

Jamie wasn"t particularly happy. Once again the Doctor seemed to be ignoring common sense. He had got it into his head that it would be possible to talk rationally with the aliens. Jamie didn"t think that talking rationally was something the dog creatures were very interested in. As far as he was concerned, they"d only managed to get out of the bunker because of the intervention of the Federation marines; the thought of the Doctor strolling back to the Tyrenians on his own and unguarded was something Jamie couldn"t allow. So he had decided to accompany him, albeit with less than good grace.

"This is more like it, Jamie, a good walk in a bracing wind,"

burbled the Doctor enthusiastically as they reached the crown of a small hill.

"Aye," muttered the Scot, with much less enthusiasm. "On our way to meet a whole bunch of beasties."

"Jamie, how many times must I tell you, the Tyrenians are not monsters. They"re just like you and me."

"Except for the big teeth, the pointy ears and the hair all over the place," complained Jamie. "They"re great big walking doggies with big guns and short tempers."

The Doctor shook his head. "No, Jamie, they are most decidedly not. They are an intelligent species and I"m sure if we treat them as such they"ll prove me right. Anyway, I need a machine that they may have on their ship."

The Doctor explained to Jamie about the mysterious data crystal that Kirann had given him, taking care to leave out the complicated details about who it was who had given the thing to Kirann in the first place. The subtleties of a temporal paradox would mean little to Jamie.

"So you think the doggies" machine will read this crystal thing, then?" Jamie asked.

"Well, I do hope so," ventured the Doctor optimistically.

"Now then, here we are."

Jamie looked in the direction the Doctor was pointing. All he could see was a large and, despite the wind, placid lake.

"It"s a lake," he said, disappointedly.

"What do I keep telling you Jamie? Appearances can be deceptive. Now let"s haul up our flag and see what happens."

Jamie had been carrying a long pole to which the Doctor had tied a patch of white material. He now unfolded the makeshift flag and planted it. "Now what?" he asked. "Now we wait," announced the Doctor, finding a suitable rock and sitting down.