Doctor Who_ Theatre Of War Part 23

'Some componentry I no longer need. It is defective.' Fortalexa's eyes still didn't meet hers.

Benny was not convinced This did not seem to be even a remote relative of the man she had met on the expedition to Menaxus. It must have been one h.e.l.l of a journey back. Benny was suddenly very keen to find the Doctor and Ace, but she wasn't sure she wanted to involve Fortalexa in her search. It might indeed be electrical components of some sort he was dumping. But what had appeared from inside the crate, although obviously made of metal, had looked suspiciously like a hand and forearm.

She smiled. 'Well, I can see you're very busy, so I won't keep you any longer.' She stepped into the building.

She spent the next hour searching through the palace corridors, looking into any rooms she found unlocked. She navigated, as far as she could, by the changing posters along the way Two Gentlemen of Verona Two Gentlemen of Verona at this junction, at this junction, The Fifth Sermon The Fifth Sermon at the next; at the next; The Eumenides The Eumenides opposite one room, opposite one room, The Silent Partners The Silent Partners outside another; outside another; Black*Eyed Susan Black*Eyed Susan here, here, The Playboy of Aspallon The Playboy of Aspallon there. At first she tried to hide when she heard anyone coming, but after several courtiers and soldiers had pa.s.sed her without comment she decided that skulking about in shadows and frantically struggling with locked doors was pointless and gave up the effort. there. At first she tried to hide when she heard anyone coming, but after several courtiers and soldiers had pa.s.sed her without comment she decided that skulking about in shadows and frantically struggling with locked doors was pointless and gave up the effort.

So when she saw Klasvik coming down the corridor towards her she almost greeted him like an old friend. But then she saw how close the two soldiers at his side were marching and noticed that they were discreetly but firmly holding the old man's arms pinioned. Klasvik was stooped, more so than usual. He was shuffling slowly, being propelled largely by his captors. His feet were only just sc.r.a.ping the ground. His head was bowed and he seemed not to notice Benny as she waited for them to pa.s.s.

When they were a safe distance away, Benny set off after them. She had no idea where they were going, but she might as well follow as continue her aimless wandering.

Aronholt shook the Doctor's hand warmly. 'The fact that I can agree to your proposal suggests that it is acceptable to others.'

The Doctor wasn't convinced. More likely he had hit on a scenario which had not been antic.i.p.ated or played out by the real creators of the machine. But he said nothing, just smiled. He swung his umbrella out in front of him and marched up to the door back to reality.

'Till we meet again Doctor.' Aronholt raised his hand in a gesture of farewell.

The Doctor paused for a moment and looked back round the banqueting hall. 'Of all the people here, Aronholt, you are the one I shall not meet again,' he said. And he raised his hat to the good soldiers round the table nodding deferentially to the cloaked figure of Jorvik whose features were obscured beneath the wide brim of his hat.

Then the Doctor opened the door and stepped back into the real world. Behind him the tableau remained unchanged as his voice floated back to the still, silent characters: 'Adieu, adieu. Remember me.'

The pounding of blood in Ace's head had almost subsided but she could clearly feel the point where the skin was broken; feel the anger at Marlock for striking her and at herself for allowing it to happen. She had tried to clean the wound with water from the basin in the corner. There was no mirror to indicate how good a job she had done but if she stood at an angle to it she could just make out her reflection in the gla.s.s covering Hazor Kolonna and Julu Ozette in Balance of Power Balance of Power.

As cells went, Ace's was pretty basic. There was no electronic lock on the heavy metal door, just bolts. There was no window, just solid walls of rough concrete. There were no bars, except for the small grille in the door. And there were no guards, except at meal times when a plate of unpleasant mush was slid through a small hatch at the bottom of the door.

All in all the whole set*up was basic. But it was also escape*proof no lock to pick; no guards to bribe or trick.

The commotion at the other end of the line of cells was something of a novelty. There was some scuffling of footsteps, the sound of bolts being drawn and then a heavy clang as the door was slammed shut and the bolts were pushed back into place. Two sets of footsteps retreated across the room outside and faded away down the corridor beyond. Another guest checking in to Hotel Death Row.

After a short pause, Ace heard more noise. A faint tap of someone tiptoeing across the room. She had to strain to make it out. There was a whispered conversation from the far end, although Ace could only make out one voice and she couldn't hear what that said. It seemed to get more frustrated as it went on.

After a while the whispering stopped and the cautious footsteps started again, slowly edging along the cells towards Ace's. Ace backed away from the door and sat on the edge of the shelf that served as a bed. The footsteps stopped outside her door.

'Practising the hard cell?' a familiar voice asked through the grille. Then the bolts were pulled back and Bernice gave Ace a self*satisfied smile.

'What kept you?' asked Ace.

'Charming. I'm pleased to see you too.' Benny stepped back to let Ace through the door. 'You look like you've been in the wars,' she added as Ace emerged into the better light.

'I have.'

'Me too. I'll tell you about it some time.'

Ace smiled back at Benny and slapped her on the shoulder. 'Well, better late than never, I suppose. Have you seen the Doctor?'

'No. Is he down here too? It's Klasvik up the other end not very talkative though. I left him there, seemed best. Where's Gilmanuk, by the way?'

Before Ace could think of a tactful way to reply, a voice came from behind them. 'Ah, both of you together. How fortunate. That will save us some time.'

They turned towards the voice. And the Doctor stepped out of the shadows at the end of the row of cells, smiling broadly.

Source Doc.u.ment 15 Extract from security memo issued from Manact Marlock's office From an original print*out preserved in the Rippearean Archives The front*of*house barrier will be manned at all times by two of the garrison.

All persons wishing to pa.s.s the barrier must checked against the guest list provided (on attached optical disc). Name and picture verification is required.

The barrier will incorporate energy*detection units. Any guest found to be carrying an energy weapon or device to be detained.

Only the Exec and his immediate entourage to be admitted to the royal observation box.

No late*comers to be admitted.

Chapter 15.

A Game At Chess Quite a lot is known about the construction of the Globe Globe theatre. It was built by Cuthbert Burbage in 1599 using timber from theatre. It was built by Cuthbert Burbage in 1599 using timber from The Theatre The Theatre (London's first playhouse). (London's first playhouse).From contemporary accounts and from doc.u.mentation about other playhouses of the time, we can make some a.s.sumptions about the Globe Globe. But in fact, the only direct doc.u.mentation for what an Elizabethan theatre looked like is a copy of Johannes De Witt's Impression of the Swan Theatre Swan Theatre as it was in 1596. as it was in 1596.Shakespeare's Playing s.p.a.ce Michael Campling, 1998 Michael Campling, 1998 They had managed to make their way through the palace without incident. Once in his quarters, the Doctor sat down at the desk and motioned Ace and Bernice to make themselves comfortable. Bernice flopped down on the bed and Ace sat on the edge of it. Her head had stopped aching but she was still seething deep inside at what she had found in Marlock's office.

'So,' said the Doctor, 'what's been happening to you two?'

Ace and Benny exchanged glances. 'Okay,' said Ace. 'I've discovered that the way the Heletians treat their conquered people makes the n.a.z.is look like Dad's Army, and I've been attacked by Fortalexa and C3PO's big brother. I've also been thumped by Marlock for raiding his office, and I've been sentenced to death. Sentence to be carried out after this play that Fortalexa and his metal chums are h.e.l.l*bent on getting sorted out.' When this provoked no immediate reaction, she added, 'So nothing much to report I'm afraid. Just a typical day in h.e.l.l.'

'I saw Fortalexa earlier,' Benny offered. 'He did seem very odd. Not himself.'

'I don't think he is himself,' said the Doctor. 'I think he's been replaced by a projection from the machine. I was right about the machine, Ace, about what's inside.' He turned to Benny, 'You see ' he started.

But she interrupted him at once. 'It's all right, Doctor. I know all about the machine.'

He was put out. 'Do you? Oh, I see. Well then. Hmmm.' The Doctor pondered for a moment. 'Well for Ace's benefit then. The machine is a weapon.'

'I knew it!' Ace almost jumped to her feet. But she saw the Doctor's expression. 'Sorry, Doctor. Go on.'

He cleared his throat and then sniffed. 'The machine is a weapon. I don't know all the details the nice man I spoke to about it was a bit vague on some points. But it was the machine which wiped out the civilization on Menaxus.'

'Doctor ' Benny interrupted again.

But the Doctor was in full flow. 'There is a play The Good Soldiers The Good Soldiers by Stanoff Osterling in which there is an army of robots.' by Stanoff Osterling in which there is an army of robots.'

'Robots?'

'Yes, Ace. That play is programmed into the machine. And its performance on Menaxus led to the destruction of the planet. Now it seems that the machine is functioning again, and the play is to be performed tonight.'

This time Ace did leap to her feet. 'Then it will happen again the machine will ma.s.sacre everyone here.'

The Doctor nodded slowly. 'It seems likely. The fact that you've seen one of the robots outside the machine suggests that the program is already running. Probably we re too late to stop it now.'

Ace was already at the door. 'But we have to try. Marlock and his cronies may be murderers and war criminals, but there are loads of innocent people here too. We have to stop the ma.s.sacre.'

But the Doctor made no effort to move. 'I'm not sure, Ace,' he said.

Ace almost laughed in surprise, and was about to remonstrate with him when Benny spoke.

'There is just one small point I'd like to make before we continue the discussion,' she said. 'Menaxus wasn't destroyed by the machine. There never was an invasion of Menaxus no performance, no ma.s.sacre.'

The outburst by the pathetic old man had frightened the Exec. He was acutely aware of his own mortality already. The sudden force of Klasvik's verbal attack had heightened his fears. He stroked Lannic's hair as he worried. The performance of The Good Soldiers The Good Soldiers that was an obvious place for an a.s.sa.s.sin to strike. The audience was composed entirely of specifically invited courtiers and senior officers, but even so. that was an obvious place for an a.s.sa.s.sin to strike. The audience was composed entirely of specifically invited courtiers and senior officers, but even so.

'Is it worth all the fuss,' he asked Lannic, 'this performance?'

She looked up at him, running the underside of her smooth chin over the palm of his hand. 'The greatest play ever written? The chance to host the first performance of The Good Soldiers The Good Soldiers in millennia worth it? The universe will talk of nothing else for years.' in millennia worth it? The universe will talk of nothing else for years.'

He nodded. 'I suppose so,' he said glumly. 'I suppose so.' He was silent for a while. Lannic nibbled his fingers playfully, but he seemed not to notice. 'I suppose nothing can go wrong? With the machine, I mean.'

Lannic took his hand and squeezed it gently. 'Fortalexa will make sure everything's fine.'

The Exec nodded, but he felt little better. He beckoned one of his bodyguards over. 'Have the theatre searched. Make sure everything is is safe.'

Mutina Nuranjo had been cast in the Palace Guard Troupe after seeing active service in three campaigns. She had been lucky to survive the advance on Veterov: the troop carrier was shot down over Bostra and all but seventy three of the pa.s.sengers were killed in the initial missile hit; another sity eight burned up on the way down or were fried on impact. Three of them survived the twenty nine days until they were picked up.

After that she had been a.s.signed to light duties to recover, in the camps on Phaselis Minor. But despite her front*line action, her stomach was not up to the job and she requested a transfer. She was lucky to get a.s.signed to the palace rather than have her tour extended.

Now that the tide of the war had turned, her feelings were ambiguous. A part of her longed to return to the front to do what she could to defend the territory she had fought so hard to gain. But a part of her liked the easy life of palace duties: the parades and inspections, the politics and the gossip. And if she dared to acknowledge it, a part of her felt that a people who could condone what she had seen in the camps what she had done done in the camps deserved to be defeated, and wanted no part in the military decision. in the camps deserved to be defeated, and wanted no part in the military decision.

But whatever her inner mental turmoil, her physical reactions were trained beyond her control. So when she saw the outline of the figure shrouded in the shadows at the top of the stairs, rather than ignore it and check on Fortalexa and the machine as her body and her commander wanted, she leaped back and drew her disruptor.

On Bostra, similar reactions had saved her life. At the top of the stairway to the Queen's box of the royal theatre, the result was quite different. She loosed one bolt before the huge figure grabbed her and smashed her against the wall. Nuranjo's body mocked gravity for second, splayed against the concrete. Then it slid slowly to rest, slipping down several steps and leaving a dark sticky trail across the grey of the wall.

Sub*direkter Hacilar and his team had found nothing. Exactly as Hacilar had expected, He ordered another sweep of the auditorium. Just in case, but he knew what the result would be. Hacilar sprawled in a seat in the back row and watched the useless search. He could hear the detectors bleeping their frustration as the soldiers swept them to and fro as they retreated up the aisles and pushed their way between the seats.

'Anything?'

Hacilar pulled his feet down from their rest across the back of the seat in front and stood up briskly. But it was just the technician from the box above Fortalexa. 'No, nothing.' He sat down again. 'Boring as a mid*week matinee.'

'Good.'

'I told them we'd be wasting our time. Should be on an interval now we were due off duty ages ago.'

'Best to be safe.'

Hacilar heard the technician's footsteps behind him as Fortalexa went back to the door. He heard the door open, and the steps paused.

'By the way...'

Hacilar twisted round in his seat. 'Yes?'

Fortalexa was standing sideways in the doorway, leaning against the frame with his legs braced against the door to hold it open. 'You sent a trooper up to check the box.'

'Yes Nuranjo.'

Fortalexa shrugged. 'Whoever. I asked her to run a couple of errands while she was there. Hope that's all right.' He pushed himself upright, the door started to swing closed behind him.

'Yeah fine.' Hacilar called after him, turning back towards the stage. 'Tell her she can go off duty when she's done.'

Benny made the most of the attention she was getting. 'I'm talking about what I found at the Braxiatel Collection,' she said. 'What I discovered about Menaxus and its history.'

'And what was that?'

'Well first of all, there are no doc.u.ments relating to any aspect of Menaxan life which doesn't directly involve the theatre itself.'

The Doctor leaned forward in interest, balancing his chin on the handle of his umbrella. 'Really?'

Benny nodded. 'And all the doc.u.ments there are were donated to the collection on the same date. About six years ago. Just before Lannic found them.'

'They could have been donated by the same person someone only interested in the theatre so he kept nothing else,' suggested Ace.

'I thought of that. So I cross*referenced with all the doc.u.mentation, on other planets in the sector.'

'And?'

'And there's no reference to Menaxus at all. Not to theatre, not to anything.'

'Strange.' The Doctor tapped the umbrella on the floor, his chin rising and falling with it. 'Very strange. You'd expect something.'

'Yes, you would. But just being strange didn't help much. Especially with all the other strange things about Menaxus.'

'Such as?'

'Such as a theatre which is great when it's a ruin, but has appalling acoustics when it has an audience of any size in it. Like piles of rubble which the Braxiatel computer insists can't possibly have ever been part of any actual structure.'

'Like an open*air theatre,' suggested Ace, looking at the Doctor, 'on a planet where it pours with rain half time?'