Doctor Who_ Ultimate Treasure Part 6

'Now, sweet wag,' Falstaff admonished. 'I do not inquire of your origins. Pray allow a man to call himself by whatever name he chooses, unless you can produce another to contest his right.

Besides, it is not mannerly to tax your guest so, especially when he is fainting away from lack of sustenance.'

Peri gave an audible 'Huh!' of disbelief at the claim. The Doctor tried a more direct approach.

'Tell us how Hok came to be selling the location of Rovan's treasure.'

For the first time, Falstaff seemed taken aback. Ah, the secret is out, I see. Poor Hok. It would have been his most profitable venture.'

'And how did you find out what was on offer?' Peri asked.

'I had dealt with Hok before in the matter of some rare folios of my chronicler's work, and learnt then that he occasionally dabbled in darker dealings. I received word, as one of his more discerning clients, that he had something of value to offer, namely the transcript of an ancient ship's log from which the true resting place of Rovan's h.o.a.rd could be deduced. My offer for the item was accepted and I was attempting to meet with him to conclude the deal, a little earlier than planned I admit, when we had our memorable encounter.'

'After which you bugged out, leaving us to explain everything to the police without anybody to back up our story,' Peri reminded him.

'Do I get no thanks for so masterfully saving your lives first?

Ingrat.i.tude, thou art truly marble-hearted! Besides, I was sure the matter was in capable hands, and I had to pursue those wh.o.r.eson cutthroats to ensure they did not profit from their villainy.'

'Really?' said Peri dubiously.

'Verily so. I was hard upon their tails when they turned like cornered rats. What a battle it was! Two of their craft dived upon me, their lasers spitting fire -'

'You didn't say anything about a battle,' Peri protested. 'I thought they planted a bomb on your ship?'

'Nay, you misheard. 'T'was a battle royal that laid me low.

There were these four ships, armed like men o' war -'

'I thought there were two ships.'

'Pray do not interrupt or I'll lose the thread of the tale. Now, six ships bore down upon me -'

'Sir John, would you like something to eat?' said the Doctor brightly, stemming the flow. 'Peri, please show our guest how to use the food synthesiser.'

Leaving Falstaff in a corner happily stuffing himself, Peri and the Doctor conferred quietly.

'Just who is this guy really?' Peri wondered.

'I don't know,' the Doctor admitted, 'but he seems determined to stay in character.'

'You don't think he believes himself that he actually is Falstaff?'

'Perhaps. It can't do any harm to humour him for the time being, as long as we don't rely on him for anything important.

Remember, Falstaff was a liar, cheat, and pragmatic coward.'

'Well, anyhow, now we know what happened at Hok's. I guess he had a copy of this data on Rovan's treasure and those crooks got hold of it before we came in.'

'Yes. Hok must have examined the data first and worked out the vital coordinates, which was what he pa.s.sed on to us. He probably planned to sell it on in another form to other interested customers. Or perhaps he had already done so,' the Doctor added thoughtfully.

'You mean there might be others heading for the same place?'

'Well, there's only one way to find out. The Doctor turned to the controls and the TARDIS dematerialised. 'We'll be there in a couple of minutes.'

'No you won't, Doctor,' said an unexpected voice. Falstaff froze with a fork halfway to his mouth as Peri and the Doctor twisted round.

Myra Jaharnus was standing in the doorway leading to the rest of the ship. She was holding a dull black pistol-like object in her hand in a very a.s.sured manner. Suddenly Peri realised why the inspector had not returned the TARDIS key to them in person.

'Ah,' said the Doctor, recovering his voice first, 'I see we have a stowaway on board. I don't think you've met our other guest. May I present Sir John Falstaff? Sir John, this is Inspector Myra Jaharnus of the Astroville police force.'

Falstaff recovered himself, rose to his feet and made a sweeping bow, doffing his cap with a flourish. 'Your servant, madam.'

'He's the man you never believed existed,' Peri explained helpfully.

'So I understand from what I've already heard.'

'May I add,' Falstaff continued smoothly, 'that it is a great comfort to know the forces of law and order are ever vigilant? I know I can leave it to your capable hands to apprehend the villains responsible for the murder of dear old Hok. If the Doctor would be kind enough to set me down on some convenient planet, I won't take up any more of your -'

'Sit down and be quiet,' Jaharnus snapped. Falstaff sat. 'Now, Doctor, you will pilot this... this craft back to Astroville.'

'Oh, why? For that matter, why the gun? We're really not dangerous you know.'

'I'm not sure what you are, Doctor, but I do know you're all under arrest. He's guilty of leaving the scene of a crime and you two are guilty of withholding evidence, namely the figures Hok revealed, which you claimed earlier you could not recall.'

'Evidently you believed otherwise.'

'As I said then, a suspicious nature goes with the job. It also caused me to check up on your researches in the archives.

Rovan's treasure would be motivation for anything, and that's reason enough to take you into custody until we find out the truth.'

'I think you may be out of your jurisdiction, here,' the Doctor pointed out.

'Perhaps, Doctor. But I do have the gun, which like possession, is said to be nine points of the law. Now turn this thing around.'

'But we're almost at the place given in Hok's coordinates,' Peri exclaimed. 'Those men you're after will be coming here as well.'

'One thing at a time. With a new witness and further evidence a proper squad can be sent out here, but for the moment we return to Headquarters.'

The Doctor shrugged, turned back to the controls and reached out a hand to reset the coordinates. Peri saw a strange look come over his face as his hand froze over the row of b.u.t.tons. His jaw tightened but his hand did not move. He took a step back, flexing his fingers.

'Peri,' he said in a slightly strained tone. 'I seem to have a slight problem. Could you press the black, green, and blue b.u.t.tons on that row in order?'

Frowning, Peri reached forward. The muscles of her hand and arm locked. She knew what she wanted to do, but she simply could not make it happen. She pulled back with a little gasp of alarm.

'What's happening?'

'I think some extremely powerful mental force is at work here.'

'Don't try any tricks with me,' Jaharnus warned him.

'I'm not, Inspector,' the Doctor said with a compelling intensity in his words. 'If you disbelieve me, try for yourself.' Jaharnus reached forward, only to find her own hand refused to obey her.

'It would seem somebody is determined that we finish our journey,' said the Doctor matter-of-factly. 'Whether we want to or not.'

CHAPTER 7.

THE SPEAKER OF GELSANDOR.

The materialisation pulse faded away into a solid thump of reality.

Cautiously the occupants of the TARDIS unbent their knees and stood upright once more.

'Well, we've arrived,' the Doctor announced. He tried to reset the coordinates, but his hand refused to obey him once again.

'Sorry, Inspector. We'll have to postpone our return to headquarters. Somebody would seem to have other plans for us.'

'Can't you send a distress call? Hasn't this thing got a hyperwave transmitter?'

The Doctor looked pained at the slur on his TARDIS and moved to a different section of the controls. 'I'm afraid I can't operate this either. Whoever is responsible obviously doesn't want anybody else to know where we are.'

Jaharnus looked at him intently for a moment, then apparently decided he was telling the truth. 'Remember, you're all still under arrest,' she said, holstering her gun. 'Now, can we at least find out where we are?'

Nothing prevented the Doctor activating the scanner, and they all peered intently at the image.

It showed a gra.s.sy glade, ringed by tall trees bearing large heart-shaped leaves. Fingers of golden sunlight slotted between the interlaced branches and made dappled patterns on the close-cropped gra.s.s, which was itself speckled with clumps of small purple and white flowers. The Doctor panned the camera and more of the same type of scenery rolled across the screen. Peri, prepared for something more alarming, began to relax. Then the Doctor stopped the camera. A man in a long yellow robe was standing on the gra.s.s watching them, his hands folded before him inside his voluminous sleeves. His costume and placid stance reminded Peri somewhat of an oriental priest.

'I guess that's the welcoming committee,' she said aloud. Even as they looked at him, the man withdrew one arm from his robe and beckoned gracefully to them.

'There seems to be no point in staying inside,' said the Doctor, reaching for the plunger lever that controlled the doors.

'I'll do the talking, Doctor. Understand?' Jaharnus said.

Falstaff managed to be the last to leave the TARDIS by bowing Peri and Jaharnus through in front of him in a show of apparent gallantry. 'After you, ladies,' he said. Peri grinned ruefully.

Outside the air was mild and flower-scented and the gra.s.s springy underfoot. A light breeze rustled the leaves of the trees, accompanying the twitter and shrill of what Peri presumed was birdsong. All in all it was very tranquil, and she felt a sense of overwhelming calm descending upon her. Surely there could be nothing to fear in a place like this. She saw the Doctor looking round him intently, his deep eyes glittering, his lips pursed. Then a look of understanding crossed his face and he smiled slightly.

'This place has the flavour of Merrie England about it,' Falstaff remarked. 'It lacks only the Boar's Head Inn nestling through yonder trees to be a veritable paradise.'

'And do you like it as well, Peri?' the Doctor inquired.

'It's beautiful - though it reminds me more of parts of the States.'

'Yes, of course it would. That's due to a very subtle mental field being cast over us. Somebody wants us to feel untroubled and peaceful. We've already had one demonstration of their power, so don't necessarily believe everything you see.'

Jaharnus alone seemed unmoved by their surroundings. After a quick glance about her, she strode determinedly up to the robed figure, her tail tip flicking from side to side, and held up her official ident.i.ty badge.

'I'm Inspector Myra Jaharnus of the Astroville Police Department. I want to talk to somebody in authority.'

The robed man was already extending his arm, indicating a path winding away through the trees. 'Please follow me. Shalvis is expecting you.'

'Who's Shalvis?'

'She is the Speaker of Gelsandor. She will explain everything in due course.'

'Gelsandor? Is that the name of your people, or this world?'

But the man had already set off down the path at a steady even pace, and they all had to run a few steps to get level with him.

Close to, Peri saw the man was not quite as human as he first appeared. His skin was unwrinkled but parchment thin, with a distinct bluish tint to it. Growing out of his forehead and curving up and back over his hair were five wire-thin silver tendrils that bobbed slightly as he walked.

Through the trees on either side of the path they saw occasional low domelike buildings. Several other paths crossed theirs, and they caught glimpses of other robed figures, both male and female, making their way along them in the same purposeful but unhurried manner as their own guide. The atmosphere of meditative calm grew stronger.

'What is this place?' Peri wondered. 'Some sort of religious retreat?'

'Something far more complex than that, I think,' the Doctor replied.

Then ahead of them a more substantial structure rose out of a clearing, topping all the trees around it. It was a pyramid faced with what appeared to be white marble, perhaps a hundred metres high at its apex, its surface pierced by many slotted windows. In the centre of each base side was an entrance at the top of a flight of shallow steps, overhung with a single cantilevered slab of stone. They climbed the nearest of these and entered a long, cool, stone-floored pa.s.sageway, lit by softly glowing panels set in the walls. At the end of the pa.s.sage was a set of heavy but undecorated double doors, which swung open of their own accord as they approached and closed silently behind them, leaving their guide on the other side.

They were in a large, plain, square room surfaced in polished blue-veined marble, lit by more of the glowing panels. A semicircle of twelve simple chairs had been set out, with a slightly larger high-backed chair at their focus. Seated in this was a woman in white robes tied with a red sash. She also had tendrils, and skin as delicately smooth and unlined as their guide's, but her hair was silver blue. Peri wondered how old she was, and suspected it was probably much more than she looked.

'I am Shalvis, Speaker of Gelsandor,' she said. He voice was clear and perfectly controlled. 'Please be seated Myra Jaharnus, Sir John Falstaff, Perpugilliam Brown, Doctor.'