Trial Of A Time Lord _ Mindwarp Part 11

'Stop!' Yrcanos ordered. He had noticed an opening appearing in the tunnel well ahead. A young Alphan male, almost as imposing in stature as Yrcanos, stepped out of the wall ahead to confront them. Yrcanos turned, saw that they were between two forces and smiled at Peri.

'I told you they would find us. Now to convince them of my right to lead them.'

The Warlord thumped himself on his breastplate. 'I am King Yrcanos!'

The bulky Alphan seemed unimpressed.

'Hold your tongue.'

'I...' Yrcanos started. Tuza, the leader of the Alphans arrived and indicated the dark side pa.s.sageway in the tunnel wall.

'This way... unless you wish to die here.'

'OK. Love to,' Peri said wishing to head off a battle royal between Yrcanos and the Alphans. She ducked into the entrance that led off the main pa.s.sage and found herself in a natural gallery.

Peri walked along a natural causeway that crossed a lake of pink brackish water and disappeared into a series of caves carved out of limestone. The honeycomb of caves were crumbling but seemed, after the gloomy interiors of the section they had just left, to be beautiful in their disparate shapes. Peri pointed out strange formations carved out by the tides over millions of years. The Lukoser moved his head up and down as if he understood. Maybe it was the change of scene but Peri began to feel a little more cheerful. Tuza and his henchmen stayed close behind, watching every move the trio made. Peri had no way of knowing that they were being led towards a terrifying ordeal.

In the laboratory an elated Crozier finished his examination of the donor body that now showed all signs of renewed life. 'Success, Doctor, after a decade of work, I can transform the evolutionary process, conquer death the possibilities are endless!'

'Are you sure? Aren't you concerned about tissue rejection?' The Doctor was doubtful.

'I have perfected a plasma serum to prevent just that.

From today, Doctor, thanks to your help, I can put any brain into any body anywhere!'

Sil interrupted the discussion. 'Now that you have a.s.sisted in a miracle of science perhaps you would consent to help me achieve a similar feat of commerce?'

The Doctor glanced at Crozier. 'How long will it be before Kiv might regain consciousness?'

'One hour, two...'

'I am at your service, Sil.' The Doctor bowed to the mentor.

Yrcanos, the Lukoser and Peri were splayed out on the ground and tightly bound. All they could see was the roof of a natural gallery. Into their view came a burly Alphan.

They watched as the Alphan looked about for a suitably large stone to drop down on to their heads.

'So much for your charisma,' Peri said to Yrcanos. Her voice was full of fear at their predicament. 'Tell them again. Tell them we are on their side. Please.'

'Me a King, beg to that rabble?'

The Lukoser growled as Tuza came to look down upon them. The Alphan leader raised an arm to the man on the rock above who held a small boulder and was preparing to smash it down upon them.

Peri twisted her head to look at Yrcanos. He was staring stoically up at the sight of his imminent death.

Tuza began to speak with a slight trace of regret. 'You must understand that we cannot allow your bodies and skulls to be retrieved undamaged so that brain surgery can be performed to create creatures like this.' His foot indicated the Lukoser.

'Wait!' Peri interrupted. 'We're like you. We're against brain alteration. The Lukoser does not wish to be as he is.

He was made like that by the Mentors! I was a captive of the Mentors too. King Yrcanos is a hostage, valuable to them only so they can exploit his people. Please do not destroy us unless you wish to please the Mentors!'

'The Mentors.' Tuza's face twisted into hatred.

Yrcanos spoke calmly. 'She speaks truth. I do not beg.

Pulverise my skull and you slay an ally. But supply me with weapons and a good band of fighting men, and I will bring triumph against our mutual enemies.'

Tuza thought about the words for a long moment, then made a motion with his hand to the Alphan above. The burly executioner lowered the boulder to his feet and Peri breathed once more.

Tuza bent down to them. 'I have heard of King Yrcanos.

I had to prove that you were really he. You will have a plan, your Majesty?'

'Untie me and you will hear it!'

'Crozier!' The Matrona's voice was wild with panic as she bent over the body that now belonged to Lord Kiv.

'Something's wrong!'

Crozier checked every reading available. 'But he was fine a moment ago. He's suffering cardiac arrest. His body is reacting against the drugs.' Panic-stricken, Crozier began to ma.s.sage Kiv's chest, trying to stimulate the leader's flagging heartbeat.

'Don't die on me...' he pleaded. The Matrona watched Crozier pound Kiv's chest, knowing that not only the Mentor's life was threatened by that faltering heartbeat.

Unaware of the developing crisis in the laboratory Sil was seated in Kiv's chair showing off his prowess as controller of the Profit Room technology.

'Look, Doctor, money, money! Ali the stock and commodity markets are available to us via warpfold relay see there...'

Sil pointed to a display screen that filled a complete wall. 'There is an application for credit.' Sil paused and punched a keyboard before him. On the screen appeared further details of the request 'Search-conv Corp', identifying the application for credit.

'Who are they?' the Doctor asked.

Sil snorted derisively. 'They're nothing much. A bunch of burntout s.p.a.ce rangers who search for wrecked s.p.a.ce ships. They request funding to purchase another retrieval craft, which I will deny.' Sil reached for the reject b.u.t.ton.

'Wait...' The Doctor frowned in an effort of recall or perhaps it should have been described as precall for the events were from a little time ahead in the future. 'Planet of Tokl, 24th century. I think there are to be many s.p.a.ce battles around the Rim Worlds at that time. There'll probably be a heap of battle-cruiser debris floating out there soon.'

'For this company to retrieve?'

'If they have the equipment to do it.'

Sil giggled with delight. 'How useful to have a Time Lord in one's employ... I will allow their application for credit.'

He pressed the 'Credit agreed' b.u.t.ton and leaned back as if he had completed a week's work. A servant brought Sil his favourite snack. The green wigglesome delicacies writhed on the platter. Sil offered the dish to his guest.

'Marsh Minnow, Doctor?'

Absently the Doctor helped himself and popped a minnow into his mouth. A taste like a mixture of iron filings mixed with used engine oil blighted the taste buds of the Time Lord. 'Ugh!' He spat out the offending minnow.

Sil grinned while gobbling down his lunch greedily. 'I should have warned you Doctor, they are something of an acquired taste.'

'I can believe it,' gasped the Doctor shuddering at the memory of the experience.

Sil gobbled down the last t.i.tbit and sighed contentedly.

'The Lord Kiv will be most pleased with me for my great foresight over those s.p.a.ce rangers. I must be sure that I am the first familiar face he sees with his new eyes.'

'That would be comforting for him... should we go and see how the patient is getting on?'

The Doctor sat in the courtroom and despaired at the sight of himself consorting with his enemy, Sil.

He lifted his head and spoke quietly. 'My actions cannot be as they seem.'

The Valeyard was quickly on the attack. 'Perhaps you would tell us why a Time Lord with all his privileges should not only meddle in a swamp world like Thoros-Beta but also help the Mentors make money from his inside knowledge of the future.'

'There is an explanation, there must be... yet I can't recall it. There has to be some event my mind won't let me recall.' The Doctor stood up, fists clenched, and stared wildly around the court.

'Are you unwell?' the Inquisitor asked. 'Perhaps you would like me to call for a recess, Doctor?'

'No!' the Doctor's voice was fierce with a determination not heard before. 'I've had enough of wondering why I acted as I did on Thoros-Beta. Let's get to it. Let's find out what happened. Play the Matrix, let it show what it will!'

Twelve.

'How is the Lord Kiv?' Sil enquired as he entered the lab with the Doctor. The Matrona and Crozier glanced at each other.

'He has had a crisis...' the Matrona began.

'Crisis. Crisis... what... what?' Sil said with alarm.

'He's through it now,' Crozier said.

'When will he wake up?' Sil asked, staring at his master who lay, unmoving, eyes closed, on the operating table.

'Soon. Soon,' the Matrona said soothingly.

'There has been some cardiac flutter. A little worrying neural activity, some piczoelectric imaging array.'

'That's all right, then,' said Sil. 'I will stay here and await Kiv's return to life. Sit down, Doctor, you may wait too.'

To pa.s.s the time the Doctor began to check the equipment that cl.u.s.tered all around the unconscious Thoros-Betan leader. He was thinking that Kiv should have returned to consciousness by now if what Crozier had boasted about had really been achieved and a living brain been transposed from one head to another.

Yrcanos had expounded his plan to Tuza and the other Alphans. They were impressed by Yrcanos and his belief in ultimate victory but Tuza had a remaining doubt.

'Your aim is a sound one, but our men are untrained.'

'Under my leadership, they will fight like demons!'

Peri tried to interject a note of sanity. 'Yrcanos, let's not get too carried away, I know it's nice to have a few guys to command.'

The Lukoser opened his great jaws. 'I have se... see...

seen him inspire disheartened rabble to acts of he...

heroism.'

'But how many survived?' Peri said gloomily.

Yrcanos moved an impatient step. 'A minor consideration when glory is to be won.'

Tuza internipted the growing dissension. 'We do not have anything to lose. At present all we do is hide like vermin. King Yrcanos of the Krontep, we will follow you!'

'But will you fight?'

'Yes!' The Alphans followed Tuza's lead.

'Vroomnik!' Yrcanos yelled. His shout exultant and booming over too far a distance for Peri's liking. 'Now to your weapon dump and on to glory!'

'Here we go again,' said Peri as Yrcanos went striding off with even more purpose than ever. After six strides he turned and raised his right arm. His new followers paused expectantly. 'This hand that has not touched steel for what seems an age, I dedicate to the service of gaining your liberty!'

The Alphans cheered. Tuza spoke quietly to Ger, a trusted confidant. 'Find Sorn and his men. Tell him the day of action has finally come.' Ger nodded and left the group, while Yrcanos and Tuza became engrossed in a discussion of tactics and resources.

'Look!' Peri called out, drawing their attention to an old man tottering towards them. Peri ran to support the white-haired Alphan who stumbled and fell before she could reach him.

'What's happened. What can we do to help?'

The old man tried to raise himself but his failing strength caused him to collapse on his side and Peri could see his life-force draining away. Soon the struggle was over.

'What happened?' Peri asked bewilderedly.