Read Online Doctor Who: Space War by Malcolm Hulke - Free Book Online Page B

was faced with a problem. If she failed to please her people they would replace her; once out of office, she could never hope to achieve the good things that she wanted to do for Earth. ‘I shall break off diplomatic relations,’ she said. ‘The Draconian Ambassador and his staff will be expelled from our planet. But unless you can give me conclusive evidence of Draconian war plans, I will not strike the first blow.’
    ‘The proof we need is in the minds of those two traitors, Madam President. We shall have to use the mind probe.’
    The President had once seen the mind probe used on a prisoner. She shook her head. ‘Not on the girl, General. Perhaps I can persuade her to tell the truth. But as for the man, I give you permission to go ahead.’
    The Doctor was firmly strapped in a metal chair, an iron skull-cap held on his head by tapes. The mind probe room was small, its walls brilliant red. The machine a simple black box with controls and a small television screen, occupied one corner. The General stood over the Doctor, issuing orders to the Security technician in charge of the apparatus.
    ‘I shall ask you again,’ said the General. ‘How long have you been an agent of the Draconian Empire?’
    ‘I am not, and never have been, anyone’s agent,’ replied the Doctor truthfully. ‘Does this gadget really work?’
    The General’s face went scarlet. ‘If we have to turn it to full power, you will wish you’d never been born. How did you get on the cargo ship?’
    ‘In my own spaceship.’
    General Williams nodded to the technician. ‘More power.’
    The technician turned a control and the General looked at the television screen. To his surprise he saw a blue oblong box floating through space, a flashing light at one end. The picture represented whatever was in the prisoner’s mind. The General concealed his astonishment and turned back to the Doctor. ‘Why did you help the Draconians attack the cargo ship?’
    ‘I didn’t and they weren’t Draconians. They were Ogrons. They were also Ogrons, and not Draconians, who unsuccessfully attacked this prison after I’d escaped from the Draconian Embassy.’
    Now the screen showed an Ogron entering the space cargo ship through the air-lock. The picture blurred, then was replaced by one of the Ogrons opening the door to the prison cell. As the amazed General stared, the Doctor and Jo were dragged from the cell down a prison corridor. Earth Security guards suddenly appeared in great numbers, counter-attacking the Ogrons, finally snatching back their two prisoners and forcing the Ogrons to retreat.
    ‘These creatures that you keep producing in your imagination,’ said General Williams, ‘what are they?’
    ‘Ogrons,’ said the Doctor, bored by tiresome questions.
    The General turned to the technician. ‘Your machine can’t be working correctly. Either that, or the prisoner can pretend to remember things.’
    The technician looked worried. ‘I’ve checked all the circuits, sir. What you see on the screen are definitely the prisoner’s thoughts. Maybe he’s been brainwashed, sir. Perhaps he believes what he’s saying is the truth.’
    General Williams considered. ‘We must break through his conditioning. Step it up to full power.’
    The technician hesitated. ‘Full power, sir?’
    ‘You heard my order.’
    Reluctantly the technician turned the conrols of the mind probe. He was conditioned to have no feelings for prisoners, but he knew from experience that the full force of the mind probe could quickly destroy human brain cells, rendering a prisoner imbecile and useless for further questioning. ‘It’s now on full power, sir.’
    General Williams looked closely into the Doctor’s contorted face. ‘Are you a Draconian spy? When do they plan to attack us? Who first recruited you? Who are the other Draconian agents on Earth. Answer! Answer! ‘
    Waves of intense pain poured through the Doctor’s mind. On the television screen only whirling patterns