Read Online Doctor Who: The Dominators by Ian Marter - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ian Marter
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Capitol,’ spluttered Kully, jiggling the switches in vain.
‘Better than being cooked in here.’
Desperately Kully levered with his fingernails around the tightly sealed edge of the airlock, but it was impossible to budge it.
Zoe sank to her knees, her lungs burning. ‘I...I just can’t breathe...’ she croaked piteously, doubled in agony.
A few seconds later, Kully collapsed against the airlock panel.
Outside, standing hunched on the dunes like a huge rearing turtle, Toba ordered the circle of Quarks to recharge their probes. A tremor of pleasure ran through his massive frame as the robots bleated and sparked in unison around the scorched hulk of the module.
‘And now omplete destruction!’ he commanded, in a frenzy of hatred and power.
‘Negative. Command negated!’ Rago thundered, striding up behind his unwitting Probationer.
The Quarks clattered and buzzed in confusion and then fell silent.
Toba swung violently round. ‘Intention was to prevent escape of any specimens,’ he blustered feebly.
‘Your obsession with destruction has seriously depleted Quark power reserves,’ hissed Rag.. ‘Did you examine the craft?’
‘All data has been recorded,’ Toba claimed. ‘The craft was empty.’
Rago stared briefly at the blistered wreck. ‘Bring any further specimens to me intact at once,’ he ordered. ‘And Toba – I do not expect to have to correct you again.’
The Probationer glared at his superior from beneath lowered eyelids. ‘Command accepted,’ he whispered hoarsely.
Rago nodded curtly and strode away.
Toba had just started organising the squad of robots to continue the search of the Island when he suddenly noticed that the outer airlock door had opened in the hull of the module, releasing a huge pall of acrid black smoke.
Then, to his astonishment, two dazed figures crawled slowly out and lay panting feverishly in the sand.
When at last they managed to raise their heads, Zoe and Kully found themselves staring at a semicircle of Quarks with Toba’s towering frame in the centre relentlessly bearing down on them. With a gigantic effort Kully turned to Zoe. ‘ Now perhaps you will believe me...’ he whispered.
Bovem met the Doctor and Jamie at the capsule terminal in the Capitol. As he hurried them along endless gleaming corridors to the Council Chamber, they tried to find out what had happened to Zoe but without success.
Bovem seemed very evasive.
‘Director Senex will explain, should he consider it fitting,’ Bovem told them soothingly as he ushered them into the Antechamber. ‘I shall announce your arrival.’
As they waited for what seemed like ages to be admitted, Jamie paced restlessly up and down. ‘Where d’ye think the wee lassie can be, Doctor?’ he asked anxiously. ‘D’ye think they’re holding her hostage or something?’
The Doctor roused himself from his reverie. ‘Oh I’m sure the Dulcians wouldn’t harm her, Jamie.’
The tough young Scot gritted his teeth. ‘They’d better not!’ he muttered grimly.
Eventually they were summoned. They found themselves standing in the Council Chamber surrounded by a dozen elderly dignitaries. The Doctor looked impatient and uncomfortable under the steady gaze of Director Senex and made a feeble attempt to smooth his dusty, rumpled clothes and hair. Jamie simply stared around him with barely disguised contempt.
At last Senex spoke. ‘As far as the Council is aware, your friend has left the Capitol in the company of my son Kelly,’ he blandly informed them. ‘Presumably they returned to the Island.’
‘Why did ye no tell us before?’ Jamie shouted indignantly. ‘Come on, Doctor...’ Jamie looked for a doorway in vain.
‘That would not be advisable,’ Senex warned quietly.
Jamie’s blue eyes blazed defiantly. ‘Ye mean we’re prisoners?’
A murmur of protest ran round the noble assembly.
‘There are no prisoners here,’ Senex replied calmly.
The Doctor quickly intervened.
‘Better than being cooked in here.’
Desperately Kully levered with his fingernails around the tightly sealed edge of the airlock, but it was impossible to budge it.
Zoe sank to her knees, her lungs burning. ‘I...I just can’t breathe...’ she croaked piteously, doubled in agony.
A few seconds later, Kully collapsed against the airlock panel.
Outside, standing hunched on the dunes like a huge rearing turtle, Toba ordered the circle of Quarks to recharge their probes. A tremor of pleasure ran through his massive frame as the robots bleated and sparked in unison around the scorched hulk of the module.
‘And now omplete destruction!’ he commanded, in a frenzy of hatred and power.
‘Negative. Command negated!’ Rago thundered, striding up behind his unwitting Probationer.
The Quarks clattered and buzzed in confusion and then fell silent.
Toba swung violently round. ‘Intention was to prevent escape of any specimens,’ he blustered feebly.
‘Your obsession with destruction has seriously depleted Quark power reserves,’ hissed Rag.. ‘Did you examine the craft?’
‘All data has been recorded,’ Toba claimed. ‘The craft was empty.’
Rago stared briefly at the blistered wreck. ‘Bring any further specimens to me intact at once,’ he ordered. ‘And Toba – I do not expect to have to correct you again.’
The Probationer glared at his superior from beneath lowered eyelids. ‘Command accepted,’ he whispered hoarsely.
Rago nodded curtly and strode away.
Toba had just started organising the squad of robots to continue the search of the Island when he suddenly noticed that the outer airlock door had opened in the hull of the module, releasing a huge pall of acrid black smoke.
Then, to his astonishment, two dazed figures crawled slowly out and lay panting feverishly in the sand.
When at last they managed to raise their heads, Zoe and Kully found themselves staring at a semicircle of Quarks with Toba’s towering frame in the centre relentlessly bearing down on them. With a gigantic effort Kully turned to Zoe. ‘ Now perhaps you will believe me...’ he whispered.
Bovem met the Doctor and Jamie at the capsule terminal in the Capitol. As he hurried them along endless gleaming corridors to the Council Chamber, they tried to find out what had happened to Zoe but without success.
Bovem seemed very evasive.
‘Director Senex will explain, should he consider it fitting,’ Bovem told them soothingly as he ushered them into the Antechamber. ‘I shall announce your arrival.’
As they waited for what seemed like ages to be admitted, Jamie paced restlessly up and down. ‘Where d’ye think the wee lassie can be, Doctor?’ he asked anxiously. ‘D’ye think they’re holding her hostage or something?’
The Doctor roused himself from his reverie. ‘Oh I’m sure the Dulcians wouldn’t harm her, Jamie.’
The tough young Scot gritted his teeth. ‘They’d better not!’ he muttered grimly.
Eventually they were summoned. They found themselves standing in the Council Chamber surrounded by a dozen elderly dignitaries. The Doctor looked impatient and uncomfortable under the steady gaze of Director Senex and made a feeble attempt to smooth his dusty, rumpled clothes and hair. Jamie simply stared around him with barely disguised contempt.
At last Senex spoke. ‘As far as the Council is aware, your friend has left the Capitol in the company of my son Kelly,’ he blandly informed them. ‘Presumably they returned to the Island.’
‘Why did ye no tell us before?’ Jamie shouted indignantly. ‘Come on, Doctor...’ Jamie looked for a doorway in vain.
‘That would not be advisable,’ Senex warned quietly.
Jamie’s blue eyes blazed defiantly. ‘Ye mean we’re prisoners?’
A murmur of protest ran round the noble assembly.
‘There are no prisoners here,’ Senex replied calmly.
The Doctor quickly intervened.
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