Cold Fusion - Lance Parkin [93]
Technobabble. Science fiction.’
‘Just because you don’t understand...’
‘No one understands, that’s what I’m saying. It’s not just transmats: nanoprocessors, fusion generators, hyperdrive, voice-recognition software. According to all the laws of physics these things shouldn’t work, and no one really knows why or how they do. And that’s just technology.
Never mind the really complicated stuff like quantum particles, gravity, living organisms or sunlight. The universe is made from magic.’
‘It’s complicated, but there’s a real scientific explanation in there somewhere.’
‘Yeah sure. “Chaos Theory” – you know that people in the twentieth century thought that butterflies flapping their wings could start a hurricane on the other side of the world? It’s true, twentieth-century literature is always going on about butterflies and hurricanes. OK: why do people go mad?’
‘They’re stuck in confined spaces for a long time with people who wind them up?’ Tegan suggested pointedly.
‘Very good. But you’ve fallen into the Scientifica trap: you’re trying to explain everything away, reduce it to a simple cause-and-effect sequence of events. But you do that and you start using shorthand – “she had a hormonal imbalance”, “the neurochemistry of his brain was unusual”. That’s just the scientific way of saying that he’s possessed by the devil.’
‘Hormones exist,’ Tegan said.
‘You’ve seen one, have you? The devil existed for most people until a few centuries ago. Science is a metaphor, not the truth. The Scientifica don’t see that – they ignore the paranormal, rationalize away all the ghosts and UFOS.’
‘You’ve seen a ghost then?’ Tegan asked scornfully
‘I have and so have you, Tegan.’ the Doctor said. Both he and Quint had been conspicuous by their absence in the conversation up to that point. Adam was about to ask the Doctor’s views, but he was already asking a question of his own. ‘Is that why the peacekeepers are here? To fight ghosts?’
Adam pointed at his own chest ‘The Adjudicators are here to combat the terrorist threat.’
‘Three legions against a rackety old snowship? No disrespect, but you’re not really worth it, are you? No, they’re here for some other reason.’
Before Adam could reply, something weighing ten tonnes crashed through the roof
Adam pulled Tegan down as the rock cascaded from the new hole in the ceiling, along with a huge black shape like a tank Adam lifted his head. It was a giant robot of some kind, built like a man. Its limbs were twisted. Hot hydraulic fluid was draining from one of the machine’s joints. It looked like a warstrider of some kind of course –
the interceptor they had seen.
‘Hurry, before it rights itself!’ Quint shouted, running towards the machine The Doctor was following close behind.
‘It’s a vehicle,’ the Doctor shouted. ‘With a driver’
‘I know. We have to get to him. Stop him from contacting reinforcements.’
The Doctor caught Adam’s arm as they reached the machine. ‘And do what?’
Adam glared at him. ‘What do you think? Stop him from killing us.’
‘Kill or be killed, is that it?’
‘Yes.’ Adam shook the Doctor off. They were standing next to a metal ball in the middle of the wreckage. It was about two metres in diameter made from a matt black material. There must be a way in. There was an unfamiliar whining noise. Adam followed it, and saw that the Doctor had managed to locate and open the hatch with some sort of tool. When the Doctor emerged his face was grave.
‘We’re too late for him. He’s been electrocuted.’ The Doctor closed the panel.
Adam couldn’t be sorry. ‘The distress beacon is active, then?’
‘A man just died here.’ Tegan had her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face.
‘And another one just died somewhere else, what’s your point?’ Adam replied. ‘This man is an Adjudicator, probably out looking for us. He wouldn’t have shown us any mercy.’
There was a clattering from above. Someone up there.