Doctor Who_ Attack of the Cybermen - Eric Saward [32]
Forced to repair their craft, then instruct them how to operate it, they had been rewarded by being subjected to Cybernisation. But the processing had partially failed and only their arms and legs had been altered. Rather than destroy them, the Cybermen sent them to work on the slave demolition gangs. But now Bates and Stratton plotted to humiliate their captors by stealing back their craft and making good their escape. The only problem was they needed a third man to help them crew the vessel. Even though luck had been on their side, and a member of the slave gang admitted to flight experience, they had to spend many long hours briefing him on the complications of time travel.
But now they were ready to go.
Stratton glanced up at the four Cybermen spaced along the ridge above them. A fifth had just descended into the quarry to examine a problem with the drill.
Stratton nodded to Bates, who acknowledged the signal.
As the Cyberman passed in front of Stratton, he lifted his shovel and swung it with such force he decapitated the guard, sending the head flying towards his friend.
Bates stood frozen to the spot, staring at the smoking head.
‘Run!’ screamed Stratton.
Bates still didn’t move.
The Cyberguards on the ridge raised their guns ready for action. As they did, another member of the gang took to his heels, but was immediately shot down.
Panic broke out as others ran for cover. In the confusion, Stratton was able to escape, dragging a terrified Bates behind him.
Once they were clear of the quarry, and satisfied they weren’t being followed, the two men rested.
Still bemused by the suddenness of events, Bates looked around him. ‘Where’s the other chap?’ he said. ‘The one who was to act as third crew member.’
Stratton jet out a loud sigh of frustration and momentarily buried his face in his hands. ‘He’s dead!’ He spat out the words. ‘And all because you froze!’ Stratton was now on the verge of hitting Bates. ‘Even if we can get back to our craft, there is no way we can fly it by ourselves.’
Bates stared down at the dry, dusty ground. ‘You shouldn’t have killed the guard as you did,’ he muttered in mitigation. ‘I’m not a soldier or used to fighting.’
Stratton scrambled to his feet. ‘Then you’d better learn,’
he shouted, ‘because we’re now at war with the Cybermen!’
Bates stood up and looked back the way they had come.
‘They’re not following.’
‘That’s because they know where we’re going.’ He grabbed Bates by the collar of his insulated suit and dragged him to the next ridge. ‘You see that?’ he said, pointing. ‘That’s where we have to go.’
Bates focused on the huge building that rose out of the bleak landscape a couple of kilometres away.
‘That’s Cyber Control,’ said Stratton. ‘That’s where our ship is... And that’s where the Cyber Controller has thousands of guards... just waiting for us to arrive!’
Bates blinked at the thought and wondered whether he really wanted to escape.
7
The Tombs of the Cybermen
The endless corridors, with their tiny sepulchres every few metres, each containing a Cyberman in hibernation, stretched almost to beyond imagination. Everywhere was cold and bleak and covered in thick layers of hard frost.
Yet in spite of the frozen atmosphere, the sour stench of decay was everywhere.
In a small gallery, deep in the heart of the labyrinth, the familiar sound of the TARDIS was heard. A moment later a large baroque portal materialised that was just as out of place as its previous attempts at camouflage. Cautiously its door opened and the Cyber Leader emerged, flanked by two guards.
Looking around, he rubbed a metal finger across a frozen wall, gouging a deep furrow in the frost. Something had gone wrong. Turning to one of the guards, he ordered him to contact Cyber Control and report on the situation.
Escorted by a