Doctor Who_ Beyond the Sun - Matthew Jones [128]
‘Emile!’ Scott exclaimed, exasperated. ‘Emile, you are such a complete asshole, you know that?’
Emile burst out laughing despite himself. Tameka’s insult sounded so strange and funny coming from Scott’s mouth. Like he was trying to swear in a foreign language.
And, Emile considered, maybe he was.
From the diary of Bernice Summerfield
After all that I tucked myself away in Iranda’s cabin and shamelessly rifled through her belongings. I was lying on her bunk, staring at the ceiling, when Jason came in. He sat quietly on the edge of the bunk and didn’t look at me.
After a long time he coughed and asked me what I intended to do next.
I sighed. ‘Go back to work. I’m way behind schedule on Down Among The Dead Men Again or whatever I end up calling it. I spent the advance ages ago. I daren’t pick up my office phone half the time for fear it’s my publisher. Plus a million and one other things that are no doubt pressing for my professorial attention.’
‘You really like it there, don’t you?’
‘Dellah?’
‘St Oscar’s.’
‘Yes. Yes I do. It’s my home. I like having somewhere to miss when I’m away.’
‘I was wondering whether . . .’
‘What?’ I sat up on one elbow and appraised him closely.
‘Well, whether you might want to have dinner with me or a drink or something?’
I told him that I didn’t know. He looked rather crestfallen. Actually, crestfallen is generous: he looked as if he were dangerously close to sulking.
Which, I believe, is where we came in.
‘Jason,’ I started, not really knowing what I was going to say next. ‘Asking me if we can start seeing each other again, I mean, it’s like asking me if after having had one car crash I want another.’
He looked a bit wounded by that. He got up and started fiddling with something on the nearby desk. It was the necklace Jock had given to me on Ursu. I explained to Jason about the Ursulan tradition of articulating their personal beliefs. Writing down their code of ethics. He asked to read it and I shrugged, barely remembering what I had written.
This is what it said:
Bernice Summerfield is a human being. And as such she is all too capable of being cruel and cow-ardly. And yet, while she is often caught up in violent events, she endeavours to remain a woman of peace.
Extract ends
NA
BEYOND THE SUN
‘I’m not proud of what I’m doing. And I searched desperately for another way. I’m not going to lie to you. I do
feel responsible for bringing Errol here. For bringing all of them here. But I will do what I have to do to keep
them alive.’
Do what I have to do. If the words did not make sense, the meaning behind them was clear. ‘That’s a threat,
isn’t it?’
‘Maybe.’
‘Maybe.’ He wanted to laugh, but all he could manage was a grim smile. ‘You’re worse than the Sunless. At
least they aren’t hypocrites. At least they are willing to accept who they are.’
‘Please!’
He shook his head, a weight lifting from his shoulders. He felt free for the first time in the year since the
spaceships had come and brought terror and chains to his world. ‘You’re going to have to kill me, Bernice Summerfield,’
he said. ‘Nothing else is within your power.’
Table of Contents
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ENEMY
1
2
3
4
5
6
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ENEMY
7
8
9
10
11
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ENEMY
12
13
14
15
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ENEMY
16
17
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ENEMY
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CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ENEMY
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