Doctor Who_ Bunker Soldiers - Martin Day [98]
The Doctor, followed by the senior soldier, walked around the hexagonal controls to join me. ‘It will be good to resume Batu’s acquaintance,’ he said lightly. ‘I am sure he will want to see all this.’ He waved a hand airily to encompass the room, then suddenly slammed it down on to the controls.
With a hum, the doors began to swing shut. Ignoring us, the soldiers ran forward, striving to pull against the interlocking white blocks. But their efforts were futile, and within moments we were all trapped in the control room.
I glanced over to see that the Doctor had used these few precious moments to resume his work at the TARDIS controls.
‘Open the door!’ the subordinate soldier shouted, tugging against the great white blocks with all his strength. I wondered if, for the first time, he was frightened.
‘You will do as we say!’ ordered the other, banging on the roundel-covered doors in frustration.
‘With pleasure, my boy, with pleasure!’ smiled the Doctor triumphantly. ‘But I need to finish this first!’
The leader stalked towards him. ‘What are you doing?’ he asked in a quiet voice.
I was asking myself the same question. I looked over the Doctor’s shoulders to see a small screen, seemingly connected to the alien control device, filling with random marks and symbols.
‘Finishing things off,’ the Doctor said, with a final stab of the controls.
The screen flashed brightly, and then became dark.
XXVIII
Angelus
Reloading present mission diagnostics...
Complete.
Initial summary:
Unassigned bunker penetrated and compromised. Provisional target GJU-435-FBK attacked and compromised. Revised mission success index: 100%.
Verify...
Mission success index: 100%.
Mission complete.
Without warning, the creature dropped Dmitri to the ground. Its entire body was shaking. Dodo saw its face flicker and change, melting away like a plastic doll’s face consumed by fire. She caught glimpses of the governor’s cook, Lesia, and many others she did not recognise – then the whole mass collapsed to the floor like an oversized puppet with its strings cut.
Dmitri rolled away, coughing. Behind him, the pool that had been the monster – a viscous mass of bone and skin and muscle
– began to ebb away. Catacomb winds caught the steam that rose from the dark remains, and Dodo held her nose in disgust.
It was the awful stench of a living thing being boiled into nothingness.
‘What has happened?’ demanded Batu. It was clear from his voice that, though he did not understand what had occurred, he was irritated it was not anything he had commanded.
‘I. . I do not know,’ stammered Isaac.
‘I bet the Doctor’s behind this!’ exclaimed Dodo, breathless with excitement.
‘Bring the Doctor to me!’ Batu growled.
Mongke nodded. ‘Yes, cousin. It is time we spoke to him again.’
XXIX
Orbis
The tip of the soldier’s sword was pressed against the Doctor’s throat.
‘I cannot concentrate in these circumstances, young man,’
the Doctor said. ‘You are trying my patience!’
The soldier said nothing, but lowered his sword a little. We all watched as the Doctor operated the controls again. With an electronic murmur, the doors opened. Beyond was the blackened shell of the governor’s residence.
The Mongol soldiers exchanged whispered words, then turned back towards us. ‘Come with us,’ the leader ordered.
‘Of course, of course,’ said the Doctor, now a picture of compliance.
As we followed them from the TARDIS I turned to him. ‘Is it all over?’ I whispered.
‘Very nearly,’ said the Doctor. He paused for just a moment, examining the blackened remains of the building’s once regal rooms and corridors. ‘For the people of this city,’ he added in a quiet voice, ‘it was all over many months ago, when Prince Michael fled, and those who remained behind decided on a course of opposition. If only they had submitted to the Mongol Empire, instead of resisting it!’
‘Might things have been different?’ I asked.
‘Perhaps, my boy. Perhaps,’ he replied. ‘But history, like conversation,