Doctor Who_ Cave Monsters - Malcolm Hulke [2]
But the atmosphere was never completely pulled away from the surface-of the Earth. Within a day the greater gravity of Earth had trapped the little wandering planet, turning the course of its flight into an orbit that en-circled the Earth.
Millions of the little furry animals were drowned, or swept to death against rocks by the force of the great winds. But some survived. Since there was no time of complete airless vacuum on the Earth, the devices to de-hibernate the reptile people were never triggered.
With the reptile masters of Earth safely hibernating in their deep shelters, the little furry animals—the mammals—were able to live in peace and multiply. As millions of years rolled by, and as the Earth's climate changed and became cooler, the mammals increased both in numbers and in their variety of species. Most of them continued to walk and run using all four limbs. But some, similar to those Okdel saw racing across the valley, began to stand upright on their hind legs, lost most of their body hair, and learnt to use their upper limbs to handle tools. Of all the mammalian species it was this one that learnt how to talk. When this animal looked up into the night sky and, saw the little planet still orbiting his Earth, he gave it a special name. He called it the Moon.
The surface of the Earth changed and changed again. Whole continents moved their position. The Earth's crust folded over on itself, not once but many times. The underground shelters of the sleeping reptile people sank deeper and deeper below the surface. In many places rocks and mountains formed over the shelters. The reptile people remained in their state of hibernation, knowing nothing of the world they had lost. They were to remain like that until Man, homo sapiens, started to probe beneath the crust of what he now considered was his planet.
2
The Doctor Gets a Message
Liz Shaw crossed the UNIT headquarters quadrangle as she came from the Communications Office, the scribbled note in her hand. She saw Corporal Grover making for the Armament Room.
She called: 'Corporal Grover!'
The Corporal spun round and stood to attention. He didn't salute because Liz was not a UNIT officer, but he stood to attention because she was at least the Doctor's scientific assistant.
'Do you know where the Doctor is?' she asked.
'With Bessie, I think, ma'am.'
'Bessie?'
'You know,' said the Corporal. 'That old banger of his.'
She still wasn't used to a car being called by a girl's name. She thanked the Corporal, and hurried over to the row of garages. Bessie, the Doctor's beloved car, was in the first garage. Liz looked inside.
Bessie stood there, her brasswork and shiny radiator gleaming. Liz called, 'Doctor?'
'What is it?' The voice came from under the car.
Liz worked her way round the car, being careful not to step on tools now strewn on the floor. The Doctor's long legs stuck out from under one side of the car. 'There's an urgent message from the Brigadier,' she called.
The Doctor's legs stayed exactly as they were. ' All his messages are urgent,' called the Doctor, 'or at least he thinks they are.
Can you hand me the self-adjusting spanner?'
Liz looked in the mess of tools for the spanner, found it, knelt down and poked it under the car. 'Is this it?'
The spanner was taken from her hand. 'Thanks. What's the Brigadier's message?'
Liz said, 'I'll read it to you. It says, "Miss Shaw and the Doctor will report themselves forthwith to Wenley Moor to attend a briefing meeting." That's all.'
The Doctor slid himself out from under the car and looked up at Liz from the garage floor. One side of his nose was black with axle grease. 'Is that all?'
'Yes,' she