Doctor Who_ Combat Rock - Mick Lewis [13]
Jamie shook hands with the guide warily. As he did so, Wina twined one slender arm around his, which improved his mood considerably. ‘All right, Doctor. Ye’d better tell us what we’re in for now.’
While the Doctor informed the Scot of the details of their imminent expedition to Papul, Victoria watched Wina closely.
The local girl obviously noticed the scrutiny betause she flashed Victoria a ‘back off’ glare that only made Victoria more determined to interrogate her.
‘Do you work in Batu?’ she said with a tight little smile.
Wina smiled back with an exaggerated friendliness that telegraphed her refusal to be intimidated only too well. ‘Yes.’
She evidently wasn’t going to give too much away. But then, Victoria wasn’t going to give up that easily either.
‘Are you from this island?’
Wina looked decidedly wary at this question. She was quiet for a moment and then, obviously coming to a decision, replied: ‘No. From Javee. It is next island west of Batu.’ Her gaze held Victoria’s steadily and there was a defiance in the set of her jaw as if she was ready and willing to argue the point, which Victoria frankly found puzzling.
Wemus overheard the conversation. He spoke to Wina briefly in a native tongue. What he said obviously upset her because he subsequently gave her a placatory grin and held his hands up in an apologetic manner that was bordering on the obsequious.
‘What’s the matter?’ Jamie turned away from the Doctor, noticing the change in Wina’s demeanour.
‘Oh... I sorry,’ said Wemus, smiling, smiling. ‘I say wrong thing to your friend. Not all girls from Javee bad, I very sorry.’
Victoria pounced on this. ‘Girls from Javee are bad? In what way?’
Wina was furious. She turned away abruptly and when Jamie tried to put an arm on her shoulder she shook it off angrily. He pointed a finger at Wemus, angry himself now
‘What was that all about?’ he demanded.
Wemus looked as though he wished he’d kept his mouth shut. ‘I sorry, I sorry.’ he repeated hastily.
‘Many girls from Javee come to Batu to find men with money.’
It was Wina who had spoken, still with her back to them.
‘But I never like that. I just like dancing, dancing.’
The Doctor came forward to try to alleviate the situation.
He took hold of Wina’s hand gallantly. ‘I’m sure Wemus meant no harm, my dear.’ She turned slowly, won over by his charm. His childlike smile coaxed one from her too.
‘Aye, well, he better be careful what he says next time,’
Jamie huffed, eyeing the small guide threateningly.
‘Perhaps Wina would like to accompany us on our little expedition,’ the Doctor continued, releasing her hand and clasping his own two together. The Indoni girl glanced at Jamie, then at the beaming Doctor again.
Jamie, who had still not been convinced up to this point of the need for any expedition, leapt at the idea. ‘Aye, lass.
Would ye no care to join us?’
He could see from the happy smile that flitted across her face that she was only too happy to accept the offer, but before the Indoni girl could answer, a cry interrupted them.
Jamie didn’t understand the language, but the intent was obvious, because a large rotting vegetable followed the shout, both coming from the same direction. It missed his head by inches and splattered on the stucco wall of the restaurant behind him. He gaped as the girl from the nightclub came hurtling after the vegetable, obviously intent on doing him severe harm with her long nails. He caught her by the wrists and held her away from him while Victoria watched in amazement and the Doctor hopped from one foot to another.
She was still wearing the same revealing clothes as the night before and obviously, like Jamie and Wina, had had no sleep, which only served to intensify her rage. She screamed at him in a local tongue, writhing like