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Philippo nodded frantically. 'I swear! This man and a girl appeared from within:

`Show me:

The Grand Inquisitor swept forward, the crowd parting like curtains before him. Philippo scampered ahead, desperate to be vindicated:This way, my Lord, in the shadow of the apothecary's.'

W ith Bishop Agatho and his priests following uneasily behind him, del Toro approached the tall blue shape that sat amongst the clutter of the market. Ignoring the frightened gasps from the watching crowd, he placed a gloved hand on the side of the box.

`Yes . . . ' he murmured. 'It is as I thought . . . '

He swung round to Philippo, his eyes blazing. 'Two people came from this infernal device, you say?'

`Yes, excellency. The man and a girl.'

`W here, then, is the girl?'

`I . . . I don't know,' Philippo stammered. 'W e have not found her. Perhaps her powers . . . '

`Her powers?' snapped del Toro. 'Rather, fear my powers! Your lack of faith makes you blunder.' He nodded at his guards. 'Take him.'

Philippo was caught roughly by the arms. 'Please; he screamed, 'I have done nothing wrong.'

`That is for me to determine: snapped del Toro. He turned to the Bishop. 'You will have this device taken into the cathedral. Get the rabble to move it with their carts and beasts. Keep it under constant guard.' The Bishop eyed the box warily. 'If you are sure, eminence. But would it not be safer on board your ship?'

`Safer?'

`Given the nature of this . . . engine. The terror it brought before . . . I mean, the people.'

`It will serve as a warning to the people always to be vigilant for the Evil One, and a reminder of the mercy and benevolence the Church has shown to this blighted world. An unpleasant smile danced at the edges of del Toro's mouth. 'Besides, if our ship were to be damaged by that thing, we would be stranded on Haven until a suitable vessel could be despatched from Rome. That might mean months.'

The Bishop swallowed hard.

`Better that it rests within the hallowed walls of the cathedral, yes? I want you to oversee it personally, Agatho.'

Bishop Agatho dabbed a piece of linen to his brow and nodded.

`At once, milord.'

`Good. I will take the witch to my ship and question him.'

The Grand Inquisitor turned and swept back towards the ship, the guards dragging the unfortunate Philippo after him. In the shadow of the huge cross, the Doctor's unconscious body was being strapped to a metal stretcher by more guards. Del Toro beckoned to a grizzled captain, who strode to his side.

`Milord?'

`Captain, we have the man but a girl is still at large in the city. Once the landing site has been made secure and the Time Lord capsule transferred to the cathedral, take some of the men — as many as you need — and search this city.'

`Yes, milord.'

`Tear the place apart if you have to. I want that girl!'

Hidden among the frightened throng, Cat watched as the ornately robed Grand Inquisitor vanished into the bowels of the huge, gleaming ship. Her heart sank as she saw the Doctor's stretcher hoisted off the ground, and he too was taken inside. All around her there was an audible sigh of relief as the great metal doors slid shut behind him. People started to mutter and chatter, nervous and jittery. Cat pulled her shawl around

her face and started to push her way out of the square.

She had seen the murmured conversation between the Inquisitor and the guard captain, seen his eyes raking over the crowd. He would be looking for her, of that she had no doubt, and any thoughts she might have had about making a heroic rescue had vanished as soon as the guards had taken charge of the Doctor. These men were no prairie traders — they were well trained and disciplined, and they had complex technological weaponry. They gave off a convincing illusion of pomp and ceremony with their black helmets and gleaming swords, but Cat had seen the ugly stub-nosed shapes of blasters beneath their cloaks as they had cleared a path for their master. If they had blasters then it was a fair bet