Doctor Who_ Curse of Peladon - Brian Hayles [56]
He knew that cry: it was the Royal Beast, the mighty Aggedor!
‘Its Aggedor...’ murmured the Doctor, looking down the dark tunnel in the direction of the sound. That terrifying howl, far from striking terror into his heart, had given him an idea.
‘Grun,’ he said with a chuckle of delight, ‘I think we may have a chance after all!’
The King’s Champion looked at the mad alien in dumb amazement as the Doctor pulled him towards the eerie animal howl. Grun drew back. ‘Come on, Grun,’ coaxed the Doctor.
‘You’re not frightened, are you? You’re the King’s Champion, remember!’
Grun wasn’t impressed with his own reputation—at least, not when it was a matter of confronting Aggedor. But the Doctor insisted. ‘It’s our only chance, Grun. And don’t you worry—just leave everything to me.’ Grun stared into the Doctor’s eyes, uncertain. ‘Its not for our sake, old chap, it’s for the king,’ said the Doctor firmly.
Grun took a deep breath, gripped his sword more tightly, and pointed the way ahead. The Doctor smiled. ‘That’s a good chap. I think you’ll find that Aggedor will think on exactly the same lines as you do. Lets go and find out, shall we?’
When the knock on the delegates’ room finally came, Izlyr and Ssorg were prepared. With Jo and Alpha Centauri safely out of the line of fire, the two Ice Warriors took up positions that commanded not only the door but the angle of the corridor outside that would be bound to contain the reinforcements. The door opened inward. Izlyr had worked out that against the primitive weapons of the Pels they could hold the room indefinitely. Food and water was a different matter. But if they could hold out for long enough, there was always the chance that the orbiting spacecraft would become suspicious and send down a scouting party. The knock came again, sharper, and with authority.
‘Enter,’ hissed the warlord, and prepared to fire.
There was only one man standing in the open doorway. It was Hepesh. He did not seem afraid.
‘If you have men hidden outside, Ssorg will destroy you,’
whispered Izlyr coldly. ‘I warn you—do not attempt to harm us.’
‘I am unarmed and alone.’ retorted the High Priest. ‘Where is the Doctor?’
‘Somewhere you can’t find him!" shouted Jo defiantly.
‘He will not escape capture for long,’ replied Hepesh, arrogantly. ‘The heart of the citadel is under my control. You will all come with me to the throne room—now!’
‘Its a trap!’ shrilled Alpha Centauri, quivering in alarm. ‘He will kill all of us!’
‘You will not be harmed,’ said Hepesh. ‘I give you my word.
We do not need you as hostages, if that is what you’re afraid of.’
Ssorg lumbered forward, and spoke to his master. ‘Lord Izlyr, let us take this one hostage in return for our safety.’
‘Do not be so foolish,’ Hepesh said haughtily. ‘My men hold the king prisoner. If I do not return with all of you immediately, King Peladon will die. Is that what you wish?’
The High Priest smiled cruelly. His remark had caused consternation amongst the aliens. Then, without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out. He knew they would follow. They couldn’t afford not to...
11
The King’s Avenger
From the depths of the tunnel ahead, the cry of Aggedor rang out again. Grun stopped in his tracks. He had come face to face with the Royal Beast once already in his life. To survive a second time was surely tempting Fate too far! The burly warrior gave a low growl of discouragement; The Doctor turned and walked back to the awestruck King’s Champion. Before the Doctor could speak, Grun was pointing ahead and shaking his head vehemently. But the Doctor’s voice was calm and reassuring. He took the peculiar mirror device from his pocket, and showed it to Grun.
‘Grun, you’re a brave warrior, I know,’ he said. ‘What you’re going to see may amaze you—but trust me.’
Grun looked from the Doctor’s confident face to the gleaming mirror, now still. What did it mean? Was this mad alien going to face the being that had so easily destroyed Torbis with nothing more deadly in his hand than a child’s toy? He shook his grizzled head again, more uneasy