Doctor Who_ Delta and the Bannermen - Malcolm Kohll [11]
Billy looked suspiciously at Murray, convinced that his leg was being pulled. ‘Well,’ said Billy, sucking on his teeth, ‘if it’s got four wheels I can fix it.’
‘It shouldn’t take too long to repair – I have a spare Quarb crystal on the TARDIS,’ said the Doctor. Billy now looked at the Doctor, he wondered what kind of a joke these two guys were trying to pull. However, they didn’t laugh – in fact they set off for the bus, in deadly earnest.
Billy shook his head, picked up his toolbag, and followed after them.
When he reached the bus the bonnet was already open and Murray and the Doctor were reaching into the engine bay. Billy took a peek and gave a low whistle – instead of a greasy old diesel engine, there was a high-tech jet burner with twin boosters nestling in the engine space.
‘I’ve NEVER seen an engine like that!’ said Billy.
Murray grunted, ‘She’s a Hellstrom Fireball, capable of Warp 5 with a good tailwind.’
Billy glanced around and saw a police phone box standing a few feet away. He was now convinced that the whole thing was some kind of elaborate prank, but the other two were working on the bus with fierce concentration.
The Doctor was tugging at something. Finally he appeared with the small satellite, painted with the Stars and Stripes. ‘This is the cause of the problem – an extremely crude low-orbital satellite capable of only the most rudimentary radio transmissions,’ he said.
Murray took the satellite and tied it onto the bus’s roof-rack, then laboriously made a note in his book. ‘Thanks Doctor. I have to fill in an accident report or Head Office will withdraw my licence. As it is, it’s touch and go.’
Billy was still having trouble believing his eyes. ‘Uh...
exactly what is it you’re trying to do?’ he said.
The Doctor pointed at a small black box with a glowing crystal sticking out of its centre. ‘That’s the navipod. If we can unbolt it then we can replace the crystal.’
Billy picked up a spanner and dived into the engine bay.
The Doctor entered the TARDIS, to appear a moment later carrying a small reinforced case. Billy emerged from the engine hay triumphantly clutching the black navipod.
‘Well done,’ said the Doctor, ‘Now, inside this box is the only Quarb crystal this side of the Softel Nebula.’
‘It was really lucky that you came along, Doctor,’
whispered Murray confidentially. ‘Head Office said this was my last chance to make good.’ Murray carefully started unscrewing the lid of the navipod and took out the broken crystal. He gently lifted the new crystal from its shock-proof case and fitted it into the device. The lid was screwed back on and it was ready to be refitted.
‘Carefully does it now,’ said the Doctor.
‘Here, I’ll fit it,’ said Billy. He and Murray bent into the engine bay and started spannering.
A red scooter with white leg shields pulled up and stopped beside the bus. The rider wore black jeans and a denim jacket. She took off her helmet and shook down her hair. ‘Hi Billy,’ she said.
Billy barely glanced up. ‘Hi Rachel. This is Murray and the Doctor.’
Ray grimaced at being called by her full name. ‘Please call me Ray. Do you lads want a hand?’
Murray popped a grease-spattered face over the wing of the bus, ‘You haven’t by any chance got a one-and-five-eighths socket, have you?’ Ray dug in her shoulder bag and produced the gleaming wrench. Murray was astonished and blinked several times before taking it from her and resuming work.
The Doctor had noted the transaction with interest. ‘Do you always carry a full set of tools around with you?’ he asked.
‘It’s what Billy taught me – always be prepared,’ said Ray with a shy smile.
‘Absolutely. A stitch in time is worth two in space,’ said the Doctor. Ray grinned at him then turned back to Billy.
It was obvious that she thought the world of him. Billy, however, appeared not to even notice that she was a girl.
Murray was grunting as he applied the final turn of the wrench to the navipod. There was a sudden mechanical CLANG! and he rose out of the engine hay, his face white with shock. In his