Doctor Who_ Delta and the Bannermen - Malcolm Kohll [23]
‘You’re wasting your time, Hawk,’ said Weismuller crossly.
‘Well, it’s better than stopping every passing stranger and asking them if they’ve seen our lost satellite,’ snapped Hawk. ‘All that gets us is a reputation for being crazy.’
‘But there’s no point in listening to the radio, Hawk. It’s stopped transmitting – that’s why we’ve got to look for it,’
said Weismuller.
‘Then I’ll listen to the Voice of America! Anything’s better than your yammering!’ said Hawk, turning the volume to maximum and yanking out the earphones.
The radio blared forth masking the sound of Ray’s scooter, as she and the Doctor belted around the corner and pulled up with a screech.
‘Excuse me,’ said the Doctor. ‘But have you seen a couple go by here? Fellow on a big black motorbike with a woman in a green polka dot dress?’
Hawk and Weismuller shared a look. ‘No sir, we ain’t seen no sign of life this morning. Ain’t that right Hawk?’
said Weismuller.
‘hope, not even an iddy biddy squirrel,’ Hawk chuckled.
‘I don’t suppose you’ve seen a...’
Hawk got no further as Weismuller jabbed him m the ribs. ‘Forget it Hawk.’
‘There’s one more place we can try, Doctor,’ said Ray.
‘Then let’s go!’ yelled the Doctor as she accelerated away.
Hawk looked at Weismuller, ‘I thought you said we had to look for it,’ he said.
‘That’s right I did, but that sure doesn’t include asking every Tom, Dick or Harry. Don’t forget, Weismuller, this is a top secret mission. We have to show a little caution –
we’re just supposed to be a couple of regular guys out on a camping trip.’ Weismuller nodded as he threaded another sausage onto the stick.
At Shangri-La the Navarinos had all gathered around the Nostalgia Trips cruiser. Their bags had all been stashed in the hold and they waited only for the navipod to resume normal working. They were very impatient to be away and kept scanning the empty skies for any sign of a Bannerman spaceship. One dumpy little Navarino promised that if she were to arrived home safely she would never leave Navarro again.
Murray and Mel were peering into the jar. ‘I don’t know much about cyrstalline structures,’ said Mel, ‘But that looks about cooked.’
‘I think you’re right, Mel. It does look ready. Shall we chance it?’ asked Murray.
Mel nodded in agreement. ‘Here we go then. Carefully does it...’ Murray eased his fingers into the bubbling red fluid and slowly withdrew the shimmering crystal cluster.
He eased it out of the liquid and held it aloft, a smile of satisfaction on his face. However, the wet surface was extremely slippery and Murray’s happy smile dissolved into a look of horror as he felt the sleek crystal suddenly slip from his grasp.
Mel dived at it, catching it in her cupped hands moments before it hit the ground. ‘Whew!’ cried Murray.
‘You can say that again, butterfingers! Now, will everyone please give us some air so that we can put it into the navipod,’ said Mel.
The space tourists stood back allowing Murray room to bolt the crystal into place. Murray worked slowly and carefully. He was determined not to take any more chances with their only means of escape.
Chapter Twenty
Two young rabbits playfully hopped around a quiet meadow. Suddenly they stopped and their ears pricked up, then quick as a flash they disappeared into a burrow. Their play had been disturbed by the puttering sound of Ray’s scooter as she and the Doctor approached. Ray stopped her bike at a barred gate and looked around helplessly. The Doctor leapt off the bike and, bending down, he ran his fingers along a faint groove in the mud. ‘This is the end of the road, Doctor,’ said Ray. ‘I don’t know where else to try.’
‘These tyre marks show a heavy motorcycle and sidecar passed this way. Come on Ray! We mustn’t give up now!
Their lives depend on us,’ cried the Doctor