Doctor Who_ Delta and the Bannermen - Malcolm Kohll [3]
Chumeria’s inhabitants, the peace-loving Chimerons were soft and pupa-like with silvery green skins and vivid blue eyes. Having lived tranquilly for thousands of years the Chimerons were unaccustomed to battle and were helpless before the savage and relentless onslaught of the Bannermen.
The first wave of shock troops had all but obliterated the Chimeron defences and now Gavrok had only to mop up. He stood on a large shattered rock, an awesome sight in his black military uniform. Slung across his chest was a powerful ray gun and in his left hand, raised aloft, he clutched a huge spear from which long black pennants fluttered wildly in the wind – the insignia of his empire.
He pressed to his lips a grotesquely carved curling horn, and blowing a low mournful note which echoed across the fractured valley, he rallied his troops.
There were only a handful of Chimerons left, and they were engaged in desperate hand-to-hand fighting with the Bannermen. In the front line was Delta, the Chimeron Queen, surely one of the most beautiful creatures in the Universe. Unlike her subjects she was more humanoid in appearance with a delicate translucent skin tone – more pink than green, the mark of royalty amongst the Chimerons.
Phaser in hand, Delta was pressed into a rocky gap with one of her bodyguards, watching in horror as her people and planet were falling under the alien boot. Gavrok shouted across the clash of weapons and clamour of battle,
‘Take no prisoners. KILL THEM ALL!’ And raised the horn for another dismal bellow.
Delta had had enough. She was enraged at the death and destruction which the murderous Bannermen had brought to her beloved planet. She popped out of her hiding space and aimed her phaser. Gavrok’s horn exploded into a thousand pieces, almost knocking him off the rock with the force of the blast. Rage flashed across his sinister features.
Exhausted by the fray, Delta turned to her bodyguard.
‘Are you strong enough to run?’ she asked.
‘Where? They’ve firebombed every ship we have,’ was his desolate reply.
‘Then we’ll have to take one of theirs!’ said Delta, setting her lips. By now, she was well aware of Gavrok’s evil plan to exterminate her people, and although it saddened her to flee her stricken planet, she knew it was necessary to prevent the wholesale destruction of the Chimeron race.
With grim determination she pointed through the fug towards the squat black Bannerman fighter, bristling with weapons. ’NOW!’ she yelled as she and the bodyguard rushed from their hiding place. Gavrok’s troops opened fire on the fugitives racing towards their ship. Weaving their way through corpses and splintered rock they narrowly avoided the vaporizing rays of a hundred Bannermen phasers.
The Bannerman soldier guarding the fighter loomed up in front of Delta. She snapped off a shot and he slumped down as the energy beam tore through him. Delta and her bodyguard pushed him aside and ran up the ramp into the ship. ‘I’ll cover the hatch while you retract the anchor ballast,’ she gasped.
She bravely faced the door, hoping to keep off the wave of hostile troops which would appear at any moment. The royal bodyguard gave a cry, causing her to spin around.
Gavrok was standing behind them with an ugly leer on his face and a glowing blaster in his hand. Delta’s bodyguard was lying on the floor, a gaping wound in his chest.
‘You are the last survivor,’ hissed Gavrok. ‘But not for long. Move!’ He gestured with his blaster for Delta to go through the hatch. She slowly raised her hands as Gavrok’s ugly bulk advanced towards her, forcing her towards the hatch and certain death.
Suddenly a beam took him full in