Doctor Who_ Delta and the Bannermen - Malcolm Kohll [43]
Chapter Thirty-Two
Inside the fighter the groggy Bannermen had been bound back-to-back and were stacked like a miserable cord of firewood, waiting to be transported through space. Delta, Hawk and Weismuller were standing over them.
Weismuller nodded towards the Bannermen. ‘That should hold them until they get back to Mars or wherever it is they’re going,’ he said.
‘Considerably further than that,’ replied Delta.
Hawk seemed to have partially recovered from his stupor and looked like he was rather enjoying the spectacle. Every now and then he would nudge or prod a Bannerman. ‘That will teach you to mess with us earthlings. Earthlings! What am I saying?’ he chuckled to himself.
Weismuller hoped Hawk was beginning to get back to his old self. He was feeling slightly apprehensive about what he was going to put in his report. He thought that there was a strong possibility that his explanation of the recent events would be met with some scepticism.
The young girl came running in, pointing towards the camp.
Billy and the Doctor appeared on the Vincent and stopped beside the Bannermen craft. Billy had become pure Chimeron. Delta stepped out to meet them, her arm still around her daughter. ‘Everything ship-shape?’ said Billy grinning.
Delta nodded and turned towards the others. ‘I don’t know how I can ever thank you for what you’ve done. You have saved our planet and our race. You will always be welcomed there as heroes,’ she said.
Billy put an arm around her. ‘Goodbye everyone.’ He turned to Ray who was gulping back a tear. ‘I’ll always think of you here at Shangri-La, Ray,’ he said, smiling at her.
Ray swallowed a lump. ‘G’bye Billy. I won’t forget you either...’ she stammered as the hatch started to close.
‘Hey! I nearly forgot,’ yelled Billy, ‘The Vincent’s yours now. Remember to feather the clutch,’ were his final words.
Ray’s face lit up as she looked at the gleaming Vincent standing beside her. She climbed aboard, awed by its magnificence. She turned to thank Billy but the hatch had already closed. The ship gave a brief judder then took off.
‘Thanks Billy. Take care of yourself,’ she whispered and blew a kiss into the clear blue sky.
The Doctor circled the bike studying it closely. ‘What are you thinking Doctor?’ asked Ray.
‘I was just speculating what this vehicle would be like with a sophisticated suspension and braking system.’
‘Are you kidding? This is the best there is.’ Ray swung her weight onto the kickstart lever and the huge engine coughed into life. ‘BYE!’ she cried and roared away.
The Doctor turned and started walking towards the TARDIS.
‘STOP!’ said Mel.
‘It’s quite safe now,’ said the Doctor, ‘Gavrok absorbed such a huge amount of energy that the device used up all of its power.’
Hawk, who had now developed a nervous twitch, was blinking furiously. ‘Now I can call Washington,’ he said decisively. But then he stopped and his jaw hung slack.
‘But I don’t know what to say...’ he trailed off. Weismuller put a comforting arm around him.
‘No one has to call them old buddy. We can take it easy,’
he said.
‘That sounds like a good idea. How does a holiday sound to you, Mel?’ said the Doctor.
‘A month at least,’ she replied with a grin.
‘Good. Please accept our thanks for everything, Mr Burton,’ said the Doctor.
‘Thank you, Doctor. I haven’t seen such a shindig since I went buffalo hunting in Africa. Treacherous brutes, buffalo...’ said Burton, trailing off into reminiscence.
Goronwy appeared and, reaching into his pocket, he produced a jar of fine golden honey. ‘1928 hibiscus blossom,’ he said, handing the jar to the Doctor. The Doctor’s eyes lit up.
‘Ah! The nectar of honey or the honey of nectar. You’re more than a collector, Goronwy – you’re a man of taste!’
‘Thank you Doctor. And now I must get back to my little friends. They will be expecting me and we have a lot of work to do,’ said the old man, winking at the Doctor. He turned towards Hawk and Weismuller. ‘Ah, my American friends. If you are ever again in the