Doctor Who_ Delta and the Bannermen - Malcolm Kohll [45]
Delta stood beside him, smiling broadly.
‘We’ve done it, Billy. In a couple of years I will have reproduced the nucleus of an entire community here, and then we can return to Chumeria and repopulate it completely.’ She gazed into his eyes and said, ‘Thank you.,
‘What about the Bannermen?’ asked Billy.
‘Do you think you could take them to the galactic prison star to await trial?’ Delta asked.
‘Sure,’ said Billy, ‘Be a piece of cake.’
Delta and her daughter disembarked. Billy kissed them both, saying that he would be back soon. He closed the hatch behind him, then dialled a set of digits into the flight programmer and eased back on the joystick. The craft lifted up and within seconds was streaking through the void.
When Billy arrived with his wretched captives at the galactic palace of justice, there was an armed guard to greet him. Word of the attack on Chumeria and the subsequent assault on Shangri-La had spread throughout the civilized galaxy. The atomization of Gavrok was seen as a major contribution to peace. The Supreme Law Lord himself came out and congratulated Billy on his achievement as the Bannermen were led away. They were to remain in a dungeon until such time as they came to trial. A heavy sentence was expected, but before Billy left he made a special appeal to the Supreme Law Lord – that the Bannermen be given thread and looms and be allowed to start their rehabilitation at once.
The entire court population turned out to see Billy off, and when he pushed the joystick forward he felt exactly as he did when doing a wheelspin on the Vincent.
However, when he touched down on the brood planet he felt as he had never felt before. Delta came rushing to meet him, flinging her arms around his neck with a cry of delight. Billy, a billion miles from Earth, had come home.
Meanwhile down on the little blue planet, Weisrnuller drove the Morris Minor into the forecourt of Daffyd Owen’s Car Hire Ltd. The satellite lay on the back seat, covered by Hawk’s jacket. As for Hawk he seemed to be fairly well recovered, except when he saw the silver sphere in the back, then he would start muttering to himself and shaking his head.
‘C’mon, Hawk,’ said Weismuller, emerging from the office. ‘Mr Owen has offered to drive us to the station.’ The office door opened and Mr Owen emerged. He got into the car and started the engine.
‘All right boyo?’ he asked of Hawk. Hawk nodded vigorously, making sure that his jacket didn’t slip off the satellite.
‘And where will you boys be going now?’ enquired Owens amiably as the car puttered towards the centre of Betwys.
‘Home!’ said Weismuller from the back seat, not bothering to mask the grin of satisfaction on his face.
Owen pulled up at the train station and the Americans got out, trying to hide the satellite under various garments.
‘Give us a shout next time you’re in town,’ cried Owen as he pulled away.
Hawk turned to Weismuller, a perplexed look on his face. ‘Tell me something, Weismuller,’ he said. ‘When we get back to the US of A, I don’t think we should tell anyone what really happened here – agreed?’ Hawk stuck out his hand.
‘Agreed,’ said Weismuller.
With a shrill whistle the 10:45 express to London pulled up at the platform. Hawk and Weismuller clambered aboard, and the train steamed away.
Goronwy, on returning to his home, was distressed to find the carnage done by the Bannermen. However, he was philosophical about it. The first thing he did was to make himself a strong cup of tea which he took inside with a tray of scones and honey. He pushed the scones to one side of the plate and was pleased when a moment later a couple of bees appeared and started eating them. He gazed up into the clear sky and shook his head, lost in thought. A butterfly landed on the back of his hand. Goronwy smiled..
Ray, upset to have lost Billy, was delighted to have acquired the motorbike. Not simply any motorbike, but the best bike in the world. Although she couldn’t travel to distant galaxies like the Doctor and the others, she could travel to distant