Doctor Who_ Delta and the Bannermen - Malcolm Kohll [6]
‘In fact,’ said the Tollmaster slowly, ‘it’s an expensive conversion. The chassis is from a Hellstrom 11, the latest thing in cruisers. The bodywork is just there to please the tourists. They expect everything to be original, even down to the transport.’
Finally the Navarino hopped through the arch. In a blaze of light it emerged as a chubby human in a wrinkled bus driver’s uniform. He turned to the Doctor, saying, ‘I’ve been through that thing a thousand times but I still don’t like it. I always expect it to malfunction just as I’m going through. That would be a fine thing, to end up half humanoid and half Navarino. Anyway, welcome aboard.
I’m Murray.’
Mel introduced herself and the Doctor. Murray’s face lit up. ‘That’s great! Knowing Nostalgia Trips we may need a doctor.’
The Tollmaster flashed Murray an irate glance. ‘That’s why the tourists like him – for his wry sense of humour,’
he chuckled sheepishly.
Ignoring the Tollmaster’s remark, Murray turned to the waiting tourists. ‘Come on folks. All aboard!’ he said and started shepherding the passengers onto the waiting bus.
The Doctor and Mel were the last to step up, but the Doctor turned aside at the last moment. ‘You go ahead on the bus, Mel. I’ll follow on in the TARDIS.’
Murray raised an eyebrow in query but got onto the bus behind Mel. ‘What’s the matter Doctor? Don’t you think the old bus can make it? Take my advice and don’t be fooled by appearances. This baby goes like a fireball.’
Murray shut the door with a bang, causing the wing mirror to drop off. The hangar doors started to slide open.
‘Have fun now!’ cried the Tollmaster, blowing on his razzer one last time as the bus fired up its engines and turned towards the black night.
Chapter Five
Delta set the Bannerman craft on autopilot and went to kneel beside her dead bodyguard. A tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered friends and family, cut down by the barbarous Gavrok. Just then the video screen flickered into life. There in front of her was the malevolent face of the Bannerman commander, his shoulder bandaged and bloody. Gavrok had an ugly smirk on his face.
‘You cannot escape me. I’ll track you down wherever you go,’ he hissed.
‘How many of my people are left?’ Delta asked in a quavering voice. Seeing her distress Gavrok started to shake with laughter, a dry rasping sound that turned Delta’s heart to ice. ‘You are the last – there is nowhere you can hide,’ he spat at her.
Delta’s eye fell on the flashing green light of the ship’s homing device. ‘Your Trace Finder can follow the ship, Gavrok, but you’ll never take me. Never!’ She punched a button which abruptly shut down the video screen.
Desolately, she sank back into her seat, not knowing what to do next. Her concentration was interrupted by a mechanical warning signal: ‘Attention incoming craft. You are approaching tollport G715. Please have your credits ready.’ Delta swung round. She raised her weapon and aimed point-blank at the flashing green signal generator, knocking it out of action. Freeing the auto drive, she took over the controls, wrenching the ship into a tight turn.
On board an identical fighter Gavrok was leering at his viewer screen which showed the regular blip of Delta’s craft. Suddenly the blip went out. Gavrok banged the device with a gloved hand. ‘She’s somehow cut the Trace.
Visual pursuit!’ he ordered.
The ship’s pilot activated the optical viewer. In the distance Delta’s craft suddenly veered steeply to one side, disappearing completely from the screen. ‘Copy her vector!’ barked Gavrok at his long-suffering pilot. The pilot pulled the controls into a steep angle. ‘You’re overshooting, fool! She’s ducked into that space toll!’
shrieked Gavrok.
Just then, unaware of the effect it might have, the synthesized voice cut in with its now-familiar litany.
‘Attention incoming craft. You are approaching...’ It never managed to finish its message because Gavrok’s heavy fist smashed into the