Doctor Who_ Earthworld - Jacqueline Rayner [72]
Antarctica and Africa stood up and pushed back their chairs.
‘Where are you going?’ Hanstrum demanded. ‘I haven’t finished!’ They ignored him, and walked over to the door, patting the golden robot on the way out as though it were a pet dog.
Asia smiled thinly at Hanstrum. ‘My sisters are going to get changed,’ she said. ‘They are uncomfortable being dressed inappropriately for their surroundings. My sisters. . . ’ The smile changed to one of amusement. ‘My sisters are ruled by their instincts. I wonder if you can understand that.’
‘What I understand,’ Hanstrum glowered, ‘is that you prefer to carry on with your insignificant little games rather than play the one great game – power!’
He leaned forward, gazing at her imploringly. ‘Can’t you see it? Hoover stands down. The throne would be yours – all yours! You wouldn’t have to hide away here in secret: the whole planet would be your play area!’
‘Ask him what’s in it for him,’ Anji muttered. Rather too loudly, as it turned out, as Hanstrum shot her a chilling glance. Fitz gave her a nudge in the ribs.
Hadn’t she worked out by now that you didn’t wind up any of these loonies?
Christ, he’d just survived a death match, for goodness’ sake; he didn’t want to end up in a wooden overcoat ’cos of some Asian chick’s big mouth. He glanced sideways at Anji. Even if it was quite a nice mouth.
‘What’s in it for you, Mr Hanstrum?’ asked Asia, brightly.
Hanstrum glared at Anji again, but answered, ‘You are young,’ he said. ‘The people, alas, would not accept you as rulers until you reach the age of maturity.
Your father, therefore, would have to appoint a presidential regent to rule in your stead.’
‘Huh,’ said Asia. ‘You just want to be in charge. You’re not doing this for us.’
‘You’re wrong,’ said Hanstrum. ‘I want you on the throne. That would make me happy. But until that is possible. . . ’
‘This is all wrong!’ Xernic hissed to Anji and Fitz. ‘This isn’t what ANJI stands for!’
‘Pardon?’ said Fitz.
132
EarthWorld
‘I’ve made such an impression on this world that they’ve named a terrorist organisation after me,’ Anji told him.
‘You don’t seem to understand,’ Asia was saying. ‘We used to want to be president, long ago, when we thought it would mean people doing what we said.’
‘It does!’ interrupted Hanstrum.
‘ But,’ she continued, ‘that was when we were young and locked up and didn’t know any better. Now we know what it’s like to have real fun with real people, and we want lots of it. And we want to go to the real Earth, instead of some silly fake Earth or a stupid world that tries to be like Earth but doesn’t have a clue.’
‘But you can’t!’ said Hanstrum. ‘The succession. . . ’
‘You’re not going to stop us doing what we want because of some silly succession,’ said Asia. ‘We won’t let you. We don’t care about this planet. We only care about Earth.’
The door creaked open. Fitz assumed it was Africa or Antarctica coming back, and kept his eyes on Asia and Hanstrum. Mistake.
There was a chink of metal.
Asia suddenly screamed. Full-hands-to-the-head-feet-apart job. Fitz turned to see a massive knight in full plate mail standing over him, broadsword held threateningly in one hand. He yelped, and began to scuttle away, unfortunately falling backwards over Anji and Xernic as they tried to move in different directions. But. . . and this was the weird thing he observed as he half raised his head. . . Asia was running now but she wasn’t running away from the knight, she was running to him. . .
And as Fitz sat up, he saw Asia reach the knight. She clung to his arm.
‘Oh, Sir Lancelet!’ she cried. ‘This evil man was trying to keep me prisoner!’
She pointed at Hanstrum, who was getting to his feet and looking thoroughly bewildered. ‘I am so scared of him, please take him away and lock him up or kill him or something.’
The knight strode forward towards Hanstrum. He spoke, his voice deep and musical. ‘So, you threaten these ladies, varlet?’ he said.
‘Get away from me!’ yelled Hanstrum angrily. ‘Do you know who you’re talking to, android? I am the