Doctor Who_ Earthworld - Jacqueline Rayner [80]
‘Sounds a bit fishy,’ said Fitz, continuing. ‘And this bit: “The magical marlin transformed himself and his friend the lancelet into humans, so they could protect the King from the evil Mort.”’ He looked up from the screen. ‘This is just rubbish! It bears no relation to reality!’
‘And what exactly makes you think the stories you know bear any resemblance to the Arthurian reality?’ said the Doctor.
‘Well,’ began Fitz, but the Doctor carried on.
‘This is important,’ he said, ‘because these are the legends that have filtered through to today, and so that’s how “Lancelet” and the others will be programmed. Now, read on, Fitz, please.’
Nights at the Round Table
145
‘Well, “Arthur was married to Guinevere” – it’s spelt Gwinnyveer, but at least the name’s the same. . . “and she betrayed him with the human lancelet, who had fought Arthur on the bridge over the lake and become his chief knight. . .
They went on a quest for the Holy Grel, a tentacled monster that would reveal to them good holy facts and bad holy facts” – this is ridiculous! – “and the King had three evil sisters, Morgan, Leigh and Fay” – I don’t believe this!’
‘Three sisters, hmm?’ said the Doctor, interested. ‘How very, very convenient.
But the big question is: how many of these characters are already represented by androids. Any ideas?’
Everyone shook their head. ‘The guidebook?’ Anji suggested.
‘Good idea!’ The Doctor pulled the book out of his pocket, and flicked through the pages. Anji couldn’t believe he read that fast – but apparently he did.
‘ “Medieval banquets with Arthur and the knights of the round table.” You didn’t see an Arthur android, did you, though? No? I’m not surprised – the girls would have only reprogrammed the androids they could easily control, and you can’t order a king around. He’s probably safely tucked away in his box, or whatever. Now, let’s see. . . Lancelet, Haywain – hmm, I think I’ve seen his portrait by Constable – Gallyhad, Purposeful – isn’t he one of the seven dwarves? – Beddyveer. . . good, no mention of Guinevere at all. Right, Anji –’
the Doctor turned to her, and he was looking very serious – ‘I’m going to ask you to do something that’s going to be very difficult for you, but I would ask you to think carefully about it, because it could be our best chance.’
Anji half smiled. ‘I think I can guess. You know, people have often told me I bear a startling resemblance to Vanessa Redgrave.’
Fitz gaped at her.
Anji was going to direct them to the entrance through the Alhambra theatre.
The Doctor had tried to persuade Hoover and the guards to remain in the centre, but they’d insisted on coming too. The Doctor had told them they had to stay in the bus, though.
‘Now, you know what you’re doing?’ the Doctor asked Anji, anxiously.
She nodded. ‘I’ll be fine.’
He handed her his sonic screwdriver. ‘And you remember how to work this?’
‘Bamboozlement frequency 47, twist and point.’
‘And you’ve got the communicator?’
She patted a pocket.
He grinned. ‘Attagirl!’
146
EarthWorld
‘Well. . . wish me luck!’
‘Good luck,’ said the Doctor, echoed by Fitz. ‘And remember, we’ll be right behind you.’
There were frozen android rats along the passageway. The flickering torchlight had made them look alive, at first. Anji kicked one. It made her feel a bit better.
Deep breath. Don’t think of this as walking into a life-or-death situation.
Think of it more as. . . amateur dramatics.
Pretending to be someone else. It was what Dave had done for a living – not a very good living, admittedly, but. . . She’d never got the hang of it, though.
She needed all her energy and concentration to make a success of being herself.
But now she had to do this. Darling, she thought, offering up words as if he could hear, it’s not cheating on your memory when he’s an android and I’m only pretending. Is it?
Deep breath. Ready to take the stage. She stood up straight, and opened the door. There was a knight in the corridor beyond.
‘Halt!’ he cried,