Doctor Who_ Enlightenment - Barbara Clegg [11]
‘What are they?’ Tegan whispered.
‘Space ships,’ answered the Doctor.
4
Marker Buoy
The Doctor seemed unaware of Turlough’s presence at his elbow; he was completely engrossed, taking in every detail of the strange ships on the screen.
‘Fascinating,’ he said. ‘The technology is amazing.’
‘Why waste it on that though?’ Turlough was incredulous. ‘What are they trying to achieve? Is it some sort of game? It’s not real!’
‘The crew are real enough,’ observed the Doctor.
Turlough thought of Jackson, Collier and the rest, with their earthy humour and their mild bullying, and he had to agree. Definitely human. He was not so sure about the officers. His eyes went to the Captain, frozen motionless again in his position by the helmsman, then to Marriner, still and silent at the computer, and he had a sudden inspiration. ‘Androids?’ he asked. But the Doctor shook his head slowly. ‘Much more complicated.’
They were interrupted by a low groan from Tegan. She was leaning against the wall, looking distinctly green. ‘I feel terrible,’ she moaned. Marriner was at her side almost before she had finished speaking, offering his arm and asking to be allowed to escort her to her cabin.
‘You’ll have to hurry,’ was the faint response. ‘I’m going to be very sick.’
And before the Doctor could prevent it she had left the wheel-house with the First Mate. He tried to follow them, but an officer barred the way and Turlough put out a restraining hand. The last thing he wanted was for the Doctor to start throwing his weight about. It could only lead to trouble.
‘Tegan will be all right,’ he said soothingly. ‘Whatever’s going on here, nobody has threatened us.’
‘ Yet,’ answered the Doctor, cryptically.
Marriner half-led, half carried Tegan along several deserted passageways. Her seasickness was now so acute that she hardly noticed which way they were going. She clung to Marriner’s arm as though it were a lifeline. The cabin he showed her into was simply a blur as far as she was concerned, and she collapsed onto the bed. ‘I just want to die,’ she groaned, and then became conscious of a glass of something being held out to her. From what seemed a long way off she heard a voice saying ‘Drink this’, and she was just about to take it when a warning bell sounded somewhere in her mind. With an enormous effort, gripping the edge of the bed as hard as she could, she pulled herself together. Marriner’s face swam into view again, and his hand, still holding the glass of liquid.
‘What is it?’ she asked suspiciously.
Marriner smiled. ‘A mixture.’
She took the glass and sniffed warily at the contents.
‘Rum?’ she asked. Marriner did not reply, simply smiled soothingly, and said again, ‘Drink it.’
Tegan put the glass down firmly on the bedside table.
‘No thanks.’
Marriner shook his head in amusement. ‘It’ll make you feel better,’ he explained.
‘Drink it yourself, then,’ was Tegan’s tart rejoinder.
‘You need it more than I do.’
Marriner ignored her comments, but he clearly understood her suspicions.
‘It’s quite safe,’ he said. And when this failed to reassure her, he took the glass from the table, raised it to her in a silent toast, drank from it himself and then held it out to her once more. Slowly Tegan took it and raised it to her lips. She had just decided that the only thing she could possibly keep down was something as innocuous as water, when to her surprise that was what it turned out to be.
Cool, clear spring water. Or rather, that was what it tasted like. Limpid and refreshing, it slid down her throat, and the giddiness in her head slipped away and the tension in her stomach relaxed and she felt as though she were floating. Dreamily she lay back on the bunk. She was just conscious of the coverlet being pulled gently over her and through a haze she heard Marriner’s voice. ‘I must return to duty. The first marker buoy will be coming up soon.’
‘Marker buoy –’ Tegan’s speech sounded slurred. Her eyes closed drowsily and she