Doctor Who_ Enlightenment - Barbara Clegg [16]
She might not have spoken for all the effect it had.
Indeed Striker sounded positively cheerful as he glanced round the assembled company.
‘We have a clear lead, gentlemen. And I intend to keep it. Mr Marriner, issue the crew an extra ration of rum.
With the Captain’s compliments.’
Marriner saluted and left the room, and Striker turned on his heel and went back to join the helmsman. Turlough was left looking at the Doctor.
‘I’ve never seen a ship break up like that before,’ he said.
‘Was it gravitational pull?’
The Doctor shook his head. ‘Unlikely. You saw how this was manoeuvred around Venus. Their ships can withstand enormous stress.’
Tegan still seemed dazed. ‘Was it – sabotage?’ she asked in a whisper.
‘Or was it shot down?’
The Doctor’s voice was grave. ‘This race is getting serious. Someone is prepared to kill in order to win.’
‘Win what?’ Tegan felt completely bewildered. ‘We don’t even know what the prize is.’
‘We must find out,’ the Doctor replied. ‘I think it’s time we had a conference.’
Tegan glanced at Striker’s broad shoulders, as he stood, with back towards them, by the wheel. With a sinking heart and a slight pang, she thought of Marriner.
‘You don’t think – they were responsible, do you?’ she said. ‘They can’t be – murderers!’
To her surprise, instead of answering reassuringly, the Doctor turned her sharply to face the exit.
‘Not here, Tegan. Your cabin,’ he said, and pushed her and Turlough firmly into the corridor.
6
The Officers
Tegan stared blankly at the door which had just been shut in her face. ‘What was all that about?’ she asked in an aggrieved voice.
‘Have you forgotten your room?’ Turlough reminded her. ‘All the things in it, – taken from your memory? These creatures must be able to mind read, we’ve got to be careful.’
At that moment one of the ‘creatures’ appeared. Round the corner of the passage way came Marriner. His smile was as charming as ever, his manner as courteous and urbane as he offered to escort Tegan to her cabin.
‘I can find my own room, thanks,’ was her snappy rejoinder, and she turned on her heel and walked away.
The rebuff did not seem to put the First Mate off in the least, and he followed her quite happily.
Turlough watched them go, then quietly moved off in the opposite direction. He had a particular reason for wanting to be on his own.
In the wheel-house the Captain still stared blankly into space. The Doctor thought of Tegan’s momentary suspicion. He too found it difficult to believe that their hosts were cold-blooded killers.
‘Your assumptions are correct.’ Striker suddenly spoke, without either turning round or looking at him. ‘No one on this ship was responsible for the destruction of the Greek.’
‘Who was, then?’ the Doctor asked softly. ‘Who did it?’
‘I don’t know.’ Striker still stared into space. ‘Sabotage is not against the rules of the race. It is simply less diverting.’
‘It spoils the fun, you mean,’ the Doctor said grimly.
‘What is against the rules, then?’
Striker turned and looked at him. ‘To go beyond.’
The Doctor was mystified.
‘Beyond those limits we have chosen for ourselves,’ he continued.
‘You chose this type of ship,’ the Doctor said, trying to work it out. ‘And the crew –’
‘– was selected from the relevant period of Earth history,’ Striker finished the sentence for him.
‘Why, though?’ the Doctor went on. ‘You didn’t select them just to sail the ship. There’s something else you need them for.’
The Captain looked at him coldly. ‘Ephemerals offer a certain diversion,’ he said, his manner returning to its usual reserve.
‘The crudity of their minds amuses you!’ The Doctor could feel anger beginning to well up in him again. ‘Their primitive emotions!’
‘Simply put, but in essence true,’ and Striker turned away disdainfully.
‘You talk as though they were toys!’ the Doctor exploded.
Striker was unruffled. ‘To me, they are,’ he replied with lofty scorn.
The Doctor’s voice was suddenly incisive. ‘Then