Doctor Who_ Enlightenment - Barbara Clegg [22]
‘May it have as great an impact as my present to the Greek,’ the Captain replied, and again the same strange smile passed between her and her officer. Then she was once more brusque and businesslike, ‘Deliver it,’ she ordered, ‘And these.’ She picked up several ornate-looking letters from the table and handed them over. ‘The invitation for Captain Striker first.’
Both of them turned and looked at Turlough. ‘Striker is bound to accept,’ Wrack went on. She nodded briefly and Turlough found his arms seized by the two sailors, while the Captain walked over and stood in front of him. ‘He can’t refuse,’ she went on. ‘Not when we have live bait.
Wriggling on the hook’ and she smiled into Turlough’s face.
Tegan was leaning over the ship, looking towards the Buccaneer. She had caught sight of a flurry of activity on the deck, and was concentrating hard, trying to make out what. was going on there, when she was startled by a voice directly behind her.
‘Your friend is safe.’ It was Marriner speaking. ‘We have received a message. I thought you would like to know.’
‘Thank you,’ Tegan said, as politely as she could. But there was something about the First Mate that she found unnerving, and she was just about to move away when he stepped in front of her.
‘I hope you will forgive me for saying so,’ he remarked,
‘but I have never experienced a mind such as yours before.’
‘Really?’ Tegan said vaguely, wondering how she could dodge round him. ‘Where’s the Doctor? I must go to him.’
Marriner went on as though she had not spoken. ‘I find your mind a fascinating place to be. So full of riches. Of life.’ Tegan closed her eyes firmly.
‘What are you doing?’ there was dismay in his voice now. ‘You’ve killed your thoughts! You’re hiding them from me!’ But it was impossible to keep her mind a blank for long, and she opened her eyes despairingly, to see Marriner gazing into her face with even greater interest.
‘I’d no idea Ephemerals were so entertaining,’ he said.
‘Perhaps that’s why Wrack stopped to pick up your friend.’
Tegan turned her back on him. As she did, she saw that she had been right about the activity on the deck of the distant galleon. A launch from the Buccaneer was heading straight towards them.
The Doctor was having little success. All his efforts to persuade the Captain to collect Turlough had so far failed.
Striker was adamant. In fact, he had turned the tables and was asking questions himself, wanting to know why Turlough had jumped. ‘I’ve no idea,’ the Doctor answered.
‘But we must get him back.’ Striker simply turned away. ‘It was an impulse , that’s all,’ the Doctor went on, trying to think up some excuse. ‘You know how impulsive the young are. No, I don’t suppose you do.’ He broke off; a ridiculous thought running through his head. ‘Can Eternals have an age?’ he was wondering to himself, when Marriner came in, an open letter in his hand and Tegan behind him. ‘There is to be a reception aboard the Buccaneer,’ he announced. ‘We have received an invitation from Captain Wrack. Delivered by hand.’ Mansell stepped into the room, with a brief bow. ‘By hand? I am overwhelmed.’ Striker was sardonic. ‘You will of course decline,’ Marriner said. ‘Naturally,’ and the Captain dismissed their visitor with a gesture. But before Mansell could withdraw, the Doctor had stepped forward.
‘If you would allow us to go, we could collect Turlough,’
he said, reasonably. Tegan was much more impassioned.
‘Please let us! Please can’t we?’ she implored.
Striker seemed bored as he gave his consent, the First Mate impassive. But when Mansell had left and the four of them were alone again, save for the helmsman, Marriner turned to Tegan ‘I will escort you,’ he said. ‘With the Captain’s permission.’
‘I thought you didn’t want to go,’ Tegan retorted. For a second there was something almost like concern in the Eternal’s eyes.
‘I think you might need me,’ he replied. ‘Captain Wrack has strange ideas of entertainment.