Doctor Who_ Enlightenment - Barbara Clegg [23]
Turlough was chained to the wall, trying not to give too much away, as Wrack paced round the wheel-house cross-examining him. She was obviously enjoying herself.
‘Have you ever seen a man flogged to death?’ She stopped just in front of Turlough to ask the question. ‘Or keelhauled? Very painful. Ephemerals have such inventive ways of inflicting pain.’ Her voice dwelt lovingly on the last word, and then she became businesslike again. ‘Now –
tell me what you wanted aboard my ship.’
‘Why ask?’ Turlough said stubbornly. ‘I thought you could read minds.’
‘Yours is such a devious one, it’s fascinating.’ She looked into his eyes. ‘I should like to peel it away, layer by layer – until there was nothing left,’ she added with relish.
Turlough was extremely frightened. He was not quite the coward that he always claimed to be, but he was terrified of pain, and the creature pacing round him was clearly a sadist. ‘Perhaps your intention was sabotage?’ she cooed again. He shook his head. ‘So why did you come to me?’ Turlough suddenly had a bright idea. ‘Because you’re going to win the race,’ he gabbled. He had obviously said the right thing. Wrack stopped her pacing and looked at him approvingly. ‘Am I?’ she sounded pleased. ‘What makes you so sure?’
‘Oh – what other people have said about you.’ Turlough invented desperately.
‘That I was ruthless perhaps?’ She sounded as though she liked the idea, so Turlough agreed. ‘Yes – yes, that’s right.’ Then he decided to embroider a little. ‘I’m the same,’ he said bravely. ‘And I’m very determined – just the same as you. I like to win.’
‘You please me,’ Wrack said, slowly and reflectively.
Turlough pressed his advantage. ‘I also want to learn the secret of your power,’ he went on glibly. The minute the words were out of his mouth, he realised that he had said the wrong thing. Wrack’s eyes were like steel. ‘Power?’ she asked in a cold voice. ‘To win, to control, to read minds –’
Turlough babbled frantically. And somehow everything was all right again. Wrack smiled. ‘Then don’t resist,’ she said in a honeyed voice. ‘Open your mind. Show faith.’ She stroked his chains and they glimmered to nothing under her hand. ‘Thank you,’ Turlough said, in a small voice. He had pins and needles from the uncomfortable position he had been kept in, and he was trying, unobtrusively, to stretch and flex his cramped muscles, when Mansell spoke from the doorway. ‘Captain.’ The parchment he handed to Wrack clearly contained good news, for she smiled at Turlough with positive delight.
‘Your friends have accepted my invitation. They’re concerned about you. Isn’t that sweet? I look forward to meeting them,’ she said, and there was relish in her voice.
8
The Buccaneer
The Doctor knocked impatiently on Tegan’s door. ‘Hurry up!’ he said, for about the fifth time. ‘I’m being as quick as I can!’ a muffled protest came from the cabin. The Doctor sighed and raised his voice even louder. ‘The launch will be alongside in a moment.’ And then there was a click of the knob, the door opened, and Tegan came out.
But it was a transformed Tegan who stood there. The pearly satin of the Edwardian ball gown made her skin seem more lustrous than ever; the low-cut bodice revealed elegant sloping shoulders, and a diamond tiara sparkled in her hair. He nodded approval, but before he could say anything there was a juddering under their feet and the whole floor started to vibrate. A jarring impact made Tegan clutch for the door, and the ship seemed to shudder convulsively. ‘We’ve been hit!’ the Doctor said. ‘You mean
– we’re under fire?’ Tegan gasped. The next minute Marriner hurried round the corner. ‘Quick! Follow me!’ he called out. Something rocked the ship main, so hard that all three nearly lost their footing. ‘The wheel-house!’
Marriner yelled, disappearing from view. And the Doctor grabbed Tegan’s hand and pulled her along after him.
‘Point-and-a-half to starboard...’ They could hear Striker shouting directions to the helmsman even before they reached the door. ‘Topgallant’s gone, sir!’ came from Marriner. And then