Doctor Who_ Full Circle - Andrew Smith [27]
It had served its purpose.
Login and the Doctor walked the corridors of the starliner at a brisk pace initiated by Login. The Doctor had noted that the man seemed somehow nervous, preoccupied with some inner worry. He knew the best thing to do was to leave the matter for Login to raise himself, if he wanted to raise it.
'Don't feel too badly,' said the Doctor, to start some kind of a conversation. 'There aren't many door mechanisms that can resist a sonic screwdriver... in expert hands.'
Login gave a snort. 'Any method of breaching the starliner is of grave concern.'
'Isn't that a bit paranoid?' the Doctor considered.
'Cautious, Doctor.'
A moment later, Login found himself suddenly alone. Looking back along the passageway, he saw the Doctor had stopped next to a wall power-point where a maintenance crew were carrying out an equipment installation. From one of the citizens the Doctor had taken the piece of equipment that had just been removed and was looking at it closely. With a look of disappointment, he returned it and then caught up with Login. 'Sorry. Thought it might have been an image translator. I need one for my ship, you see.'
'Ah,' was Login's only comment as they walked on.
'Tell me, Login,' the Doctor went on, 'why are your maintenance men replacing a perfectly good optronic relay?'
Login gave the Doctor a look that showed he was genuinely bewildered, but he shrugged the matter off. 'I was installed as a Decider only recently, Doctor. I know little of these matters myself, for the time being. But I know the manuals are thorough in their requirements.'
'At this rate it could be years before the preparations are complete.'
Login laughed. 'Generations, Doctor. We have no illusions about that.'
'Generations?' The Doctor was amazed.
'There is always something to be perfected.' And again he spoke in that way the Doctor had found characteristic of all starliner citizens, as if reciting a memorised phrase. 'A little patience goes a long way.'
'And a lot of patience,' the Doctor observed, 'can go absolutely nowhere.'
They walked on, through a number of passageways, remaining silent, until the Doctor found that they were approaching the boarding area. Login stopped him before they entered, leaned towards him in a conspiratorial manner. 'Doctor... you spoke of some vehicle you travel in,' he whispered.
'The TARDIS. Yes, I'm feeling rather lost without it.'
'I can help you find it,' Login offered.
The Doctor looked at the man with curiosity. 'You? Why?'
'I have a daughter,' Login answered. 'A daughter I love very much. She's out there on the surface. Possibly dead, but just as possibly alive. Help me find her, Doctor, and I'll help you find your ship.'
The Doctor considered this for a moment, then nodded. Login grinned and gave him a brief pat on the back. The two men moved into the boarding area.
The Doctor's jaw tightened as he saw that not only had there been citizens posted to make sure the starliner doors remained secure this time, but they were headed by Omril, the young man who had been so sadistically eager to taunt the Marshchild.
Omril and the Doctor looked into each other's eyes for the briefest of moments, and in that time knew all of their loathing for one another.
Login walked up to the massive boarding door. 'Unseal the entrance,' he commanded.
Omril was obviously shocked by the Decider's order. 'But, Decider...' he stammered.
'The decision is made, Omril.'
'But I thought the decision was to keep the door sealed?'
Login moved towards the young man until their faces were mere inches apart. 'Decisions,' he said authoritatively, 'can be changed.'
Omril remained