Doctor Who_ Full Circle - Andrew Smith [40]
Garif spoke to Login. 'Their emergence from the marsh, for example. Breathing air through their gills.'
Nefred closed the manual and looked at Login. 'You see the difficulty.'
Login very nearly laughed, but within him he felt a seething rage building up. 'You're suggesting we do nothing?'
'Nothing... precipitate,' said Garif.
'Whatever measures we take,' Nefred pointed out, 'they will adjust to.'
Login allowed his tone of voice to become openly derisory, flouting the conventions of etiquette. 'So that is your conclusion from all this knowledge? From the entire store of knowledge in this chamber? Do nothing!'
Nefred remained dignified, with an effort. 'This knowledge - and more.'
'The System Files concur?' Garif inquired.
'They do,' said Nefred. 'Hasty action would only add to the general sense of panic.'
At that moment there was a loud crash from the direction of the Book Room doors. Everyone turned to see. The doors had been burst open, and now a swarm of Marshmen were spilling in through the doorway, roaring and snarling with hatred. With deadly ferocity, they charged towards the people of the starliner.
11
'We Cannot Return To Teradon'
'Evacuate!' Login cried.
The citizens scrambled for safety, pushing past and over one another to get away from the approaching Marshmen.
Even as they made for the gallery exitways, those exitways burst open and Marshmen tumbled out, falling on them, tearing and clawing at them. The cabinets were shattered, the manuals ripped from their places and thrown through the air.
As Nefred cowered in his gallery, manuals of all sorts rained down round about him, and looking at them he felt only a deep, deep remorse.
The Doctor ran through the passageways, holding K9's head close to him, wary that he did not run into a squad of Marshmen.
He heard movement up ahead, and immediately pressed himself against the wall.
From around the corner they appeared - Adric, Varsh and Keara.
The Doctor let out the breath he had been holding. 'I thought I told you three to stay put,' he said.
'We wanted to help,' Varsh explained.
'Doctor,' said Keara. 'Where's Tylos?'
The Doctor looked her straight in the eye. 'I'm sorry, Keara,' he said as gently as he could. 'Tylos is dead.
Keara's face became expressionless. She blinked, and there was the glint of a tear in her eyes. She hardly heard the Doctor tell them he was taking them back to the Science Unit. Automatically, she followed after them.
Nefred saw the Marshman lumbering towards him, saw the creature raise the club it was carrying, and threw himself over the edge of his gallery to the gallery below. Behind him he heard the Marshman's club smashing against a cabinet, having missed his head by inches.
He was one gallery level from the floor, where Garif and Login were waiting for him, urging him down. Nefred started to climb over the edge of the gallery.
Suddenly a Marshman was beside him, roaring terribly. Nefred was shocked into immobility. Login and Garif reached up to grab Nefred's tunic, pulling him down. The Marshman's arm swung down in an arc, its claws tearing across Nefred's forehead as he was pulled clear. Nefred screamed.
Login and Garif supported Nefred between them and scurried away with him towards the doors. A number of citizens fell in behind them, leaving the Marshmen to continue their destruction of the chamber.
The Doctor stood at Dexeter's workbench, rooting around among the bottles and instruments gathered there, Adric, Varsh and Keara gathered round him.
'Dexeter hinted he was onto something,' the Doctor muttered. 'I didn't care for his methods, but he was certainly thorough.' He looked over his shoulder. 'Varsh. Lock that door. And Keara, help him barricade it.'
They moved instantly to carry out these instructions, dragging anything of size - including the operating couch - in front of the doors to keep them closed. The incident with the TARDIS had provided evidence of the Marshmen's strength.
'Presto!' The Doctor selected one