Doctor Who_ Halflife - Mark Michalowski [102]
The bright new morning was cold, and both Sensimi and Calamee wished they’d had the sense to bring thick coats. The fact that neither of them had slept didn’t help – their body temperatures were low already, and Sensimi had to keep stifling yawns as they waited hopefully for the return of the Doctor and Fitz.
The night beast that had led them to the hollow in the ground stood, a silent sentinel, a few yards away. Calamee hugged Nessus – as much for warmth as for comfort. And now that they’d noticed the maggots eating the vegetation
– and the vegetation eating the maggots – it was impossible not to see them everywhere. Sensimi seemed to feel the need to keep pointing them out, and Calamee was getting heartily sick of it.
‘Look,’ she said eventually. ‘Let’s not pretend that we like each other, shall we? You might be the Imperator’s daughter, but that doesn’t win you any points with me. Can we just wait here in silence until the Doctor and Fitz come back, and then when they’ve sorted this whole thing out, we can go our own ways? OK?’
Sensimi hugged her arms to herself and stifled a yawn. ‘Fine by me,’ she said. Then she paused and took a step forwards, staring into the distance, back towards the city.
‘Can you hear that?’
Calamee listened: over the sound of the wind and the rustling of the trees, there came a low droning sound.
‘It sounds like –’
‘– another levicar!’ Sensimi finished gleefully. ‘I bet it’s Father, come to sort this mess out.’ She threw a sneery look at Calamee. ‘Then we’ll see what’s what.’ She looked around in an exaggerated way. ‘I don’t see your parents coming to rescue you.’
‘Oh grow up,’ was all Calamee could manage. She was too busy trying to track the source of the noise – and then she saw it: a tiny pale spot, catching the dawn sun. In silence, they watched it draw closer, until they were both certain it was a levicar. Then Sensimi began waving her arms and dancing up and down, trying to attract its attention.
184
But Calamee’s attention had been caught by something else: quietly pushing its way through the bushes towards where the night beast stood was another beast. The first one turned and saw the newcomer, but didn’t react to it.
Calamee felt decidedly uncomfortable, even if the things didn’t seem to bear them any ill-will. Having two of them so close by was not reassuring.
She turned back to watch the approaching levicar, wondering if she’d finally get to meet the Imperator. Unfortunately, as it drew closer, she realised that one of the two figures at the front of the car was the last person she really wanted to see right now.
‘Oh,’ said Sensimi flatly.
Riding alongside each other, and with four of the Imperial Guard in the back, were Imperatrix Alinti and Mr Trove. Calamee looked back, anxiously, to the tree into which the Doctor and Fitz had been dumped. Where were they?
‘It’s Sensimi,’ said Alinti, standing up in the car as it slid across the grass. ‘And some girl.’ She looked around, wondering where this magical device of Trove’s was. She still didn’t trust him, and was quietly thankful for the presence of the Guard behind her. If there was even a hint of double-cross from him, she’d have no compunction about using them.
‘She’s in league with the Doctor,’ Trove said, slowing down the car. It hovered, three feet from the ground. Alinti was on the point of telling him to set down the car so that she could get out and find out what Sensimi was doing with that girl, when she noticed movement behind them.
Lumbering out of the bushes came two of the night beasts that she’d heard so much about. The pictures she’d seen didn’t do them justice, and she let out a little cry, looking to Trove.
‘Shoot them!’ Trove said over his shoulder to the Guard. They hesitated, and Alinti realised that they were waiting for confirmation from her.
‘Do it!’ she shrieked as the creatures lumbered closer: despite their muscled, shaggy bulk, they moved frighteningly quickly. Trove, too, must have realised this, for a moment later he jabbed