Doctor Who_ Interference_ Book One - Lawrence Miles [74]
‘We changed our minds,’ Kode cut in. ‘We thought about supplying one of your other nations as well –’
Guest held up a hand to silence him. ‘The fact is, the Cold represents an enormous technical advantage. We’ve already moved a shipment to our warehouse facility. Ready to be sold off on Earth.’
‘Why?’ asked Llewis, hoping he still sounded reasonably lucid. ‘Why do you want us to have it? What’s in it for you?’
‘It’s about history,’ said Kode.
The woman glared at him. So Kode shut up.
‘We have an interest in the future development of this planet,’ Guest explained. ‘Needless to say, our motives are… political.’
‘And you want me to help you?’ Llewis squawked.
‘That is the reason you came here, Mr Llewis. To do business with us.’
‘It won’t work!’ Llewis gabbled. ‘Nobody’s going to want to deal with you! We can’t do business with aliens. If anybody found out –’
‘Nobody’s going to find out,’ the woman said. ‘We’ve done our homework. A few years ago –’
‘Done our what?’ said Kode.
‘Homework. It’s an expression.’
‘Oh.’
The woman rolled her eyes. ‘A few years ago, your Prime Minister negotiated a sales pact with Saudi Arabia. An arms deal. According to our sources, a few thousand pieces of torture equipment were sold off, as well as legal weaponry. But the terms of this deal are an official… how d’you put it? “State secret”? Nobody knows, because the government doesn’t let anybody know.’
‘But aliens –’ Llewis began.
‘The same principle applies,’ Guest said. ‘Your DTI wants to facilitate all forms of trade, provided your country has the advantage. This is how we’re going to export the Cold. Covertly. With the aid of the DTI, the Ministry of Defence and any other contacts we can make. The Ministry knows how to keep secrets. It’s apparently quite good at making threats against people who ask difficult questions. Journalists, for example.’
‘Shall I go down and start the retrieval?’ Kode asked. Everybody ignored him.
‘If anyone asks, deny everything,’ the woman told Llewis. ‘Half the companies at COPEX claim they don’t make the equipment they obviously make. Doesn’t matter whether it’s electric batons or grenade launchers. That’s what the man from British Aerospace told us, anyway. And the man from ICL. They’ve even got the audits to prove it. Remember, your DTI isn’t answerable to anybody. Our contacts don’t have to tell anyone anything. Not even if there are aliens involved.’
Guest finally clamped his hand on Llewis’s shoulder. Llewis didn’t even bother to jump.
‘Now, Mr Llewis,’ Guest said. ‘Shall we get down to business? Or would you like us to repair your television first? I know how important your signals must be to you.’
* * *
10
Nowhere is Better than Here
(at last, Anathema)
Scene 17. The Attic of Sam’s House
[Flashback, black and white. Hearing the crashing sounds from downstairs, SAM’s FRIENDS jump to their feet. Only SAM remains seated, a confused look on her face.]
FRIEND 3: Bloody hell.
FRIEND 2: No way was that her dad.
FRLEND 1: Maybe he’s gone off his nut. Maybe he knows what we’re doing.
SAM: I’m in the Cold.
FRIEND 1 [panicking]: Shut her up!
FRIEND 2: Shh. You’ll scare her. [To SAM.] Sam? It’s all right. Everything’s going to be all right.
[FRIEND 1, meanwhile, is busy opening the hatch that leads down out of the attic.]
FRIEND 3: Where are you going?
FRIEND 1: Out. She’s losing it, look at her. I don’t want to be around when she goes schizo on us.
SAM: Sarah. I mustn’t see her. If I see her, I’ll recognise her when I meet her yesterday. There’ll be a paradox. Oh God. The Remote are part of the Faction, aren’t they?
FRIEND 1: See what I mean?
SAM [suddenly snapping]: Don’t‐open‐the‐hatch!
[Fade out.]
* * *
Sam reached for her neck, and clawed at the skin there, but she couldn’t feel anything. No receiver, no wodge of sticky tape attaching any alien hardware to her face.
She was almost disappointed.
The alien woman – Compassion – was standing in front of her again, framed against