Doctor Who_ Longest Day - Michael Collier [51]
'I'll ask one more time,' she said, coolly and clearly.'Where is Felbaac?'
Dwynaar stared at her, then spat into the dusty earth and brukweed.
Raising her pistol, the woman fired at Dwynaar's hip. His screech of agony rang around the yard in the hot still air, and a low murmur of pained voices started up. Yast saw the woman smile.
The quiet rumbling of a motor rose above the noise of Dwynaar's agony. A shiver ran through Yast as he took in the sight of a K'Arme commissioner in his land transporter, flanked by two guards. Behind the transporter were Tanhith and the girl-thing, Samantha, being pushed along by a young K'Arme officer and several troops. The transporter stopped.
The old commissioner rose and addressed the woman. 'Be patient, my dear Fettal, none of them must die yet,' he began. Relief washed over Yast and he wondered for a brief moment if it was worth his offering his services to the K'Arme in any way. If they valued patience...
'Bundle them away, Fettal. Send them back inside for a time. Once they're in there...'He smiled.'Shoot each of them in the foot. I don't want any more running away, and I don't want any more defiance. Am I clear, you men?'
Yast looked around, feeling sick to his stomach. The men said nothing, but their faces spoke volumes. Fear, anger, resignation even. Their shadows were thrown down thick and black by the unmoving sun as they shambled off into the sleeping dorm. He looked at the woman - this Fettal - and shivered despite the cloying heat. She was staring straight ahead, unblinking, in the sunlight, a smile spreading over her pale face.
Yast felt like a beast entering the charnel house as he shuffled through the door into the room, his heart racing, the sound of tears and anxious mutterings rising in his ears. A rush of horribly vivid memories, something that had plagued him since their arrival here, hit him, and he felt the combined fear and tension of the last half-hour in one hit. He almost began to gibber in the confined space.
He closed his eyes and held his breath, shivering as the door quietly closed behind them.
***
Commissioner Sangton looked at Tanhith and the skinny wretch next to him.'Can it really be Felbaac with his number two, left all alone and unguarded?' Both remained silent. 'Hmm, Mr Tanhith? Is this strange creature meant to impress me, or delay me?' Again, Tanhith and the girl-thing said nothing. She stared dead ahead, while Tanhith burst into another coughing fit.
Sangton climbed gingerly down from the transporter, and hobbled over to the blonde creature. He decided it was more female than male, some kind of Outer freak.
Taking hold of her chin in his frail fingers, fixing her with his watery grey eyes, he spoke, his voice low and soft. 'Felbaac? The latest, greatest figurehead for the rebellion?' He rubbed a hand over his sweating forehead. 'Well I'm here, as you wanted. We found your friend Vost most co-operative in giving me the safe-path coordinates here, just as you suggested he'd be. Do you know -' Sangton's eyes were cold -'I really do think he may be afraid of me.'
The thing that wished to be known as Felbaac stared at the ground and said nothing.
Sangton tightened his grip on her chin. 'I don't believe a stripling creature like you could be my target. Not for one moment.' He jerked his hand upward, making her look at him.
Tanhith spoke without looking up. "That's Felbaac's greatest strength.
Hadn't you heard?'
Sangton ignored him.'Nevertheless I am keen to discover your origin, and why you should wish to mislead me so.' He let go of her skin, and turned to Traxes. 'Take her to their meeting room.' He straightened up, painfully.
'There we shall discover the truth.'
***
The Doctor had become quieter as they travelled. He trudged on, lost in thought, hands deep in his pockets. Anstaar thought of a hundred things to say, but couldn't find the right words to articulate any of them. They walked on in silence. The Doctor peered out between two walls of rock, wiping his soaking-wet hair from