Doctor Who_ Lungbarrow - Marc Platt [128]
'Right,' she choked, spitting earth. 'Let's get a bit of fresh air into this mausoleum.'
She fished the cans of nitro-nine out of her pocket. They were sticky in her fingers.
'What is it?' said Leela. 'A weapon?'
'They're wet through. And God knows how old they are. I don't know if they'll work.'
***
Quences looked down at his skeleton.
'I expected as much,' he said grimly. 'When the Doctor here was loomed, I had a special consultation with the Bench of Matricians. Amongst other things, they predicted my murder. But they also told me the Doctor would be the most important influence on Gallifrey's future. That's why I hid the will from Satthralope and had my mind transferred, not to the Matrix, but elsewhere.'
'Into Badger,' said the Doctor. 'Stored in his positronic brain. That's why he's always so protective of me. Protective enough to kill.'
Innocet turned away.
207
Quences regarded the Doctor with a paternal fondness. The bloody dagger bobbed in his chest. 'You are very precious to us, my boy. Our hopes always rested on you.'
The Doctor sighed. 'Misplaced hopes, Quences. Arrogance is a Family trait. I wanted my own way as much as you.'
Quences smiled. 'But now you have returned, as I knew you would. All this is yours now. I bequeath you the House of Lungbarrow, al its estates, its goods and chattels, and all its miserable, cringing Family. And you are welcome to them!'
'What?' said the Doctor.
'All of it is yours, Kithriarch. And well deserved too! You fulfilled none of the potential that we expected. None of it.
You are a failure and a disgrace to my name!'
The Cousins began to jeer.
'Just a minute,' butted in Romana. 'That is no way to address a former Lord President of the High Council of Gallifrey!'
'President? What President?' Quences raised his ghostly eyebrows. 'And who are you?'
'She's my successor,' said the Doctor, and Romana displayed her ring of office.
'The Doctor stood down with honour,' she said.
'Well, not real y,' said the Doctor, embarrassed. 'I'm no longer President because I couldn't be bothered with all that power political business.'
'President?' whispered Quences. He stared down at his coffin. ' You were President of Gallifrey?'
'More than that,' said Romana. 'Much, much more.'
'Quences!' Glospin was calling to him. 'Alter the will. Make me your successor. It's my right.'
The old apparition turned towards him. 'Murderer! I know you kil ed me. I saw through your disguise. I'll change nothing, because I loathe every thieving, conniving, scheming one of you. The House stays with the Doctor. My boy, the new Kithriarch and former President.'
A near riot broke out. Cousins struggled against the agents to reach the Doctor.
'Get down!' Leela had appeared on the gallery above. 'Get down, all of you!'
An explosion roared above. Timbers and plaster rained down. The air was thick with smoke and anger.
208
Chapter Thirty-three
A Case of Domicide
The great clock of Lungbarrow exploded outward. Its coiled guts of cogs and dials spilt down through the smoke.
The apparition of Quences flickered and vanished.
Tremors of anger shuddered through the House, flooring most of them, including the remaining Drudge.
The Cousins had huddled around the Loom plinth, clinging to it like children clinging to their mother.
Dorothée, her face black with soot, had appeared beside Leela on the gallery. 'This way!' they called. 'We've blown a hole in the mountain!'
The Cousins abandoned the Loom and stampeded towards the stairs. The agents went with them, ignoring Ferain's protests.
Satthralope was crawling on the floor. Cracks spread around her. 'Gone away,' the old woman cried. 'The House no longer listens. It's no longer in me.' She shrieked as the wooden ring on her finger burst into flame.
The Doctor ran at her, but she pushed him away.
'I am the Keeper of the House!' She was climbing up into the palm of her chair. Fire had caught in her skirts. 'My House!' The wooden fingers of the chair closed and crushed her in its fist. Her keys clattered to the