Doctor Who_ Lungbarrow - Marc Platt [68]
They climbed up on to the bridge and paused to gaze out over the lake. Something like an emerald dragonfly flitted over the lily pads.
'It is beautiful here,' said Leela. 'But it is not real.'
'Not exactly,' Romana said dreamily. 'It was a gift from the Chairman of Argolis. It's a four-dimensional artform that they've just come up with at the Leisure Hive. It's proved very successful with the tourists. You can create an artistic concept like a painting and then actual y go inside it. I'm having it installed for public use in the Capitol.'
'But I've seen this place before,' said Dorothée.
Romana beamed proudly. 'I hoped you'd recognize it. I created this garden from the works of Claude Monet. The Doctor and I saw some of his paintings when we were in Paris.'
'My mum had a calendar once...'
'I hoped it would make you feel at home.'
'Thanks. That's erm... thoughtful.'
Romana turned to Leela. 'Dorothée travelled with the seventh Doctor. Yours was the fourth.'
Leela frowned. 'That's sad. He has died so many times. He must be so ancient.'
99
'That's a bigger bone of contention than you know,' said Romana.
'And did your Doctor have a K9 too?' Leela asked Dorothée.
'A what? You mean one of those robot dog things?'
'Actually, Leela,' said Romana awkwardly, 'that's something I need to speak to you about.'
'You never told me you had a K9 as well,' Leela said with a grin.
'He's spent a lot of time with the Tharils in E-Space. Enforced actually. He's only recently overcome the problems of making the transition back into our Universe. So this is his first visit to Gal ifrey. He was granted special leave from his administration post in the Tharil government. And it was meant to be a secret trip.'
'But my K9 knew,' said Leela.
'Yes,' sighed Romana. 'My K9 was supposed to be upgrading our administrative records with his own data from the Tharils, when I discovered that he was talking to your K9 through the panatropic net. And of course, between them they started digging up all this data about the Doctor and Lungbarrow.'
'Hang on,' complained Dorothée. 'Just hang on. Who or what is Lungbarrow?'
Romana glanced quickly both ways along the bank. 'Let's have some tea,' she suggested.
***
'I need more guards now, madam!' shouted Castellan Andred. 'Otherwise the Citadel wil be overrun.'
'There are no more guards,' said Theora. 'The Arcalian squads have gone over to the Agency's side.'
Her beleaguered staff stood huddled behind her desk. To Andred, they appeared to be expecting the worst. From somewhere near, he heard the rattle of staser fire.
'Then I cannot vouch for the safety of the Citadel,' he said formally. 'We can't deploy the force barriers. The gravity cordons round the bomb are taking all the power we have. I must insist that you, your retinue and your guest evacuate the Capitol now.'
'We will not abandon the Citadel,' said the Chancellor.
100
'Madam, this is a military coup. There's nothing you can do here. Now, what about the President?'
'She has important business elsewhere.'
'I was told she had returned. Where is she? She won't have an Othering Presidency unless we act now. And where's the Lady Leela?'
'She and Dorothée McShane are safe. The President considers their business vital.'
'So vital that they cannot be reached? What on Gallifrey is going on!'
There was a distant explosion. The lighting dimmed for a moment. The Chancellor's staff drew back as a ring of grey guards materialized in the office. The circle opened to reveal the man in black who had called himself the Agency gatekeeper.
'Lord Ferain,' muttered Theora.
He bowed formally. 'Madam Chancel or, this building is now under the aegis of the Celestial Intervention Agency.'
He held up a document. 'Under the articles of emergency power that govern possible un-Gal ifreyan activity, I am here to investigate the alleged conduct of the Lord President of the High Council. And if that conduct is found to be in breach of Gallifreyan Law, to have her impeached and removed from office.'
***
Romana shepherded Leela