Doctor Who_ Match of the Day - Chris Boucher [115]
he said. „That‟s the sacred heart of the noble contest.
Whatever happens there matters to everyone.‟
„Not everyone,‟ Sita said.
„I hoped I‟d fight there one day,‟ Keefer said. „It‟s every fighter‟s dream.‟
„I‟ve been told you should always be careful what you wish for,‟ the Doctor said.
„You have a plan, Doctor,‟ Leela said. „I can tell by your face that you have a plan.‟
He nodded. I have a plan, he thought. The question is how much of it is my plan. „We must stage a duel in the arena,‟ he said, „in front of a very select and very influential audience.‟
He smiled at Ronick. „I think you can handle the invitations.
You and Sita between you.‟
„Why should I do that?‟ Ronick said. „Remind me again: why should I give a scuff?‟
„Laws have been broken,‟ the Doctor said. „Doesn‟t your ID
say something about being a law officer?‟
Ronick thought for a moment and then said, „I take it these two,‟ he jerked a thumb between Leela and Keefer, „will be fighting this duel?‟
„It‟s what our guests will want. It‟s what they‟ll come for.‟
„You do understand,‟ Ronick said, „that your average VIP
doesn‟t like to be made a fool of.‟
„That bothers you?‟ Sita asked. „You‟re full of surprises, Driftblubber. But then again perhaps you‟re not.‟
Ronick looked bored. „The point I‟m making is that if there is a fight it will have to be a fight to the death or none of us will get out of this alive.‟
„It won‟t come to that,‟ the Doctor said, sounding more confident than he felt. „Not if everything goes according to plan. And it will. But whatever happens Leela, I want you to promise me that you will not fight.‟
Plans go wrong, complicated plans go wrong complicatedly, simple plans simply go wrong, Leela thought, and something had gone wrong. Where was the Doctor?
Around the bloodstained arena fence the tiny lenses glittered and waited. She and Keefer stood side by side.
Keefer was examining a handgun he had found in the centre of the fight ground. „It is mine,‟ he said quietly. „It‟s been cleaned and oiled but it‟s mine all right. The Doctor said it would turn up. How did they find it?‟
„You said they always knew you were coming,‟ Leela said. „If they knew you were coming then they knew where you had been.‟
„Are we that powerless?‟ he murmured. „No choices at all?‟
Leela looked across at the tunnel entrance. She half expected to see security men running in to stop them violating this place that was thought of as sacred. They had no more right to be here than she and the Doctor had had before. But this time there were no security men. This time there was no senior umpire. „We choose not to fight,‟ she said.
„No,‟ Keefer said flatly. „We can‟t do that. We should leave.‟
.‟The Doctor said to wait.‟
„We can‟t just stand around in here. This is the theatre of dreams.‟
„This is nothing more than a patch of ground where people kill each other,‟ Leela said.
Keefer looked horrified. „You can‟t say that. Show some respect. Great fighters have died here.‟
„Why?‟ Leela asked. „Why have they died here?‟
„You know why.‟ Keefer was getting angry.
„I know a warrior does not fight for the pleasure of others.‟
Leela strode to the arena fence and pointed at the stains. „I know these are not sacred death marks.‟ She rubbed her finger across one.
„Don‟t do that!‟ Keefer almost shouted.
Leela said, „It is dried blood.‟ She touched another. „Death is not sacred.‟ She strode round the arena occasionally slapping her hand against the fence. „Blood,‟ she said. „Blood.
Nothing but dried blood.‟
Keefer watched her in tense silence.
In the tri-dee viewing suite, at the top of the arena, the Doctor watched the two young fighters on one of the main screens. „She is remarkable isn‟t she?‟ he said. „I