Doctor Who_ Match of the Day - Chris Boucher [47]
‘Do not talk like a fool,’ Leela said coldly. ‘I am a warrior. I do not kill stammering old men.’ She stepped out of the runner and stretched, not deigning to rub the circulation back into her wrists as the Doctor had done. ‘A warrior does not kill without reason. I do not kill without reason.’
‘You see?’ the young man said. ‘I told you. I told you it was a whole new way. I told you they were the first of a whole new way.’
‘Good,’ the Doctor said cheerfully. ‘Now that we’ve got that all sorted out perhaps you’d like to explain why you brought us here?’
‘I want you to help my son,’ the driver said.
‘Why?’ the Doctor asked. ‘Is he in trouble?’ He turned to the young man and smiled. ‘Are you in trouble? Because, if you are, I think I’m probably not the person you should be talking to. I’m not even sure what constitutes trouble around here.’
‘I’m a fighter,’ the young man said. ‘At least I want to be a fighter. I’ve been training for a long time. I’m fit; I’m fast; I’ve got the classic moves all nailed down.’
‘All except one,’ the driver said, allowing an edge of bitterness and contempt to touch his tone. ‘The only one that really matters. The only one that really counts.’
‘I want to be a duellist. I want to be a pro.’
The driver threw up his hands in mock disbelief. ‘But he doesn’t want to kill anyone.’
‘I think that’s admirable,’ the Doctor said. ‘But what’s it got to do with me?’
‘I want you to represent him,’ the driver said. ‘As far as I can see you’re his only chance for survival.’
‘That’s very flattering,’ the Doctor said, ‘but I’m not sure it’s true and anyway I’ve already got a client.’ He looked at Leela, willing her to back him up, but as he had come to expect recently her attention was elsewhere. He turned to look where she was looking.
People had started coming out of the nearby houses and gathering in small groups. Even as he watched the small groups coalesced into larger groups. From neighbouring streets more people came. A crowd was assembling. It struck the Doctor that a growing crowd had something inevitable about it, something not properly free, that as a process it was as mindless as drops of water spreading into a puddle or possibly microbes multiplying under a microscope. ‘Doctor?’
Leela said, interrupting his inappropriate reverie. ‘It is another crowd of people.’
‘So it is,’ the Doctor agreed.
‘No,’ Leela said irritably, ‘I mean what do they want and what am I supposed to do this time? Should I wave at them?’
‘They’re just curious,’ the Doctor said. ‘It seems you’re definitely a celebrity.’
The driver said, ‘I wouldn’t wave at them. People round here are traditional fight fans. They’re not going to like you or what you did.’
As the Doctor could have predicted Leela immediately waved at the crowd. There was a long brooding pause and then one or two waved back, and after another general hesitation more began to wave. Leela waved again, more vigorously this time. A ripple of applause ran through the crowd and then they were all applauding and some were cheering. And then they were all cheering.
The Doctor had to raise his voice to make himself heard.
‘Imagine what would happen if they actually liked you,’ he said. ‘Or if you blew them a kiss. Try blowing them a kiss.’
Leela ignored the suggestion. ‘What happens now?’ she asked.
‘I can’t help thinking,’ the Doctor said, ‘that finding Keefer would be much more straightforward if we put some more of Jerro Fanson’s cunning plan into action.’
Leela looked puzzled. ‘Some more of his plan?’
‘Famous will only get you so far,’ the Doctor said. ‘Rich and famous is much more practical.’ He smiled his startling smile and turned back towards the crowd and waved at them cheerfully. They cheered and clapped. ‘This is rather enjoyable isn’t it? I can see where it might get to be addictive.’
He leaned towards the driver. ‘When’s the next formal duel?
One that everyone will watch and talk about?’
The driver frowned. ‘You don’t know?’
The Doctor pretended not