Doctor Who_ Match of the Day - Chris Boucher [94]
„As it happens,‟ Ronick said grinning smugly, „I do know who he is and I think I know where he‟s gone.‟
The Doctor was vaguely disappointed. Wherever Ronick thought Keefer had gone it was unlikely to be back to the planet‟s surface and he was almost sure that it was there that the answers must lie. It was there, too, that he should be investigating the mystery of Leela‟s disappearance.
Although she was last sighted in Aerospace Main it did not necessarily follow that she had left the planet and it certainly did not indicate that she had come here. If you believed the myths most fugitives came to the Hakai OTS, and it did handle a lot of passenger and freight transits, but that was not evidence of anything. It didn‟t justify him being here pursuing a phantom. His promise to Jerro Fanson had become meaningless, if indeed it had ever meant anything.
What would be the point of warning Keefer to keep his head down: the man seemed to be doing that without any prompting from anyone. Finding Leela, that was what was important and that was what he was in clanger of forgetting.
Or was it, he wondered, merely that he was trying to justify going back to full gravity? „Have you known this all along?‟ he asked. „Or is it something you‟ve found out since we got here?‟
„What‟s that supposed to mean?‟ Ronick asked. „Are you suggesting I‟ve been holding out on you?‟
The Doctor shrugged. „It‟s a question,‟ he said, „not a suggestion.‟ He smiled brightly. „But as a matter of interest have you been holding out on us?‟
„Why would I do that?‟
„Why would you answer a question with a question?‟
Ronick‟s eyes disappeared behind a smile. „Because I‟m being evasive of course.‟
„Of course,‟ the Doctor agreed.
„That would be my theory too,‟ Sita said. „And confessing doesn‟t make it more appealing.‟ Her voice was suddenly cold. „Or less suspicious, Driftkiller. Sorry, you prefer Sergeant Ronick, don‟t you.‟
The Doctor recognised the abrupt change of tone as a universal interrogator‟s trick and was fairly sure that Ronick did too, but for some reason the fat detective played along as though he was affected by such a simple technique.
„All right.‟ Ronick had stopped smiling. „All right,‟ he said, sounding contrite, „let‟s not get our tits in a tangle. We‟re all on the same side, remember?‟
„Are you sure about that?‟ she said. „I‟m beginning to have my doubts.‟
„And here was I,‟ Ronick said, „thinking that saving your life would set your mind at rest on that score. Imagine my surprise... I didn‟t have the information when we set out. It was waiting for me when we got here.‟
„Pointless to ask who from and how?‟ the Doctor suggested.
„Yes,‟ Ronick said flatly.
„But we‟re supposed to trust it anyway,‟ Sita said.
Ronick shrugged. „Your choice. Finding Keefer isn‟t my main priority.‟
That being?‟ she said.
The Doctor said, „He‟s waiting around for the price on us to go up.‟
Ronick smiled his agreement. „You keep running: it keeps rising. I can‟t lose.‟
Sita sighed. „Who is he and where‟s he gone?‟ she asked.
„His name‟s Melly Finbar,‟ Ronick said.
Sita looked unimpressed. „Doesn‟t sound very Western Zone. Are you sure your informant is reliable?‟
„Not Keefer,‟ Ronick said. „Him.‟ He nodded in the direction of the entrance to the lounge.
The Doctor turned to see a slight young man drifting in a controlled stride towards them. He was obviously more used to the environment than any of them were.
„Gentlemen,‟ Finbar said as he landed neatly beside them,
„and lady. I‟m told you‟re looking for this man.‟ He proffered a small likeness of Keefer to the Doctor.
„This is the infamous Keefer is it,‟ the Doctor said, handing the holographic picture on to Sita.
„Not the name he was using when I met him,‟ Finbar said.
Sita said, „You‟ve met him then. You actually met this man.‟
„I actually helped this man to get where he wanted to go. I can do the same for you. I can do better for you: I can take you