Doctor Who_ Prime Time - Mike Tucker [58]
Ace’s breath caught in her throat. The name on the grave was hers.
The audience erupted into applause. Ace collapsed.
‘Try and hold them off!’
The Doctor danced around the console, desperately punching at the controls.
‘They’re too strong! I can’t hold them.’ The Master struggled with the door, as the pounding from outside shook the console room. The snarling of the Zzinbriizi was impossibly loud.
‘I just need a few more seconds!’
The door suddenly burst inwards, sending the Master sprawling. Zzinbriizi began to swarm into the console room, snarling and drooling. Two of them scooped the Master from the floor, pinning him against the wall. The Doctor reached for the force-field controls and threw the switch.
A shimmering bubble appeared around the console. As the Zzinbriizi launched themselves forward there was a crackle of power, then screeches of pain from the angry jackals. Again and again they threw themselves at the wall of the force field, and each time they were thrown backwards.
The Doctor peered through the mass of bodies, trying to see the Master. He caught a glimpse of him, pinned to the wall, a Zzinbriizi’s razor claws at his throat.
Abruptly the jackals stopped their assault on the force field. The sea of creatures parted and one stepped forward.
The pack leader. Barrock.
Time Lord and Jackal regarded each other through the force-field wall.
The Doctor narrowed his eyes. There was something about the creature, something in the eyes, a glimmer of something that shouldn’t be there.
‘Doctor...’
The Doctor stepped backwards, his mind racing. The Zzinbriizi were animals, nothing more. But this was something entirely different.
The creature smiled, revealing rows of razor teeth.
‘Surprising, isn’t it? To discover what intelligence does for us.’
The Doctor tried to recover his composure.
‘Well, they do say that education broadens the mind. What do you intend doing now?’
Barrock began to pace around the force-field bubble.
‘Well, I had hoped that we would stop you before something like this happened.’
The Doctor shrugged. ‘Oh well, you can’t have everything.’
‘Whereas we do have your colleague.’
A smile played over the Doctor’s face. ‘We’re not exactly the closest of friends.’
‘Then I’m sure you won’t mind watching while my pack tears him to shreds.’
The Doctor’s smile faded. Barrock crossed to where the Master was being held. He scrutinised him with slitted eyes. ‘I might have the trappings of civilisation Doctor, but my men are only one step away from their old selves, and they are very hungry.’
‘Let him go, Barrock.’ The Doctor’s voice was low and dangerous.
The jackal turned, all pretence at civility gone. ‘Why?’ he snarled,‘What have you got left to bargain with?’
He whipped round, razor claws closing on the Master’s neck. The Doctor stared into his old enemy’s eyes. There was no emotion, no fear, just resignation. Endless battles, endless moments when they could have destroyed each other and it all carne down to this. Could he just sit back and let his nemesis die?
‘Well, Doctor?’ Barrock began to squeeze. Rivulets of blood started to trickle from the Master’s throat.
‘All right, all right.’
The Doctor stabbed at a control and the force field faded.
Barrock hissed with pleasure and pushed the Doctor away from the console. The Master pulled himself free of the jackals and crossed to the Doctor’s side.
‘Foolish, Doctor,’ he murmured.
‘What did you expect me to do?’ snapped the Doctor. ‘Let them kill you? Let them eat you?’
The Master threw back his head and laughed.
‘Eat me? We’re predators Doctor, not cannibals.’
The Doctor frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
The Master leant close.
‘I mean that the great Doctor has completely missed the point.’ The Master’s face began to ripple, the hair of his beard thickening and growing. His voice dropped into a guttural growl. The Doctor tried to step away, but the pack hemmed him in.
‘You really think that we would allow two Time Lords to plot together? You really think that you had any chance of escape?’
There was a sickening crack as