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By Root 730 0

she was not in one of her most reasonable moods. She was drinking the bottled water too, of course. It was looking suspiciously as though the water was involved. He started to get up out of his chair.

The security guard unfolded his arms. 'I asked you to be quiet, sir.' He put a firm hand on the Doctor's shoulder and pushed him back down into the chair. 'And I'd ask you to stay seated until we get this sorted out.'

'What sort of trouble?' Parnaby asked.

'One of your young ladies has been watching a little too much Xena, Warrior Princess, I'd say'

'Meaning?'

'Fancy dress, crude manners, beat the crap out of the first one who mentioned the fact.'

'So it was a fight,' Parnaby said matter-of-factly. 'We've had them before haven't we? Even if we don't talk about them publicly, they're not exactly unknown to us.'

'Got worse again recently,' the security guard said. 'This girl pulled a socking big knife. A real pigsticker.'

The Doctor twisted his shoulder free of the man's hand and stood up. 'She didn't use it did she?' he asked, thinking he should never have left her on her own just because her stubborn insistence on behaving like a primitive had irritated him.

The man pulled the chair aside to give himself a clear path to the Doctor.

'Well, did she?' Parnaby asked, forestalling his move.

The security guard paused and shook his head. 'She frightened him into changing his trousers mind,' he said. 'And would she hell give up the knife.'

'Where is she now?' the Doctor asked.

'What's it to you?' the guard demanded. 'Are you her father or something?'

He looked to Parnaby for instructions. 'Do you want me to remove this bloke?'

'Well,' Parnaby said, sounding uncertain, 'when I pressed the alarm'

'We can do this the easy way or the hard way, sir,' the security guard said to the Doctor. 'The easy way isn't easy -'

'And the hard way's very hard indeed?' the Doctor suggested. 'What an original threat.' He smiled at him wolfishly. 'I am thoroughly intimidated.'

The security guard was not amused. He narrowed his eyes and reached for the Doctor. 'This way if you please, sir'

"There's no need for that.' Parnaby jumped up from behind the desk and somehow managed to get between them. 'The thing is this gentleman the uh, the uh'

"The Doctor,' the Doctor prompted.

"The Doctor seemed a little confused.'

The Doctor said, 'I'll go quietly, officer.' He wasn't certain himself whether he meant it or whether he was deliberately baiting the guard. He wasn't surprised, however, when the man reacted badly to him offering his wrists as if to be manacled.

The guard pressed forward. Parnaby pushed him back. 'I thought he might need help that's all.'

The Doctor said, 'You'd have to define your terms more precisely I'm afraid.

Need and help. Both a bit vague as they stand. Don't you think so?'

'I made a mistake,' Parnaby said to the Doctor, and to the security man he said, 'I thought he was mad.'

'You mean he's not?'

'I mean he's not.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yes I'm sure.'

I wish I was sure, the Doctor thought suddenly. I know I'm behaving erratically. The problem is: can I remember what my normal behaviour should be, and how can I question myself objectively about it? If I'm going mad how will I know? 'BEAFRAID,’ that voice had bellowed in his head. BE

AFRAID YOU POMPOUS PRATING FOOLL I WILL STRIP YOUR

MIND AND LEAVE YOU SHIVERING IN THE DARK!' Hearing voices.

Loud voices. If that wasn't the first sign of madness what was it? If he was mad it wasn't real: if it was real he wasn't mad. But what was reality anyway? He mustn't think about it, he decided. He must simply get on with the practicalities. He must get the water analysed. He must find Leela. He gave the security guard his best and most charming smile. 'What did you say happened to the warrior girl?' he asked.

Chapter Six

'I am not getting into that. No way am I getting into that.' Josh slid the access-hatch cover on top of the device back a short distance, and peered inside. 'It's a bloody great coffin.'