Doctor Who_ Return of the Living Dad - Kate Orman [81]
‘What do you mean?’ he said softly.
‘I’ve known for a long time, Chris.’
‘Oh my Goddess,’ he gulped. ‘Have you?’
‘Yeah. I’ve seen it in your eyes. A few times.’
‘Oh...’
‘I just never really thought about it before. Pushed it to the back of my mind.’
Silence for a bit.
‘I’m too young for you,’ he said. ‘I mean, I don’t mean you’re that old — it’s me, I’m too young. You deserve some one more experienced.’
‘You seem to have had quite a bit of experience, Squire Cwej.’
‘You see? I’m just a Squire, I’m just your apprentice. I —’
‘Damn it, Chris, that was supposed to sound sexy.’
‘Oh! Well, it did. It did!’
‘Look,’ said Roz. ‘Don’t you think I’m the best judge of who’s good for me?’
He looked at her with his big, blue’ little boy’s eyes. ‘I’m not worthy,’ he breathed.
‘Then get your damned hand out of my shirt,’ she said.
I’m going for a walk.’
Albinex led the Doctor and M’Kabel through his space-travelling yacht to the ballroom. He’d tucked the gun away inside his jacket. He knew he wouldn’t be needing it.
‘So, what’s it going to be?’ said the Doctor conversationally’ his voice echoing in the high-ceilinged room. It was the largest aboard the ship, with a wooden dancefloor and a well-stocked bar at one end.
‘Thumbscrews? Forced telepathy? Suspending my companions over a vat of boiling chocolate sauce?’
‘I’m not going to torture you,’ said Albinex. He went to the bar, put his gun down, and poured himself a crème de menthe. ‘Do you want anything?’
‘I want to be a juggler,’ said the Doctor absently. He was looking around the ballroom, as though trying to spot the iron maiden hidden in the shadows. ‘When I grow up I’m going to run away to the circus.’
‘I had hoped you’d just tell me the codes,’ said Albinex,
‘having come all this way.’ He took a mouthful of the drink.
‘But I’m not going to torture them out of you.’
‘I’m so terribly disappointed,’ said the Doctor.
M’Kabel looked up at him.
‘No matter what you do to me,’ said the Doctor, ‘I’m not going to give you those codes.’ He closed his eyes. ‘There’s nothing you can do to me. There’s no pain you can inflict on me which I haven’t suffered before. There’s no horror you can shroud me in which I haven’t endured.’
He opened his eyes again, and M’Kabel took a step back. ‘I’m old, Albinex,’ he said. ‘I’m weary to my bones.
There’s nothing an embryonic upstart like you can show me which I haven’t seen before.’
The Navarino gulped down the rest of his drink. ‘Well then,’ he said.
The hurricane snapped on as though he’d thrown a switch.
The Doctor leant into the wind’ holding onto his hat with one hand. M’Kabel took a few more steps back out of the way, just in case.
The ghost blossomed.
She was a point of intense colour and light, unfolding like a new rose. She floated in the raging wind, serene. A million wings uncurled around her.
The wind began to die down. The Doctor folded his arms, looking up at the gorgeous, feathered creature. Her eyes were blank, surreal. Her face was no longer human, heart-stoppingly beautiful. She spiralled inwards and out, back through time and beyond, in dimensions M’Kabel and Albinex could barely imagine, let alone see.
‘What have you done to her?’ said the Doctor.
‘We have a bargain,’ said Albinex.
‘You promised her you’d restore her to normality,’ said the Time Lord. ‘You lied to her.’
Albinex shook his head, glancing nervously up at his pet monster. ‘I’ll be able to shift her back in time the one picosecond that’s making the difference,’ he said.
‘Not now,’ said the Doctor. ‘Not now you’ve done this to her. She’s gone further and further away from being human.’
‘She’s been exploring,’ said Albinex. ‘Discovering what she’s capable of. Time doesn’t limit her the way it limits me.
Or even you. I believe,’ he breathed, ‘she could do anything.’
The Doctor smiled. ‘Except make me give you those codes.’
The Fury looked down at him.
He held his ground as she descended. The wind rushed through his body, not disturbing the air around him, not moving a hair on his head.
She reached