Doctor Who_ Silver Nemesis - Kevin Clarke [39]
The Doctor looked up. His eyes were bright. ‘Got it!’ he said to no one in particular. ‘Now,’ he began suiting the action to the word, ‘we set the rockets to the correct time projection.’ The small fins on the base of the rocket sled were carefully adjusted by his bony fingers. ‘And you’ll be...’ he stepped back, ‘right on course.’
For a moment he stood lost in thought, admiring his handiwork. Then a more serious idea seemed to strike him and he turned purposefully to the statue. ‘Forward,’ he said authoritatively.
The Silver Nemesis stepped delicately forward. It almost seemed to materialize in position. It took its former position on the rocket sled and waited, motionless, for the Doctor’s next command.
The Doctor’s voice remained firm. ‘The rockets,’ he announced to the Nemesis, ‘are now locked on to your destination.’ He smiled. ‘Let’s see how they’re progressing.’
He reached for the ghetto blaster and switched on the hologram. The small vision of space appeared in perfect three-dimensional miniature in front of him above the weird machine. The Cyber fleet were ominously present, the tiny silver specks filling space around the Earth and Moon like a swarm. The Doctor appeared satisfied. ‘Right on course,’ he said, rubbing his hands.
A chill silver voice cut through the eerie silence. ‘And I am to destroy the entire Cyber fleet,’ said the Nemesis calmly.
‘Forever,’ replied the Doctor.
‘And then?’ asked the beautiful, deadly voice.
‘Reform,’ he said shortly.
The statue seemed to pause slightly, as though this answer were unexpected. ‘You will need me in the future then?’ it asked.
The Doctor’s eyes were far distant. ‘I hope not,’ he said quietly.
The Nemesis gazed at him. ‘That is what you said before.’
‘That’s enough,’ snapped the Doctor.
The statue seemed cowed, but still it replied. ‘And after this,’ it said carefully, ‘I will have my freedom?’
‘Not yet.’
‘When?’
‘I’ve told you when,’ said the most mysterious being in space and time. ‘Things are still imperfect.’
The statue was silent. In the distance the Doctor caught sight of Ace unrolling a length of wire from the last buried cylinder of her nitro-nine. Steadily backing away from the explosive, she eventually attached the end of the wire to a hand-sized detonator and took up a position watching the corner around which she had recently escaped.
To the Doctor’s horror, although there was no sign of the Cybermen in front of Ace, the Cyber Lieutenant and another Cyberman suddenly appeared behind her.
A slight sound from them seemed to alert Ace and she spun round fast. She was too late. The Cyber Lieutenant hit her with the back of his fist, knocking her sprawling.
As she struggled to rise, the Lieutenant picked up the detonator and crushed it to a metallic pulp. Ace lay on the ground looking up at them. The Cybermen slowly levelled their lasers at her.
‘Stop!’ shouted the Doctor at the top of his voice.
Apparently surprised, the Cybermen turned and looked towards him, seeing him for the first time. This was not easy. He was crouched behind the rocket sled with only the top of his head visible to them.
‘Harm her in the slightest,’ he shouted, ‘and I’ll destroy the bow.’
The Cybermen lowered their lasers, and the Doctor stood up. The Cybermen looked at one another, then the Lieutenant nodded. The other Cyberman prodded Ace with his foot and she rose. The Doctor smiled encouragingly and moved casually round to the front of the sled as she crossed the no-man’s-land between them without incident, arriving at the Doctor’s side with relief.
The Cybermen placed themselves at the rear of the sled and addressed the Doctor over it. Above them the statue of Nemesis remained motionless and aloof, as if hearing and seeing nothing.
The Cyber Lieutenant spoke calmly. ‘Give us the bow, Doctor,’ he said.
There was a pause.
‘No,’ replied the Doctor firmly.
‘Then we shall simply take it and kill you both,’ replied the Lieutenant. His statement sounded almost reasonable.
‘Ah,’ replied the Doctor. He appeared