Doctor Who_ Space War - Malcolm Hulke [20]
The President remained calm. ‘Have the girl brought in, please.’
‘What about their Embassy? The people of Earth will run riot when they hear of this insult.’
‘In that case.’ she said, ‘they must not be told. It is your responsibility, General Williams, to ensure a complete blackout of the incident.’ She knew he could not disobey a presidential order. ‘Please bring in the girl.’
With difficulty the General controlled himself. He went to the round doorway and nodded for Jo to be brought forward. She was accompanied by two palace guards, whom the President dismissed.
‘Young woman,’ began the President, ‘the escape of your colleague puts you in a very serious position.’
‘But it wasn’t an escape,’ said Jo. ‘The Doctor was kidnapped.’
‘Speak when you are spoken to,’ barked the General.
‘He was rescued by your Draconian paymasters.’
The President continued. ‘Your wisest course is to make a full confession. Remember, your accomplice has left you to your fate.’
‘But I haven’t got anything to confess,’ Jo insisted. ‘You’ve got it all wrong. The Doctor wanted to come here and talk to you. He was taken away by force.’
The General shook Jo by the shoulder. ‘Your lies won’t help you! When were you recruited? How many other agents do they have on Earth? What are their plans?’ His temper mounting, he spun Jo round and glared into her face. ‘Tell us voluntarily or under the mind probe—it makes no difference, except to you!’
‘If you tell us everything,’ said the President, ‘I shall ensure that you are treated leniently.’
‘But I don’t know what you are talking about,’ Jo cried out. ‘We’re not working for any Draconians. Don’t you realise someone’s trying to cause a war between you and the Draconians, and you’re falling for it?’
General Williams released Jo’s shoulders, as though in despair. ‘We’re wasting time. I propose depth interrogation with no further delay.’
Jo burst into tears. ‘I don’t care if you use your stupid mind probe. I’m telling you the truth, and so was the Doctor.’
The President regarded Jo as tears cascaded down her cheeks. Then she spoke firmly, but with a touch of kindness. ‘You’re very young, my dear, and no doubt you’ve been led astray. But unless you tell us the whole truth immediately I shall be forced to let General Williams deal with the matter. The lives of millions of citizens may be at stake, and they are my only consideration. So you have the choice. Help us now by confessing everything. Or, if you prefer that the truth be wrung from you, afterwards you will be imprisoned for the rest of your life as a traitor to your planet.’
The Doctor’s mind flashed on for less than a second. The optic nerve registered the picture of a green snout and pale green eyes looking down at him. Then blackness returned; he felt he was swimming in a sea of thick, dark oil.
A voice said, ‘The Earthman is recovering. Come and look.’ Feet moved on a highly polished floor. Voices mumbled. The blackness gave way to light. Slowly the Doctor opened his eyes. He now saw four green snouts, eight pale green eyes. He was sitting in a chair with arms; he moved his hands and feet slightly —there were no restraining straps or ropes. He looked up at the Draconians and managed a smile.
‘How nice of you to invite me. Have I been spirited away to Draconia?’ He looked about the room, noted the false impression of curved walls. ‘No, I’d say this is the Draconian Embassy on Earth, tarted up to look like Draconia. Where’s Jo?’
The Draconian First Secretary spoke. ‘Your companion is still with your fellow Earthmen.’
The Doctor didn’t bother to point out that he was a Time Lord and not an Earthman. ‘Do you people realise what you’ve done? You’ve finally convinced them that we’re both Draconian agents.’
‘We know,’ hissed the Draconian Ambassador, ‘that you are both agents of the Earth Government, part of some plot against our Empire. You are working for General Williams. He hates our people. He is employing you to create tension among the people of