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‘I didn’t and they weren’t Draconians. They were Ogrons. They were also Ogrons, and not Draconians, who unsuccessfully attacked this prison after I’d escaped from the Draconian Embassy.’

Now the screen showed an Ogron entering the space cargo ship through the air-lock. The picture blurred, then was replaced by one of the Ogrons opening the door to the prison cell. As the amazed General stared, the Doctor and Jo were dragged from the cell down a prison corridor. Earth Security guards suddenly appeared in great numbers, counter-attacking the Ogrons, finally snatching back their two prisoners and forcing the Ogrons to retreat.

‘These creatures that you keep producing in your imagination,’ said General Williams, ‘what are they?’

‘Ogrons,’ said the Doctor, bored by tiresome questions.

The General turned to the technician. ‘Your machine can’t be working correctly. Either that, or the prisoner can pretend to remember things.’

The technician looked worried. ‘I’ve checked all the circuits, sir. What you see on the screen are definitely the prisoner’s thoughts. Maybe he’s been brainwashed, sir. Perhaps he believes what he’s saying is the truth.’

General Williams considered. ‘We must break through his conditioning. Step it up to full power.’

The technician hesitated. ‘Full power, sir?’

‘You heard my order.’

Reluctantly the technician turned the conrols of the mind probe. He was conditioned to have no feelings for prisoners, but he knew from experience that the full force of the mind probe could quickly destroy human brain cells, rendering a prisoner imbecile and useless for further questioning. ‘It’s now on full power, sir.’

General Williams looked closely into the Doctor’s contorted face. ‘Are you a Draconian spy? When do they plan to attack us? Who first recruited you? Who are the other Draconian agents on Earth. Answer! Answer! ‘

Waves of intense pain poured through the Doctor’s mind. On the television screen only whirling patterns appeared. Using all his energy, the Doctor tried to overcome the pain. Then, suddenly, the mind probe machine blew a fuse. Smoke billowed out from it. The technician switched off immediately.

‘General Williams,’ said the terrified technician, ‘I think he’s destroyed the machine.’

Williams stepped back and regarded Doctor. ‘Then we shall destroy him.’

Jo stood before the President’s desk. ‘But I keep telling you the truth. You just won’t believe me.’

The President smiled. ‘Sit down, my dear.’

Jo sat.

‘Naturally you wish to be loyal to your friend,’ continued the President, her voice kind. ‘But your first loyalty is to Earth. Don’t you want to help prevent a terrible war?’

‘Of course we do. But someone else is trying to start it, not the Draconians.’

The President maintained her smile. ‘How I wish I could believe you. But we have so many eye-witnesses to Draconian attacks. They’ve made two attempts now to rescue you from custody.’

‘The first time was Draconians,’ Jo admitted. ‘But the second time it was Ogrons.’

The President shook her head regretfully. ‘I am trying to help you, but you insist on these lies! The telephone flashed and she answered. ‘Yes?’

A girl’s voice said, ‘General Williams to see you, Madam President.’

‘Send him in, please.’ She turned back to Jo. ‘I can’t help you if you won’t help yourself.’

‘I very much want to help myself,’ said Jo. ‘But you wouldn’t believe my answers even if I gave them to you.’

General Williams entered through the round door. ‘Madam President, the man’s made a full confession. He’s admitted they’re both in the pay of the Draconian Secret Service.’

Jo was incensed. ‘That isn’t true! What have you done to him to make him say that?’ She turned to the President. ‘I want to see him.’

The President nodded to the guards by the door. ‘Take her to the other prisoner. We shall talk again later.’ She waited until Jo had gone. ‘Well?’

General Williams sat down, defeated. ‘He admitted nothing. I thought if I said that the girl might confess.’

He took a deep breath. ‘We must use the mind