Doctor Who_ Space War - Malcolm Hulke [35]
‘You couldn’t do that.’
‘Want to try me? I shall count to three. One... two...’
The Doctor kicked the blaster gun down the corridor. It stopped at the Master’s feet. He picked it up.
‘Thank you, Doctor. At last you are beginning to show some sense—’
A profound clang vibrated through the entire ship. While they fought and threatened, some other craft in Space had locked on to the Master’s spaceship.
‘We have company,’ observed the Doctor. ‘Your Ogron friends?’
The Master looked distinctly worried. ‘No. I’ve no idea who it is.’
‘Then I suggest you be hospitable, old chap. We are probably heavily outnumbered.’
As they watched, the air-lock door slowly opened. Jo, white-faced with fear, came out first. Immediately behind her was a Draconian Space captain. The Doctor went quietly up to the Master, relieved him of the blaster gun and put it to one side.
‘Welcome,’ said the Master, though his voice was a little hoarse. ‘To what do I owe the pleasure?’
The Draconian captain looked along his green snout at the humanoids. ‘Why have you violated the Draconian frontier in Space?’
‘I apologise most deeply,’ answered the Master quickly. ‘My prisoners tried to escape. They caused the ship to be thrown off course.’
The Draconian captain gave a short hissing sound. Then he spoke again. ‘Disputes between Earthmen are not my concern. Owing to the many insults and provocations against the Empire of Draconia, a state of emergency has been declared. Diplomatic relations with your empire no longer exist. You have violated Draconian Space. The penalty is death. I shall take you to our planet where you will be executed in public.’
Two Draconian soldiers trained their blaster guns on the three prisoners through the bars. A Draconian flight crew was now in command of the Master’s spaceship, heading it full speed towards Draconia.
‘Personally, I’m quite happy to go to their planet,’ said the Doctor. ‘I shall tell the Emperor what you have been trying to do.’
‘You really think he’ll believe you?’ sneered the Master.
‘It won’t be my first visit there,’ the Doctor replied. ‘I was able to help them once when they were in trouble.’
‘How good of you,’ the Master scoffed. He turned to Jo. ‘It astounds me how you can put up with him, he’s so sickeningly good .’
Jo turned away, ignoring the Master.
‘Oh well,’ he said, ‘if we’re going to get huffy with each other, I might as well catch some sleep. Call me when we get there.’ He lay down on one of the bunks, rolled over to face the wall. Unseen by either the Doc-tor or Jo, the Master produced from his tunic pocket a tiny black box and pressed the button on its side. A light in the box began to flash off and on.
A million miles away across the vastness of Space, a speck of light on a monitor screen flashed off and on in the flight deck of an Ogron spaceship. One of the two Ogrons at the controls noticed the flashing light and pointed.
‘Him call for help.’
His companion, a huge Ogron with arms thick as most Earthmen’s thighs, turned to look at the screen.
‘Him call—we go!’
Working great clumsy levers, the Ogron captain boosted the ship’s rocket motors to full speed.
On the Planet of Draconia, the Prince strode into his father’s great throne room at the Royal Palace. He was glad to be back home after his time as Draconian Ambassador to Earth. With the recent severance of all diplomatic relations between the two Empires, he and his staff had been forced to leave the Earth Embassy.
The Emperor, his green flesh wizened with age, looked up in surprise. Even his own son was required to seek an audience before speaking to him.
‘So, father,’ said the Prince as he entered, ‘once again the Earthmen have invaded our Space!’
The Emperor hissed, then spoke in a fragile, high-pitched voice. ‘You will address the Emperor in the proper manner.’
The Prince obediently took a step back and bowed. ‘Your pardon. May I have permission to address the Emperor?’ He mounted the three steps to the throne and kissed his father’s claw. ‘My life at your command.’
The old Emperor nodded, satisfied