Doctor Who_ Space War - Malcolm Hulke [4]
As Hardy took the two prisoners back down the ship’s corridor, Stewart re-tuned the transmitter to the Earth Control wavelength. ‘Earth Chargo Ship C-982,’ he spoke into the microphone. ‘Draconian battle cruiser has now locked on. They are about to force entry. We are alone in Space. We need immediate help...’
But he had the feeling no help would arrive in time, and this would be the last message he’d ever send.
2 The Draconian Prince
Millions of miles from the threatened spaceship, the President of Earth was receiving the Draconian Ambassador in her spacious white office. She was an attractive woman in her forties, very feminine in her long pink robes, and her intelligent face suggested great inner strength. She was by no means the first female President of Earth. By her side was General Williams, a strikingly handsome man just a few years older than herself. He wore a single, metallic blue tunic with one simple star on his left breast to designate his rank. The Ambassador, dressed in black robes with high pointed shoulders, had the typical Draconian’s dragon face, green scaly skin and tapering cars. He was a Prince of Draconia by birth and had both the dignity and arrogance that went with his station in life. The planet Draconia, despite technical advance equal to Earth’s, had remained a monarchy with an Emperor, princes, and a Royal Court.
The President, who wished her visitor would sit down instead of towering over her, smiled up to the Ambassador Prince. ‘I assure you, Your Highness, all these charges made against Earth are false. We are not attacking Draconian spaceships, nor have we ever done so.’
An Earth guard signalled to General Williams from the doorway, a circular opening in the brilliant white wall. Quietly the General crossed to the guard and took a folded note from him.
The Prince spoke in a clear, icy voice. ‘Madam President, our soldiers have seen the Earthmen attack our ships. Our cargoes have been stolen. We Draconians do not tell lies.’
The President replied, ‘The honour of your race is well known, Your Highness. We, the people of Earth, are indeed fortunate to share the galaxy of the Milky Way with such noble neighbours. That is why we cannot understand your actions.’ In the best traditions of diplomacy, the President flavoured her criticisms with compliments.
‘What actions?’
‘You attack our spaceships. You steal our cargoes. You ignore our protests and meet them only with these counter-charges.’
It was impossible for the President to tell if the Prince was angry. Draconian green faces were incapable of turning red. Yet by the Prince’s sudden movement, holding back his head so that the dragon snout protruded pugnaciously, he was clearly very annoyed. ‘Our charges are true, Madam. Yours are false. We do not attack your ships—’
By now General Williams had read the note. He crossed to the President’s desk, breaking all convention by cutting in when the Prince was speaking. ‘Madam President, you should see this immediately.’
She read the note, her face setting hard. Then she looked up to the Prince. ‘This is a transcript of a distress call from one of our ships, Your Highness. Allow me to read it to you. “From Earth Cargo Ship C-982. We are under attack by a Draconian battle cruiser, Galaxy class, equipped with neutronic missiles.”’
The Prince was quick to answer. The treaty between our two inter-stellar empires established a frontier in Space. We have never violated that frontier to attack your ships. But you have invaded our half of the galaxy many times.’
General Williams could no longer contain himself. ‘In pursuit of your ships when they had raided ours! ‘
‘General Williams!’ The President was angry. She needed the General, perhaps more than he realised, and accepted his abrupt manner as part of his personality. But when she was in conference with the official representative of the one great power in Space that could destroy Earth, she intended to keep the conversation cool and polite.
The General realised he had overstepped the mark. He turned to the Prince