Doctor Who_ Space War - Malcolm Hulke [43]
But the other voice spoke over the Doctor’s. ‘You are in possession of a stolen police spaceship. You are under arrest, whoever you are. Stand by to be boarded. Do not offer any resistance.’
The Master looked up at Jo, his eyes twinkling. ‘This is the best radio show I’ve listened to in years. Aren’t you enjoying it?’
‘I repeat.’ said the voice from the Earth battle cruiser, ‘you are under arrest. Stand by to be boarded.’
‘Very well,’ came the Doctor’s voice. ‘We are standing by.’
The Master switched off the loudspeaker. ‘Poor Doctor, enmeshed in the toils of bureaucracy. It’ll take him some time to talk his way out of that .’
‘But he’ll get to the President,’ said Jo. ‘He’ll tell her everything.’
‘You think she’ll believe a word of it?’
‘She will when she sees the Ogron prisoner,’ Jo replied pertly. ‘He’s our evidence.’
‘What a shame,’ said the Master. ‘Your so-called evidence is standing behind you.’
Jo turned as best she could. She was surrounded by Ogrons. ‘I don’t believe you.’
‘I know they all look alike, Miss Grant, so you’ll have to take my word for it.’
Jo had another idea. ‘The Draconian Prince knows the truth and he’s still with the Doctor!’
The Master stroked his beard. ‘My clear Miss Grant, in the climate of opinion and tension which I have created do you think that anyone on Earth will believe the word of a Draconian? Unfortunately for you, everything is now going my way.’
‘Surely we cannot be expected to believe this preposterous story!’ General Williams spoke emphatically.
The others in the President’s office stared at him—the Doctor. the Draconian Prince and the President. Even though diplomatic relations between Earth and Draconia had been severed and the two empires were on the brink of armed conflict, the presence of the Emperor’s son called for a certain politeness.
The General realised his bluntness may have gone too far. ‘I’m a military man, not a politician. I speak my mind. What the Doctor says about this man called the Master and about Ogrons is very difficult to believe.’
The Prince held back his head, snout protruding pugnaciously. ‘I confirm everything the Doctor has told you. My word should be enough.’
‘Indeed, yes,’ said the President. tactfully. ‘But to convince my people I shall need concrete evidence. Earth is a democracy. I cannot tell my people what to think.’
‘There’s only one thing for it,’ said the Doctor. ‘We must mount an expedition to find the planet of the Ogrons. The proof you need is there.’
‘Let us be sensible,’ said the General. ‘With Earth almost at war, how can we divert our forces into such a pointless expedition? Suppose this is yet another Draconian trick, to divide our strength?’
The Prince started to hiss with anger, but before he could say anything the Doctor spoke. ‘I’m not asking for a battle fleet, General Williams. One small space ship is all I need.’
‘Then your request is granted,’ said the President.
‘On the contrary,’ cut in General Williams. ‘Your request is denied.’ He turned to the President. ‘In military matters, Madam President, your authority is limited. Such an expedition needs my consent.
The Prince hissed again with mounting rage. ‘How can we expect help from a man such as this General? Many years ago he deliberately caused war between our peoples.’
‘That is untrue,’ the General retorted.
‘You destroyed a Draconian ship that came on a mission of peace.’
‘A ship that was about to open fire on us, when we were damaged and helpless! ‘
The Doctor tried to intervene. ‘Gentlemen, please, let us talk of the future, not the past.’
The President raised a hand to silence the Doctor. ‘No, I want these things to be said. It’s time everything was discussed openly. Well, General Williams, what made you think the Draconian ship was about to open fire on you?’
‘They didn’t answer my signals, that’s why!’
‘The communications equipment of the Draconian ship,’ said the Prince, ‘had been destroyed by the same neutron storm that damaged your ship. I have read records of my father’s Court. What I say is the truth.’
There