Doctor Who_ Storm Harvest - Mike Tucker [26]
47
Chapter Six
Ace had watched the gentle green of the ocean give way to a darker, more mysterious blue as the sub spiralled deeper and deeper.
Eventually the exterior floods had kicked in and a different world was revealed. Now she was lost in a kaleidoscope of plant life and fish –
and the towering structures of an enormous city.
With R’tk’tk’s commentary in her ears, she stared out at streets and colonnades that stretched for miles across the sandy sea floor. She had been expecting the suggestion of a city, a few impressions in the sand; maybe a ruined wall or two, but this... She shook her head in amazement.
‘Impressive, isn’t it?’
Rajiid was at her shoulder. Ace pulled off her headphones. ‘How much of this is there?’
Rajiid shrugged. ‘Difficult to say. Until the first engineers came down to set up the reactor we didn’t even know the cities were here. As far as we can make out they’re all over the planet.’
‘A huge empire, hidden from human gaze...’ Bryce gave a deep theatrical sigh. ‘What secrets these stones could impart if only they had a voice.’
Rapid rolled his eyes. ‘He’ll go on like this for hours,’ he whispered.
‘He’s been down every day for the past week. Not that we can get him to go out in a suit, mind you. The closest Mr Bryce gets to water is soda in his whisky.’
Ace grinned and turned back to the window.
With a slosh of water, R’tk’tk suddenly popped up through the Open lock. Rajiid looked at him in surprise. ‘Hey, boss, what’s up?’
R’tk’tk beckoned Rajiid over. Ace strained to hear what they were saying.
‘Getting something on my transmitter,’ the dolphin chirruped.
‘Sounds like an InterOceanic beacon, but it’s faint.’
Rajiid pulled himself back into the nose of the sub. ‘Anything, Greg?’
The big Australian held his hand briefly up for quiet. His fingers 48
danced over the controls of the com system and after a moment he nodded.
‘R’tk’tk’s right. It’s a standard InterOceanic distress beacon, broadcasting on a very narrow band. It must be that pod they’ve been looking for. Signal’s almost too faint to pick up. We’re lucky to find it.’
Rajiid slid into his chair and snapped home his harness.
‘OK, Greg, get me a bearing. R’tk’tk, get out there and see if you can spot the pod. Keep an open com channel.’
The dolphin vanished into the dark.
‘Everyone in the back, strap in and keep your eyes peeled.’
The sub banked sharply and searchlights lanced out into the dark water. Ace watched as R’tk’tk became a dark blur circling in front of them, darting through the ruins of the city. She strained her eyes in an effort to spot the pod in the tangle of ancient stone, but the lights kept throwing long confusing shadows across the seabed and the glinting of thousands of fish kept distracting her.
There was a sudden cry from up front.
‘Found her!’ There was a series of excited clickings from R’tk’tk’s communicator.
Ace pressed her nose to the window. The dolphin was circling a dull grey sphere that nestled in the sand. As the sub dropped lower Ace could see ragged tears along the pod’s skin, huge dents in its hull. A small river of bubbles streamed from one side of it.
‘Dear God...’ Rajiid had gone pale.
Greg pointed at a tangle of torn metal on the pod’s hull. ‘No wonder the signal’s weak. Look at the communications relay! Those pods are meant to be indestructible. What the hell could have done that?’
Rajiid shook his head slowly, then regained his composure. ‘The docking ring looks sound. Let’s see if we can get a link-up.’
The sub dropped lower, engines whining as Rajiid tried to line up the airlock. R’tk’tk darted between the two craft, barking instructions.
There was a sudden clang and the sub lurched as locking clamps snapped home.
Rajiid and Greg unclipped themselves from their seats and crossed to the lock. There was a sharp hiss as the pressure equalised and Rajiid unclamped the hatch.
The inside of the pod was dark, and there was a sharp smell of something rotting. Rajiid peered nervously inside. ‘Hello...’
There was no sound from the interior.
He reached behind him.