Doctor Who_ Storm Harvest - Mike Tucker [31]
‘Interesting, isn’t it? The earlier scenes show military parades, demonstrations of firepower, triumphs, prisoners – but no actual war.’
‘Which implies that their victories were achieved far away,’ the Doctor cut in. ‘Far from the public consciousness. Whereas here...’
‘Distressing, isn’t it?’
The Doctor ran his fingers lightly over the wall. ‘What do you make of these, Professor?’
A new species had appeared in the pictures.
‘Savage blighters, aren’t they?’ MacKenzie said. ‘Of course, if we look at ancient Earth history we find similar, mythical figures. The 58
Titans...’
‘Legends, you think?’
‘Oh, I think so, Doctor.’ MacKenzie laughed.
‘Have you ever heard of the Krill?’ the Doctor asked sharply.
‘The Krill... exactly!’ MacKenzie exclaimed. ‘The little authentic information we have on the Krill – and believe me, it is little – seems to conform to classic mythology patterns on a hundred worlds. The book of Revelations, for example. The Norse tales of Ragnarok...’
The Doctor shuddered at the word.
‘And yet Ragnarok and Revelations were visions of a future apocalypse. We’re looking at the remains of an extinct society Professor. It would appear that they had their Ragnarok right here.’
MacKenzie sniffed. ‘I would expect this society became extinct by more... natural means. It happens. Societies wither and die. The Egyptians, the Romans... Who would have thought the people who built the pyramids or the Colosseum would ever fade into obscurity and extinction, but fade they did.’
‘I recently met a travel writer who held a different view,’ said the Doctor. ‘I got the impression he had amassed quite a body of tales. He seemed to regard himself as something of an expert.’
MacKenzie groaned. ‘Bryce,’ he said. ‘The man’s a sensationalist.
He has no qualifications whatever in this field. His Krill stories... well, he made most of them up, if you ask me. He’s a charlatan and a nuisance.’
‘I wonder...’ the Doctor mused. ‘Professor, you say this was a temple... What do you know about their religion? What rites were practised here?’
‘Well, to be perfectly frank with you, Doctor, our research is still inconclusive at the moment...’
‘You call that being perfectly frank?’ Q’ilp cut in from below them.
‘Be honest, MacKenzie – you haven’t got a clue. There are no altars, no religious symbols, nothing.’
‘And yet this was a temple, I’m certain,’ the professor snapped. ‘I’d stake my reputation on it.’
The dolphin emitted a curious, high, snuffling squeak. It sounded to the Doctor as if it was laughing.
‘I think you’re right,’ said the Doctor. ‘In a manner of speaking. But where indeed is the altar? Where is the inner sanctum? The holy of holies.’
‘You sound as if you have the answer,’ MacKenzie said pettishly.
‘No,’ said the Doctor. ‘I don’t. I wish I did, but I don’t.’
The tunnel ended abruptly in a blank wall. The Doctor edged along 59
the narrow crumbling ledge and studied the wall closely.
‘Strange...’ he mused. ‘Why should they build a tunnel to nowhere?’
‘Presumably the temple complex was unfinished,’ said MacKenzie.
‘Perhaps...’ said the Doctor. ‘But why would they cover the walls with hieroglyphs and friezes if they were still excavating?’
‘Careful, Doctor, Q’ilp warned. ‘The ledge is crumbling. The seabed’s unstable around here. This damned place is falling apart.’
‘You know,’ said the Doctor, ‘I think I might have a crack at translating these hieroglyphs.’
MacKenzie scoffed. ‘They’ve quite foxed me,’ he said. And my colleagues.’
The Doctor didn’t reply. His face was pressed close to the wall.
‘Pass me the torch, Professor,’ he said.
He snatched the proffered torch from MacKenzie.
‘Doctor...!’ Q’ilp suddenly chirruped. ‘Get back! The ledge...’
He didn’t finish his sentence. The Doctor suddenly felt the ground beneath his feet slipping into the trench below. He scrabbled at the wall, but his free hand could find no purchase. With a short cry, he fell, plunging into the cold water.
‘Doctor...!’ Q’ilp shrieked.
The Doctor felt himself being sucked down. The current was strong.
The light of