Doctor Who_ Storm Harvest - Mike Tucker [32]
Crumbling cliffs of tile and stone rose dimly around him, shedding slow-falling boulders. He couldn’t breathe...
The trench closed about him as he was pulled deeper. His hands and feet scrabbled against its rough, sharp surface. His torch’s failing light came to rest on something odd – something which shouldn’t be there.
Surely it was...
He sensed movement in the water above him and saw Q’ilp swimming towards him, diving down through the dark canyon. The dolphin’s mouth closed around the tail of his jacket, and began to pull him upwards. His head broke the surface and he gasped for breath.
‘Quickly, he spluttered. ‘There’s a...’
‘Doctor, I really am most dreadfully sorry!’ MacKenzie danced on the ledge in agitation. The Doctor scrambled up beside him.
‘Thank you, Q’ilp,’ the Doctor said.
‘This has never happened before on one of my digs,’ MacKenzie fussed. ‘I hope you won’t think too ill of our efforts. The good will of InterOceanic is...’
‘Professor, there’s a body down there,’ the Doctor said sharply. ‘It doesn’t look human. Q’ilp, please could you go down and take a look?’
‘It’s pretty rough down there,’ the dolphin said slowly. ‘Unstable.
60
There are rocks tumbling everywhere.’
‘Nonsense, Q’ilp, nonsense,’ MacKenzie blustered. ‘Anything for our friends at InterOceanic.’
Q’ilp spat a thin, contemptuous jet of water from his snout and dived below the surface. The Doctor peered down into the trench, ignoring MacKenzie’s fevered apologies. He could see the dark shape of the dolphin receding beneath the water, then gradually coming closer again. Q’ilp broke the surface raggedly, struggling with a colossal burden. It was a figure, humanoid but huge and thickset, motionless, its diving suit ragged and torn. Dead weight.
The Doctor struggled to drag the figure on to the ledge.
‘Don’t just stand there, MacKenzie,’ he snapped. ‘Help me.’
Gingerly the archaeologist extended a hand and tugged feebly at the figure. When at last it was on the ledge the Doctor removed a tubular breathing apparatus from its head. Its skin was thick and hide-like, a dull grey-green colour with pronounced, bony ridges. Its body was squat and muscular, and easily seven feet tall.
‘Ugly blighter,’ said MacKenzie. ‘I suppose you’re going to try and tell me this is a Krill.’
‘Krill? Hardly, Professor. For one thing, according to these murals the Krill were aquatic. This thing’s wearing some kind of submarine breathing apparatus. And besides, it is certainly not a native of this world. Look at its physiognomy. The bone structure implies it evolved on a planet of far higher gravity than this.’
‘So what do you think it was doing here?’
‘The same as us, I imagine, said the Doctor. ‘Exploring. Looking for something.’
‘Doctor,’ Q’ilp butted in, ‘do you hear that? No – you wouldn’t, of course. Too high. It started when I pulled him out of the crevice. I think it’s a signal. It’s coming from his suit.’
‘Let’s get him out of here,’ said the Doctor. ‘I’d like to examine him.’
‘Of course, of course,’ said MacKenzie. ‘You can use my laboratory.
All of the institute’s facilities are at your disposal, Doctor.’
‘You’ll never get him up the access shaft,’ said Q’ilp. ‘I’d better take him through the airlock.’
All the way back on the Zodiac the Doctor dripped and dried, and MacKenzie talked.
‘It’s most gratifying that InterOceanic are taking an interest in my work,’ he oozed. ‘If necessary I could provide a full report of the progress we have made. If there was any prospect of additional 61
funding...’
The Doctor was barely listening. He watched the island chain coming slowly closer. Something appeared to be happening west of the harbour – a dense crowd was gathered on the beach. As the Zodiac slowed in the shallow water the Doctor strained to see what it was all about. A submarine appeared to have run aground on the beach; its nose was partly buried in the sand and it was practically on its side.
People milled around it, jostling to see it. A team of paramedics was pushing through