Doctor Who_ Storm Harvest - Mike Tucker [34]
‘One of your colleagues, Doctor,’ said MacKenzie. ‘Oh dear, oh dear. Do be sure to convey my respects...’
‘What?’ snapped the Doctor irritably. ‘Oh, yes, Professor, of course.
May I have the use of your laboratory?’
‘Of course,’ MacKenzie effused. ‘ Anything for...’
The harsh sound of a siren cut across the hubbub of crowd and sea.
Two gaudy police vehicles glided to a halt and uniformed men tumbled out. Phillip Garrett stepped from the back of one of the transports. He crossed the beach and stared at the crippled submarine.
‘Who’s in charge of this vessel?’
Rajiid stepped forward. ‘I am, he said. ‘Rajiid Woozeer.’ He hooked a thumb back at the others. ‘That’s Greg Mallory; R’tk’tk I think you know.’
‘You’ll have to make a statement.’ Garrett didn’t take his eyes from the scarred hull of the vessel. He motioned to the policemen. ‘Take him in.’
Ace shot an anxious glance at the Doctor.
‘Excuse me,’ the Doctor said, ‘that seems a little harsh.’
Garrett looked him carefully up and down. ‘I don’t see that this is any concern of InterOceanic,’ he said. ‘Bring the pilots and impound the sub. Clear these people away.’
Rajiid, Greg and R’tk’tk were bundled into one of the police vehicles. Ace made to follow, but was thrust roughly back into the crowd. The Doctor found himself being herded away from the wreck with the rest of the onlookers.
‘Does the chief engineer usually come on police call-outs?’ the Doctor whispered to Q’ilp.
‘No,’ Q’ilp replied, ‘but Garrett’s a strange one. Very cosy with the colony co-ordinator, Brenda Mulholland. He’s got his hands in everywhere.’
‘Doctor,’ Ace cried. ‘What about Rajiid...?’
The Doctor shot her an angry glance. ‘I think we have more important things to worry about than your friend talking to the police, Ace. Far more important things.’
64
Chapter Eight
‘Tough... hide like a rhinoceros. Breastbone like titanium. I can barely cut through.’
The alien body from the undersea ruin lay naked on a slab in MacKenzie’s laboratory in the research wing of the colony’s main admire building. Its diving suit lay on an adjacent bench. Ace sat on a stool in the corner, trying to ignore the smell of formaldehyde that hung about the corpse.
The Doctor seemed to be making slow progress with a laser-cutter, gradually opening the creature up. MacKenzie hovered behind him, picking idly at the diving suit. He lifted a small, flat punch-pad from the belt and began jabbing at it.
‘Please don’t touch anything,’ the Doctor said sharply. Stung, MacKenzie put the pad down. The Doctor immediately snatched it and dropped it into a pocket of his linen jacket.
‘Just trying to help, Doctor,’ MacKenzie said.
‘Yes, of course,’ said the Doctor in a more conciliatory tone. ‘Tell me, what do you make of the diving suit, Professor?’
‘I don’t really know, Doctor. Not my field, I’m afraid.’
‘Look at the insignia,’ said the Doctor absent-mindedly. ‘Warlike, wouldn’t you say?’
‘Well yes, I suppose...’
‘The weapon, too. Very nasty. Not the sort of thing you’d normally take on an archaeological expedition.’
‘No, indeed, said MacKenzie.
‘Did you notice he was holding the gun when Q’ilp brought him up?
Doesn’t that strike you as odd?’
‘Yes. Well, that is... I’m not sure I follow you, Doctor.’
‘He was expecting to find something nasty down there, Professor...
Aha!’
The breastbone finally gave way. An acrid swill of blood, tissue and sea water spilled out over the creature’s body.
‘Massive internal disruption, said the Doctor. ‘Something made soup out of this poor chap’s internal organs. Professor MacKenzie, is there 65
any way of sealing off the dig?’
‘Sealing... What do you mean, Doctor?’
‘It’s a perfectly straightforward question,’ the Doctor barked. ‘Your work must be suspended. I don’t want anyone going near that temple.’
‘But you don’t think...’
‘I do think, Professor. And until I’m sure it’s safe I don’t want anyone going out there. Do you understand?’
‘Well naturally, if that’s the view of InterOceanic...’ MacKenzie tried hard not to look bothered. ‘Although I really must contest