Doctor Who_ Storm Harvest - Mike Tucker [61]
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The Krill gathered itself to spring, and was hurled backwards by a hail of gunfire.
‘Come on you two! Out of here!’
R’tk’tk clattered past them, nestled in the spindly shape of a mobility unit. Two gun barrels projected from the underside of the machine. As more Krill appeared through the shattered window the dolphin’s guns roared again and R’tk’tk pushed forward, cutting a bloody line through the monsters.
The Doctor grasped Ace by the hand and hauled her through the doors of the administration building. In the cool of the interior the noise of gunfire and Krill was muted, almost melodic. Ace finally stopped to catch her breath, aware of how bruised and dirty she was.
The foyer of the building was littered with the wounded, medics flitting from person to person trying to treat the worst of the injuries.
She could see Rajiid slumped against a wall. He forced a weak smile to his lips. Ace stared up at the Doctor who was pacing to and fro, gnawing at his knuckles.
‘It’s bad, isn’t it?’
The Doctor nodded.
‘Doctor...’ Q’ilp scuttled down the stairs in his exoskeleton, clouds of cigar smoke billowing in his wake. ‘Brenda wants to see you.’
The Doctor stopped his pacing and stared at the dolphin. As if making a sudden decision he set off up the stairs. ‘Come on, Ace,’ he said.
Ace struggled to her feet, shrugged apologetically at Rajiid, and set off after him.
She bounded up the stairs two at a time, trying to keep pace With Q’ilp’s mechanical monstrosity. The Doctor was way ahead of them and, by the time they arrived at the control centre, was already in deep conversation with Brenda. They were crouched over a bank of consoles, talking in low and worried tones.
Ace pushed her way over to them. All around her technicians listened to reports from the defence perimeter. The crackle of gunfire was harsh and tinny over the speakers. A large screen showed the island chain from the air – a low-orbit satellite scan. Figures and graphs scrolled over the read-out. Ace couldn’t see anything to get excited about.
Brenda tapped a control and the image zoomed out.
‘This is our problem, Doctor.’
Ace looked at the scanner. A large black swirl dominated the ocean.
She felt her heart sink.
‘Please tell me that’s not what I think it is.’
‘A hurricane’ The Doctor’s voice was soft and low. ‘Bigger than anything you will ever have seen on Earth.’ He looked at Brenda, 119
steely-eyed. ‘How long until it hits?’
‘If it continues on its current course, we should start to feel it in about two hours. We’re getting constant data from the NavSats, we should be able to plot it accurately.’
The Doctor straightened up.
‘Well, there’s no other choice then.’
Ace looked at him, puzzled. ‘What’s going on, Professor? What choice?’
The room was quiet, all eyes on the little Time Lord. The Doctor took a deep breath.
‘The defence grid simply won’t be able to hold a combined assault by the hurricane and the Krill. And if the repulsor fields fail, the winds will tear this place apart. Our only chance is the TARDIS.’
Brenda looked puzzled. ‘TARDIS?’
‘My ship. I should have room to get nearly everybody off the island.’
Brenda laughed. ‘The entire island? Really..?
Ace cut across her, looking at the Doctor in disbelief. ‘But the TARDIS is out on the beach. How the hell are we meant to reach it?’
The Doctor stared straight into her eyes. ‘Only I have to reach it.’
‘You’re not going out there?’
The Doctor said nothing. Ace felt herself flush with anger. ‘Don’t be stupid, you’ll never make it through those creatures.’
‘The girl’s right.’ Brenda frowned at him. ‘How the hell do you think you’re going to get anywhere near...’
‘The coastguard flyer.’ The Doctor was pacing around the room.
‘Your pilot can hover over the TARDIS and let me down on the winch.
I’ll only need seconds to open the door.’
‘You won’t have seconds!’ Ace was frantic now. ‘You know this isn’t going to work, Professor! I can see