Doctor Who_ Storm Harvest - Mike Tucker [78]
‘Not to your taste, Doctor?’ He downed the liquid in a swift gulp.
The Doctor picked up his glass. ‘General, I’m not here to pass the time of day with you. You are embarking on a very dangerous course of action. The Krill are the most vicious creatures I have ever encountered and you seem to think that you can use them like some sort of tool.’ He swirled the liquid around in his glass, aware of Mottrack’s eyes burning into his skull. ‘The people on this planet are not part of your plans, General. They only just survived the Krill this time; they might not do so again. However you help, whatever defences you put in place, if the Krill attack again the only chance for any of us is that weapon.’
The Doctor looked up from the glass. ‘Leave these people alone, General. Let them have Phillip Garrett back and then leave them alone.’
For a moment it looked as though Mottrack was going to explode.
Then, with a barking laugh, he filled his glass again. ‘You think you are so clever, don’t you, Doctor? Think you have got it all worked out.
You haven’t the faintest idea of what we are trying to do.’ He leaned close, his breath hissing in the Doctor’s ears. ‘You are an interfering meddler. You will not be permitted to stand in the way of my plans.’
Cythosi and Time Lord glared at one another, then the Doctor raised his glass.
‘Cheers.’
He drained the liquid in a single gulp, his eyes streaming as it slid down his throat.
Mottrack bellowed with laughter, and shook his head. ‘You are a strange one, Doctor.’ He cocked his huge head to one side. ‘Not human, I’d wager?’
The Doctor dabbed at his eyes with his handkerchief.
‘What have you done with Phillip Garrett, General?’ His voice was hoarse. ‘The real Phillip Garrett.’
150
‘There is no real Garrett, Doctor.’
Mottrack leant back in his seat again, amusement dancing in his eyes. ‘Phillip Garrett is a deep-cover operative. His name is Skuarte.
He has been living among humans for nearly twenty years – the longest any Cythosi has remained undercover. We developed personal morphing generators a long time ago, Doctor, but this is the most successful operation of that device.’
‘So the siting of a colony on this world, having Garrett as chief engineer...’
‘Was all planned and executed according to the design of Cythosi High Command.’
Ace crouched down in the long grass staring at the cave mouth.
MacKenzie huddled alongside her.
‘That will almost certainly be it. Dreekan voodoo ceremonies tend to revolve around fire and darkness, that would be a perfect temple for them. Ace nodded, her eyes scanning the surrounding jungle. The wind was tearing at the trees now, the noise of rustling foliage making it almost impossible to hear anything.
Rajiid scrambled up the slope towards them.
‘I can’t see anyone, but there are sounds of movement from inside.
Ace looked up at the boiling sky overhead as raindrops, fat and heavy, began to splash off the wide leaves around them. With shocking suddenness the sky opened and torrents of water began to fall.
‘Come on,’ she said. ‘If nothing else it will give us somewhere to shelter from this storm.’
The three of them pushed their way through the creaking trees to the cave mouth. Their feet sank into the floor of the jungle as water saturated it. By the time they reached the cave mouth they were soaked through.
Ace flicked her wet hair from her eyes and peered into the gloom.
From the depths of the cave she could hear rhythmic drums and the low murmur of voices. She looked expectantly at the professor.
MacKenzie’s face was pale and clammy.
‘Yes, that’s it. That’s them.’ He caught her arm. ‘Do we have to go in?’
Ace shook herself free impatiently. ‘Wait here if you like. You can let us know if anyone else comes in behind us.’
She stared out at the hammering rain and raging wind. It was a fairly safe bet that no one would. She pitied anyone caught out in the storm.
She snapped on her torch and ran its beam over the walls.