Doctor Who_ The Bodysnatchers - Mark Morris [82]
'Pooh,' said Litefoot dismissively. 'You forget, my dear, that I too am a physician, and I pronounce myself perfectly capable of resuming my daily duties.'
The nurse looked unhappy. 'That's as may be, sir, but a problem still remains.'
'And that is?'
'Your clothes, sir. We tried washing and drying them, but they were quite unsalvageable. I'm afraid we have had to throw them away.'
'Good Lord, that's not a problem,' said Litefoot. 'Send to my house for some more. My housekeeper, Mrs Hudson, will sort something out. I, of course, will reimburse any expenses incurred by the hospital. Now please make haste, my dear. I'm in a terrible hurry.'
Thoroughly cowed, the young nurse could only nod. 'Yes, sir. At once, sir.'Then she turned tail and all but fled from the room.
***
The Doctor and Sam did get lucky, the chute emerging in a culvert close to the river. At the top of the chute a crystalline panel slid back and then part of the floor of the culvert itself, allowing them to climb out, exhausted but triumphant.
Sam bent double, hands on knees.'I'm knackered,' she gasped.
'Too much easy living, that's your trouble,' panted the Doctor. 'Come on.'
He began to stroll away.
They made their way on to the towpath and headed for the TARDIS, the Doctor retrieving his carpet bag from beneath the bench when they passed it a few minutes later.The night was a flimsy veil which daylight was gradually shredding.The fog was dissipating too, allowing Sam her first view of the concrete-grey Thames. She saw boats bobbing on the water, far enough away for her smallest fingernail to blot them out, and the suggestion of buildings on the far side, a few of which were aglow with light.
The TARDIS appeared ahead of them, solid and dependable as ever. The Doctor unlocked the door and they went inside. Sam faltered on the threshold, her eyes widening.
'Bloody hell! That's me!'
Tuval,in Sam's body, was still standing by the TARDIS console. Without a word the Doctor strode across the room, hopped up on to the dais, where he dropped the carpet bag, and began to operate the controls with his usual dexterity, looking not unlike a down-at-heel superhero in his shimmering wet suit.
Getting over her shock, Sam moved forward, though her eyes remained glued on the immobile yet three-dimensional image of herself by the console.
'What's going on, Doctor?' she shouted, trying to make herself heard above the dreadful screeching sound that was filling the room.'And what's that awful -'
The screeching abruptly stopped.
'- noise?'
The Doctor hopped down from the console asTuval, released from the time bubble, staggered and almost fell. He took hold of the Zygon's arm and steered it towards the chair where Sam had dumped her Walkman a couple of days earlier. He looked at Sam and nodded at the Walkman. She hurried forward and scooped it out of the way a split second before Tuval dropped in to the chair with a thump. The Zygon blinked and looked around dazedly.
'Are you all right?' the Doctor asked.
'I am fine,' said Tuval. 'The defences of your ship are very effective.Thank you for showing them to me.'
'My pleasure,' smiled the Doctor.
Suddenly Tuval registered the Doctor's attire, and the Zygon's borrowed features creased in puzzlement. 'You have changed, Doctor.'
The Doctor looked momentarily alarmed. 'Not again, surely?' Then he relaxed.'Oh, you mean the clothes.Yes,'he said vaguely. 'Tell me,Tuval, what do you remember?'
'I remember being unable to move, and you telling me that you were going to stop Balaak from carrying out our plan. The next moment I felt faint and you took me by the arm and led me to this chair. Tell me, Doctor, how do you intend to stop Balaak?'
'I already have,' said the Doctor. When Tuval looked puzzled, he said, 'I activated the stasis circuit and set up a localised time loop within it. To you, only moments have passed, but I've actually