Doctor Who_ The Devil Goblins From Neptune - Keith Topping [33]
'No,' said Liz, fascinated. 'I think I understand.'
'So much of what is, and what was, and what shall be, are governed by concepts which humans - even brilliant ones like you - can have no rational understanding of.'
Liz was blushing now, thankful that her face was hidden in the shadows of the warm summer night. 'I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me,' she said.
'This seems to be my week for telling people what's what,' the Doctor replied. 'I was saying to Sergeant Benton only the other day -' Suddenly his head snapped to his right.
'What was that?'
Liz followed the Doctor's gaze. 'I don't see anything,' she said, staring into the inky darkness beyond the garden.
'I thought I heard something'
'Maybe the wind?'
The Doctor continued to look in the direction that the sound had come from. He was silent for a moment and then said, 'The Kagananaga Botizoids of the planet Logomundopsi in one of the Magellanic Cloud galaxies have a word to describe the effect of time and dark matter on the subjective position of stars. That might be a better descriptive term than
"constellation". Unfortunately, to pronounce it, you would have to have your tongue surgically removed'
'Oh' Not for the first time Liz couldn't tell whether the Doctor was being facetious or not.
The Doctor's voice was curiously flat and unemotional, his eyes unblinking. 'I remember once, on the Volputic plains of Casuragi Three in Tau Ceti, I met an old Janus Lynonite.
He was orange, with three eyes, and a head in the exact shape of a -Good evening, gentlemen.'
From out of the darkness stepped a group of black-garbed men whom the Doctor seemed to recognise.
'Do not move,' said a voice behind Liz. She spun quickly to find herself facing the girl who'd been with Mike. She was holding Yates's Browning 9mm in her hand.
'Not again,' said the Doctor. 'Young lady, I'll have you know I've had a very trying couple of days.'
'Shut up,' said the woman, moving to the Doctor's side and pointing the gun at his head, dramatically.
'What have you done with Mike?' Liz blurted out.
The Russian woman ignored her. 'Bring the female as well,' she ordered. Two soldiers walked towards the petrified Liz.
'This is utterly pointless, you know,' said the Doctor. 'Your masters must want me very badly indeed to have sent you on such a fool's errand, but you haven't made a very good job of it so far, have you? To botch one kidnap attempt might be regarded as misfortune, to botch three would look like carelessness!' He stared at the woman, speaking slowly to underline his point. 'There is no way you will succeed in getting me out of the country.'
She said nothing in reply, but Liz could see embarrassment and frustration etched on to the woman's face.
'You don't want to be doing this, do you?' the Doctor asked sympathetically, but he got no response other than the immediate attention of the rest of the troops.
The woman turned away. 'Sergeant?' A man snapped to attention. 'Where's the van hidden?'
'Two hundred yards down the road,' he replied.
'Leyonev's driving'
'Then let us get out of here,' ordered the woman. 'Bring them both' She glanced at her prisoners. 'Shoot to maim if they try to run or cry out'
Liz and the Doctor were marched around the side of the house, through a gate, and out on to the road. The Doctor turned to look at Liz. 'Don't worry,' he whispered. 'They won't hurt you'
The group reached the road, which was deserted. They could hear the sounds of the party, but the curtains were drawn. The neighbouring houses were in darkness.
The Doctor turned his attention back to the Russian leader. 'Why go to all this trouble?' he asked.
'There will be time for talk later,' she replied. It was the first time she had acknowledged the Doctor directly.
'Nice