Doctor Who_ The Doomsday Weapon - Malcolm Hulke [27]
Norton parted two of the fingers covering his eyes in order to watch Ashe as he stood over Holden's body. He congratulated himself on a marvellous performance.
10 The Claw
After Dent left the Doctor in the crew room, he did not again try the door, he knew it would be locked. To bide the time the Doctor again switched on the entertainment console. Flashing coloured lights swam onto the screen, and these were accompanied by a low thumping sound and occasional groans. He couldn't make out whether this was present-day symphonic or pop music, so he turned it off. Then he sat down, and took in the detail of the room. A ship this big, he reckoned, must have a fairly large crew, but this room had only four sleeping bunks. Obviously these were the officers' quarters, Caldwell had thought to put him in here so as to conceal from him the true extent of the spaceship's complement. He wondered where the crew was housed, and how many there really were. Then the door opened and a fresh-faced young man in IMC uniform stepped inside.
'First Officer Morgan, sir,' he said deferentially, 'at your service. Captain Dent asked me to drive you back to where you came from.'
The Doctor rose. 'That's very good of you. Perhaps you'd better lead the way.'
But Morgan stood to one side of the open door. 'No, sir,' he said, 'you're our guest. After you.'
'I suppose you're right,' said the Doctor, going into the connecting corridor. 'Just in case I take the silver.'
Morgan closed the crew room door and followed the Doctor. 'The what, sir?'
'An old fashioned joke,' said the Doctor.
'Oh, yes, sir,' said Morgan. 'Very amusing.'
The Doctor remembered his way out of the IMC spaceship. The entrance, he noted, did not appear to be guarded. Outside was a buggy, similar to the one Caldwell had used to bring him here.
'Is this for us?' said the Doctor.
'Yes, sir,' said Morgan. 'Please take your seat.'
The Doctor sat by the driver's seat, and then Morgan took his position. Before starting, Morgan produced from his pocket a miniature two-way radio, pressed the transmitting button and spoke into the built-in microphone. ' First Officer Morgan to control. Am taking guest to his venue, starting now. '
After a moment Dent's voice replied through the two-way radio. ' Control to First Officer Morgan. Message received and understood. Carry on. '
Morgan pocketed the little two-way radio. He turned to the Doctor, with a friendly smile. 'I understand from Captain Dent that you've lost something and want to look for it. With the buggy we could cover quite a distance, if you want.'
'That's very kind of you,' said the Doctor. 'Can you spare the time?'
'Strictly speaking,' said Morgan, 'each trip with the buggy has to be logged, and accounted for. But no one's going to notice a few kilometres here or there. Where do we start?'
The Doctor pointed. 'In that direction, I think.'
'Right,' said Morgan. He set the buggy in motion and steered the way indicated by the Doctor. 'What is it we're looking for?'
'A rather tall, blue box,' said the Doctor.
'With no trees or anything,' said Morgan as they drove along, 'every little thing shows up for kilometres on this planet. So it maybe it won't be too difficult to find.'
Within fifteen minutes they were at the flat plain where the Doctor had seen the drag marks leading from where the TARDIS had materialised. 'It was there,' said the Doctor, pointing, 'but you can see it's been dragged towards those hills.'
'Okay,' said Morgan, starting up the buggy again. 'This looks easier riding than those little switchback hills.' He drove ahead, following the dead straight line of the drag marks, but not very fast. After five minutes the hills seemed to be no nearer.
'Is this the maximum speed?' asked the Doctor.
'Well, no, sir,' said Morgan. 'But we're not in a hurry, are we?'
'Of course not,' said the Doctor.
They drove ahead