Doctor Who_ The Dying Days - Lance Parkin [69]
Greyhaven squirmed a little. 'I also said that there were bound to be military units that remained loyal to the old regime. Can you focus on the source of the attack?'
Xznaal hissed the order, and the image switched to the scene below. The crowds were dispersing, or rather they were fleeing up the Strand in panic. The picture panned around, locating and zooming in on a trio of soldiers nestling on the roof of a building. They had set up a mortar, and were firing it at the Martian ship as fast as they could reload it. The operator of the camera quickly found a couple of similar groups.
'Nine men,' Greyhaven spat, 'hardly a ful -scale rebellion. Look there, my boys are already moving in on them.'
'They are UNIT troops,' Staines was musing.
'UNIT?' Xznaal asked, raising a claw.
'A United Nations force,' the Home Secretary said.
'The foreign powers are united against us?' Xznaal roared. 'They dare to defy my will?'
'I m-mean,' Staines couldn't finish. The Doctor and Greyhaven were both glaring at him.
The Martian Lord scrutinised his human ally. 'Thiss iss Earth'ss ressponsse?'
The Doctor clutched the lapels of his frock coat. 'You see, Xznaal? Humanity has united against you. You can't defeat the entire human race, not with one war rocket.'
Xznaal sucked air through his teeth, as if he was in physical pain. 'Then humanity sshall ssee the full might of the Martian war machine. 'He took a deep breath and began to bark an order to his gunner. 'Bring the cannons to bear on the crowd. Wipe them out, level the -'
'No!' the Doctor shouted.
Xznaal hesitated.
The Doctor fixed Xznaal with a stare. 'This is an historic opportunity. Greyhaven is right about that, whatever his failings. Seize the moment, negotiate peace with the humans. You said it yourself, Xznaal, your planet is dying.
Humans might be less advanced than Martians, but the gap is only a matter of fifty years or so and they're catching up. The two planets wil wipe each other out, and you know it.’
Xznaal hissed.
‘Let me broker a fair peace between Earth and Mars,’ the Doctor pleaded, ‘the whole of Earth, the whole of Mars.
A settlement that isn't reliant on sectional interests.'
'What of your interests, Doctor?' Greyhaven said calmly.
The Doctor turned to face him, narrowing his eyes.
'You're an alien, are you?'
65
'Well, yes and no,' he replied evasively.
'You're not from Earth. You're certainly not from Mars.'
'That's right,' he conceded.
'Then what right do you have to interfere in our affairs?'
Xznaal's head was cocked to one side. 'The Time Lordss are forbidden to interfere under the termss of the Galactic Consstitution,' he muttered suspiciously.
'Yet this Doctor does,' Staines piped up. 'Now, my knowledge of the law might be limited to that of the planet Earth, young man, but it sounds as if you are outside your jurisdiction.' He clearly had no idea how ridiculous he sounded.
Xznaal scratched the bridge of his noseguard with the tip of his claw. 'Are you acting with the authority of the High Council?'
'Not explicitly,' the Doctor conceded a little uncomfortably,' but if I were to contact them, then I am sure they would authorise my actions.'
Xznaal lifted his claw, twisting it around so that the great pincers were pointing at the Doctor’s head. 'Then we will have to enssure that you don’t have that opportunity.'
There was a hiss from the intercom system.
'Lord Xznaal, a human aerocraft is approaching. Tactical analysis indicates that it is rotor-propelled, and heavily armed. It poses a threat.'
The hologlobe displayed it, a helicopter gunship coming in low over the buildings.
There was a tap on Benny’s shoulder. The Doctor was standing next to her, nodding towards the door. She nodded and edged towards it with him. Xznaal and Greyhaven were studying the image intently.
'It may be time to demonstrate our power,' Greyhaven conceded.
Benny had backed into the glass door. While the Doctor was still fishing for the control, Staines glanced their way.
'They are escaping!' he spluttered.
Xznaal's arm arced