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'Listen to what you are saying,' the Doctor insisted. 'The only reason the Ice Warriors haven't wiped us out is because it suits their purposes not to. If things don't go their way, they'l destroy London, then Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh - '

She glanced at her watch. 'You don't know that.'

'Wait a moment,' Lethbridge-Stewart said, 'Are we keeping you?'

'I'm sorry?'

'Why did you look at your watch just then?'

'I... '

Lethbridge-Stewart levelled his gun at her. 'Doctor – it’s a trap!'

82

Chapter Eleven

That Which Does Not Kill Us...

Staines tried to adjust the headgear that Xznaal had given him, but however much he twisted, it was still uncomfortable. It was like a smoke hood, but apparently it was an "automatic gill" that allowed humans to breathe the Martian atmosphere. Teddy was perfectly at home in his own hood, and didn't seem worried by the intense cold that had begun to nibble at their feet.

They had travelled up to the Martian ship, but this time they had ventured far further than just a reception chamber.

Nothing in the Martian ship could be classed as 'small', but this was certainly cramped compared with the vast deserted corridors and echoing hangar-like chambers they had walked through to reach it. It was almost boxy, in fact.

'The C Cube,' Xznaal said. In his own atmosphere, his voice was perfectly normal, there wasn't any of that hissing and grunting.

'The what?' Staines asked, trying to sound intelligent.

'Command, control, communications,' Greyhaven explained patiently, 'the three things an army needs on the battlefield.'

Xznaal indicated his pleasure. 'From this room, I can conduct a campaign.' His claw rammed against a control.

The walls lit up with charts, maps, aerial photographs.

'We will be in Adisham in two and a half minutes.'

'We're moving?' Greyhaven was surprised. Staines was too, of course, but that almost went without saying. To see Teddy disconcerted was a rare thing indeed.

Xznaal hissed a laugh, and an image globe lit up in front of them. It showed the Kent countryside hurtling along underneath them. Staines steadied himself.

Xznaal punched another control. The image changed, showing what looked like an aircraft hangar. There were some odd-looking vehicles in the background: some looked like giant desk lamps, some like great camera tripods.

What really grabbed Staines' attention were the pair of Martians in the foreground, both of whom were assembling something from tubes of metal and thick, canvas-like material.

'It looks like they're putting up a tent,' Staines declared.

'Shut up, Home Secretary,' Greyhaven ordered.

But to his satisfaction, Staines saw that he was nearly right. As they completed the task with practised claws, he saw that they were assembling -

'Hang gliders?'

'That is right,' Xznaal said.

Greyhaven was a little taken aback at first. Staines watched the Acting-Prime Minister as he peered at the globe. 'I suppose that the technology is useful. Easily stored, no fuel requirement, radar-invisible, silent.'

The Martian pilots were strapping themselves into their harnesses.

'Lord Xznaal,' Staines began hesitantly, 'you seemed... uncomfortable at the Tower. Won't your men find it too hot for combat?'

'They will not be at full strength, but our scientists have increased the dosage of intravenous coolant. Their strength and constitution is still far greater than a mere human or Gallifreyan. We are here.'

'Why are you only sending two warriors?'

'Why waste more resources on such a simple matter?'

Xznaal touched another switch. At some unseen signal, both pilots began running along the hangar. The back wall opened as they arrived and they leapt into the darkness.

***

Benny half-filled the kettle and took it back over to the power point. The Doctor and the Brigadier were in one of the other rooms, and by the sound of it, Eve had finally turned up. Benny was not a vain woman, but out of basic courtesy she couldn't face visitors until she was a little better-presented. Benny