Doctor Who_ The Ice Warriors - Brian Hayles [17]
‘So much more advanced,’ remarked the Doctor drily,
‘that they even had astronauts?’
‘What!’ exclaimed Clent.
‘That headpiece of his,’ observed the Doctor, ‘it’s not a warrior’s tin hat, you know. It’s a highly sophisticated space helmet!’
Miss Garrett firmly decided that the Doctor was having them on. What he was saying was impossible —and somebody had to tell him so!
‘Don’t you think you’re jumping to conclusions, Doctor—for a scientist?’ she said coolly. ‘I mean to say—a prehistoric spaceman! It’s ridiculous!’
Arden’s face was shining with excitement. The implications were fantastic! ‘If it’s true,’ he whispered, his mind in a turmoil... But the Doctor’s next words brought him down to earth.
‘If it’s true,’ the Doctor repeated grimly, ‘the Ioniser programme here could be finished for good.’
Clent had the barest premonition of what the Doctor’s warning could mean. But it was too startling to be admitted openly.
‘In what way?’ he asked, smiling. ‘How can one deep-frozen body, no matter how many centuries old, affect our project? You’re talking nonsense, my dear chap!’
The Doctor studied Clent’s seemingly amused face, and understood why he didn’t want to admit the truth. It really was an impossible dilemma—but it had to be faced. He sighed. He’d better explain, gently—as if to children.
‘How did the Ice Warrior get there then?’ The others remained silent, baffled. ‘He didn’t walk there, did he?’
Reluctantly, Clent answered. ‘ If what you say is true... he must have arrived... by spaceship.’
‘And where’s that spaceship now, do you reckon?’
enquired the Doctor gently. He answered his own question.
‘In the glacier...’
Arden began to daydream again, his eyes shining with the possibilities. ‘It could still be intact! The Ice Warrior showed no signs of damage or mutilation. They might not have crashed; they might have actually landed—to explore earth!’ He turned from Miss Garrett to Clcnt, almost begging them to share his exultation. ‘Can’t you see what it means?
Intelligent contact with beings from another planet!’
The Doctor spoke more soberly. ‘I think Leader Clent also sees the inherent dangers.’
Clent nodded grimly. ‘The propulsion unit of the spacecraft...’ he began.
Jan, too saw what the Doctor was getting at, and whispered, ‘Could it be reactor powered?’
‘Quite so, Miss Garrett,’ applauded the Doctor. ‘And if you were to use the Ioniser at anything like full power...’
‘The heat...’ she hesitated, then went on. ‘the spaceships reactor could go critical... and we’d have no way of preventing it from exploding...’
‘The radiation...’ Arden looked at the others, his face now full of anxiety. ‘The whole area would be contaminated—
possibly for centuries!’
‘And what if we don’t use the Ioniser—what happens then?’ broke in Clent. ‘We are part of a world plan! If we hold back, the whole operation must fail!’
‘We could try holding it at minimal power,’ suggested Jan.
‘You know that won’t work!’ snapped Clent. ‘It increases the risks of a power feed-back here, with a resulting explosion in our own reactor!’
At last it had been spelled out. While the others considered their desperate position, the Doctor murmured his apology.
‘Sorry. But I thought you ought to know.’
‘You were quite right to do so,’ Cleat acknowledged with a tired gesture. We must inform the computer, of course.’
Before he could take steps to do so, the doors clattered open, to reveal Jamie, still dazed. He clung desperately to the doorframe. A trickle of blood had dried on his forehead
‘Doctor!’ he called out, his face tense with effort.
Within seconds, the Doctor had helped Jamie into the nearest chair. He saw at a glance that the cut on Jamie’s head was no more than a graze. But it was obvious that something was seriously the matter. And where was Victoria? Jamie’s breathless words explained everything—and added yet another amazing twist to the already desperate situation.
‘It’s that Warrior fellow!’ he gasped. ‘He’s come alive!’
Both Clent and Miss Garrett were stunned