Doctor Who_ The Ice Warriors - Brian Hayles [46]
The computer’s judgement is quite clear—’
Penley started shouting back. ‘Clent—you’re a fool! Not even a man—just a slave to that stupid machine!’
‘We all know your sort of freedom, Penley!’ replied Clent savagely. ‘Freedom to run away: from responsibility, from loyalty, from service to the community.’
‘At least I have a mind of my own! I dare to act—but you dare not!’ He grasped hold of Clent’s arm. The gesture wasn’t in any way violent, but Clent tore himself free and shouted at the security sergeant:
‘Walters Use your tranquilliser gun! Shoot!’
Instinctively and swiftly, Walters obeyed. The numbing drug took effect almost immediately. Penley slumped, unconscious, to the floor. As Walters holstered his gun and lifted the limp body on to a near-by bed-trolley, Clent caught Jan’s look of disgust.
‘I had no choice!’ the Leader protested, ‘You saw him grab me!’ Jan said nothing. Everyone present knew the truth—including Clent. He turned to Walters, defensively.
‘Strap him down,’ he ordered. Clent ushered Jan towards the door. ‘We have work to do...’ he declared. But Jan stood fast, her face cold and determined. She pointed towards Jamie, still unconscious and cocooned inside the diagnostic unit.
‘What about the boy?’ she demanded, her tone daring Clent to ignore his condition. Clent glanced towards Jamie’s helpless form; his face softened slightly. He stepped to the control panel of the machine, and pressed a brief sequence of coloured, illuminated tabs. The machine took on a new hum of increased activity, and a status panel now read TREATMENT IN PROGRESS,
‘The machine will do the rest,’ said Clent calmly. ‘We must go back to the Ioniser Room and wait.’ As she and the others left the laboratory, Jan threw one last glance back at Penley, drugged and pinioned. She couldn’t help feeling that with he and the Doctor out of action, all hope had faded...
Varga’s voice rasped harshly from the spaceship’s loudspeaker system, bringing Zondal and his prisoners sharply alert.
‘I am at the perimeter of the Earthling Base! Prepare the sonic cannon for firing!’
Zondal’s mighty fist touched the response switch.
‘Pulse amplifier in operation now,’ he replied to his unseen master.
Unseen by Zondal, the Doctor mimed a tearful face to Victoria. She responded by bursting into tears. As the Doctor drew the sobbing girl to his shoulder in gentle sympathy, Zondal turned briefly to them, and sneered.
‘It’s all right, Victoria,’ murmured the Doctor comfortingly, ‘you mustn’t be afraid...’
‘When Varga, our warlord, returns in victory,’ declared the Ice Warrior proudly, ‘then you will have cause for weeping!’ He turned back to the complex process under his control, having no inkling of the furtive conversation which was being carried on behind his back. The Doctor handed a large handkerchief to Victoria. In its folds nestled one of the phials he had dialled from the Base dispenser. She looked surprised, but continued to sob aloud.
‘Come along, my dear, have a good blow,’ said the Doctor, then continued in a whisper, ‘When I give the word, throw this stuff into Zondal’s face!’
‘What is it?’ Victoria asked between sobs.
‘Ammonium sulphide.’
‘Ammonium sulphide?’ Victoria blinked. ‘But that’s what they use for making stinkbombs, isn’t it?’
‘I can see you’ve had a sound English education,’ the Doctor commented. ‘You’re quite right in fact, it’s a minor poisonous gas. Unpleasant, but harmless to humans.’ He threw a quick glance at the hulking Martian. ‘But to aliens—
quite possibly deadly.’
The shrill whine of power had reached such a pitch that it was now virtually inaudible to human ears. Zondal activated his radio-link, and reported. ‘Pulse amplified and held,’ he hissed. ‘Ready to fire.’
‘Good, Zondal,’ replied Varga. ‘I will now contact the scientists. On my command, you will fire—once. Do you understand?’
‘Understood, Commander.’
Suddenly, Victoria cried out in alarm.
‘Doctor!