Doctor Who_ The Ice Warriors - Brian Hayles [53]
But defeat at the hands of the Earthlings had thrust all thoughts of a court martial out of the warlord’s mind. The most urgent need was to be ready to break free when the ice started to melt—for he was certain now that the Earthlings would use the Ioniser, whatever the risk. So Zondal had been spared. but for one propose only.
‘We have to escape before the floods overcome us, Zondal!’ hissed the Martian leader. ‘It is your task to make our engines function—quickly!’
‘But the fuel cells are almost useless!’ replied his reprieved lieutenant. Then. aware that if he succeeded in raising the power they needed, his earlier mistake would be cancelled out, he declared vehemently. ‘But I will try everything possible!’
He had tried every technical trick he knew, and other desperate experiments as well. But the most he had managed was to raise the power gauges trembling barely above the zero mark. In the cave outside, the ice groaned and shuddered in constant movements Isbur returned from a final reconnaissance outside, and closing the airlock for the last time, reported briefly. ‘The ice is breaking up, Commander.
The water is rising!’
Varga ordered his warriors to action stations, then moved to where Zondal was working frantically. ‘Do you hear, Zondal?’ he demanded harshly. ‘But what use is freedom if we are helpless! Is there no life in the fuel elements?’
‘I have not given up yet!’ replied the engineer, then turned, as did Varga, in response to Isbur’s sharp cry from the control room.
‘Commander! Power!’
The warlord moved quickly to the control panel, followed closely by Zondal. It was true! The flickering needles were slowly rising, building towards operational level! Zondal stepped forward and grasped the controls. ‘The ice is our friend.’ He spoke in excitement. ‘We still have power—and it is increasing!’
‘Careful, Zondal,’ hissed his commander. ‘We must time the take-off boost perfectly. There will not be a second chance!’
And as the soft hum of power began to throb through the spaceship, Varga let his mind go forward to that moment when they would be free, in flight, and able to take a terrible revenge...
In the Ioniser control room, all eyes bar Penley’s were glued to the electronic chart showing the glacier’s advance.
His glance never left the monitor screens and power dials of the machine which his hands were controlling. Jan Garrett was feeding him the relevant information about the state of the ice.
‘Glacial front reduced by seven metres—par level of ten days ago now achieved!’
‘We’re winning!’ exclaimed Victoria, almost hopping with excitement. But the Doctor’s face was still grim. ‘Not yet, Victoria,’ he murmured. ‘Not by a long chalk, I’tn afraid. It isn’t just the ice we’ve got to beat, remember.’
‘Instrument readings on the ice face show a continuous rise in temperature. Still short of maximum.’ continued Jan.
‘How will we know?’ asked Jamie. ‘Those figures can’t tell us what the Ice Warriors are up to, can they?’
Clent, standing in the background, answered Jamie’s query patiently. ‘The instruments on the ice face have the highest heat and shock resistance known to man,’ he said.
‘When they cease to function, everything about them will be destroyed—including the alien spacecraft.’
‘And its reactor too?’ Victoria asked the Doctor.
He nodded. He didn’t trouble to remind her that their own fate was also in the balance. There’d be little enough time to worry about that if disaster did strike!
Penley, his hand poised on the power lever, took a deep breath. ‘Here we go,’ he muttered tensely. ‘All the way—now!’
He rammed the throttle to full.
In the midst of chaos, Varga stood, majestic and alone.
All about him, his warriors slid weakly to the floor, almost physically crushed by the combination of heat and humidity.
Only Zondal remained conscious—close to collapse, he worked desperately at the smouldering controls. His choking