Doctor Who_ The Sea-Devils - Malcolm Hulke [46]
It took five minutes, with the winch drum turning at top speed, before the diving-bell came burbling up through the water. The crane arm was swung inboard, and then the winch operator gently brought the diving-bell down to within a few feet of the deck. The petty officer and his ratings tore at the clamps holding the hatch. The moment the hatch fell open, the petty officer poked his head up inside the diving-bell. Then he withdrew his head and turned to Captain Hart.
‘It’s empty, sir,’ he said. ‘The Doctor’s vanished.’
11 ‘Depth Charges Away!’
When the forlorn Captain Hart and Jo returned to the captain’s office at the Naval Base, it was to find a portly gentleman seated at the desk having a very hearty breakfast.
‘Robert Walker,’ he announced himself, holding his hand across the remains of bacon-and-egg to be shaken. ‘Parliamentary Private Secretary.’
‘How do you do,’ said Captain Hart, a little surprised to find his office being used as a restaurant. He introduced Jo, but Walker took no interest in her.
Walker explained that the Government had put him in complete charge of the situation. He buttered toast and added to it rough-cut marmalade while Captain Hart reported on the loss of the submarine and now the mysterious disappearance of the Doctor.
‘There’s no question as to what must happen now,’ said Walker, his mouth full of toast. He was about to say more, but Jane Blythe hurried in with a pot of fresh coffee and that took all of Walker’s immediate interest. ‘Thank you,’ he said, opening the lid to peer inside. ‘It still doesn’t look very strong to me.’
‘I’ll take it back to the steward if you wish, Mr. Walker,’ said Jane.
Walker raised his hand in protest. ‘This is a time of emergency, a time when we must all make sacrifices. Weak coffee will have to suffice.’ He turned back to Captain Hart. ‘Where was I?’
‘You were just about to butter that bit of toast,’ said Jo, pointing to some uneaten toast.
‘And you were going to say,’ said Captain Hart, ‘what must happen now.’
‘Ah yes,’ and Walker started buttering more toast. ‘This is a time for an all-out attack. In your absence I, on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government, have ordered a fleet of ships and planes to the centre of the trouble. We shall totally exterminate the monsters that you described in your report to the Minister.’
Captain Hart was shocked. ‘The submarine is down there—and the Doctor too, if he’s still alive.’
‘As I said earlier,’ Walker went on, ‘we must make sacrifices.’ He looked over to Jo. ‘Could you pass me the marmalade, my dear?’
The Doctor and the Master stood side by side facing the Chief Sea-Devil. They were in the main hall of the Sea-Devils’ vast underwater shelter. The walls, doors, and even what furniture existed were all made of iron. The Chief Sea-Devil sat on an iron throne, flanked by his guards.
‘This is our planet,’ said the Chief Sea-Devil. ‘My people ruled Earth when Man was only an ape.’
‘I know what happened,’ said the Doctor. ‘I have met your people before, in caves in another part of England. You feared that the arrival of another smaller planet, coming towards Earth from Space, would make life on the surface impossible. So you built these shelters. But the smaller planet did not harm Earth; it went into orbit round it, and is now the Moon.’
The Chief Sea-Devil nodded. ‘For that reason our temporary hibernation was prolonged by millions of years. ‘This oil-rig’—he pointed upwards—‘has awoken us. Now we intend to reclaim what is rightfully ours.’
The Master spoke up. ‘With my help you can do that! Mankind will be destroyed or enslaved.’
‘Is it not better to try for peace?’ said the Doctor. ‘Why not share the planet with Man?’
The Master laughed. ‘Don’t listen to this person, I beg you. Man is busily exterminating every other species on the planet. Can you deny that, Doctor?’
The Doctor could not deny the truth. ‘Man has been foolish. It