Doctor Who_ The Twin Dilemma - Eric Saward [31]
'What are you doing?' he said at last.
The Doctor glanced at the intergalactic policeman and, for a moment, wondered who he was. Seeing Hugo's confused look, Peri piped: 'Going to Jaconda.'
'Why?'
'Do you always ask so many questions?' snapped the Doctor.
T'm a policeman. It's an occupational disease.' Then find a cure for it. We have work to do.' And with that said, the Doctor pressed the dematerialisation switch and the time rotor juddered into motion.
8
JACONDA THE BEAUTIFUL!
Azmael sat on the bridge of his freighter and furtively brushed a tear from his eye. Displayed on the monitor before him was a computer analysis of the explosion that had occured shortly after their departure from Titan Three.
Next to him stood the twins who were bristling with indignation.
They had just witnessed a heated conversation between Azmael and Noma which had made them very angry.
Although they had not met the Doctor and Peri, the news of the way their lives had been casually wasted by Noma had hurt and outraged them. Although part of their anger was motivated by the fear that they too might be disposed of in an equally offhand way, they had also felt a genuine compassion, fury and indignation that, until now, had been quite alien to their immature minds.
What, in reality, had happened was that Noma had secretly informed Mestor of the Doctor's arrival. Concerned by the intervention of a second Time Lord, Mestor had ordered Noma to destroy the Doctor, Peri and the safe house.
Also, Mestor was still concerned that once the Earth authorities had rediscovered their nerve, they would launch an attack. As already proven, Azmael had shown a rather casual attitude towards covering his tracks. With the safe house destroyed, the trail to Jaconda would end on Titan Three.
Although Azmael tried to explain this, the twins weren't interested and remained resolute as to who was really to blame. As leader of the group, Azmael was responsible for the activities of each member.
As Romulus and Remus continued their verbal attack, Drak came to the elderly Time Lord's rescue with an offer of more food.
Reluctantly, the twins gave into their baser need and allowed themselves to be bustled away.
Once gone, Azmael could no longer hold back the tears. Not since the death of his dear wife had he felt such grief and despair. As he sobbed, he wondered how many more good people would have to die before Jaconda would be rid of Mestor.
Although his tears were mainly for the Doctor, they also contained a few of self pity. It was becoming obvious to Azmael that he was losing his grip on the situation. Up until recently he had always been confident that ultimately he could defeat Mestor. Yet lately the creature seemed to grow stronger, more confident and inventive by the day.
The cloud Mestor had sent to destroy the starfighters was proof of that. The technology and imagination necessary for such a feat was beyond Azmael's comprehension. Even Mestor's ability to thought-read had grown more effective, making it more and more difficult for Azmael to plot and plan. It had almost reached the point where the Time Lord felt nowhere was safe from the prying awareness of his arch-enemy.
Although the twins had been harsh and brutal in their attack on Azmael, they had in one respect, been absolutely right. He was the President of Jaconda and the responsibility for the safety and well-being of his people did lie with him. If he wasn't capable of fulfilling his duties, then it was right that he should resign and leave others to try and succeed in their own way.
But who would replace him? It was a thought that had constantly crossed his mind.
When Mestor and his army of gastropods had emerged from hibernation, many socially important Jacondans had rushed to join him before an angry shot had been fired. Even those who had bravely fought soon surrendered once they realised the war could drag on for years.