Doctor Who_ Trading Futures - Lance Parkin [96]
Another one was snorting excitedly. The other turned to it, listened for a moment or two. Malady saw it was also getting excited.
The nearest creature swung its great head to face the President. ‘You have the time machine.’
Baskerville looked bemused. ‘There’s some mistake…’
‘No mistake. You have the time machine. Superior Onihr science has located it.’
The President hesitated, then held the silver cylinder out.
‘Hand it over,’ the translator voice said calmly. But all six creatures were aiming their weapons at the President, and shifting from foot to foot excitedly.
Mather passed the device to Baskerville, who held it up, triumphantly.
‘This is my time machine,’ he told the deputy leader.
The deputy leader leant in and sniffed it. ‘That?’
‘Yes. It operates –’ Baskerville tried twisting at it, looking for any hint of a control panel. He even tried willing it open, wondering if there was some sort of mental control involved – ‘I will show you how it operates when we reach a deal,’ he concluded.
‘He doesn’t know how it operates,’ the Doctor said, stepping forwards. Fitz and Anji were right behind him.
A moment of silence.
The creature growled.
‘That’s right,’ the Doctor replied. ‘I’m afraid I have some bad news for you. This man has been trying to trick you. He’s tried to trick a lot of people, and he almost succeeded.’
‘Is this true, Doctor?’
The Doctor frowned. ‘I just said it is…’
After a moment’s incomprehension, Fitz stepped forward. ‘Yes, deputy leader, it’s absolutely true. Everything he just said.’
The monster stepped over to Baskerville.
‘They think you’re me?’ the Doctor asked.
‘Yeah.’
‘Why?’ The Doctor looked deeply offended. ‘I mean, how could they mistake you for me?’
‘You’ve either got it or you haven’t,’ Fitz told him. An idea was clearly dawning. ‘And… and I’m afraid Baskerville destroyed your ship,’ he called to the creatures. ‘He used an impulse to set off your EMP cannon. That is why you can’t signal it.’
The creature roared something.
‘Destroyed your ship?’ Baskerville whimpered. ‘I wouldn’t know how to do that…’
‘He is a skillful and resourceful man,’ the Doctor continued. ‘Very dangerous. Probably the most dangerous human being alive.’
The alien was growling and snarling into its control box.
‘You can teleport over such vast distances?’
A short grunt.
‘I see… only at lightspeed. So it will be many centuries before you arrive? Then… yes… take Baskerville back to your planet for trial. Subject him to the full punishment of your law.’
‘Wait!’ Baskerville shrieked. ‘Wait!’
The Doctor reached out, snatched the time machine from Baskerville’s hand.
Then the alien activated a control on the control box, and all six, and Baskerville, vanished.
The Doctor smiled. ‘There… safely packed off to another galaxy. Earth won’t be bothered by the Onihrs for many more centuries to come.’ He clapped his hands together. ‘I think that’s all the loose ends neatly tied up.’
Cosgrove stepped out of the darkness. ‘All but one.’
He held the gun to the Doctor’s head.
‘I can’t miss at this range, Doctor. I can kill you and take it, or you can hand it over. Those are the only two choices.’
‘Choices,’ the Doctor said, his voice trailing away. ‘Is that really the last choice that anyone on this planet gets? Make you a dictator, or let you become one?’
‘It certainly looks that way, doesn’t it?’
The Doctor smiled. ‘Here’s a choice for you. You can catch it, or you can shoot me. You won’t have time to do both.’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘You can shoot me, or you can catch it.’
The Doctor tossed the time machine over the edge of the cliff.
Cosgrove leaped after it.
Fitz and Anji joined the Doctor at the edge of the cliff.
‘He’s mad,’ Fitz said.
‘Well, yes,’ the Doctor replied.
‘He can’t possibly…’ Anji began.
‘He can,’ said the Doctor, untroubled. ‘Just. And he knew it. The slightest hesitation and he wouldn’t have a chance.’
‘But he has a chance?’ Fitz asked.
‘Yes.’
‘And if he gets to the time machine, he’ll get everything he wants? He’ll be able to go back