Doctor Who_ War Games - Malcolm Hulke [36]
The battle had taken less than a minute. Three British machine-gunners lay knocked out by their gun, which was now in the possession of the resistance men.
Sergeant Russell stood up to call to the Doctor. ‘It’s all right,’ he bellowed. ‘There are three men here you can de-process with that machine!’
The Doctor, Jamie and Carstairs emerged from hiding on the other side of the track.
‘That won’t be so easy here,’ the Doctor called back.
‘But let me take a look at them—’
Suddenly, from all along the wood on the Doctor’s side of the track, British soldiers emerged, closing in on the trio.
‘The machine-gun,’ said the Boer War private urgently.
‘Let’s turn it on them.’
The sergeant viewed the spectacle below. ‘We can’t,’ he said frowning. ‘We’d kill our own friends.’
In silence the little group watched as the three friends were taken prisoner and marched away.
8
Battle for the Château
General Smythe eyed the three prisoners standing before him in his office.
‘You have caused a great deal of trouble,’ he said. ‘But that has now come to an end.’ He banged the trestle table at which he was sitting.
‘Are we going to have another of your farcical courts martial?’ asked the Doctor.
‘Not necessary. You have already been condemned to death. As for your two colleagues, they will have a chance to make the supreme sacrifice on a very dangerous section of the front line. They can die for their king and country.’
‘You can drop all that nonsense,’ said Carstairs. ‘This isn’t the war. We’re not even on our own planet.’ He turned to the soldiers guarding them. ‘Don’t you chaps realise that? This so-called general isn’t even a human being.’
The guards looked embarrassed at the prisoner’s outburst, but said nothing.
General Smythe smiled. ‘They don’t understand what you’re talking about, Lieutenant. You’re wasting your breath.’ He turned to the sergeant of the guard. ‘Organise a firing squad.’
‘Already organised, sir,’ said the sergeant.
‘How thoughtful of you,’ said the general. ‘Well, take that one out and shoot him. Be quick about it.’
‘Yes, sir!’
The sergeant rattled off orders to two of the guards.
They grabbed the Doctor’s arms and pinioned them behind his back.
Outraged, Jamie made a grab at one of the soldiers.
Another soldier raised his rifle butt and brought it across the back of Jamie’s head. Meanwhile, two other soldiers raised their guns menacingly at Lieutenant Carstairs.
‘Out with him,’ roared General Smythe.
The Doctor was quickly bundled out of the office.
‘Keep these two prisoners here,’ said the general to the remaining guards. ‘I may want a further word with them.’
He rose and went into his bedroom, closing the door.
For some moments Jamie lay where he had fallen. The sergeant of the guard stepped forward, his boots uncomfortably near to Jamie’s face.
‘You! Upon your feet! ‘
Jamie felt the back of his head. The rifle butt had raised a lump but there was no blood. Though still dizzy from the blow, he struggled to his feet.
‘You’re all being made fools of,’ he said bitterly. ‘The Doctor is the one person who can help you. If you shoot him you’re all as good as dead.’
‘Prisoner to remain silent! ‘ barked the sergeant.
‘It’s no good, Jamie,’ said Lieutenant Carstairs. ‘We walked right into their double ambush. We only have ourselves to blame.’
From the distance they could hear a voice giving commands to the firing squad just outside the château.
‘ Firing squad, attention! Take positions... Take aim... Fire! ’
Jamie closed his eyes. A volley of shots rang out. As his mind dwelt on the death of the Doctor he could hear the shots still ringing in his ears. He could not understand why they continued to fire their rifles and thought it must be his imagination.
‘Jamie,’ Carstairs was saying, ‘listen.’
He opened his eyes. Firing was still continuing, ragged bursts of rifle and now machine-gun fire. The sergeant looked apprehensive.
‘Prisoners to lie on the floor, face down.’
The sergeant