Doctor Who_ War Games - Malcolm Hulke [51]
‘One moment,’ said the voice.
He spun round. He was facing the War Lord and two armed guards who had quietly come down the corridor.
His mouth suddenly went dry as he tried to think how to explain himself.
‘War Lord, sir,’ he said. ‘I thought...’
‘Yes?’
‘There’s been a revolt. Prisoners escaped. I thought you’d been murdered in your private chamber.’
‘Really?’ said the War Lord. ‘Then you should be pleased to see me alive. If so much is going on here, why are you making off in a sidrat?’
The War Chief thought quickly. ‘To return to our home planet and bring back reinforcements. I intended to crush the revolt.’
‘I see. How commendable. Where is the Security Chief?’
‘The prisoners killed him. I tried to stop them. I’m lucky to have got away with my own life.’ The War Chief edged towards the waiting sidrat.
‘You are lying,’ said the War Lord. ‘He played to me the recording of your intended treachery. You killed him, but you killed him too late.’
‘That recording was a forgery,’ the War Chief spluttered.
‘I can explain everything.’
The War Lord pointed his finger directly at the War Chief. ‘Kill!’
Both guards fired together. Screaming, the War Chief fell at the open door of the sidrat.
‘Remove that traitor’s carcass,’ the War Lord ordered.
‘We shall return to our home planet and bring back sufficient of our own guards to quell this uprising once and for all!’
As the guards put down their stun-guns to deal with the War Chief’s body, the War Lord went to the console to set the sidrat on a course to his home planet.
The resistance leaders crept quietly down the corridor leading into the sidrat area. Their stealth was broken by a sudden cry from the Mexican.
‘Viva Villar!’ he cried, brandishing his two revolvers.
Both guards dived for their abandoned stun-guns, and were cut down in a hail of revolver and rifle bullets. Villar rushed up to the War Lord, grabbed him by the throat and pushed the muzzle of a gun in his mouth.
‘I squeeze the trigger?’ he asked. ‘Blow his head off?’
‘Leave him for the Time Lords,’ said the Doctor.
‘They’ll dispose of him.’
‘I could break his neck with my two hands,’ said Villar.
‘Save a bullet, no?’
‘Please be a good chap,’ said Carstairs, ‘and do as the Doctor suggests.’
Villar reluctantly released his choking prisoner.
‘I am afraid,’ said the Doctor, ‘this is when I must leave you. The Time Lords have been summoned and will be here soon. They will return you all to your times in Earth’s history.’
‘Nice to have met you all,’ said Jamie, standing now at the open door of the sidrat. ‘Come on Zoe, it’s back to the TARDIS.’
‘No,’ said the Doctor. ‘You don’t understand. You two must return to your right times in the past and the future.’
‘But why, Doctor?’ said Zoe. ‘We’re your friends. We want to stay with you.’
‘From now on,’ said the Doctor, ‘I must travel alone. I may have to go to the farthest reaches of the universe. You two belong where I found you.’
‘He is afraid,’ said the War Lord. ‘Afraid of the vengeance of his own people!’
‘If you’re in trouble,’ said Jamie, ‘I’m going to be there to help you.’ He stepped past the Doctor into the sidrat.
‘Me too,’ said Zoe, following Jamie inside. ‘If you don’t want us you’ll have to throw us out of this thing!’
The Doctor looked at their set, earnest faces. ‘All right.
But don’t say I didn’t warn you. We’ll return to the 1917
zone where we left the TARDIS.’
Lieutenant Carstairs stepped forward. ‘May I come along, too? It’s my time zone and I’d like to try and find Lady Jennifer if I can.’
‘Very well.’ The Doctor stepped into the sidrat.
‘Goodbye, gentlemen. You will all be home soon.’
The door of the sidrat snapped shut. The dematerialisation took only moments.
‘I hope he was telling the truth,’ said Sergeant Russell.
‘We’ll be in a fine mess if these Time Lords don’t turn up.’
A sudden cold wind rushed through the corridors, subsiding as quickly as it came. The War Lord shivered.
‘Have no fear,