Menagerie - Martin Day [13]
'It's very backward,' said Zoe, pulling a long-sleeved jacket around her shoulders.
'Well, Zoe,' said the Doctor, 'we've been to many advanced worlds recently. Perhaps it's time for a change.'
The TARDIS had come to rest in a tiny alleyway, almost completely blocking it. The walls of the buildings curved upwards, the upper storeys virtually touching their opposite number, and were composed either of rough wood or crude brown brick. There were windows filled with glass, while others were open to the air, but all were internally obscured by shutters or drab curtains. Jamie peered down at his feet, and noticed with distaste the refuse that obscured the rough cobbled surface.
'This should be a home-from-home for Jamie,' noted Zoe wickedly.
'There's no need to be rude,' said the Doctor. 'Let's take a brisk walk, keeping an eye open for a shop or something to sell us some food. And on the way we can see how Heddeigé's theories work out in reality.'
'It would be nice to meet some normal people,' said Jamie firmly, beginning to walk carefully down the alley. 'Folk that I can talk to. Not scientists and professors from the future.'
'If this were Earth,' said Zoe, 'I'd say the architecture was almost Elizabethan.'
The Doctor nodded. 'Except?'
'The design is a little more advanced. And there seems to be evidence of some sort of concrete.'
'Good,' the Doctor said as they emerged into the street.
The rain had ceased for the moment, and occasional street lamps forced spears of light down into the lowlying fog.
People hurried by the three time-travellers with scarcely a glance.
'Clothing?' asked the Doctor.
'Primitive,' said Jamie proudly. 'Very primitive.'
'Lighting?'
'These street lights seem to be crude electric units, utilizing some form of inert gas,' pronounced Zoe.
'And the source of this electricity?' asked the Doctor, indicating the furnaces just visible on the edge of the city.
'Well,' said Zoe, following the dark clouds as they plotted a viscous course across the sky, 'it's certainly not environmentally friendly.'
Araboam watched Defrabax's house from a partly concealed position in a doorway, trying to turn his discomfort and boredom into some sort of spiritual discipline. Commander Zaitabor had issued strict instructions for him to stay out of sight, and to look for a non-human creature leaving or entering the wizard's house.
Araboam had no idea what the creature was, or how dangerous it might prove, but he was a novice knight, and he remained absolutely convinced of the strength and invincibility of the way of Kuabris. He followed orders, knowing that it was important for him to impress Commander Zaitabor. He knew that Zaitabor and the Grand Knight were collaborating on some important scheme, a series of plans that affected the safety of the entire city, but the details simply didn't bother Araboam.
Araboam concentrated on watching the house.
All the curtains and shutters were drawn, but the young knight could see that the only illumination came from downstairs and towards the back. It was unlikely that the creature would turn up banging on the front door, so Araboam began to move around to the rear, to see if there was a secondary entrance into the building.
He emerged from the shadows, pulling a long, dark cloak more tightly around him to obscure his bright knight's armour. His feet ground across the street, making a single intrusion into the silence. This was clearly a residential area, and the pavements were deserted. There were very few street lights here, and Araboam was soon back in the darkness, flattened against the rough wall of the house next to Defrabax's. Both houses had simple slit windows on the sides, and the knight, sure that he could not be seen, strode quickly towards the rear of the buildings.
The square area formed between the backs of the houses and a few small shops was piled high with refuse and wooden crates of old fruit. Diminutive scavenging