Menagerie - Martin Day [42]
The cavern of grey and white rock was hundreds of feet across and roughly rectangular. The floor had clearly been flattened and polished, but most of the rock was untouched, bar the numerous lamps set into the roof Spindly wooden ladders pushed to one side gave an indication of the time and skill needed to light so unaccommodating a room. The lanterns twinkled in the roof like stars in the night sky.
In the centre stood a large altar of what looked like granite. Its sides were decorated with gold leaf and small jewels, although its once smooth upper surface was deeply scarred and stained with a few patches of what appeared to be dried blood.
To one side of the altar stood three semi-circles of hooded figures, their bodies and down-turned faces entirely obscured by the red robes that matched those few left behind on the wooden racks in the small room. The cavern was filled with random whispers and muffled sobs.
Facing them was a man in brown robes, his face obscured by a huge insect-like mask. Golden mandibles took the place of a mouth, and multi-faceted eyes glittered in the light like huge diamonds. His hands were raised up towards the heavens, revealing arms covered with scars and crude tattoos. He swayed for a few moments, fists clasping and clawing as if battling with something, and then he let out a huge shriek.
The room became silent and the leader lowered his arms.
A huge man emerged from the shadows, his arms as thick as most men's thighs. His expansive stomach was hidden by a stained overall. A wooden hammer was gripped in one great hand.
As he approached the altar two acolytes came forward carrying, with some difficulty, an ungainly piece of machinery. Jamie did not recognize it, but could identify individual components: there were cogs, belts, valves and pistons. Even the Doctor would have had difficulty identifying the machine, as the moment it was placed on the altar the huge overall-clad man raised the hammer with both his hands and brought it swiftly downwards. Pieces of metal and spring flew off in all directions. The hooded men pressed closer, excitedly throwing the debris back on to the altar.
The hammer came down again, splitting the device in two. Slivers of metal cut into the man's hands but he appeared not to notice. The robed men came even closer to the altar, oblivious to the dangers, sighing as the huge mallet came down again.
The man beat out a slow, dull rhythm with the hammer.
Soon the altar and the floor around it was covered with mangled metal. At a sign from the leader, he stood to one side, staring down at the floor, breathing heavily.
The debris was taken away. The man with the insect mask spoke for the first time. 'The brotherhood salutes you, oh Higher, Hater of Science, Crusher of Untruth, Purger of Legends Not Our Own!'
'Bow before him!' came the reply, the men's voices sounding like the breathing of the caves.
'Let all who stand on this your world quake and seek you now!'
'No past, no future, no word, no tune, no life, no death.'
The cowled figures began to repeat the mantra, some screaming, some whispering. One or two dropped to their knees, whilst others reached upwards, imploring.
'Now!' cried the man in the mask, and there was quiet again. The men reassembled in their orderly rows, their faces cast downwards. 'Now shall we deal with those who oppose the true ways of the Brotherhood of Rexulon!
Mindful of the evil that the Higher perceives even in our very midst, let us strive to placate him.' With a curt nod a woman was brought forward from the far end of the room.
She was obviously drugged. Two robed men carried her forwards, her bare feet slipping over the floor. She was dressed in a simple black robe, with a white cord around her waist as a belt. Her brown hair had been crudely cut short, gashes in her scalp visible even from Jamie's position. Her eyes occasionally flicked open but her head sagged on to her chest.
As the woman was bundled towards the altar