The Empire of Glass - Andy Lane [42]
The Doctor handed the slip of paper back to the Greld. "If I was briefed," he said, "then I have forgotten the briefing. There is a small period of my life that I cannot recall. Perhaps, if I could, then all would be clear to me."
"And the information within the invitation itself what about? How else did get here you?"
The Doctor shrugged. "My travelling machine took care of that.
The invitation itself guided us."
Albrellian shifted all four of its eyes to the Doctor. "Difficult your assurances to accept find it I," it said. "Some kind of artifice this is off balance to get us all. Concessions from us want you."
"Don't be so foolish," the Doctor snapped. "How can I want concessions when I don't even know what's being conceded, or in what forum?"
"When the Convention only hope of peace is our, how games can play you?" Albrellian shouted.
"Convention?" The Doctor was frowning. "What convention?
Where?"
"The Convention on Laputa!"
The Doctor and Albrellian were eyeballs to eyeballs now, and both were shouting so loud that they could probably be heard from the Square below. "I have no intention of going to any convention, on Laputa or otherwise, until I know exactly what is going on!"
"But needed are you! Without you proceed cannot we!"
The Doctor shook his head firmly and folded his arms across his chest. "I will not be manipulated any further," he said. "Here I am and here I stay until someone explains to me precisely what is going on."
"If prepared to games play are you, then so am I." Albrellian sprang across the room. Before she could move, Vicki found her arms and legs pinioned in a firm but gentle grip by all four of his manipulatory appendages. "On Laputa friend will be your, when bothered to turn up can be you."
"Doctor -" Vicki cried, but Albrellian's claws tightened on her limbs.
She cried out, more in surprise than in pain, and struggled, but it made no difference.
The Doctor made as if to intercept Albrellian, but the alien moved towards the window.
"Where she'll be, know you," the alien whistled, and jumped out of the window.
In his library, Irving Braxiatel sighed in relief. Everything was going to be all right. "And you say that the Doctor is sleeping happily?"
he asked, just to hear the good news again.
Szaratak nodded its thin, knobbly head. "The envoys brought him in an hour or so ago. Apparendy he was so tired that he fell asleep on the ground in front of them. They carried him into a skiff and took him straight to Laputa."
"And his companions?"
Szaratak shrugged, although with a Jamarian's build it was more of a ripple. "It would appear that they haven't been with the Doctor for very long. The sight of the envoys frightened them. They ran off."
Braxiatel ran a hand through his hair. "You've done well, Szaratak.
Which envoys did you send, by the way?"
"The first ones I could find - Ontraag, Jullatii, Dentraal and Oolian."
"Nothing too frightening there," Braxiatel said. "And the imposter?"
"Imposter?"
"The person wandering around Venice pretending to be the Doctor. The one who ran away when you approached him in the Doge's palace."
"He's probably still there. Shall I deal with him?"
Braxiatel thought for a moment. He couldn't afford to have an imposter wandering around - not with the Convention about to start. It might prove - disruptive. "I have to leave for Laputa," he said. "Get him put of the way."
"Permanently?" Szaratak asked softly.
Braxiatel's mind was already occupied with agendas and arrangements. "Yes, of course," he said. Behind him, Szaratak snickered. Braxiatel thought little of it as he left the library and walked down the flight of stairs to the ground floor. His staff -
Jamarians, most of them, but with their hologuises on almost all the time - were at the front door unloading vegetables from a boat tied up on the canal. He passed by them without a word and walked