Doctor Who_ The Ice Warriors Part 5

Clent and his subordinates were seated in a tight semi-circle around the table top formed by the ECCO control area.

A stranger would have observed that the video-eyed communicator was not merely treated as a convenient information source, but was functioning as a member of the group. In fact, it had several jobs. Like an electronic secretary, it was taking minutes of the meeting; it produced relevant statistics when required, and it evaluated group decisions in the light of world policy. At the moment, however, it was pa.s.sive. Clent was completing the summary of his confrontation with the Doctor.

'It took him just ninety seconds to propose and explain Ionisation,' he stated, 'and with no prior knowledge!'

Arden was impressed, but cautious. 'It took us and the World Academy of Scientists years.'

'And the computer three millisecs,' interrupted Miss Garrett. Brilliant though this stranger might be, he could never be superior to her beloved computer. Arden disagreed.

'It couldn't do anything without proper programming,'

he pointed out shrewdly, much to Jan's annoyance. But Clent shared her absolute faith in the machine.

'I'd like an a.s.sessment from the computer,' he insisted, 'before we make any final decision about this... Doctor.'

'I agree.' nodded Miss Garrett. 'We have to be completely certain.'

'ECCO!' instructed Clent. The artificial head turned expectantly. 'State the work potential and group value of this new member of our team.'

The computer's answer was immediate and pa.s.sionless.

' More information needed for complete evaluation. Interim More information needed for complete evaluation. Interim judgement: high IQ but undisciplined to unit's immediate needs. judgement: high IQ but undisciplined to unit's immediate needs.

Possible use on research projects. Could be obstructive in certain subjective situations. subjective situations. ' '

The last sentence went largely unheard. At that moment, the door burst open and the Doctor stumbled rather breathlessly into the room. 'There you are!' he exclaimed.

'We've been waiting for you, Doctor,' Clent pointed out with icy formality. 'Perhaps you wouldn't mind sitting down?'

'I've been looking for you everywhere!' replied the Doctor. 'Why don't you label your doors, or something?'

'Perhaps you'd let us complete our official business before making unnecessary complaints about administration,'

said Clent coldly.

'No, I'm afraid not,' insisted the Doctor. 'I've got something pretty important to tell you actually. It's about that thing in the block of ice.'

'The Ice Warrior!' exclaimed Arden anxiously. 'Has something happened to it?'

'We have more serious matters on hand than amateur archaeology!' interrupted Clent. But the Doctor was not to be shouted down.

'This is serious,' he continued grimly. 'It's the thing's helmet-it's not what we think it is.'

'You've discovered that it's a prehistoric drinking cup, I suppose,' said Clent sarcastically.

The Doctor was looking at Arden as he spoke. 'It has electronic connections,' he said.

There was a tense silence, as this remark struck home.

Clent frowned. Was this stranger, dressed like a scavenger but with the brain of a scientist, a complete eccentric or, even worse, a practical joker? On the other hand, his face was deadly serious.

'What are you talking about, man?' he demanded, uncertainly.

Arden's amazement exploded into words. 'It's not possible! You must've made a mistake!'

'I'm quite sure.' The Doctor was almost apologetic. 'Of course, you do realise what this means?'

Clent said nothing, but it was obvious that thoughts were racing through his mind. Arden groped for an explanation.

'It must mean...' he paused, then plunged on, 'it has has to mean its culture was even more advanced than we first thought!' to mean its culture was even more advanced than we first thought!'

'So much more advanced,' remarked the Doctor drily, 'that they even had astronauts?'

'What!' exclaimed Clent.

'That headpiece of his,' observed the Doctor, 'it's not a warrior's tin hat, you know. It's a highly sophisticated s.p.a.ce helmet!'

Miss Garrett firmly decided that the Doctor was having them on. What he was saying was impossible -and somebody had to tell him so!

'Don't you think you're jumping to conclusions, Doctor-for a scientist?' she said coolly. 'I mean to say-a prehistoric s.p.a.ceman! It's ridiculous!'

Arden's face was s.h.i.+ning with excitement. The implications were fantastic! 'If it's true,' he whispered, his mind in a turmoil... But the Doctor's next words brought him down to earth.

'If it's true,' the Doctor repeated grimly, 'the Ioniser programme here could be finished for good.'

Clent had the barest premonition of what the Doctor's warning could mean. But it was too startling to be admitted openly.

'In what way?' he asked, smiling. 'How can one deep-frozen body, no matter how many centuries old, affect our project? You're talking nonsense, my dear chap!'

The Doctor studied Clent's seemingly amused face, and understood why he didn't want to admit the truth. It really was an impossible dilemma-but it had to be faced. He sighed. He'd better explain, gently-as if to children.

'How did the Ice Warrior get there then?' The others remained silent, baffled. 'He didn't walk there, did he?'

Reluctantly, Clent answered. ' If If what you say is true... he must have arrived... by s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p.' what you say is true... he must have arrived... by s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p.'

'And where's that s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p now, do you reckon?'

enquired the Doctor gently. He answered his own question.

'In the glacier...'

Arden began to daydream again, his eyes s.h.i.+ning with the possibilities. 'It could still be intact! The Ice Warrior showed no signs of damage or mutilation. They might not have crashed; they might have actually landed landed-to explore earth!' He turned from Miss Garrett to Clcnt, almost begging them to share his exultation. 'Can't you see what it means?

Intelligent contact with beings from another planet!'

The Doctor spoke more soberly. 'I think Leader Clent also sees the inherent dangers.'

Clent nodded grimly. 'The propulsion unit of the s.p.a.cecraft...' he began.

Jan, too saw what the Doctor was getting at, and whispered, 'Could it be reactor powered?'

'Quite so, Miss Garrett,' applauded the Doctor. 'And if you were to use the Ioniser at anything like full power...'

'The heat...' she hesitated, then went on. 'the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps reactor could go critical... and we'd have no way of preventing it from exploding...'

'The radiation...' Arden looked at the others, his face now full of anxiety. 'The whole area would be contaminated- possibly for centuries!'

'And what if we don't use the Ioniser-what happens then?' broke in Clent. 'We are part of a world plan! If we hold back, the whole operation must fail!'

'We could try holding it at minimal power,' suggested Jan.

'You know that won't work!' snapped Clent. 'It increases the risks of a power feed-back here, with a resulting explosion in our own own reactor!' reactor!'

At last it had been spelled out. While the others considered their desperate position, the Doctor murmured his apology.

'Sorry. But I thought you ought to know.'

'You were quite right to do so,' Cleat acknowledged with a tired gesture. We must inform the computer, of course.'

Before he could take steps to do so, the doors clattered open, to reveal Jamie, still dazed. He clung desperately to the doorframe. A trickle of blood had dried on his forehead 'Doctor!' he called out, his face tense with effort.

Within seconds, the Doctor had helped Jamie into the nearest chair. He saw at a glance that the cut on Jamie's head was no more than a graze. But it was obvious that something was seriously the matter. And where was Victoria? Jamie's breathless words explained everything-and added yet another amazing twist to the already desperate situation.

'It's that Warrior fellow!' he gasped. 'He's come alive!'

Both Clent and Miss Garrett were stunned into silence, but Arden cried out in disbelief. 'What!'

'I couldn't stop him. He packs a punch like a charging bull!'

'Victoria,' demanded the Doctor, 'where is she? Is she all right?'

Jamie looked at him, sober-faced, and shook his head miserably. 'I don't know,' he muttered. 'He took her with him!'

With Clent leading the way, it was only a matter of minutes before the group arrived at the laboratory. The scene spoke for itself: the trolley, empty but for a ma.s.s of crushed ice, the shattered power pack, and the overturned vibrochair.

The Ice Warrior's past had erupted into the present. Jamie, still dazed, sat down. While the others talked, the Doctor examined the trolley and the electrodes that had once been attached to the great ice block.

'There's something very strange about this,' he remarked.

Clent, utterly bewildered, was questioning Jamie. 'But what did you do to make it happen?'

'How do I know? We were just talking, and then I turned, and there he was-standing right over me!'

'It's impossible,' insisted Arden.

'For a human being, perhaps...' said the Doctor, mysteriously.

Clent stared at him, uncomprehending.

'Look at this table,' the Doctor pointed to its surface. It was cracked and bubbled-as though scorched by fire.

'But that would take immense heat!' exclaimed Cletrc.

'The electricity-' offered Jamie.

Arden rejected this. 'I used a low voltage, deliberately!'

'But a high current, I believe,' pointed out the Doctor.

'Yes... but it was safe-there was no fire risk!' retorted the geologist.

'It isn't necessarily a question of actual fire,' explained the Doctor. 'Suppose that current flowed through a high resistance. What would be the result?'

'Extremely high temperatures,' replied Jan. 'You mean, that thing...'

'I said it wasn't human. didn't I?' the Doctor reminded her. 'In my opinion, the sudden build-up of heat shocked him back into neural activity.'

'And what about Victoria?' demanded Jamie, clear-headed and alert once more. 'What can we do to save her her?'

A surge of guilt flowed over the Doctor's mind. He faced Jamie tensely, the scientific problem forgotten.