Doctor Who_ The Caves Of Androzani Part 8

The Doctor and Peri were picking their way along a narrow gallery littered with scattered rocks, Salateen close behind them.

Peri had a nasty suspicion that they were lost. 'Where are we going, Doctor?'

'First we have to find our way back to the TARDIS, and get the oxygenators. Then we go down to the lower levels and look for a hibernating queen bat'

Suddenly a tall figure with a gleaming white head appeared from behind one of the rocks, machine-pistol in hand. It spotted Salateen, and fired immediately. Bullets blasted a chunk out of the rock just above the Doctor's head.

'Look out, Doctor,' screamed Peri.

Flit by the flying rock, the Doctor stumbled and fell, blood on his forehead.

Peri tried to run, but Salateen grabbed her from behind, swinging her in front of him as a s.h.i.+eld.

The action wasn't as unchivalrous as it seemed.

Recognising Peri's protective belt-plate the android lowered its weapon.

Pus.h.i.+ng Peri in front of him, Salateen moved closer.

Still holding Peri with one hand, Salateen raised his machine-pistol and fired past her, pumping bullet after bullet into the motionless android, which staggered but did not fall.

Suddenly the android's head exploded in flames. A lurid glow lit up the gallery as the android stood there still upright, blazing like a sort of two-legged torch.

Salateen dragged Peri past the android and on down the gallery, away from the unconscious Doctor.

'Let me go!' screamed Peri, but Salateen only tightened his grip, dragging her oft into the darkness.

By the time the Doctor recovered and staggered to his feet they were out of sight. He looked at the android, still standing there. The fires of its blazing head were beginning to die down. 'Peri?' he called. 'Peri where are you?' He raised his voice. 'Salateen? Peri? Peri?'

There was no reply.

On the way to his strongroom, Sharaz Jek pa.s.sed through his workshop and saw with astonished rage that his captives were no longer there.

The absence of the Doctor and Salateen concerned him not at all it was the loss of Peri that drove him into a frenzy. 'She has been taken from me,' he shrieked.

Smas.h.i.+ng his fist upon a workbench, Sharaz Jek collapsed sobbing, masked head in his arms.

Still searching the caves for Peri, the Doctor pa.s.sed through into a long narrow cave partly blocked with scattered boulders. He heard voices and the sounds of movement coming towards him. He ducked behind a rock, and peered out cautiously.

The far end of the cave rose upwards in a series of giant steps, and down these same steps came a small party of men. They wore an a.s.sortment of combat dress, some of'

them wore black berets, and they all carried machine-pistols...

Not soldiers, thought the Doctor, and not androids either. Which meant they must be the gun-runners.

He stayed where he was, in hiding, watching them.

Krelper was worried, and as usual he was whining about it.

Stotz's plan to follow Sharaz Jek and capture his entire stock of spectrox had seemed an attractive one at first.

Now, moving through the gloomy caves towards unknown dangers, Krelper wasn't nearly so sure. 'We've lost him, Stotzy.'

Stotz looked round. 'He went this way I tell you.'

'He wouldn't have come down this deep.'

Ignoring him, Stotz moved on.

Strung out in single file, the gun-runners moved through the gallery. Suddenly a huge section of the rock wall seemed to detach itself, bearing down on the last man.

He gave a terrified scream.

The attack had taken place opposite the Doctor's hiding place, and he could see the monster quite clearly. The body resembled that of a giant tortoise, or perhaps an armadillo, though the creature stalked upright on two powerful back legs, like a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The ma.s.sive fanged head was like that of a tyrannosaurus too, though it also bore two ferocious-looking horns. The powerful arms were short and stubby, ending in two enormous claws.

As the monster stalked fowards, the ma.s.sive carapace, at once protection and camouflage, covered the back of its body like an armoured cloak.

Crouched down, the Doctor guessed, the creature would easily pa.s.s for just another rounded boulder. Now it was upright and on the move, and it was hunting.

These thoughts flashed through the Doctor's mind in seconds.

Already the monster was attacking the unfortunate gun-runner, crus.h.i.+ng him with its bulk and rending him with fangs and claws.

Hearing their fellow gun-runner's screams, Stotz and the others turned round, opening fire upon the monster.

The cave was filled with the harsh shattering roar of their machine-pistols, and the muzzle-flashes flared vividly in the gloom. A hail of bullets rained down on the monster's armoured carapace. Angered but apparently unhurt it abandoned its victim and swung round on these new attackers. It lumbered towards them, snarling, jaws slavering and clawed hands outstretched.

Unfortunately for the Doctor, the monster's course took it close to his hiding-place. Sensing fresh prey closer to hand, the monster swung round on the Doctor, roaring furiously.

7.

Spy!

Luckily for the Doctor, the nearest of the gun-runners saw the monster's turning aside as a retreat. Emboldened, he leaped forward, blazing away with his machine-pistol at close range. The movement attracted the monster's attention. It swung round roaring, hurling itself upon its latest attacker.

The man went down screaming. The Doctor, quite unable to help him, dashed out from his hiding place and ran down the gallery, leaving the noise of battle behind him.

As the monster devoured its latest victim, Stotz and his two surviving gun-runners retreated the other way.

General Ch.e.l.lak looked up in astonishment as his office door was flung open and Salateen entered, dragging Peri behind him. Ch.e.l.lak noticed with some astonishment that his usually immaculate aide was grimy and dishevelled. He was brandis.h.i.+ng a machine-pistol that was clearly not service issue, and actually seemed to be in a state of some excitement.

'What the devil is going on, Salateen?'

'I'll explain in a minute, General.' Salateen closed and scaled the door, and shoved the exhausted Peri into a chair.

'One escaped prisoner, sir.'

'The android?'

Salateen nodded towards the rash that was spreading across Peri's legs. 'She's real enough. Androids' legs don't blister.' Salateen paused for a second, gathering his thoughts. He had a complicated and incredible story to tell, and very little time in which to convince Ch.e.l.lak of the truth. 'Sharaz Jek smuggled in copies of this girl and her friend, the Doctor.' He hesitated. 'And I'm afraid, sir, he also copied me.'

'Copied you? you? ' '

'I've been held prisoner in his camp for months, sir, ever since I was captured. What you thought was me was in fact an android. A spy for Sharaz Jek.'

Ch.e.l.lak gaped at him, unable to take in the incredible truth. 'You mean to say I've had an android for my aide all this time, without knowing it?'

'It's the truth, sir. When he made that copy of me it was like looking in a mirror. He's incredibly clever.'

'What a fool I've been!'

Peri slumped forwards, almost falling from her chair.

Glancing at Ch.e.l.lak for permission, Salateen poured her a gla.s.s of water from the desk carafe.

'Don't blame yourself too much. That android has a cortex with over five million responses programmed into it. Jek boasted that it was his finest creation.'

Ch.e.l.lak was beginning to take in the full implication of Salateen's story. 'So Sharaz Jek has known every move, every plan we've made for months now, thanks to his android?'

'Within seconds, sir. The android is linked to his main computer.'

'Well, we'll soon put a stop to that!' Ch.e.l.lak flicked a switch on his desk-com. 'Major Salateen?'

Salateen reached forwards and closed the switch. 'Wait, sir. There's a better way. I thought of it on the way over...'

Suddenly, Salateen had the eerie experience of hearing his own voice coming from the speaker. 'Salateen here, sir.

You called me?'

Ch.e.l.lak said, 'It's all right Major, I've found what I was looking for.'

'Very good, sir.'

Ch.e.l.lak sat back and looked at the real Salateen. 'You said there was a better way?'

'Disinformation, sir,' said Salatcen simply. 'Using the android?'

'As long as Jek doesn't discover I've made it back here, he'll believe everything the android relays into the terminal!'

Ch.e.l.lak smiled, stroking his moustache. 'You're a wily fellow, Salateen, I've always said so. What exactly do you suggest?'

'We can make him think we're moving in one direction when in fact we're moving in on his base. I know the way.'

'I like that idea, Major Salateen. I like it very much.

Meanwhile, of course, you and the girl will have to stay out of sight. You can use my private quarters...'

Once they were convinced they were far enough from the monster to be safe, Stotz and his gun-runners slowed clown their pace. Suddenly they found Sharaz Jek and two androids barring their path, at a point where a wooden stairway led up to the higher levels, and down to the lower.

The sinister masked figure surveyed the bedraggled gun-runners with ironic amus.e.m.e.nt. 'So, you thought to follow me? I expected that. Now you have learned the price of your curiosity.'

Stotz glared at him, his chest still heaving from the frantic dash through the caves. 'Is that thing back there one of your pets?'

'The magma beasts never ascend above Blue Level. In any case, they have no taste for my androids. Only flesh and blood.'

'You tricked us,' accused Krelper hoa.r.s.ely. 'You led us into that!'

'You were led by your own cupidity. Greed, heedless of caution, lures many a man to his death.'

The sensors of one of Sharaz Jek's androids detected movement on the level just above them. It. swung round, aiming its machine-pistol.

'Whoever you are, come out!' called Jek.

Slowly the Doctor appeared at the top of the stairway.

Resignedly, he raised his hands.

Beneath his mask, Sharaz Jek's lips twisted into a smile.

'Doctor! I had not expected to see you again so soon.'

'Life often springs these little surprises,' said the Doctor. He came down the steps.

'Bring him,' said Sharaz Jek, and led the way down into the darkness.

After a short but complicated journey through the lower levels, the Doctor found himself back in Sharaz Jek's workshop, guarded by both androids and gun-runners.

Sharaz Jek looked curiously at him. 'Tell me Doctor, how is it that you were able to walk past my androids?'

The Doctor had no intention of telling the truth the ability might well come in useful once again. 'I don't know, maybe they just liked my face.'

An android entered, a plastic bag of white crystals in each hand. Sharaz Jek turned to Stotz. 'Take your spectrox.

Two kilos, as agreed.'