Doctor Who_ Time Flight Part 14

The Doctor smiled. 'They stand a much better chance on their own planet,' he said quietly.

'You've sent them to Xeriphas?' She was amazed. 'But the radiation!'

'That was millions of years ago. The atmosphere will be perfectly clear now.' If it was possible for the Doctor to sound vindictive, he did so now as he added: 'Not a very nice climate for the Master, though.'

'He'll just take off again.'

'I think,' replied the Doctor mischievously, 'that with the extra energy on board, the temporal limiter will need replacing.'

'He's stuck on Xeriphas?'

'Yes,' said the Doctor, earnestly. 'And I hope it's for good.' But he couldn't quite keep the doubt from creeping into his voice.

The Doctor moved back to the coordinates. The TARDIS was now cleared for takeoff. But there was no stewardess on board.

'Where's Tegan?' he asked.

Tegan rushed through the teeming crowds of Terminal Three. It was now or never. 'I hate farewells.' Those were the Doctor's own words.

She looked at the departure board. Singapore, New York, Cape Town, Honolulu ... Like the voice of conscience, the tannoy burst into life.

'Departure to Sydney, Australia. Flight 342...' She tried not to be sentimental. She had a career to think of, an exciting future with the airline. The sky was the limit... Well, Brisbane, anyway.

The debriefing in the Controller's office was not going well. At least, it was not going well for Douglas Sheard.

'The airline, not to mention Whitehall, will need some explanation for the loss of Golf Victor Foxtrot.' He was not used to having to speak so severely to senior operational staff. But the three crew members smiled patronisingly at him.

'We've rescued the pa.s.sengers and crew.'

'And got our own aircraft back from a time warp.'

Shears fumed. 'A time warp indeed!'

'The Doctor was absolutely right. We've been away for three hundred million years.'

Sheard choked back his anger. Their insolence was insupportable. 'You were only missing for ten minutes,' he retorted.

Roger Scobie gave a cry of dismay. 'What about the overtime!'

'What about Victor Foxtrot!' shouted the Controller.

'Victor Foxtrot was never really lost. Should be on the other side of the sewage farm The Controller was saved from a thrombosis by a phone call from Security.

'Not that police box again!' he protested.

The police box had indeed returned, and with it an extremely suspicious-looking young man.

'Really, officer,' the Doctor bl.u.s.tered to the constable, 'we're just in transit, as it were ...'

'You're amazing, Doctor!'

The Doctor, glad of the interruption, looked up to see Stapley, Bilton and Scobie approaching, in the company of a very short-tempered Airport Controller.

'Now just a moment, sir!' The constable, whatever the reason for its coming and going, was not having an unauthorised police box on his patch.

'You know my friend the Controller,' said the Doctor quickly. 'I'm sure he can give you a full-explanation.' The Doctor smiled disarmingly. 'I'll just make a quick telephone call ...' He shuffled towards the TARDIS.

That'll clear the whole thing up.' He dodged inside and slammed the door.

'That police box,' said Captain Stapley to Sheard, 'is really a s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p in disguise.'

Sheard took a sharp intake of breath.

'It's called the TARDIS,' chipped in Andrew.

'TARDIS? TARDIS?' snarled Sheard.

'Travels in time as well,' added Roger Scobie, not wanting to be left out.

Sheard decided the joke had gone far enough. 'Gentlemen,' he announced. 'If you persist with this flippancy, it will be time to talk of disciplinary action.' He looked round. There was the most peculiar noise. Not an engine the Controller had ever heard before. Something was very odd. That police box was growing paler.

And so did Douglas Sheard; because the police box ... disappeared.

'Happy landings, Doctor.' Captain Stapley raised his arm in an affectionate salute.

'Happy landings,' said a plaintive voice at his elbow. Tegan looked at the empty s.p.a.ce and a tear ran down her cheek. How she wished she hadn't dithered in the Terminal building.

'h.e.l.lo,' said the Captain, 'I thought you were going with the Doctor.'

'So did I,' said Tegan.