Doctor Who_ Ultimate Treasure Part 14

grunted Falstaff. But I'll be content with rations and a rock bed so long as it is level. Let us descend while there is still light, lest we spend a night on this perilous perpendicularity. We may renew our a.s.sault on this bewitched mount on the morrow when we are rested.'

The suggestion was so sensible that even Thorrin and the Marquis did not object. So they turned about and set off back down the stairs.

Automatically Myra took note of their rate of descent. She estimated they were going a third faster than they had ascended.

Thirty-five minutes to go, then. No one requested a break. All they wanted was to be off the stairs and to feel solid ground under them. Myra began to appreciate how vulnerable they were - exposed upon the narrow stair slanting up the unending cliff.

Anything could be out there in the mist. They had seen no flying creatures in the valley, but how did then know there weren't any? Could they fight a battle in such a place? What if there was an avalanche? There was no shelter sand they'd be swept away.

She tried to go faster and almost fell, flicking her tail out to maintain her balance. Steady, steady, she told herself. You don't want to go down that quickly.

The stairs rolled up at them, materialising out of the mist.

Down, down. She checked the time: thirty minutes. More stairs.

Everybody must have been suffering terrible pains in their legs, but n.o.body complained. Down further. Surely they should be able to hear the waterfalls on the lake by now. 'Thirty five-minutes... forty... No, not again!

They stumbled to a stop and collapsed sprawling on the steps, panting to regain their breath, legs cramped and trembling. Myra saw their frightened, incredulous expressions, and heard Arnella sobbing aloud: 'We'll never get down, never! We're trapped!'

CHAPTER 13.

WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS.

Dynes frowned at the image of Thorrin's party relayed from his drone, floating in the mist a few metres away from the cliff Wall.

What was going on there? He checked the DAVE'S current telemetry readings, then called up its log and reviewed the inertial guidance chart. Gradually a smile began to spread across his face, then he chuckled. Now this had comic potential if presented properly. The D and E illits and vid-junkies would love seeing a party of their social betters making fools of themselves if the trick was carefully explained to them first.

He checked the other DAVE that was following Qwaid, Drorgon, and the Doctor across the lake. Their journey was entirely too easy, without any sign of a b.l.o.o.d.y attack by sea monsters. That Doctor was too clever by half. Still, maybe he'd get trapped like Thorrin to make up for it. And he had got some high-quality action shots earlier, especially Inspector Jaharnus's bit of lifesaving.

He checked another monitor and reached for his hat.

It was drawing in towards evening as they entered the open glade in which the Falcon Falcon had set down. Dynes was waiting for them, a DAVE unit hovering beside him. Of course, Gribbs thought, he knew exactly when we'd be arriving from the drone that had been trailing them. But why had he bothered to turn up in person? had set down. Dynes was waiting for them, a DAVE unit hovering beside him. Of course, Gribbs thought, he knew exactly when we'd be arriving from the drone that had been trailing them. But why had he bothered to turn up in person?

Didn't his drone cameras give him everything he needed? He recalled that they had recorded his humiliating misfortune in the wood the day before, and decided he was not going to make a fool of himself a second time, even for someone as famous as Dynes.

'Mr Gribbs, Ms Brown. I want exclusive interviews with both of you,' said the pressman briskly, coming straight to the point.

'Naturally that means a bonus on top of the standard rate.'

The girl's expression changed to one of astonishment, as though she couldn't believe her ears, while Gribbs felt a thrill of excitement, which dispelled his earlier misgivings in an instant.

Dexel Dynes wanted to interview him in person one to one!

'You mean like the one you did for Marrak Theel during the Cavandar Bank siege?' Gribbs asked hesitantly, just to be certain.

'Just that sort of thing,' Dynes said encouragingly. 'Captor and hostage, personal tensions, a taste of fear. Always goes down well with the viewers.'

'Theel came over as a real hard pro, didn't he? Then the cops gunned him down - but he took ten of them with him. What a way to go! You handled that with real cla.s.s, Dynes.'

'Just doing my job as well as I can, Mr Gribbs. Now there's no need to be nervous. You just be natural. Think of it as easy money for an hour of your time. We can do it out here or in your s.h.i.+p, wherever you like.'

Gribbs realised he was sounding too eager. This wasn't how a hard man should behave. 'Well, maybe we will, maybe we won't,'

he said lazily. 'I'm busy, as you can see, so you gotta make it worth while, because we're going to come away from this job well loaded. I reckon an interview with someone who's part of something that big should pay above scale.'

'Sorry, I'm only authorised to offer the standard bonus at this time. Remember, Mr Gribbs, you haven't found the treasure yet.

If it all goes wrong at least you'll come away with something to show for it. Think of it as insurance.'

Gribbs turned it over and found the argument appealing. After a moment he nodded. 'OK, you're on.'

Dynes turned to the girl, who was still gaping at him. 'And are the terms satisfactory for you, Ms Brown?'

'You're actually offering me money for an interview while he's holding me like this?' She jerked on the strap binding her wrists.

'Why not? I simply report things as they are. Surely, under the circ.u.mstances, you can see it makes sense to cooperate?'

Apparently she couldn't find suitable words to reply, and Dynes continued: 'And let me a.s.sure you that if you are unfortunate enough not to survive this highly newsworthy event, the INA will be pleased to send your fee to your next of kin or nominated charity.'

For some reason she was still looking at him in disbelief, and Gribbs began to wonder if she ever watched the news channels.

'You're crazy!' she managed to choke out at length.

'Not at all. It is my legal right and duty under interstellar convention to observe and report without prejudice, fear, or favour for the purposes of information and entertainment.'

'But can't you see what he's doing is wrong?'

'Not my position to judge, Ms Brown. If the local authorities wish to take action in this matter, that would be their privilege and I would report their actions just as fully. As they appear not to choose to intervene, why should I?'

'But your turning criminals into... into media personalities!'

Dynes shrugged. 'A very biased point of view, if I might say so.

One world's criminal is another's celebrity, and it's not for me to say if their choice is right or wrong. I just give the public what they want. It's up to them whether they approve or not, but after twenty years I think I know their tastes well enough, don't you?'

'Hey, who's in charge here, anyway?' Gribbs demanded impatiently, feeling there was too much talk going on, and giving a warning jerk to the rope fastened to Peri's wrist strap. 'She'll say her piece when the time comes if that's what you want,' he a.s.sured Dynes.

'That's fine with me, Mr, Gribbs,' Dynes said, the DAVE drones flitting about to find fresh angles as Peri tried to pull away. 'I shall a.s.sume Ms Brown waives her right to compensation by default, and will be treated henceforth as a hostile news subject.

Now, perhaps you'd like the interview to be inside your s.h.i.+p?'

'Yeah, maybe that would be best,'

He remembered he'd promised Qwaid he'd get the girl to the s.h.i.+p as soon as possible and keep her under wraps there while he waited for calls. For some reason Qwaid didn't like Dynes, and wouldn't want Gribbs a.s.sociating with him like this. Still, as long as it didn't interfere with business, Gribbs couldn't see the harm, and afterwards it wouldn't matter. Besides, just suppose things didn't go to plan. Then he'd have made a smart move.

Dynes followed them into the Falcon Falcon with the DAVEs trailing after him. with the DAVEs trailing after him.

After they had removed their packs and settled in the s.h.i.+p's crewroom, Dynes carefully positioned them and the two DAVEs for the interview Gribb's admiration for Dynes rose as he saw how carefully he arranged things, having the girl, to her evident displeasure, kneel beside his chair to 'help the composition'.

'You want she should be mussed up a bit to?' he asked, trying to be helpful, remembering the look of Theel's captives.

'I think Ms Brown looks suitably distressed for the moment, except perhaps... 'He reached forward and undid another b.u.t.ton of the girl's s.h.i.+rt, ignoring her indignant yelp of protest, to reveal a little more cleavage. Gribbs preened himself nervously, trying to brush his straggly thinning hair straight.

'File Code: The Ultimate Treasure. Interview with George Erasmus Gribbs and Perpugilliam Brown,' Dynes said to one of the DAVEs, then turned back to them. Mr Gribbs let's start with a bit of background. Would you tell us, In our own words, why you turned to a life of crime?'

Inwardly Gribbs breathed a sigh of relief. He knew the sort answer to give to a question like that.

'Well, I had no choice, did I?' he said regretfully. 'Back on Trainor Colony if you didn't take it you got nothing...'

None of it had been his fault; he was as much a victim as those he had stolen from. It was all down to the yids, the government, his parents, unlucky breaks, but never him. It wasn't fair that others had things he did not, and how else was he going to get them? He'd been good with his hands and had a way with circuitry, but who wanted to be an ordinary repairman all his life? OK, so he hadn't been starving, but there was more to life than food and shelter, wasn't there? Hadn't he as much right to so-called 'luxuries' as anybody else? All the commercials said so.

Dynes seemed to understand perfectly and said nothing except to prompt and nod sympathetically.

'And what do you plan to do with your portion of Rovan's treasure if you recover it?' Dynes asked.

Oddly, he hadn't thought about that, except in vague terms.

But he'd feel a fool if he had nothing to say. So he dredged up every fantasy he could remember and gold-plated them. It was hard work. Dynes continued to nod attentively, but Gribbs was worried that he was becoming boring. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that the girl's head was dropping as though she was dozing. He was putting his hostage to sleep on camera!

Perhaps Dynes noticed as well, because he suddenly turned to her. 'Ms Brown, how did it feel out on the plain when you thought you were going to die?'

The reply was tired and angry: 'What? Well I was scared spitless of course.'

'Of course,' said Dynes easily. 'And how does it feel to be Mr Gribbs's hostage for your friend's cooperation?'

'How do you think? Where do they find people like him anyway: Henchman-U-Hire?' she snapped back sarcastically. 'He sounds like a total loser...' She faltered as though suddenly realising the likely consequences of her rash words and looked up fearfully.

Gribbs lifted a hand ready to strike her and she cowered away, pulling on her tether. Then he looked at the camera and hesitated.

'Don't worry, Mr Gribbs,' Dynes said rea.s.suringly. 'I can easily edit this part out, along with anything else you're not happy with.

Just continue to be yourself. Forget I'm here.'

Gribbs looked down at the girl and felt a surge of pleasure at the power he had over her. Be yourself. Alpha would never have let them get as involved as this. Only the end result had mattered to him, to be achieved by the most direct and efficient means.

But now there was no Alpha, and he was learning to make things go his way at last.

'Dynes,' he said slowly, 'do you want to see how George Gribbs keeps stupid girls who talk out of turn in line? Maybe it'd be worth something extra, eh?'

The girl's eyes widened in alarm. Dynes considered the proposition thoughtfully. 'There are certain information outlets that would pay a premium for such special items. But only as long as it is perfectly clear that you are not being influenced by my presence or any thought of remuneration.'

'Sure, right. No, you're not influencing me. I'm in charge, right?

And I told her she'd better behave or else -'

Gribbs's wrist communicator bleeped. He made frantic gestures imploring silence from Dynes, then touched a contact. 'Yeah, Qwaid?' he said blandly.

'Just checking you got back to the s.h.i.+p OK.'

'Sure, no trouble.'

'Well you stay put until I let you know what we need'

'I'll be here. Don't you worry about old Gribbsy.'

'Now put the Doc's girl on so he knows she's OK.'

'Here she is' He held the communicator out to Peri. The Doctor's voice came through from the other end.

'Are you all right, Peri?' he asked anxiously.

'I'm fine so far, Doctor,' she said with an odd brightness, then added quickly, 'though Mr Gribbs was just going to punish me for speaking my mind and Dexel Dynes was going to film him doing it -'

Gribbs winced and s.n.a.t.c.hed the communicator but it was too late. There were confused sounds from the other end, then Qwaid came on again. 'Gribbs! What are you playing at? Is Dynes there?'

'Yeah, but I didn't see there was any harm in it. The locals don't care -'

'Never trust reporters! They cut deals with the cops too.

Anything you say about what we did in Astroville might help Jaharnus bargain for extradition, so get rid of him! And mind That girl doesn't come to any hurt. Right now the Doc's being a real star performer, so don't make me choose between you, understand?'

'Yeah, OK Qwaid. Sorry...'

'You will be, you idiot!'The line went dead.

Gribbs looked up in embarra.s.sment to see Dynes and his drones focused intently upon him.

'Hey, were you recording all that?'

'Of course, Mr Gribbs, it's my job. Well, I think that'll do for now.' Dynes rose and made for the airlock, the DAVEs following like faithful dogs.

'Dynes, come back!' Gribbs pulled his gun as he ran after him.

'Stop or else -'

There was a retina-searing double flash of light from the drones that lit up the corridor. When his vision had cleared Dynes was gone. With a groan Gribbs stumped back to the crewroom to find that the girl was looking at him with fresh confidence and determination.

'Right,' she said, 'I want a comfortable room, some food and a shower. But for starters you can take this strap off.