Part 45 (1/2)

ducking the monster's killing blow with surprising agility.

M'Kabel s.n.a.t.c.hed out his wand.

Isaac ran for Albinex, zig-zagging to avoid an oncoming Ogron' his eyes locked on the Navarino.

Benny flung herself after her father.

She could see Albinex tugging out his gun, a stubby Navarino gun, one purple limb working on the console. She could see Albinex pausing, aiming the gun at her father. She could see that he was too far away for her to grab the gun or to pull him to safety or to get in the path of the projectile.

She could see the future. As clearly as though she had been the ghost.

She could see Isaac tumbling to the ground, dying almost instantly as the flame-bullets from Albinex's weapon burst through him. Dying like a hero, saving the world, but not really, because it wouldn't stop the bad guy. Dying because it was all his fault and he deserved to.

She could hear herself screaming with grief, her premonition fulfilled. One of them would have to die. Because of her.

But that wasn't what happened.

Albinex raised his flame-gun, casually. Isaac was running straight at him, almost as though he wanted to be shot.

'Too late,' said the Navarino. 'Much too late.'

Something small and white shot out of the Admiral's backpack and thwapped Albinex in the face.

He swore and dropped the pistol as the whatever-it-was slapped him around the head. He tried to grab it, but it was swift and elusive, moving frantically, trying to poke him in the eye.

' Graeme Graeme!' shrieked the Navarino. 'You little -!'

Isaac shoved him aside' violently' and dived for the computer. Albinex roared with rage as he overbalanced, toppling over the railing and landing with a heavy splat on the concrete.

'M'Kabel!' Isaac shouted. 'I need you here!'

'Sorry!' yelled the Tzun, who was being chased around in circles by a slavering Ogron.

The other apelike humanoid had grabbed hold of the Doctor' trying to get a firm enough grip on him to snap an arm. The Time Lord wriggled in the creature's grasp. Benny started to come back down the stairs, but she wasn't going to be quick enough. The Ogron grabbed a handful of hair and wrenched the Doctor's head back, baring animal teeth.

'Hey, stupid!'

The Ogron grunted and looked up. Jason belted him across the head with a pair of bolt-cutters.

The monster toppled backwards. The Doctor dropped to the floor like a cat and bolted for the computer.

'You're welcome!' yelled Jason.

Albinex was pulling himself to his stumpy feet. He grabbed at the Doctor's leg as the Time Lord shot past.

The remaining Ogron had run M'Kabel into a corner. The Tzun waved his probe threateningly, dwarfed by the mercenary.

Benny reached up and pinched hard where the Ogron's thick neck sloped into its shoulder. The creature sneezed and fell down. M'Kabel tapped it on the forehead with his wand'

and it said 'Ugh', and went to sleep on the floor.

Joel gaped up at the missile. Then he gaped up at Albinex. 'Jeez,' he said faintly. 'Barney wants to destroy the Earth.'

Isaac was frantically working at the computer console.

Albinex was halfway up the stairs, pulling out one of his swords, ready to cut the Admiral down. The Auton jumped in his face again. With a roar of frustration, Albinex sliced Graeme in half. The spatula squeaked and landed in two pieces on the floor.

'There's a countdown here!' Isaac shouted. 'We've got less than two minutes before launch!'

'Don't worry,' called M'Kabel. 'It can't go through the roof!'

A siren sounded. The roof started to open.

'Oh, crumbs,' said M'Kabel.

'For the glory of Navarro!' yelled Albinex. He raised a razor-sharp blade.

'Oh' for goodness' sake,' said the Doctor. He planted a finger between the Navarino's beady little eyes.

Albinex's slug-mouth dropped open. The swords clattered out of his fists. He stood rock-still on the end of the Time Lord's finger, gaping.

The Doctor turned his head. 'Well, Admiral?'

For Isaac' things had slowed down, the interruptions were filtering out. This was a pure moment, without distractions.

M'Kabel's slender fingers were flying over the console.

'We could detonate the missile on the ground,' he said.