Part 13 (1/2)

The Doctor was moving rapidly around the console, checking that all was in order. 'It was a living thing,' he said, 're-engineered as an instrument of war and sent here to clear the way for an invasion.'

'What went wrong?' Turlough wanted to know. 'Why didn't they invade?'

'I don't honestly know,' the Doctor confessed. 'I must check to see if there's anything in the computer about it.'

Turlough wasn't satisfied with that. Frowning, he indicated the now very subdued Will Chandler standing beside him. 'If the Malus is destroyed, why is Will still here? You did say he was only a psychic projection.'

The Doctor frowned. 'Ah ... yes,' he hedged. 'It seems I was mistaken. The Malus was able to intermingle the two time zones for a living man to pa.s.s through. It must have had incredible power.'

That's putting it mildly, Tegan thought, as she moved to her grandfather's side. 'This is the last time I pay an unexpected call on you,' she smiled.

The tired old man shook his head. With a rueful expression he took her hands in his. 'As a rule,' he said, 'the village and I are much more welcoming.'

It was a time for making peace, Ben Wolsey realised. He turned to Joseph Willow and held out his hand. 'There'll be a lot of clearing up to do, in more ways than one,' he said. 'We'll need all the help we can get.'

Willow took his proffered hand and shook it willingly.

'And with no recriminations?' he asked.

'None,' Wolsey said. 'Not on my part.'

'Nor mine,' Jane Hampden added, and shook hands too.

The Doctor, well pleased with developments, rubbed his hands with satisfaction. 'Well, that seems to be it,' he said.

'We'll drop you all off and then we can be on our way.'

'Er...' Turlough dropped his head to one side and indicated the quiet Will again. 'What about our friend here?'

'Ah, yes,' the Doctor nodded. 'Well, him too. 1613 isn't all that far away.'

Will's mouth dropped open. Hope sprang back into his heart.

But Tegan had something to say before the Doctor started his jaunts through time and s.p.a.ce again. 'Aren't you forgetting something?' she asked him.