Part 14 (1/2)

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.