Part 12 (2/2)

Tovel raised his eyebrows. 'Yeah. It's Schirr technology.

They load up crystals with cartographic info, all pre-programmed, and burnt into the systems at launch. But the crystals are gone. We've no way of knowing where we're headed.'

'We're on the edge of Morphiean s.p.a.ce,' Haunt said. 'Any infringement on their territory could be construed as open warfare.'

'Who are these Morphieans?' asked Polly.

Tovel looked at her. 'So we can take it you had no relatives on Beijing Minor, then.'

'We, er, have been out of circulation, you could say,' the Doctor told him with an apologetic smile.

'Refugees,' Haunt reminded Tovel.

'In a few years we could all be.'

Polly didn't understand what Tovel meant, but found herself s.h.i.+vering anyway.

'The Morphieans are the geezers with the magic, the Spooks,' Ben piped up. 'That bunch on the dais are called Schirr, and they've been ripping off the Morphieans' secrets, see Pol? The Morphieans want them back. And since the Schirr are part of Earth's empire now, the Morphieans are having a pop at us us for not putting the lid on for not putting the lid on them them'

The Doctor gave Ben a withering look. 'Succinctly put.'

Polly was grateful for Ben's summary, but still confused.

'How did the Schirr get these secrets in the first place?'

'We learned from the pacified Schirr that centuries ago, the quadrant was active in this sector; before their isolationist stance,' Tovel told her. 'Certain Schirr elements still practised the Morphiean black arts, and none better than DeCaster.

He's become a hero, a G.o.d to these primitives.'

Shel spoke up. 'Over the last ten years he has used Morphiean rituals to commit the most devastating terrorist acts against Empire.'

'Whole worlds,' said Haunt, 'just gone up in flames.'

Polly thought she got it. 'And once the Morphieans realised what was happening, they started reprisals with worse magic?'

'Much worse,' said Tovel.

Polly's voice rose a little in panic. 'And we could be heading straight for them! We can't tell!'

'How can these crystals have gone? We've only just set off.'

Ben suddenly clicked his fingers. 'Ere, maybe the stiff did the business while we were all out of the room - then then he dissolved.' He swung round to face the dais, half-expecting the missing figure to have suddenly sneaked back in. he dissolved.' He swung round to face the dais, half-expecting the missing figure to have suddenly sneaked back in.

'Not likely, is it,' said Tovel.

'In any case, the countdown started ages ago,' Polly said.

'According to you,' Haunt pointed out.

'It's true, we told you,' said Ben hotly, his fingers feeling for Polly's hand. 'She just disappeared somewhere!'

Haunt sneered. 'Just like you appeared out of thin air.'

'You can see our craft for yourself, madam,' the Doctor said impatiently, gesturing to the TARDIS.

'Where were you standing,' asked Haunt, 'when you disappeared?'

'It was dark, I'm not sure.' Polly frowned. 'Over by the bodies there, somewhere near the TARDIS. I was trying to get away from them.'

'Marshal, these two were were here when we arrived,' Shel said, his voice flat and emotionless as he looked at the Doctor and Ben. 'It's possible they could have set our destination and then hidden the navigational crystals.' here when we arrived,' Shel said, his voice flat and emotionless as he looked at the Doctor and Ben. 'It's possible they could have set our destination and then hidden the navigational crystals.'

'Oh, come off it,' Ben protested.

'The systems were dead until you entered,' the Doctor agreed tetchily. 'The area was pressurised, as you well know.'

'But we don't don't know how long you were here before us,' Tovel said, without, Ben was pleased to see, a good deal of conviction. know how long you were here before us,' Tovel said, without, Ben was pleased to see, a good deal of conviction.

'We're wasting time!' the Doctor said. 'Even without the crystals I'm sure I can decipher the residual coding in the navigational circuits.'

'You can?' Tovel looked surprised. 'Care to show me how?'

'Wait,' Haunt ordered. 'Scan them, Shel.'

Shel waved some weird-looking device over the Doctor.

Then he stuck it in Ben's face. Ben felt dizzy for a few moments.

Shel opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out.

He looked a bit dizzy himself. Maybe it was catching, thought Ben.

'Cl... Clear, Marshal. No power source detected.'

Haunt frowned at Shel. 'You all right?'

'I'll check the girl.' He moved over to Polly as if nothing had happened. But by the uneasy look between Haunt and Tovel, clearly something significant had.

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