Part 13 (1/2)

The Doctor stopped and looked up. 'Ah. So we'll definitely need another exit then. Hang on a mo.'

He sprinted over to the group of Krillitanes, seemingly unconcerned that there was a strong likelihood they might turn on him without a second thought. Toch'Lu. We can't get out the way we came in, but I think there might be a back door. When this place was built there was a secret stairway, hidden in the wall leading up from the crypt to a chamber above the choir. Henk would never have known it was there. We need to find the entrance, and quickly.'

Toch'Lu nodded, and took a pair of younger Krillitanes with her to search the perimeter of the crypt, leaving Broken Wing to watch over the others. He watched the 183.

Brood Mother set to work sniffing out this hidden escape route, and his eyes narrowed.

'Captain Darke.' The Doctor shouted, running over to the antechamber. Time to make a strategic withdrawal.'

Giving the Captain room to get past him, the Doctor directed the sonic screwdriver towards the twisted pile of components that had once been the monitoring station. With a pop, the screen began to melt, sparked and burst into flames. That should make getting in here a bit trickier. Let's get this door shut and barricaded.'

'What if Toch'Lu can't find the stairway?' Emily asked, slightly alarmed at the speed with which the fire was taking.

The Doctor puffed out his cheeks. 'Not sure. Got any marshmallows?'

Henk came to a decision. Febron's research was well doc.u.mented and filed, and there were stocks of both Krillitane Oil and its extract stored in the boathouse down by the river. Shame though it would be to face the loss of the scientist, she wasn't indispensable. Much of her work had been completed and could easily be continued by someone else, albeit someone less talented.

It was more important to ensure that the Krillitanes, or at least a few of them, remained unharmed.

'Arm your weapons and get that door open,' he growled.

Branlo rushed forward with the key, turned it in the lock and pulled the door open, ducking back just in 184 184 T HE KRIUIT ANE ST O R M.

time to avoid being roasted by the fireball that exploded ferociously outwards, followed by a billowing cloud of thick, black smoke.

'Well don't just stand there, put it out!' screamed Henk.

'Last one,' said the Doctor, watching the final Krillitane regain consciousness. He was taking a terrible risk, setting them free, but if he could get them to a s.h.i.+p and away there was a chance the Esteemed Father's forces might never touch down, pursuing Toch'Lu off into the stars and as far away from Earth as possible.

'Doctor, we have it.' Toch'Lu was standing beside a thin gap in the masonry, hidden from view behind a pillar.

The Doctor joined her, and peered into the shadows. That is brilliant. You'd never even know it existed. Wait here. I'll have a quick look.'

He squeezed through the tiny gap, grateful that this particular crisis had happened during his tenth life. Heaven help them all if it had been his sixth. He still couldn't look at a carrot-based diet drink without feeling queasy.

Thankfully, the tight pa.s.sage opened onto a stairway that would accommodate all of them, and the Doctor scurried up the spiralling staircase until he came to the top. Crouching low, he peered over the parapet. Henk's men had fetched extinguishers. There wasn't much time.

Down below, Emily was getting worried. 'Doctor, 185 185 where are you?' she half-whispered, half-shouted, jumping back as the Doctor's head suddenly popped through the gap in front of her.

'Give us a chance.' He gave Emily a wink, and clambered back into the crypt. 'Right, there's room enough for everyone. Be quiet when you get to the top. From the balcony we can reach one of the upper windows and get out of here. Off you go.'

The Doctor sent Emily up first, but held Darke back for a moment, pa.s.sing him the test tube of Krillitane Oil extract. Take this.

Remember what I told you, it's lethal to them. Keep it safe and only use it as a last resort,' he whispered urgently. Darke nodded in understanding, before following Emily into the secret pa.s.sage.

'Righty-ho, then. Unless you fancy toasting your wings, I suggest you get a wriggle on.' The Doctor ushered the eleven drowsy Krillitanes through the gap, followed by Toch'Lu and finally Broken Wing.

'I really must visit this place when it's not crawling with aliens,'

said the Doctor with a sniff, taking one last look at the graceful arches of the crypt before sliding back through the gap and bounding up the hidden staircase.

At the top, the Doctor immediately noticed a change in the Krillitanes. They seemed to have split into two camps, with four of them gathering around Broken Wing, clinging to the parapet like gargoyles overlooking the choir. Toch'Lu and Broken Wing were staring at each other, silent and angry. The female shook her head, but Broken Wing had made his decision. Supported 186 186 by two of the others, he leapt over the edge. Two more Krillitanes took to their wings and flew high towards the vaulted ceiling.

The Doctor rushed forwards, but there was nothing he could do.

Toch'Lu stepped over to the parapet, watching her mate swoop down towards Henk and his men. 'I commanded him not to do this, but there is Krillitane honour to be upheld. He would not be swayed.'

'It's you the Esteemed Father is after, not Broken Wing, so nothing has changed,' the Doctor replied grimly. If need be he would return to deal with this situation once the most pressing danger was dealt with. 'Let's get you to that Calabrian s.h.i.+p.'

The Krillitanes glided silently above their targets, unseen, unheard, until, at a signal from Broken Wing, they began to dive.

It was only a matter of luck that Henk happened to roll his eyes to the heavens in desperation, only to see three winged creatures bearing down upon him. He fired two shots from his blaster, both of them pummelling into the Krillitane on the left. Breaking away from Broken Wing, it spiralled out of control and slammed into a row of pews, the crash alerting Henk's men to the attack.

One Krillitane alone was unable to support the weight of Broken Wing, and they immediately lost alt.i.tude, sweeping dangerously close to the floor. At the last possible second, she let go of her burden and swung back 187.

towards the ceiling to regroup, her task accomplished. Broken Wing hit the ground lightly on all fours, alert and sniffing for Henk's distinctive scent.

Henk had already recognised his imminent danger and fled towards the cloisters as soon as he'd fired his weapon. There was no longer any point kidding himself. This whole deal had gone belly-up, and he wasn't going to stick around while those vile monsters picked at its carca.s.s.

'It's higher than you'd think, isn't it?' observed the Doctor, looking through the window they'd just broken and across the snow-covered Cathedral roof. 'And we're not even at the top.'

Emily was good with heights, but she knew her limits. There is no way we're going to get down there without breaking our necks. If we slip, that's it.'

Then we shall carry you,' Toch'Lu offered.

'What did she just say?' Emily glared at the Doctor, pretty certain she'd understood exactly what Toch'Lu was planning.

'Whatever you do, don't let go,' advised the Doctor, allowing Toch'Lu to wrap her arms around him. Emily and Darke exchanged worried glances, as bony Krillitane fingers took hold of them and lifted them from their feet. Suddenly they were flying, swooping away from the Cathedral and into the snowstorm.

The ride was exhilarating. Snowflakes and the bitter, icy wind bit against the Doctor's skin, but he welcomed 188 188 the winter storm that would surely enable them to pa.s.s beyond the city walls unnoticed. The Doctor looked back and was satisfied that Emily and Darke were close behind, though the Captain did not look at all happy.

Then the sky fell in.

A blinding white light flooded across the dawn sky, accompanied by a blast of superheated air and a pressure wave that sent the fugitives tumbling towards the river. As Toch'Lu struggled to regain control, the Doctor caught a glimpse of a deep-s.p.a.ce frigate dropping belly first through the storm clouds, directly over the Cathedral. The s.h.i.+p's retro-thrusters beat down on full power, slowing its descent to a halt mere metres above the Cathedral tower. Snow melted away from the vast roof in an instant from the intense heat.

The s.h.i.+p hovered for a moment, its size making it look like an airborne reflection of the Cathedral itself, then a flicker of light flashed on the underside of the hull. A hatch opened, from which tiny figures spilled out and onto the tower, crawling fluidly over the ancient stone.

Krillitanes. Dozens of them.

The Doctor looked on in horror. His gamble hadn't paid off, and now they were in serious trouble.

Inside the Cathedral, all h.e.l.l had broken loose.

The pitched battle between Broken Wing's supporters and Henk's people was suddenly thrown into disarray as the windows that ran along the length of the Cathedral shattered spectacularly inwards, too weak to withstand 189.

the shockwave pushed out by the Krillitane frigate's retro-thrusters.