Part 6 (1/2)

As they walked along it Nyssa asked, 'Take a closer look at what?'

'The Pictogram. There's a ceremony taking place here tomorrow, commemorating the supposed destruction of the Mara.'

'So?'

'The Mara has waited a long time for its return. I think it plans to be - spectacular.'

When they reached the Pictogram the Doctor stood gazing at it absorbedly, taking in the little stick-men, and the dotted lines that ran from their heads to the crystal in the last panel.

'There, look, Nyssa, what do you make of that?'

Nyssa shrugged helplessly.

'Look,' said the Doctor. He pointed to the drawing of the crystal. 'That could represent the Great Crystal, couldn't it?'

'I suppose so.'

'And these lines represent energy of some sort?'

Nyssa nodded. 'Mental energy, perhaps. The lines go from the crystal to the heads of the figures.'

'Minds meet in the Great Crystal,' mused the Doctor. He pointed to the demon figures, lurking in the background of the Pictogram.

'Everything in this pictogram tells us something, if you know how to read it. So - what are these?'

Lon's half-doze was interrupted by a discreet tap on the door. He opened his eyes. 'Who is it?'

The door opened revealing a palace attendant. Behind him in the corridor loomed the inevitable figure of the bodyguard. The attendant bowed. 'There is someone here, my Lord. He insists that he must see you. Shall I send him away?'

Lon considered. Any break in the boredom was welcome. 'No, let him come in.'

The attendant disappeared and a moment later Dugdale entered the chamber looking around in awe, bowing and sc.r.a.ping with every step.

'Excuse me for intruding, my Lord.'

Lon stared at him, and then laughed. 'Oh, the showman!'

'I'm flattered you remember me, my Lord.'

'I remember your impertinence. Go away.'

'Our previous encounter was rather unfortunate, my Lord. Heat of the moment, press of the crowd, various misunderstandings . . . and so forth.'

'What do you want?' snarled Lon.

Dugdale swallowed hard and said miserably. 'I've been sent to fetch you.'

'Have you indeed!'

Dugdale stumbled on. 'Yes my Lord. You are summoned.'

Lon sat up and stared menacingly at the terrified showman.

'Summoned? I am summoned! How extraordinary. By whom?'

The Doctor was on all fours peering at a figure in the bottom of the Pictogram. Nyssa had moved on into the Chamber of the Mara, where she was looking at the great carved snake.

'Doctor!' she called.

The Doctor got up, dusted his knees and came to join her. 'What?'

'If the Great Crystal of the Legend really existed -then, logically, that is where it would have fitted.' Nyssa pointed to the blank socket between the snake's jaws.

The Doctor stepped back, studying the terrifying snake carving. Things were beginning to come together. 'Yes, of course, it's obvious.'

'What is?'

He led the way back to the Pictogram. 'The Great Crystal . . . The Great Mind's Eye. The lines do represent a flow of mental energy, but not going to the figures, coming from them.'

'And meeting in the Great Crystal?'

The Doctor nodded. 'Just as a lens focuses the rays of the sun, the Great Mind's Eye gathered all the individual thought-energies and concentrated and amplified them.' The Doctor indicated the last, blank panel. 'Redirecting them, presumably, there!'

'But it's been scratched out!'

The Doctor turned and strode back into the main chamber. 'Now, according to the Legend, the Great Crystal is the source of the Mara's power. But where is it now? What exactly are its properties? If only I could get a look at the Great Crystal itself. . . unless . . .' The Doctor fished the crystal pendant from his pocket, and stared thoughtfully at it. 'Unless . . . Come on, Nyssa.'

'Where to?'

'Back to the TARDIS. We're going to try an experiment!'

Dugdale paused outside his Hall of Mirrors, waving Lon forward. 'In here, my Lord.'

Lon stared at him. 'Here - in your Hall of Mirrors? I hope for your sake I'm not going to be disappointed?' Lon had listened with amused disbelief to Dugdale's story of a strange girl with extraordinary powers who insisted on seeing him. Some local girl he supposed, drawn by the glamour of his great position, spinning a fantastic tale to arouse his interest. He had decided to go along with the game, just as long as he found it amusing.

Dugdale gave him an anguished look. 'Please, my Lord. She's waiting inside.'

'Can I have your personal a.s.surance?'

'She's inside,' repeated Dugdale.

'So I should hope,' said Lon.

He went into the booth.

A little uncertainly Lon moved through the darkened hall. He smiled when he saw Tegan standing before the mirror. So, there was a girl after all. Quite an attractive one. He advanced towards her. 'You summoned me. It's not something I'm accustomed to, but here I am.'