Part 8 (2/2)

They heard approaching footsteps.

'Quick, hide!' said the Doctor.

Nyssa looked frantically for a hiding-place, but before she found one Chela entered, carrying a leather-bound book. He nodded to Nyssa as if taking her presence for granted.

'Well?' demanded the Doctor. 'Have you come to let me out?'

'I have brought you this, Doctor. It was written by Dojjen. Look at the last page.'

'I'd sooner you unlocked the door and let me out,'

grumbled the Doctor as he took the book. 'I can't do that.5 'Why not?

Don't you have the key?' 'No, as it happens, I don't.' 'Ambril does, I suppose,' suggested the Doctor casually. 'I imagine he keeps the key in his rooms?' 'Yes, as a matter of fact he does,' said Chela impatiently.

'I thought you'd be interested in Doyen's book, Doctor, but if you can't be bothered . . .'

'No, wait, wait,' said the Doctor. 'Of course I'm interested. The last page you say?'

The Doctor opened the book - and made a discreet 'off-you-go' signal to Nyssa over Chela's shoulder. As the Doctor began studying the book, Nyssa edged behind Chela's back and slipped quietly out of the cell area.

Lon had made his request.

Ambril was shocked and horrified. 'My Lord, I am bound by my oath of office. An oath, dating back to the time of the destruction of the Mara.'

'But you do know where the Great Crystal is?'

'Yes, my Lord. But not even the Federator himself may actually see the Great Crystal. However, may I say how grateful I am by your renewed interest in our antiquities.'

'Well, you know how it is,' said Lon casually. 'With time on one's hand one pokes around. Surprising what one can turn up - like this, for instance.' He held out a carved crystal goblet.

Ambril stared at it in astonishment for a moment, and then took it from him with trembling hands. s.n.a.t.c.hing up a magnifying gla.s.s from the desk he studied it eagerly. He looked up, eyes s.h.i.+ning. 'My Lord, where did you find this? Where did you find it? I must know.'

Lon stared at him in mock astonishment, and Ambril said apologetically, 'Oh my Lord, I'm sorry to be so insistent, but you don't realise what a find like this means to me.'

'Is it valuable?'

'It is beyond price.'

'And rare?'

'It is unique, my Lord.'

'How strange! I found a sort of cache you see, a secret chamber. It was when I was poking about in the cave system. There seemed to be lots of things like that, as far as I could see. They were scattered around rather, I picked this one up at random.'

'Scattered?' gasped Ambril. 'But. . .how many?. . .'

'I really didn't count.'

'There were many such objects though, my Lord?' Ambril's voice was trembling. 'Many? Lots? My Lord, tell me!'

Lon smiled. 'Perhaps you'd like me to show you where they are?' he suggested casually. Ambril stared at him, open-mouthed.

The Doctor looked up from Dojjen's journal, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

'Well?' asked Chela eagerly.

The Doctor tapped the book. 'I see he refers to ”The Great Mind's Eye” .

. . When was this journal written?'

'It was the last thing Dojjen did before -'

'Before what?'

'Nothing. Give me back the book.'

'Before he what?'

'Before he danced the Dance of the Snake.'

The Doctor stared at him in astonishment. 'Dojjen? But I thought the Snakedance was banned by the Federation?'

'It was, nearly a hundred years ago.'

'Why were they so against it?'

'According to the Legend, the Return of the Mara could only be resisted by those of a perfectly clear mind. The dance was a dance of purification, in readiness to combat the return.' Chela shrugged.

'However, the Federation held that since the Mara no longer existed the dance was no longer necessary. They banned the lance and drove the Snakedancers into the hills.'

'Why were they so against the dance?'

'Apparently it involved the use of-certain powers.' 'What kind of powers?'

'Mental powers - of a kind easily misunderstood - or misused.' 'Yes, of course . . .'

Nyssa found Ambril's rooms without difficulty, slipped inside and began to search for the key to the Doctor's cell. Since the place was so cluttered, her search was not an easy one.

But she found the key at last, inside a carved wooden box. As her fingers closed upon it a voice behind her said, 'And what do you think you are doing?'

Nyssa whirled round.

There in the doorway stood a handsome middle-aged woman in sumptuous rose-coloured robes, a tiara gleaming in her hair.

Behind her in the corridor was a giant bodyguard.

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