Part 9 (2/2)

A harsh voice spoke from the shadows. 'Stop wasting time.'' Tegan stepped forward, red-eyed, red-mouthed. ' Where is the Great Crystal?'

Ambril looked round wildly. He made a pathetic attempt at a laugh. 'It's all a hoax, isn't it, my Lord? Just a prank at my expense? There are some n.o.ble friends of yours, aren't they? It is all an elaborate hoax - isn't it?'

Lon jabbed at the pile of treasures with his foot, 'And these?' He took a fine porcelain vase from Ambril's hands. 'Are they part of the hoax?

After all, you're the expert.'

He opened his hands, and the vase dropped from his hands, shattering on the stone floor.

'No,' screamed Ambril. 'No!'

Through Tegan's mouth the Mara spoke again. ' Where is the Great Crystal?'

' Why?' said Ambril distractedly. 'Why is everyone so interested in the Great Crystal?'

'Everyone?' said Lon.

'Who else?' demanded Tegan.

Ambril looked at their threatening faces. 'Oh, some crank . . .'

Tegan moved closer. 'His name?'

'He calls himself the Doctor, although personally I rather doubt that he has the right -'

'The Doctor must not interfere,' hissed Tegan. 'He must be killed.'

Ambril looked at her in horror. 'Killed?'

'Forget the Doctor,' said Lon. 'You see, Director, my friend Tegan here has a theory. In order to test it, the Great Crystal must be placed in its socket during the Ceremony.'

'No! That is quite impossible!'

'Nothing is impossible,' said Tegan flatly.

Lon bent down and scooped up a double handful of precious objects.

'Now listen to me, Ambril. If you do not co-operate, I will guarantee that you will never set eyes on any of these trinkets again, /shall destroy them. And you will always know that they existed - somewhere.' He dashed a figurine to the ground. 'That you discovered them - once.' A vase followed the figurine. 'Held them in your hands - once.' Another crystal goblet shattered. 'And then lost them forever.

It's up to you.'

Ambril could have resisted bribes or threats but to watch the wanton destruction of irreplaceable antiques was more than he could bear. 'No, wait,' he sobbed. 'All right, I agree. I'll do as you ask.'

The Doctor was still locked up in his cell. The difference was that now he had Nyssa for company.

To Nyssa's exasperation, the Doctor was sitting placidly on his bunk reading Dojjen's journal.

'What are we going to do, Doctor?'

The Doctor looked up. 'Shus.h.!.+' He went on reading.

”Doctor!'

He looked up again. 'Well, what do you suggest?'

'We've got to get out of here.'

'How?'

'If only we still had the sonic screwdriver!'

'Well, we haven't,' said the Doctor mildly. 'So for the time being we must make good use of what we do have.'

'And what's that?'

'This!' said the Doctor tapping Dojjen's journal. He pa.s.sed it to Nyssa.

'Here, try it.'

Nyssa took the diary and started to read it, reluctantly at first, then with increasing interest. The Doctor sat waiting patiently.

Time pa.s.sed.

Eventually Nyssa looked up. 'It's fascinating, Doctor. But does it help us?'

The Doctor rose and began pacing about the cell. 'That journal is a record of a journey. A private, mental journey. Dojjen must have discovered something that finally decided him.'

'But to do with what?'

The Doctor shrugged. 'The Mara, the history of this planet, the origins of the crystals . . .'

Suddenly a theory was forming in Nyssa's mind. 'To function as they do, the crystals must possess a perfect molecular structure, attuned to the exact wavelengths of the human mind. Doctor, the crystals are man-made. They must be!'

The Doctor stared at her. 'Yes, of course, I should have realised.' He took the crystal pendant from his pocket and studied it. 'It has to be structurally perfect, free of all flaws and distortions, even the minute distortion induced by the effects of gravity.' The Doctor's mind was racing now as he built up his theory. 'The crystals, including the Great Crystal, must have been designed by a people who had mastered the techniques of molecular engineering in a zero-gravity environment.'

'But the Ma.n.u.ssans aren't that advanced.'

'Not now - but according to Chela, this crystal is eight hundred years old.'

Nyssa said, 'If the Ma.n.u.ssans had been a people capable of sophisticated molecular engineering eight hundred years ago - their civilisation wouldn't have just vanished. There would be records, at least, probably all kinds of traces.'

'Not necessarily,' said the Doctor. 'I suspect that when they made the Great Crystal they overlooked one vital factor. The nature of the mental energy absorbed would determine the nature of the matter created.

<script>