Part 35 (1/2)

'Old Earth joke. What is it?'

The Doctor took the knife from inside his pocket and showed her.

She frowned. 'What are you doing with that thing?'

'I thought it might make a nice souvenir but I don't think I'm going to need it any more.' He tossed the knife spinning into the ruins 'Come on, Peri, let's see what's going on.'

When Peri and the Doctor appeared before the Castle a great roar of 'Supremo! Supremo! Supremo!' went up.

Aril rushed up and actually embraced him, an unheard-of display of public emotion for a Draconian.

'Victory, Supremo, victory! A brilliant strategic stroke!'

'I quite agree,' said the Doctor, gently disengaging himself.

'And I know whose it was!' Suddenly he saw a familiar face. 'And there he is!'

He moved towards a tubby balding man who wore the dark s.h.i.+ny suit of an official, combined, somewhat incongruously, with a broad leather belt with holstered blaster and sheathed fighting knife.

He was issuing brisk orders to a group of similarly dressed younger men. At the sight of the Doctor he broke off and hurried to meet him, beaming widely.

'Supremo! This is a great honour!'

'The honour is all mine, President Makir.'

'I'm so glad we arrived on time.'

'Believe me, so am I! To be honest, I didn't really think you were coming.'

Makir looked hurt. 'After all you've done for us? My daughter brought you my message, didn't she? We rounded up every available man and gun and s.h.i.+p, and here we are! As you can see, people from many of the other planets you freed decided to join us...'

Peri, too, had seen an old friend or rather, an old enemy.

'It's Commandant Nadir, isn't it?'

The grey-haired, grey-uniformed man swung round. He stared at her.

'Surely, it's Peri? The guerrilla leader? The Scourge of Sylvana.'

Peri regarded him suspiciously, hand close to her knife.

'Last time we met we were on opposite sides.'

'A sad mistake,' said Nadir. 'When the army occupied Sylvana we were acting under the orders of our government, who had chosen to ally our world with Morbius.'

'What made you change sides?'

'We did not know, until your Supremo told us, that our corrupt President, and his equally corrupt government, had been bribed into joining Morbius with the promise of untold loot and eternal life. The Supremo treated us honourably, took our parole and allowed us to return home. He also told us a great deal about Morbius and his motives.'

'I still don't see '

'Some of us decided that the alliance with Morbius was a mistake. When we got back to Freedonia we removed the government and set up a new one. And when we heard the Supremo was in military difficulty, we saw it as an opportunity to make amends.' He smiled. 'I'm glad I didn't shoot you. I hope we can be friends now.'

'I'm not so sure,' said Peri slowly. 'I'm grateful for your help here, but I lost a lot of friends back on Sylvana...'

'I too lost friends and soldiers and guards. I had a promising young officer, Lieutenant Hakon, a trifle impulsive I admit. He died in very mysterious circ.u.mstances.'

'Well, war is h.e.l.l,' said Peri. 'Maybe we'd better let bygones be bygones.'

They shook hands.

'But how did you all get here together?' asked the Doctor.

'Your colleague a.s.sisted us,' said Makir. 'He sent round the messages saying you needed help, provided transport and weapons where necessary, coordinated the entire operation. His name is '

'I know his name,' said the Doctor.

The Time Lords, he thought, were always very good at getting others to do their killing and their dying for them.

An imperious voice called from the top of the castle steps.

'Doctor!'

The Doctor turned and saw Borusa, with Ratisbon beside him. 'Doctor, where is Morbius?'

'Around here somewhere. He's sw.a.n.king about in a sky-blue uniform covered with gold braid. You can't miss him.'

'He must be found,' said Ratisbon testily. 'The capture of Morbius is the whole point of this operation. Where is he?'

Suddenly the Doctor realised that Reverend Mother Maren was beside him.

She pointed. 'He is there!'

A shabby figure wearing a mercenary's rough cloak was climbing the ramp of Morbius's scouts.h.i.+p.

'Stop him,' shouted Borusa.

Morbius cast off the cloak and stood revealed in his blue and gold glory. He raised a hand in a derisive gesture of farewell.