Part 38 (1/2)

'I suppose so. Only...'

'Only what?'

'The bodies were still fresh and they'd been completely drained of blood.'

Using his Time Lord memory a path once trodden is never forgotten the Doctor retraced his steps to his old cell. He turned a corner and there it was. It even had his old guard sitting outside it.

The Doctor was considering his next move when someone made it for him.

A black shape rushed like a whirlwind from the other direction and bore the guard to the ground. The guard's body jerked and was still.

The dark figure it was wearing a black cloak bent over the unconscious guard and arose with a bunch of keys. It opened the cell door and went inside.

Flattening himself against the wall, the Doctor edged closer to the open cell door. He heard a low sibilant voice.

'You are a servant of Morbius? You tried to rescue him?'

Then Solon's frantic tones. 'Yes, yes. I tried but I failed.

Who are you?'

'I too serve Morbius.'

'You must help me. I have a better plan now, one that cannot fail.'

A pause, then the sibilant voice said, 'I will help you.'

'First we must go to my laboratory: there are things I need for my plan. Then take me to Morbius.'

The Doctor ducked back as the two figures emerged.

The black-cloaked figure was saying, 'He is in a cell next to the execution chamber. We must hurry, there is little time. He dies at midnight.'

'Morbius will never die,' said Solon. 'Come.'

They hurried away down the corridor. The Doctor considered following them but he already knew their final destination. He examined the unconscious guard, who was stunned not dead, and hurried back the way he had come.

In the execution chamber he found the technicians making final adjustments to their apparatus. It was simple enough, considering its sinister purpose. Just a transparent coffin-shaped container on a low table, connected to a bank of complex apparatus.

'Is everything ready?'

The two technicians weren't too sure who the Doctor was.

But they had seen him on terms of intimacy with the Lord President and with Borusa, and they recognised the voice of authority. 'Yes, sir, just finished final checks.'

'And Morbius?'

'Next door, just round the corner under guard.'

'There's a connecting door, see,' said the second technician.

'Bring him through, put him inside, press that red b.u.t.ton there...'

He pointed. '... And it's done.' He lowered his voice. 'If he kicks up a fuss we give him this.' He produced a disposable syringe in a gla.s.s case. 'Instant knockout.'

'I see,' said the Doctor. 'Show me.'

The technician handed him the syringe.

The Doctor put it in his pocket.

'Here, you can't do that.'

A deep voice growled, 'Supremo do what he wishes.'

The Doctor turned and saw his two Ogron bodyguards looming over him.

'Not good to come here without us, Supremo,' said one of them reproachfully.

'Commander say corridors not safe,' said the other. 'Blood-drinking creature hiding here.'

The Doctor felt as if he was in the charge of two giant, hairy nannies.

'I'm very glad to see you,' he said. 'Now, I want you to do something for me.'

'We die for Supremo,' said the first Ogron.

'No need for that,' said the Doctor. He indicated the two terrified technicians. 'Just take these two gentlemen away with you and entertain them for a couple of hours.'

The Ogron looked puzzled. 'Kill them?'

'No, don't hurt them. Just keep them with you. Oh, and there's a sentry just round the corner. Take him as well and bring me his keys.'

Dragging their terrified captives, the Ogrons disappeared around the corner.

There was a yelp and a thump and one of them returned with a bunch of keys.

'Supremo pleased?'

'Supremo delighted. Now, go.'

The Ogron disappeared. The Doctor waited for a moment, then went around the corner to the condemned cell. He took the syringe from its gla.s.s case, prepared it for use, and then unlocked the door and went inside.

Morbius was sitting on a bunk, head bowed. At the sight of the Doctor he snarled, 'You!' and bounded from the bunk, clamping his hands around the Doctor's throat. He was appallingly strong, and the Doctor felt consciousness slipping away. He thrust the hypodermic under Morbius's chin and heard the faint pop as it discharged. The grip around his throat slackened and Morbius slumped.

Catching the body before it fell, the Doctor stretched it out on the bunk. He slipped out into the corridor, leaving the door unlocked.

He looked up and down the corridor. 'Come on Solon, you've got a job to do and time's running out!'