Part 16 (1/2)

'Doctor, you can't. The computer will burn out your brain in seconds.'

'Do you have a better idea?'

'All right, Doctor,' said Vorshak. 'Get into the chair.'

The Doctor settled himself in the synch-op chair, and lowered the helmet over his head. He could feel the metal terminals inside the helmet pressing into his skull. If only the link-up was close enough...

Tegan looked on appalled. 'Can't you disconnect the computer, Doctor?'

'I'm afraid not, Tegan, there just isn't time.' Vorshak said, 'He's right. We're already on final countdown to ignition.'

The clock stood at 139, 138, 137...

Even at the moment of greatest danger, the Doctor had time to think about the fate of his enemies. 'Tegan, Turlough. Look after the Silurians. Try giving them oxygen.'

Tegan and Turlough exchanged glances. It seemed ridiculous to worry about saving Silurian lives at this date, but it didn't seem the time to argue. Obediently they knelt beside Tarpok and Scibus and began trying to revive them with the oxygen packs.

Vorshak was busy at the computer console. 'I can perform the manual tasks, Doctor, but you'll have to do the rest. Are you ready?'

The Doctor nodded.

The clock read 119, 118, 117...

'Good luck, Doctor!' Vorshak pressed the switch.

The headpiece began to glow and crackle with energy.

The Doctor's body went rigid and his face twisted as the ma.s.sive data input a.s.saulted his brain.

'The strain's too great,' said Turlough. 'He'll never manage it.'

Vorshak was studying his read-out screen. 'It's working!

His mind is synchronised with the computer. Doctor, can you hear me?'

The Doctor nodded, his face set with strain.

Vorshak glanced at the clock: 100, 99, 98...

'I'm going to switch you through to the ignition circuit.'

His hands moved over the controls. 'Right, I've isolated the ignition circuit, Doctor. See if you can identify it. Nod if you can.'

The Doctor nodded.

'Now, concentrate, Doctor,' urged Vorshak. 'I'm going to feed in the charge. You must concentrate and direct it, to burn out the circuit.'

The Doctor nodded again.

The clock ticked on: 60, 59, 58...

Icthar was close to death, but he could not, would not die with his task unfinished. Moving with agonising slowness, he reached out for a weapon that had fallen from the hands of one of the dead Sea Devils. Slowly, agonisingly, Icthar crawled towards it Abandoning all hope of reviving her Silurian, Tegan looked up and saw Icthar swaying to his feet, weapon in hand. 'Turlough,' she screamed.