Part 11 (1/2)

Nothing.

With a shrug he returned to his chair and settled down again. A second later, the knock was made again. Sighing to himself, once again he opened the door.

Facing him was an elderly lady, possibly the oldest Pel he'd ever seen. She wore a long purple robe with silver lining on the cuffs and neck. Her greying hair was up in a bun, but her eyes still sparkled blue. Despite her age, this woman, the Doctor thought, had once been very beautiful and that beauty had matured into a stately elegance.

Amba.s.sador Centauri said you had changed your appearance, Doctor. I had not realized quite how much.'

The Doctor smiled. 'You have me at a disadvantage, my Lady,' he started but the lady smiled and put her fingers to her lips to quieten him.

'May I come in?' she whispered.

The Doctor nodded and she walked past him, pulling her robe up lightly. As she turned, her profile was caught by the flickering light of a flambeau behind. The Doctor took a good look at the lady before him and finally recognized her.

'My apologies, Lady Lianna. I have been clumsy in my manners.'

'Nonsense, Doctor. You are as elegant and charming as ever. After all, when you were last here I was but a handmaiden to Queen Thalira.'

The Doctor raised a hand to quieten her this time. 'Nonsense. You do yourself a disservice. Queen Thalira talked of your friends.h.i.+p with the highest regard. She held your views, opinions and advice far higher than any other. And none other of her staff were prepared to accompany her to the mines when fleeing Azaxyr's wrath.'

Lianna smiled at the memory. And that was such a long time ago. I simply came to re-acquaint myself with you and hope you would remember a loyal servant.'

Indeed I do, my Lady. But I also remember a loyal friend and that is far more important to me.'

'Talking of old friends, Doctor, I see you are travelling with Professor Summerfield. I just wondered what became of Miss Sarah Jane Smith. Her guidance to the queen and myself during that awful business with Galaxy Five was not only useful at the time, but the queen radically reshaped Pel society as a result.'

The Doctor indicated for Lianna to sit but she declined. 'When I next see her,' he said, I shall tell her that. She will be very pleased indeed, I am sure.'

Lianna turned to go. 'Doctor. There are things I must tell you. Things that I cannot say to the other Federation representatives. But you . . . you are an independent, despite your Federation connections. You have the trust and friends.h.i.+p of Peladon and I fear events will soon occur that could seriously affect our future prosperity.'

Is that why you asked me to be quiet at the door? In case you were heard?'

Lianna smiled tightly and humourlessly. 'No, Doctor. I asked for quiet in case my daughter saw me here. She would not approve.'

'Your daughter. . .'

Lianna opened the door. Another time, my friend. For now, I am glad you are back. Whenever Peladon faces danger, it makes use of its guardians.

Twice both you and Aggedor have saved us. Now there is no Aggedor and the full responsibility falls upon your shoulders. We will talk after dinner.'

With that, Lianna was gone.

The Doctor sat on his chair to ponder the significance of her words. 'Her daughter would not approve? I wonder. . .'

His reverie was interrupted by another knock. Lianna again? He crossed and opened it, to face a chest. At least he guessed it was a chest. It was hairy, bits of it were wrapped in leather and it was wider than the doorway.

He looked up slowly. Looking down on him was a veritable giant of a man.

His black hair was streaked with its traditional mauve wave, and a scar ran down from hairline to jaw on the left side of his face. At his side he wore a ma.s.sive double-bladed axe.

Are you my escort? Is it dinner time already?' The Doctor realized his voice sounded unusually quiet and mousy. Then again, his visitor was unusually large and stocky. The giant nodded, baring some very crooked teeth in a wide grin. The Doctor nipped back and stuffed a red-spotted handkerchief in his breast pocket, did up his matching red-spotted tie and smiled back. 'Lead on, old chap. I'll just follow you.' His silent companion, not unsurprisingly, led on.

A few minutes later and the Doctor stood outside the throne room. A jumble of memories flooded back. Jo Grant, Princess of TARDIS. Sarah Jane Smith and her Women's Liberation. lzlyr and Ssorg. Azaxyr and Sskel.

Eckersley and Arcturus. Hepesh and Ortron. Every fifty years he returned to Peladon and gave it a little push. Friends and enemies helped or hindered.

What of Savaar and Sskeet? Were they friend or foe? Were they the danger Lianna feared? Why was Alpha Centauri still here, years after he should have retired? Why had his old friend, now the Federation Chair, sent Damakort to Peladon when Savaar was regal enough an observer? To observe the observer? All these questions and not enough answers.

He stared at the huge double doors, Aggedor's face carved, as ever, into them. The giant pushed them open and the Doctor took a deep breath. He looked down and saw his hand was shaking.

Bernice tried to hide the relief on her face as the Doctor finally arrived. He bounded forward, winked slyly at her and dropped to one knee in front of King Tarrol, sitting to Bernice's left.

'May I have permission to address the king?' asked the Doctor.

Tarrol nodded back in courtesy and the Time Lord arose. Tarrol then stood himself, reached across the dinner table and held his hand out. The Doctor shook it and Tarrol grinned. Alpha Centauri a.s.sures me that is the correct greeting on such an occasion. I'm not exactly sure, however, of its meaning.' The Doctor still held Tarrol's hand. It goes back many thousands of years to Earth's rather vicious history, Your Majesty. In ancient times the warriors would drop their swords and grip each other's sword hand - therefore fighting could not continue. It marked peace. Now, it symbolizes friends.h.i.+p and trust.'

'Your record, Doctor, on our planet already imbues you with our friends.h.i.+p and trust.'

I am grateful. I hope I can gain your friends.h.i.+p and trust personally as well as regally.'

Tarrol nodded. I hope so too. Now, please join our feast. Your companion, Professor Summerfield, is a most amusing guest: The king looked at the giant who had escorted the Doctor. 'Thank you, Torg. Please join us.'

The Doctor sat to the right of Bernice and smiled warmly at her. She grinned back and spoke through gritted teeth in a manner only the Doctor could hear: 'Thank G.o.d you're here. He's very sweet but boring as h.e.l.l.

And chauvinistic!' The Doctor took a spoonful of broth. A hundred years ago you'd have been put to death for not having royal blood in your veins if you so much as breathed in here. A lot has changed: Bernice tugged at her unleavened bread. 'He said they actually make this stuff by hand on occasions like this.'

'Things have changed even more than I thought. Last time I was here, it would always have been like that, not just on special occasions. The Federation influence is ma.s.sive. And something is very wrong, by the way.'

The Doctor casually leaned across the table and absently removed a gla.s.s of wine which was nearing Damakort's expectant hand. He swiftly placed a gla.s.s of water in the boy's hand, ignoring the venomous look he received as a result. To add insult to injury he calmly topped up Bernice's gla.s.s by pouring the procured wine into hers.

'What makes you say that?' 'An old friend told me. I'll explain later.' He casually raised his own gla.s.s and gently toasted Savaar and Sskeet sitting opposite him. As he expected, Sskeet ignored the gesture and Savaar made an even smaller toast back.

'Still some chairs empty, I see,' murmured the Doctor as he finished his broth. Bernice looked around the L-shaped table. The king was at the head of the largest bit. She sat to his right, the Doctor to hers. Dead opposite her was Damakort and next to him the giant Torg. Then Sskeet, Savaar and Alpha Centauri. Next to the Doctor was an empty seat and beside that a couple of high ranking Pels. On the other section of the table was Geban, who she'd learned was the king's chancellor, and two other courtiers. At the far end were two people she was especially interested in. One was a tall, regal old lady in exquisite purple, and beside her was a tubby, fussy little man who picked at his food melodramatically, laughed raucously ever so often although no one else did and had an annoying habit of twiddling his fingers nervously before picking up the next bit of food. At the head of that section of the table was another empty seat.

Pretending to be pointing at a dish of jelly-like relish, the Doctor's fork aimed squarely at the older lady. 'That's Lianna, the friend I mentioned.'

The Doctor dipped some meat into the relish. I imagine the empty seat is her daughter's. I a.s.sume they don't get on.'

'She should make the most of her mother while she's still got one,'

murmured Bernice.

'Quite,' said the Doctor. His fork speared a large piece of root vegetable. I wonder who's supposed to be next to me.'

'Probably the guy whose just walked in. He certainly isn't the old one's daughter, anyway.'

Tarrol rose again and shook hands with the newcomer. The man bowed slightly and crossed to Savaar.

'My Lord, what a very great pleasure to see you again.'

Savaar placed his arm across his chest in Martian salute. The human copied the gesture perfectly. Savaar nodded and said, I trust you are well after your vacation, Mister Reece?' Nic Reece grinned boyishly. 'Too right, old chum. I needed the break. Four years on one planet is a long time.