Part 11 (2/2)

Even a planet as charming as this,' he added quickly and apparently sincerely to the king. Tarrol merely smiled and waved towards the empty seat beside the Doctor. As Reece walked around he stopped behind Damakort's seat.

'Hiya Kort, how's things? Dad sent you out here now, has he?' Kort nodded, any words lost in a mouthful of meat and vegetable. But his eyes flashed a smile. Bernice noted the way Kort seemed to relax the moment he was spoken to. Nic Reece was obviously an old friend of everyone.

Reece turned and looked across at her and the Doctor.

'Doctor! How wonderful to see you again. New body I see, but the nose is a definite improvement.' The Doctor shook hands as Reece seated himself.

It's been a very long time, Mister Reece. You're looking very fit and healthy.'

Oh you know me, Doctor. I try to keep fit and healthy. Little jog around the catacombs twice a day keeps the flab at bay.' He dropped his voice sotto voce as he pretended to take a swig of wine. And it gets me away from Centauri's fl.u.s.terings for a few hours as well.'

The Doctor nodded understandingly. 'By the way, I don't think you ever met Professor Bernice Summerfield. She's an archaeologist.'

Reece shook Bernice's hand enthusiastically. 'Marvellous, quite marvellous. You'll love Peladon, it's rich in artefacts. Hmm, I notice Atissa's not here yet.'

'Lianna's daughter?' inquired the Doctor, topping up Reece's wine.

'More than that, Doctor. She's Peladon's high priestess and totally loathes me. Luckily the feeling is intensely mutual.'

Bernice leaned over. 'So who's the camp one boring the pants off Lianna?'

Oh that,' Reece smiled. 'That's Neal Corry, top holovid bigwig for GFTV-3, here to cover the restatement vows and keep his ratings up. Do excuse me; if I don't say h.e.l.lo to him, he'll sulk for days.' Reece popped a chunk of meat in his mouth and stood up. 'See you, Professor. Good to touch base again, Doctor.' He sauntered over and Lianna's face lit up with pleasure at his arrival. Bernice guessed it was a mixture of delight at his presence and relief that Corry would have to simper over someone else. She grinned.

She liked Reece a lot.

'You dark horse, Doctor. You didn't tell me you knew someone as h.o.r.n.y as that!' The Doctor finished off his drink. 'Must have slipped my mind, Professor. Funny thing, the memory.' He poured himself some more wine and offered the decanter to Bernice.

She shook her head and placed a hand over her gla.s.s. 'What d'you mean?

Didn't you know he was going to be here? He seemed very pleased to see you again. We don't meet too many old friends of yours who you can say that about.' she added wryly.

'Thank you.' The Doctor again rescued some wine away from Damakort.

'Nice chap, that Nic Reece. Only one thing wrong with him.'

'I knew it,' groaned Benny. 'What now?'

'I've never set eyes on him before in my lives. Nic Reece may know me, but as far as I'm concerned, he's a complete stranger.'

Fehler reached the top of the ravine. He hauled himself up the last few centimetres and lay on the top, panting. Of Professor Sharrod, there was no sign. Picking up his kit, he wandered back to their encampment by the cave mouth.

After ten minutes walk he was suddenly aware of the quiet. Surely the others in the group couldn't have been asleep.

'Winmill? Gris? Larroq?' No response. He s.h.i.+vered suddenly. He could have sworn . . . no . . . it wasn't possible. And yet he felt as if he was being watched. 'Vega Lexus?' he called out to the redheaded Braxiatel burrower that the University had placed with the group. Lexus was, like all his Vegan race, perfect for cave explorations - his infra-red sight and strength made him ideal for investigating places like those on Pakha. Professor Sharrod hadn't wanted him along, but as the Braxiatel Collection was co-funding this, what they wanted was law and - What was that? 'Professor? Gris, are you lot p.i.s.sing about? I'm not in the mood for-' Fehler stopped. His flashlight picked out a form. He knelt down and grimaced as his trousers soaked up the water he'd knelt on. He aimed his light down, gasped and recoiled back. 'Lexus?' he tried to say, but it only came out as a hoa.r.s.e croak. With horrified realization he touched his knee and shone his light at his hand. It wasn't water, it was blood. Vega Lexus' skull had been caved in savagely. He s.h.i.+vered again, and started running back to the encampment.

'Gris! Larroq! What the cruk's going on?' Fehler tripped over Winmill's body first. Fehler didn't exactly like Winmill - he was too d.a.m.n good-looking by far. All the girls fancied him. He also got to bed most of them. Nevertheless, seeing that renowned handsome face staring up at him, its neck twisted at a very severe angle, Fehler felt very sick.

And very frightened.

Slowly now he moved forward. He could see the dim light of the phosphorous fake fire at the encampment. A figure could clearly be seen hunched over it.

'Professor Sharrod?'

'Come over, m'boy,' Sharrod replied. I've made a fascinating discovery, Fehler. Really exciting.'

'But Professor . . . Vega Lexus, Winmill . . .'

'They couldn't see my discovery, Fehler. Couldn't understand what I now know is true!' Fehler was at the encampment. He could see Larroq's body - her throat tightly bound by the Professor's rope, her dead eyes bulged in panic. Beside Sharrod, still moving slightly, was Gris. The Professor's trowel was embedded deeply into the back of his neck and every time Gris tried to move, another small spurt of blood would spray up. But Fehler's attention was on Sharrod. He wore the Diadem on his head and his hands were now pressed against his temples.

'I am the first, Fehler. The first non-Pakhar to wear the Ancient Diadem. I now understand its power. I understand its aims and ambitions!' Fehler managed to find his voice, although it was a bit strained. 'Aims? Ambitions?

Professor Sharrod, it's only a crown. A piece of regalia. A Pakha artefact!'

Sharrod's face twisted in fury, highlighted by the green phosph.o.r.escence.

Artefact! What do you know, human sc.u.m?' Fehler frowned. 'Professor, you're human, too. Not a Pakhar or anything else . . .'

Sharrod kicked out at Gris, causing more sprays of blood. Some of it splashed across Fehler's cheek but he gritted his teeth and ignored it.

'Professor, what have you done to our friends?'

'Friends?' shrieked Sharrod. 'Friends? They are alien trash. I . . . we are all that matter. I am - ' Sharrod was cut off as a plate-sized hole appeared in his chest. He fell dead, face-first into the fake fire, the Diadem falling off his head. Fehler looked up. Four black clad, heavily armed figures stood at the cave mouth. A woman with long, red hair lowered her blaster.

'Thank you,' she said. 'You've saved us a long and boring search.'

A man stepped forward, his manner suggesting he was their leader. Okay, Lambert, Cooper. Get the vacuum case and get the Diadem. Use the rods to pick it up - it mustn't touch anyone's body.'

Fehler watched as a woman with cropped brown hair and a blond man walked over with a large plastic container.

Open,' said the man. With a hiss the lid slid back. The red-haired woman gave her two a.s.sociates a long metal rod each and they scooped up the Diadem, dropped it in the box and the man told the container to close. With a hiss of escaping air the lid shut, vacuum-sealing the Diadem inside.

Okay Townsend, it's ours,' said the red-haired woman.

'Right, Sadler. It's your responsibility now.' Townsend looked down at Sharrod's dead body. 'Thanks, Prof.'

Sadler carried the box while the blond man searched Sharrod's body.

'Nothing else.'

Okay, Lambert. Let's go.'

The crop-haired woman waved her blaster in Fehler's direction. 'What about him?' 'Yes,' cried Fehler. 'Please get me away from here!' Townsend paused. 'Cooper, it's up to you,' he said to the crop-head.

Fehler stepped forward, smiling desperately at her. 'Hi, my name's Pol Fehler and I -' Cooper blasted his head off.

As the mercenaries walked away, the Ancient Diadem safely in their possession, Gris's trowel-embedded neck gave one final spasm and his last gush of blood erupted and splashed on the floor, mingling with that of Sharrod and Fehler.

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