Part 9 (2/2)

'Broken Tooth, it's me! shouted Balazar.

Confused, Broken Tooth stared wildly at him.

'Fire at the Robot!' shouted the Doctor.

'Shoot the Immortal One,' called Balazar.

Slowly Broken Tooth raised the rifle. 'Down everyone!'

yelled the Doctor.

'Squeeze the trigger gently, don't pull it,' called Dibber.

The Service Robot glided forwards - and Broken Tooth fired. This time he got it right.

The blast caught the Service Robot full on its casing and it ground to a halt, deactivated. As everyone clambered to their feet the Service Robot stayed silent and still.

In the control room, Drathro stared at a blank monitor screen.

'What is happening? Reactivate!'

Humker and Tandrell worked frantically at the Robot's controls.

'We're trying, Immortal,' called Humker.

'It doesn't respond,' said Tandrell.

'You must make it work,' ordered Drathro. 'I must have the Doctor back here. My black-light system is failing!'

The native hunters gathered curiously around the deactivated robot, while the Doctor and Peri conferred with Broken Tooth and Balazar.

'I can't believe you're alive, Broken Tooth,' Balazar was saying. 'They said you'd been culled.'

'I owe my life to Merdeen,' said Broken Tooth simply.

'I too,' said Balazar excitedly.

'I hate to break up this happy reunion,' said the Doctor.

'But I have to find the aerial to Drathro's black-light convertor.'

Dibber stepped forward. 'No need to hurry - it's gone.'

'Gone where?'

'I blew it up,' said Dibber proudly.

The Doctor was horrified. 'What?'

'It'll put the L3 robot out of action,' Glitz pointed out.

'It'll start an explosive chain reaction more likely,' said the Doctor. 'Drathro's black light system is highly unstable. Blowing it up is about the worst thing you could have done!' he turned to go. 'I must go and shut the system down right away.'

Suddenly Broken Tooth raised the laser-rifle, and taking their cue from him, his warriors raised their spears.

'You will all return to our village,' announced Broken Tooth. He pointed at Glitz. 'Our Queen has unfinished business with this person.'

'No!' protested the Doctor.

Broken Tooth swung the rifle to cover him. 'You will all come with us - and you will all come quietly.'

Glitz jabbed Dibber in the ribs. 'And you had to show him how to use the gun!'

This time it was the Inquisitor herself who halted the proceedings.

'Valeyard, are these unpleasant scenes of primitive violence necessary to your case? I find them distressing.'

'I too find primitive violence distressing,' agreed the Doctor. 'Especially when I'm on the receiving end!'

The Valeyard rose. 'I too find it repugnant, My lady.

But the Doctor has a well-known predeliction for violence.'

The Doctor leaped to his feet. 'That is a foul slur!'

'Do not interrupt, Doctor,' commanded the Inquisitor.

The Doctor was not to be silenced. 'I am sorry, My Lady, but I am not given to violence as the Valeyard here suggests. Occasionally I may be forced to resort to a modic.u.m of force'

'Please be silent, Doctor,' interrupted the Inquisitor.

'You will be given ample opportunity to put your case at a later time. Valeyard, I would appreciate it if these brutal and repet.i.tious scenes could be kept to a minimum.'

The Valeyard bowed. 'My Lady, it is certainly not my wish to cause you an unnecessary affront - but the accused's offences are such that a certain amount of graphic detail is unavoidable.'

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