Part 12 (2/2)

Mel's heart sank as she saw the charred circle of ground awaiting them. Two st.u.r.dy tree-trunks were being manoeuvred into upright positions and tribesmen were gathering red creepers and testing their strength.

Sometimes, she realized, an absence of language need not be a barrier to communication.

Jason beamed as his loyal friend and super-pet padded down the corridor. Inexplicably, when it saw him, the cat froze and gave him a suspicious look. His smile turned into a frown of consternation. 'What's happened to your lovely costume, Power Puss?'

'I'm spending some time in my civilian ident.i.ty,' the cat explained in the languid voice which sounded so much like a slowed-down version of Jason's own.

'Well, you'd better change back if you want to come out to Galactic Prison with us.'

'Ooh yes, I'd like that,' the cat said. But, as it spoke, it turned and scampered away. 'I'm looking forward to an adventure with -' Its voice broke of as the animal left Jason's line of sight. He glared at the s.p.a.ce where it had been and fire flashed in his eyes.

Dr Who was at his shoulder, although he had never approached. 'We're landing,' he said. Jason nodded and 98 accompanied his companion to the console room, where he tried to forget about his pet's betrayal.

The rough bark of the trunk rubbed against Mel's back as she struggled to break through the creepers which bound her.

Beside her, the Doctor wasn't moving at all. That made sense, she thought gloomily. What point was there? Even if they got free, they couldn't break through the circle of tribesmen.

There were dozens of them now, marching around the stakes and chanting in a low monotone. Their movements were tightly orchestrated: each time the group completed a revolution, one member would caper forward and drop sticks onto the burnt ground under the captives' feet. There was quite a pile forming now, and Mel was dreading its eventual completion.

Although she detected no signal, the tribesmen halted together and turned to their prisoners. The one who faced her barked an untranslatable order. Mel couldn't see behind her, but someone there must have collected two branches and, somehow, lit the ends of them. The torches were pa.s.sed each way around the circle until they reached the leader simultaneously. He held them over his head and gave another warbling cry as they sent red smoke into the sky.

Mel found that her eyes were glued to the flames. She fancied she could feel their heat already.

Roz tensed at the sound of footsteps. Bernice had heard them too; Roz wished the archaeologist could at least try to look natural, instead of staring wide-eyed at her with such obvious apprehension.

The door was pushed open, so that Roz was hidden behind it.

As it closed behind the newcomer, she recognized the back view of the Doctor's double. 'We've arrived at the jail,' he told Bernice.

Roz stepped out behind him and fired.

Dr Who crumpled with a gasp and she leapt into the corridor, alert for an attack. She relaxed when she saw that n.o.body was there. 'One down,' she announced with satisfaction.

Benny was kneeling on the floor by the s.p.a.ce where Dr Who 99 had fallen. He was nowhere in sight. 'Or not,' she countered.

'I thought you were going to get the prisoner,' said Jason, turning in surprise as Dr Who emerged from the TARDIS. 'In a moment,' he said. 'What's wrong?'

Jason scowled and indicated the silent prison guard who stood nearby. 'According to this man, the Doctor and his girl have gone.'

'We don't know what happened sir,' the hapless officer put in. 'Their cells are locked but they aren't in them.'

'Don't talk nonsense,' Dr Who snapped. 'People don't just vanish.'

'I suppose not, sir.'

'What is the problem with this place?' Jason shouted. He clenched his fists and fought down the tide of anger which rose in his chest. He looked to Dr Who imploringly. 'Why can't anything go right?'

'Steady on Jason,' Dr Who said. 'They can't go far, can they?

There's nowhere to run to.' The faint roar of a tyrannosaurus drifted into their hearing. 'And if they've been foolish enough to try, then they've probably been eaten.' He smiled encouragingly.

Jason was only slightly consoled. 'I want to look for them,'

he said, and Dr Who nodded understandingly. With a determined expression, Jason headed for the exit and his favourite creation followed.

Behind them, the prison guard vanished.

Mel screamed as the ground shook and something bayed in the forest. The circle of tribesmen broke apart, fear showing on each of its const.i.tuents' faces. 'Those creatures,' she said weakly. 'The dinosaurs . . .'

'Our friend must be back.'

Mel strained to see behind her and screamed again. A great tyrannosaurus head loomed over the treetops and glared at the village balefully. Their captors were fleeing the already decimated settlement, or in some cases just running in aimless panic. Mel tried to take comfort, at least, from the revocation of 100 one unpleasant fate. She needn't have. The tribe leader was before them again, and although he had dropped one torch, the other still blazed fiercely in his grasp. He yelled incomprehensible, defiant words and flung the makes.h.i.+ft lighter into the kindling before joining the evacuation.

'Doctor . . .' Mel moaned, as the wood began to smoulder.

He didn't say anything. Mel heard the dinosaur stomp closer, felt the creepers chafing at her wrists and realized that she probably wouldn't even have time to burn to death.

'Grey corridor,' Benny muttered. The scanner image completed its rotation. 'And more grey corridor!'

'We're in the Galactic Prison building,' said Roz.

'The what?'

'It's where the Doctor is.'

'Well let's go and find him.'

'No, wait a minute. What about the two weirdos?'

Bernice shrugged. 'Dr Who could be out of the picture.'

'I doubt it. He disappeared on me once before. And if he might still be in the TARDIS, we can't risk leaving.'

'Tell you what, you stay on guard, I'll scout round and see if I can find anyone.' The older woman made to protest, but Benny's confinement had left her itching for action - especially if it involved revenge for her latest bruise. 'I won't be long! Not much can happen in an empty grey corridor.' She opened the door and strode outside.

Bernice emerged into a forest clearing and froze at the sight of ten tons of velociraptor bearing down on her.

Mel coughed as a wisp of smoke reached into her throat. Her right foot was hot and she tried to curl it around the stake for protection. The fire was definitely starting to take.

'It's the heat, you see,' the Doctor said. 'It dries the creepers and makes them contract. The nearer we come to death, the harder it is to escape.'

'I don't need chapter and verse, Doctor.'

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