Part 13 (2/2)

'That seems likely.'

'We've got to get back there!'

The Doctor raced down the grey corridors of Galactic Prison, Mel close behind. He grinned as he skidded round the last corner and the familiar shape of the TARDIS appeared. 'I've missed the old girl.' He hurried to it, rummaging in his pockets.

'But we're not out of trouble yet. Not until we seal that rift.'

'Then hurry, Doctor!'

He produced his key and pushed it into the lock.

Unexpectedly, electricity coursed through his arm and the air exploded, catapulting him into the far wall to the accompaniment of Mel's screaming.

She was by his side in seconds and he tried to a.s.sure her that he was all right, merely winded. But the shock's minor physical effects were more than outweighed by the disappointment of failure.

'Some sort of b.o.o.by trap?'

105.

He nodded ruefully. 'A fict.i.tious one. Our friend has more foresight than I expected.' The Doctor cursed in GalIifreyan.

Just when this nightmare had seemed to be ending . . .

'Well, can you defuse it?'

'Unlikely,' he said, allowing her to help him up. 'The usual physical laws don't apply. If Jason said he wanted an ”impenetrable lock”, then that's what he's got.'

'I hope you're not telling me we're stranded,' Mel said, an old fear visible through her confident expression.

The Doctor answered gravely. 'Unless we can outwit Jason, that's exactly what we are.'

106.

12.

Never That Simple

'Look,' said Roz irritably, 'how many corridors are you planning to march us down?' Her arms were aching from keeping her hands behind her head and she was sick of the sight of grey paint. The guards answered only by prodding their rifles into her back. She scowled.

'How's your sense of direction?' asked Benny. 'I haven't a clue where the s.h.i.+p is.'

'Left at the second junction and straight ahead.' The Doctor breezed into view, that weak woman from the TARDIS beside him. Roz gaped as the guards swung their rifles to cover him.

'Don't worry, they aren't under Jason's direct control and their programming won't be detailed enough to cope with resistance.' He headed for a side corridor and the three women fell cautiously into step with him.

The guards unleashed a volley of blaster fire.

'On the other hand . . .' the Doctor said sheepishly as they hit the floor.

Roz was already in action. She rolled, unholstered her gun and let off six blasts in return. She missed, but the guards stopped firing anyway. They looked momentarily bemused, then turned and marched off. The Doctor bounced back up and grinned. 'I see your aim hasn't improved much.' She opened her mouth to object but he was like a hyperactive whirlwind.

'Now, Benny and Roz meet Mel. Mel, Benny and Roz. Clear?

Good. We've places to go.

'You said the TARDIS was the other way,' Roz pointed out as the Doctor set off at a trot.

'That's not where we're going. Come on.'

Darnak arrived at the detention area and nodded to the two 107 guards who flanked the security door. 'How are the prisoners?'

'They're quiet, Politik.'

'When did you last check?'

'A half-seg ago. No problems.'

'Good.' Darnak looked over his shoulder, then drew the senior guard conspiratorially to one side. 'You have the alien in there? His presence has been requested.' The guard understood.

'And that of the leader's sister.' Darnak flinched at the memory of the contempt in the Superior's voice as she proclaimed that, in Mortannis's 'regrettable' absence, Kat'lanna would have to serve.

'They are in the same cell, Politik.'

'Well, that's convenient. I thought we could do it like this: you take me to see them, I'll pretend to be a sympathizer. I'll slip them the keys, you take an early break and I'll tell the cult to have someone stationed in Streets 23 and 24.' The guard acknowledged these instructions without surprise. This wasn't the first arranged exchange of prisoners. By doing it this way, the authorities could deny their involvement with Enros, although that was an open secret anyway.

The guard instructed his subordinate to hand his keys to Darnak, then he turned to the security door and unlocked it himself. Neither he nor Darnak saw the expression of horror which crossed the other man's face as he searched his pockets in vain.

Darnak had one second to register the presence of eighteen rebels in the detention corridor. Then the senior guard was pushed into him and both tumbled, Darnak's shriek cut of as a flailing armoured elbow filled his mouth.

One explosion of chaos later, a boot struck his head and his world blossomed into bright yellow, fading to black.

The Doctor led the way into a circular room in which three streamlined, plastic s.p.a.cecraft lay. Roz glanced at their flashy, red-and white-striped hulls and snorted: 'They aren't s.h.i.+ps, they're toys!'

'Be glad they're here at all. We have Jason's imagination to thank for that.'

108.

'I take it he's connected with the Land of Fiction?' Bernice surmised. She had been thinking over events and, given the White Knight's appearance in particular, that seemed logical.

'He used to be its Master.' The Doctor approached the nearest shuttle and Melanie, Bernice and Roslyn followed, their footsteps clanging on the metal floor.

'We're not back there, are we?'

'Worse than that. This is real.' He reached up and operated a door control in the shuttle's rear section. Roz went first, hauling herself over the rim and into the vessel's cramped interior.

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