Part 14 (1/2)

Benny looked on doubtfully. 'Isn't there any way we could get into the TARDIS? You had some control over fictional energy last time.'

The Doctor shook his head. 'That was in the Land itself, where there was plenty of it. Here, the energy is channelling exclusively through Jason, attracted to him by his experience at wielding it.' Benny watched as Mel clambered through the hatch. Her mind ticked, pondering their predicament.

'If we could get back to the crystal, would there be enough energy there for you to -?'

'Meet Jason on an almost even footing. Precisely. Better still, we can seal the rift before he arrives and deprive him of his powers.'

Benny smiled. The Doctor was three steps ahead, as usual.

Five minutes later, she was squashed into a plastic chair, her knees pressed against the one in front, on which the Doctor sat.

He was helping Roz, to his right, puzzle out the controls, which consisted in the main of joystick, accelerator and brake handle.

Benny suppressed the urge to scream that this thing couldn't possibly fly and they should get out before it fell over.

Beside her, the woman called Mel seemed intent on starting a conversation. Not the best thing for her nerves. 'How long have you known the Doctor?'

'Forever. You?'

'Long enough. I met him in his last regeneration.'

Benny was interested despite herself. 'What was he like?'

'Irascible and unpredictable. But I kept him in check.'

109.

'I bet you did,' she said, and meant it. The Doctor was suddenly in between them, squas.h.i.+ng her against the hull as he crawled awkwardly towards the hatch and dropped out with a clang. He had left Roz hunched over the stick.

'He's changed, even since the regeneration. He's become so secretive.'

'That's the Doctor for you.'

'Not my Doctor!' Mel nodded towards their pilot and dropped her voice to a whisper. 'He wouldn't have let someone like that in the TARDIS. A gun-toting killer!'

Benny bridled. 'Wouldn't he?'

Mel seemed oblivious to the edge in her voice. 'Which reminds me, what do you know about the Althosian System? I asked the Doctor about it and he changed the subject.'

'Oh, the Seven Planets.' Benny spoke casually. 'He helped a Time Lord friend of his destroy them, killed billions of people.

But that was all ages ago.' She chided herself for so enjoying Mel's reaction of horror. She leaned over Roz's shoulder on the pretext of asking how she was getting on, and deliberately turned so that Mel could see the pistol in her back pocket.

The Doctor scrambled back into his seat and announced: 'We'd better leave. I've just set off every alarm in the building.'

'You've what?'

'We need Jason to remember us. I don't want him for this fictional shuttle whilst we're out in s.p.a.ce.'

'But he'll come after us!' protested Mel.

'Then I suggest we hurry. Ready, Roz?'

'I can't work out how to open the bay doors.'

'I suspect they're automatic.'

'”Suspect” doesn't sound good.'

The Doctor reached for the dashboard and flicked a switch labelled BLAST OFF. Benny squealed as the g-force of sudden vertical acceleration crushed her into her seat.

The abandoned theatre was cold and damp. It was situated in a part of the city which subsidence had all but blocked off. A subterranean wind whistled through the openings which punctured its walls. It had been the rebels' first base, before 110 Mortannis had gained confidence and moved them to riskier but more hospitable locations.

In the shadows of its stalls now, Kat s.h.i.+vered and counted her friends by the scant light of four candles. All told, there were eighteen, including Christopher. They had been unable to find many of their friends. She wasn't sure who had escaped the initial purge and who had vanished in custody. She knew that her brother was amongst the latter. She didn't know what to think about Thruskarr. Deep inside, she was almost glad that he and Chris had not met.

'I wish they hadn't taken my gun,' said Chris. He was seated beside her on a gutted chair, alert for danger in every shadow.

'You carry a gun? Only the security forces have them here.'

'Yes, well, I was in their equivalent on Earth.'

'They must have been more benevolent.'

'Not really.' She detected a hint of bitterness in his answer.

'But you did something about it?' His expression remained solemn and Kat felt disappointed in him. 'Then how can you hope to change things on my world?' Chris shrugged. Kat sighed. 'Can't go home because they took our names, can't attack with so few people. I don't know why we bothered escaping. I thought you'd have a plan.'

'I'm trying to think what the Doctor would do.'

'And I thought you'd stopped holding him up as a role model!'

'He usually wins!'

Kat groaned and surveyed the demoralized troops. 'They're expecting me to take over. Where's my brother when I need him?' The rebels had gathered in small groups, some talking in low voices, others silent. They were awaiting her orders.

Mortannis's sister, their rescuer. What could she say? 'So what would the Doctor do now?'

Chris was uncertain. 'I suppose he'd gather the rebels together.'

'Done that. All eighteen. What next?'

'We need the others. We need your brother. And what about the people who escaped the round-up?'

111.

'They've probably run home where it's safe,' said Kat.

'Either that or they've gone over to Enros.'

'But they must still be willing. If we kicked up enough fuss, they'd join in, wouldn't they?'