Part 28 (1/2)

All right then, the Doctor will walk to the gateway, ready to meet Neville and Huvan and Romana.

Oh wait, hang on a minute. They have to get there first, don't they? Otherwise it won't make sense. Perhaps it would be better to start with them.

Yes, that is what he will do.

The gateway itself, straining and buckling and warping under the influence of the mighty forces inside it, must be impressive. Oh yes, it has to be huge!

Romana, tagging along behind the impatient Magus and the besotted boy, finally gets to see this doorway they have so long been involved with, but not actually seen.

The gateway is metal, a huge slab of metal, that screeches and strains with its contained forces. It's probably wise to stop thinking of it as a door, however, as it is actually embedded in the floor of the tomb. More like a huge trap door, stretching away into the distance. Irregular bubbles grow out of its metal skin, as if pummelled from below by giant fists. Arcane symbols have been embossed into its surface, free from the ancient dust that covers the rest of the slab. Small intertwined markings, linked by some strange meaning. And in the centre, one evil-looking five-pointed star, the sign of the Old Ones.

'The tomb of Valdemar,' breathes Neville, dropping to his knees.

Romana knows he is wrong. But not by much. Perhaps there is something in what he says. Mighty forces do reside behind this metal plate. Not Valdemar, no. Something much more impressive.

Romana stares at the star. The symbol actually seems quite comforting, reminding her of that balmy immersion in the Kinetic Dance that she experienced in Huvan's bedroom.

Perhaps the Doctor is wrong; perhaps opening the tomb doesn't mean universal Armageddon after all. He doesn't know everything and is p.r.o.ne to some rather impetuous value judgements.

The thought, now here, is logical. The Kinetic Dance, that ancient belief, implies a separation from the primal universe.

This separation is the cause of all conflict, all war, all chaos.

Why shouldn't we all return to that universe? There wouldn't be any need for the Key to Time then; life would be back to its natural pure state. All would be One, one divine state of grace. Yes. Despite his misconceptions, Neville's plan might actually result in something good, something great.

She thinks about her plan to rush back to the Tardis and enlist the aid of the Time Lords. What a silly, immature, futile plan. To work against the opening. How could she even have thought such a thing? One has to separate oneself from emotion, perceive things as they really are. Her own people are so conservative, so reactionary, they would undoubtedly oppose such an inevitable, sweeping action. They just wouldn't understand, would fail to see the logic.

'Romana?' asks Huvan. 'Are you ready to open the gateway?'

She ponders the question. How can anybody be ready for that majesty?

It's funny, but she wonders how she ever found him repulsive.

'Open it,' Neville orders. 'Release Valdemar!'

Romana looks at him kneeling on the filthy ground. How small he now seems to her, how pathetic. The idea that this vain, ageing idiot could be any kind of spiritual leader is amusing. How little he knows of the truth of this greatness.

Huvan holds out a hand to her. 'I'm doing this for you,' he says sincerely. 'Everything I've done is for you.'

Romana smiles.

'At last,' Neville mutters to himself. 'The Dark One, reborn at my bidding, my will!' He laughs, a booming laugh revealing precisely the extent of his insanity. 'Valdemar reveals himself to me! I see planets crumble! Stars themselves beg for mercy as we sweep by on our black wings! Release Valdemar!' His voice rises in a tiresomely theatrical crescendo. 'I command you! Release him now!'

'Erm, excuse me,' comes a familiar voice. A voice from someone Romana knows to be dead.

'Doctor?' she asks, not sure whether she is pleased at his arrival or not. He emerges from the shadows, nonchalantly inspecting the symbols on the tomb.

'h.e.l.lo Romana. You look a little tired. Now be careful if you walk near it. I don't think this tomb is safe. You think there'd be a rail or something.'

Pelham is there too, walking into the light. Although 'staggering' might be a more appropriate verb for the way she is moving. 'Give it up, Neville,' she says, bolder than Romana has ever known her. 'There's nothing here for you.'

Neville is staring at them, open-mouthed. 'You,' he hisses.

'You're dead! I killed you.'

The Doctor smiles. 'Well, I won't tell anyone if you won't.'

Neville takes a deep breath. He is trying to take in this impossibility. 'You certainly won't, Doctor,' he replies. 'In fact, you won't do anything ever again. Huvan...'

'Oh, is that the best you can do?' The Doctor seems upset, let down. 'Surely you want me to witness your great triumph, the culmination of your life's work? I mean, what's so special about unleas.h.i.+ng a great G.o.d of destruction if you don't leave anyone alive to gloat about it to. That's half the fun in my opinion.'

'Huvan, kill him.'

'Of course, that's just one opinion.' The Doctor raises his hands.

'Cease your prattling.'

'You see, I don't believe you can do it. I don't think you control Huvan as much as you think you do.'

'He's right, Huvan,' says Romana suddenly. She is glad to see that the Doctor is seeing reason.

At last Huvan himself, who has been watching this squabble with the detached amus.e.m.e.nt of a boy burning ants, acknowledges the Doctor's entrance. 'You are perceptive, Doctor,' he concurs.

Neville's face is the epitome of crestfallen astonishment.

'What? What did you say?'

The Doctor continues. 'You have become a man, Huvan.

The higher dimensions have allowed you to see yourself as an adult. Isn't that right, Romana?'

She is forced to agree.

The white-faced Pelham makes her contribution. She clutches at the stained bandage on her arm. 'You know that Valdemar is a child's dream. I just made it up. He never existed except in your mind.'

Huvan smiles. 'You are correct, Miranda.'

'Yeah, careful with the familiarity and everything, Huvan.'

Neville interrupts. He obviously cannot believe what he is hearing. 'But...' he stutters, 'but I gave you this power. I raised you for this destiny. To become Valdemar. Without me, you were nothing, a slave. You owe me everything!'

'No,' says Huvan. 'You gave me everything except the one thing I ever wanted to be myself. You have used me cruelly, Paul Neville, and I owe you nothing. Look at yourself. There is no Valdemar and there is no Magus. There is only you and your blinkered dreams.'

Neville will not be crushed. 'You are mine, Huvan, body and soul. Obey my commands.' He is so angry, he literally shakes his fist at his protege. 'I will not be defied!'

'Oh, shut up,' snaps the Doctor rudely. 'It's all over.

Romana, say your goodbyes, we've got work to be getting on with. And I really think we need to get you away from this place.'

Old habits die hard, goes the cliche, and Romana takes a step forward before she realises she cannot go with him. She does not want to go with him.