Part 2 (1/2)

'All we did was land here-' the Doctor began.

'Where is your submersible?' Frax interrupted.

'Further along the sh.o.r.e.'

Frax nodded, regarding the Doctor coldly. The phaser still pointed at the second b.u.t.ton of the Doctor's multicoloured coat. 'You are part of Crozier's new group?'

'Oh, indeed, yes, of course.'

Frax relaxed a little and pointed at the corpse of the Raak.

'There will have to be an enquiry about his death.'

'We will help in any way we can,' the Doctor said. His voice sounding as sincere as he could possibly make it.

Frax seemed genuinely troubled. 'The Raak was proud of his upgrading. So happy to be in service to the mentors.'

'Do you serve them?' Peri asked.

'Everybody must,' Frax said simply.

'Ah, I see,' the Doctor said, then added, 'Pity the Raak lost his head and tried to squeeze Peri like toothpaste.'

'It was an accident,' Peri said gently to Frax whose sad gaze was only diverted from the bedy of the Raak by the arrival of the guard carrying a stretcher-like sling.

'Take him to the dissecting lab.'

For a moment the Doctor thought Frax meant him, but the guards shouldered past and began to lift the green creature on to the stretcher.

'If there has been a regression,' Frax continued, 'they will want to know why.'

'Quite,' said the Doctor. 'Of course they will.'

'You must come with us,' Frax said, 'we will take you to Crozier's laboratory. Once he has verified your ident.i.ty you will be released.'

The Doctor nodded his agreement. 'Oh certainly, let's do that. Security is so very important.'

'I'm glad you agree,' said Frax watching the Doctor closely while standing aside to allow his guards to carry the Raak past him. The Doctor's attention also s.h.i.+fted momentarily as the stretcher with its grotesque burden went by. In the second of his distraction Frax neatly removed the phaser from the Doctor's hand and politely indicated that Peri and the Doctor should fall in behind the Raak. With Frax bringing up the rear the party set off to meet the mysterious Mr Crozier. A meeting that could only deepen their implication in what Officer Frax had called murder.

Three.

'Is the Transformer Helmet prepared?'

The handsome woman, known as the Matrona, checked the readings on the BTV scanning screen. 'Yes, Mr Crozier.'

'Let us begin,' Crozier said. A man in his late thirties, blond with pale almost colourless blue eyes, he possessed an abrupt manner that dismissed everything as uninteresting apart from his one consuming pa.s.sion that of how the brain functioned in any creature that had, or could be given, the power to reason.

His latest experiment lay unconscious on an operating table. A large muscular, fiercely bearded, warrior king from Thordon. Encasing his upper torso was a breastplate made from leather, studded with iron and decorated with a deep inlay of gold that betokened his royal status.

'Let us begin,' Crozier said, helping the Matrona to guide the helmet across the laboratory on its supporting arm.

'Slowly, Matrona, slowly... what's...?' A jewelled dagger had entangled itself in the pocket flap of Crozier's lab coat and had clattered to the floor.

'Barbarians,' Crozier said. His voice sharp with contempt as he guided the brain transformer towards the skull of Yrcanos.

The helmet closed on the ma.s.sive head. The power source was switched through and the lights of the input condensers activated and glowed, waiting to pa.s.s the waves of power that, when completed, would alter the warlike personality of Yrcanos.

Fussily, Crozier checked the instruments on the main visual display units. Satisfied, finally, he thrust his hands out before him.

'Decontamination box,' he ordered.

The Matrona held out the square metal box, lifted the seal to allow Crozier's hands to enter, then activated the particle bombardment which would cleanse the scientist's hands of contamination.

The bombardment stopped. Crozier removed his hands.

'Let us pacify the brain of the barbarian.' Crozier moved to the Control Function Codifier. In his eyes could be seen the intensity of his excitement.

Following the Raak, Peri found herself mesmerised by the lolling head and the staring eye that opened and closed with the swaying of the stretcher.

This, taken with the twists and turns of the tunnels, soon disorientated Peri completely. All she could do was plod on through the dank, rock-strewn pa.s.sageways.

Finally they reached a junction of corridors. Down one lay what seemed to be a room from which light spilled.

Above them a red warning light was activated.

'We must wait,' Frax said, pointing up at the light.

'Crozier must not be disturbed.'

'Oh, what a shame we can't meet him straight away,'

Peri said with a sidelong glance at the Doctor.

'Yes, it seems a lifetime since we saw old Crozier,' said the Doctor.

Frax stared at the Doctor, his expression showing suspicion. 'Old? He is young for a man of science.' He paused. 'Perhaps you should describe Crozier to me.'

'Certainly,' the Doctor said, 'but shouldn't we attend to the Raak first?'

'Why? He is dead.' Frax frowned.

'Oh,' said the Doctor. thought he just winked at Peri.'

'Cheek!' Peri said, trying to support the ploy of the Doctor.