Part 14 (1/2)

Crozier turned to him. 'Was there anyone else?'

'Not amongst the Alphans, sir.'

The Matrona pointed at Tuza. 'Shall I have this one implanted and sent to the work sector?'

'Yes, yes...' Crozier had no further interest in the matter now that Tuza was eliminated as a possible donor for Kiv.

'Take him to the Induction centre.'

'Yes, Matrona.' Frax saluted and waited for Tuza to be released.

Crozier shook his head sadly as he and the Doctor tidied away their equipment and turned off the scanning equipment. 'What a pity both you and the Alphan are unsuitable, Doctor.'

The Doctor gave a slight swallow of disbefief at the matter-of-fact a.s.sumption Crozier made about his willingness to become a donor. 'Oh, yes,' he said lightly, 'most disappointing. Unlike Sil, I would willingly have given up my life.'

'Yes, of course.' Crozier's attention s.h.i.+fted momentarily as the door opened to allow Tuza to be taken away under guard. He tumed back to the Doctor. 'What about your companion, Doctor?'

'Peri?' The Doctor paused as if considering the matter carefully. 'Oh, female, quite unsuitable. Unstable. Silly.

Flippety-gibbet, hopeless.'

'Why not examine her?' the Matrona suggested.

'Why not?' Crozier stared at the Doctor. 'You seem uneasy.'

'I would prefer someone else to be used.'

'You have strong feelings for the woman?'

'I would prefer it if someone else could be operated on instead.'

Crozier considered the question. After a long pause, he said, 'I understand. People have feelings. I am not without pity and you have helped me here. Kiv is stable. I can afford to allow him to gain strength for a few more hours.

But I must operate on him again soon. Go to the Induction centre. You know what we need. If you can find a more suitable candidate, I shall use them and spare Peri.'

It amused Crozier to see how quickly the Doctor moved towards the exit from the laboratory. 'Hurry, Doctor, you have very little time... or chance,' he added for the Matrona's amus.e.m.e.nt, when the Doctor had gone.

Fourteen.

The grille of the maximum-security cell slid open. The guard pointed at Peri. The large hand of Yrcanos touched the girl lightly on the shoulder. 'Die well.'

Peri looked up at him, eyes moist with tears. The Lukoser began to growl menacingly. The guards hastily grabbed Peri and pulled her from the cell. Yrcanos gripped the steel bars, pulling with all his strength. Even his power made no impression on their fixtures.

'Conzonian! Stizr! Azarapurr!'

The cries of a Krontep King's lament for a lost love filled the underground pa.s.sage with its sonorous heartfelt cry of farewell. The Lukoser threw his head back and howled angrily until even Yrcanos could stand it no longer.

'Enough, Dorf, too much grief is unseemly, we will meet the Lady Peri in Verduna.'

Yet somehow that did not seem a great comfort.

Yrcanos and the Lukoser siumped into a glum silence.

The Induction chamber was deserted except for Marne, the aged Mentor with the over-sensitive hearing problem.

'Where is everyone?' the Doctor asked.

'Don't shout; we are not expecting any intake from Thoros-Alpha today.'

A suspicion flitted across the Doctor's mind. Had Crozier known this?

'n.o.body at all?' the Doctor tried again.

'Only one subject in the Implantation cubicle.'

'Do you mind if I peek in, I do have Crozier's permission.'

'If you must, but he will probabiy be in the bemused stage by now.'

'I'll try not to disturb him.'

'Oh, all right,' Marne said, yawning.

'Thank you.' The Doctor went to the small cubicle and peered inside. Seated, and wearing a cofiar and helmet attachment that was wired to a persona reconstruction unit, was Tuza.

'h.e.l.lo,' the Doctor started.

Tuza stared blearily at the indistinct features of the face swimming before him. 'Yrcanos?'

'You know him?'

'Yes. Who...'

'I'm a friend,' the Doctor said quietly and started to disengage the reconstruction unit to prevent any further damage to the Alphan's mind and spirit.

Expecting execution, Peri had at first been relieved to find herself taken to Crozier's laboratory, but as the tests on her person became more detailed she began to be apprehensive as to what might be in store for her. As the Matrona stepped back, from the examining table, Peri asked what was going on.

'Simply testing your state of health.'

'And?'