Part 15 (1/2)

'Never mind, you can tell me later.'

'His name is Dorf...' said Yrcanos suddenly, 'and you are sc.u.m!'

'Actually, I'm the Doctor. You don't have to thank me too effusively for helping you to escape... here, hold this...'

The Doctor handed the phaser to Yrcanos. 'Now can we please move?'

Baffled, looking from the weapon thrust into his fist then at the Doctor, Yrcanos finally consented to leave the cell along with the Lukoser.

'Just a moment, officer...'

Frax did not hesitate to enter the cell. Steel bars between himself and Yrcanos seemed like an excellent idea. The Doctor locked Frax in then joined the King and his wolflike companion.

'How...?' Yrcanos started but the Doctor held up a hand.

'Later.'

'What?' Yrcanos puzzled as the Doctor went stepping out at speed away down the corridor.

'C'mon...' he muttered to an equally perplexed Dorf.

'Let's catch him up. Maybe we can get this Doctor to shut up long enough to allow us to kill him...'

The meeting between the Sondlex representatives was about to begin. Kiv bowed a welcome to the feathered chief negotiator. The turkey-red face grimaced and twittered a greeting in return. Other Mentors bowed in acknowledgement of the board members of Sondlex who settled down in a flutter of wings and flexing of talons.

Kiv's head drooped on to the translation box on his chest. Sil leaned forward and prodded him awake. 'You are unwell, Magnificence. You should not have left the shelter of Crozier's lab.'

'He has given me drugs to stabilise my condition and help me keep alert... do you smell fish?'

'No, Magnificence, there is nothing of a fishy nature.

My Lord...' Sil hesitated, wondering how to raise the delicate matter of Kiv's irrational and erratic behaviour. 'I have the deepest respect for Crozier's skill but...'

'But nothing, Sil. I must attend this meeting otherwise we could all finish up poor as fisherfolk. Now what is more important, my well-being or your wealth?'

Sil considered, then realised that there was no easy answer. 'That is a trick question, Magnificence, but can I say that if you feel well enough to cope with the negotiations, who am I to contradict?'

'Good.'

Kiv lay back on his chair suddenly disorientated.

Flashes of pink seascapes kept coming to his mind The waves would at first fascinate him but then bring a sudden nausea. It was most upsetting; still, Crozier had promised him a better home for his consciousness soon. There was that smell again fish... a green face crumpled with concern came before his eyes. 'Yes, Sil, what is it?' Kiv asked.

'All the council of Mentors are now present and the Sondlex Corporation are wondering...'

'Let us begin, then,' Kiv said, banis.h.i.+ng a vision of a sea snake rearing above the prow of a fis.h.i.+ng smack.

King Yrcanos glowered at the Doctor's back. The situation was becoming intolerable to a man of honour, 'Doctor, I must know!' Yrcanos reached forward and turned the Doctor abruptly. 'I will not take another step until I am told the truth!'

'What truth?'

'Why did you release Dorf and myself?'

'I thought that would be obvious. I need your help to defeat the Mentors.'

'That I can understand. But you are my sworn enemy, Doctor. I have vowed to kill you!'

'Yes, well, we can sort all that out later. For the moment we need each other.'

The Lukoser's jaws began to open. 'He has a p... po...

poi...'

'Yes,' Yrcanos said, 'everyone seems to have a point nowadays. I am a man of action not nit-picking reason!'

'You'll see plenty of action.'

The King looked long and hard at the Doctor while the Lukoser scratched an ear. Finally the pugnacious angle of the black beard lessened. 'Then lead on, Doctor, but first we must find my bride-to-be.'

'Yrcanos, we haven't time for you to go courting.'

'I am talking of the Earth woman, Perpugilliam of the Brown.'

'Oh, that one... is she aware of your nuptial intentions?'

'That is unimportant. As a mere female, she is like a fortress to be taken by storm! Her consent is quite unnecessary.'

'Some fortresses never surrender.' The Doctor paused.

'Come on, we'll look for Peri on the way.'

'But she m... may... be... d... d... dead... she and T... Tuza were exec... exec...'

'Executives?'

'Executed,' Yrcanos corrected the Doctor.