Part 44 (1/2)

'Please say again.'

'Link fifty-one!' he yelled. The woman was drooling on to his face, and he thought he might be sick. 'Link fifty-one, Praxidike! Confirm network linkage completion!'

'Network linkage completion achieved. Destructive charges primed.'

'Isolate link two, Leda!' he spluttered, as the wretched woman's hands pressed at his throat.

'Please say again.'

237.

'Isolate. . . ' he croaked, weird speckles of colour balling at the back of his eyes as the pressure on his throat grew stronger. 'Isolate. . . Link. . . '

Sook had used the console as a ladder to haul herself back to her feet. She leaned heavily on Halcyon's cane, shuffled over greedily to where the thin man lay sleeping.

The Doctor was sprinting back to the control room, Mildrid hard on his heels.

'Halcyon!' he yelled as the control room came into sight. 'Have you done it, man? Well?'

The answer was, 'Not very'. Halcyon was lying sprawled beneath the console. A white-faced woman bleeding badly from a head wound sat astride him. Mildrid kicked the woman off. She rolled and got back up, hissing and received a finger-jab to her throat. This time when she hit the deck she stayed down.

'Thank you, said the Doctor. He crouched beside Halcyon. 'Now then, are you you all ' all '

Halcyon roared and b.u.t.ted him in the face. The Doctor fell back with a cry, and Halcyon pressed home the advantage, struck him on the jaw and sent him tumbling into the bubblescreen. It popped in a flash of filmy light. 'Mildrid!

Stop him!'

She raised her arm to strike Halcyon, but he ducked aside and landed a blow to her shoulder that she didn't even seem to feel.

Mildrid shoved him back against the console. 'You've had this coming, Halcyon, you. . . you vandal vandal!'

'Wait!' thundered the Doctor accusingly. 'Halcyon! You ducked!'

'I. . . ' He stopped, leaned back against the console. His voice was tiny in the tense atmosphere. 'I can see see.'

'Unexpected side effect of the psychic attack?' breathed the Doctor.

Mildrid stared between them. 'What does he mean, he can see?'

'The error of his ways?' said the Doctor, studying the damaged computer controls. 'You may not have to beat him up after all shock's brought him round.'

She frowned. 'Like a shock brought round Kreiner. . . '

'Yes. A jolt to the senses, emotional whiplash. The brain jumps a groove!'

Another screen bubbled out of the console's cracked housing. 'Network linkage completion confirmed,' it slurred. 'Do you wish to commence demolition?'

'Is Leda isolated from the destructive sequence?' the Doctor asked.

'Network linkage completion confirmed,' it said again with still less enthusiasm. 'Do you wish to commence demolition?'

'Power's failing! We don't have long. Halcyon!'

238.

'I. . . I can can see!' see!'

'Yes, and you can listen too, so listen to me!' he yelled. 'Did you isolate Leda from the network?'

Halcyon seemed preoccupied. 'I'm not sure about my suit, you know. What do you think?'

Sook stared down at the sleeping man. She knew him. Kreiner. His name was Kreiner.

Swaying a little, she raised the cane and placed its sharp bra.s.s tip against Kreiner's right eyelid.

'Focus, Halcyon,' the Doctor pleaded. 'Once more did you isolate Leda?'

Halcyon swept his head slowly from side to side, staring around in wonder.

'Is that a no?' cried the Doctor.

'No!'

'So it's a yes?'

' No! No! ' muttered Halcyon, staring at his gloved hands. 'No, I didn't manage it.' ' muttered Halcyon, staring at his gloved hands. 'No, I didn't manage it.'

'Good work. Computer, commence demolition!'

'What are you doing?' Mildrid shouted.

'Object link one: Taygete. Countdown commencing,' said the computer.

'One hundred. Ninety-nine '

'No countdown,' snapped the Doctor. 'Demolition of all linked objects to proceed at once.'

Mildrid rushed forwards. 'You can't!'

'I have to,' the Doctor bellowed back, wiping tears from his eyes. 'Shock tactics a jolt to the senses. We need a fireworks display those people on Callisto will never forget!'

'I won't let you!' She ran towards the Doctor.

'Computer,' he cried as Mildrid launched herself into a flying jumpkick. 'Activate charges! Now! Now! ' '

239.