Part 10 (2/2)

Something wasn't quite right. The astronomical model still worried him and, in spite of everything, Mestor had given in just a little too easily.

But before the air of triumph was allowed to fade, the Doctor ordered the guards with the exception of Drak from the laboratory.

It would be difficult enough to operate knowing that Mestor could tune in whenever he wanted without having guards looking over his shoulder.

Much to everyone's amazement they left without argument. But then seconds before the Doctor had uttered his command, Mestor had ordered them to leave and find his TARDIS.

If the Doctor was planning to escape, Mestor had reasoned, he certainly wasn't going to make it easy for him.

As the Doctor, deep in thought, paced up and down the laboratory, the door opened and, clutching a large bottle of Voxnic, Peri sheepishly entered.

Thanks for getting me out of trouble,' she mewed.

The Doctor dismissed her thanks with a wave of the hand and continued his pacing.

As he did so, Azmael, Hugo and Drak fell on the bottle of Voxnic and quickly poured and drank a large beakerful each. As they refilled their cups with more of the golden liquid, Azmael enquired if anyone else wanted a drink. The Doctor didn't answer and Peri shook her head politely.

Although the twins showed great interest, Azmael, somewhat paternally, decided they were too young, but in reality, felt his need was greater than theirs.

As Azmael downed his second beaker, the familiar glow the twins knew only too well from their father spread slowly across his face.

Even Peri noticed the change and thought she might try a little herself. As she picked up the bottle, the Doctor let out a sudden shout.

'That's it! I knew there was something wrong.'

His voice sounded a little manic and it worried Peri. 'Are you all right?'

'Of course I'm all right,' he shouted, s.n.a.t.c.hing up the Voxnic and taking a large mouthful. 'I'm certainly all right. It's the situation that's wrong!'

He slammed the bottle down on the table as though to enforce his statement. 'Look at this,' he said crossing to the astronomical model. 'Correct me if I'm wrong, Azmael, but you said this model was to scale.'

The elderly Time Lord nodded.

Then look at the planets to be moved,' he said prodding each of them in turn. 'Both of them are smaller than Jaconda.'

That was obvious.

The Doctor turned to Azmael who was about to slurp his way through a third beakerful of Voxnic. Think of the consequences, old friend, if those planets should be brought into the same orbit as Jaconda.'

Azmael did, but nothing startling occurred to him.

Think again,' the Doctor insisted. 'It's a matter of simple physics.'

Simple or not, Azmael still couldn't see what he was supposed to.

'Can't you give us a clue?' prompted Peri.

The Doctor thought for a moment. The gravitational pull of the sun on Jaconda is more or less constant. Yes?'

Peri shrugged. Til take your word for it.'

'Place the two smaller planets in the same orbit as Jaconda and how long do you think they'd remain there?'

Slowly Azmael placed his beaker on the table. 'Why didn't I realise?' he stammered. They wouldn't last any time at all.'

'Why not?' enquired Peri.

'Because their orbit would rapidly decay and they would crash into the sun.' Azmael buried his head in his hands. 'Why, oh why didn't I think of that myself?'

The Doctor placed a rea.s.suring arm around his old friend's shoulder. 'Your mind has been on other things.'

'But I should have known at once,' wailed Azmael. 'You're absolutely right. It's basic physics.'

'And when the planet hits the sun,' muttered Hugo, 'it'll be like the birth of a super nova.'

The Doctor glanced at Hugo as though he had forgotten he was in the room. That's right.'

Hugo emptied his beaker. 'Do you think Mestor knows what will happen?'

The Doctor nodded.

Then why does he allow it?' said Peri. 'He'll be killed too.'

The Doctor smiled at her naivety. 'I have the feeling he'll be long gone by then.'

Watched by Drak, the group settled into an atmosphere of silent depression. Yet the same question pounded through each and every brain in the room: what did Meslor hope to achieve by deliberately destroying his own sun?

Soon they would find out.

10.

END GAME, PART TWO.

The Doctor stared at the gla.s.s part.i.tion which separated Mestor's hatchery from the laboratory area, and allowed his mind to flick through the many pages of his long memory, hoping some half-forgotten incident might jog his inspiration into solving the current problem.

But it didn't.

All he seemed able to recall were faces and fragments of incidents, some of which he would rather have forgotten.

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