Part 10 (2/2)

Katryca said, 'Yet your friend here told me that the totem was a navigational beacon.'

'He lies,' said the Doctor.

Katryca nodded. 'It seems to be a common complaint amongst Star Travellers.'

'I am not a liar,' protested Glitz unconvincingly.

'How shall I know who lies and who speaks truth,' said Katryca. 'All I am certain of is that our G.o.ds are angered at your coming. I shall read their wishes in the flames.'

The Doctor turned to go. 'I'm sorry to appear discourteous, but I really must be getting back to Drathro'

'Remain where you are!' ordered Katryca. The raised spears of her guards reinforced her words.

'You have no quarrel with us,' protested the Doctor. He waved towards Dibber and Glitz. 'They're the one's who destroyed your totem.'

'You are all Star Travellers,' said Katryca coldly. 'Star Travelling is forbidden by the G.o.ds.' She pointed to Salazar, who bowed low. 'The underground dweller shall be accepted into our tribe. As for the rest - remove them from my sight!'

9.

The Attack of the Robot It had been a long and difficult task manoeuvering the Service Robot up to the Surface, but Humker and Tandrell had managed it at last.

Now the Robot was outside, trundling on its caterpillar tracks through the woods, en route to the native village.

What the robot saw through its vision circuitry was relayed onto the monitor screen.

Tandrell and Humker were surveying the results with distaste.

'All that unpleasant green,' said Humker.

'It is ”vegetation”,' said Tandrell.

Humker looked at the metal shape towering over them.

'Why was it not burned, Drathro?'

'Only part of the planet was consumed by fire.'

'But what is the function of this vegetation?' asked Humker.

'It supports primitive life,' rumbled Drathro.

'Primitive life is unnecessary,' said Tandrell fastidiously.

'So vegetation is unnecessary,' concluded Humker.

'Your syllogism is also unnecessary,' said Tandrell triumphantly.

Humker scowled. 'It is not a true syllogism, Tandrell. It contained only the major and minor premiss.'

'It was still unnecessary,' said Tandrell petulantly. 'Like so much else that you say, Humker.'

'See,' said Humker, pointing to the monitor. The village wall and the group of stone dwellings beyond had just appeared on the screen.

The Doctor, Peri, Dibber and Glitz were marched into the prison but by Broken Tooth and Balazar.

'Thought we'd seen the last of this place,' muttered Dibber.

'Look, Balazar,' said the Doctor urgently. 'You've got to help us get out of here.'

Balazar shrank back. 'I dare not, Doctor.'

Broken Tooth glanced uneasily at the guards outside the door. 'The Queen would burn us in your place if we helped you escape.'

'If I don't get out of here we'll all burn,' said the Doctor grimly.

Glitz scowled at him. 'Well, you're the Time Lord.

Haven't you got a ring you can rub, or a magic lamp?

Something for these little emergencies.'

'Hardly,' said the Doctor. 'More your style, I'd have thought. Anyway, what did bring you here?'

'Purely a private enterprise, Doctor,' said Glitz hurriedly. 'The collection of a few mouldering files, of no value except to scholars like myself.'

'I see. You're a scholarly philanthropist, are you?'

'My description exactly, Doctor!'

'Who goes around blowing up black-light convertors?'

added the Doctor unkindly.

Glitz shrugged. 'A small expediency. If I am to endow a library on my home planet of Salostopus'

'In the constellation of Andromeda?' interrupted the Doctor.

'You know of it?'

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