Part 29 (2/2)

They exchanged searching glances, then nodded. Shalvis turned to the others.

'Have you decided yet? You must choose not to go through the blue door before I can reveal this.'

'My job's done,' said Jaharnus. 'Green for me.'

'And I', said Loxley. 'One bold deed is enough for the day. And I shall have enough genuine tales to tell now.'

Peri simply shook her head, still staring at Red.

'Certainly not,' the Doctor confirmed.

She looked questioningly at Dynes, who had rapidly recovered his composure and was directing the single remaining DAVE in recording the remains of Alpha and Red.

'Can I get a better shot from inside?' he asked simply 'Not substantially,' Shalvis replied.

'Then count me out.'

Shalvis crossed to the blank wall beside the four doors and touched its surface. The wall seemed to become transparent, like a giant screen. The image on it was softly lit, but they could clearly make out Rosscarrino and Thorrin reclining side by side in full body-contoured chairs. Their eyes were closed and they lay very still.

'Are they asleep?' Arnella asked tremulously.

'In a manner of speaking. When an impossible dream becomes an obsession, and life becomes intolerable while it remains unfulfilled, then only illusions can bring release. The Marquis would never have believed Rovan did not leave the Book of Lineage amongst his treasury, nor would the professor accept that we do not possess the secret of immortality. The truth would have destroyed them. They are at peace now, and will live out their lives believing they succeeded...'

The screen viewpoint slowly withdrew to reveal the rest of the chamber, and they saw it was huge and filled with row upon row of the contoured chairs. Each bore a still figure. There were creatures of many races in all manner of costumes, some ragged and torn, but none of them stirred. Every single one of that silent mult.i.tude slept the same eternal sleep as the Marquis and Thorrin. And as the viewpoint glided between their ranks, Peri realised that most of them were very, very old.

'Despite what you may think, Rovan was not entirely unmerciful, and neither are we.' Shalvis said.

The screen darkened and the image of the sleepers vanished.

Peri s.h.i.+vered. Arnella and Brockwell remained staring at the blank wall for a long time, then they slowly turned and walked hand in hand through the green door that led back to the surface. Loxley and Jaharnus followed at a respectful distance.

'Any final comments?' Dynes asked hopefully, as he and the single surviving DAVE headed after them, leaving Peri and the Doctor alone with Shalvis.

Peri glanced sadly once more at Red's still form. Then she frowned and edged closer. 'Doctor, why is there no blood?'

Before he could reply a swirling s.h.i.+mmering light enveloped Red's body, and it seemed to shrink inward. Then the light was gone and in its place stood a familiar form, with the ghosts of the wounds Red had suffered dissolving into its silver body sh.e.l.l as though they had never been.

'Kamelion?' Peri gasped in disbelief.

'I had interfaced with the TARDIS shortly before the Master took control of me,' Kamelion explained in his familiar deferential tones, having politely allowed them a few moments to recover.

'Also, I have a pseudo-metabolic extension into the fifth dimension, where I store or draw on ma.s.s to suit varied body forms. It was through this and the tenuous interface link that my mental pattern survived, trapped within the TARDIS's hyperdimensional fields. But I was confused and could not contact you nor regenerate a new physical form. It was not until we arrived here that I was released.'

'Ah,' said the Doctor knowingly, glancing at Shalvis.

'Yes, we were responsible,' Shalvis admitted. 'We foresaw Kamelion's coming and his part in the defeat of Alpha. Through an illusion we made you think you had locked your TARDIS when you left on the quest. This allowed us to bring an amorphous plasmoidal form we had created within reach of Kamelion's mind. With our help he was able to make the initial transition. This did not break the spirit of our trust with Rovan, nor was it totally selfish. Our actions were already part of a potential future, and in a manner of speaking Kamelion was on a quest of his own. Remember, it is our purpose to aid seekers of whatever kind to achieve their true destiny. And defeating Alpha was part of Kamelion's.'

Peri turned back to Kamelion. 'But why didn't you appear to me like this first off?'

'On Sarn I had caused you alarm and pain in this form. You would have been mistrustful to see it once again. Yet there you had also called me ”friend” and cared for me, and I wished to repay that kindness. So when I traced your mind pattern in the woods, I a.n.a.lysed your desires and combined them in a form that would best serve and rea.s.sure you.'

Peri suddenly understood. 'Just before you appeared I was thinking of heroic dogs, knights in armour, and America. And I got something that combined all three, right down to the patriotic colour scheme!' She chuckled. 'It was a great disguise, Kamelion.

I'll always remember ”Red”. But it's good to have you back as you are.'

'Thank you, but I regret I cannot rejoin you.'

'Why not?' the Doctor asked.

'This form is unstable, Doctor. Too many of my functions were lost with my original body, and they can never be regained.

Gradually I would lose control of my patterns and become a liability once more. I have decided it is best if I leave you now with, if I may so call it, dignity.'

'No!' Peri exclaimed. 'Not again...'

But even as she spoke she realised Kamelion was fading. She began to see through him, as though he were turning into ice which was slowly vaporising before her eyes.

'Kamelion, you must hang on,' the Doctor said urgently. 'There may be a way to stabilise your new body.'

'Thank you, Doctor, but it is useless. You granted me a merciful release once, now allow me the same freedom to choose my ultimate destiny. It has pleased me to redeem myself. I hope 1 have fulfilled my functions adequately and given satisfaction.'

He was growing fainter by the second.

'Yes you have,' Peri said desperately, but please don't go like this!'

'Do not concern yourself any further, Peri Brown, or you Doctor. I am finally at peace...'

She tried to touch him one last time, but there was only a shape of mist. 'Goodbye... ' she said simply.

Then he was gone.

Peri swallowed hard and wiped her eyes. She looked up at the Doctor and saw a look of tender compa.s.sion. He put a rea.s.suring arm around her shoulders.

'I know, it's not fair. But the universe is not fair, it just is. At least Kamelion had a chance to make good second time round, which is more than most beings get. Let's remember him at his best,' he suggested gently, 'acting with courage and purpose.'

She sighed. 'I'm just sorry I started this whole thing.'

'But if we, and especially Kamelion, hadn't been here, things might not have gone so well for everyone else.'

'I suppose so,' she agreed.

'And what's more,' he added, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper, 'Remember, Dynes will never know what a scoop he's just missed: Heroic Beast Really Reincarnated Shapes.h.i.+fter Android!'

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