Doctor Who: Delta and the Bannermen (6 page)

He flew into the room and was brought up short by what he saw. Mel was against the wall, her hand covering her mouth in shock. Billy followed the line of her appalled gaze and his own mouth fell open. There on the bed beside the silver orb, now cracked open like an eggshell, was the ugliest creature he had ever seen. Small, wrinkled, bright green and covered in slime, the baby Chimeron opened its mouth and bawled.

Delta, her face lit by a radiant smile, advanced with open arms towards the ugly hatchling. ‘My baby. My beautiful baby,’ she cooed.

Billy sank down onto the bed, his mouth trying to say something which his brain couldn’t quite formulate.

Hurtling across the void was the Bannermen fighter.

Gavrok’s shoulders heaved as he uttered a laugh which sounded like a drain unblocking. ‘That bounty hunter will be paid off sooner than he thinks. Arm the Beacon Hunter!’

For all his experience Keillor had made a fatal slip. He should have know better than to trust a Bannerman, especially Gavrok their leader, who was the epitome of all evil. Gavrok cared nothing for fair play or justice. Even men like Keillor who were despised throughout the solar systems had their own special brand of conduct. Keillor was about to pay the ultimate price for his error.

The pilot opened the cover of the red attack module and pressed the ‘FIRE’ button. The ship rocked under the sudden surge of energy as a colossal stream of ions flashed along the radio path being emitted by Keillor’s transmitter.

In the linen store Keillor smiled, raised his weapon and took aim. Ray clung speechlessly to the Doctor, paralysed by the prospect of imminent death.

As Keillor’s fingers curled around the trigger the pulsing beacon in his other hand suddenly exploded with tremendous force. There was a brilliant flash and the linen store was bathed in a cold blue aura.

The blue was very intense at the spot where Keillor stood. It was as if he had been turned to stone, his cruel features frozen in an ugly grimace like a medieval gargoyle.

As the blue light faded, Keillor cracked apan and disintegrated in a haze of dust. The smoke slowly cleared, revealing the Doctor and Ray lying motionless on the floor. As for Keillor, there was only one sign that he had ever existed – his blue suede shoes with a thin tendril of smoke curling out of each. A strong smell of ozone filled the room.

In Delta’s cabin, Mel and Billy sat mutely on the bed waiting for an explanation, while Delta cuddled the green infant in her arms. The Chimeron Queen sat like this for some time, studying the child, her features softened in an expression of tenderness. She knew that the baby she held in her arms was the only hope of survival for her race. The burden of responsibility weighed heavily on her shoulders, but she was determined to fight to the bitter end.

Eventually, she made a decision and raised her eyes.

‘Please Billy, you must promise me that you won’t tell anyone what you have seen here tonight. My life is at risk,’

she said. Billy nodded. ‘If I’m going to trust you then I think you deserve a full explanation. Close the door. What I am about to tell you is for your ears only,’ she continued, glad to have found some support at last.

Dawn insinuated its rosy fingers between the cabins, driving the last feathers of mist into the sky. A cock crowed in the distance.

In Burton’s office his wrinkled assistant, Vinny, sipped a glass of hot water and honey. He cleared his throat several times and did his voice exercises, which consisted of saying ‘Mi! Mi! Mi!’ very fast. As the hands on the large wall clock crawled round to seven o’clock, Vinny turned on the camp’s Public Address system.

In Delta’s cabin Billy was sitting boggle-eyed as she finished her incredible tale. ‘... and so I am the last Chimeron Queen. Our planet right now is in the grip of the invaders who slaughtered my people,’ she said.

Looking sadly at Billy she held up the sleeping child. ‘She is our last hope. Her life must be protected at all costs.’

Throughout the long night a warmth had developed between Billy and Delta, the young man beginning to feel a strong protective instinct rise within him. If anyone were to try and harm Delta they would have to deal with him first.

Mel lay on her bed, asleep. Unlike Billy, she was used to tales of intergalactic conquest and war. The peace was suddenly shattered by the sound of Vinny singing, ‘When the red, red, robin comes bob-bob-bobbin’ along’, through the camp’s PA system.

Mel stirred but didn’t wake. Delta smiled at her, saying,

‘Poor Mel’s exhausted. We’ll let her get some sleep. I feel like a walk, Billy. It may help me to think.’

Billy leapt to his feet and stretched. Back on familiar territory he felt more confident. ‘This hills around here are really beautiful. We’ll go somewhere special,’ he said.

‘I can’t walk too far with the baby...’

‘I never said anything about walking,’ said Billy with a grin.

Delta threw a shawl around the baby and she and Billy tiptoed out of the cabin. As the door closed Mel opened an eye, smiled, and snuggled down to catch up on her lost sleep.

Billy led Delta behind the old boat shed where a tarpaulin covered a huge bulky object. He whipped off the cover to reveal his gleaming motorbike and sidecar.

‘It’s a monster!’ cried Delta.

Billy puffed up with pride. ‘It’s a Vincent Black Shadow

– my pride and joy,’ he said.

He offered his arm to Delta and helped her into the sidecar, placing the baby safely in her lap. Billy pulled on a pudding-basin crash helmet and swung the kickstart.

With a window-shaking roar the mighty Vincent burst into life. Bily turned towards the gate and thundered out onto the open road.

In the linen store the Doctor and Ray were still unconscious. They looked very peaceful as the dawn light tinted the sheets a gentle shade of red. As the Vincent hurtled past, it drowned out Vinny’s song. The cacophony stirred the Doctor into consciousness and he got groggily to his feet. Shaking his head he slowly felt for broken bones. His eyes lighted on Ray and registered a look of concern. Pulling a large white hanky from his pocket he gently fanned her face while patting her hand. ‘Ray, Ray,’

he called softly so as not to frighten her. She slowly came around, groaning. The Doctor helped her to her feet. ‘Are you all right? Nothing hurt or broken?’ he asked anxiously.

Ray nodded. ‘Uh-huh... but... but what happened to that man with the radio...?’

The Doctor picked up the mangled remains of the transmitter. ‘He was paid in kind. Look, you see how this has been exploded from the inside? Obviously the Bannermen locked onto the signal then fired a high-impulse ion beam back along the transmission track.’

Ray was nodding, still aghast. ‘So they... killed him?’

she asked.

‘I’m afraid so – ionized...’ said the Doctor. Their eyes travelled to the blue suede shoes. Ray gingerly picked one up.

‘Is this all that’s left of him?’ she asked,

‘Yes, a poignant reminder that violence always rebounds on itself. It’s ironic really. The Bannermen saved our lives, hardly the sort of action they’re well noted for. It makes me somewhat apprehensive, in fact,’ said the Doctor. ‘Come on. We haven’t a moment to lose.’

‘Where are we going?’ asked Ray, still stunned from their recent experience.

‘We have to warn the others that an attack is imminent.

We have very little time to lose.’

Ray still hadn’t fully understood what was happening but she knew enough to trust the Doctor. Throwing aside the shoe, she followed the Doctor out of the storeroom and into the chilly morning air.

They ran across the gravel square to Delta’s cabin. The Doctor raised his fist to knock but saw the door hanging askew on its hinges. Fearing the worst he rushed inside.

Mel was curled up under her blankets, sleep having descended at last. The sudden inrush of cold air and running feet caused her to sit up with a start.

‘Mel! Are you all right?’ asked the Doctor.

‘Mm. Nothing a good night’s sleep wouldn’t cure,’ she said.

‘I’m afraid you’ll have to delay that,’ replied the Doctor.

‘Where have Billy and Delta gone?’

‘They didn’t tell me,’ said Mel, ‘Billy was going to take her to some local beauty spot, I think.’

The Doctor thought for a moment. ‘It’s important to find them as soon as we can. Meanwhile we must arrange a general evacuation of the camp. The Bannermen are on their way!’

Mel sprang out of bed. ‘I’ll go and get Murray to organize the tour party.’

‘Good, but they’ll be one short,’ said the Doctor.

‘He was ionized,’ said Ray, as matter-of-factly as she could.

The Doctor was already moving towards the door. ‘I’m going to try and find Delta and Billy. Do you know where they might be, Ray?’ the Doctor asked.

She shrugged. ‘Well, there are a couple of beauty spots in the area. We could try them.’ A wistful look descended on her face like a cloud. Glancing at the Doctor she continued, ‘And a few special places known only to Billy and me.’

‘We’ll simply have to keep looking until we find them.

But the first task is to convince Burton to evacuate the camp. Mel, you find Murray. Ray, come along with me,’

said the Doctor, already disappearing through the door.

The lonely cottage stood beside the reservoir. The water lay like a sheet of clear glass glistening in the early morning sun. Every now and then a fish would leave the murky depths and break surface in search of breakfast.

Behind the cottage, thick pine woods covered the flanks of the hill. They stretched as far as the eye could see. At the side of the house were half a dozen bee hives.

A grey-haired old man, Goronwy, had a veil over his head as he smoked the bees from the hives. As Goronwy worked he chatted to his precious bees. Occasionally, he would break into song.

He had been a fervent member of the local male voice choir all his life and he enjoyed no two things more than singing and tending to his bees. A noise broke his reverie and made him look up. Trundling towards him along the track was the Morris Minor. Goronwy raised his veil and the melody, ‘Blue Moon’ reached him from the approaching car. Just as Goronwy had picked up the tune and was humming along, the music stopped dead as Weismuller cut the engine.

‘Good morning, and what a beautiful morning it is!’

Goronwy said affably.

‘Hi,’ said Weismuller, ‘we’re kinda new to the area and we were wondering if you saw anything... uh... weird fall out of the sky recently? Over the last day or so that is.’

Goronwy scratched his chin. ‘Oh dear me no! I’ve seen many things fall out of the sky, of course, but nothing which could be described as ‘weird’.’

‘What about lights? Anything like that?’ asked Hawk.

Goronwy nodded. ‘There are strange lights in the night sky all the time. Not the Aurora Borealis, mind, but pulsing lights on occasion. At other times like low shooting stars.’

‘As I said before we’re really interested in the last couple of days,’ said Weismuller.

A butterfly landed on Goronwy’s hand. ‘I can ask my bees. They know everything that happens,’ he said.

Hawk gave Weismuller a sideways look and cleared his throat. He plainly thought Goronwy was crazy. ‘Yeah, well I reckon we’ve taken up enough of your time,’ he said.

Goronwy, sensing their scepticism, continued unabashed. ‘If you stayed you’d understand a bit more, young man. Take a look at this butterfly, for instance –

arguably one of the most beautiful creatures in the whole of nature. But if you were to see a pupa it would strike you as the ugliest thing you’d ever seen. Yet without one you wouldn’t have the other.’

Weismuller nodded sagely. ‘Well, thanks anyway. We’ll hear that in mind. Maybe we can get together again some other time. But right now we really must be going.’ He started the engine and the car headed away down the track.

Goronwy glanced down at his hand – the butterfly opened its wings and flitted away into the blue sky. Goronwy watched it go, then turned back to his hives, his lips pursed as he started whistling ‘Blue Moon’.

A beautiful rocky peninsula with waves crashing onto crescent-shaped beaches of fine white sand. The Vincent slowly weaved across an open meadow and came to a halt at the head of a track.

The path slowly meandered down to the beach far below. Billy hopped off the bike and took the baby while Delta climbed out of the sidecar.

‘You’re a bit of a heavyweight,’ aren’t you?’ said Billy to the strange green creature in his arms. It gurgled and emitted a shrill whistle of glee. Billy quickly handed it back to Delta.

‘The most rapid growth occurs in the nymphoid state.

She’ll double her size and weight in the next few hours,’

said Delta looking around, drinking in the peace and tranquillity of the place. ‘You know you’re right, Billy. It is beautiful here. I feel safe at last,’ she said, smiling at him.

He blushed and took her hand. ‘Can you feel how fresh the sea air is?’ asked Billy taking a deep breath. ‘It’s not very far to the beach. Do you think you will be all right to walk with the baby?’ he continued. Delta nodded and Billy led her down the winding path towards the ocean.

Back at Shangri-La Burton sat in his office, wearing a canary-yellow robe over a pair of brightly striped pyjamas.

He sat in complete silence gawping at the Doctor and his hurried explanation. Ray sat quietly beside him while the Doctor paced in agitation. At last Burton cleared his throat. ‘Let me get this right – you’re telling me that you aren’t the Happy Hearts Holiday Club from Bolton, but instead are spacemen who fear an attack from other spacemen. And because of this danger I must evacuate my entire camp,’ he said, raising an eyebrow in query.

‘An excellent summary, Mr Burton. Now, if you could start right away then we should be able to get them all to safety,’ said the Doctor.

Burton smiled and waved his hand airily. ‘Oh, well, if that’s all that’s needed it should be easy. And can we all have space buns afterwards? Or don’t they drink tea on Mars?’ said Burton with a large dose of sarcasm.