Doctor Who: Delta and the Bannermen (8 page)

‘There’s one more place we can try, Doctor,’ said Ray.

‘Then let’s go!’ yelled the Doctor as she accelerated away.

Hawk looked at Weismuller, ‘I thought you said we had to look for it,’ he said.

‘That’s right I did, but that sure doesn’t include asking every Tom, Dick or Harry. Don’t forget, Weismuller, this is a top secret mission. We have to show a little caution –

we’re just supposed to be a couple of regular guys out on a camping trip.’ Weismuller nodded as he threaded another sausage onto the stick.

At Shangri-La the Navarinos had all gathered around the Nostalgia Trips cruiser. Their bags had all been stashed in the hold and they waited only for the navipod to resume normal working. They were very impatient to be away and kept scanning the empty skies for any sign of a Bannerman spaceship. One dumpy little Navarino promised that if she were to arrived home safely she would never leave Navarro again.

Murray and Mel were peering into the jar. ‘I don’t know much about cyrstalline structures,’ said Mel, ‘But that looks about cooked.’

‘I think you’re right, Mel. It does look ready. Shall we chance it?’ asked Murray.

Mel nodded in agreement. ‘Here we go then. Carefully does it...’ Murray eased his fingers into the bubbling red fluid and slowly withdrew the shimmering crystal cluster.

He eased it out of the liquid and held it aloft, a smile of satisfaction on his face. However, the wet surface was extremely slippery and Murray’s happy smile dissolved into a look of horror as he felt the sleek crystal suddenly slip from his grasp.

Mel dived at it, catching it in her cupped hands moments before it hit the ground. ‘Whew!’ cried Murray.

‘You can say that again, butterfingers! Now, will everyone please give us some air so that we can put it into the navipod,’ said Mel.

The space tourists stood back allowing Murray room to bolt the crystal into place. Murray worked slowly and carefully. He was determined not to take any more chances with their only means of escape.

Two young rabbits playfully hopped around a quiet meadow. Suddenly they stopped and their ears pricked up, then quick as a flash they disappeared into a burrow. Their play had been disturbed by the puttering sound of Ray’s scooter as she and the Doctor approached. Ray stopped her bike at a barred gate and looked around helplessly. The Doctor leapt off the bike and, bending down, he ran his fingers along a faint groove in the mud. ‘This is the end of the road, Doctor,’ said Ray. ‘I don’t know where else to try.’

‘These tyre marks show a heavy motorcycle and sidecar passed this way. Come on Ray! We mustn’t give up now!

Their lives depend on us,’ cried the Doctor as he eased open the heavy gate.

The Doctor clambered back onto the bike and they set off across the open meadow along the clifftops, avoiding numerous small boulders scattered in their path. Ray shouted against the wind, ‘I hope you’re all right Doctor.

I’m sorry if this is a bit like an army assault course.’

‘My dear child, this is as smooth as glass. I once had a similar ride on the planet Themlon. I was TARDIS-bound for a week afterwards,’ he replied. Suddenly the land dipped, and there in the hollow was the Vincent!

‘They’re probably down on the beach!’ cried Ray as she put the scooter onto its stand.

Delta had just opened her knapsack and produced a wafer of waxy cells which she fed to her hungry baby.

‘She’s growing so fast now that she needs to be replenished every half an hour or so. If I can get the hatchling safely to the brood planet then I can take my case to the intergalactic tribunal. They will send an expeditionary force to get rid of Gavrok and the Bannermen.’

‘I’ll do whatever I can to help,’ said Billy. Although he genuinely meant what he said, Billy couldn’t quite imagine how he was supposed to get Delta and the hatchling safely to the brood planet. He didn’t think that his Vincent was going to prove very useful. Delta glanced up to see two distant figures scrabbling down the cliff-face towards them.

‘Look!’ she said.

Billy followed her gaze. ‘Hey, that’s Ray and the Doctor.

They look like they’re in a hurry.’

The Bannermen, said Delta to herself. She and Billy quickly gathered everything up and hurried along the beach to meet them.

‘Thank Heavens!’ gasped Ray as they finally came within shouting distance of each other.

‘Why’s everyone in such a lather?’ demanded Billy peevishly. He felt that he was just beginning to get to know Delta at last and he was annoyed that their peace had been disturbed so soon.

‘At last we’ve found you,’ panted the Doctor. Delta gazed steadily at the Doctor, knowing the worst.

‘Gavrok?’

‘Yes. We overheard Keillor giving the position of the camp,’ said the Doctor.

‘A space mercenary,’ Delta said looking shocked.

‘Yes. There’s a price on your head,’ he continued.

Billy indignantly drew himself up. ‘Yeah? Well where’s this mercenary? I reckon we’ve got a score to settle,’ he said.

‘He’s been ionized!’ said Ray smugly. Billy suddenly became aware of her presence.

‘Uh... hi Ray,’ he mumbled, being unsure of what to say next. Something about the way she looked at him made him feel guilty.

‘We have to get back at once,’ said the Doctor. ‘Burton has already evacuated all the other staff. Murray is fitting the crystal back into the bus and then your tour will be able to leave. But we must go now!’ he insisted, already heading back up the narrow path. He was closely followed by the others.

At Shangri-La Murray had finally managed to install the navipod, and, after checking that it was again functioning correctly, slammed the hood with a grin. He gave a thumbs-up to Mel who let out a sigh of relief.

You see, I’m not totally useless! Murray felt he had redeemed himself for nearly breaking the crystal. ‘Now everyone, get ready to board,’ he said authoritatively. The passengers assembled in a neat line while Murray produced a clipboard and pen. ‘When I call your name I want you to climb aboard – Adlon – Crovassi – Diptek – Ethnon – Frag

– Gil – Herret – Keillor – uh, where’s Keillor?’ asked Murray. Mel leant forward and whispered into Murray’s ear, explaining that all that remained of the space mercenary was a pair of scorched blue suede shoes. Murray nodded. He did not wish to know the gory details and quickly continued with the roll-call.

On the outer fringes of the galaxy Gavrok stared gleefully at the blipping light on his screen. ‘Transmitter identified. Triangulate and set course.’ He leant back into his stabilizing chair and smirked. He was relaxed in the knowledge that his mission was nearly completed.

Hawk finally removed the headphones with a look of disgust. ‘Ain’t no use, Weismuller. There’s nothing out there,’ he said, gesturing up at the empty sky.

‘Well, you know I’m not the sort to say “I told you so,”

but...’ Weismuller had stopped mid sentence, his mouth hanging open. He was staring at something behind Hawk.

There, silhouetted against the trees, stood the menacing black Bannerman fighter. Hawk blinked in disbelief before whispering, ‘Hey Weismuller. D’you think that’s it?’

Weismuller turned and looked in the direction of the spaceship. He paused before answering, trying to make sense of the strange vessel. ‘Well, I don’t rightly know. I ain’t never seen a satellite before. I expected it to be smaller, somehow...’

The hatch opened and Gavrok appeared in view. He unfurled the Bannermen standard and coldly surveyed the landscape before him. Unsheathing his blaster he stepped into the field; throwing back his head he let out an ear-splitting whistle. A column of half a dozen heavily-armed Bannermen responded by marching through the hatch and lining up behind him.

‘Listen Hawk, I dunno what’s going on here, but I reckon we should get outta here fast!’ said Weismuller, backing towards the Morris.

‘Yeah, for once I think you could be right,’ Hawk agreed, stumbling over the radio in his haste to get away.

Suddenly Gavrok’s mournful horn blew across the valley. ‘HALT!’ he cried. Hawk and Weismuller froze.

Within moments they were surrounded by the Bannermen.

Weismuller was the first to speak. Putting on his most charming voice he said, ‘Hi... uh... we weren’t going anywhere.’

‘No, we thought maybe we’d just sit in the car for a while. But we’re not that fussy, I guess,’ Hawk added.

‘Where is the Chimeron Queen?’ barked Gavrok.

Hawk shrugged, ‘Beats me, pal,’ he said.

Gavrok gave a tiny nod. One of his men fired at the radio. When the smoke cleared, all that remained was a mangled piece of twisted scrap iron.

‘Hey, that’s the property of Uncle Sam!’ cried Weismuller in alarm.

Gavrok turned his icy glance on Weismuller. ‘Where is he, your Uncle Sam?’

Hawk raised a hand, saying, ‘No, you don’t understand...’ But he got no further. Gavrok gave another small nod and the tent caroomed into a massive fireball.

‘Boy, what are you so sore about?’ asked Weismuller, watching the scraps of burnt canvas fluttering away in the breeze.

Gavrok levelled his gun at the American agent.

Weismuller’s face drained of colour but Gavrok had already turned away. ‘I won’t waste good ammunition on these fools,’ he said. ‘I will lead the main party. You two remain here to protect the vessel and guard these incompetents!’ He motioned to two of his men who nodded in reply. ‘Come!’ Gavrok strode away down the valley followed by his henchmen.

‘Boy! These guys really mean business,’ whispered Weismuller.

‘Weismuller, I think I get it. The Chimeron Queen –

that must be the satellite.’

‘And if the enemy get their mitts on it we’re both sunk,’

Weismuller replied gloomily. They were both under the impression that the Bannermen were agents from some other world power. The true reality of the situation was totally beyond their comprehension. Before Hawk and Weismuller had a chance to draw any more conclusions the two Bannermen sentries advanced on the trembling Americans.

The Nostalgia Trips cruiser was ready to fly. All the Navarinos were aboard, except for Murray who was talking to Mel. He scuffed his feet in the dirt, saying, ‘Well, we’re all gassed up and ready to go.’

‘Then you must leave at once, Murray,’ said Mel.

‘But the Doctor and Delta...’ he said.

Mel smiled, ‘Wherever you go, we can find you in the TARDIS.’

‘I know, but I feel bad about leaving you here alone.

This is your last chance to hitch a ride,’ Murray pleaded.

From inside the bus came the sound of Murray’s name being called repeatedly. The space passengers were very nervous by this time and wanted to leave as soon as possible.

Mel glanced up the valley. She didn’t relish the idea of being left alone but she had made a promise. ‘No, Murray, I’ve made up my mind. When the Doctor and I agree on something we always stick to it, come what may. Thanks anyway,’ she said.

‘Okay,’ said Murray, resigned to her decision. ‘It’s time we got this show on the road. As they say around here – see you later, alligator!’

Mel grinned and replied, ‘In a while, crocodile.’

Murray climbed aboard and fired up the engines. He turned the bus to face the open road and the afterburners covered Mel in exhaust fumes.

The exhaust noise rose to a shriek as Murray revved up the power and the bus started lumbering away down the road. Murray’s hand appeared through the window, waving at Mel.

‘BYE!’ shouted Mel, relieved that the bus was at last underway. Her smile froze in horror as the bus was engulfed in a massive orange fireball. The force of the blast threw Mel onto the ground, temporarily blinding her.

Moments later the blast debris rained down all around her.

Fifties clothing, memorabilia purchased in the camp shop and pieces of food covered the tarmac for a hundred yards in every direction. There was more food than anything else

– in fact enough to feed a bus-full of hungry Navarinos. A large chunk of the cruiser fell only inches from Mel’s head.

Although some of the letters were missing she could clearly read the words ‘Nostalgia Trips’. In the centre of the debris was a patch of blackened earth, to show where there had once been a bus loaded with holiday-makers.

Mel groaned as she slowly started to recover her senses.

She became aware that something was moving through the heavy pall of smoke hanging over the scene. Straining her eyes to see, Mel started to rise, desperately hoping that someone may have survived. But she sank back to the ground when she recognized the red and black fluttering insignia of the dreaded Bannermen.

A lump rose in her throat. ‘No! No!’ she said as the realization dawned. She tried to rise but a large booted foot kicked her back. She was looking up into the ugly face of Gavrok. Standing behind him was a Bannerman with a smoking bazooka. He did nothing to hide the look of satisfaction on his face.

‘So, one of them escaped,’ Gavrok growled.

‘You... you killed all those innocent people...’ said Mel in a small voice, her face streaked with dirt and tears.

‘Was the Chimeron Queen amongst them?’ said Gavrok, putting his blaster to Mel’s head.

Although terrified and furious, Mel’s wits hadn’t deserted her. ‘Yes. Yes, she’s dead. They’re all dead,’ said Mel.

‘You wouldn’t lie?’ barked Gavrok. ‘You saw what happened to that bus.’

‘No one could have survived that,’ she replied in a trembling voice.

Gavrok nodded and grinned, sniffing the heavy sulphurous fumes of the blast. ‘That’s right. The Chimerons are finished.’ Raising his standard to the sky he shouted, ‘Chumeria is ours.’ Gavrok’s men gathered round him cheering and whooping.

Mel felt totally wretched. It pained her to watch these vile creatures enjoying their victory so, but there was nothing she could do. She felt guilty about the Navarinos.

If Murray hadn’t lingered for so long, in an attempt to talk her into leaving, they would have been safely away by now.