Doctor Who: The Savages (10 page)

They both tried to fire through the smoke but the beams seemed to fade and evaporate. Dodo started to cough. A moment later and they would be in the midst of the fumes.

‘Let’s try and get through it,’ said Steven. It was a desperate idea, but they had to do something.

But one step into the swirling vapour sent them reeling back, fighting for air, struggling to breathe.

‘I’m choking, Steven,’ groaned Dodo, hardly able to speak.

Edal’s voice came over the sound system, echoing down the corridor: ‘Throw your light guns into the vapour.’

‘No. Don’t, Dodo,’ shouted Steven.

‘I can’t breathe,’ she gasped. ‘Do what they say.’ She threw her gun into the smoke. Two figures moved into the smoke from the other side and picked it up.

‘Now the other gun,’ came Edal’s voice.

‘Please, Steven. Do as he says.’ Dodo had slipped to the floor and sat in a despairing heap. Beside her stood the Doctor, unmoving, seemingly unaware of the chaos around him. ‘Throw it,’ begged Dodo. ‘Give them the gun.’

(Not only Captain Edal was watching this scene on a scanner. In the laboratory Jano sat before the panel following every move, listening to each whispered sentence. He heard Dodo’s pleading voice saying, ‘Give them the gun, Steven.’

Sitting alone in the empty room, Jano whispered,

‘No. Don’t, my boy. Don’t give it to them.’ His voice sounded more and more like the Doctor’s. He searched hurriedly through the various panels on the instrument bank before him until he found what he wanted. And then he leaned forward, and slowly and deliberately pressed a button.)

Steven couldn’t make out what the noise was behind him, and when he turned he couldn’t believe what he saw.

‘Dodo,’ he shouted. ‘The door!’

She turned to see the door opening, and beyond it the outside world with air she could breathe, and the scrubland, the rocky land in which the savages lived and hid. It seemed like paradise.

She struggled to her feet. It must be a mistake, an accident. The door would close again.

‘Run, Dodo!’ Steven urged her. ‘Get the Doctor through it.’

‘What about you?’ she asked.

‘Do as I tell you!’

She grabbed the Doctor and with her last energy she raced him through the open door.

‘Get back!’ Steven called into the smoke to the guards. He fired his gun once more before turning to race after his two companions.

‘What happened?’ Edal demanded.

‘They’ve gone. They’ve escaped,’ said Senta.

Edal looked round in a fury. ‘Who opened the doors?’ He raced off down the corridor, while Senta turned and hurried away.

In the laboratory Jano had one eye on the scanner as he took his finger off the button. And as he did so Senta burst into the room.

‘Someone has helped the strangers to escape,’ Jano said grimly. ‘Give the alarm.’

9 ‘I Don’t Trust Strangers’

On the screen they could see the door in the corridor closing as two of the guards burst through the vapour. They were a fraction of a second too late. The door had closed in their faces.

Edal took one look at the print-out in Security Control. There seemed to be only one place from which the escape could have been operated.

He called a couple of the guards to follow and headed for the laboratory. Pushing his way in, he passed a bemused Senta and found himself face to face with Jano. He couldn’t believe it. The Head of the State!

‘You,’ he said. ‘You opened the door.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ snapped Jano. ‘Why should I do that? You seem to forget I am in charge. Why should I do anything to assist our enemies?’

There was no answer to that. Why should Jano help the Doctor and his friends escape? Jano was the leader who had planned their capture. He had the confidence of the Elders. His leadership had brought them to this height of success.

‘But if you didn’t do it...’ Edal began.

‘If! Kindly remember to whom you are talking, young man! I am...’ Jano appeared to hesitate doubtfully. Then he went on: ‘I am... I am.. His eyes revealed his confusion. He waved his hand dismissively. ‘Get back to your work everybody.’

‘What about the strangers?’ asked Edal. ‘Do you want us to go after them?’

‘The strangers? Oh, yes. Give instructions to ‘B’ Patrol to prepare to recapture them.’

‘I’ll take charge of that myself,’ said Edal.

‘No, Captain,’ said Jano firmly, ‘you will not. I will lead the patrol.’

It was almost impossible to hurry the Doctor through the scrubland but Steven and Dodo did their best, looking back over their shoulders anxiously every few steps.

‘Any sign of them?’ asked Dodo.

‘Not so far,’ said Steven. ‘But they’re sure to follow.’

Dodo took the Doctor’s arm and tried to make him step out. ‘Come on, Doctor. Please!’ But they could get only a slow jerky step out of him, like a robot.

‘We’re not going to make it,’ said Steven.

‘Doesn’t he care what happens?’

‘I don’t think he even knows,’ said Steven.

As they rounded the shrubs ahead Chal stepped out

of hiding. He looked in amazement at the Doctor. ‘How is it possible? YQu got him away!’

‘But he won’t move,’ complained Dodo. ‘They’ll catch up with us.’

‘Look at the state he’s in,’ said Steven.

‘That is how they leave all our people after they have taken their strength,’ said Chal.

‘Will he get better?’

‘Yes. But it will take time.’

‘Where can we hide him, Chal?’

‘There is no safe place, but he will be best in our caves.’ They all turned simultaneously as they heard the sound of pursuit in the distance.

‘There they are,’ said Steven. ‘Quickly, Chal. You and Dodo take him with you. I’ll delay them.’ ‘What can you do?’ asked Dodo.

‘I can hold them back until you get there.’ Steven indicated his light gun.

Dodo was going to protest but he said brusquely, ‘Get on. Fast as you can. You’ll need all your time to get him to safety.’

Chal was already hauling the Doctor along. Dodo joined him. ‘Good luck,’ she called to Steven as he settled himself behind some rocks and looked back down the trail.

The search party came to a stop on the top of an outcrop where the land ahead could be seen. Jano and Captain Edal had with them a patrol of guards.

Jano scanned the landscape then turned to Edal. ‘The strangers could have done one of two things, Edal. They may have tried to get back to the TARDIS.’

‘What is that?’ asked Edal.

‘Their space machine. Or they may try to take cover in the Valley of Caves. I suggest we split into two parties. You take one group to see if they try to reach their machine. I will go on with the rest.’

Edal turned to his squad. ‘That section,’ he ordered. ‘Take the right path. Head for the place they landed.’

As the squad hurried off Jana gave the Captain a sharp look: ‘You aren’t going with them?’

‘No, Jano. I shall come with you. Perhaps you will need my help.’

‘Very well,’ said Jano. Their mutual suspicion was undisguised as they continued through the scrub.

From where he lay hidden, Steven had a clear view of the track through the rocks, and could hear the search party before he could see them. He had the gun trained on them as soon as they came into sight.

He was surprised to see the Leader of the Elders, Jano, at the head of the party himself, striding in front in a stiff fashion as though he were very displeased about something. It was an opportunity not to be missed, and Steven raised his gun.

Edal dashed down the track and grabbed Jano, pulling him into the cover of rocks. Jano swung round on him in anger: ‘How dare you, Captain..

‘Keep down!’ shouted Edal and pulled him back as the light beam from a gun struck the guard beside him. The man gave a strangulated scream and dropped to the ground.

‘They’re behind those rocks,’ said Edal. He aimed his gun and the light played over the rocks ahead. In his hiding place Steven crouched down as the rays flickered over his head.

Edal summed up the situation. ‘I think there’s just one of the strangers over there. We must out-flank him.’ He turned to his guards. ‘You take that side. The others over there. You had better stay here for safety, Jano.’

They crawled off into the bushes. Jano watched warily.

It was going to be a matter of stalling them, Steven knew. They would come at him from all sides. All he could do was back off and keep them moving slowly forward. The light from another gun played on the rock beside him. He dropped flat on the ground to avoid it as it flickered downwards. Then he crawled back down the track. He hid himself behind the next outcrop of rocks and prepared to fire at the first person he saw.

Dodo and Chal didn’t get the Doctor moving much faster, but they kept going. Dodo was very worried about the strange look the Doctor had; the blank eyes troubled her.

‘Will he be all right, Chal?’ she wanted to know. ‘Who can say?’ said Chal. ‘He has a chance. He is a brave man.’

‘Are we nearly there?’

‘You see the next ravine? That is the Valley of Caves.’

‘Come on, Doctor. Surely you can go a little faster?’ Dodo tried to hurry him.

‘You don’t understand,’ explained Chal. ‘He is not himself. It is as though he were asleep. Do not be angry with him. Help him.’

‘I’m sorry,’ said Dodo.

They moved together towards the ravine. Behind them they could hear the sounds of the guards calling.

‘I can hear Jano’s voice,’ said Chal, startled. ‘He is their chief. Why is he here?’

Jano saw Edal and hisguards converge on the rocks from which the light gun had been fired. They came to a halt, looking around in alarm.

‘What’s the matter?’ he shouted.

‘He is not here,’ Edal called back angrily. Jano hurried to join them.

‘He will suffer for this,’ said Edal. ‘All he is doing is playing for time. He cannot hope to delay us forever.’ He turned and shouted, ‘Give up, stranger. It will be better for you.’ But there was no reply.

Edal grumbled to Jano. ‘The longer he holds us off, the more chance the others have to get the old traveller into their caves. Then it will be a long job.’

‘But not impossible?’ said Jano. He sounded almost hopeful, and Edal gave him a wary look.

‘Not impossible by any means,’ he said. ‘But it will take the guards time, and they will not be pleased about that. I fancy they will not be too gentle with them when they are finally caught.’

Edal moved away angrily with his squad. Jano looked on thoughtfully, and then began to skirt the bushes and rubble ahead. Perhaps he might find the strangers first.

‘Be careful, Jano,’ Edal called after him.

Even as they moved forward a light gun beamed from unexpected cover, and they had to duck back. Steven had made good use of his time.

He saw the party scramble for safety, but knew they would soon find a way to come on again. The best thing to do was to back off before they got round him. He crouched below the bushes, and made his way to the next piece of cover. It looked like a good spot to Steven, but in his hurry he had not taken in the whole span around him. On one side he was vulnerable. But he was down on the ground with his gun aimed at the sound of the guards before he had a chance to check his own safety.

‘We’ve done it, Chal,’ said Dodo triumphantly. Ahead of them stretched the Valley of the Caves.

Chal looked around with a frown. ‘What are my people doing?’ he asked ‘Why is there no one on guard?’

They began to scramble down the side of the ravine, carefully guiding the steps of the Doctor.

In the cave above them Exorse was lying bound, and in pain. He tried not to show it as he had no intention of allowing these inferior creatures to see him suffer.

But Nanina watched him, understanding the marks of pain. She crossed to him with a vessel containing liquid. ‘Drink this,’ she said. ‘You will feel better.’

She held up his head as he drank from the bowl.

He looked at her with gratitude as he finished. ‘Thank you,’ he said.

‘Let me see your arm,’ she said. Exorse was in agony as she touched it.

‘I’m all right,’ he said.

Tor looked on contemptuously: ‘It is a pity I did not kill him when I had the chance. He and his kind must be destroyed. Or the rest of us will have no hope of surviving.’

Nanina looked up from where she bathed the wounded man. ‘We will not save ourselves that way, Tor,’ she said. Tor glared at her. It was a disgrace to be out-faced by this girl. He turned to appeal to the others of the tribe who crowded into the cave.

‘You hear her?’ he said. ‘Nanina protects our enemies.’ He pointed at the man on the floor of the cave. ‘This is a dangerous man. What should we do? Let him live, so that he may attack us again? So he may use us in his machines to draw out our life? Or should we get rid of our enemies while we can, so that we make life easier for our children?’

There was a movement of assent amongst the crowd. Nanina got up and faced them: ‘Have you forgotten what Chal said? He is our leader. He has given us orders. Are you going to listen to Tor who is a coward? Are you going to disobey Chal?’

The tribe shifted, uncertain. Revenge was possible. Why not take it? Nanina pointed to Exorse. ‘Chal told you. This man must not be hurt.’

Tor picked up the nearest club. Some of the other men followed him. ‘I don’t trust strangers,’ he said.

‘You have a short memory,’ said Nanina. ‘A little time ago you called them gods.’

‘Chal is not here,’ called Tor. He cannot give

orders.’ He backed away as Nanina picked up a spear.

‘Very well, Tor. If you are so brave, come forward a step. On your own. One person to face one person. I am here.’

The rest of the tribe hung back and looked towards Tor. Amazed he blinked at Nanina. ‘Would you fight for this man?’ he asked. ‘Can an enemy mean so much?’

Nanina stood facing him. Tor delayed. ‘Well?’ Nanina asked. ‘Do you step forward?’

Before Tor replied they heard Chal’s voice call from below, ‘Hello! Guard... Quickly... We need help.’ Everyone ran to the lip of the cave.

A few yards below, Chal and Dodo were struggling to bring the Doctor up the rocky slope. The others scrambled down to lend many hands.