Doctor Who: The Savages (4 page)

‘Exorse at last, I suppose,’ he grumbled to his assistant. ‘He’s well behind his deadline. I don’t know what’s the matter with security this morning.’

As he spoke, two more assistants came through a glass-panelled swing door. They were guiding a mechanised trolley on which lay the body of a man.

‘Number 4708,’ said one of the assistants. ‘Prepared for discharge. Under the name of Wylda on your records, Doctor Senta.’

‘Hmm.’ Senta glanced at a sheaf of papers in his hand. ‘Very well. Detach and release.’

The assistants began to unfasten a number of grips and connections that had bound the man to the trolley. As they did so he appeared to come slowly back to life with a faint groan.

‘Let Exorse into the second chamber,’ Senta called to his assistant, then turned back to view the man on the trolley with interest, pulling aside a sheet that partly covered him and revealing the skins and rough leather clothes that marked him out as one of the savages from the land beyond the City.

‘What’s the matter with him?’ asked Senta. ‘He seems very depleted. You’ve been warned not to take the process beyond safety levels.’

‘We didn’t, Senta,’ the assistants assured him.

‘Hmm.’ Senta read the dials on the side of the trolley. ‘Vitality 17.4 — I consider that dangerously low. Tell them to follow instructions in there.’ He indicated the laboratory beyond the swing doors. ‘Or do I have to supervise every transfer of energy myself? We don’t want to lose any of our listed individuals, do we?’

He took a quick glance at another dial. ‘Let’s see... Recuperative chart is high. Oh, good. Very well. 4708 will recover.’ He waved the trolley forward as the outer bell started ringing again.

‘These confounded guards,’ said Senta. ‘They’re all the same. They keep you waiting all morning, throwing the entire routine out of gear, then when they do turn up — at any old time — they expect you to give them all of your attention the moment they arrive.’

He waved irritably at Wylda. ‘All right. Take him away. Release him. He’s going to need some assistance.’

The two men swung the man from the platform of the trolley.

‘Take him along corridor K.0.4. Emergency exit. Entrants and exeunts are not supposed to meet. Hurry up there.’

He watched the assistants take the dazed man, feebly staggering on what looked paradoxically like powerful legs, out of the control room. Senta pressed a button on the panel beside him and a section of the wall slid back to reveal a corridor beyond. They edged Wylda into the dimly lit passageway and left him to make his way, arms outstretched, groping like a blind man.

Senta flicked another switch and the main door to the outer waiting rooms swung open. Exorse marched in briskly. Nanina followed, bewildered and exhausted.

‘Sorry about the delay,’ said Exorse.

‘I’m filing a complaint, Exorse,’ said Senta. ‘We’re behind schedule.’ He turned and called over the sound system, ‘Preparation immediately. Number A47.’

Other assistants hurried from the inner laboratory to lead Nanina away.

‘Surely she didn’t give you a great deal of trouble?’ said Senta contemptuously.

‘Of course not,’ said Exorse. ‘That’s not why I’m late. We were delayed by the strangers.’

Senta stopped in his tracks. He was immediately intrigued. ‘Why didn’t you tell me? That changes things completely. Have you seen them?’

‘Captain Edal and I were the first to find them. They were on our patrol. We brought them back.’

‘That changes things completely,’ repeated Senta. ‘Very excusable...’ He couldn’t get over his surprise. ‘You’ve actually seen them? What are they like?’

‘Very like us,’ said Exorse, ‘in some ways.’ ‘And different in others?’

Exorse was a little puzzled. ‘Yes,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘But I can’t quite say exactly how.’

Senta nodded. ‘Well, we shall analyse that soon enough.’

Exorse raised his hand in salutation and turned to go. As the door closed behind him, Senta turned to the video panel on his desk. ‘Check the lab,’ he said, and the screen showed Nanina, strapped to another trolley, being manoeuvred into a recess below the intricate vats.

‘Seems all right,’ mused Senta, ‘check K.0.4.’ The darkened corridor showed up on the screen. Wylda moved into the frame, eyes glazed, hands feeling along the smooth sides on the passageway.

‘Very good,’ said Senta. ‘I was right. He’ll survive.’

He switched off the scanner and passed a hand over his brow. ‘They really put the pressure on this place. Always on my shift. Always Tuesday mornings.’

Steven was genuinely delighted by all he was shown. They moved from one colonnaded aisle to another. Everything was colourful, light, and airy. He had not expected to be so enthralled.

‘What a fabulous city this is. The fountains playing... Always the sound of music... Everything charming.’

His appreciation was so real that both Avon and Flower competed to show him more, and they were inclined to neglect his companion.

Dodo had proved less enthusiastic. She had trailed along behind, perhaps a little critical, always asking questions that confused them. Even now they paid her little attention.

If the truth were known she was rather bored — and a bit suspicious of all the gaiety and splendid scenes. There seemed to be something superficial about it all.

She was surprised and delighted when she saw someone she thought she recognised. Down a short side aisle, a section of the wall had moved aside, and a young man stepped out. She saw it was Exorse, and she was about to call to him. He had been more interesting than these two, she thought. But she stopped herself. Where had Exorse come from? Why had he hurried away? She saw the others were paying her no attention, so she slipped quietly down the little aisle to where the wall section had opened. On the side, just about head height, were a series of buttons. She reached up and pressed one.

She could hear Avon’s voice in the distance saying, ‘Yes, we are very proud of our creation.’

And Steven could be heard replying, ‘Why is it only here in the City that you have such wonderful conditions?’

‘Where else?’ asked Flower.

‘What about the place we landed in... The country out there?’

‘We told you,’ said Avon. ‘All we need is here.’ The section in the wall slid back, and Dodo saw the dim tunnel beyond. She couldn’t see where it led to, but there seemed to be a number of doors further down the corridor with a panel of lights.

She hesitated.

Then she heard Avon’s voice droning away. On an impulse, she stepped into the corridor. The wall slipped into place behind her. She was shut in, and was suddenly very alarmed. What had she done? And then she saw the corridor led to a T-junction with a series of dim lights showing the way. She set off gingerly towards it.

Senta decided that this time he would supervise the transference himself, and he went through to the main laboratory.

The girl was already connected via the energy absorbers to the accumulator system. Senta checked the dials and switches for, although his assistants were very thorough, the final responsibility was his. Besides, he didn’t want another near fatality like the last operation. The dials clicked smoothly into place. The noise of powerful machinery hummed into life. Efficient and effective as usual, he thought. He was about to turn on the activate process when the girl on the platform opened her eyes and looked up at him. Normally they were in a state of coma by this stage, but she was conscious.

‘Please.. please...’ That was all she said. It was almost a sort of prayer. But Senta seemed unaware of it. He flicked over the switch.

Her eyes closed. Life seemed to drain from her.... From both her brain and her body.

The conference in the Council Chamber had reached a crucial stage. Jano appeared to be making a great impression on the Doctor and that was what everyone had hoped for. the junction into the main corridor. As she did she choked back a cry.

Someone was lurching towards her: a gruesome figure, just a few yards away, one of those frightening savages she had seen in the ravine near the TARDIS. A man in animal skins, a strange, wild expression on his face, eyes blank as though he was unable to see what lay ahead.

Perhaps he couldn’t see her properly. She thought this might be her only chance... If she drew herself close against the side of the tunnel, there might be enough room for him to pass without touching her. Because she guessed that if he sensed she was there — a wild savage like that, with that look of desperation on his face...

All she could do was to hold her breath as he stumbled nearer... Hold her breath and press tightly against the wall! The very sound of him, the hands reaching forward, the frantic look, all filled her with alarm.

‘So you see, Doctor,’ he said, ‘we have the power to make the wise man wiser, the strong man stronger, the brave man braver. And we can make the most beautiful girl more beautiful yet. You will realise that with such advantages, what we have in our power is the perfection of our race.’

The Doctor looked at him thoughtfully. As usual, he didn’t give away all that was in his mind, but he said, ‘In other words, you think you may have found the secret of eternal life?’

Jano nodded gravely. ‘I believe you have understood,’ he said.

It was Flower who first realised that Dodo was no longer with them. She turned to speak to her. ‘Come and look at this, Dodo..

‘Yes, Dodo...’ called Steven.

They looked around blankly. There was no sign of her. One moment she had been there, and the next she had vanished.

‘Where is she?’ said Steven.

They all started calling, ‘Dodo... Dodo..

The way behind them was clear. There seemed no place for her to hide.

‘Dodo... Where are you? Come on, don’t fool about...’ Steven was suddenly very anxious. He hurried back down the aisles calling, but there was no answer.

Dodo moved softly towards the T-junction. As she got closer she thought she could hear a faint sound, as though someone were shuffling towards her. It was an eerie noise, and there was someone breathing. She stopped for a moment, but, as usual with Dodo, curiosity got the better of her fears, and she edged round

4 ‘I Don’t Know What’s Going On, But I Don’t Like It’

All Dodo’s fears had been unnecessary. The frightening figure that came on unsteadily towards her did not pause, but stumbled past, fighting for breath.

Dodo gazed at him, bewildered, her fear changing to pity as she saw the wretched state he was in. But he didn’t even seem to notice her, all his scant energy was being concentrated on just keeping alive, keeping moving, struggling to reach some safe goal.

She watched him pass slowly by, swaying against the wall, heading for the end of the corridor.

It looked to Dodo as though it was a dead end, but as the man passed a light beam on the ceiling he triggered off a mechanism, and the end wall of the corridor began to slide away and the sunlight of the real world glowed beyond.

But before the man reached the exit the effort became too much.

Dodo saw his knees buckle and he pitched forward on the ground a few feet from the open doorway. He tried to get up, but he sank back with a groan, then lay very still. Dodo hurried towards him, and, as she reached the fallen man, he opened his eyes and looked up. She couldn’t understand the terror that crossed his face as she bent over him, but he was too helpless to move away.

She put an arm under his shoulders and struggled to lift him.

He opened his eyes again and stared at her in amazement.

‘Come on,’ she encouraged him. ‘You can do it.’ Gradually she got him upright, and steadied him against the wall.

She was very touched by his brave struggle, and took his arm, leading him to the open door. He was shaking like a very old man. As they progressed, he seemed to become more aware of her, still glancing at her, unable to understand that she could be helping him. Once he tried to speak, but he didn’t have the strength.

The last few steps were a great effort and he was almost collapsing as they reached the open air. Then Dodo stopped and let him move away by himself. He took another few steps, looking as if he were about to fall. Dodo was startled to see two figures rush from the bushes to catch him. They were two of the savages she had seen before, and both were carrying weapons.

One of them turned to her threateningly, as though to tell her to stay where she was. Both looked at her with a bitterness she could not understand.

For a moment it looked as though they might still attack, but the sick man caught one man’s arm and shook his head. Neither seemed to understand why he stopped them, but they turned and half-carried, half-dragged him into the ragged scrubland.

Dodo watched them go, unable to understand what any of this could mean. She was still in the open doorway when she heard the throbbing of some mechanism and she stepped back into the shelter of the corridor just as the door closed. A long tunnel lay before her. In the distance she heard the hum of a dynamo. The other end of the corridor seemed better lit, and she moved off cautiously towards it.

The trolley with its living subject attached to it fitted neatly into the cubicle designed for it. Senta took over the operation, pressing the range of controls before him and watching the transparent panels close round the girl. At the touch of another control, the cabinet began to fill with a white, gassy substance. It was necessary to peer closely through the haze to keep an eye on developments. Senta adjusted the special viewer on the panel, and was satisfied that all went according to their well-tried routine.

He then carefully spun the wheel that controlled the final process and a steady stream of life-giving bubbles began to pass through the liquid.

Beside Senta, two large vats were filled with a thick black liquid. The bubbles filtered into these, and slowly the dark liquid began to clear. All was going well.

A strange sound like bubbles bursting through water puzzled Dodo as she made her way along the corridor. It seemed to come from a multitude of pipes that ran along the top of the wall. As she got closer to the panels at the end of the corridor the noise grew louder. It was very intriguing. She stopped outside the door. The noise within was quite distinct.