Doctor Who: The Savages (6 page)

Senta shook his head with relief. ‘Not quite.’ They knew there would be an inquiry, and a reprimand, to say the least, if they lost a future source of energy.

‘We’ve been lucky twice this morning. Make. a record in her data bank. It must be some considerable time before we extract from her again. She will need months before there is life energy available.’

His assistant made an immediate note.

5 ‘The Old Man Did Not Obey’

Steven watched Captain Edal usher Dodo from the panel in the corridor with a mixture of feelings. He was greatly relieved, but he was also very angry at all the anxiety she had caused.

‘Don’t you start now,’ warned Dodo when she saw him.

‘What happened? I mean, how the devil did you manage to vanish, to stand this whole city on its head, Elders and all?’

‘You won’t believe it,’ said Dodo. ‘But I was attacked by some sort of a mad doctor.’

‘What?’

‘Well, more than one mad doctor. Several of his assistants as well. All trying to get me onto the operating table by the look of things.’

Steven looked at her incredulously.

‘It’s true,’ insisted Dodo. ‘They tried to tie me up.’ Flower was startled. ‘That’s a ridiculous story. You shouldn’t say such things.’

‘Do you know what goes on in there?’ asked Dodo. ‘I don’t suppose you’ve even seen the place. Is it a sort of hospital?’

‘Exactly,’ said Avon hurriedly. ‘That’s precisely what it is. A hospital.’

‘Perhaps they thought you were a patient,’ said Flower.

Dodo gave her a baleful look. ‘Then I should hate to be a patient in their hands.’

Captain Edal turned to her. ‘You must have a reason to say that,’ he said. ‘I’d like to know what it is.’

‘Just a feeling,’ said Dodo.

‘What exactly did you see there?’ asked Edal.

Dodo shrugged. ‘Nothing really. But what a terrible place. All that huge equipment — so sterile, inhuman.’

‘She always gets feelings like that,’ said Steven. ‘She imagines things.’

‘This is all very depressing,’ said Flower. ‘I know exactly the place to go to cheer ourselves up.’

They started to move off with her, but Captain Edal bowed stiffly to Flower. ‘You must make a report to the Elders,’ he said. ‘That must be done first. There has been negligence, and that must be answered for.’ Both Avon and Flower turned a shade paler.

‘I hope I haven’t landed you in trouble,’ whispered Dodo.

The other two tried to shrug it off. ‘We’ll be all right,’ said Flower.

‘Of course we will,’ said Avon. ‘We must leave you now. Perhaps we shall see you later.’

But when they were alone together their brave faces changed.

‘What will happen to us, Avon?’ asked Flower ‘Do you think they might take us along that corridor...’ She shuddered.

‘Of course not,’ he replied. ‘That’s only for the savages.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes. We’ll be all right. This is a free state. We are all equal. They have no right to do anything like that — tous.’

‘I hope you’re right,’ said Flower.

Avon took her arm as the girl was trembling.

At the same time Steven was watching Dodo anxiously. ‘Got over it, have you?’ he asked.

‘I have now,’ she said. ‘But it was nasty at the time.’

‘I told you not to go off by yourself,’ he said. ‘Don’t worry. I won’t do it again,’ she said with feeling.

The lab staff got Nanina clear of the equipment although she was so weak she couldn’t help herself.

‘You are to go,’ Senta told her. ‘You understand? Go.’

She blinked at him vaguely, and finally Senta had to send an assistant part of the way with her.

It had been a dreadful day, and he was getting a headache.

The Doctor had been proved right as usual. He had said Dodo could look after herself, and here she was as right as rain.

‘You had everybody in a great state,’ he told her when she and Steven and their two young hosts returned to the Conference Chamber.

‘I have to speak to you, Doctor,’ said Dodo. ‘I must tell you what happened.’

But the Doctor put her off almost casually. ‘Not just now, my dear.’

‘I think you ought to listen to her,’ whispered Steven.

‘Do you, my boy?’ The Doctor was being irritating, waving them both aside. ‘Well, I’m afraid I can’t just now. I’m having a most interesting discussion with these learned gentlemen.’ He indicated the Elders who clustered round. He seemed to be struck with a fresh thought as he ignored his fellow travellers and addressed Jano. ‘You know, sir, I think I have one or two documents which would interest you a great deal. Records of my investigations into time-travel. They might surprise you.’

‘You have them with you, Doctor?’

‘In the TARDIS. I’ll select the most intriguing. It won’t take more than a minute..

‘You want to return to your spaceship, Doctor?’ Jano seemed doubtful.

‘As I say, it won’t take long.’ The Doctor was already on his feet, adjusting his flowing black tie, tucking his thumbs into his loose waistcoat.

‘I’ll come with you,’ said Steven.

‘Very well,’ said the Doctor readily. ‘I shall need someone to carry a few things.’

‘We can send one of the guards with you,’ said Jano.

‘Not necessary,’ said the Doctor airily. He turned to Dodo.

‘And you come along too, Dodo. We don’t want to lose you again, do we?’

He didn’t wait for further discussion but marched away with his young friends, watched suspiciously by the others in the Council Chamber.

‘What do you think, Captain?’ asked Jano. ‘I’m not sure, sir,’ said Edal.

‘What did that girl see? Anything of importance?’ ‘It meant nothing to her,’ said Edal. ‘I made sure of that.’

‘But she suspects?’

‘She’s just a young girl, sir. What could she suspect? I’m much more concerned about the Doctor. How did he react to what you told him?’

‘He’s a very sophisticated man,’ said Jano thoughtfully. ‘He doesn’t give away what his true thoughts are. I know what he says... I don’t know what he thinks.’

‘Then it would be wise to keep an eye on him,’ suggested Edal.

The Captain saluted and hurried to follow the three strangers. As he reached the outside of the City he could see them entering the scrubland. They hadn’t gone far, and would not be difficult to follow.

The Doctor strode on through the scrub with Dodo and Steven almost trotting at his heels.

‘Why didn’t you let me tell you what happened?’ complained Dodo.

‘Not there, my child,’ said the Doctor. ‘I didn’t want any of those other gentlemen to hear.’

‘Jano and the Elders?’

‘Precisely.’

‘Don’t you trust them?’

‘Not entirely.’

‘Have you discovered something to make you doubt them?’ asked Steven.

‘I’m really not quite sure,’ said the Doctor cautiously. ‘I shall have to give the situation a little more attention before I get to the truth, I think. One thing I am sure of — things here are not exactly what they seem.’

‘In what way?’

‘They don’t feel right... Something is wrong... Perhaps very wrong.’

Steven suddenly grabbed his arm. ‘Look out!’

‘Savages!’ called Dodo. She backed away, but Steven and the Doctor held their ground. Just a few steps ahead a figure could be seen behind the bushes. It didn’t move.

‘He could be armed, Doctor,’ warned Dodo as the

Doctor moved slowly round the bush, nearer the

motionless figure. They could now see it was a man.

‘Why doesn’t he move?’ asked Steven. They expected him to attack or to run, not just to stay still in a strange posture as though leaning on the bush.

‘Let’s have a look,’ called the Doctor. He went quickly round the bush, and as he did so the man seemed to make a great effort, straightened himself, then suddenly collapsed to the ground. Dodo came running round to join them.

‘I know him,’ she said. ‘That’s the man I helped. He was in the corridor outside the room with the huge vats. What’s happened to him, Doctor? We must do something.’

All three squatted round the figure. It was indeed Wylda, the man Dodo had seen. The Doctor began to examine him.

Was he in this condition when you saw him?’ he asked Dodo. She nodded.

‘And he’d come from where?’

‘Some sort of laboratory, I think,’ she told him. ‘What’s wrong with him?’

‘Do you know, Doctor?’ asked Steven.

The Doctor was very tight-lipped. ‘I fear I do,’ he said.

‘Fear?’

‘For all their wonderful civilisation,’ said the Doctor bitterly, ‘their progress is based on this.’ He pointed at the man lying on the ground.

‘What do you mean?’

‘It seems they have discovered some way of taking the life force from one individual and transferring it to another, to chosen people of their own. These other poor beings are used as fodder. Spiritual and mental fodder. While the essence of their existence is drained away periodically into, I suppose, those vats you saw, Dodo. While their victims come close — very close — to death.’

But Dodo was not so concerned with the Doctor’s tirade as with the state of the poor fellow on the ground. ‘Is there anything we can do to help him, Doctor? To bring him back to life?’

The Doctor looked up sharply. ‘There is.’ He took a key from his pocket and handed it to Steven. ‘This will open the emergency locker in the TARDIS. You will find a container of capsules marked D403. Bring it and I think we might be able to save him. But hurry, both of you.’

Dodo and Steven raced off through the rocky countryside. The Doctor looked back at Wylda.

‘Let’s see if we can’t make you a little more comfortable, my friend.’ He moved the fallen man so that he rested easily. Wylda looked at the Doctor blankly as he helped him.

We’ll have you on your feet in no time,’ went on the Doctor. ‘Stay where you are, old man. Lie still.’ Wylda was trying to get up. ‘Breathe steadily. I’ll give you the rhythm: one... two..

He looked up as he heard Edal’s voice. ‘Do you require any assistance, Doctor?’

‘I think I can manage,’ said the Doctor flatly. ‘What have we here?’ asked Edal. He tapped the body on the ground with his foot.

‘I imagine you know quite a bit about this.’ The Doctor spoke accusingly.

‘He’s clearly one of the savages,’ said Edal casually. ‘Don’t let him worry you, Doctor. He should be back in the Reserve by now. He’s probably shamming, lazy great brute. Get up. Back to your sty.’ He gave the dazed man a heavy kick.

The Doctor jumped to his feet. ‘What do you think you’re doing? If he moves he may die.’

‘Not much chance of that,’ grinned Edal. ‘They’re as tough as old boots, these rascals.’ He turned back to Wylda. ‘Come on. You heard. On your feet. Quick, march! Up!’

The man was trying to raise himself. He sank back

and Edal urged him up with another rap with his foot. ‘Leave him alone!’ said the Doctor angrily. ‘What?’ Edal blinked at him.

‘I insist,’ said the Doctor.

‘I don’t think you understand the situation,’ said Edal slowly.

‘I understand it a little too clearly,’ said the Doctor grimly.

‘You do?’ Edal blinked again. ‘And you still waste time and effort on this semi-creature?’

‘This human being,’ said the Doctor firmly.

The Captain looked at the Doctor’s outraged expression with surprise. ‘What’s the matter, Doctor? Why all this concern? They’re only savages, you know.’

‘They are men,’ said the Doctor, unable to hide his anger. ‘Like you and me’.

‘Oh come, Doctor.’ Edal was amused.

‘Although,’ went on the Doctor, ‘at this moment it seems to me he’s more of a real human being than you are yourself.’

Edal tried to explain. After all, this Doctor was a stranger. Perhaps he didn’t understand the facts of life. ‘You’re off on the wrong tack, Doctor,’ he said. ‘These people... this species... they haven’t developed like we have. They’re a different breed... Savages’. He pushed Wylda over with his foot.

‘I forbid you to touch him,’ said the Doctor.

Edal turned on him, suddenly menacing. ‘You mean, you’re obstructing me, Doctor?’

‘I’m looking after this wretched fellow,’ said the Doctor. ‘I’ve taken responsibility for him.’

‘If that’s the case,’ said Edal, ‘I’m afraid I must ask you to come with me.’

‘I’ve told you,’ said the Doctor, ‘I’m attending to this fellow. Now please get out of my way.’

‘I warned you,’ said Edal. He had his light gun in his harness. He brought it up and trained it on the Doctor. ‘You will do as I ordered.’

The Doctor paid him not the slightest attention, busying himself over Wylda. ‘Hmm?’ he said.

Edal fired. The light played over the Doctor and he became limp, helpless in its rays.

And as they moved off — the Doctor a captive in an invisible grip — Wylda lifted his head to watch, realisation beginning to dawn.

How much longer he lay there he wasn’t sure, before he heard the sound of footsteps running, and a girl’s voice calling, ‘Are you sure you know where you are?’

Steven’s voice replied, ‘Just a little bit further.’ They stopped dead in their tracks as they saw Wylda lying by the side of the bush.

‘Where’s the Doctor?’ asked Dodo.

Wylda could give no proper answer, only a faint moan.

‘Doctor! Doctor!’ shouted Steven. They looked over the bleak scrubland. There was no movement, and no reply.

‘What do we do?’ asked Dodo.

‘Better give him the capsules.’ Steven indicated the man on the ground.

‘What about the Doctor?’

‘You know what he’s like. Unpredictable. He’ll turn up.’

Dodo knelt by the sick man. She tried to make him take one of the capsules they had brought from the TARDIS, but he resisted.

‘Come on,’ she said. ‘Take it. Trust the Doctor.’

The man swallowed the little pill. A moment later some of the pain seemed to ease from his face, and he sank back with a sigh.

‘That seems to have done him good,’ said Dodo. ‘Shall I give him the other one?’

‘Might as well,’ agreed Steven.

They were too occupied to notice the silent activity in the bushes behind them. Chal and Tor approached at the head of a little band of their fellows — half -a dozen other men, dressed as they were, in animal skins, and carrying spears and other primitive weapons. They moved towards the two strangers cautiously, spears at the ready, determined to attack.