Doctor Who: The Twin Dilemma (11 page)

'All right...' they said as one voice. 'We'll cooperate.'

Azmael smiled. 'Your decision pleases me. Thank you.'

Then in spite of their good intentions (or was it a subconscious reaction to make their sudden conversion credible?) Romulus muttered, 'We still think you're mad.'

'Quite mad ...' Remus chipped in.

'Neurotic, psychotic ...'

'And despotic.'

Azmael nodded. 'You could be right. We'll just have to wait and see.'

What was referred to as Azmael's palace was, in fact, a massive citadel. It was said that parts of it were over two thousand years old, but such had been its piecemeal development that any architectual or historical value it may have once had had long since been lost. Instead, its collected buildings gracelessly sprawled down from the top of the mountain on which the original structure had been built.

Peri and Hugo were not destined to see this view of the citadel, as the Doctor had decided to materialise in one of its maze of forgotten corridors.

As the trio stepped from the TARDIS into a dingy, dank corridor, Peri heard herself saying indignantly, 'This is the seediest stately home I've ever seen.'

'You didn't expect me to materialise in the throne room?' was the sharp retort.

Peri didn't answer. Nowadays she didn't know what to expect from the Doctor. Although he seemed to have stabilised since his earlier erratic outbursts, there was still something odd and remote about him.

As they moved off along the passageway, going they knew not where, it had occurred to Hugo that if the twins were on Jaconda, he could still fulfill his mission and rescue them, thereby also saving his own career.

The more he thought about it, the more the idea excited him. He had always dreamed of being declared a hero, ever since he had joined starfighter command. His natural good looks, easy charm and ability to look good in a uniform made him, so Hugo thought, a perfect choice.

As a hero he would be able to give up flying -something that still frightened him - possibly enter politics, or specialise in appearing on the numerous chat shows that dominated the public viddy channels. The money was good, the adoration overwhelming and, most of all, it was safe.

Heroes never slipped in the ratings. As they grew older, wiser and better informed, they would transfer to the debate programmes, of which there were even more than chat shows. If Hugo proved really successful, he might even be granted the ultimate accolade, that of becoming the chairman of his very own show!

Carried away on the wings of his own fantasy, Hugo had overlooked one thing: he still had to find the twins. There was also the Doctor and Peri to consider, but Hugo had decided to dump them at the first opportunity. He didn't want to risk anyone eclipsing his success. Neither did he need the Doctor to pilot the TARDIS. Careful study of it in flight had convinced Hugo that he was capable of handling the ship alone.

As the group continued to move cautiously along the passage, Peri whispered. 'Are you sure we're going the right way?'

The Doctor nodded. 'Azmael gave me a conducted tour the last time I was here. This passage leads to his laboratory.'

As he spoke, the group became aware of a strong, pungent smell, very similar to the one that had pervaded the wasteland they had visited earlier.

Quickly, the Doctor pushed Hugo and Peri into a deep alcove leading off the passageway.

They were no sooner in place then through the silence they heard the faint mooing and slithering of two gastropods.

As Hugo silently drew his gun, the Doctor gripped his arm and indicated that he should not use it. The risk was too great as there were bound to be armed guards nearby.

As they pressed deeper into the dark shadows which shared the alcove with them, the two gastropods slithered by. The stench which emanated from them was so overpowering that Peri started to retch. Quickly, the Doctor placed his hand on his young companion's mouth to silence her.

With gastropods gone and their sickly smell beginning to clear, Hugo decided to take his chance. Unnoticed by the Doctor and Peri, he slipped into the main passageway, his intention to find the twins and get back to the TARDIS while the Doctor was dealing with Mestor.

Cautiously, he started to make his way along the passage, but suddenly became aware that something was dragging at his feet.

Looking down, he saw that his boots were covered by a dense, sticky mucus.

As he tried to move on, Hugo realised that the mucus was beginning to set hard. Seconds later, he was stuck fast, as though someone had glued him to the floor.

'Doctor!' he called in a loud, hoarse whisper. 'I'm stuck!'

The Doctor and Peri peered into the passage and immediately saw the literal mess the pilot had got himself into.

That's what you get for wandering off!'

'Spare me the lecture. Doctor!' Then softening his tone, he added,

'Please get me out of here!'

'Can't.'

'Why not?'

'Gastropod slime trails set like concrete.'

'You can't abandon him!' pleaded Peri.

The Time Lord prodded the thick, hard slime with the toe of his shoe. There's nothing I can do.'

A look of horror spread across Hugo's face. 'You can't leave me here!'

'I can and I must. I have more important matters to attend to.'

'If those gastropods come back, they'll kill me!'

'You should have thought about that when you tried to sneak away.'

Hugo levelled his gun and took careful aim at the Doctor. 'Leave me here and I'll kill you.'

The Doctor smiled. 'Then how would you get home?'

Hugo didn't reply.

‘I saw the way you were watching me when I was operating the TARDIS's controls. Looked simple, didn't it? But you'll find there is more to flying the TARDIS than pressing a few switches.'

'I'll take my chance,' growled Hugo.

'Then you'll take it alone,' interrupted Peri. 'If you kill the Doctor, I won't help you.'

Hugo considered the situation for a moment, then lowered his gun.

'I'm sorry,' he said, trying to sound like a little boy caught doing something naughty. T panicked. I wasn't thinking.'

'You should try it sometime,' snapped the Doctor. 'You'll find it useful. Now try pointing that gun at your feet.'

Uncertain whether the Doctor was cracking some sort of Gallifreyan joke, the young pilot looked down at his trapped boots.

'If you set your laser gun to its lowest setting you might be able to cut yourself free.'

Hugo instantly obeyed, cursing for not having thought of the idea himself. Carefully he lined the gun up with the edge of his boot and squeezed the trigger. A thin, red, perfect beam of light shot from the weapon, and slowly the hardened mucus began to buckle under the high temperature of the ray.

As Hugo worked, the Doctor whispered to Peri, 'I'm wasting valuable time.' His voice was now tense and irritable. 'I sense that something terrible is about to happen.'

Peri gazed at the strained features of the Time Lord, concerned by his sudden change of mood. 'I'm sure he won't be long.'

'But will he be quick enough?'

Peri didn't understand. Neither was she given the chance to.

'I'm off,' snapped the Doctor, and he started off along the passage, Peri following.

'Do you think it wise to go off alone when you're so agitated!' she asked.

'I am not agitated!'

Suddenly the Doctor stopped dead and Peri almost bumped into him. 'Unless you're implying I'm about to have one of my fits!'

That was precisely what Peri was implying, but thought it unwise to pursue the point. Instead she said, 'I'm concerned you may meet more gastropods. Together we might be able to defeat them. But alone you wouldn't stand a chance.'

'I have always managed alone. I was born alone. I shall die alone.

I've also come to the conclusion that it is best to spend the time between those two unfortunate events alone. Do you understand?'

Peri nodded.

'Now go back to Hugo,' snapped the Doctor. 'And when he's freed himself from the mucus, take him back to the TARDIS. I don't want either of you getting in my way.'

A moment later he had mounted a much worn flight of stone steps and, taking them two at a time, disappeared into the gloom above, watched by a confused and very worried Peri.

On reaching the top of the steps the Doctor turned into an even more miserable passage than the one he had just left. Here the hardened trails of mucus were more numerous and the Doctor increased his pace. More trails meant more gastropods and he had to find Azmael before he was discovered himself.

Up another flight of stairs, the Time Lord jogged. Along yet another bleak, dank corridor. Then quickly into an alcove and the safety of its dark shadows, as the Doctor caught sight of another gastropod. With the danger passed, he continued his quest desperately trying to remember where Azmael's laboratory was.

As the Doctor entered a large quadrangle with a corridor leading off from every corner, he was finally forced to face the fact that he was lost. To take a wrong turning now would not only lead him further away from Azmael, but deeper into the citadel and closer to being caught by Mestor's guards.

The Doctor scratched his head. What to do next? As he pondered, he heard a familiar, schoolmasterly voice echoing along the corridor nearest to him.

It was Azmael!

The Doctor broke into a run as he headed towards the pedagogic chant, delighted that his old friend was able to project his voice so well. How many times had the Doctor sat in Azmael's classroom, trying not to listen to one of his complicated lectures, only to find his deep, rolling vowel sounds breaking through the protective wall of his distracted thoughts.

This time, though, the Doctor was all ears.

As he approached the heavy wooden door, through which the dulcet tones of his old teacher boomed, the Doctor could also hear the more squeaky, less controlled voices of the twins. Delightedly the Doctor smiled, then braced himself to enter the room.

With all the swash and buckle of a Sabatini hero, the Time Lord threw open the door and bounded in. 'Still bullying children, eh, Azmael?'

Rapidly the bemused quartet in the room turned to see who was making so much fuss and noise. Who in the world is this fool?

their expression said.

The Doctor glanced over his shoulder to see who they were really looking at.

Then slowly, painfully, he realised they were looking at him.

Meanwhile, Hugo had managed to free himself from the hardened slime. Although Peri had protested long and forcefully, the young pilot had refused to return to the TARDIS. His mission, he had declared rather pompously, was to save the twins.

Unfortunately, Hugo had proclaimed his quest too loudly, and, as he moved off in the same direction the Doctor had taken, two Jacondan guards stepped from the shadows rendering him unconscious neatly and efficiently with the butt of their guns.

As Peri turned to run, she had come face to face with a third guard who smiled politely then twisted her arm painfully behind her back.

Once more she was a prisoner, and like the times before, she hated it!

Drak, who had been slouched in a corner reading a comic, was the first to move. As he got to his feet he tugged his laser pistol from its holster.

Romulus and Remus watched the Jacondan in eager anticipation of violence. But they were unlucky.

Azmael, momentarily struck dumb by the unnecessary aggression of the Doctor's arrival, located his voice, then stepped forward to greet him.

'My dear friend,' he said extending his hand. Tm delighted to see that you're safe.'

The Doctor, feeling less affable, responded with a mouthful of abuse. He demanded to know why Azmael had found it necessary to try and kill him.

Deciding it was time to play the diplomat, Drak stepped between the two arguing men. 'Azmael didn't know the self-destruct mechanism had been set.'

The Doctor didn't believe the Jacondan.

'He's telling the truth,' said Remus.

'It was the other man,' added Romulus. 'His name's Noma.'

The Doctor looked around the room. 'Where is he?'

'With Lord Mestor,' said Drax. 'And I wouldn't be too quick to blame him. He was only obeying Mestor's orders.'

Azmael extended his hand again. 'I am truly delighted you survived, my dear Doctor.'

This time the hand was accepted.

'Now we must find somewhere for you to hide.'

The Doctor shook his head. 'First tell me what's going on here.'

Quickly Azmael told of Mestor's plan to move the two outer planets of the Jacondan solar system and turn them into agricultural paradises.

Silently the Doctor listened, both amazed and impressed at the boldness of the plan, until his eye fell on the astronomical model.

Followed by Azmael, the Doctor crossed to examine it more carefully. There was no need for him to ask whether the model was of the Jacondan solar system, as a small, neatly engraved plaque announced the fact.

'Is this model to scale?' enquired the Doctor.

'Of course.'

'Very interesting,' muttered the Doctor.

'Is there something wrong?'

But before the Doctor could answer, the door of the laboratory was thrown open and two guards entered, supporting a stunned Hugo.

Gently they lowered him into a chair. As they did, Noma appeared at the door. 'The Lord Mestor wishes you to exmaine the humanoid for internal damage.'

'Of course,' said Azmael crossing to Hugo.

At the same moment Noma noticed the Doctor. 'You certainly get around,' he smirked. 'I think you'd better come with me. The Lord Mestor would like a few words with you.'

'Where's Peri?' demanded the Doctor.

'Quite safe,' echoed a sickly, sibilant voice which definitely wasn't Noma's.

As the Doctor glanced around, wondering where the sound had come from, a hologram image started to form in the middle of the room.