DOCTOR WHO

AND THE INVASION

OF TIME
Based on the BBC television serial by David Ane!
by arrane"ent !ith the British Broad#astin
Cor$oration
TERRAN%E DIC&S
No' () in the Do#tor Who *ibrary
A TAR%ET BOO&
published by
the +a$erba#, Division o-
W' H' Allen . Co' *td
A Taret Boo,
+/blished in 0121
by the +a$erba#, Division o- W' H' Allen . Co' *td'
A Ho!ard . Wyndha" Co"$any
33 Hill Street4 *ondon W05 6*B
Re$rinted 0160
Re$rinted 0167
Re$rinted 0163
Novelisation #o$yriht 8 Terran#e Di#,s 0121
Oriinal s#ri$t #o$yriht 8 David Ane! 0126
9Do#tor Who9 series #o$yriht 8 British Broad#astin Cor$oration 01264 0121
+rinted and bo/nd in %reat Britain by An#hor Brendon *td4 Ti$tree' Esse:
ISBN ; 37< 7;;1( 3
This boo, is sold s/b=e#t to the #ondition that it shall not4 by !ay o- trade or other!ise4 be lent4 resold4 hired o/t or other!ise
#ir#/lated !itho/t the $/blisher9s $rior #onsent in any -or" o- bindin or #over other than that in !hi#h it is $/blished and
!itho/t a si"ilar #ondition in#l/din this #ondition bein i"$osed on the s/bse>/ent $/r#haser'
Contents
0 Treaty -or Treason
7 The +resident?Ele#t
( Atta#, -ro" the Matri:
3 The F/itive
) The Betrayal
< The Invasion
2 The O/t#asts
6 The Assassin
1 The Vardans
0; False Vi#tory
00 The Sontarans
07 The &ey o- Rassilon
0( Failsa-e
03 The Chase
0) The Wisdo" o- Rassilon
1
Treaty for Treason
The s$a#e shi$ !as enor"o/s4 terri-yin4 a lon4 slee, ,iller?!hale o- s$a#e' Its h/ll?lines
!ere shar$ and $redatory and it bristled !ith the !ea$on?$orts o- a variety o- death
dealin devi#es' Everythin abo/t it s/ested devastatin4 "/rdero/s $o!er'
It !as the -la?shi$ o- the Vardan !ar -leet4 headin to!ards a $lanet #alled
%alli-rey'
Inside the s$a#e shi$ !as another o- even "ore advan#ed desin4 tho/h it !o/ld
have been di--i#/lt to tell as "/#h -ro" the o/tside' It too, the -or" o- a s>/are bl/e
$oli#e bo:4 o- the ,ind on#e /sed on the $lanet Earth' Inside !as an i"$ossibly lare
#ontrol roo"' The #ra-t !as #alled the TARDIS4 and it !as di"ensionally trans#endental4
bier on the inside than on the o/tside'
The #ontrol roo" held a "any?sided #entral #onsole and t!o $eo$le4 or to be
stri#tly a##/rate4 one -e"ale h/"anoid and one a/to"aton'
The h/"an !as a irl #alled *eela' She !as tall and stron4 !ith bro!n eyes and
lon reddish?bro!n hair4 and she !ore a brie- #ost/"e o- ani"al s,ins !ith a -ihtin
,ni-e at the belt' She $a#ed /$ and do!n the #ontrol roo" li,e a reat #at' *eela !as a
$ri"itive4 a savae4 raised as a -ihtin !arrior in a tribe #alled the Sevatee"'
The a/to"aton !as sha$ed li,e a robot do4 and !as a$$ro$riately #alled &@'
Both !ere #o"$anions o- that "ysterio/s traveller in s$a#e and ti"e ,no!n as the
Do#tor4 and both !ere !onderin !hat had be#o"e o- hi"'
The Do#tor9s behavio/r tended to be odd and arbitrary at the best o- ti"es4 b/t
re#ently he had e:#elled hi"sel-'
To bein !ith he had -allen into a strane4 abstra#ted "ood4 silent -or lon
$eriods4 ans!erin >/estions !ith brie-4 sna$$ish re$lies' He see"ed to be listenin "/#h
o- the ti"e4 starin abstra#tedly into s$a#e li,e so"eone strainin to #at#h a -aint
"essae on the ede o- hearin'
The strane "ood had ended in a -l/rry o- e>/ally "ysterio/s a#tivity' The Do#tor
had h/n#hed hi"sel- over the #ontrol board and $/n#hed a lon and #o"$le: series o-
#o?ordinates into the naviation #ir#/its4 #orre#tin and re?#orre#tin as i- deter"ined to
arrive at so"e /tterly $re#ise destination in s$a#e and ti"e' And no! here they !ere
inside an enor"o/s alien s$a#e shi$' The Do#tor had #he#,ed their arrival #o?ordinates4
iven a r/nt o- satis-a#tion4 ordered the" not to to/#h the s#anner4 and "ar#hed straiht
o/t o- the #ontrol roo" !itho/t a !ord o- e:$lanation'
*eela and &
1
!ere le-t to !ait?and !onder'
In the !ar roo" o- the Vardan -la?shi$4 an enor"o/s s#reen too, /$ the !hole o- one
!all' On the s#reen4 aainst a ba#,dro$ o- stars4 !as a vis/al dis$lay o- the Vardan battle
-leet4 s>/adron /$on s>/adron in the ty$i#al Vardan V?-or"ation4 headin re"orselessly
to!ards %alli-rey'
St/dyin the dis$lay stood a tall4 stranely?dressed -i/re' He !ore loose and
#o"-ortable?loo,in #lothes !ith a va/ely Bohe"ian air' An i""ensely lon "/lti?
#olo/red s#ar- !as !o/nd abo/t his ne#,4 a battered broad?bri""ed so-t hat !as =a""ed
onto a tanle o- #/rly hair'
There !as a lon #/rved #on-eren#e table belo! the s#reen4 and behind the table
hih?ba#,ed #hairs held the "e"bers o- the Vardan !ar #o/n#il' An ornate4 elaborately?
sealed do#/"ent lay in the #entre o- the table'
The Vardan *eader s$o,e in a thin4 i"$atient voi#e' 9S$eed is vital4 Do#tor' SinA9
*eela #o"$leted yet another #ir#/it o- the #ontrol roo"4 sto$$ed and stared i"$atiently
do!n at &
1
' 9Ho! "/#h loner is he oin to beB9
9+ronosti#ation in "atters #on#ernin the Do#tor i"$ossible'9
9+ro?!hatB9
9I #annot tell'9
9Can yo/ tell "e !here !e are thenB9
9A--ir"ative'9
9WellB9
9Materialisation has ta,en $la#e inside an alien s$a#e #ra-t'9
9Why !o/ldn9t the Do#tor let "e o !ith hi"B9
9I do not ,no!' +ronosti#ation in "atters #on#ernin the Do#tor is??9
9I"$ossibleA9 #o"$leted *eela' 9I ,no!''' b/t he "ay need hel$'9 *eela !as >/ite
#onvin#ed that the Do#tor !as -ar too i"$ra#ti#al to ta,e #are o- hi"sel-' 9I9" oin to
ta,e a loo, at the s#anner'9
9Do not to/#h s#anner #ontrol4 Mistress'9
9I ,no! the Do#tor said !e sho/ldn9t''' b/t !o/ldn9t yo/ li,e to see !hat he9s
doin4 &
1
4 !ho he9s tal,in toB9
9Neative' C/riosity is an e"otion' I a" not $rora""ed -or e"otion'9
9Oh sh/t /$49 said *eela #rossly' 9Co/9re no hel$ at all'9 She t/rned on the s#anner'
Nothin ha$$ened' 9What9s !ronB Why !on9t it !or,B9 She -li#,ed the s!it#h
i"$atiently' 9WhyB9 &
1
didn9t ans!er' *eela loo,ed do!n' 9&
1
s/l,in9s e"otional
behavio/r too4 yo/ ,no!' I- yo/ #annot be #/rio/s4 then yo/ #annot s/l,'9
More silen#e'
9&
1
4 I9" sorry49 said *eela #a=olinly' 9I didn9t "ean to sho/t at yo/'9
9A$oloies are not ne#essary49 said &
1
4 b/t his tail antenna !as !ain ently'
*eela s"iled' 9No4 o- #o/rse not' No!4 #an yo/ $lease tell "e !hy the s#anner
!ill not !or,B9
9The Do#tor i""obilised the "e#hanis" be-ore he le-t'9
9He doesn9t tr/st "eA9 said *eela indinantly' 9What9s he doing o/t thereB9
9It is ti"e to #on#l/de these -or"alities4 Do#tor49 said the Vardan leader i"$atiently' 9Sin
the treatyA9
The Do#tor s!/n ro/nd' 9I never sin anythin be-ore I read it'9
9Then readA9
The Do#tor $i#,ed /$ the do#/"ent and s#anned it ra$idly' 9Co/ $ro"ised "e
#o"$lete #ontrol over the Ti"e *ords'9
9Co/ !ill have #o"$lete #ontrol'9
9B/t in $arara$h -o/r s/bse#tion three4 it states that??9
9Mere la!yers9 >/ibbles4 Do#tor'9
9I9ve heard that one be-ore49 said the Do#tor s/s$i#io/sly' 9*a!yers9 >/ibbles #an
et yo/ ,illed'9
9Sin it'9
The Do#tor sihed' 9Oh !ell4 I9ve sined so "any thins in "y lives''' one "ore
!on9t "a,e any di--eren#e'9
9B/t it !ill49 said the Vardan so-tly' 9It !illA9
The Do#tor $rod/#ed an old?-ashioned -o/ntain $en -ro" his $o#,et' 'Complete
#ontrolB9
9My !ord on it'9
The Do#tor s#ra!led an elaborate set o- hieroly$hi#s a#ross the botto" o- the
do#/"ent4 straihtened /$4 and bo!ed elaborately' 9I a" hono/red to serve the lorio/s
Vardan #a/se'9
A -e! "in/tes later the Do#tor !as bein reeted !ith a barrae o- >/estions -ro" *eela'
9Do#tor4 !here have yo/ beenB What have yo/ been doinB What9s oin onB9
9SsshA9 said the Do#tor' He !ent straiht over to the #ontrol #onsole and bean
$/n#hin /$ #oordinates'
9Do#tor4 !here have yo/ been?'
9Order &
1
to tell yo/ to sh/t /$A9
9 &
1
tell "e to sh/t /$B Ho! dare yo/A9
Ta,in *eela9s re$etition as an order4 &
1
lided over to her' 9+lease ado$t silent
"ode4 Mistress'9
9No! loo, here4 &
1
'''9
The blaster e:tr/ded -ro" beneath &
1
9s nose' 9I"$erative4 Mistress'9
*eela ,ne! the blaster !o/ld only be set on st/n4 b/t bein st/nned by &
1
!as
>/ite an /n$leasant e:$erien#e'
*eela sh/t /$'
The Castellan9s ne! s/ite o- o--i#es !as an elaborate a--air o- trans$arent $lasti#
and lea"in "etal4 !ith #o"$le: #ontrol #onsoles and brihtly -li#,erin vision s#reens
every!here' It !as over?te#hnoloi#al even by Ti"e *ord standards4 b/t &elner4 the ne!
Castellan -elt it hel$ed to "aintain his i"ae' DThe ne!ly?-or"ed Castellan9s Body/ard
S>/ad served the sa"e $/r$oseE &elner !as a thin?-a#ed4 nervo/s4 rather inse#/re Ti"e
*ord !ho o!ed his $osition to a #o"bination o- ood birth and $oliti#al intri/e'
S$andrel the $revio/s Castellan4 no! retired4 had been #ontent !ith shabby
#ha"bers in an old4 r/n do!n >/arter o- the Ca$itol' B/t then4 S$andrel had been a to/h4
no nonsense #hara#ter4 !ho -elt no need to ,ee$ /$ a$$earan#es' &elner !as very
di--erent'
The ne! Castellan sat behind an enor"o/s des, in his inner san#t/"' The o/ter
o--i#es held his vario/s assistants' Chie- a"on the" !as a handso"e yo/n Ti"e *ord
#alled Andred4 Co""ander o- the Chan#ellery %/ard' Andred !as seldo" to be -o/nd at
his des,' He didn9t "/#h #are -or &elner4 and too, ood #are that his vario/s d/ties ,e$t
hi" o/t and abo/t in the enor"o/s s$ra!lin Ca$itol4 the #ity?siFed #o"$le: o- b/ildins
that !as the seat o- all Ti"e *ord overn"ent'
At this $arti#/lar "o"ent Andred !as at his des, -or on#e4 !hi#h !as -ort/nate
sin#e an /rent and alar"in "essae had =/st arrived'
Andred !as i"$atiently de"andin -/rther details -ro" the s$ea,er on the other
end o- the #o""/ni#ations #ir#/it' 9S$ea, /$4 "an' WhereB When?no relative ti"e4 -oolA
Than, yo/A9 Andred sat -ro!nin -or a "o"ent' M/#h as he loved the rande/r o- his
$osition4 Castellan &elner didn9t really li,e to be tro/bled !ith a#t/al !or,' He !o/ld
re$rove yo/ -or botherin hi" !ith trivia?and #o"$lain even "ore savaely i- he !asn9t
told everythin he needed to ,no!' Andred rose4 and !ent into the inner o--i#e'
%oreo/s in Castellan9s robes4 &elner sat aFin into s$a#e4 $res/"ably
#onte"$latin his o!n i"$ortan#e'
Andred #o/hed and &elner see"ed to be#o"e a!are o- his $resen#e' 9Ces4 !hat
is it4 Co""anderB9
9A re$ort has =/st #o"e in4 sir'9
9Contin/e'9
9Te"$oral s#an has =/st $i#,ed /$ an /nidenti-ied #a$s/le a$$roa#hin %alli-rey'9
9Gnidenti-iedB9 &elner !as dis$leased' Everythin on %alli-rey had to be
identi-ied4 do#,eted4 re/lated' An /nidenti-ied #a$s/le !as aainst all the r/les'
9At this distan#e4 !ithin o/r o!n Contin/"4 the #a$s/le4 is still /nidenti-ied'9
9B/t it is one o- o/r o!nB9
9*on?rane s#an o- "ole#/lar $atina see"s to indi#ate %alli-reyan oriin49 said
Andred #a/tio/sly' 9B/t it9s still too early -or a $ositive identi-i#ation'9
9+resent de-en#e levelB9
9Still on %reen4 sir'9
9No sense in ta,in #han#es4 Co""ander' %o to A"ber'9
9Ces sir' I9ll need the #ode?,ey4 sir'9
There !as a str/#t/re o- "/lti#olo/red lobes on &elner9s des,4 rather li,e a
laboratory "odel o- an ato"' &elner too, one o- the little lobes -ro" its settin and
handed it to Andred'
Andred too, the lobe and le-t the o--i#e' Ret/rnin to his o!n #ontrol #o"$le:4
he held the lobe be-ore a s#anner' 9Main se#/rityB Co""ander Andred s$ea,in' +lease
establish A"ber Alert i""ediately'9
There !as a brie- "/si#al blee$ -ro" the #onsole as the #o""and #ode !as
re#orded and a##e$ted'
The Do#tor and &
1
!ere alone in the #ontrol roo"' *eela had one o-- in a h/--'
The Do#tor !as st/dyin his #ontrol #onsole' 9They9ve $/t an A"ber Alert on "eA
An A"ber AlertA Chee,A9
&
1
!as ba--led' He !asn9t $rora""ed -or slan' 9Chee,4 MasterB9
9Ces4 #hee,A9
9Chee,''' $hysi#al #hara#teristi#s''' h/"anoid -a#ial #o"$onent'9
9Wron49 said the Do#tor absently'
&
1
!hirred and #li#,ed' 9Data #he#, insists de-inition #orre#t'9
The Do#tor inored hi"' 9An A"ber Alert4 ehB9
It !asn9t #lear i- he tho/ht the deree o- alar" !as too severe4 or not severe
eno/h'
9We have #on-ir"ation no!4 sir4H re$orted Andred' 9The #a$s/le is de-initely %alli-reyan'9
9Then !hat is all the -/ss abo/tB9
9It9s still /nidenti-ied4 sir'9
&elner $/n#hed a #ontrol $anel and a set o- sy"bols a$$eared on the reado/t
s#reen o- his des, #o"$/ter' 9Only t!o Ti"e *ords are #/rrently absent on a/thorised
resear#h' I- yo/ #he#, their "ole#/lar #odins'''9
9I9ve already done that4 sir' Neither o- the" "at#h'9
&elner r/bbed lon4 bony hands toether in alar"' 9Then !ho is in that #a$s/leB
Gna/thorised /se o- a Ti"e Ca$s/le #arries the death $enalty4 Co""ander' See to itA9
Andred !ent ba#, to his #onsole' 9Co""ander Andred to all %/ard *eaders' An
/nidenti-ied #a$s/le is a$$roa#hin the Ca$itol'9 He $a/sed4 -or"/latin his orders' 9I-
there is no sin o- li-e4 the #a$s/le !ill be destroyed on "aterialisation' I- a sentient li-e?
-or" e"eres4 arrest and hold -or interroation'9 Andred $a/sed' 9I- the alien resists arrest?
,ill hi"A9
2
The President-Elect
9*i,e a do?bis#/it4 &
1
49 said the Do#tor s/ddenly' 9Or a ball?bearinB9
&
1
!as h/rt' 9+lease do not "o#, "e4 Master'9
9Where9s *eelaB9
9I""ersed4 Master'9
9WhatB9
9Totally i""ersed in H
7
O4 Master'9
9This is a -ine ti"e to ta,e a bathA9 said the Do#tor indinantly' 9That irl9s ot no
sense o- o##asion'9
*eela s!a" to and -ro in a l/:/rio/s s!i""in $ool that !as only one o- the TARDIS9s
"any s/r$rises' Sin#e it !as di"ensionally trans#endental4 the interior o- the TARDIS
!as virt/ally li"itless in siFe' *eela had dis#overed the s!i""in $ool on one o- her
tri$s o- e:$loration4 to the astonish"ent o- the Do#tor !ho had #o"$letely -orotten it
!as there' She /sed it o-ten no!4 es$e#ially !hen she !as !orried' It see"ed the nearest
thin the TARDIS #o/ld $rovide to the o$en air'
*eela !as !orried no!4 as she s!a" lenth a-ter lenth !ith s"ooth4 $o!er-/l
stro,es' The Do#tor9s strane behavio/r see"ed to be ettin steadily !orse' She #o/ldn9t
sha,e o-- the -eelin that he !as headin blindly into terrible daner' Cli"bin o/t o- the
$ool4 she shoo, hersel- dry and !ent to -ind hi"'
Andred $a/sed at the entran#e to the Castellan9s o--i#e' 9They9ve esti"ated the landin
$la#e o- the #a$s/le4 sir' Riht in the heart o- the Ca$itol' I thin, I9ll o and s/$ervise its
destr/#tion $ersonally'9
&elner !aved hi" a!ay' 9O- #o/rse' And re"e"ber4 Andred4 an alien !ho #an
steal and #ontrol a #a$s/le is danero/s by de-inition' He is to be #a$t/red4 interroated4
and then e:e#/ted'9
9I !ill see that all the re/lations are observed4 sir49 Andred sti--ly re$lied4 and
"ar#hed a!ay'
In the !ar roo" o- their -la?shi$4 "e"bers o- the Vardan #o/n#il !ere st/dyin a
#o"$le: -li#,erin o- sy"bols on a video s#reen' 9Interestin49 said the *eader so-tly' 9He
a$$ears to have landed'9
One o- the #o/n#il said d/bio/sly4 9+erha$s they !ill ,ill hi" at on#e'9
9No "atter' There !ill be others'''9
The TARDIS a$$eared at the botto" o- a -liht o- ste$s in one o- the ante?#ha"bers o-
the "ain Ca$itol b/ildin' The #hoi#e o- arrival $oint !as a !orryin one4 de#ided
Andred' The Chan#ellor9s o--i#e !as very #lose'
The "o"ent it "aterialised the TARDIS !as s/rro/nded by a s>/ad o-
Chan#ellery %/ards' They !aited4 tense and alert4 stasers trained on the bl/e bo:'
The TARDIS door o$ened and the Do#tor strode o/t'
He stared arroantly abo/t hi"4 s/ddenly a$$eared to noti#e the /ards and
-avo/red the" !ith a lordly !ave' 9Well4 hello4 entle"en' It is ni#e to be ba#,A9
Andred ave a sinal4 and the /ards bro/ht their stasers to their sho/lders'
The Do#tor bea"ed' 9%ood4 very ood' I li,e to see a s"art bit o- drillA9 He strode
/$ to the nearest /ard li,e so"e visitin eneral' 9And !here are yo/ -ro"4 "y "anB9
There !as =/st the riht note o- =ovial a/thority in his voi#e and the /ard
ans!ered a/to"ati#ally' 9%al?li-rey4 sir'9
9%alli-rey4 ehB9 said the Do#tor tho/ht-/lly' 9Never heard o- itA9
He strolled do!n the line and sto$$ed in -ront o- another /ard' Be-ore anyone
#o/ld sto$ hi" he snat#hed the "an9s staser4 $eered do!n the "/FFle4 then thre! the
!ea$on ba#, to hi"' 9Dis/stin4 absol/tely -ilthyA9 He ra,ed the line o- /ards !ith a
!itherin stare' 9Call yo/rselves an Hono/r %/ardB Disra#e-/l4 a rabble that9s all yo/
are4 a rabble4 not -it to /ard a =elly babyA9 With a s/dden #hane o- "ood4 the Do#tor
-ished a #r/"$led $a$er ba -ro" his $o#,et and o--ered it to the nearest /ard' 9Wo/ld
yo/ #are -or a =elly baby4 by the !ayB9
Andred #a"e -or!ard' So"eho! the sit/ation !as ettin o/t o- his #ontrol' 9I
don9t thin, yo/ /nderstand4 !e9re here to arrest yo/'''9
His voi#e tailed a!ay4 as he #a/ht siht o- *eela4 !ho had s/ddenly a$$eared in
the TARDIS door!ay' He stood starin at her o$en?"o/thed'
9%ood4 ood49 said the Do#tor #heer-/lly4 and he strode to!ards the door' 9*et9s et
on !ith it4 shall !eB9
He set o-- at a bris, $a#e4 and *eela started to -ollo! hi"'
The Do#tor !hirled ro/nd' 9Where do yo/ thin, yo/9re oinB Co/ stay here till I
send -or yo/A9
Ba--led and resent-/l4 *eela stayed !here she !as4 and the Do#tor disa$$eared'
Andred h/rried a-ter hi"' 9N/"ber one se#tion !ith "e4 n/"ber t!o4 /ard the
irl'9 *eela !as le-t standin beside the TARDIS' The /ards #losed in on her'
The Do#tor strode thro/h the !ide "arble #orridors o- the #han#ellery4 Andred
h/rryin to #at#h /$ !ith hi"' 9HaltA9 sho/ted Andred'
The Do#tor sto$$ed so s/ddenly that Andred nearly b/"$ed into hi"'
9Riht yo/ are' *ead the !ayA9
9Follo! "eA9 ordered Andred4 deter"ined to sho! !ho !as in #hare'
9Riht49 said the Do#tor a"iably4 and they !ent on their !ay'
The Do#tor lan#ed -ro" side to side as they !al,ed alon' M/#h o- the
Chan#ellery had been destroyed in the events o- his last visit4 b/t it had all been reb/ilt by
no!4 and in an even "ore elaborate style' 9Thin9s have #haned a bit sin#e I !as last
here49 he said #hattily4 and #a"e to a s/dden halt o/tside a heavy4 ornately #arved door'
9Ah4 here !e are'9
Andred stared at hi"' 9That9s the Chan#ellor9s o--i#e'9
9I ,no!A9
The Do#tor "oved to!ards the door4 b/t Andred barred his !ay' 9No one #an o
in there /nanno/n#ed'9
9Then anno/n#e "eA9
S/#h !as the a/thority in the Do#tor9s voi#e that Andred heard hi"sel- sayin4
9Very !ell'9
He o$ened the door and !ent into the o--i#e' It !as a lon4 hih?#eilined roo"4
ri#hly b/t si"$ly -/rnished' Behind a h/e des, at the -ar end sat a tall ha!,?-a#ed old
"an in the robes o- a Cardinal4 readin an an#ient s#roll' His -a#e !as sea"ed and
!rin,led and his hair sno!y !hite4 b/t his ba#, !as straiht and his eyes briht !ith
intellien#e'
This !as Cardinal Bor/sa4 no! the "ost $o!er-/l Ti"e *ord on %alli-rey' Sin#e
the assassination o- the last +resident by the last Chan#ellor4 Bor/sa had been both
Chan#ellor and A#tin?+resident4 /ntil s/#h ti"e as a s/itable Candidate -or the
+residen#y #o/ld be -o/nd' That had been so"e ti"e ao4 b/t as yet no s/itable #andidate
had a$$eared'
Bor/sa loo,ed /$4 dis$leased at the interr/$tion' 9WellB9
9Forive the intr/sion4 sir4 an /ne:$e#ted e"eren#y'9
The Do#tor strode into the roo"4 br/shin Andred aside'
Bor/sa rose and to Andred9s astonish"ent he a#t/ally s"iled4 holdin o/t his ar"s
in !el#o"e' 9Do#torA What brins yo/ ba#, to %alli-reyB9
There !as no ans!erin s"ile on the Do#tor9s -a#e' 9I a" here to #lai" "y leal
riht'9
9What rihtB9
9I #lai" the Inheritan#e o- Rassilon' I #lai" the titles and hono/rs4 the d/ty and
obedien#e o- all #ollees' I #lai" the +residen#y o- the Hih Co/n#il o- the Ti"e *ords'9
Far a!ay in dee$ s$a#e4 the War *eader o- the Vardans loo,ed /$ -ro" the sv"bol?
#overed video?s#reen4 dan#in !ith its intri#ately $atterned sha$es''' 9I believe !e have
#hosen !ell'9
&
1
lided to and -ro be-ore the TARDIS #onsole' 9Where is the Do#torB9 he de"anded'
There !as no re$ly' The TARDIS #onsole4 /s/ally throbbin !ith li-e !as silent4
dead'
9Co/ are a very stupid "a#hine49 said &
1
re$rovinly4 and res/"ed his $atrol'
Andred and the /ards had been dis"issed4 and the Do#tor and Bor/sa !ere alone'
9Co/ do not dis$/te "y #lai"B9
The old "an loo,ed sadly at his -or"er $/$il' The Do#tor had al!ays been a
se#ret -avo/rite o- his4 des$ite a tenden#y to rashness and indis#i$line' No! he see"ed to
have sli$$ed over the border bet!een e##entri#ity and "adness' 9I do not dis$/te the
#lai"4 only the l/nati# arroan#e !ith !hi#h it has been $resented'9
9Still the $edant4 eh4 Bor/sa' Ho! yo/ /sed to bore "e !hen I !as at the
A#ade"y' All those endless le#t/res on res$onsibility and d/ty'''9
9Whi#h obvio/sly -ailed to "a,e the slihtest i"$ression'9
9Co/ ta/ht "e nothin' Nothin that instin#t #o/ld not $rovide better'9
9Then yo/ "/st tr/st yo/r instin#ts'9
The Do#tor loo,ed stranely at hi"' 9Ces''' And yo/ yo/rs4 Bor/sa'9
There !as an odd little silen#e'
Bor/sa said !earily' 9Very !ell4 I !ill do "y best to $ers/ade the other Cardinals
to a##e$t yo/ as +resident'9
9I am the +resident49 said the Do#tor !ith si"$le arroan#e' 9No $ers/asion is
needed'9
9+oliteness di#tates'''9 bean Bor/sa'
The Do#tor interr/$ted hi"' 9Is there another #andidate?leallyB9
9No' It !as an /n-ort/nate oversiht'H
9Than, yo/A9
9I intended no disres$e#t'H
9Oh yes yo/ didA Bor/sa4 be-ore yo/ o4 I need another lesson'9
9On !hat $arti#/lar s/b=e#tB9
9On the Constit/tion'9
9Co/ had that at yo/r -inerti$s4 the last ti"e !e "et'9
9And i- I hadn9t4 yo/ !o/ld have ,illed "e'9
Bor/sa !in#ed at the Do#tor9s a##/sation' There !as an /n#o"-ortable a"o/nt o-
tr/th in it' 9Not I4 b/t the one !ho !as then Chan#ellor'''H he said de-ensively'
The Do#tor9s $revio/s visit to %alli-rey4 the -irst sin#e he had -led into e:ile "any
lon years be-ore4 had been bro/ht abo/t by the "a#hinations o- the Master4 his reatest
ene"y' The Master had assassinated the +resident o- %alli-rey and -i:ed the /ilt o- the
"/rder /$on the Do#tor'
To es#a$e e:e#/tion4 the Do#tor had anno/n#ed his #andida#y -or the +residen#y4
$/ttin hi"sel- beyond the rea#h o- the la!' At the ti"e this had si"$ly been a lealisti#
devi#e4 to ive the Do#tor ti"e to dis#over and /n"as, the real #ri"inal' Nevertheless
the Do#tor had been a##e$ted as a #andidate -or the +residen#y4 the only o$$osition
#andidate !as no! dead4 and no other #andidate had ever been bro/ht -or!ard
A##ordin to the an#ient Constit/tion o- %alli-rey4 the +residen#y had there-ore $assed to
the Do#tor by de-a/lt'
9I stand #orre#ted49 said the Do#tor' 9The Chan#ellor !o/ld have ,illed "e' Did
yo/ si"$ly ass/"e his $ost a-ter his deathB9
Bor/sa -l/shed anrily' 9The Co/n#il rati-ied "y a$$oint"ent'9
9Witho/t a +resident4 the Co/n#il #an rati-y nothin'9
9There was no +resident49 sna$$ed Bor/sa' 9Co/ !ere +resident?ele#t4 it is tr/e?b/t
yo/ #hose to leave %alli-rey'9
9And no! I have ret/rned as +residentA9 Bor/sa t/rned to leave and the Do#tor
sna$$ed4 9A $oint !hi#h see"s to have es#a$ed yo/4 Bor/sa' Co/ haven9t been iven
leave to de$art'9
9Gntil yo/ have been #on-ir"ed and ind/#ted as +resident4 I do not need yo/r
leave to do anythinA9
9Then the #ere"ony had better ta,e $la#e at on#e'9
9It !ill be arraned as soon as $ossible??9
'At once,' re$eated the Do#tor i"$la#ably'
Bor/sa !as too -/rio/s to s$ea,' He in#lined his head in the "erest s/estion o-
a bo!4 t/rned and !al,ed a!ay'
A $i#t/re o- l/nati# rande/r4 the Do#tor leaned ba#, in his #hair and s"iled'
With total absor$tion4 the Vardan #o/n#il st/died the tra#ery o- elaborate sy"bols on their
vision s#reen'
9An interestin en#o/nter49 hissed the *eader' 9+erha$s !e sho/ld re#onsider o/r
$lans -or the Do#tor' This needs tho/ht'9
9The $lan has been "ade49 ob=e#ted one o- the #o/n#il' 9O/r #o/rse has already
been de#ided'9
9I "ay re#onsider49 said the War *eader arroantly' 9The Do#tor see"s to
/nderstand dis#i$line' He #o/ld be /se-/l to /s' +erha$s !e sho/ld not ,ill hi" a-ter all'''9
3
Attack from the Matrix
9No dis#i$line49 stor"ed Bor/sa' 9That has al!ays been the Do#tor9s tro/ble'9
The Do#tor9s orders "eant that an ind/#tion #ere"ony had to be arraned !ith
al"ost inde#ent haste4 and Bor/sa had #o"e to #ons/lt !ith &elner'
The Castellan had listened to the old "an9s anry re#ital !ith non#o""ittal #al"'
&elner !as -irst and -ore"ost a $oliti#ian' The ne! +resident4 -or all his e##entri#ities4
see"ed to be a "an o- $/r$ose and de#ision4 and4 $erha$s Bor/sa9s day !as already over'
&elner had no intention o- allyin hi"sel- !ith the losin side' 9Does the +resident?Ele#t
-/lly /nderstand the danersB Does he a##e$t the ris, o- ind/#tion into the Matri: !itho/t
the ne#essary $eriod o- $re$arationB9
9He /nderstands nothin4 he a##e$ts nothin'9
9No dis#i$lineA9
Andred #a"e in and bo!ed to his t!o s/$eriors' 9Forive "e4 sirs4 b/t the
+resident?Ele#t desires yo/r i""ediate attendan#e'9
9Then let hi" rot in the heart o- a bla#, starA9 snarled Bor/sa'
9It is his /rent re>/est4 sir49 said Andred steadily' As i- by a##ident4 his hand
to/#hed the b/tt o- his staser $istol' Co""ander Andred !as a soldier4 !ith a soldiers9s
loyalties' His d/ty !as to serve the r/ler o- his $lanet4 and as -ar as he /nderstood it4 that
r/ler !as no! the Do#tor'
9A re>/est is a re>/est49 said &elner s"oothly' 9A-ter all4 Chan#ellor4 it is only a
"atter o- ti"e be-ore the +resident?Ele#t is #on-ir"ed in his a/thority'9
The Do#tor re#eived the" in the Chan#ellor9s o--i#e4 still in his "ood o- "ani#
=ollity' He listened !ith a$$roval to Bor/sa9s re$ortI the arrane"ents -or the #ere"ony
had been $/t in hand' 9Only a "atter o- ti"e4 then4 entle"en' Still it9s al!ays a "atter o-
ti"e4 Castellan4 es$e#ially -or Ti"e *ords'9
Bor/sa snorted' &elner s"iled h/"bly at the +resident?Ele#t9s little =o,e'
9No! then49 said the Do#tor #heer-/lly' 9Abo/t "y o--i#e'''9
9Si"$ly a "atter o- a -e! -or"alities4 sir49 said &elner h/rriedly'
9Oh4 I ,no! that' I don9t "ean the o--i#e o- +resident4 I "ean "y o--i#e4 "y
>/arters' Co/ ,no!4 a roo" to sit and thin, in4 so"e!here to o !hen I !ant to be alone'9
He loo,ed disdain-/lly aro/nd hi"' 9I do so hate all this?s>/attin'9
9There are o- #o/rse the $revio/s +residents >/arters said Bor/sa a#idly' 9He !as a
"an o- si"$le tastes4 ho!ever' Co/ "iht not -ind the" ade>/ate'
The Do#tor !aved a hand' 9Then !e "/st have the" re?-/rnished'9
9In !hat style4 sirB9 as,ed &elner'
Be-ore the Do#tor #o/ld re$ly4 Bor/sa said anrily' 9May I re"ind yo/ that !e are
not yo/r la#,eysB We are Ti"e *ords' I a" Chan#ellor??9
9IlleallyA9
9I a" a Cardinal4 then' That4 at leastA9
9Oh yes49 areed the Do#tor #onte"$t/o/sly' 9That4 at least' No!4 ta,e "e to "y
o--i#e'9
The o--i#e o- the +resident ad=oined the Chan#ellor9s4 and a -e! "o"ents later4
&elner !as /sherin the Do#tor inside' The roo"s4 as Bor/sa had said4 !ere si"$ly4
al"ost s$arsely -/rnished4 #arved tables4 a #o/#h or t!o4 a -e! an#ient ta$estries'
9Oh no4 this !on9t do at all49 said the Do#tor' 9Still4 the roo" has $ossibilities4 I
s/$$ose' It !ill have to be #o"$letely rede#orated o- #o/rse'9
9O- #o/rse4 sir49 areed &elner' 9Whi#h style !o/ld yo/ $re-erB9
The Do#tor aFed ro/nd the s$a#io/s roo"' 9Oh4 I don9t ,no!' Early @/asar FiveB
A to/#h o- RiaB9
9The "erest hint o- the Sinan E"$ireB9 s/ested &elner'
9Se#ond Dynasty4 o- #o/rse'9
9O- #o/rse4 sir49 areed &elner'
Bor/sa said dis/stedly' 9Why not Earth4 T!entieth Cent/ryB I /nderstand yo/9ve
s$ent a ood deal o- ti"e thereB9
9Well4 yes4 I did et /sed to the $la#e' Even li,ed it at ti"es'9
&elner #onverted the date Bor/sa had "entioned into Ti"e *ord re#,onin' 9No!
let "e see?that !o/ld be Sol Three''' Relative date Fero $oint three -o/r one seven three
nine eiht nine'9
9On se#ond tho/hts4 I thin, I9d $re-er the style o- the old Thesa/rian E"$ire?Fero
seven three4 I thin,4 the ti"e !hen there !as all that !onder-/l lead $anellin' It !as
their rarest "etal4 yo/ ,no!4 the e>/ivalent o- old on Earth'9
&elner bo!ed' 9B/t o- #o/rse4 sir'9
9Than, yo/49 said the Do#tor ra#io/sly'
9It !ill ta,e a little ti"e4 I9" a-raid'H
9Oh4 !e9ve $lenty o- that'9 The Do#tor lan#ed at Bor/sa' 9Eh4 Cardinal?I "ean
Chan#ellor?Ele#t'9
&elner bo!ed' 9Will that be all4 sirB9
9No' See to "y -riend *eela' Have her released4 ive her #o"-ortable >/arters4 and
s/itable dress -or "y initiation #ere"ony' I shall e:$e#t her to attend'9
9Ces o- #o/rse4 sir'H
&elner bo!ed his !ay o/t'
9May I also leave4 +resident?Ele#tB9 as,ed Bor/sa #oldly'
9No' We have thins to dis#/ss'9
9What thinsB9
9The rede#oration4 -or instan#e'9
9I9" s/re the Castellan is >/ite #a$able o- dealin !ith that'9
9Oh4 yes4 >/ite' B/t I !o/ld be rate-/l i- yo/ #o/ld s/$ervise #ertain i"$ortant
details' The ood Castellan has -la!s in his /nderstandin4 does he notB9
Bor/sa ave the Do#tor a s/dden tho/ht-/l loo,4 b/t said nothin'
9For instan#e49 #ontin/ed the Do#tor4 9his ,no!lede hardly e:tends to the
#hara#teristi# Thesa/rian style o- the Fero seven three era'9
9Jero seven threeB9
9Ces4 yo/ re"e"ber4 all those "arvello/s lead $anels' Very $ri"itive4 o- #o/rse4
b/t so e--e#tive'9
9*ead is a very di--i#/lt s/bstan#e to #ontrol'''9
9Very -e! have "astered the art'9
9Then "ore "/st do so' +/t yo/r best #ra-ts"en on it?i""ediately'9
9Where !o/ld yo/ li,e the lead $anels to be $la#edB9
9Every!here4 Bor/sa49 said the Do#tor e:$ansively'
9Every!hereB9
9CesA9 The Do#tor s!e$t his hand ro/nd the roo" in an e:travaant est/re' 9Door4
!alls4 #eilin4 -loor?everywhereA9
*eela held /$ an elaborate old la"K robe and st/died it dis/stedly'
9That loo,s very ood49 said Andred en#o/rainly'
*eela #r/"$led the eleant robe and tossed it to the -loor'
Co""ander Andred sihed' 9Mada"4 $lease'''9
9My na"e is *eela'9
9*eela4 !e have tried every style o- -e"ale attire in the entire #os"os' May I as,
!hat yo/ !o/ld li,eB9
9I !o/ld li,e a >/iver o- arro!s4 a bo!4 a $o/#h o- Lanis thorns4 and "y ,ni-e
ba#,'9
She rea#hed -or her ,ni-e4 !hi#h !as thr/st into Andred9s belt4 b/t Andred #a/ht
her !rist and -or#ed her hand a!ay?not !itho/t e--ort4 sin#e she !as al"ost as stron as
he !as' For a "o"ent they stood lo#,ed in o$$osition4 then Andred $/t -orth his -/ll
strenth and thr/st her hand do!n and a!ay' 9Mada"?*eela49 he said deliberately4 9I have
told yo/ "any ti"es that I #annot ive yo/ ba#, yo/r ,ni-e' My /ards !ere >/ite riht
to ta,e it -ro" yo/' All !ea$ons are -orbidden here4 e:#e$t -or those #arried by the
/ards the"selves4 -or internal se#/rity'9
9Co/ said the Do#tor ordered yo/ to loo, a-ter "e'9
9Ces4 those !ere the +resident?Ele#t9s instr/#tions4 Mada"'9
In -a#t they had been &elner9s4 $assed on -ro" the Do#tor' Andred had a##e$ted
the assin"ent !ith "i:ed -eelins' It "eant that he !o/ld be seein "ore o- *eela4 !ho
!as so "/#h "ore vital and alive than the #ool4 re"ote Ti"e *adies one sa! in the
Ca$itol' Her savae bea/ty had "ade a #onsiderable i"$ression on Andred' B/t he hadn9t
been $re$ared -or her -ier#ely inde$endent te"$era"ent4 and he -elt as i- he had been
s/ddenly $/t in #hare o- a -e"ale !ild#at' *eela had been /ni"$ressed by the
l/:/rio/sly -/rnished roo"s he had $rovided -or her' No! she !as re=e#tin all his
atte"$ts to $rovide her !ith a "ore s/itable !ardrobe'
9I a" sorry4 Mada"49 he bean aain'
9Don9t #all "e Mada"A9
9I a" sorry4 *eela4 b/t I #annot ive yo/ yo/r !ea$on'9
*eela rabbed a bo: o- $ri#eless =e!els and thre! the" a#ross the roo"' 9Then
,ee$ yo/r -ine #lothes and /seless ba/bles?and ,ee$ yo/r +resident?Ele#tA9
In the Chan#ellor9s o--i#e4 Bor/sa !as -inishin an a##o/nt o- the lon and #o"$le:
#ere"ony that lay be-ore the Do#tor' 9And then %old Gsher !ill -or"ally introd/#e yo/ to
the Matri:'9
9L/st the Matri:49 as,ed the Do#tor idly?b/t his eyes !ere briht !ith
#on#entration'
9There is no just abo/t it' The Matri: is?everythinA The s/" total o- all the
in-or"ation that has ever been stored4 that ever #an be stored''' the i"$rints o- the
$ersonalities o- enerations o- Ti"e *ords and their +residents?their ele#ted +residents?
!ill be#o"e available to yo/' It !ill be#o"e $art o- yo/4 as yo/ !ill be#o"e $art o- it'9
9Ces49 said the Do#tor slo!ly' 9That9s !hat I tho/ht'''9
DThe Vardan *eader !at#hed the s!irlin #oales#en#e o- sy"bols on his s#reen and said4
9+re$areA9E
9B/t yo/ ,no! all this already49 said Bor/sa' 9On#e be-ore yo/ have entered into the
A"$li-ied +anatro$i# Co"$/ter'9
9Ces''' I didn9t li,e it "/#h'9 The Do#tor had only been able to de-eat the Master9s
"/rdero/s s#he"es by lin,in his "ind !ith the A+C net' In doin so4 he had entered a
niht"are !orld4 #reated by the rebel Ti"e *ord !ho had been the Master9s $a!n' It !as
an e:$erien#e that had al"ost #ost the Do#tor his sanity and his li-e'
9The A+C net is only a s"all $art o- the Matri:49 said Bor/sa !arninly' The
$sy#hi# sho#, o- /nion !ith the Matri: !as #onsiderable4 and "ost +residents?Ele#t
$re$ared the"selves -or the ordeal !ith a lon $eriod o- "ental trainin' It !as ty$i#al o-
the Do#tor4 tho/ht Bor/sa4 that he !as $re$ared to ta,e the ris, !ith no $re$aration at
all'
The Do#tor said "/sinly' 9And !hen I have been introd/#ed to the Matri:4 I !ill
have #o"$lete $o!erB9
9More $o!er than anyone in the ,no!n /niverse'9
9I9ll $/t it to ood /se?the best /seA9
9That is no "ore than yo/r d/ty'9
The Do#tor s"iled' 9Oh yes4 >/ite so4 Bor/sa' @/ite soA9
The Vardan War *eader rose' 9S/""on the Co""anders A9
9F/ll AlertB9
9Not yet' B/t the -irst $hase is already nearin #o"$letion' We "/st be ready'9
Andred a$$eared in the door!ay o- *eela9s #ha"bers' 9+lease #o"e no!4 *eela it is ti"e'
Co/9ll be late -or the #ere"ony'9
*eela stood in the #entre o- the roo"4 ar"s -olded' 9I !ill not #o"e /nless yo/
ret/rn "y !ea$on'9
Andred sihed' He too, the ,ni-e -ro" his belt and $assed it to *eela' She sli$$ed
it ba#, into the sheath' 9This #ere"ony?it does the Do#tor "/#h hono/rB9
9The hihest hono/r that o/r ra#e #an ive'9
71
9Then I shall not let hi" do!n'9 *eela re"e"bered the #o"$le: #ere"onies !ith
!hi#h her o!n tribe "ar,ed the #reation o- a ne! #hie-' 9Are there d/ties -or "eB Rites I
"/st observe4 thins I "/st do or not doB9
9There is nothin -or yo/ to do b/t attend and observe49 Andred $a/sed' 9Oh4
$erha$s there is one thin4 *eelaB9
9CesB9
9It !o/ld assist the s"ooth $roress o- the a--air i- yo/ #o/ld re-rain -ro" ,illin
anyone !hile the #ere"ony is in $roress'9
9I !ill try49 $ro"ised *eela sole"nly' She -ollo!ed Andred -ro" the roo"'
The rand hall o- the +ano$ti#on is an i""ense #ir#/lar #ha"ber /sed by the Ti"e *ords
-or all their "a=or #ere"onies' It is one o- the larest and "ost i"$ressive #ha"bers in
the ,no!n /niverse' The i""ense "arble -loor is bi eno/h to hold an ar"y4 the do"ed
lass roo- see"s as hih above as the s,y itsel-' Ro! /$on ro! o- vie!in alleries r/n
aro/nd the !alls4 and on the -ar side o- the hall an i"$ressive stair#ase leads do!n to a
raised #ir#/lar dais' By no! the hall !as -illed !ith ran, /$on ran, o- Ti"e *ords4 all
!earin the di--erent?#olo/red robes and insinia o- the di--erent Cha$ters4 the #o"$le:
so#ial -a"ily and $oliti#al oranisations that do"inated Ti"e *ord So#iety'
As the hall slo!ly -illed t!o very old4 very e"inent Ti"e *ords stood #lose to the
dais'
9Gnd/e haste is bad eno/h49 said *ord %o"er $ettishly' 9V/lar bad "anners9 is i-
anythin $ossibly !orse' Why4 nor"ally it ta,es years to dis#/ss a +residential
Ordination let alone a#t/ally asse"ble one'9 %o"er !as the S/reon?%eneral4 a "an o-
riidly old?-ashioned vie!s'
*ord Savar nodded !isely' 9Gnsettled ti"es4 eh4 %o"erB Still4 they say the ti"e
!ill thro! /$ the "an'9
9They say ti"e brins !isdo" too49 sna$$ed %o"er' He stared $ointedly at his
an#ient #ollea/e' 9In#identally4 aren9t yo/ overd/e -or another reenerationB9
Savar inored the re"ar,' 9I believe I have !isdo" to -it "y years49 he said
#o"$la#ently'
9L/st so4 "y lord49 said %o"er dryly' 9Ever hear o- #y#li# b/rstB9
9I be yo/r $ardonB9
9The ans!er to "any s#ienti-i# $roble"s "ay lie in the #y#li# b/rst ratio49 said
%o"er sole"nly'
9The Bla#, Star $rote#t /sA What is a #y#li# b/rst ratioB9
9Oh4 it9s =/st a little st/dy o- "ine4 a hobby' Co/ do /nderstand !hat a hobby isB9
9I "ay have #o"e a#ross the ter"49 said Savar lo-tily' 9B/t I -ail to /nderstand any
sini-i#ant "eanin'9
9That does not s/r$rise "e'9 said %o"er dryly' Savar !as not &no!n -or any
/nne#essary "ental a#tivity' %o"er $ersisted !ith his e:$lanation4 !itho/t "/#h ho$e o-
bein /nderstood' 9I9" "a,in a st/dy o- !hat I #all !avelenth broad#ast $o!er
transd/#tion'9
Savar #overed a ya!n' 9ReallyB9
9I9ve noti#ed lately4 say over the last de#ade or so4 an enor"o/s -l/#t/ation in
relative !avelenth transd/#tion over a $arti#/larly narro! band'''H
To Savar9s enor"o/s relie-4 a -an-are o- tr/"$ets anno/n#ed the arrival o- the
+resident?Ele#t'
I"$ressive in his lon !hite robes the Do#tor #a"e do!n the reat stair#ase and
too, his $la#e on the #entral dais' Behind hi" #a"e the a$$ro$riately robed %old Gsher4
and behind hi" Castellan &elner4 Hih Cardinal Bor/sa4 and the other Cardinals and
o--i#ials'
The Do#tor too, his $la#e on the #entre o- the raised #ir#/lar dais and the others
ro/$ed the"selves -or"ally aro/nd hi"'
Andred had -o/nd a $la#e -or *eela in the very -ront ran, o- the s$e#tators' She
!as i"$ressed in s$ite o- hersel-4 !ith the i""ense siFe o- the hall4 and the ornately
robed #ro!d' These Ti"e *ords "/st be a $o!er-/l tribe' The Do#tor see"ed a straner
in his lon !hite #ere"onial robes4 his /s/ally #heer-/l -eat/res #old and hard' His eyes
-li#,ed brie-ly4 b/t !itho/t re#onition4 over *eela in her $la#e in the -ront ran,'
%old Gsher #a"e to the -ront o- the dais and held /$ his hand' There !as total
silen#e in the enor"o/s hall'
He bean to s$ea,4 de#lai"in his !ords in a sonoro/s rollin #hant' 9Hono/red
"e"bers o- the Hih Co/n#il4 Cardinals4 Ti"e *ords''' Mada"'''H He in#lined his head
brie-ly to!ards *eela4 and -or a "o"ent there see"ed a t!in,le in his eye' Then the dee$
voi#e too, /$ its i"$ressive #hant' 9We are here today to hono/r the !ill and the !isdo"
o- Rassilon'''9
D9We are near vi#tory49 hissed the Vardan War Chie-4 his eyes -i:ed on the s#reen'E
*eela9s eyes laFed and her head nodded as the #ere"ony !ent on and on' Other Ti"e
*ords #a"e -or!ard and $layed their $art4 there !ere sole"n in#antations and res$onses4
and !hat see"ed li,e a re#ital o- the entire history o- the Ti"e *ords' Finally %old Gsher
#a"e -or!ard on#e "ore' *eela sensed that the #ere"ony !as nearin its end' %old
Gsher9s #ere"onial sta-- #rashed do!n4 the so/nd e#hoin th/ndero/sly' 9Is there anyone
here to #ontest the riht o- the #andidate to the %reat &ey o- RassilonB9
Aain that total silen#e -ell on the vast #ro!ded hall'
9By #/sto"4 I shall stri,e three ti"es' Sho/ld no voi#e be heard by the third
stro,e4 I shall in d/ty bo/nd4 invest the #andidate as +resident o- the Hih Co/n#il o- the
Ti"e *ords o- %alli-rey'9 The sta-- #rashed do!n' On#e''' t!i#e''' The $a/ses bet!een the
e#hoin reverberations see"ed endless'
D9No! !e have the"49 hissed the Vardan War *eader e:/ltantly'E
The sta-- #rashed do!n -or the third ti"e4 and the e#hoes rolled a!ay aro/nd the edes o-
the reat hall' %old Gsher t/rned to the Do#tor' 9It is "y d/ty and $rivilee4 by #onsent o-
the Ti"e *ords o- %alli-rey4 to invest yo/ as +resident o- the Hih Co/n#il' A##e$t
there-ore the sash o- Rassilon'''9 %old Gsher too, the heavy4 ornate sash -ro" a !aitin
/ard and -astened it abo/t the Do#tor9s sho/lders'
9A##e$t there-ore the Rod o- Rassilon
He $la#ed a slender "etal !and in the Do#tor9s hands'
9See,4 there-ore to -ind the %reat &ey o- Rassilon'''9
He est/red to!ards an e"$ty #/shion4 held by another /ard' DThe &ey o-
Rassilon had been stolen by the Master4 and he had es#a$ed !ith it a-ter the -ail/re o- his
atte"$t to destroy %alli-rey'E
The Do#tor rea#hed o/t his hand and to/#hed the #/shion in a #ere"onial est/re'
9Do yo/ s!ear to /$hold the la!s o- %alli-reyB Do yo/ s!ear to -ollo! in the
!isdo" o- RassilonB9
9I s!ear'9
Another $a/se' %old Gsher9s sta-- ra$$ed on#e "ore and a $linth bearin a olden
Cir#let rose -ro" the dais' 9Then I invest yo/ *ord +resident o- the Hih Co/n#il' I !ish
yo/ ood -ort/ne and strenth'9
%old Gsher li-ted the Cir#let and holdin it hih "oved over to the Do#tor' 9I ive
yo/''' the Matri:49 he said sole"nly4 and $la#ed the Cir#let on the Do#tor9s head'
The Do#tor stood there -or a "o"ent4 the -o#/s o- the entire enor"o/s asse"bly'
Then his -a#e t!isted and his body #onv/lsed' His "o/th o$ened in a ,ind o-
silent s#rea"4 as he tried -ranti#ally to #la! the Cir#let -ro" his te"$les'''
4
The Fugitie
For a "o"ent no one "oved4 as the Do#tor !rithed in aony be-ore the"'
Then *eela s$ran onto the dais4 and h/rled hersel- at the Do#tor4 ,no#,in hi"
-ro" his -eet' The Do#tor -ell headlon4 and the -or#e o- his -all disloded the Cir#let
-ro" his bro!' His body ar#hed in a -inal s$as"4 and he sl/"$ed ba#, /n#ons#io/s'
9Do#torA9 s#rea"ed *eela' A /ard $/lled her a!ay'
9The Matri: re=e#ts the #andidate49 sho/ted Bor/sa tri/"$hantly' 9%/ards4 seiFe
hi"A9
Andred hesitated -or a "o"ent4 then led his "en -or!ard' %old Gsher barred their
!ay' 9Sto$A None "ay lay hands on the $residentA9
9The Matri: has re=e#ted hi"A9 re$eated Bor/sa'
9He is the Matri: no!' It #annot re=e#t hi"'9 And !ith sliht $ani# in his voi#e he
#ried4 9S/reon %eneralA9
%o"er h/rried -or!ard and ,nelt to e:a"ine the Do#tor'
9Will he be all rihtB9 as,ed *eela'
The old "an !ent on !ith his e:a"ination4 and did not re$ly' *eela !aited
an:io/sly'
Bor/sa and %old Gsher !ere still lo#,ed in ar/"ent'
9S/rely yo/ #an see that this #hanes everythin49 insisted Bor/sa' 9For a #andidate
to be atta#,ed by the Matri:''' it9s /nheard o-'9
9There is no candidate4 Chan#ellor?Ele#t Bor/sa' There is only the +resident' The
Cir#let is the Matri: Ter"inal' It #an only be !orn by the +resident4 there-ore this is the
+resident'9
Sti--ly %o"er rose' 9Moreover4 Bor/sa4 i- yo/ #ontin/e to stand there ar/in
leal te#hni#alities4 !e shall -ind o/rselves oin thro/h this !hole borin b/siness
aain4 in the very near -/t/re'9 %o"er !as no res$e#ter o- #ere"onies4 or o- Chan#ellors
either'
*eela realised the sini-i#an#e o- %o"er9s !ords' 9Co/ "ean the Do#tor is oin
to dieB9
9Very $ossibly' For the "o"ent he has retreated'9
9The Do#tor does not retreat49 said *eela -ier#ely' 9He is no #o!ard'H
9The retreat is $/rely a "ental one4 a si"$le de-en#e rea#tion bro/ht abo/t by a
s/dden and /ne:$e#ted atta#, on his #ons#io/s "ind'9
9Co/ seeB9 said Bor/sa tri/"$hantly' 9There !as an atta#,'9
9Oh have the ,indness to be >/iet4 Bor/sa49 sna$$ed %o"er' 9The +resident needs
both rest and s,illed "edi#al attention' I shall s/$ervise his #ase "ysel-' We need a $la#e
o- absol/te se#/rity?and >/iet'9
9May I be $er"itted to s/est the Chan#elleryB9
9The Chan#ellery !ill be $er-e#t49 areed %o"er' 9Ta,e hi" a!ay'9
%/ards li-ted the Do#tor and #arried hi" reverently -ro" the +ano$ti#on' %o"er
t/rned to the Cardinal' 9As -or yo/4 Bor/sa4 I s/est yo/ #/t o-- all #o""/ni#ation !ith
the +resident4 $rohibit all visitors and ,ee$ yo/r tedio/s b/rea/#rati# $roble"s to
yo/rsel-'9
He hobbled o-- a-ter the Do#tor'
9I"$ertinen#eA9 -/"ed Bor/sa' He !as "ore /sed to deliverin reb/,es than to
re#eivin the"'
&elner said soothinly' 9The S/reon?%eneral "ay be a little i"$et/o/s4 b/t I9"
s/re his hearts are in the riht $la#esA9
DIn their !ar roo" the Vardans !ere #on-errin aitatedly' 9We are #lose49 !his$ered one
o- the #o/n#il' 9So very #loseA9
The War *eader said4 9It is still too soon' He has little strenth'9
One o- the #o/n#il said4 9Sho/ld he die4 it !ill ta,e a lon ti"e to re$la#e hi"'9
9Too lon' We "/st a"ble /$on his s/rvival' Sinal all Co""anders to in#rease
s$eed' We shall i"$le"ent $lan three'9E
The "/r"/rin !as lo/der no!4 and the #ro!d aro/nd the dais thi#,ened as Ti"e *ords
$ressed -or!ard to see !hat !as oin on' Bor/sa raised his voi#e' 9Ti"e *ordsA The
+resident is /n!ell' We have ta,en hi" to the Chan#ellery' Re"ain #al"' A b/lletin !ill
be iss/ed shortly' +lease leave the +ano$ti#on >/ietly'9
As aitated Ti"e *ords bean -ilin o/t4 he t/rned to Andred' 9Brin the
irl4 Co""ander' We "/st investiate her atta#, on the Do#tor'9
9I didn9t atta#, hi"49 $rotested *eela' 9I saved hi"'9
9The en>/iry !ill deter"ine that' Brin herA9
The Do#tor lay stret#hed o/t on a #o/#h in the Chan#ellor9s o--i#e' %o"er !as leanin
over hi"4 holdin a tiny #rystal $hial to his ne#,' The #olo/rless li>/id -lo!ed dire#tly
into the Do#tor9s blood strea"' %o"er handed the e"$ty $hial to an assistant and
straihtened /$'
9Well4 *ord %o"erB9 de"anded Bor/sa i"$atiently'
9He has s/--ered a "assive s/b?"ensan sho#,' I9ve iven hi" a deraner dose b/t
it !ill be ho/rs $erha$s days be-ore he'''9
9Do#torA9 said *eela delihtedly' Everyone loo,ed' The Do#tor9s eyes !ere o$en'
9In#redible49 "/r"/red %o"er'
*eela h/rried to the Do#tor9s side' 9Are yo/ all rihtB9
9@/ietly no!49 !arned Bor/sa'
The Do#tor li-ted his head' 9Ah Chan#ellorA What ha$$enedBH
9Co/ s/--ered so"e ,ind o- an atta#,49 said Bor/sa #a/tio/sly' 9In addition to
!hi#h4 yo/r alien -riend here ,no#,ed yo/ do!n'9
9No4 no4 it !as the Cir#let49 insisted *eela' 9The Cir#let !as ,illin hi"A9
The Do#tor sat /$' He stared indinantly at *eela' 9What are yo/ doin on
%alli-reyB9
9Co/ bro/ht "e'9
9Nonsense' It9s -orbidden to brin alien savaes into the Ca$itol' %et rid o- her'9
9Do#tor4 !hat9s ha$$ened to yo/B It9s "e4 *eela'''9
9+/t her o/t4 Co""ander49 ordered Bor/sa'
Andred too, hold o- *eela9s ar"' 9O/t !here4 sirB9
9O/tside the Ca$itol4 o- #o/rse'9
9In the o/ter !orldB9 said Andred4 sho#,ed' The Ca$itol !as so lare that it
#overed "ost o- %alli-rey' Indeed to a Ti"e *ord4 the Ca$itol !as %alli-rey' The #o/ntry
o/tside !as still s/r$risinly !ild and $ri"itive'
9That9s riht49 said the Do#tor i"$la#ably' 9E:$el herA9
9No49 said *eela des$erately' 9So"ethin9s ha$$ened to yo/r "ind4 Do#tor4 I !on9t
leave yo/'9
9Ta,e herA9 ordered Bor/sa' The /ards #losed in on *eela?b/t not soon eno/h'
She bro,e -ree o- Andred9s ri$4 doded ro/nd hi" and "ade -or the door' T!o
"ore /ards "oved to #/t her o--' She rabbed the nearest4 thre! hi" aainst his -ello!4
and -lashed o/t o- the door be-ore the tanled /ards #o/ld disentanle the"selves'
9A-ter herA9 sho/ted Bor/sa'
The /ards l/"bered in $/rs/it' *eela !as already disa$$earin do!n the
#orridor'
The leadin /ard dre! his staser' 9Halt4 or I -ireA9
*eela !ent on r/nnin4 !eavin to and -ro' The /ard -ired?and "issed' *eela
t/rned a #orner and disa$$eared'
Andred #a"e r/nnin /$' 9Whi#h !ay did she oB9
9She t/rned o-- do!n there4 sir'9
9Well4 don9t =/st stand there?et a-ter herA9
The /ards ran o--' Andred raised his !rist?#o""/ni#ator' 9This is Co""ander
Andred' So/nd the alar"4 and t/rn o/t all available /ards' An es#a$ed alien $risoner is
at lare in the Ca$itol'9
A #lanoro/s alar" bell bean rinin thro/h the #orridors'
*eela s$ed thro/h the lon "arble #orridors4 /ards #lose behind her' She shot
$ast t!o an#ient Ti"e *ords !ho !ere toddlin alon the #orridor dis#/ssin the re#ent
s#andalo/s events in the +ano$ti#on' The /ards h/rtled aro/nd the #orner in $/rs/it'
They raised their stasers' 9Sto$4 alienA9 B/t the t!o old Ti"e *ords blo#,ed their vie! o-
*eela4 and they #o/ldn9t et a #lear shot'
By the ti"e they had herded the astonished old "en o/t o- the !ay and ta,en /$
the $/rs/it4 *eela had disa$$eared'
Andred #a"e ba#, into the Chan#ellor9s o--i#e to -ind the Do#tor sittin /$' 9That9s -/nny4
there9s a rinin in "y head'9
9I ordered the alar"s to be so/nded4 sir' The irl ot a!ay'9
&elner b/stled in' 9What is ha$$eninB Who ordered those alar"??9 he bro,e o-- at
the siht o- the Do#tor' 9Co/r E:#ellen#y is -eelin betterB9
9Can9t #o"$lain4 Castellan49 said the Do#tor #heer-/lly'
9E:#ellent?and no!4 Chan#ellor4 i- I "ay en>/ire'''9
9The +resident ordered his -e"ale #o"$anion to be e:$elled -ro" the Ca$itol' She
ot a!ay'H
9I9ll ta,e #hare o- the o$eration "ysel-4 Co/r E:#ellen#y49 said &elner'
9That9s very brave o- yo/' I !arn yo/4 *eela #an be danero/sA9
9Have no -ear Co/r E:#ellen#y4 I shall see that she is driven o/t' Co"e4
Co""ander'9
As &elner de$arted the Do#tor said $laintively' 9I !ish so"eone !o/ld s!it#h o--
that a!-/l rinin in "y head'9
Andred sna$$ed an order and the so/nd died a!ay'
9Ah4 that9s better49 said the Do#tor'
Andred bo!ed4 and -ollo!ed &elner leavin the Do#tor and Bor/sa alone'
The old "an loo,ed do!n at his -or"er $/$il' 9What e:a#tly are yo/ $layin at4
Do#torB9
The Do#tor rinned i"$/dently /$ at hi"' 9A little "ore res$e#t4 i- yo/ don9t
"ind' A-ter all4 I a" +residentA9
9I tho/ht res$e#t !as a >/ality yo/ didn9t ad"ire4 Do#tor'9
9Ah4 b/t that !as be-ore' I9d have tho/ht yo/4 o- all $eo$le4 !o/ld ,no! "e
better4 Chan#ellor'9
9Co/ #o/ld never s/##eed in de#eivin "e !hen yo/ !ere a st/dent at the
A#ade"y' Co/ haven9t #haned in that res$e#t?and neither have I' B/t this is rather "ore
than a st/dent $ran,?isn9t itB9
9Believe "e4 *ord Bor/sa4 I9ve never been "ore serio/s in "y li-e?in any o- "y
lives' While *eela re"ains -ree in the Ca$itol4 !e9re all in daner'9
9Isn9t that a little "elodra"ati#?even -or yo/B9
The Do#tor ya!ned ostentatio/sly' 9Forive "e4 "y ordeal at the ind/#tion see"s
to have "ade "e rather tired'9
Bor/sa bo!ed ironi#ally' 9Then yo/ "/st rest4 My *ord +resident'9
9Than, yo/4 "y dear Chan#ellor?Ele#t'9
Bor/sa !ent to the door' 9We #an #ontin/e o/r dis#/ssion !hen yo/ have had ti"e
to rest?and !hen yo/r alien -riend has been #a$t/red and e:$elled' Mean!hile4 I shall
"a,e s/re that yo/ are not dist/rbed'9
Bor/sa !ent o/t4 and the Do#tor heard his voi#e ivin orders in the #orridor
o/tside' He !aited -or a "o"ent4 ot /$4 and then ti$?toed #a/tio/sly to the door4
o$enin it a #ra#,' He $eered o/t into the #orridor' T!o /ards !ere $osted o/tside the
roo"'
To ,ee$ others o/t4 or to ,ee$ hi" in4 !ondered the Do#tor' He #o/ld order the"
to o a!ay?b/t !o/ld they obey hi"B Better not ris, dire#t #on-rontation' His ne! and
e:alted $osition !as -ar -ro" se#/re'
The Do#tor bean $a#in abo/t the roo"' There !as a ta$estry on the !all behind
Bor/sa9s des,' The Do#tor li-ted it ently' It #on#ealed a door'
9Can9t -ool "e4 Bor/sa4 I ,ne! yo/9d have a bolt?hole' Well done4 Do#torA9 He
tried to o$en the door' It !as lo#,ed' The Do#tor -elt in his $o#,ets -or his soni#
s#re!driver4 and realised that he hadn9t ot any $o#,ets?he !as still in his ind/#tion robe'
He loo,ed ro/nd the roo"4 and sa! his o!n #lothes in the #orner4 arraned on a
stand' He h/rried over to the"''' The /ards o/tside the Chan#ellor9s o--i#e #rashed to
attention4 as Andred #a"e alon the #orridor' He tried to enter the roo"4 b/t the /ards
+resented their stasers4 barrin his !ay' Andred lared at the"' 9O/t o- "y !ay' I !ant to
see the $resident'9
9Sorry4 sir' No one to enter' Chan#ellor Bor/sa9s orders' No e:#e$tions'9
Andred de#ided to save -a#e as best he #o/ld' 9Co/ ,no! ho! to obey orders4 I
see' %ood "enA9 He !ent on his !ay'
The Do#tor #o"$leted dressin4 !indin his s#ar- aro/nd his ne#, and =a""in his hat
on the ba#, o- his head' He $rod/#ed his soni# s#re!driver and atta#,ed the lo#,'
Nothin ha$$ened' He tried aain' Still nothin' He sear#hed Bor/sa9s des,4 -indin not a
,ey b/t a "a$4 !hi#h he $ro"$tly $o#,eted' 9Even the soni# s#re!driver !on9t et "e o/t
o- this one49 tho/ht the Do#tor and loo,ed tho/ht-/lly at the Chan#ellor9s e"$ty #hair4
addressin it as tho/h Bor/sa still sat there' 9No! listen4 I9ve ot a $roble"' There9s
absol/tely no $oint in havin another door to yo/r roo" i- yo/ haven9t ot a ,ey' Well4 is
thereB @ED Quod Erat Demonstrandum That9s *atin' *atin and loi#' B/t an a#t/al ,ey
#an be lost or stolen4 there-ore yo/9re the ,ey4 Bor/sa' +al" $rintB No4 that9s too si"$le'
Retina $atternB9 He lared hard at the e"$ty #hair' 9No''' B/t yo/9ve ot to ad"it4 that
yo/9re very -ond o- the so/nd o- yo/r o!n voi#e'9 He t/rned to I the door' 9O$en Sesa"eA
I #o""and yo/ to o$enA9 Nothin ha$$ened'
9Retina $rint4 $al" $rint4 voi#e $rint'''9 He loo,edI a##/sinly at the #hair' 9B/t
yo/ don9t li,e voi#e $rints4 do yo/B Co/ al!ays /sed to say there9s nothin "ore

/seless
than a lo#, !ith a voi#e $rintA9
There !as a !hirr and a #l/n, -ro" the door'
The Do#tor s$o,e aain4 "anain to $rod/#e a very #reditable i"itation o-
Bor/sa9s a#id tones' 9There9s nothin "ore /seless than a lo#, !ith a voi#e $rintA9 The
door s!/n o$en' Behind it !as a short4 dar, $assae'
The Do#tor !ent do!n it4 o$ened the door at the other end and e"ered into the
anteroo" to the +resident9s o--i#e'
+a/sin a "o"ent to et his bearins4 he h/rried o-- in the dire#tion o- the
TARDIS'
*eela !as tryin to rea#h the TARDIS hersel-4 b/t she9d been -or#ed to hide in an al#ove
by the s/dden a$$earan#e o- a s>/ad o- /ards'
On#e they9d $assed by4 she e"ered?and heard so"ebody #o"in do!n the
#orridor' She d/#,ed ba#, into #over' So"ebody $assed by'
*eela tho/ht there !as so"ethin very -a"iliar abo/t those -ootste$s' She
$o$$ed her head o/t4 and !as =/st in ti"e to see the Do#tor disa$$earin ro/nd a #orner'
Stealthily *eela "oved a-ter hi"'
Andred !as in the Castellan9s o--i#e4 $/n#hin /$ shot a-ter shot on the Ca$itol9s video
syste"' There !ere so "any #orridors4 $assaes4 ante#ha"bers and !al,a!ays in the
enor"o/s old b/ildin that the #han#es o- hittin the riht one at the riht ti"e !ere very
s"all4 b/t Andred #arried on tryin4 #he#,in #orridor a-ter #orridor in a rando" sear#h
$attern' M/#h to his o!n s/r$rise4 he #a"e /$on t!o -/rtive -i/res h/rryin do!n a
#orridor' He loo,ed /$ and #alled4 9Sir4 I thin, I9ve -o/nd the alien'9
&elner h/rried over' 9Where is sheB9
9There4 sir' She9s !ith the +resident'9
&elner !as o/traed' '!ith the +residentB9
9Well4 -ollo!in hi"4 any!ay4 sir' *ine t!o4 Fero4 t!o4 sir'9
&elner $/n#hed the #ontrols on his des, "onitor4 and sa! the Do#tor stridin
s!i-tly do!n a #orridor4 *eela so"e little distan#e behind hi"'
&elner s!it#hed on a #o""/ni#ation #ir#/it' 9Chan#ellor4 this is Castellan &elner'
Is the +resident !ith yo/4 by any #han#eB Still restin and not to be dist/rbedB I see'''
Wo/ld yo/ ,indly in-or" "e !hen he a!a,ensB Than, yo/ so "/#h'9
&elner loo,ed /$ at Andred' 9Well4 don9t =/st stand there4 Co""ander' %et a-ter
herA9
The Do#tor had al"ost rea#hed his destination !hen a s>/ad o- /ards #a"e "ar#hin
ro/nd the #orner4 headin straiht to!ards hi"' The Do#tor "ade no atte"$t to r/n' As
the /ards #a"e level !ith hi" he -li$$ed o$en his #oat' 9Bo! to the Sash o- RassilonA9
The /ards bo!ed their heads in reveren#e at the siht o- the lea"in "etal sash4 and
the Do#tor !al,ed straiht $ast the"' The /ards raised their heads to -ind their ne!
+resident disa$$earin do!n the #orridor4 and a s,in?#lad alien -i/re h/rryin to!ards
the"'
*eela $ointed to!ards the Do#tor' 9I9" !ith hi"49

she said4 and be-ore the
astonished /ards #o/ld rea#t4 she had sli$$ed $ast the" and !as -ollo!in the Do#tor'
The Do#tor h/rried do!n the stair#ase that led to the ante#ha"ber4 delihted to
-ind the TARDIS still standin at the botto"' He sensed "ove"ent behind hi"4 lan#ed
over his sho/lder4 and #a/ht a >/i#, li"$se o- *eela d/#,in ba#, into #over' @/i#,ly4
he o$ened the TARDIS door and !ent inside'
Mean!hile Andred had arrived and !as interroatin his /ards' 9Well4 !here is
sheB9
9She #a"e this !ay4 sir4 b/t she !as !ith the +resident??9
9+robably headin -or the #a$s/le49 "/ttered Andred' 9Co"e on I9
*eela ran /$ to the TARDIS door' It !as #losed aainst her' She bean ha""erin on the
door !ith her -ists'
Inside the TARDIS4 the Do#tor stood silently4 !aitin' He "ade no atte"$t to o$en the
door'
&
1
!as at the Do#tor9s -eet' They #o/ld see *eela9s -a#e on the s#anner4 hear her
an/ished voi#e as she $o/nded on the door' 9Do#tor4 $lease4 o$en the doorA +lease4 let
"e inA9
The Do#tor didn9t "ove'
Beside hi" &
1
9s head droo$ed sadly'
Andred and the /ards h/rried to!ards the TARDIS'
!
The "etrayal
*eela heard a #latter o- booted -eet4 abandoned her atte"$t to et inside the TARDIS4
d/#,ed ro/nd the ba#, o- it4 and s$ed silently a!ay'
Andred and his /ards ran in -ro" the other side and r/shed /$ to the TARDIS' A
/ard tried /ns/##ess-/lly to o$en the door' 9It9s lo#,ed4 sir'9
9She "/st be in there' I- the +resident9s in there too she "ay try to har" hi"
aain'9 Andred st/died the TARDIS door' 9These old ty$e -orties have ot so"e ,ind o-
trioni# lo#,in devi#e' We9ll need a set o- #y$her ident ,eys' %et "ovin4 "an I9
The /ard h/rried a!ay'
The Do#tor said4 9Well4 &
1
4 !hat d9yo/ thin,B Ho! are !e doin so -arB9'
9Too "any variables -or a##/rate -ore#ast'9
9What variablesB9
9Illoi#ality o- h/"anoid $ro#ed/res'9
The Do#tor rinned r/e-/lly' 9*i,e "e4 yo/ "eanB9
9A--ir"ative4 MasterA9
9All riht4 then' Ho! a" IB9
The Do#tor stood still4 !hile &
1
s#anned hi" !ith his s#issors'
9Cerebral #ir#/its in -/n#tional order' +hysi#al #ondition?d/bio/s'9
9Than, yo/ very "/#hA9
&
1
!asn9t $rora""ed -or irony' 9Ris,s ta,en a$$ear to have been =/sti-ied by
res/lts'9
9What are o/r #han#es i- !e $ro#eedB9
9A#tions so -ar indi#ate a s/##ess $robability o- thirty?nine $oint seven -ive'9
9That bad4 ehB9 said the Do#tor tho/ht-/lly' 9Are yo/ s/reB9
9A--ir"ative'9
The Do#tor $rod/#ed the "a$ -ro" Bor/sa9s des,' 9*isten4 I9ve dis#overed the
lo#ation o- the se#/rity #ontrol roo"?dire#tly /nder the +ano$ti#on4 level three Fero'9
&
1
!hirred and #li#,ed' 9S/##ess $robability in#reased to -orty?eiht $oint three
-ive'9
9That9s better4 ehB Not bad odds at all'9
9Any $lan in#or$oratin s/##ess -a#tor belo! si: -ive $oint Fero is not advisable49
said &
1
$ri"ly'
The Do#tor bean $a#in to and -ro' 9S/$$ose I #an thro! a "irror #astB A
shado! shi-t to #reate a -alse i"ae -or s$a#e tra--i# #ontrolB9
9The $lan is -easible' I s/est yo/ $ro#eed as -ollo!s??9
The Do#tor held /$ his hand' 9Can I -inish4 $leaseB I shall re-le#t the trans"ission
bea" o-- the se#/rity shield4 -eed it ba#, thro/h a lin,ed #rystal ban, and boost it
thro/h the transd/#er'9
9I #o/ld not have iven a better -or"/lation o- the $lan "ysel-4 Master'9
9No4 I don9t thin, yo/ #o/ldA9
9+ossibility o- yo/r -or"/lation bein better than "ine less than one $er #ent4
ho!ever49 said &
1
s"/ly'
9Co/ really are the "ost ins/--erably arroant4 overbearin'''9
The Do#tor bro,e o--4 s"ilin in s$ite o- hi"sel-' 9Co/ ,no!4 so"eone on#e said
so"ethin very li,e that abo/t "eA9
9Corre#tion Master' "any $eo$le have said so"ethin li,e that abo/t yo/'9
9At least no one9s ever #alled "e s"/A9
9Corre#tion4 Master' Many $eo$le have??9
9That !ill do4 &
1
A No! listen''' i- yo/ destroy Se#/rity Control a-ter I -eed in the
do$$ler e--e#t and eli"inate the Red Shi-t then s/rely the Invasion "/st s/##eedB9
9+robability o- invasion s/##ess /nder #onditions des#ribed rise to ninety?eiht
$oint t!o'9
The Do#tor bea"ed' 9Well4 !hat9s a #o/$le o- $oints bet!een -riendsB9 He !ent to
the TARDIS #onsole and set to !or,'
*eela ran on and on thro/h endless #orridors4 a#ross brides and !al,!ays4 thro/h
#loisters and anteroo"s /ntil at last she -o/nd hersel- in a #orridor that ended in a bi
ar#hed door!ay'
Ca/tio/sly4 she "oved thro/h it and -o/nd hersel- in a s"all do"ed #ha"ber' It
held a #ontrol #onsole4 a set o- "onitor s#reens and an attra#tive4 b/t bored yo/n !o"an
in Ti"e *ord dress'
Witho/t loo,in /$ the yo/n !o"an said #al"ly' 9Co"e inA9
*eela #re$t -or!ard dra!in her ,ni-e' 9Where are yo/r /ardsB9 she !his$ered
-ier#ely'
9I don9t need any'H
*eela ste$$ed s!i-tly -or!ard and rebo/nded -ro" an invisible barrier'
The yo/n !o"an s"iled' 9There9s a -or#e-ield bet!een yo/ and "e' Bet!een "e
and everybody4 #o"e to that' This is one o- the hihest se#/rity rated roo"s in the entire
Ca$itol'9 She loo,ed /$ at *eela' 9Co/ "/st be that alien everyone9s loo,in -or' *eela
isn9t itB My na"e9s Rodan' +/t that ridi#/lo/s ,ni-e a!ay be-ore yo/ h/rt yo/rsel-'9
*eela sheathed the ,ni-e' 9The Do#tor is al!ays tellin "e to do thatA Why do yo/
not tell the" I a" hereB9
9Why bother' That9s their a--air'9
9Whose a--airB9
9The /ards4 the Ti"e *ords4 all the other borin $eo$le'9
She !aved at the #onsole and the "onitors' 9Do yo/ realise I9ve $assed the
Seventh %radeB Cet here I a"4 nothin "ore than a lori-ied tra--i# /ardB9
9Co/ are a /ardB9 Instin#tively *eela dre! her ,ni-e aain'
9Oh do sto$ #avortin abo/t li,e that4 it9s so /ndini-ied'9
Ba--led and anry4 *eela sheathed the ,ni-e aain'
There !as a b/FFin -ro" the instr/"ent #onsole' 9Oh4 not aain49 said Rodan
!earily' 9E:#/se "e'9 She to/#hed #ontrols and one o- the "onitors lit /$' It sho!ed a
series o- brihtly #olo/red dots "ovin a#ross a dar, ba#,ro/nd' Rodan s$o,e into a
#o""/ni#ations /nit in the sa"e bored voi#e' 9Tra--i# #ontrol here' Ces4 I have the" on
tra#,in' Clearan#e a/thorised'9 She s!it#hed o-- the #o""/ni#ator' 9+ri"itive s$a#e
-leet4 neo?#rystalline str/#t/re4 ato"i# $o!er and !ea$onry' On its !ay to blast so"e
$lanet into d/st4 I s/$$ose'9
9Then yo/ "/st sto$ the"'9
Rodan !as horri-ied' 9WhatB That !o/ld be aainst every la! o- %alli-rey' We
never inter-ere4 yo/ ,no!4 only observe'9
9What i- they !ere to atta#, yo/B9
9Then they !o/ld be very st/$id' Nothin?nothin?#an et $ast the transd/#tion
barrier'9 She ya!ned' 9+ersonally I -ind astro$hysi#s a h/e bore4 don9t yo/B9
*eela nodded d/"bly'
Rodan said4 9Oh ood4 I ,ne! I9d li,e yo/A Why don9t yo/ #o"e inB9 She to/#hed
a #ontrol4 the invisible barrier vanished4 and *eela -ell into the roo"'
The Do#tor loo,ed /$ -ro" the TARDIS #onsole' 9&
1
4 it9s ti"e -or yo/ to o and destroy
the transd/#tion barrier' %ive "e a -e! "in/tes to et a!ay4 and then set o--'9
9A--ir"ative'9
9%ood l/#,4 &
1
49 said the Do#tor so-tly' He o$ened the TARDIS door'
Andred and his /ards !ere still ro/$ed ro/nd the TARDIS a!aitin the arrival
o- the ,eys' 9It see"s to be -i:ed in this ridi#/lo/s sha$e49 said Andred a"/sedly' 9I
!onder !hat it !as i"itatin !hen it ot st/#,'9
The door o$ened and the Do#tor a$$eared' Andred and the /ards #a"e to
attention' 9My *ord +residentA9
The Do#tor ave a start' 9Lelly babies49 he said "ysterio/sly'
9I be yo/r $ardon4 sirB9
9I9d le-t "y =elly babies in the TARDIS'9 The Do#tor $rod/#ed a #r/"$led $a$er
ba' 9Try oneA9
Andred too, one o- the s!eets and $o$$ed it #a/tio/sly in his "o/th'
The Do#tor said en#o/rainly' 9They9re a deli#a#y I dis#overed on the $lanet
Earth'''9
Andred said indistin#tly' 9That9s Sol Three in M/tter9s S$iral4 isn9t it4 sirB9
9Well done4 >/ite riht' Do yo/ li,e the =elly babyB9
9Deli#io/s4 sir'9
The Do#tor $ressed a s!eet into his hand' 9Have anotherA Anybody !ho li,es =elly
babies #an9t be all bad'9 He lo!ered his voi#e #on-identially' 9Co/ !on9t "ention o/r
"eetin to the Chan#ellor4 !ill yo/B
I don9t thin, he a$$re#iates =elly babies4 he9s ot a -rivolo/s "ind'9
Andred !as ba--led b/t loyal' 9I- that is !hat yo/ !ish4 sir4 I shall say nothin'9
9%oodA No!?have yo/ #a/ht the irl yetB9
9No sir' We tho/ht she "iht be in yo/r #a$s/le'9
9No4 no49 said the Do#tor airily4 9there9s no one else in there'9 He too, Andred9s ar"4
leadin hi" a!ay -ro" the TARDIS' 9It9s absol/tely vital that she9s #a/ht and e:$elled
-ro" the Ca$itol' Absol/tely vitalA9
9Vital4 sir49 re$eated Andred' 9I9ll see to it sir' %/ards4 -ollo! "eA9
For a "o"ent the TARDIS stood there alone' Then Andred9s /ard b/stled /$ #arryin a
-lat bo: o- #y$her indent ,eys' He !as s/r$rised to -ind that everyone had one4 and even
"ore s/r$rised to -ind that the TARDIS door !as no! a=ar'
Ca/tio/sly4 he $/shed it o$en and !ent inside'
Sin#e he !as a Ti"e *ord /ard4 he !as not s/r$rised at the s$a#io/s #ontrol
roo" !ithin' What did s/r$rise hi" !as the do?li,e "etal a/to"aton that $eered
#/rio/sly /$ at hi"'
Dro$$in the bo: o- ,eys4 he rea#hed -or his staser $istol'
&
1
set his blaster on st/n and shot the /ard do!n' He lided $ast the "an9s
/n#ons#io/s body and o/t o- the TARDIS'
&elner ta$$ed lihtly on the door o- the +resident9s o--i#e and $/shed it o$en' Bor/sa sat
behind the +resident9s des,' Tryin it o/t -or siFe no do/bt4 tho/ht &elner4 !ho had
a"bitions in that dire#tion hi"sel-' His -a#e a "as, o- $olite #on#ern &elner said4 9My
a$oloies4 Chan#ellor' I ta,e it the +resident is still restin in yo/r #ha"bersBH
The ha!,?-a#ed old "an loo,ed /$ at hi"' 9He is'9
9He has been there all the ti"eB9
9He has' And I have been here'9
9I thin, yo/ sho/ld ro/se hi" no!49 said &elner deli#ately' 9I sho/ld very "/#h
li,e to s$ea, to hi"'''9
Bor/sa loo,ed tho/ht-/lly at hi" -or a "o"ent4 then rose and headed -or the
door' +olitely &elner "oved aside to let hi" $ass'
As the Do#tor #a"e ba#, thro/h the se#ret $assae4 there !as a ra$$in on the o/ter
door'
He heard Bor/sa9s voi#e' 9Co/r E:#ellen#y4 Castellan &elner !ishes to s$ea, to
yo/'9
The Do#tor dashed to the #o/#h and -l/n hi"sel- do!n' In a slee$y voi#e he
#alled4 9WhatB Oh4 very !ell4 brin hi" in'9
Bor/sa and &elner #a"e into the roo"'
&elner said obse>/io/sly' 9I tr/st Co/r E:#ellen#y is restedB9
The Do#tor nodded4 and &elner !ent on4 9I9" a-raid I "/st tell yo/ that the irl
*eela has evaded o/r /ards and is still in hidin so"e!here in the Ca$itol'9
The Do#tor rose anrily' 9Ho! did this ha$$enB9
9A rerettable oversiht on the $art o- the /ards'9
9She "/st be -o/nd49 sho/ted the Do#tor' 9Co/ are res$onsible -or se#/rity4
Castellan' See to itA I""ediately A9
9I""ediately4 Co/r E:#ellen#y49 said &elner4 and s#/ttled a!ay'
The Do#tor said #/rtly4 9Bor/sa4 #all a "eetin o- "y Co/n#il at on#e'9
9May I en>/ire??B9
9NoA9 said the Do#tor r/dely' 9Co/ "ay not' S/""on the "eetin4 i""ediately'
No e:#/sesA9
DSlee,4 i""ense4 shar,?li,e4 the Vardan -la?shi$ s$ed to!ards %alli-rey'E
*ihts bean -lashin "adly on Rodan9s #onsole4 and she stared in#red/lo/sly at the
instr/"ent readins' 9It #an9t be''' no one !o/ld dare'9 She -li#,ed the #o""/ni#ator
s!it#h' 9S$a#e tra--i# #ontrol here' An alien s$a#e #ra-t4 t!o s$ans distan#e #o/rse Feroed
in to %alli-rey' Raise transd/#tion barrier to -a#tor -ive' Re$eat -a#tor -ive' I""ediate and
/rent' Red Alert4 re$eat Red AlertA9
The st/nned body o- a te#hni#ian lay s$ra!led a#ross the door!ay o- the transd/#tion
barrier #ontrol roo"'
&
1
lided $ast and rearded the "assive e>/i$"ent ban,s in -ront o- hi"'
I""ense4 a/to"ated in#redibly $o!er-/l4 the "a#hinery in this roo" #ontrolled the
#olossal -or#es that had ,e$t %alli-rey sa-e -ro" all invasion?/ntil no!'
Settin his blaster to "a:i"/"4 &
1
o$ened -ire' *aser bea"s #ra#,led4 ele#tri#al
$anels s$ar,ed and b/rnt o/t4 #o"$le: transd/#tion #ir#/itry "elted and -/sed''' Soon the
roo" !as -illed !ith s"o,e and -la"e'
Rodan !as sho/tin into her #o""/ni#ator' 9Find hi"' I "/st -ind the CastellanA
The transd/#tion barrier has -ailed' %alli-rey is bein invadedA9 Rodan bro,e o-- as i-
/nable to believe the horror o- her o!n !ords'
&elner entered the +ano$ti#on #on-eren#e hall to -ind the rest o- the Hih Co/n#il already
asse"bled' The Do#tor lo/ned in his $la#e at the head o- the table' &elner bo!ed lo!
and too, his $la#e !ith the others'
The Do#tor rose4 loo,in "o#,inly aro/nd the set -a#es' 9My a$oloies -or the
haste4 entle"en4 b/t this is no ordinary Co/n#il "eetin' Today I a" $rivileed to
introd/#e yo/ to yo/r ne! "asters'9
Three shi""erin sha$es bean "aterialisin in -ront o- the #on-eren#e table'
The Do#tor thre! ba#, his head and let o/t a ho!l o- "ania#al la/hter'
#
The $nasion
The strane thin abo/t the Vardans !as that they !eren9t >/ite there It !as as i- they
e:isted in so"e other di"ension4 so"e other reality' The astonished Hih Co/n#il sa!
three tall4 shi""erin sha$es4 #loa,ed and hooded -i/res !ith the va/est hint o-
-eat/res /nder the hoods' B/t so"eho! it !as i"$ossible to et a really ood loo, at the
Vardans' So"ethin abo/t the" t/rned a!ay the eyes'
At -irst4 Bor/sa !as "ore #on#erned !ith the i"$ro$er behavio/r o- the Do#tor
than !ith the invadin aliens' 9He is "ad4 I ,ne! itA9 Then he t/rned his attention to the
invaders' 9%/ards4 destroy the"A9
The nearest /ard levelled his staser at the invaders' There !as a -lash o- liht
-ro" one o- the shinin sha$es and the /ard -ell dead' It !as as si"$le and horrible as
that'
9Resistan#e is /seless' Tell the"4 Do#tor'9 The voi#e !as harsh and thin4 and had
so"ethin o- the eerily /nreal >/ality o- the Vardans the"selves' They !ere li,e hosts4
tho/ht Bor/sa daFedly' %alli-rey !as bein invaded by shinin hostsA
9Resistan#e is /seless49 re$eated the Do#tor obediently' 9The Vardans have "ore
$o!er than yo/ have ever drea"ed o-4 "ore ,no!lede than yo/ #o/ld ever ho$e -or'
Co/ "/st s/b"it4 as I did !hen I -irst "ade #onta#t !ith the"'9
9And !hen !as thatB9 de"anded Bor/sa'
9A lon ti"e ao49 said the Do#tor !earily' 9I re#eived a tele$athi# "essae -ro"
the Matri:4 !arnin "e o- their $o!er4 I de#ided to =oin the"'9
Bor/sa est/red to!ards the sha$es' 9Co/ ,ne! o- this all the ti"e?be-ore yo/r
ind/#tionB9
9Even be-ore that'9
9Co/ disa$$oint "e Do#tor' I e:$e#ted "ore o- yo/'9
9Did yo/ reallyB Than, yo/4 Chan#ellor'9 The Do#tor t/rned to address the Hih
Co/n#il' 9Co/ !ill dis$erse and a!ait "y ne:t #o""ands' In-or" the Ca$itol !hat has
ha$$ened' There "/st be no resistan#e'9
Silently the Co/n#il bean -ilin -ro" the roo"' They see"ed daFed4 #r/shed?all
e:#e$t Bor/sa' 9Co/ have no riht to do this49 he said -/rio/sly'
9Bor/sa4 have yo/ #arried o/t "y ordersB9 said the Do#tor s/ddenly'
9What orders?S/$re"a#yB9
9Reardin the re?de#oration o- "y o--i#eA9
9The "atter !as $/t in hand'9
9No do/bt' B/t is it -inishedB9
9I believe so'9
9Ma,e s/reA9 ordered the Do#tor' 9Attend "e there !ithin the ho/r' I shall e:$e#t to
see the !or, #o"$lete'9
Too anry to s$ea,4 Bor/sa t/rned a!ay'
The Vardan *eader said4 9Conrat/lations4 Do#tor' Co/ sho! reat $ro"ise in the
a$$li#ation o- $o!er' Co/ #o/ld be a -irst?rade di#tator'9 This !as >/ite a #o"$li"ent'
The entire Vardan $hiloso$hy !as based on the seiF/re and a$$li#ation o- $o!er' A
r/thless arbitrary di#tator !as the "ost ad"ired -i/re in their so#iety'
9Than, yo/49 said the Do#tor h/"bly' 9That9s very ,ind o- yo/'9
9Ho! lon !ill it ta,e yo/ to -ind the %reat &eyB9
9That49 said the Do#tor sole"nly4 9is a "atter o- ti"e'9
9The invaders are in #ontrol49 "oaned Rodan'
Her !orld had s/ddenly #r/"bled aro/nd her4 and she !as in a state o- near?
hysteri#al #olla$se' *eela4 on the other hand4 !as /sed to daner4 and !as $ositively
e:hilarated by it' Not s/r$risinly4 it !as *eela !ho too, #ontrol'
9%oodA No! they are here4 !e #an -iht the"'9
9Didn9t yo/ hear the Hih Co/n#il9s anno/n#e"ent' We "/st s/b"it'9
9Co/ listen to yo/r Hih Co/n#il?I shall listen to "y Do#tor' He has a $lan'9
9What $lanB9
9I do not ,no!'9
9Then ho! #an yo/ be so #ertainB9
9The Do#tor al!ays has a $lan'9 Rodan started to $rotest -/rther4 b/t *eela said4
9There is no $oint in -/rther dis#/ssion' Tal, is -or the !ise or the hel$less4 and I a"
neither'9
9What shall !e doB9
9The Do#tor !ished "e to be banished49 said *eela slo!ly' 9So4 I !ill be banishedA9
9Sho/ld !e not s/rrenderB9
9NoA9 said *eela -ier#ely' 9Co/ tal, al!ays o- s/rrender4 o- s/b"ission' Are all yo/r
tribe li,e thisB9
9We are rational beins4 !e a##e$t the sit/ation'9
9Co/ are #o!ardsA9 *eela !ent on thin,in alo/d' 9No4 i- the Do#tor !ished "e
banished4 it !as -or a reason' I sho/ld have ,no!n that'9
9B/t the Do#tor is a traitorA9
9NeverA9
9B/t reason di#tates??9
9Then reason is a liar'9
9B/t *eela4 i- I a" riht??9
9Then I a" !ron4 and I !ill -a#e the #onse>/en#es' No!4 are yo/ #o"inB9
Rodan nodded "iserably' She s!it#hed o-- the -or#e?-ield and -ollo!ed *eela
-ro" the roo"'
The Do#tor strode randly into the +residential o--i#e and -o/nd Bor/sa !aitin' The
$la#e had been trans-or"ed' Walls4 #eilin4 doors4 even the -loor itsel- had been #overed
!ith intri#ately de#orated lead $anels' They !ere $atterned in !heels and #os and levers
and they lea"ed d/lly li,e the inside o- so"e anti>/ated "a#hine'
The Do#tor loo,ed ro/nd a$$re#iatively' 9Ni#e4 very ni#e indeed' A little too
ro#o##o -or an aestheti# $/rist $erha$s4 b/t I li,e it'9 He see"ed to noti#e the Chan#ellor
-or the -irst ti"e' 9Ah4 Bor/saA What are yo/ doin hereB9
9Co/ !ished to see "e4 Co/r E:#ellen#y'9
9I didB No!4 !hat abo/t''' Oh yesA Are the re?de#orations to "y o--i#e #o"$leteB9
9As Co/r E:#ellen#y #an see'''9
'Completely, #o"$leteB9
9To the last detail'9
9No s/bstit/te "aterials4 no -oreries4 no $enny?$in#hinB9
9No e:$ense !as s$ared49 said Bor/sa dryly' 9The "aterials and !or,"en !ere the
-inest to be had in the entire Thesa/rian E"$ire'9
9ReallyB9 said the Do#tor ad"irinly' 9So all this e:>/isite relie- !or, is in $/re
leadB9
Bor/sa de#ided that the #o"bination o- absol/te $o!er and ,no!lede o- his o!n
treason "/st have #o"$letely /nhined the Do#tor9s al!ays errati# brain'
9A$art -ro" a s"all ad"i:t/re o- strenthenin alloy4 that is the #ase'9
The Do#tor s"iled4 and see"ed to rela:' S/ddenly Bor/sa sa! not a $o!er?"ad
traitor4 b/t the Do#tor he had al!ays ,no!n4 the $/$il !hose i"$/dent #har" had so
o-ten bro/ht an /n!illin s"ile to his -a#e'
The Do#tor $/t an a--e#tionate hand on the old "an9s sho/lder' 9%oodA Then at
last !e #an really tal,A Sit do!n'9
Bor/sa sat4 and the Do#tor bean to s$ea,' He tal,ed -or a very lon !hile
$o/rin o/t $ast history4 in-or"ation ained and -/t/re $lans and Bor/sa listened in
astonished silen#e'
When the Do#tor had -inished4 Bor/sa shoo, his head in a"aFe"ent' 9B/t !hy
not si"$ly !arn /sB Why the betrayalB9
9Wo/ld yo/ have listenedB The Ti"e *ords had ro!n #o"$la#ent4 ri$e -or
#on>/est' Co/ needed the sho#, o- invasion to !a,e /$' Besides4 on#e I had "ade #onta#t
!ith the Vardans4 I had to $retend to =oin the" to s/rvive' Any atte"$t to !arn yo/4 and
they9d have ,illed "e4 and invaded yo/ =/st the sa"e'9
9B/t to shield yo/r -eelins4 yo/r every tho/ht -or so lon a ti"e''' the strain
"/st have been intolerable'9
9Di--i#/lt4 I "/st #on-ess4 even -or "e' I o!e yo/ a reat deal4 *ord Bor/sa4 and
not least "y a$oloies -or all the indinities and ins/lts I !as -or#ed to thro! at yo/'9
9The +resident need a$oloise to no one'9
9Than, yo/'9
9The +resident need??9
9Than, no one eitherB9 The Do#tor s"iled' 9Tr/e4 very tr/e4 =/st a habit I $i#,ed /$
so"e!here'9
By no! Bor/sa had absorbed the $roble"4 and !as #onsiderin ho! to deal !ith
it' 9Ho! a##/rate is yo/r dataB9
9Absol/tely a##/rate4 as -ar as it oes?b/t not yet #o"$lete'9
Bor/sa said tho/ht-/lly4 9So4 the Vardans #an travel alon !ave?lenths o- any
sort' And sin#e an ele#tro?te"$oral -ield is needed -or #o""/ni#ations4 they #an read
tho/hts'9
9At al"ost any distan#e?i# their attention is #on#entrated'9
Bor/sa loo,ed aro/nd hi"' 9B/t a lead?lined roo"4 s/#h as this one'''9
9With at least a hint o- elean#e4 I ho$eB9 said the Do#tor irre$ressibly'
Bor/sa -ro!ned at his old $/$il9s -rivolity' 9A lead?lined roo" li,e this #an shield
/s -ro" the"B9
9Tr/e'9
9And yo/ "anaed at least $artial shieldin totally /naidedB9
9Also tr/e4 b/t then4 I had the bene-it o- yo/r traininA9
9Then !hy #o/ld I not shield "ysel-B9
9Be#a/se4 li,e the rest o- the Ti"e *ords4 yo/r "ind is too loi#al' Most o- yo/
are la#,in in h/"o/r4 yo/ have little i"aination'9
Bor/sa ave an a--ronted sni--' S/ddenly the Do#tor said4 9What abo/t teaB9
9TeaB9
9TeaA9
9Tea is the leaves o- a $lant4 en/s #a"ellia in dried -or"'9
9I ,no! !hat tea is?!hat9s -or teaB9
9What has tea ot to do !ith the Vardan invasionB9
9NothinA That9s the !hole $oint'9
9B/t I don9t /nderstand'9
9O- #o/rse yo/ don9t' Co/9re too sinle "inded' Trans$arent as ood old lass'9
9Co/9re riht49 said Bor/sa sadly' 9I !o/ldn9t last a "o"ent' My "ind is too
loi#al4 too easy to read' The "aster learns -ro" the $/$il4 eh4 Do#torB9
9Well'''9 said the Do#tor "odestly' B/t $erha$s there !as the -aintest hint o-
s"/ness in his s"ile'
Rodan led *eela thro/h the Ca$itol4 loo,in -or the little /sed t/nnel that led to the
o/tside' As they "oved alon4 the #orridors be#a"e narro!er and "ore nele#ted?
loo,in4 al"ost dis/sed' The Ti"e *ords seldo" vent/red into the o/tside !orld'
Rodan $a/sed at a #orridor =/n#tion' 9Straiht on4 I thin,' Tho/h I9" not really
s/re' I9ve never been this -ar'9
A voi#e behind the" sho/ted4 9HaltA9
They t/rned4 and sa! Andred4 #overin the" !ith a staser' 9Where do yo/ t!o
thin, yo/9re oinB9
9O/tside49 said *eela brie-ly'
9Don9t yo/ ,no! !e9ve been invadedB9
9As a "atter o- -a#t4 !e do4 Co""ander Andred49 said Rodan' 9I !as on d/ty in
s$a#e tra--i# #ontrol !hen it ha$$ened'9
She told Andred o- the arrival o- the alien #ra-t4 and o- the "ysterio/s -ail/re o-
the transd/#tion barrier' Andred in t/rn told the" o- the astonishin events on the #o/n#il
#ha"ber4 and o- the Do#tor9s strane behavio/r'
9Well49 said Rodan4 !hen he9d -inished' 9What are yo/ oin to do abo/t all thisB9
9I9" not s/re yet' Ho! "/#h is this alien irl involved !ith the invaders'9
9I don9t thin, she even ,no!s !ho they are'9
9B/t she9s the +resident9s -riend?and he is !or,in -or the"'9
9He isn9t4 he9s only $retendin to hel$ the"49 said *eela -ier#ely'
9I seeA So yo/ and the Do#tor only !ant to hel$ /s' I s/$$ose that9s !hy yo/
destroyed the transd/#tion barrier'9
9I destroyed nothin'9
9She #o/ldn9t have done it4 Andred49 said Rodan' 9She !as !ith "e !hen it
ha$$ened'9
9So"eone ble! /$ the #ontrol roo"' Who !as it4 i- it !asn9t herB9
9I9ve no idea' All !e !ant is to et o/t o- here'9
9WhyB9
9Be#a/se it9s too danero/s on the inside4 and *eela thin,s !e "ay be able to do
so"e ood o/tside'9
*eela !as ettin i"$atient' Her hand hovered near the hilt o- her ,ni-e4 and she
!as $oised to s$rin' She rather li,ed Andred4 b/t she !as >/ite $re$ared to ,ill hi" i- he
stood in her !ay' 9Well4 are yo/ oin to let /s o or notB9
Andred bolstered his staser' 9All riht' Carry on this !ay and yo/9ll #o"e to the
e:it t/nnel' B/t be #are-/l4 there9s a #/r-e!' I- any o- the /ards see yo/ they9ll shoot?
&elner9s orders'9
9Why don9t yo/ #o"e !ith /sB9
9I #an do "ore ood here' So"eone9s ot to ,ee$ an eye on Castellan &elner and
besides4 there "ay be a #han#e o- havin a o at the invaders'9 He ave *eela a loo,' 9Or
even the $resident'9
*eela ave hi" an anry lare b/t said nothin' Andred s#ar#ely ,ne! the Do#tor
a-ter all4 and he #o/ldn9t be e:$e#ted to share her o!n blind -aith in hi"' 9Co"e on4
Rodan49 she said4 and led the !ay do!n the #orridor'
Hal-?reret-/lly4 Andred !at#hed the" o'
The Do#tor and Bor/sa had nearly -inished their dis#/ssion'
9By the !ay49 said Bor/sa as they $re$ared to leave4 9!hy did yo/ order yo/r -riend
*eela to be banishedB9
9For her o!n $rote#tion' *eela is a barbarian4 a $ri"itive' She9s >/ite in#a$able o-
shieldin her -eelins or e"otions'9
Bor/sa nodded' 9So4 i- I9" as trans$arent as ood old lass'''9
9*eela is even "ore so' She9s a daner to hersel- and to /s all' B/t on#e she ets
o/tside'''9
9That barbarian ardenB Ho! !ill she be sa-er thereB9
9Be#a/se that barbarian arden is her nat/ral habitat' She9s a h/ntress4 a #reat/re
o- instin#t' There9s no $o!er o/t there4 no te#hnoloy to #on-/se her'''9
Bor/sa sh/ddered' It !as beyond his #o"$rehension that anyone #o/ld live
!itho/t #ivilisation' 9Ho! a!-/lA Will she be able to s/rviveB9
9I don9t ,no!'9 The Do#tor ot to his -eet' 9We9d better o and -a#e the"4
Chan#ellor' They9ll et s/s$i#io/s i- !e stay o/t o- siht too lon'9
Bor/sa ot sti--ly to his -eet' 9Co/ haven9t told "e very "/#h abo/t yo/r $lans'9
9As "/#h as I dare49 said the Do#tor a$oloeti#ally'
9@/ite so' The less I ,no!4 the less I #an ive a!ay'9
9Co/ "/st blo#, -ro" yo/r "ind the little that I have told yo/49 !arned the Do#tor'
9Can yo/ do itB Can yo/ a#t as yo/ did be-oreB9
9CesA9 said Bor/sa deter"inedly'
9Well done49 said the Do#tor ently' 9Co/9re a very brave "an4 Cardinal Bor/sa'9
%
The &utcasts
By no! *eela and Rodan !ere o/tside the Ca$itol4 "a,in their !ay a#ross a blea, and
!inds!e$t stret#h o- "oorland'
The =o/rney thro/h the o/ter #orridors had bro/ht the" to a narro! t/nnel4
!hi#h ended in a ,ind o- airlo#,4 a $re#a/tion aainst the $ossibility o- the nat/ral
at"os$here #onta"inatin the air?#onditioned #al" o- the Ca$itol' Rodan had o$erated
#ontrols4 they had one thro/h a narro! door4 that led O/tside' The door slid #losed
behind the"4 and s/ddenly they !ere in o$en #o/ntry4 the sheer !hite !alls o- the
Ca$itol risin in#redibly hih above the"'
The #hane in #onditions had a--e#ted the t!o irls in #o"$letely di--erent !ays'
*eela !as #heer-/l4 e:hilarated4 delihted to -eel !ind !ith a hint o- rain in her -a#e4
s$riny t/r- /nder-oot instead o- #old4 hard "arble'
Rodan !as soon -eelin #old and -rihtened' De$rived o- the #o"-ortin !ar"th
o- the Ca$itol she !as lost4 hel$less' 9*eela4 I "/st rest' I9" so tired'9
*eela lan#ed over her sho/lder' Altho/h they had been #rossin the "oor -or
>/ite so"e ti"e4 the lea"in to!ers o- the Ca$itol !ere still in siht' 9No4 !e have not
#o"e -ar eno/h yet'9
Rollin "oorland stret#hed endlessly ahead4 risin and -allin4 bro,en only by
o##asional #l/"$s o- trees' 9I never tho/ht O/tside !o/ld be li,e this49 sobbed Rodan'
9It9s so e"$ty'9
9S/rely yo/ have been o/tside be-oreB9
9Never' None o- /s #o"e O/tside' Why sho/ld !eB Everythin !e need is in the
Ca$itol'9
9Here is better49 said *eela #on-idently'
9B/t it -rihtens "e'9
9Co/ are -rihtenedB WhyB9
9It9s all so?e"$ty'9
9We "/st o on49 said *eela -ir"ly' 9We #an still see the #ity4 so those in the #ity
#an see us'
9Ho! "/#h -/rtherB9
9To the other side o- the hill' Then !e #an rest'9
*eela bean stridin liht?-ooted a#ross the t/r-' With a re$roa#h-/l loo,4 Rodan
st/"bled a-ter her'
It see"ed to ta,e -orever to #li"b the hill and des#end the other side4 b/t they
"anaed it at last4 and Rodan thre! hersel- do!n4 #lose to the ede o- a little !ood'
9No! #an !e restB9
9Ces4 -or a !hile'9
Rodan dro$$ed to the ro/nd in a hea$' *eela loo,ed ro/nd #are-/lly4 and sat
beside her'
Rodan too, o-- her -li"sy sandals and r/bbed her sore -eet' 9Why did I listen to
yo/' It !as st/$id to leave the Ca$itol'9
9Wo/ld yo/ rather stay !ith the invadersB At least !e9re sa-e o/t here'9
An arro! -lashed thro/h the air and st/#, >/iverin in the ro/nd =/st in -ront o-
the"'
Rodan =/"$ed to her -eet !ith a s#rea"' *eela !as on her -eet4 her ,ni-e in her
hand' 9@/i#,ly4 Rodan4 r/nA9
B/t it !as too late' Men !ith s$ears ran o/t -ro" the trees4 and athered aro/nd
the" in a "ena#in #ir#le' They !ere tra$$ed'
Castellan &elner rearded the h/l,in /ard standin riidly to attention be-ore hi"' The
/ard9s na"e !as Varn' He !as very bi4 very brave4 and very st/$id' Best o- all4 he !as
/tterly loyal to Castellan &elner4 !ho had re#onised his >/alities4 and $ro"oted hi" to
the #o""and o- the Castellan9s body/ard4 an elite s>/ad !ho too, orders only -ro"
&elner' 9No! then4 Varn4 yo/ /nderstand yo/r ne! a$$oint"entB Fro" no! on yo/ !ill
/ard the +resident' Co/ !ill stay !ith hi" at all ti"es4 is that #learB9
9Ces4 Castellan'9
9Co/ !ill re$ort to "e everythin the +resident says or does'9
9Ces4 Castellan'9
9The +resident has ene"ies4 Varn4 and there "ay be those !ho !ish to har" hi"'
Co/ !ill $rote#t hi" -ro" any s/#h atta#,?/nless I order other!ise'9
9Ces4 Castellan' Nothin !ill ha$$en to the $resident !hile I a" /ardin hi"'9
9%ood' Co/ see4 i- anythin did ha$$en to the +resident I "iht have to ta,e over
as +resident "ysel-' I have no desire to e:$ose "ysel- to the daners o- that $osition?-or
the "o"ent4 that is'9
9I /nderstand4 Castellan'9
9%ood' Co/ !ill ta,e /$ yo/r ne! $osition i""ediately' B/t re"e"ber4 Varn4 yo/
are still servin "e' When the ti"e #o"es4 I !ill see that yo/ are s/itably re!arded -or
yo/r loyalty'9
9Ces4 sir' And than, yo/4 sir'9
Varn sal/ted and "ar#hed "assively -ro" the roo"'
&elner s"iled' He !as not yet s/re e:a#tly !here the Do#tor stood4 and /ntil he
!as4 it !as di--i#/lt to de#ide !hether he !anted hi" alive or dead' Only ti"e !o/ld tell'
Mean!hile Varn !o/ld be at the Do#tor9s side' To $rote#t4 or to ,ill hi"?=/st as &elner
ordered'
In the #entre o- the !oods there !as a tiny #learin4 and in the #learin !as a lon h/t' It
!as "ade o- /n$eeled los4 roo-ed !ith t/r- and #a"o/-laed !ith bran#hes4 and it
blended al"ost $er-e#tly into its s/rro/ndins' A "an #a"e o/t o- the h/t and stood
!aitin be-ore the door as a ro/$ o- "en !ith s$ears draed t!o -e"ale #a$tives into
the #learin' The "an !as #alled Nesbin4 and he !as the leader o- the strane #o""/nity
,no!n as the O/tsiders' Nesbin !as tall and stron4 ro/hly dressed !ith harsh4 #ray
-eat/res' He !ore a ,ind o- si"$le s"o#,4 and a headband ,e$t shay sho/lder?lenth
bro!n hair -ro" his eyes' He and his -ollo!ers had the !eatherbeaten loo, o- $eo$le !ho
lead hard lives in the o$en air'
Tho/ht-/lly Nesbin st/died the t!o #a$tives' One !as a Ti"e *ady o- the ,ind
he had o-ten seen be-ore4 tho/h she had none o- the /s/al elean#e o- her ,ind' Her -a#e
!as dirty4 her robes tattered and she loo,ed tired and -rihtened'
The other #a$tive !as "ore o- a $/FFle4 a tall s,in?#lad irl !ith reddish?bro!n
hair' She !as str/lin -/rio/sly !ith the t!o "en !ho held her ar"s'
Nesbin9s "en !ere al"ost as bedraled as their #a$tives' Most see"ed to be
br/ised4 and one or t!o had ro/hly?bo/nd !o/nds'
Nesbin stared at Abli-4 a b/rly yo/n "an !ho !as the leader o- the h/ntin
$arty'
9What9s this4 Abli-B Have yo/ been in a battleB9
Abli- r/bbed at a dee$ s#rat#h on his bro!n #hee,' 9We -o/nd these t!o hidin on
the ede o- the -orest'9
9Were they ar"edB9
Abli- nodded to!ards the irl in s,ins' 9This one !as' Too, the !hole lot o- /s to
et this o-- her'9 He ta$$ed a lon bladed ,ni-e thr/st into his belt'
At a nod -ro" Nesbin4 the t!o "en holdin *eela draed her #loser' He st/died
her tho/ht-/lly' 9She9s a strane one all riht'9 He rea#hed o/t and to/#hed her hair'
I""ediately a -oot lashed o/t4 ,i#,in his riht le -ro" /nder hi"' 9&ee$ yo/r
hands o-- "eA9 hissed a -/rio/s voi#e'
Nesbin ot slo!ly to his -eet4 tryin to inore the rins on the -a#es o- his "en'
9Well4 !ell4 it s$ea,sA9
9I a" not an HitH' I a" *eela4 and this is Rodan' Who are yo/4 and !hat do yo/
!ant -ro" /sB9
9My na"e is Nesbin' I a" leader here' More to the $oint4 !hat do yo/ !ant !ith
/sB9
Rodan s$o,e -or the -irst ti"e' 9We don9t !ant anythin !ith yo/'9
A tall bony !o"an #alled +resta #a"e o/t o- the lo h/t' 9It9s a tri#,' She9s a Ti"e
*ady4 isn9t sheB Send her ba#, to the Ca$itol !here she belons'9
Rodan !as horri-ied' 9No4 yo/ "/stn9t do that?!e9re es#a$in -ro" the Ca$itol'9
9Es#a$inB What -orB9
Brie-ly Rodan told hi" o- the Vardan invasion'
Nesbin too, the ne!s #al"ly4 al"ost as i- it didn9t "/#h #on#ern hi"' 9So4 yo/ do
!ant so"ethin -ro" /s then' Food4 $rote#tion4 hel$' Co/ #an9t s/rvive o/t here on yo/r
o!n'9
9I #an s/rvive any!hereA9 said *eela -ier#ely'
9That I #an believe' What are yo/ any!ay4 irlB Co/9re not -ro" %alli-rey4 are
yo/B9
9I a" a !arrior o- the Sevatee"'9
9She9s an alien49 said +resta !orriedly' 9Aliens are -orbidden on %alli-rey' It9s
danero/s to ,ee$ her here4 the /ards !ill s/rely #o"e h/ntin -or her'9
9We9ll thin, abo/t that in a "o"ent49 said Nesbin' He loo,ed hard at *eela' 9Well4
warrior, $erha$s yo/ "iht s/rvive' What abo/t yo/r -riend hereB I do/bt i- she9s ever set
-oot o/tside the Ca$itol be-ore'9 He t/rned to Rodan' 9Well have yo/BH
9No49 "/ttered Rodan'
9It9s all di--erent o/t here4 yo/ ,no!4 yo/ have to -end -or yo/rsel-' Ho! are yo/
oin to eatB9
Rodan $rod/#ed a hand-/l o- tablets -ro" the $o/#h at her belt' 9I have s/$$lies'9
9They !on9t last lon' Ho! !ill yo/ "anae !hen they9re -inishedB Have yo/
ever eaten -lesh4 or -r/itB Do yo/ ,no! ho! to -ind shelterB Co/ !o/ldn9t last three days
o/t hereA9
Nesbin see"ed to be ta,in a $ositive $leas/re in ta/ntin RodanI he obvio/sly
had so"e r/de aainst Ti"e *ords' By no! Rodan !as near to tears' 9I didn9t realise'
Oh4 I9" so tired4 and #old'''9
Nesbin said r/--ly4 9All riht4 all riht''' Co/9d better et inside'9
9Are yo/ oin to let the" stay thenB9 de"anded +resta'
9We9ll de#ide !hen !e9ve heard "ore abo/t this invasion'9
&
1
lided thro/h the #orridors o- the Ca$itol li,e so"e reat "etal rat4 ,ee$in #lose to
the !alls4 hidin in >/iet #orners4 behind stat/es and ta$estries4 l/r,in in $at#hes o-
shado!' Several ti"es he narro!ly es#a$ed bein seen by $atrols o- /ards4 and on#e
three shi""erin alien sha$es lided alon a nearby #orridor4 "a,in &
1
9s antennae
bristle !ith their alien $resen#e'
At last &
1
rea#hed his oal' S!i-tly he lided /$ to the still?o$en door o- the
TARDIS and disa$$eared inside'
On#e inside the #ontrol roo"4 &
1
$a/sed and ave o/t a #o"$le: series o- bee$s'
A#tivated by re"ote #ontrol4 the door slid #losed behind hi"'
More blee$s4 and a s"all $anel slid o$en in the base o- the #ontrol #onsole' &
1
lided /$ to it and e:tended his "ain antenna so that it -itted into the so#,et inside the
$anel' The TARDIS #onsole h/""ed into li-e' &
1
9s eye?s#reens lit /$ and all his
antennae >/ivered e#stati#ally4 as data bean -loodin in -ro" the TARDIS #onsole'
The ne:t stae o- the Do#tor9s $lan !as /nder !ay'
The Do#tor s!e$t into &elner9s o--i#e4 -ollo!ed by Bor/sa' The Cardinal9s -a#e !as ri"'
The Do#tor ho!ever !as in hih ood h/"o/r'
&elner !as not alone in his o$/lent o--i#e' T!o tall4 hooded sha$es !ere
shi""erin at his side'
9I9" sorry to have ,e$t yo/ !aitin49 said the Do#tor #heer-/lly'
&elner bo!ed his head' 9Not at all4 Co/r E:#ellen#y'9
9I !asn9t tal,in to yo/49 said the Do#tor4 !ith a nod to the Vardans' He installed
hi"sel- behind &elner9s des,' 9Riht4 shall !e startB These are yo/r ne! "asters4 and I
a/thorise yo/ both to a#,no!lede their absol/te $o!er'9
9I a" A#tin?Chan#ellor49 said Bor/sa sti--ly' 9Co/ have no a/thority /nder the
Constit/tion to order "e to do any s/#h thin'9
9The Constit/tion is s/s$ended49 said the Do#tor' 9As o- no!A9
9This is "onstro/s'9
9Ces4 b/t it9s ha$$enin Bor/sa4 so =/st do as yo/9re toldA9
9Never' I !ill not s/b"it to these aliens' I a" a Ti"e *ord4 a Cardinal??9
A ray o- liht shot -ro" one o- the shi""erin sha$es4 a red lo! s/--/sed
Bor/sa9s -rail old body4 and he t!isted and -ell'
'
The Assassin
Even in his aony4 Bor/sa "anaed to "/tter de-ian#e' 9I !ill not s/b"it''' I !ill not
s/b"it'''9
The red lo! b/rned "ore -ier#ely'
9Sto$49 sho/ted the Do#tor' 9Don9t destroy hi"' He #an still be /se-/l to /s'9
9Co/ !ill be res$onsible -or hi"B9 said the Vardan threateninly4
9Ces'9
The lo! -aded and Bor/sa lay still' The Do#tor loo,ed do!n at hi"' 9He #an9t
hel$ bein so sti--?ne#,ed' Castellan4 have the Chan#ellor re"oved to his >/arters' Don9t
let anyone in or o/t4 he9s /nder ho/se arrest'9
&elner !as terri-ied' 9I""ediately4 sir' %/ards4 yo/ heard the +resident'9
T!o /ards #a"e -or!ard and hel$ed Bor/sa to his -eet' The old "an !as
re#overin -ast4 tho/h still very !ea,' S/stained only by his indo"itable !ill4 he shoo,
o-- the aid o- the /ards and !al,ed -ro" the roo"'
The Do#tor loo,ed a-ter hi"' 9Co/ have to ad"ire hi"4 yo/ ,no!4 he does have
#o/rae'9
9He is a -ool49 said the Vardan dis$assionately' 9I- he #a/ses tro/ble !e shall
destroy hi"?and yo/ also'9
The Do#tor loo,ed h/rt' 9I9ve ,e$t "y $art o- the barain so -ar4 haven9t IB What
"ore do yo/ !antB9
9MoreB9 The Vardan9s voi#e !as s#orn-/l' 9We have not be/n yet4 Do#tor' When
!e are #ertain that !e have a#hieved #o"$lete do"inan#e over yo/r $eo$le4 !e !ill
reveal o/r re>/ire"ents to yo/'9
9And ret/rn to yo/r tr/e -or"sB I -ind it dis#on#ertin4 tal,in to shi""erin
sha$es'9
9The ti"e is not yet riht' First4 yo/ "/st #o"$lete the arrane"ents -or the
#on>/est o- yo/r $eo$le'9
9Nat/rally4 nat/rally49 said the Do#tor4 as i- this !as a "atter o- only "inor
i"$ortan#e' 9Well4 Castellan4 the Chan#ellor doesn9t see" too ,een to hel$ /s' What abo/t
yo/B9
Wrinin his hands in terror4 &elner bo!ed lo!' 9It is "y d/ty to serve the
+resident at all ti"es' My only desire is to do !hatever yo/ !ish'9
9So"eho! I tho/ht yo/9d see thins li,e that' Co/ #an start by "a,in s/re
nobody tries to oranise any sort o- resistan#e' That9s the last thin !e !ant'9
9Ces4 sir4 I >/ite aree' +ea#e-/l #o?o$eration is a "/#h "ore -r/it-/l #o/rse'9
9That9s the idea' *isten4 !hy don9t yo/ =/st reard yo/rsel- as a#tin Vi#e?
+resident4 ehB9
&elner !as thrilled' 9Than, yo/4 sir'9
9Co/9d better "a,e "e a list o- all Ti"e *ords in o--i#ial $ositions?the ones yo/
thin, are reliable'9
9Ces4 o- #o/rse4 sir'9
9And yo/9d better ive "e a list o- ,no!n tro/ble"a,ers as !ell49 added the
Do#tor #arelessly' 9L/st so !e ,no! !ho9s "ost li,ely to resist'9
9I""ediately4 sir' I9ll bein at on#e'9
9That9s the st/--49 said the Do#tor en#o/rainly' 9O-- yo/ o then'9
&elner h/rried a!ay and the Do#tor t/rned to the Vardans' 9I ,ne! !e9d be able to
rely on hi"' Well4 no! yo/9re sa-ely here4 !hy don9t yo/ rela:4 "a,e yo/rselves at
ho"eB9
Sittin do!n4 the Do#tor s!/n his -eet /$ on &elner9s des, and bea"ed at the
t!o Vardan invaders as i- he hadn9t a #are in the !orld'
The Vardans shi""ered and vanished'
The Do#tor rinned' 9Gnso#iable lotA9
He sat there -or so"e ti"e4 starin into s$a#e4 thin,in hard' He !as still in the
sa"e $osition so"e ti"e later4 !hen &elner h/rried ba#, into the roo"' 9Ah4 there yo/
are4 &elnerA9
9Is there anythin "ore I #an do -or yo/4 sirB9
9Ces4 et "e a =elly baby'9
&elner loo,ed ba--led and the Do#tor said4 9In "y riht?hand $o#,et4 "an'9
&elner h/rried ro/nd the side o- the #hair' %inerly4 he -ished the ba o- =elly
babies o/t o- the Do#tor9s $o#,et'
9What #olo/r !o/ld yo/ $re-er4 sirB9
9Orane'9
9There doesn9t see" to be an orane one le-t4 sir49 said &elner !orriedly'
He o--ered the ba and the Do#tor too, a =elly baby at rando"' It !as bla#,' 9One
ro!s tired o- =elly babies4 &elner'9
9Indeed4 one does4 sir'9
9Tired o- al"ost everythin?e:#e$t $o!er'9
9Ces4 sir'9
9E:#e$t $o!er49 re$eated the Do#tor "/sinly' 9Is the #/r-e! e--e#tive4 CastellanB9
9Ces4 sir' No in#idents have been re$orted'9
9S$lendidA What a s/$erbly s/bservient Ca$itol yo/ r/n4 Castellan'9
9Co/ are "ost enero/s4 sir'9
The Do#tor9s voi#e hardened' 9Where are those lists I as,ed -orB9
&elner =/"$ed4 $rod/#ed a "ini?re#order and handed it to the Do#tor'
The Do#tor to/#hed a #ontrol4 and a list o- na"es bean -lo!in a#ross the tiny
s#reen' 9I see' These are the $eo$le yo/ -eel !e #an rely on'9 He ad=/sted the settin4 and
another list a$$eared' 9And these are the Ti"e *ords yo/ reard as $otential rebels aainst
o/r rei"eBH
9I do4 sir' I9ve #he#,ed bio?data e:tra#ts o- all the Ti"e *ords in the Ca$itol
$ersonally'9
9Have yo/ no!B9
9With one or t!o e:#e$tions49 added &elner hastily' 9S/#h as yo/r ood sel-4 o-
#o/rse'H
9I sho/ld thin, so tooA9 The Do#tor -ro!ned at the re#order' 9Well4 i- these are o/r
$otential rebels4 !e9d better do so"ethin abo/t the"4 hadn9t !eB9
S/ddenly a Vardan !as !ith the"' 9Gnreliable ele"ents "/st be destroyed'9
The Do#tor bea"ed at the ne!#o"er' 9Oh4 I hardly thin, so' I9" s/re they #an be
all "ade to see reason4 iven ti"e' Besides4 they have a ood deal o- ,no!lede and
e:$erien#e bet!een the"' So"e o- the" "iht be very /se-/l'9
9They "/st be destroyed' There is no other #hoi#e'9
9Oh4 b/t there is4 isn9t there &elnerB9
&elner had no !ish to be#o"e involved in a dis$/te bet!een the Do#tor and his
ne! "asters' 9There isB9
9E:$/lsionA9
9Oh4 yes4 an e:#ellent idea4 sir'H
The Do#tor loo,ed at the Vardan' 9None o- the" #an s/rvive o/t there !itho/t
hel$?and there is no hel$ o/t there'9
&elner hastened to aree' 9It really !o/ld be an ad"irable deterrent' All Ti"e
*ords -ear the O/tside' On#e they realise that rebels -a#e e:$/lsion4 they9ll soon #o"e to
heel'9
The Vardan said4 9Very !ell' We a$$rove' B/t Chan#ellor Bor/sa !ill be ,e$t here
in #on-ine"ent as a hostae'9
9Nat/rally4 nat/rally49 said the Do#tor' 9All riht4 Castellan4 et on !ith it' I s/est
yo/ $/t the" o/t one at a ti"e?the e--e#t !ill be "ore terri-yin i- they don9t have
#o"$any'9
9Ces4 sir' I9ll start i""ediately4 sir'9
&elner h/rried a!ay'
The Do#tor bea"ed at the t!o Vardans' 9A ood day9s !or,4 !o/ldn9t yo/ sayB9
9Co/r $roress so -ar has been?satis-a#tory49 said the Vardan r/dinly'
9*isten' Don9t yo/ thin, it9s ti"e yo/ sho!ed a little tr/stB Co/ #o/ld rela: no!4
"aterialise $ro$erly'9
9It is not yet ti"e' Co/r ne:t tas, is to dis"antle the @/ant/" -or#e -ield aro/nd
%alli-rey'9
9I sabotaed the barriers so yo/ #o/ld #o"e thro/h' B/t dis"antlin the -or#e
-ield #o"$letely?that9s i"$ossible'9
9Co/ !ill -ind a !ay'9
9B/t i- !e ta"$er !ith the -or#e -ield the !hole $lanet "ay va$oriseA9
'$ou will #ind a way%'
9I #an9t'''9
'$ou will' The Vardan disa$$eared' The dis#/ssion !as ended'
S/ddenly #heer-/l aain4 the Do#tor sna$$ed his -iners at his body/ard Varn4
!ho stood !aitin by the door4 and h/rried -ro" the roo"'
Varn h/rried a-ter hi"'
A -ire b/rnt in the #entre o- the lo h/t4 and the air !as !ar" and s"o,y' *eela and
Rodan sat in the "iddle o- a #ir#le o- ri"?-a#ed O/tsiders4 !hile Nesbin >/estioned
the" in detail abo/t the invasion o- %alli-rey'
When he !as satis-ied he had e:tra#ted all they ,ne!4 Nesbin ro!led' 9%alli-rey
invaded4 ehB It !as s/$$osed to be i"$ossible'9
9Ho! do yo/ ,no! thatB9 as,ed *eela' 9Co/9re not Ti"e *ords4 are yo/B9
9Oh4 b/t !e are49 ro!led Nesbin' 9So"e o- /s4 any!ay' Or at least4 !e !ere?/ntil
!e de#ided to dro$ o/t'9
9Dro$ o/tB Co/ -ell -ro" the Ca$itolB9
9So"e o- /s !ere e:$elled4 others le-t o- their o!n a##ord' All that $ea#e and
tran>/illity #an et very borin4 yo/ ,no!'9
*eela t/rned to Rodan' 9Does he s$ea, the tr/thB9
9So"eti"es rebels and #ri"inals are $/nished by e:$/lsion' I9ve heard r/"o/rs o-
$eo$le leavin vol/ntarily4 b/t it9s a s/b=e#t that9s never "entioned'9
9No4 it !o/ldn9t be49 said Nesbin s#orn-/lly' 9It "iht /$set their #osy little !orld4
!here violen#e is taboo'9
DNesbin hi"sel- had been e:$elled -or $hysi#ally atta#,in a rival Ti"e *ord4 an
o--en#e al"ost /n,no!n in Ti"e *ord so#iety'E
9Then yo/ are ready to -iht49 said *eela' 9%oodA9
9No! !ait a "in/te irl??9
9NoA Co/ "/st listen to "e4 be-ore it is too late' I tell yo/ !e "/st -iht'9
9Why sho/ld !e listen to yo/B Co/ #an9t even loo, a-ter yo/rselves'9
Abli- !as sittin #lose to *eela4 and be-ore anyone #o/ld sto$ her she snat#hed
her ,ni-e -ro" his belt4 and =/"$ed to her -eet' 9Try "eA9
*eela !as #ro/#hed #at?li,e4 ready to s$rin' S/ddenly Nesbin ,ne! that not only
!as she #a$able o- ,illin hi"4 she !as $ositively loo,in -or!ard to it' He ba#,ed a!ay'
9We9ll settle this later4 !hen I9" not so b/sy'9
*eela s!/n ro/nd on the O/tsiders' 9*isten to "e4 all o- yo/' %alli-rey is yo/r
$lanet4 and it has been invaded' Whatever yo/r di--eren#es !ith the Ti"e *ords4 yo/
"/st -iht to de-end itA Are !e areedB9
There !as a -ier#e ro!l o- aree"ent -ro" the #ro!d'
Castellan &elner !as in the $ro#ess o- e:$ellin %o"er4 ta,in a ood deal o- $leas/re in
the tas,' 9Co/r re#ord sho!s that yo/ are $oliti#ally /nreliable4 *ord %o"er'9
Standin be-ore &elner9s des,4 -lan,ed by t!o /ards4 %o"er !as >/ite /na-raid'
9Ho! dare yo/4 &elner' There isn9t a "ore loyal Ti"e *ord on %alli-rey'9
9*oyal to the old !ays4 $erha$s'9
9What other !ays are thereB9 as,ed %o"er si"$ly' 9Hono/r does not #hane'9
&elner s#o!led /nder the i"$lied reb/,e' 9We #onsider yo/ to be danero/s4 a
threat to the ne! rei"e'9
9At "y ae4 I ta,e that to be a #o"$li"ent4 Castellan &elner' I "ay be ettin on4
b/t i- I ,ne! o- any !ay o- atta#,in these invaders'''9
9Co/9d do itA9 #on#l/ded &elner' 9Ces4 I9" s/re yo/ !o/ld' We9ll all be sa-er !ith
yo/ o/t o- the !ay'9
9What are yo/ oin to do !ith "eB9
9By order o- the $resident4 yo/ are to be e:$elled -ro" the Ca$itol'9
To %o"er9s ears it !as a death senten#e4 b/t he a##e$ted it /n-lin#hinly' 9I o
ladly' I $re-er to die hono/rably4 even O/tside4 than to live on here as a slave'9
Andred ste$$ed -or!ard' 9Co/9d better #o"e !ith "e4 sir49 he said ently4 and led
the de-iant old "an a!ay'
E:e#/tion o- senten#e !as i""ediate4 and soon %o"er !as bein "ar#hed alon
the #orridors leadin to!ards the O/tside' The !al, !as a lon one and the old "an9s
ste$s bean to -alter' 9I9" sorry4 I #an9t o any -aster4 it9s "y ae4 yo/ ,no!' I9" nearin
the end o- this reeneration'9
9Ces4 sir4 I ,no!49 said Andred ently' 9Co/ =/st set yo/r o!n $a#e'9
9In "y yo/ner days I !as #onsidered lively eno/h49 said the old "an sadly' 9I
!as >/ite a rebel'9
9No do/bt that9s !hy yo/9re bein e:$elled no!4 sir'9
9No do/bt' &elner and I never ot on4 yo/ ,no!4 never sa! eye to eye' To tell yo/
the tr/th4 I still #an9t stand the -ello!'9
9Co/9re not alone in that4 sir'9
%o"er #h/#,led' 9Co/9d better ta,e #are4 yo/n -ello!4 or yo/9ll be -ollo!in "e
O/tside'9
9I don9t thin, so4 sir' So"e o- /s are oin to try and #hane thins'9
%o"er nodded !arninly to!ards the t!o /ards4 and Andred s"iled'
9Don9t !orry4 sir4 they9re on o/r side' So are >/ite a -e! others4 "ore than &elner
and the $resident realise' We9re ainin ne! re#r/its all the ti"e'9
%o"er !as delihted' 9%ood -or yo/ yo/n -ello!4 ood -or yo/A Can I stay and
hel$B9
9Than, yo/ sir4 b/t I9" a-raid I "/st $/t yo/ O/tside4 -or the ti"e bein at least'
We9re not ready to atta#, yet4 and &elner !ill ro! s/s$i#io/s i- the e:$/lsions aren9t
#arried o/t'9
9I /nderstand'9
9B/t yo/ "ay -ind hel$ O/tside4 sir' The O/tsiders "ay be rebels and #ri"inals4
b/t I9" s/re they9ll be loyal to %alli-rey' Rodan and the alien irl are o/t there already'
Try to -ind the"4 I9" s/re they9ll hel$ yo/ i- they #an'9
%o"er nodded and hobbled bravely to!ards his -ate'
They rea#hed the t/nnel to the O/tside and then Andred led %o"er thro/h it' He
blen#hed at the siht o- the blea, e"$ty "oor4 b/t his #o/rae did not -ail hi"' 9%oodbye4
yo/n "an4 and ood l/#,'9
9%ood l/#, to yo/ sir'9
For a "o"ent Andred !at#hed the -rail old -i/re hobble a#ross the "oorland'
Then4 ri"?-a#ed4 he t/rned and !ent ba#, to the Ca$itol'
A short ti"e later4 in a hidden va/lt beneath the +ano$ti#on4 Andred !as
addressin a s"all "eetin o- rebel /ards and Ti"e *ords4 tellin the" o- %o"er9s
e:$/lsion4 and o- "ore e:$/lsions to -ollo!' 9We "/st a#t soon49 he #on#l/ded4 9and the
-irst thin !e "/st do is ,ill the +residentA9
A sho#,ed "/r"/r o- $rotest #a"e -ro" the little ro/$'
9I ,no! it9s aainst every la! o- %alli-rey4 and I ,no! it !ill "ean "y brea,in
"y sa#red oath4 b/t there is no other !ay' The ne! +resident has -or-eited the riht to o/r
$rote#tion' He is the traitor !ho "ade this invasion $ossible4 and he "/st die -or it' Are
yo/ !ith "eB9
There !as a "o"ent o- silen#e' To a Ti"e *ord an ele#ted +resident had a sa#red
a/ra'
9WellB9 said Andred -ier#ely'
9I aree49 said a /ard ri"ly' 9I don9t li&e it4 b/t it9s the only !ay'9 There !as a
rel/#tant #hor/s o- assent'
9Riht' Well4 -irst !e "/st -ind hi" !hen he9s a!ay -ro" his alien -riends?and
a!ay -ro" that ta"e body/ard &elner9s iven hi"' Then !e #an stri,eA9
The Do#tor !as tryin very hard to et a!ay -ro" his ta"e body/ard at that very
"o"ent' He had been "ar#hin the "an /$ and do!n the Ca$itol on a va/e to/r o-
ins$e#tion -or aes4 b/t Varn re-/sed to be sha,en o--'
9May I as, !here !e9re oin no!4 sirB9 he $anted'
9SsshA9 said the Do#tor "ysterio/sly' 9I9" not at liberty to tell yo/'9
The Do#tor led the !ay bris,ly do!n a -e! "ore #orridors4 then into a s"all ante
roo" !here a bl/e bo: stood at the botto" o- a ra"$' He $rod/#ed a ,ey4 and o$ened the
door o- the bo:'
Varn started to -ollo! hi"'
The Do#tor halted' 9No4 no4 yo/ stay o/tside'9
9I #an9t sir4 I "/st stay !ith yo/' Castellan9s orders'9
The Do#tor !as str/#, by a s/dden ins$iration' He -l/n o$en his #oat to reveal a
shinin #hain o- lin,ed bands a#ross his #hest' 9Do yo/ ,no! !hat that isB9
Varn bo!ed his head' 9Ces4 Co/r E:#ellen#y' The Sash o- RassilonA9
9Then obey "e'9
9The Castellan !ill have "e shot4 sir'9
9Don9t !orry49 said the Do#tor #heer-/lly' 9I- he does4 I9ll have him shot' No!4 yo/
stay there4 I9ll only be a "o"ent' Tell yo/ !hat4 I9ll leave the door o$en'H
Varn nodded rel/#tantly4 and the Do#tor sli$$ed inside the TARDIS' He -o/nd &
1
still $l/ed into the TARDIS #onsole'
9Ho!9s it oin &
1
B9 There !as no re$ly' 9&
1
B9
The Do#tor realised that &
1
!as #o"$letely i""ersed in his reatest $leas/re4 the
absor$tion o- -resh data' He !as in a ,ind o- bliss-/l ele#troni# tran#e'
Varn !as !onderin !hether it !as his d/ty to -ollo! the Do#tor into the TARDIS !hen
his do/bts !ere te"$orarily $/t to rest by a staser?b/tt behind the ear' Andred #a/ht the
body and lo!ered it to the ro/nd4 hel$ed by t!o o- his /ards' They had s$otted the
Do#tor on their !ay ba#, -ro" the se#ret "eetin4 and the o$$ort/nity had see"ed too
ood to "iss'
9I shall o in -irst49 !his$ered Andred' 9Co/ t!o ,ee$ a loo,o/t -or any "ore o-
&elner9s body/ards'9
9&
1
A &
1
A &
1
A9 said the Do#tor re$rovinly' 9This is no ti"e to en=oy yo/rsel-'9 He rabbed
&
1
9s tail antenna and !ith an e--ort l/ed hi" -ree o- the #onsole' The #onne#tion
bro,en4 &
1
loo,ed /$ at hi" re$roa#h-/lly'
9Absor$tion o- data !as $ro#eedin "ost satis-a#torily4 Master'9
9Here4 ta,e this49 said the Do#tor' He too, the Matri: Cir#let -ro" his $o#,et and
$/t it on &
1
9s head4 ad=/stin it to #onne#t !ith &
1
9s antenna' Gnb/#,lin the Sash he
sli$$ed it over &
1
9s head so that Sash and Cir#let -or"ed a ,ind o- /nit'
&
1
9s eyes lit /$ and all his antennae !ent riid' 9+ri"ary #ir#/its lo#,ed in4
#o""en#in se#ondary -eed'9
9Ta,e it easy old #ha$49 !arned the Do#tor' S/#h a s/dden and "assive data in?$/t
!as a strain even -or &
1
'
The Do#tor heard "ove"ent behind hi" and t/rned'
Andred !as loo"in over hi"4 staser in hand'
9Andred4 !hat a $leasant s/r$riseA Co/9re =/st in ti"e4 I9ve ot so"ethin -or yo/'9
Andred levelled his staser?$istol at the Do#tor9s head' 9In the na"e o- liberty and
hono/r4 traitor4 I senten#e yo/ to dieA9
(
The )ardans
The Do#tor said4 9+lease don9t do that4 I a" the +resident4 yo/ ,no!4 sho! so"e res$e#t4
st/n hi"4 &
1
A9
&
1
did' Andred sl/"$ed to the -loor'
9Well4 don9t =/st stand there49 said the Do#tor /nrate-/lly' 9%et on !ith it4
re#onne#t'9
9Co""en#in re?#onne#tion'9 &
1
res/"ed his #o""/nion !ith the Matri:'
The o"ino/s shi""erin $resen#e o- a Vardan at his elbo!4 Castellan &elner sat
st/dyin his "onitor s#reen' On it !as a $i#t/re o- a n/"ber o- Andred9s /ards l/r,in
-/rtively aro/nd the TARDIS' &elner didn9t >/ite /nderstand !hat !as oin on4 b/t he
had seen "ore than eno/h to !orry hi"' Nervo/sly4 he "ade a de#ision sna$$in his
-iners to s/""on the body/ard in the door!ay' 9Ta,e a s>/ad and arrest Co""ander
Andred and the /ards !ho are !ith hi"' I- they resist4 ,ill the"'H
The body/ard sal/ted and de$arted'
9So"ethin is !ronB9 en>/ired the Vardan #oldly'
9Nothin "y body/ard #annot deal !ith4H said &elner hastily' 9L/st an
in-rine"ent o- dis#i$line to be $/nished'9
9Co/ a#t #orre#tly' *a#, o- dis#i$line #annot be tolerated'9
&elner loo,ed $leased' He !as oin to et on !ell !ith his ne! "asters a-ter all'
+erha$s even better than the Do#tor' In !hi#h #ase''' !as the Do#tor9s #ontin/ed
e:isten#e really ne#essaryB
9Co"e on4 &
1
49 said the Do#tor i"$atiently' 9%et on !ith it4 they9ll start to "iss "e soon'9
He !as so absorbed that he -ailed to noti#e that Andred had re#overed and !as
risin roily to his -eet4 the staser still in his hand' 9Die4 traitorA9
9Not no!49 said the Do#tor absently' 9Can9t yo/ see I9" b/syB9
Andred -ired'
Nothin ha$$ened'
He -ired aain and aain4 still !ith no res/lt'
9It !on9t !or, in here49 e:$lained the Do#tor #al"ly4 9not inside the relative
di"ensional stabiliFer -ield'9
9Then !hy did yo/ tell that thin to st/n "eB9
9I !anted yo/ o/t o- the !ay -or a bit' No!4 are yo/ oin to behave4 or shall I tell
&
1
to st/n yo/ aainB I9d sooner not bother &
1
4 he9s rather b/sy'9
Andred holstered his /seless staser' 9What trea#hery are yo/ atte"$tin no!B9
9So"ethin rather "ore e--i#ient than yo/r re#ent e--orts I ho$eA9
The Do#tor ret/rned his attention to the #onsole' 9Co"e on4 &
1
4 et on !ith it'9
The body/ard s>/ad "ar#hed s!i-tly /$ to the TARDIS4 ta,in Andred9s /ards
#o"$letely by s/r$rise' There !as a brie- /seless atte"$t at resistan#e4 !hi#h ended in
"assa#re as the body/ard s>/ad r/thlessly shot do!n Andred9s "en'
As the #ra#,le o- staser?bolts died a!ay4 the s>/ad leader raised his
#o""/ni#ator' 9O$eration #o"$leted4 Castellan'9
9Co/ "iht as !ell s/rrender4 Do#tor49 said Andred' 9This #a$s/le is s/rro/nded by "y
"en' There9s no !ay yo/ #an o o/tside and stay alive'9
The Do#tor inored hi"' 9&
1
4 I9" oin o/tside -or a "o"ent4 I9" relyin on yo/'
Don9t let this idiot to/#h anythin'9
The Do#tor headed -or the door'
9%oodbye4 Do#tor49 said Andred ironi#ally4 and !aited -or the so/nd o- staser -ire'
The Do#tor #a"e o/t o- the TARDIS and s/rveyed the body/ard s>/ad !ith a loo, o-
lordly s/r$rise' 9What9s oin on hereB9
9These "en !ere tryin to assassinate yo/4 sir'9
9Did yo/ have to ,ill the"B9
9Ces49 said the body/ard bl/ntly'
9Ces4 I s/$$ose yo/ did'9
9My lord +resident4 I don9t thin, yo/ realise the serio/sness o- the sit/ation'9
9Oh yes I doA There9s been an atte"$t on "y li-e4 and yo/9ve let the rinleader
es#a$e' Where9s Co""ander Andred4 ehB Not here4 is heB9
The body/ard loo,ed do!n at the dead "en' 9Don9t !orry4 sir4 he !on9t et -ar'9
9I sho/ld ho$e notA Co/9d better -ind hi"4 be-ore he #o"es ba#, and has another
o'9
The s>/ad leader sal/ted and h/rried o--4 -ollo!ed by his "en'
The Do#tor !ent ba#, inside the TARDIS' He s"iled ri"ly at Andred9s
astonished -a#e' 9No !ay I #an o o/t there and live4 eh AndredB I9ve ot ne!s -or yo/4
"y -riend' Co/9re the one !ho9s st/#, here4 yo/r $iti-/l revol/tion has -ailed'9
9Co/9re lyinA9
9I !o/ldn9t be alive i- I !as49 said the Do#tor' 9What do they tea#h yo/ #ha$s at the
"ilitary a#ade"y4 these daysB I- yo/ #an9t $/ll o-- a si"$le $ala#e revol/tion4 !hat #an
yo/ $/ll o--B9
Andred h/rried to the TARDIS door and tried to o$en it4 b/t it !as sh/t -ast' 9It9s
=a""edA9
9It9s loc&ed,' #orre#ted the Do#tor' 9It9s oin to stay lo#,ed /ntil the invaders have
one' While I9" in here they #an9t to/#h "e4 and they #an9t read "y tho/hts4 either'9
9What are yo/ tal,in abo/tB Read yo/r tho/htsB9
9*et "e tell yo/ a little abo/t the Vardans49 said the Do#tor !earily4 and $ro#eeded
to do so'
9So they #an travel alon any -or" o- broad#ast !avelenthB9 said Andred' 9Send
i"ae $ro=e#tions o- the"selves4 as they9re doin no!4 or "aterialise #o"$letely i- they
!ant toB9
9That9s riht' And /ntil they do "aterialise $ro$erly4 I #an9t tra#e the !ave ba#, to
its so/r#e and Ti"e *oo$ it'9
9B/t yo/9ve ot a##ess to the reatest so/r#e o- ,no!lede in the /niverse'9
9Well4 I ,no! I tal, to "ysel-4 so"eti"es'''9
Andred $ointed to the Cir#let $er#hed on the head o- the bliss-/lly absorbed &
1
' 9I
!as re-errin to the Matri:'9
9Oh4 that old thin49 said the Do#tor dis$arainly' He staered and #l/t#hed at
the TARDIS #onsole -or s/$$ort' S/ddenly4 Andred realised that the Do#tor !as on the
$oint o- #o"$lete e:ha/stion4 s/stained only by sheer !ill?$o!er'
9Sorry49 said the Do#tor a$oloeti#ally' 9Been /nder a bit o- strain re#ently' Well4
that9s the $roble"4 yo/ see4 the Matri: has been invaded too' It9s not sa-e -or "e to /se it'9
9Why didn9t yo/ =/st e:$lain to the S/$re"e Co/n#il??9
''ecause the (ardans can read my thoughts That9s !hy I9ve $l/ed &
1
into the
Matri:4 he9s ot no brain4 not in the orani# sense''' sorry abo/t that4 &
1
4 no o--en#e'9
9Can yo/ tr/st a "a#hine !ith so "/#h ,no!ledeB9
9This one I #an4 he9s "y se#ond?best -riend' Aren9t yo/ &
1
B9 &
1
!as too b/sy to
ans!er'
&elner !as tellin the Vardans o- the death o- the rebel /ards4 and o- the h/nt -or
Andred' 9There is one other "atter4 sir49 he #on#l/ded' 9Gn-ort/nately4 it is a "atter o- the
/t"ost deli#a#y'9
9S$ea,'9
9The +resident has been a#tin =/st a little oddly' For instan#e4 at the "o"ent he
see"s to have lo#,ed hi"sel- into an old ti"e #a$s/le' It is a little strane4 don9t yo/
thin,4 sirB9
9We !ondered ho! lon it !o/ld ta,e yo/ to re#onise and re$ort this' Co/ have
=/st $assed the -irst test o- yo/r loyalty to /s'9
9Co/ ,ne! that the Do#tor !as not reliableB9
9We shall be ready to deal !ith the Do#tor very soon' We have s/s$e#ted hi" ever
sin#e he -irst "ade #onta#t !ith /s' It !as too #onvenient'''9
9Well4 at least they don9t s/s$e#t "e yet49 said the Do#tor ho$e-/lly' 9Banishin *eela and
the others "ade >/ite a ood i"$ression4 I thin,' Any!ay4 it !as the only !ay I #o/ld
$rote#t the"' %ive "e yo/r hel"et4 Andred'9
9WhatB9
9Co/r hel"et "an'9
Andred too, the hel"et -ro" his head and handed it over'
The Do#tor $eered inside' 9Well4 it "iht !or,' Not "/#h roo"4 tho/h'9
Cl/t#hin the hel"et he disa$$eared thro/h the inner door !itho/t another !ord'
Andred r/bbed his eyes' 9Well4 one o- /s "/st be "adA And i- it isn9t hi"'''9
Still b/sily absorbin data4 &
1
"ade no #o""ent'
The s>/ad leader #on#l/ded his re$ort' 9We9ve "anaed to arrest "ost o- the Chan#ellor9s
%/ard4 sir' B/t there9s still no sin o- Co""ander Andred hi"sel-' We thin, he "ay have
es#a$ed to the O/tside'9
9That is "ost /nsatis-a#tory49 said the Vardan so-tly'
&elner s"iled' 9Don9t !orry4 sir4 he !on9t s/rvive lon o/t there' No one doesA9
An arro! th/dded into a distant taret4 and there !as s#attered a$$la/se -ro" the "i:ed
ro/$ o- O/tsiders and Ti"e *ords athered o/tside the h/t' 9Well shot4 *eela49 said
Nesbin'
*eela shr/ed' 9It is a ood !ea$on?b/t !e shall need "any "ore'9
9We !ill i- !e9re oin to -eed all this lot'9 By no! Nesbin !as al"ost
e"barrassed by the n/"ber o- his -ollo!ers' E:$elled Ti"e *ords !ere =oinin the
O/tsiders daily' Rodan !as in #hare o- a ,ind o- re#e$tion #o""ittee set /$ to -ind the"
as soon as they !ere e:$elled and brin the" to sa-ety'
9The !ea$ons !ill be needed -or !ar4 not -or h/ntin49 said *eela'
9We #an9t -iht an alien invasion !ith bo!s and arro!sA9
9Why notB9 *eela sent another arro! th/ddin into the taret'
She be#,oned one o- the yo/ner Ti"e *ords' 9Here4 yo/ try'9 The Ti"e *ord
#a"e rel/#tantly -or!ard and too, the bo!' He dre! and -ired4 nearly endin the li-e o-
old %o"er !ho stood !at#hin so"e #onsiderable distan#e -ro" the taret' Nesbin
#overed his eyes !ith his hands and roaned' He shoved the Ti"e *ord aside4 and
be#,oned another' 9Here4 yo/ try'9
They tried Ti"e *ord a-ter Ti"e *ord !ith the bo!' Only one hit the taret4 and
he shot !ith his eyes #losed' They tested the Ti"e *ords !ith ,nives and s$ears and
#l/bs4 /ntil -inally Nesbin lost $atien#e and #hased the" all o-- !ith roars o- aner'
*eela shoo, her head des$airinly' 9Not one o- the" is any /se !ith any ,ind o-
!ea$on'9
Nesbin said loo"ily' 9So "/#h -or yo/r ar"y'9
*eela !asn9t dis"ayed -or lon' 9We shall =/st have to atta#, on o/r o!nB9
9Who !illB9
9Co/4 "e4 the best o- yo/r h/nters' So"eti"es a s"all4 s!i-t -or#e is best'9
9There aren9t eno/h o- /s to #a$t/re the Ca$itol' The Castellan9s body/ard !ill
all be ar"ed !ith stasers'9
9We shall not try to #a$t/re the Ca$itol4 "erely to res#/e the Do#tor' He !ill tell
/s !hat to do a-ter that'9
Nesbin s#rat#hed his head' 9B/t a##ordin to these Ti"e *ords4 yo/r Do#tor9s on
the side o- the invaders'9
9That is i"$ossible49 said *eela -latly' 9We "/st res#/e hi"' Choose yo/r best
!arriors4 Nesbin' Rodan !ill #o"e !ith /s to /ide /s !ithin the Ca$itol'9
%r/"blin4 Nesbin started to sele#t his "en'
The Do#tor dashed ba#, into the TARDIS #ontrol roo" and #la$$ed the hel"et on
Andred9s head' 9There4 that sho/ld ,ee$ the" /essin'9
The hel"et -elt strane and it didn9t see" to -it' Andred too, it o-- and $eered
inside' B/ilt into the #ro!n !as a s"all b/t #o"$le: $ie#e o- ele#troni# #ir#/itry'
9I9ve b/ilt in a $artial en#e$halora$hi# barrier49 e:$lained the Do#tor' 9It9ll ,ee$
"ost o- yo/r tho/hts a se#ret4 b/t yo/9ll have to #on#entrate'9
&
1
raised his head' 9Master4 I have lo#ated the !ave?#hannel bein /sed by the
invaders' It is an o/ter s$atial e:$loration and investiation #hannel4 n/"ber 62<)<3(7
$ositive' Gn-ort/nately4 I #annot dete#t !here it is t/ned to as there is #onsiderable
inter-eren#e' +robability o- deliberate =a""in4 nine -ive $er #ent'9
The Do#tor sihed' 9So4 I9ve still ot to $ers/ade the" to "aterialise4 be-ore !e
#an tra#e their oriin4 !hi#h "eans they9ll have to tr/st "e4 !hi#h "eans I9ll have to
dis"antle the -or#e?-ield aro/nd %alli-rey' It9s the only !ay I #an #onvin#e the" I9"
really on their side'9
Andred !as horri-ied' 9B/t yo/ #an9t dis"antle the -or#e?-ield4 not !itho/t
blo!in the $lanet to $ie#es'9
9I #an9t4 b/t $erha$s Rassilon #an'9
9RassilonB9
9Why notB He9s the reatest Ti"e *ord s#ientist there9s ever been4 and he set /$
the -or#e?-ield in the -irst $la#e'9
Andred de#ided it "/st be the Do#tor !ho !as "ad' 9Rassilon is dead, he9s been
dead -or "illions o- years'9
9Maybe so?b/t his "ind lives on4 re"e"ber4 as $art o- the Matri:'9
9Dis"antle the -or#e?-ield and the !hole o- %alli-rey !ill be hel$less49 $rotested
Andred'
9E:a#tly49 said the Do#tor #heer-/lly' 9That9s !hy it9s s/#h a ood !ay to #onvin#e
the Vardans don9t yo/ thin,B9 Be-ore Andred #o/ld re$ly the Do#tor said4 9That9s the
s$iritA &
1
yo/9re in #hare'9
9B/t??9 said Andred'
The Do#tor !as one'
9I a" in #hare49 said &
1
i"$ortantly' 9We !ill retra#e the invasion #ir#/it and -/se
it'9
9That #ir#/it is /sed by the A#ade"y -or instr/#tion in e:$loration'9
Astonishinly -or an a/to"aton &
1
"ade a =o,e' 9Then !e !ill ive the" a day
o-- s#hoolA9
As the Do#tor entered the reat hall o- the +ano$ti#on4 he !as not s/r$rised to see that
the shi""erin -or"s o- three Vardans a!aited hi" on the #entral $lat-or"'
He #li"bed the ra"$ to "eet the"4 the Cir#let in his hand' 9I9ve been thin,in
abo/t o/r little $roble"49 he bean'
9And yo/ need to #ons/lt the Matri:B We ,no!4 Do#tor'9
The Do#tor !as s#ar#ely s/r$rised' He had been #are-/l to ,ee$ the idea in his
"ind ever sin#e leavin the TARDIS4 and as he had e:$e#ted4 the Vardans had "onitored
his "ind4 and arrived be-ore hi"'
9Well4 i- yo/9ll e:#/se "e'''9 The Do#tor $/t the Cir#let on his head' His body !ent
riid4 and he stood "otionless -or !hat see"ed a lon ti"e' At last4 !ith an e--ort4 he
raised the Cir#let -ro" his head4 the sins o- strain #learly "ar,ed /$on his -a#e'
9There is a !ay4 b/t it is di--i#/lt and danero/s'9
The Vardan said4 9+ro#eed4 Do#tor' B/t re"e"ber4 !e #an read yo/r every
tho/htA9
Dee$ beneath the Ca$itol !as a se#ret4 lon?dis/sed #ontrol roo"' When the Do#tor
arrived there4 he -o/nd one o- the Vardans a!aitin hi"'
The roo" !as $a#,ed !ith #o"$le:4 in#redibly an#ient e>/i$"ent4 lon?dis/sed'
No one had dared ta"$er !ith the >/ant/" -or#e -ield4 sin#e it had been set /$ in the
days o- the reat Rassilon hi"sel-'
The Do#tor st/died the #ontrols4 ro! /$on ro!4 ban, /$on ban, o- the"'
9Di--i#/lt4 very di--i#/lt49 he said' 9B/t not i"$ossibleA9 He set to !or,4 to/#hin a #ontrol
here4 ad=/stin another there4 dis"antlin several #onsoles re?#onne#tin the" in !hat
see"ed a very ha$haFard "anner' He !or,ed slo!ly at -irst4 then !ith in#reasin
#on-iden#e' He t/rned to the !at#hin Vardan' 9Don9t stare li,e that4 yo/9re "a,in "e
nervo/s' This is a very deli#ate o$eration4 yo/ ,no!A9 At last the Do#tor stood ba#,4
r/bbin his eyes !earily' 9No!4 this is the tri#,y bit' I9ve re#onne#ted the #ir#/itry4 and
I9" abo/t to -eed in -/ll $o!er' Hold yo/r breath4 or !hatever Vardans doA9
Slo!ly he $/lled ba#, the "aster $o!er?s!it#h'
The #ontrol roo"4 the entire Ca$itol4 and a lare $art o- %alli-rey itsel- bean to
sh/dder and vibrate' The e--e#t !as strane and horri-yin' Solid "atter4 !alls4 #eilins4
-loors4 see"ed to ri$$le li,e !ater4 to shi-t and !ave li,e the ever?"ovin sea'
Distant #ries o- alar" #o/ld be heard -ro" all over the Ca$itol'
&elner in his o--i#e4 *eela and her band o- !arriors #ree$in stealthily to!ards
the Ca$itol4 even Andred hidin in the TARDIS -elt the strane !ave?li,e e--e#t'
In the #ontrol roo" the Do#tor !or,ed -ranti#ally at the i"$rovised set?/$ tryin
to #he#, and #ontrol the in#redibly $o!er-/l $lanetary -or#es he had /nleashed' 9Han
on49 he sho/ted' 9Nearly there'''9
The r/"blin died a!ay4 "atter be#a"e solid aain4 everythin !as nor"al'
DIn the TARDIS &
1
loo,ed /$' 9The Do#tor has s/##eeded' I"$erative !e rea#h
$resident9s o--i#e i""ediately' Co"eA9E
When the Do#tor strode ba#, into the +ano$ti#on4 a tre"blin &elner !as
a!aitin hi"4 three Vardan $ro=e#tions ro/$ed aro/nd hi"' 9There yo/ are49 said the
Do#tor breeFily' 9Well4 I did itA9
Even the Vardan *eader see"ed i"$ressed'
9Co/ have dis"antled the >/ant/" -or#e?-ieldB9
9It9s i"$ossible to dis"antle the -or#e?-ield !itho/t va$orisin the $lanet' What I
have done is "ade a siFeable hole in it4 dire#tly above the Ca$itol'9
9Co/ have done !ell49 said the Vardan slo!ly' 9No! all o/r -or#es #an be $ro=e#ted
-ro" o/r $lanet' %alli-rey is o/rs'9
&elner ave the Do#tor a -rihtened loo,' 9A hole in the -or#e?-ieldB Then !e9re
/n$rote#tedA9
9Co/ have o/r $rote#tion no!49 said the Vardan ironi#ally' 9Are yo/ not satis-ied4
CastellanB9
9Ces4 yes4 o- #o/rse49 said &elner h/rriedly'
9This hole4 Do#tor?is it $er"anentBH
9Not yet' I9ll have to "a,e a -e! "ore ad=/st"ents to et the balan#e #o"$letely
stable4 or the -or#e?-ield !ill re?establish itsel-'9
The Vardans stood silent4 as i- re#eivin so"e distant sinal' Far above4 the
Vardan -la?shi$ !as slo!ly des#endin to!ards the Ca$itol'
As the shi$ $assed the -or#e?-ield level /nhar"ed the Vardan *eader t/rned and
said e:/ltantly' 9It is done' We are sa-e no!'9 The Vardans bean to "aterialise'
1*
False )ictory
&elner stared in astonish"ent4 as the three shi""erin sha$es !ere re$la#ed by three
solid -or"s'
He stared at the Vardans in a ,ind o- astonished disa$$oint"ent'
The Vardans !ere h/"an?or h/"anoid at least'
Three tall4 stern -a#ed "en in drab reen battle?dress4 belts #l/ttered !ith $o/#hes
and e>/i$"ent4 hel"ets on their heads'
They #arried no !ea$ons4 b/t they did not need the"' The Vardan -la?shi$
hovered above the Ca$itol' The "erest tho/ht?i"$/lse #o/ld see the Vardans !his,ed
ba#, to sa-ety and the Ca$itol blasted to d/st'
&elner said d/lly4 9B/t they9re =/st ordinary h/"anoids'''9
9That9s riht49 said the Do#tor' 9Disa$$ointin4 isn9t itB9 He nodded a--ably to the
Vardans' 9Ni#e to see yo/ aain'9
9Co/ have !or, to do4 Do#tor49 said the Vardan *eader #oldly' 9Contin/e !ith it'
One o- /s !ill assist yo/'9
9Oh4 I #an "anae ni#ely4 than,s all the sa"e'9
9A##o"$any hi"A9 ordered the *eader and one o- his t!o #o"$anions "oved to
the Do#tor9s side'
9Tell yo/ !hat49 s/ested the Do#tor brihtly' 9Why don9t yo/ assist "e in "y
!or,BH
A Vardan #lose behind hi"4 the Do#tor le-t the +ano$ti#on'
*eela halted her band on the ede o- the Ca$itol' Its sheer !hite !alls loo"in above
the"' 9Nesbin4 yo/ and yo/r "en "ove on to the -ar side' Atta#, the /ards4 "a,e the"
thin, it is a "ass atta#,' I shall sli$ thro/h the other !ay !ith Las,o and Rodan'9
Nesbin nodded4 and led the b/l, o- the -or#e a!ay'
*eela4 Rodan4 and a b/rly yo/n O/tsider #alled Las,o set o-- -or the nearby
t/nnel to the Ca$itol' Las,o !asn9t es$e#ially briht4 b/t he !as brave and stron4 and he
,ne! ho! to obey orders'
Rodan ,ne! the #ontrol #odes that o$ened the t/nnel door?#learly no one had
bothered to #hane the"' They #a"e thro/h the t/nnel4 o/t into the #orridor' They didn9t
see a livin so/l' No Ti"e *ords4 no /ards4 no Vardans4 no one'
9So"ethin9s !ron49 !his$ered *eela' 9It9s all too easy' We "/st "ove #are-/lly'9
They #re$t on their !ay'
The Do#tor led his Vardan /ard not to the #ontrol roo"4 b/t ba#, to the $resident9s
o--i#e'
9Why do !e #o"e hereB9 as,ed the Vardan s/s$i#io/sly'
The Do#tor s"iled disar"inly' 9Shan9t ,ee$ yo/ a "o"ent old #ha$4 I9ve
-orotten "y hat'9
Be-ore the Vardan had ti"e to realise that the Do#tor !as !earin his hat4 he had
o$ened the door4 sli$$ed inside4 and sla""ed it' The Vardan rea#hed -or the door handle
to -ollo! and heard the so/nd o- heavy bolts bein sla""ed ho"e' He tried to o$en the
door4 -o/nd he #o/ld not "ove it4 and $ro"$tly de"aterialised intendin to "aterialise on
the other side' To his astonish"ent4 he -o/nd it !as i"$ossible?he si"$ly re?a$$eared in
the #orridor' Anrily4 the Vardan disa$$eared aain'
Inside the o--i#e4 the Do#tor /essed !hat had ha$$ened and rinned' 9No /se
tryin that one4 old #ha$'9 He $atted the door !ith its ornately #arved lead s#reen4 and
t/rned to -ind Andred and &
1
starin at hi"' 9So $leased yo/ #o/ld both "a,e it'9 The
Do#tor !aved aro/nd the lead?lined roo"' 9Nothin li,e lead4 is there' %ood old base
lead'9
9Ins/lation49 said Andred realisin' 9This roo" is ins/lated aainst the Vardans'9
9That9s riht' Co"e on &
1
4 !e9ve ot a lot to doA9
The ba--led Vardan re?"aterialised inside the +ano$ti#on and re$orted to his leader4 !ho
ro/nded /$on &elner' 9The Do#tor has betrayed /s' &ill hi"' Co/ are no! in #hare here'
I "/st have dis#i$lineA9
&elner -elt his "o"ent had #o"e' 9I shall ta,e #ontrol i""ediately'9
Des$ite *eela9s -ears4 she and her t!o -riends had rea#hed the TARDIS /no$$osed' No!
Las,o and Rodan stood !at#hin as *eela ha""ered on the door'
9S/$$ose he isn9t in thereB9 as,ed Las,o'
*eela t/rned i"$atiently to Rodan' 9I- he9s not in here4 !here else !o/ld he beB9
9Well4 he is the +resident isn9t heB I s/$$ose he #o/ld be in the +resident9s o--i#e'9
9Ta,e /s thereA9
The little $arty set o-- aain'
Fro" the sa-ety o- his o--i#e4 &elner !as des$at#hin his "en to #a$t/re the Do#tor4 an
event he had no intention o- attendin in $erson' 9This order is to be e:$edited
i""ediately' I ass/"e #o"$lete a/thority' The +resident !ill be shot on sihtA9
The Do#tor too, the Rod o- Rassilon -ro" his $o#,et and handed it #as/ally to Andred'
9Hold this a "in/te !ill yo/B9
Reverently4 Andred too, the sa#red Rod'
9And thisA9 The Do#tor too, the Cir#let -ro" the other $o#,et and $assed it over'
He /n-astened the Sash o- Rassilon' 9This tooA9
Astonished and overa!ed4 Andred stood holdin %alli-rey9s e>/ivalent o- the
Cro!n Le!els4 !hile the Do#tor rabbed &
1
ro/nd the "iddle and !ith a r/nt o- e--ort
set hi" /$on the +residential des,'
He too, the Rod4 the Sash and the Cir#let -ro" Andred4 loo$ed the Sash and the
Cir#let over &
1
9s head4 and thr/st the Rod bet!een the"'
Andred tried to $rotest4 b/t the Do#tor said soothinly' 9L/st tr/st "e' Ready4 &
1
B9
9A--ir"ativeA9
9Then do as yo/9ve been told'9
There !as a tre"endo/s th/d -ro" o/tside4 then another and another' So"eone4
several so"eones by the so/nd o- it4 !as rainin heavy blo!s on the other side o- the
door'
A $i#,ed s>/ad o- &elner9s body/ard had been iss/ed !ith the heavy #ere"onial a:es
#arried in %alli-reyan #ere"onial $arades' No! they !ere b/sily tryin to s"ash do!n
the door o- the +residential o--i#e !ith #l/"sy old?-ashioned !ea$ons that had never
been intended -or serio/s /se' Des$ite the -a#t that a !at#hin Vardan !as /rin the"
on4 it !as ta,in the" >/ite a ti"e' Wor, be#a"e even slo!er !hen t!o o- the a:e?s>/ad
s/ddenly dro$$ed4 trans-i:ed by arro!s' *eela had arrived'
*eela and Las,o -ired aain4 t!o "ore "en -ell4 the Vardan de"aterialised and the
atta#, !as over'
*eela lared at the s$a#e le-t by the vanishin Vardan' 9What !as thatB9
9So"eone vanishin49 said Rodan /nhel$-/lly'
9Is this the +resident9s o--i#eB9
Rodan nodded'
*eela snat#hed /$ an a:e' 9Then let /s brea, the door do!nA9 She bean
ha""erin at the door' 9Do#tor49 she yelled' 9Do not -ear4 !e #o"e to save yo/A9
The Do#tor roaned at the so/nd o- the -a"iliar voi#e' 9I "iht have /essed' *et
her in4 AndredA9
Andred dre! the bolts'
Wavin a:es4 *eela and her t!o -riends t/"bled into the roo"' 9Do#torA9 said
*eela delihtedly'
9Sh/t /$4 *eela49 said the Do#tor' 9Ready4 &
1
B No!A9
&
1
bean to !hirr and #li#, and b/FF in the "ost alar"in -ashion4 as he #alled
on the "ihty -or#es no! at his dis$osal' His eyes lo!ed4 his antennae >/ivered' *eela4
Andred and the others !at#hed in silent astonish"ent'
Inside the +ano$ti#on4 the Vardan War *eader sti--ened in s/dden alar"' 9AlertA AlertA I
dete#t an /na/thorised -re>/en#y tra#er' AlertA F/ll AlertA9
9Conta#tA9 said &
1
s/ddenly' 9Co?ordinates o- Vardan ho"e $lanet are Ve#tor three Fero
-ive t!o al$ha seven4 -o/rteenth s$an'9
The Do#tor9s voi#e !as s/ddenly /rent' 9A#tivate Mod/lation Re=e#tion +attern4
Ti"e *oo$ "ode'9
9A#tivatin?no!A9
&elner ran into the +ano$ti#on4 eaer to re$ort that the Do#tor !as tra$$ed in the
+residential o--i#e4 his #a$t/re only a "atter o- ti"e4 and then $a/sed in astonish"ent'
The three Vardans stood in a tiht ro/$ in the #entre o- the dais' As he !at#hed they
bl/rred4 shi""ered?and disa$$earedA
Hih above the Ca$itol4 the Vardan s$a#e shi$ vanished too'
In the +resident9s o--i#e there !as #o"$lete and /tter silen#e' Everyone !as !at#hin &
1
'
At last he s$o,e' 9Wave $attern neative4 re$eat4 neative' No tra#e o- Vardan li-e?
-or" on %alli-rey'9
Slo!ly4 very slo!ly4 the Do#tor ot /$' He bean re"ovin the realia -ro" &
1
4
ta,in o-- Rod4 Sash and Cir#let4 and handin the" to Andred'
9What ha$$enedB9 as,ed *eela'
9We9ve !on49 said the Do#tor ently'
9WonB9
9Ces' I9ve sent the Vardans ba#, ho"e?to stay'9
*eela so/nded al"ost disa$$ointed' 9B/t !e have -o/ht only a -e! /ards and
so"e #o!ardly thin that vanished' Ho! have !e !onB9
9It9s not al!ays li,e Waterloo4 or the relie- o- Ma-e?,in4 yo/ ,no!49 said the
Do#tor !earily' 9This !as a battle o- intelle#t4 o- te#hnoloy'9
9All riht4 all riht49 said *eela' 9I9ll ta,e yo/r !ord -or it'9
They !ent o/t into the #orridor4 and the Do#tor loo,ed do!n at the -o/r arro!?
$ier#ed /ards' 9Have yo/ ever tho/ht o- ta,in /$ ,illin $eo$le serio/sly4 *eelaB I-
yo/ set yo/r "ind to it4 yo/ #o/ld be#o"e >/ite $ro-i#ientA Co"e on4 let9s see !hat9s
oin onA9
He headed -or the +ano$ti#on'
9+ro-i#ient49 "/ttered *eela' 9What does $ro-i#ient "eanB9 She !asn9t s/re i- she
!as bein #o"$li"ented or ins/lted'
The Do#tor entered the reat hall o- the +ano$ti#on4 to -ind no one there e:#e$t &elner4
!ho bo!ed be-ore hi"4 !rinin his hands' 9Do#torA +residentA SirA9 he #ried in an/ish'
9Con-/sin4 isn9t itB9 said the Do#tor a"iably' 9Is the Chan#ellor still in his o--i#eB9
&elner had al"ost -orotten old Bor/sa4 $/t /nder ho/se arrest s/#h a very lon
ti"e ao' 9As -ar as I ,no!4 sir'9
9I shall !ant to see hi"4 i""ediately'9
9Ces4 E:#ellen#y'9
9&elner4 as Castellan yo/ are res$onsible -or the se#/rity o- %alli-rey in eneral4
and -or "y sa-ety in $arti#/lar4 aren9t yo/B9
9Ces4 E:#ellen#y'9
The Do#tor shoo, his head' 9I don9t thin, yo/9re very ood at it49 he said sadly'
9Mind yo/4 that9s only "y o$inion' Every oliar#hy ets the Castellan it deserves4 eh4
CastellanB9
&elner !as too -rihtened to re$ly' Clearly4 he e:$e#ted i""ediate e:e#/tion at
the very least' The Do#tor sihed' 9Never "ind' L/st #lear /$ the "ess !hen yo/9ve a
"o"ent or t!o'9
&elner retreated bo!in'
Andred h/rried into the roo"4 and sal/ted the Do#tor' 9Vi#tory4 Co/r E:#ellen#y49
he #alled e:/ltantly'
The Do#tor ave a !eary b/t tri/"$hant s"ile' 9Vi#tory it is49 he said sole"nly' 9It
has been a lon hard -iht4 b/t the sa-ety o- %alli-rey has been ass/red'9
He be#a"e a!are o- a s/dden silen#e' Instead o- ivin three ro/sin #heers4 they
!ere all starin -i:edly over his sho/lder'
The Do#tor t/rned'
Three strane -i/res stood in the door!ay4 !at#hin hi"' Not the van>/ished
Vardans4 b/t three very di--erent -i/res'
They !ore shinin s$a#e ar"o/r' They !ere short and s>/at !ith i""ensely !ide
sho/lders4 broad $o!er-/l li"bs4 and reat do"e?sha$ed hel"ets'
The leader o- the three -i/res re"oved his hel"et to reveal a -a#e -ro" so"e
an#ient niht"are' The head !as h/e and ro/nd and it see"ed to e"ere dire#tly -ro"
the "assive sho/lders' The hairless s,/ll !as reeny?bro!n and s"all red eyes !ere set
dee$ in #averno/s so#,ets' The nose !as a sn/bby sno/t4 the !ide "o/th a li$less slit'
It !as the -a#e o- a Sontaran'
11
The +ontarans
JFF
The Sontaran held a sl/bby hand?blaster ai"ed /nerrinly at the Do#tor'
9+lease don9t -ire that thin49 said the Do#tor "ildly'
9+ointless ,illin is /n$rod/#tive' Slavery is "ore -/n#tional'9 The Sontaran9s
voi#e !as a harsh4 /tt/ral !his$er'
9What are these thinsB9 !his$ered *eela'
9Sontarans'9
9Co/ ,no! the"B9
9Oh yes4 I ,no! the"'9 The Do#tor had en#o/ntered Sontarans be-ore' They !ere
a savaely "ilitaristi# s$e#ies !ith only one interest?!arA In the intervals o- their
/nendin !ar !ith their deadly ene"ies the R/tans4 the Sontarans o##asionally t/rned
their attention to other s$e#ies' The Do#tor had -oiled their $lans be-ore4 on#e in Earth9s
"edieval $ast4 and on#e in its -ar distant -/t/re'
I sho/ld have ,no!n4 tho/ht the Do#tor !earily' The Vardans !ere only the
-orer/nners4 the $/$$ets' They had the te#hnoloi#al s,ills4 b/t not the savaely
"ilitaristi# !ill -or an o$eration s/#h as this' Only the Sontarans !o/ld dare to atte"$t
the reatest "ilitary #o/$ in the ala:y' The #on>/est o- %alli-rey?the invasion o- Ti"e
itsel-A
The Sontaran anno/n#ed4 9I a" Co""ander Stor o- the Sontaran S$e#ial S$a#e
Servi#e'9
9Isn9t that #arryin alliteration a little too -arB9
Co""ander Stor inored the Do#tor9s =o,e' Sontarans have no sense o- h/"o/r4
tho/h they o##asionally s"ile at the death?throes o- an ene"y'
9What abo/t the VardansB9 as,ed *eela' 9They !ere yo/r alliesB9
9The Vardans !ere e:$endable' They served their $/r$ose?to o$en the -or#e?-ield
and let us in'9
Ty$i#al Sontaran r/thlessness4 tho/ht the Do#tor al"ost ad"irinly' Ho! li,e
the Sontarans to /se an entire s$e#ies -or their sho#, troo$s?and sa#ri-i#e the" !itho/t a
se#ond tho/ht in the #a/se o- Sontaran vi#tory'
Co""ander Stor said s/ddenly4 9Whi#h one is HDo,?torHB Are yo/ HDo,?torHB9
The na"e so/nded strane in the harsh alien voi#e'
The Sontaran loo,ed at &elner !ho said h/rriedly4 9Oh4 noA9 and shot a >/i#,
betrayin lan#e at the Do#tor'
The Sontaran s!/n ro/nd' 9Co/4 thenB9
9I a" *ord +resident o- the S/$re"e Hih Co/n#il o- the Ti"e *ords o- %alli-rey49
anno/n#ed the Do#tor lo-tily'
9Co/r des#ri$tion "at#hes one #alled HDo,?torH4 an ene"y o- the Sontaran ra#e'9
9I #an9t hel$ that4 #an IB I9" the *ord +resident o- %alli-rey' Co/ "ay address "e
as HsirH'9
Stor raised his blaster and -ired' The Do#tor !rithed in aony4 as a red haFe
envelo$ed his body' 9I #all no one HsirH b/t "y "ilitary s/$eriors49 said the Sontaran
dis$assionately'
The red haFe disa$$eared4 leavin the Do#tor !ea, and sha,en' 9That "/st "ean
several tho/sand sirs49 he "/ttered'
9Tho/sandB The lorio/s Sontaran ar"y re#,ons its n/"bers in h/ndreds o-
"illions'9 Stor t/rned to one o- his aides' 9Find the one #alled4 HDo,?torH and ,ill hi"'9
The Sontaran raised an ar" in sal/te and "ar#hed a!ay'
Cardinal Bor/sa sat at his des, in the Chan#ellor9s o--i#e4 a tiny inter#o" /nit in his hand'
The Do#tor9s voi#e #a"e -ro" the s$ea,er' 9I !as only tryin to hel$'9
Bor/sa s!it#hed o-- the inter#o" and sat lost in tho/ht' He had been #on-ined to
his s/ite o- o--i#es in the Chan#ellery ever sin#e his #on-rontation !ith the Vardans4
reainin his strenth and a!aitin an o$$ort/nity to hel$ the Do#tor' He had been
!o,en -ro" an /neasy slee$ by the noise and #on-/sion in the Ca$itol4 and soon realised
that his /ard had disa$$eared' In an atte"$t to -ind o/t !hat !as oin on4 Bor/sa had
"onitored the #onversation in the +ano$ti#on' He had =/st been abo/t to e"ere and
#onrat/late the Do#tor on his vi#tory !hen the arrival o- this ne! threat "ade hi"
de#ide to stay in hidin' Bor/sa s!it#hed on the #orn?/nit'
The Do#tor !as still "anain to hold the Sontaran in tal,' 9I ta,e it yo/ have
invaded %alli-rey in sear#h o- ,no!lede4 Co""ander StorB &no!lede "/st al!ays be
the /lti"ate oal4 "/st it notB9
9A "eans to an end only' The /lti"ate oal is vi#tory'9
9Vi#tory over !ho"B9
9Vi#tory over allA9
9Vi#tory over ti"eB9 s/ested the Do#tor'
There !as s/dden s/s$i#ion in the harsh alien voi#e' 9What did yo/ sayB9 ?
9Do yo/ see, vi#tory over ti"e itsel-B9
Bor/sa ,ne! that the !ords held a "essae -or hi"' The Do#tor had realised that
he !o/ld be listenin4 and !as !arnin hi" o- the Sontaran $lans' Bor/sa s"iled4 and his
hand !ent to a #ontrol $anel set into the des, to$'
In the +ano$ti#on4 Stor had sensed that he !as bein delayed4 and had be#o"e
/neasy' 9Eno/h o- this idle tal,' When "y troo$s arrive yo/ !ill all be $la#ed in
#on-ine"ent??9
An indes#ribable noise -illed the +ano$ti#on' It !as a hih?$it#hed4 ho!lin4
s#rea"in4 reverberatin #hi"e' It assa/lted the ear !ith intolerable -or#e'
The Do#tor #la$$ed his hands over his ears and yelled4 9R/nA9
No one #o/ld hear !hat he !as sayin4 b/t the Do#tor9s -riends instin#tively
-ollo!ed hi" as he s$rinted -ro" the hall'
Sontaran hearin is s/r$risinly sensitive4 and Stor see"ed to be a--e#ted !orse
than anyone else' %a/ntleted hands #l/t#hin his head he reeled in aony'
&elner4 an:io/s to inratiate hi"sel- !ith this ne! rei"e !ent to hel$ hi"' He
ot in the !ay o- a -lailin ar" and !as sent s$innin a#ross the hall'
The Do#tor $o/nded alon the #orridor !ith *eela4 Rodan4 Andred4 t!o o- Andred9s "en
and an O/tsider #alled Labli- #lose behind hi"' S/ddenly the ho!lin noise sto$$ed and
the Do#tor realised it !as ti"e to sto$ r/nnin and start "a,in $lans' He raised a hand'
9Sto$A9
Everyone sto$$ed' They all bean sha,in their heads and r/bbin their ears'
9What !as that noiseB9 as$ed *eela'
9Celebration #hi"es' Sho/ld have been $layed at "y ele#tion abo/t -i-ty ti"es
>/ieterA I thin, so"eone9s tryin to hel$ "e'9
9We all are49 said *eela' 9What do !e do ne:tB9
9Follo! "e'9
9WheretoB9
9My o--i#e' I9ve ot an /rent a$$oint"entA9
&elner s#ra"bled to his -eet4 and i""ediately bean to rovel' 9I a" sorry4 *ord Stor4 this
!as none o- "y doin'''9
Stor !as ras$in orders into his #o""/ni#ator' 9To all advan#e /nits' The
+resident is to be a$$rehended' Co/ "ay ,ill those !ith hi"4 b/t ta,e the +resident aliveA9
&elner said ti"idly4 9B/t s/rely yo/ realise4 the +resident is??9
9Silen#eA9 roared Stor4 and &elner obeyed'
The Do#tor sto$$ed at a #orridor =/n#tion -lattenin hi"sel- aainst the !all' 9*oo, o/t?a
SontaranA9
They heard the #l/"$in o- heavy booted -eet4 and a s>/at4 "ena#in -i/re
a$$eared at the other end o- the #orridor'
*eela dre! her ,ni-e' 9Do not !orry4 Do#tor4 I !ill ,ill hi"'9
9Co/ don9t ,no! ho!A9
9Then tell "e'9
9There9s a s"all o$enin at the ba#, o- their ne#,s #alled the $robi# vent' It9s their
only !ea, $oint'9
9That is all I need to ,no!'9
*eela #/$$ed her hands to her "o/th and ave a !eirdly hih?$it#hed #all' 9Over
hee''' eee''' re'''9
The so/nd e#hoed thro/h the #orridors4 in s/#h a !ay that it !as i"$ossible to
tell !here it !as #o"in -ro"' The Sontaran !heeled $ondero/sly ro/nd4 sear#hin'
*eela dre! ba#, her ,ni-e' The "o"ent the Sontaran9s ba#, !as -/lly t/rned4 she thre!'
The ,ni-e strea,ed thro/h the air and b/ried itsel- dee$ in the $robi# vent' The
Sontaran -ell4 dyin !itho/t a so/nd'
9*eela49 said the Do#tor sole"nly4 9that !as a $rodiio/s thro!A9
9+rodiio/sB9
The Do#tor s"iled' 9A"aFinA And so !as the !ay yo/ tri#,ed hi"4 that #ry'''9
9It !as nothin4 =/st??9
The Do#tor rinned' 9I ,no!4 =/st an old h/ntin tri#,' Co"e on'9
+a/sin only to !ren#h her ,ni-e -ro" the Sontaran9s ne#,4 *eela -ollo!ed hi"'
Sin#e "ost o- Stor9s #o""and had yet to arrive4 he had relatively -e! troo$ers at his
#o""and4 and those -e! !ere dis$ersed abo/t an in#redibly lare #o"$le: o- b/ildins'
He !as doin his best to dire#t the" by re"ote #ontrol' 9Gnit three seven4 re$ort'H There
!as no re$ly' Stor s!/n "ena#inly ro/nd on &elner' 9One o- "y troo$ers has -ailed to
re$ort' There-ore he is dead'9
A hand li,e a #la"$ rabbed &elner9s ar"' 9Where !ill they be headinB9
9*evel three is on the !ay to level -ive49 !hi"$ered &elner' 9They "/st be "a,in
-or the $resident9s o--i#e'9
Stor s$o,e into the #o""/ni#ator' 9Gnits three4 -ive and seven $ro#eed
i""ediately to level -ive' Inter#e$t the +resident and his body/ard' Ta,e hi" alive'9
9My lord4 I don9t thin, yo/ realise??9 bean &elner'
9Silen#eA Do not inter-ere4 Ti"e *ordA9
&elner -ell silent' He had been abo/t to dis#/ss that the +resident !as the Do#tor4
b/t he had no intention o- ar/in !ith an anry Sontaran'
9Co"e !ith "e49 ordered Stor'
Mee,ly &elner -ollo!ed hi"'
The Do#tor shot alon the #orridor and o$ened the door to his o--i#e' Already he #o/ld
hear the $o/ndin -eet o- Sontaran troo$ers' 9Co"e on no!4 this is the danero/s bit'9
*eela4 Andred4 Rodan and the t!o /ards h/rried thro/h the door and the Do#tor
#o/nted the" in' 9Five4 -o/r4 three4 t!o4 one''' One4 t!o4 three4 -o/r4 -ive4 no "ore'9 He
sla""ed the door behind hi" and bolted it'
He t/rned to -ind his -riends h/ddled toether in a ro/$' Cardinal Bor/sa !as
#overin the"4 and the Do#tor4 !ith a staser?$istol'
9I tho/ht yo/ !o/ld never et here49 said the old "an in a #onversational tone'
9We !ere delayed49 said the Do#tor4 e>/ally #al"ly'
9Nothin too tro/bleso"e4 I ho$eB9
The staser !as steady in the old "an9s hand'
Co""ander Stor4 Castellan &elner4 and a s>/ad o- Sontaran troo$ers #onvered o/tside
the door to the +residential o--i#e' Stor loo,ed at &elner' 9Is this the $la#e4 Ti"e *ordBH
9Ces4 E:#ellen#y'9
Stor est/red to his troo$ers4 and they raised their blasters'
The Do#tor loo,ed tho/ht-/lly at the lead?lined door' 9That9s not oin to ,ee$ the" o/t
-or lon is it Chan#ellor'9
9Easily -/sible4 "alleable base "etal s/#h as lead is not the best de-en#e aainst
heat intensive !ea$onry49 said Bor/sa =/di#ially' 9Fort/nately4 so"eone had the sense to
re?in-or#e it !ith a titani/"?based alloy'9
9Co/r re#i$e4 Chan#ellorB9
9I had a -eelin this o--i#e "iht so"eday need de-endin49 said Bor/sa' 9And it is
not one o- "y d/ties to $rote#t the $residentB9
9Dereli#tion o- d/ty is sadly #o""on these days49 said the Do#tor' 9Or hadn9t yo/
noti#edB9 He loo,ed $ointedly at Bor/sa9s staser'
9I !as abo/t to e"ere to o--er yo/ "y #onrat/lations4 Do#tor' Ho!ever4 this
ne! develo$"ent??9
9Is even "ore o- a s/r$rise to "e than it is to yo/'9
9And to yo/r #o"$anionsB9
9I vo/#h -or the"'9
9O- yo/r o!n -ree !illB9
9Ces'9
Bor/sa #onsidered a "o"ent loner' He handed the staser to the Do#tor' 9I a" at
yo/r #o""and4 E:#ellen#y'9
*eela s#o!led at the -or"idable old "an4 still not s/re i- he !as -riend or ene"y'
9Shall I ,ill hi" no!4 Do#torB9
9NoA I need all the -riends I #an et'9
9B/t he threatened yo/A9
The Do#tor s"iled' 9Nevertheless4 yo/ are a -riend4 aren9t yo/ Chan#ellor' The
"ost i"$ortant -riend o- all'9
Bor/sa bo!ed his head4 a!are o- the hidden sini-i#an#e in the Do#tor9s !ords'
Stor lared dis/stedly at the door' 9Not even s#rat#hedA Brin better !ea$ons' Ma,e s/re
they are e--e#tive4 or I !ill neate yo/ allA9
The terri-ied Sontaran troo$ers h/rried a!ay'
The Do#tor sat on his des, and s!/n his les' 9I i"aine they9ll be brinin /$ the heavy
artillery $retty soon'9
9It !o/ld see" to be the ne:t loi#al ste$49 areed Bor/sa'
9And o/r "ost loi#al ste$ !o/ld a$$ear to be eva#/ation' I believe the e:it
thro/h yo/r o--i#e !o/ld be best4 Chan#ellor' There9s so"ethin in there I need rather
badly'9
Bor/sa led the !ay to the door4 and re$eated the $ass?!ord' The door s!/n o$en
and they all -iled thro/h'
The Do#tor ti$?toed a#ross the o--i#e and /nbolted the "ain door' +i#,in /$
Bor/sa9s staser he -ollo!ed the others'
Stor heard a -aint #li#, and #o#,ed his "assive head' 9What is thatB9 Blaster in hand he
"oved #a/tio/sly -or!ard and tried the door' It s!/n o$en' 9What tri#, is thisB9
9I have no idea4 sir49 >/avered &elner'
Stor shoved the door -/lly o$en and "ar#hed thro/h' The roo" !as e"$ty'
In the Chan#ellor9s o--i#e4 the Do#tor li-ted &
1
do!n -ro" the des,' 9*eela4 ta,e &
1
and
the others ba#, to the TARDIS' The Chan#ellor and I have vital "atters to dis#/ss'9
9Do#tor4 I !ill not leave yo/ aain49 said *eela -ier#ely' 9Every ti"e I do4 yo/ et
into tro/ble'9
9@/ite riht49 areed the Do#tor #heer-/lly4 9b/t =/st do as I as,'9
*eela ,ne! there !as no ar/in !ith that tone' She led the others -ro" the
o--i#e'
9A#tivate4 &
1
49 said the Do#tor and the little a/to"aton lided a-ter the"'
The Do#tor handed the staser b/tt?-irst to Bor/sa' 9Well4 Cardinal4 it9s ti"e yo/
"ade /$ yo/r "ind' Do yo/ intend to hel$ "e?or ,ill "eB9
12
The ,ey of -assilon
9I have no idea !hat yo/ are tal,in abo/t49 said Bor/sa #al"ly' 9I have already ass/red
Co/r E:#ellen#y o- "y loyalty'H
9B/t yo/9re still not )uite s/re4 are yo/ Chan#ellorB There9s still so"e linerin
vestie o- do/bt in the ba#, o- yo/r "ind4 ehB9
9That is not so4 Co/r E:#ellen#y'9
9Isn9t itB *hen give me the +reat ,ey o# -assilon%'
Bor/sa !as silent'
9WellB9 sna$$ed the Do#tor' 9Where is itB9
9Co/ as, -or the i"$ossible'9
9I as, -or the %reat &ey?the tr/e %reat &ey49 said the Do#tor i"$la#ably'
9Co/ already have all the Cir#let $residential realia??9
9I have the Rod o- Rassilon4 and the Sash' I do not have the &ey itsel-'9
9The &ey !as stolen by the Master4 !hen he es#a$ed -ro" %alli-rey'''9
9The %reat &ey o- Rassilon4 lyin /n/arded in a "/se/"BH The Do#tor shoo,
his head' 9That !as a -a#si"ile4 a lesser ,ey' %ood eno/h -or the Master9s $/r$oses?b/t
not the %rey &ey itsel-'9
The old "an !as silent'
9*isten to "e4 Bor/sa49 said the Do#tor -ier#ely' 9+eo$le are dyin in this battle'
Isn9t that i"$ortant to yo/BH
9Sho/ld it beB9
9It leaves yo/ /n"oved4 doesn9t itBH said the Do#tor so-tly' 9That9s the di--eren#e
bet!een /s4 Chan#ellor' I am #on#erned4 very "/#h #on#erned'9
9Then $erha$s yo/ sho/ld re"e"ber yo/r trainin in deta#h"ent'9
9I do?b/t I $re-er to #are' Don9t yo/ #are abo/t the invasion o- %alli-rey by
Sontaran sho#, troo$s' L/st a -e! o- the" no!4 b/t soon there !ill be "illions4 invadin
ti"e itsel-'9
The Do#tor9s anry !ords $rod/#ed an e>/ally -ier#e res$onse' 9They #annot
invade ti"e' Not !hile I??9 Bor/sa bit o-- his !ords'
9Not !hile yo/ have the %reat &ey49 #o"$leted the Do#tor so-tly' 9Where is it4
Chan#ellorB9
Bor/sa rose sti--ly4 and to/#hed a #ontrol on his des,' A s#reen slid ba#, to reveal
a velvet dis$lay #ase4 holdin not one b/t at least a h/ndred ,eys' The ,eys !ere o- all
sha$es and siFes4 so"e h/e and ornate4 others hardly "ore than $lain "etal rods'
The Do#tor s"iled' 9I- yo/ !anted to hide a tree4 !here better than in a -orestB I
re"e"ber that -ro" one o- yo/r le#t/res' Whi#h one is itB9
Gnable to -a#e the s/rrender o- this last se#ret4 Bor/sa did not re$ly'
9I /nderstand ho! yo/ -eel4H said the Do#tor ently' 9Rassilon !as a !ily old bird4
!asn9t heB No $resident #an have total $o!er !itho/t the %reat &ey4 isn9t that soB To
$rote#t the Ti"e *ords -ro" di#tatorshi$4 he ave the %reat &ey into?other hands'H
9None o- this in-or"ation is in the Matri:49 $rotested Bor/sa'
9I ,no!4 I9ve been there4 re"e"berB There is no re#ord in the Matri: o- any
$resident ,no!in the !hereabo/ts o- the %reat &ey' So !ho does ,no!B Not the
Castellan4 he9s only a =/"$ed?/$ /ard' And !ho /ards the /ardsB9
Bor/sa bo!ed his head in assent' 9The Chan#ellor'9
9That9s riht49 said the Do#tor >/ietly' 9It had to be yo/' It is "y d/ty to ,ill yo/4 i-
it !ill $revent that &ey -allin into the hands o- the Sontarans'9
Bor/sa ave hi" a !intry s"ile' 9That !ill not be ne#essary'9 He too, a ,ey4 by no
"eans the larest or the "ost i"$ressive4 -ro" the -orest o- ,eys in the #ase and handed it
to the Do#tor' 9Co/ are the -irst $resident sin#e Rassilon hi"sel- to hold the %reat &ey'9
*eela and her -riends !ere -ihtin their !ay to!ards the TARDIS' L/st be-ore they
rea#hed the ante#ha"ber they had r/n straiht into a Sontaran $atrol' Both sides too,
#over4 and stasers #ra#,led and blasters roared as both sides o$ened -ire'
*eela and her %alli-reyans -o/ht allantly4 b/t the Sontarans !ere trained sho#,
troo$s4 they had heavy?d/ty blasters4 and the stasers #arried by *eela and her -riends !ere
ine--e#tive aainst Sontaran s$a#e ar"o/r'
Only &
1
had the ne#essary -ire $o!er' Methodi#ally4 he blasted do!n one
Sontaran a-ter another'
Nevertheless4 the %alli-reyans !ere bein de-eated' *eela de#ided there !as only
one thin to do?atta#,' Gsin &
1
as a s$earhead4 she and Andred led a des$erate #hare in
an atte"$t to brea, thro/h the Sontaran #ordon and rea#h the sa-ety o- the TARDIS'
Andred and Rodan "anaed to -ollo! &
1
to sa-ety4 b/t the loyal /ards !ere shot
do!n in the -ihtin4 and Labli-4 the O/tsider -ell4 badly !o/nded'
*eela had been holdin ba#, a#tin as a rear/ard' She h/rried to Labli-9s side4
$/llin hi" ba#, into the shelter o- an al#ove' 9*eave "e4 *eela49 he ro!led' 9Save
yo/rsel-A9
*eela tried to dra hi" a-ter the others' B/t Labli- !as a heavy "an4 and he !as
too badly !o/nded to hel$ her'
9Co/ #an9t hel$ "e no!4 *eela4 and they need yo/49 he as$ed' 9No! oA9
Rel/#tantly *eela le-t hi"4 and ran a-ter the others'
Labli- sl/"$ed ba#, as i- /n#ons#io/s4 b/t as the Sontaran troo$ers ran $ast hi"
in $/rs/it o- *eela he raised hi"sel- /$on one elbo!' His ar" -lashed ba#,4 and a
Sontaran -ell4 Labli-9s ,ni-e e"bedded dee$ in his $robi# vent'
The ne:t Sontaran -inished Labli- o-- !ith a b/rst o- blaster -ire and ran on leavin
Labli- dead beside the Sontaran he had ,illed'
The s/rvivin Sontarans th/ndered a-ter *eela b/t they !ere too late' Andred4
Rodan4 &
1
and *eela !ere already sa-e inside the TARDIS'
In the +resident9s o--i#e &elner had -inally s/##eeded in i"$ressin Stor !ith the -a#t that
the "issin $resident !as also the 9Do,?torA9 he so/ht'
9Why did yo/ not tell "e this be-ore4 Ti"e *ord49 ro!led Stor "ena#inly'
9I tried4 b/t yo/ !o/ldn9t listen49 babbled &elner' 9He #alled hi"sel- the Do#tor -or
"any li-e?s$ans4 even be-ore he be#a"e $resident''' I never tr/sted hi"4 even !hen yo/r
-riends the Vardans $aid /s their all?too?brie- visit' It !as the Do#tor !ho ot rid o- the"
yo/ ,no!4 tra$$ed the" in a ti"e loo$'''9
9The Vardans !ere -ools49 said Stor dis"issively' 9B/t they had their /ses?-or a
ti"e'9 The "assive hand #la"$ed onto &elner9s ar"' 9And so "ay yo/4 Ti"e *ord'9
They !ere interr/$ted by a blee$ -ro" Stor9s #o""/ni#ator' He listened to the
"essae in "o/ntin rae4 and !hen he t/rned on &elner4 his voi#e !as throaty !ith
aner' 9The a$ in the -or#e?-ield is re#losin' My shi$ is tra$$ed?it #annot land on
%alli-reyA9 As the Do#tor had $ro$hesied4 the >/ant/" -or#e?-ield !as reeneratin itsel-'
Stor advan#ed "ena#inly on &elner' 9Co/ !ill reo$en the a$ in yo/r -or#e?
-ield'9
9B/t I #an9t E:#ellen#y'9
9*i>/idate hi"49 ordered Stor and t/rned a!ay' A Sontaran troo$er advan#ed on
&elner4 blaster raised'
9+lease4 no49 s#rea"ed &elner' 9I9d hel$ yo/ i- I #o/ld4 b/t it9s i"$ossible' No one
#an #onne#t !ith the Matri: !itho/t the Cir#let4 and the Do#tor has that'9
9By$ass the Matri:A Co/ "/st re?establish the a$ in the -or#e?-ield4 !iden it so
that o/r battle -leet #an #o"e thro/h'9
9B/t it9s i"$ossible'''9
9To the stron4 everythin is $ossible49 said Stor' 9I "/st have "y rein-or#e"ents' I
shall see, o/t HDo,?torH4 he !ill lead "e to the %reat &eyA9
9The Do#tor has the %reat &eyB That9s not $ossibleA9
9WhatB9 roared Stor'
9Well o- #o/rse4 everythin9s possible,' said &elner h/rriedly' 9And i- yo/ can -ind
the %reat &ey?then I "ay be able to -ind a !ay to do !hat yo/ as,'''9
The Do#tor and Bor/sa strolled #al"ly to!ards the TARDIS4 a #o/$le o- Ti"e *ords o/t
-or a little stroll'
A Sontaran troo$er tried to bar their $ath' 9Ah4 there yo/ are49 said the Do#tor
breeFily' 9%ot yo/r ne! orders yetB Che#, !ith Co""ander Stor4 he9ll $/t yo/ in the
$i#t/re'9
By the ti"e the troo$er had ot thro/h to Stor4 the Do#tor and Bor/sa had
disa$$eared'
A$$alled4 the troo$er heard Stor9s anry voi#e over his #o""/ni#ator4 9O- #o/rse
there are no ne! ordersA Follo!4 and destroy the"'9
The Sontaran ran a-ter the Do#tor and Bor/sa' By no! they !ere at the -ar end o-
the lon #orridor' 9Sto$A9 he #alled'
The t!o Ti"e *ords strolled on4 $ayin absol/tely no attention' The troo$er
raised his blaster and -ired' Blaster bolts roared do!n the #orridor?!ith absol/tely no
e--e#t on the de$artin -i/res'
As they t/rned the #orner4 the Do#tor said4 9The %reat &ey see"s to have so"e
/n/s/al $ro$erties'9
9It has49 areed Bor/sa4 9b/t not aainst ele"entary enery?$arti#le assa/lt'9
9Then !hy are !e still aliveB9
Bor/sa ta$$ed a #o"$le: devi#e atta#hed to the belt o- his robe' 9The #han#ellor9s
$ersonal -or#e?shield' Gn-ort/nately it hasn9t been /sed -or enerations4 and the $o!er?
$a#, has r/n danero/sly lo!' What do yo/ thin, !e sho/ld do no!4 Do#torB9
9R/nA9 said the Do#tor si"$ly4 and they tore o-- do!n the #orridor'
9This is really "ost /ndini-ied49 $rotested Bor/sa as they ran' 9I haven9t r/n li,e
this -or #ent/ries'9
9O/t o- #ondition4 that9s yo/r $roble"49 $/--ed the Do#tor' Wryly he noti#ed that
old Bor/sa !as r/nnin s"oothly and easily4 and didn9t see" in the least o/t o- breath'
They slo!ed their $a#e4 and by the ti"e they neared the anteroo"4 they !ere
"ovin in #a/tio/s silen#e'
The Do#tor $eered #a/tio/sly into the anteroo"' There !as the TARDIS?and
there !as a $atrol o- Sontaran troo$ers4 $osted in a"b/sh aro/nd the ede o- the roo"'
The Do#tor $ointed' 9Can yo/ "a,e it a#ross thereB9
9I believe I a" still #a$able o- r/nnin a little -/rther'9
9I don9t "ean yo/ Chan#ellor4 I "ean the $o!er?$a#, on that -or#e?-ield'9
Bor/sa st/died the readins' 9We "iht?!ith l/#,'9
The Do#tor #rossed his -iners' 9One4 t!o4 three?oA9
They s$rinted a#ross the anteroo" to!ards the TARDIS' By the ti"e the
astonished Sontarans rea#ted they !ere there' Blaster -ire #ra#,led aro/nd the -or#e?-ield
as the Do#tor -/"bled -or his ,ey' 9Maybe I9" still too yo/n -or this sort o- thin49 he
$anted'
9I- yo/ #o/ld h/rry /$ and o$en the door49 s/ested Bor/sa "ildly'
9I #an never -ind that !ret#hed ,ey !hen I need it?ah here !e areA9
The Do#tor o$ened the TARDIS door4 and they disa$$eared than,-/lly inside'
*eela4 Andred and Rodan r/shed -or!ard to reet the"' There !as a h/rried
e:#hane o- ne!s and reetins4 !hi#h the Do#tor soon #/t short' 9Rodan4 yo/9re a
te#hni#ian4 so yo/ stand riht there' Andred yo/ o to roo" 07;2' Straiht o/t that door
and it9s the si:ty?se#ond on the riht' Co/ too4 &
1
' I !ant yo/ -/lly re?#hared' *eela4
ta,e o/r /ests to the VI+ lo/ne4 do!n the stairs4 third level4 shar$ riht and thro/h the
door "ar,ed4 HNo EntryH' Co/ #an9t "iss it'9 As *eela headed -or the inner door the
Do#tor said4 9Oh4 and *eelaB9
9Ces4 Do#torB9
9*oo, a-ter this -or "e4 !ill yo/B9 He tossed her the %reat &ey'
Bor/sa !as horri-ied' 9Co/ #an9t ive the %reat &ey into the ,ee$in o- an alien
savae'9
9I =/st did'9
9Co/ tr/st her so "/#hB9
9Ces4 I do' Be #are-/l !ith that *eela4 it9s i"$ortant'9
9I shall /ard it !ith "y li-e49 said *eela "atter?o-?-a#tly4 and disa$$eared'
The Do#tor t/rned to Rodan' 9No!4 !hat did yo/ say yo/r na"e !asB9
9Rodan4 Co/r E:#ellen#y'9
9Ho! do yo/ doB9
9As !ell as I #an4 E:#ellen#y'9
The Do#tor rinned' 9Who #o/ld as, -or "oreA What9s yo/r s$e#ialityBH
9@/asitroni#s'9
9Ah49 said the Do#tor' 9I9" a-raid I don9t ,no! "/#h abo/t that'9
9It9s =/st a si"$le -ield st/dy4 E:#ellen#y49 bean Rodan'
9I dare say it is a si"$le -ield st/dy49 said the Do#tor i"$atiently4 9b/t it9s no /se to
/s here' Co/ !o/ldn9t have a li""er o- astro$hysi#s4 !o/ld yo/B9
9Only a li""er4 Co/r E:#ellen#y'9
9Well4 !e9re oin to brea, all the r/les4 so yo/ #an -oret all yo/ ever learned' I
!ant yo/ to s!it#h the $ri"ary and se#ondary stabiliser #ir#/itry o- "y TARDIS into
yo/r se#ondary de-en#e barrier'
Rodan !as sho#,ed' 9Co/ a#t/ally !ant "e to lin, yo/r #ontrol to the "ain
de-en#e "e#hanis" o- %alli-reyB9
9That9s riht' Then !e #an #lose /$ the hole I "ade4 and sto$ any Sontaran shi$s
-ro" #o"in thro/h'9
Rodan sihed' 9I don9t s/$$ose yo/9ve ot a soni# s#re!driverB9
&elner stared des$airinly ro/nd the de-en#e #ontrol roo"4 still al"ost in r/ins a-ter &
1
9s
atta#,' 9So "/#h da"ae49 he "oaned4 9so "/#h disorder'''9
9I "/st have "y re?in-or#e"entsA9 ro!led Stor'
9There "ay be so"e !ay o- $at#hin #ontrol tho/h49 said &elner d/bio/sly' 9B/t
it !ill ta,e ti"e'''9
9My eneral insists on i""ediate entry49 said Stor throatily' 9I- I #annot -/l-ill his
orders4 it !ill be "y "ilitary d/ty to die' B/t be-ore I die4 you !ill die4 Ti"e *ordA9
Hastily &elner set to !or,'
Rodan had disa$$eared /nderneath the TARDIS #onsole4 only her -eet still
visible'
9Are yo/ all riht do!n thereB9 #alled the Do#tor'
Rodan9s head $o$$ed /$' 9O- #o/rse I a"' Cri"$s $lease'9
9Cri"$s49 re$eated the Do#tor and -ished a #o"$le:?loo,in tool -ro" a =/"bled
ele#troni# tool?bo: at his side' 9Are yo/ s/re yo/ ,no! !hat yo/9re doinB9
9O- #o/rse I do' Five t!o leverA9
The Do#tor -o/nd the lever and $assed it do!n' He $atted the TARDIS #onsole
#onsolinly' 9No! don9t yo/ !orry old irl4 this !on9t h/rt a bitA9
As Rodan !or,ed on4 the Do#tor said broodinly4 9Gnless !e #an sto$ the"4 the
Sontarans !ill ra"$ae not only thro/h this /niverse and this ti"e4 b/t all /niverses4
and all ti"es' Nasty tho/ht4 isn9t it' So !e9ve =/st ot to sto$ the"4 yo/ see4 !e9ve =/st
ot to'9
Rodan "/ttered so"ethin that so/nded li,e 9in,le rooner9'
The Do#tor $assed her another tool' 9They9re a-ter the Sash o- Rassilon4 the Rod4
and "ost es$e#ially the %reat &ey' Those three4 lin,ed into the Matri:4 $rovide the s/"
total o- Ti"e *ord $o!er' Ces4 that9s !hat they !ant all rihtA9
Rodan a$$eared -ro" beneath the TARDIS #onsole and said lo/dly4 9L/n,l9
The Do#tor stared at her'
9L/n,49 re$eated Rodan' 9This !hole #ontra$tion is a load o- =/n,A9
9Co/9re tal,in abo/t "y TARDISA9
Rodan rinned at hi"' 9It !or,ed tho/h4 all the sa"eA9 She s!it#hed on the
s#anner' 9*oo,A9
A $attern o- sinister sha$es a$$eared on the s#reen' 9Arro! head4 arro! !ins4
arro! sha-t49 said the Do#tor so-tly' 9A #lassi# Sontaran -or"ation' It9s an entire battle
-leetA9
9Whatever it is4 it9s o/tside the >/ant/" -or#e?-ield49 said Rodan tri/"$hantly' 9The
de-en#e s#reens are !or,in aainA We9re sa-eA9
The Do#tor brooded over the s#reen' 9Co/ haven9t seen !hat a Sontaran battle
-leet #an doA Are yo/ s/re the de-en#e s#reen !ill holdB9
Rodan nodded' 9Ces4 Co/r E:#ellen#y' As lon as the TARDIS is se#/re4 yo/
#ontrol the de-en#e s#reens'9
&elner straihtened /$ -ro" the tanled r/ins o- a #ontrol ban,' 9It9s /seless' +ri"ary4
se#ondary and tertiary #ir#/its are o/t o- order'9
9Re$air the"49 said Stor re"orselessly'
9It9s not a >/estion o- re$air4 E:#ellen#y' The da"aed #ir#/its see" to have been
by?$assed' The only !ay o- doin that is thro/h a ty$e -orty #a$s/le and the only one o-
those in o$eration at the "o"ent is the one /sed by the +residentA9
9 HDo,?torH 9 roared Stor' His -ist s"ashed do!n on a #ontrol ban, shatterin it
still -/rther'
Fear sent &elner9s brain into over?drive' 9There "ay be an alternative' I- I #an by?
$ass his stabiliser #ir#/its'''9 With rene!ed enery4 &elner set to !or,'
So"e ti"e later he straihtened /$4 eyes lea"in !ith sly "ali#e' 9*et9s try it4
then' I- it !or,s4 the Do#tor is in -or a very /n$leasant s/r$rise'9 He bean thro!in a
series o- s!it#hes4 one by one'
The $at#hed /$ e>/i$"ent bean throbbin !ith $o!er' So"ethin !as
ha$$enin'
9Better4 Ti"e *ord4 betterA9 !his$ered Stor'
The TARDIS #ontrol roo" bean to bl/r and shi""er as tho/h de"aterialisin -ro" the
inside'
9What9s ha$$eninB9 s#rea"ed Rodan'
9So"eone9s reversed o/r stabiliser ban,sA9
9That9s i"$ossible' Only a hih?ran,in Ti"e *ord #o/ld do that'9
9It9s that toad &elnerA9
9What9s oin to ha$$en to /sB9
9I- this ,ee$s /$4 !e9ll all be de"aterialised' It9s li,e bein h/rled straiht into a
Bla#, StarA9
Rodan -ell4 /n#ons#io/s' The Do#tor #l/t#hed the #onsole -or s/$$ort4 as the
TARDIS bean to bl/r and s$in' Reality !as -adin be-ore his eyes'''
13
Failsafe
The Do#tor be#a"e a!are that so"eone !as sha,in his sho/lder' It !as *eela'
So"eho! she had -o/ht her !ay ba#, to hi" thro/h the sh/dderin4 vibratin
TARDIS'
9*eela4 et Rodan o/t o- here49 sho/ted the Do#tor'
*eela bean drain Rodan to!ards the door'
The Do#tor l/r#hed over to the #onsole and s"ashed his -ist do!n on a
trans$arent $lasti# #over' There !as a -ier#e ,la:on li,e hootin' %rad/ally the interior o-
the TARDIS ret/rned to nor"al'''
&elner st/died instr/"ent readins4 and shoo, his head in disa$$oint"ent' 9I9" a-raid the
Do#tor !as too >/i#, -or /s'9
9What has ha$$ened49 de"anded Stor'
9He9s "anaed to re?stabilise?thro!n the -ailsa-e s!it#h on his ti"e #a$s/le' It9s
-i:ed in its $resent state -or eternity?or /ntil he t/rns o-- the -ailsa-e s!it#h'9
9Then he is tra$$edA9
9Tra$$ed4 and the %reat &ey !ith hi"49 said &elner sadly' 9I #o/ld have done so
"/#h !ith that %reat &ey'9
Stor interr/$ted &elner9s drea"s o- $o!er' 9Can !e enter his #a$s/leB9
9I have entered $robes -or all Ti"e Ca$s/les49 said &elner slo!ly' 9It o/ht to be
$ossible'9
9Then -et#h the relevant $robes' We shall o to this TARDIS'9
The Do#tor #losed the door -ro" the #ontrol roo" and lo#,ed it' He $rod/#ed a s"all
silver t/be' 9Nobody #an re?set the syste" !itho/t this in' Where are the others4 *eelaB9
9In the bathroo"'9
'*he bathroom? *eela4 yo/ "ean to say yo/ ot lostB Co/4 the reat h/ntress4 ot
lostA9 Ch/#,lin the Do#tor led the" a!ay'
S/$$ortin the still?daFed Rodan4 *eela -ollo!ed hi"' 9Well4 it9s bier than it
loo,s this TARDIS o- yo/rs49 she "/ttered s/l,ily'
The e:terior door o- the TARDIS s$ran o$en4 revealin Stor4 a Sontaran troo$er4 and
Castellan &elner'
Stor stared #onte"$t/o/sly aro/nd hi"' 9This "a#hine is obsolete'9
9It !as !ithdra!n so"e ti"e ao49 said &elner de-ensively'
9Can yo/ "a,e the syste"s -/n#tion aain4 so that !e reain #ontrol o- the
de-en#e syste"sB9
9I do/bt it49 said &elner loo"ily'
9*ater yo/ !ill "a,e it !or,4 or yo/ !ill die49 said Stor' 9B/t -irst !e "/st #a$t/re
HDo,?torH'9
The Sontaran troo$er !as tryin to o$en the inner door !itho/t s/##ess' 9He has
hal-?-astened it !ith so"e ,ind o- lo#,in devi#e49 he re$orted'
9He is still tra$$ed49 said Stor loatinly' 9There "ay be "any inner #ha"bers4 b/t
this is the only !ay o/t4 is that not so4 Ti"e *ordB9 &elner nodded "iserably'
9I shall have the door o$en soon49 said the troo$er'
9Then !e have hi"49 said Stor e:/ltantly' 9And he has the %reat &ey' I !ant Do,?
tor #a$t/red /nhar"ed4 re"e"ber' I !ish to deal !ith hi" $ersonally'9
The Do#tor !as leadin the !ay thro/h se"i?dar,ness do!n a see"inly endless
stair!ay'
9Don9t !orry4H he said #on-idently4 9I9ve ot a $er-e#t sense o- dire#tion' We9re
#lose to store?roo" t!enty?three?A i- I9" not "ista,en' Co"e onA9
*eela !as al"ost #ertain that the Do#tor was "ista,en' 9Where are !e oin4
Do#torB9
9To the !or,sho$4 !here I sent Andred and &
1
'9
The Do#tor led the" thro/h a loo"y "aFe o- storeroo"s and t/nnels4 #hattin
brihtly all the !hile' 9Co/ see the advantae o- this anti>/ated TARDIS o- "ine is that
it9s -/lly e>/i$$ed and #o"$letely reliable'''9
9Co"$letelyB9 said *eela "eanin-/lly'
The Do#tor #o/hed' 9Well4 al"ost #o"$letely'9
They #a"e to a "etal t/nnel and the Do#tor said4 9Here !e are4 servi#e t/nnel
three4 se#tor t!o -ive' Nearly thereA9
So"e #onsiderable ti"e later they -o/nd the"selves trailin !earily alon a "etal
!al,!ay and the Do#tor said /neasily4 9It9s odd4 yo/ ,no!4 b/t I #o/ld have s!orn !e9d
been here be-ore'9
9We have49 said *eela ri"ly' 9We9re oin ro/nd in #ir#les4 Do#tor'9
9Nonsense4 that "/st have been se#tor t!enty?three?B' It9s very li,e this one'9
They -ollo!ed hi" do!n a -liht o- stairs' Rodan sayin the !hole $la#e needed
re?de#oration4 the Do#tor $rotestin that he had "ore i"$ortant thins to deal !ith' They
!ere still !ranlin !hen they #li"bed so"e ste$s and rea#hed the t/nnel aain'
9Do#tor !e have been here be-ore49 insisted *eela'
9It9s =/st an ill/sion' It9s #alled dK=M v/4 very #o""on !ith ti"e travellers'9
9Tell hi"4 Rodan49 said *eela !earily'
9She9s riht4 Do#tor' We9ve been this !ay be-ore'9
9NonsenseA I ,no! the !ay ro/nd the TARDIS li,e the ba#, o- "y hand'9 The
Do#tor ave the ba#, o- his hand a tho/ht-/l loo,4 and they set o-- aain'
This ti"e they e"ered into an enor"o/s #onservatory4 #ro!ded !ith l/sh reen
veetation and briht !ith tro$i#al $lants' The air !as !ar" and h/"id4 and they see"ed
to be /nder an enor"o/s lass do"e beneath a blaFin s/n' *eela !as astonished4 and
even Rodan !as ta,en aba#,'
The Do#tor too, it all -or ranted' He stared at an orna"ental #lo#, standin
aainst one !all' 9Slo! aain49 he said re$rovinly4 and ad=/sted the hands' Then !ith a
sih o- relie-4 he san, into a #hair'
A Sontaran troo$er h/rried ba#, into the #ontrol roo" #arryin a lon $lasti# t/be -illed
!ith #o"$le: #ir#/itry' Wat#hed by the i"$atient Stor4 he a$$lied the end o- the rod to
the lo#,ed door' A-ter a "o"ent the rod bean to lo! as a #olossal -lo! o- enery !as
#hannelled thro/h it'
&elner4 "ean!hile4 had #o"$leted his e:a"ination o- the TARDIS #onsole' 9I9"
sorry4 sir4 b/t it9s i"$ossible to rea#tivate' The Do#tor has re"oved a $ri"ary re-ra#tion
t/be -ro" the -ailsa-e #ontrol' With that #ir#/it "issin4 no one #an do anythin to the
TARDIS'9
9So49 hissed Stor' 9I #annot destroy the TARDIS and the Do#tor #annot es#a$e'
Stale"ateA Troo$er4 ho! "/#h loner to o$en that doorB9
9Not lon4 sir4 I9" very nearly thro/h'''9
The Do#tor =/"$ed to his -eet' 9Co"e on4 !e #an9t lo/ne abo/t here all day'9
*eela sihed' 9Do#tor4 yo/ =/st said yo/ !anted a rest'9
9I9ve =/st had one I *et9s o and see &
1
4 he sho/ld be re?#hared by no!'9
It too, a little "ore !anderin and !ranlin4 b/t at last they -o/nd their !ay into
the !or,sho$4 an enor"o/s roo" -illed !ith ben#hes4 lathes4 and e>/i$"ent -or "a,in
or re$airin $ra#ti#ally anythin' &
1
!as standin by #lose to a $o!er so#,et4 antenna
$l/ed in $atiently absorbin enery'
9Andred !as standin over hi"' 9I- I had a do li,e yo/ in "y /nit4 &
1
4 I9d "a,e
hi" a sereantA9
9Hello4 boy49 said the Do#tor #heer-/lly' 9Ho!9s it oinB9
9Nothin is oin any!here Master49 $ointed o/t &
1
!ith an a/to"aton9s loi#'
9We are in a state o- $er-e#t inertiaA9
9I don9t really li,e the idea o- inertia bein $er-e#t'''9
*eela ,nelt beside &
1
and $atted his head'
9Is he readyB9 as,ed the Do#tor'
Andred nodded' 9Re?#hared to #a$a#ity4 =/st as yo/ ordered4 Do#tor'9
9%ood'9
A liht -lashed on the !all4 and a b/FFer so/nded'
HWhat9s thatB9 as,ed *eela'
9Early !arnin syste"' They9ve bro,en thro/h the door do!nstairs'9
S>/at and "ena#in4 Stor stood -or a "o"ent in the o$en door!ay' He raised his hel"et
and set it /$on his head' 9No!4 Do,?tor4 !e shall do battle on yo/r o!n ro/nd'H
Follo!ed by his aide4 Stor "ar#hed deter"inedly into the interior o- the TARDIS'
&
1
and the Do#tor !ere dee$ in lo! voi#ed #onversation' 9Co/ /nderstand4 &
1
4 yo/ "ay
$ass on the in-or"ation yo/ have absorbed to Rodan4 !hen I have $re$ared her?b/t to no
one else'9
9Not even yo/4 MasterB9
9It9s "y $lan &
1
4 nat/rally I have to ,no! abo/t itA *eela4 have yo/ ot the &eyB9
*eela $rod/#ed the &ey and handed it to hi"'
9*oo, at "e4 RodanA9 #o""anded the Do#tor so-tly' He stro,ed Rodan9s -orehead
!ith his -iners4 and she -ell into a liht hy$noti# tran#e' 9Are yo/ listenin to "e4
Rodan'9
9Ces'9
9Co/ !ill hel$4 &
1
' Co/ !ill #arry o/t his instr/#tions' When he as,s yo/ !ill ive
hi" his &ey' Co/ !ill ive it to &
1
or "e4 b/t to no one else4 do yo/ /nderstand'9
9I /nderstand'9
9%oodA Wat#h the door !ill yo/ AndredB9
The Do#tor $rod/#ed the Cir#let and $er#hed it on &
1
9s head' 9It9s /$ to yo/ no!4
&
1
A9
9MasterA9
9*eela4 Andred4 yo/ #o"e !ith "e'9
9WheretoB9
9To the bathroo"4 o- #o/rseA9
The Do#tor set o-- bris,ly4 and the others -ollo!ed'
Rodan t/rned and loo,ed e:$e#tantly at &
1
' She loo,ed briht and alert4 and not
in the least hy$notised'
&
1
s!ivelled to -a#e the ra#, o- storae shelves' 9One rod o- ty$e three iridi/"
alloy4 one "etre in lenth' Five #o$$er #ond/#tion dis#s'H
As &
1
#alled o/t his !eird sho$$in list4 Rodan -o/nd the ite"s he de"anded and
arraned the" on a !or,ben#h'
Stor !as des#endin the ste$s4 -ollo!ed by &elner and a Sontaran troo$er'
At the -oot o- the ste$s4 Stor $rod/#ed a devi#e -ro" his belt?$o/#h4 st/died the
readins then $/t the little "a#hine a!ay in dis/st' 9Very #lever4 Do,?tor'9
9What9s ha$$enedB9 as,ed &elner nervo/sly'
9The Do#tor has set /$ a -or" o- bioloi#al barrae4 so that "y tra#,in devi#e
#annot tra#e the li-e?-or"s o- his $arty' Witho/t the tra#er !e "ay never -ind hi"' We
"/st ret/rn to the #ontrol roo" and destroy the barrier'9
9The barrae is $robably $o!ered by an an#illiary enerator49 said &elner' 9I- I #an
-ind it4 !e #an sh/t o-- the barrae'9
9Do this4 and yo/ !ill be !ell re!arded' *ead "e to this devi#e'9
What *eela re-erred to as the bathroo" !as in -a#t the s!i""in $ool she had been
/sin earlier' It !as here that they -o/nd Bor/sa4 stret#hed o/t #o"-ortably on a lo!
#o/#h4 #al" and rela:ed as al!ays' 9Do#torA9
9There yo/ are4 Chan#ellor49 said the Do#tor e>/ally #al"ly' 9I9" sorry to dist/rb
yo/4 b/t I thin, yo/9d better #o"e !ith /s to so"e!here a bit sa-er' Don9t !ant yo/ to -all
into the hands o- the Sontarans4 do !e' Terrible #ha$sA It9s all a >/estion o- breedin4 yo/
,no!'9
Bor/sa rose and allo!ed the Do#tor to lead hi" a!ay' 9S/rely4 it isn9t =/st their
breedin !hi#h #on#erns yo/4 Do#torB9
9Oh4 b/t it is4 I ass/re yo/' They breed at the rate o- abo/t a "illion a "in/teA This
!ay Chan#ellor'9 As they t/rned to leave4 Stor and his troo$er a$$eared at the -ar end o-
the roo"'
Stor raised his blaster and -ired'
03
The Chase
A se#ond be-ore the Do#tor t/rned -or a -inal lan#e ro/nd and sa! the "ena#in -i/res
=/st in ti"e' 9%et do!nA9 he yelled' Everyone d/#,ed4 and Stor9s blaster?bolt #ra#,led over
their heads'
Be-ore Stor #o/ld -ire aain4 the Do#tor and his ro/$ !ere thro/h the end doors
and harin do!n the #orridor beyond'
Stor and the Sontaran troo$er ran a-ter the"'
The Do#tor led his $arty do!n a lon #orridor lined !ith doors' S/ddenly the
Do#tor sto$$ed' 9WaitA We9d better s$lit /$' +i#, a door4 any doorA9
The Do#tor4 Bor/sa4 *eela and Andred all ran thro/h di--erent doors and -o/nd
the"selves "ysterio/sly all in the sa"e $la#e4 a ,ind o- "ini?hos$ital !ith ro!s o-
#/rtained beds'
9I do !ish yo/ !o/ld stabilise yo/r $edestrian in-rastr/#t/re4 Do#tor49 said Bor/sa
$eevishly' 9Where are !e no!B9
9Si#, bayB9 The Do#tor $ointed to a door at the -ar end' 9Co"e on4 Chan#ellor4 !e
#an et o/t this !ay' *o#, the door Andred'9
The Do#tor h/rried Bor/sa do!n the !ard' Andred lo#,ed and barred the door4
*eela !aitin beside hi"'
Andred slid the last o- the heavy bolts' 9That sho/ld do it49 he said'
Stor s"ashed straiht thro/h the door4 -irin as he #a"e'
A rando" bolt #a/ht Andred9s ar" and sent hi" -lyin a#ross the roo"' *eela
dived -or #over beneath abed'
*/#,ily -or both o- the"4 Stor and his troo$er !ere "ore interested in the
retreatin -or"s o- the Do#tor and Bor/sa4 !ho #o/ld =/st be seen disa$$earin thro/h
the -ar door' 9A-ter the"49 roared Stor'
Br/shin aside the shattered -ra"ents o- the door -ra"e4 Stor th/ndered do!n
the !ard and o/t o- siht4 his troo$er behind hi"'
*eela e"ered -ro" hidin and !ent over to Andred4 !ho had rolled into a
#orner4 #l/t#hin his !o/nded ar"' She hel$ed hi" to his -eet' 9Co"e on4 let9s et o/t o-
here'9
9Co/ o4 *eela' I9ll hold the" o-- i- they #o"e ba#,'9
9Ho!B9 as,ed *eela $ra#ti#ally' 9Co"e on4 !e9ll o this !ay'9
They !ent ba#, thro/h the door and into the #orridor'
When they arrived in the #onservatory4 the Do#tor and Bor/sa !ere !aitin -or
the"?rather to *eela9s s/r$rise4 as she9d been #ertain the Do#tor !o/ld et the" lost
aain'
9Ah4 there yo/ areA9 he #alled #heer-/lly' He noti#ed Andred #l/t#hin his ar"4
9Co/9re h/rt4 Andred' Is it badB9
9Only a raFe4 Do#tor b/t the ar"9s n/"b' I9" sorry4 b/t I !on9t be "/#h /se -or a
!hile'9 Andred9s -a#e !as !hite !ith sho#, and it !as #lear it !o/ld ta,e hi" so"e ti"e
to re#over'
9*eela4 yo/9d better ta,e Andred and the Chan#ellor ba#, to the !or,sho$49
ordered the Do#tor' 9Do yo/ ,no! the !ay this ti"eB9
9I ,ne! the !ay last ti"e4 Do#tor'9
9Thro/h that door there4 shar$ riht4 do!n t!o levels'''9
*eela held /$ her hand' 9+lease4 no dire#tions4 Do#tor' It !ill be easier !itho/t
the"A9
*eela led Andred and Bor/sa a!ay4 and the Do#tor !aited4 #onsiderin his ne:t
"ove' The sit/ation really didn9t #all -or very "/#h $lannin' All he had to do !as stay
alive /ntil Rodan -inished the tas, he had iven her' B/t !ith Stor and his troo$ers
ra"$ain ro/nd the TARDIS that "iht not be too easy'
Stor9s blaster !o/ldn9t !or, in the "ain #ontrol roo" o- #o/rse4 b/t the $rote#tive
e--e#t o- the stabiliser -ield didn9t e:tend to the rest o- the shi$' And even in the #ontrol
roo" he !o/ldn9t be sa-e4 sin#e Stor !o/ld be >/ite ha$$y to throttle hi" or #r/sh hi" to
death'
Sontarans !ere a$$allinly stron4 and the Do#tor ,ne! that i- they on#e ot their
hands on hi" he !o/ld be done -or'
The only thin to do he de#ided4 !as to #arry on !ith this deadly a"e o- hide
and see,' The TARDIS !as vast4 and Stor had only a -e! troo$ers at his dis$osal' He
sho/ld be able to ,ee$ the" b/sy lon eno/h -or Rodan to -inish her tas,'
Still #onsiderin the $roble"4 the Do#tor strolled aro/nd the #onservatory' E:#e$t
-or a #entral $ath it !as densely overro!n4 a $otted =/nle4 #ra""ed !ith e:oti# $lants
-ro" "any di--erent $lanets'
There !ere so"e very interestin s$e#ies here4 and so"e very danero/s ones
too' The Do#tor sto$$ed be-ore a h/e4 dense b/sh !hi#h #arried not leaves b/t lon
trailin vine?li,e tenta#les' As the Do#tor a$$roa#hed4 the vine?tenta#les bean to stir and
!ave4 and see"ed to rea#h o/t h/nrily -or hi"'
The Do#tor s"iled' 9Co/ ,no!4 I thin, yo/ "iht #o"e in /se-/l4 old #ha$'9
He sto$$ed4 as he heard heavy -ootste$s' So"eone had #o"e into the
#onservatory' &ee$in !ell #lear o- the vine?$lant4 the Do#tor d/#,ed into the =/nle'
The Sontaran troo$er #a"e #a/tio/sly do!n the $ath4 do"ed head t/rnin -ro"
side to side4 blaster at the ready'
S/ddenly4 he halted' There !as a r/stlin so/nd -ro" so"e!here in the b/shes'
He heard the so/nd o- !histlin'''
The Sontaran -ired and the blaster bolt seared thro/h the b/shes' A-ter a
"o"ent4 the !histlin started /$ aain4 -ro" a slihtly di--erent dire#tion' The Sontaran
-or#ed his !ay into the b/shes deter"ined to #at#h siht o- his >/arry' A dense #l/"$ o-
vines barred his !ay4 and he thr/st his !ay thro/h the"' Or rather4 he tried to'''
S/ddenly the vines #a"e to -/rio/s li-e4 !indin h/ndreds o- tenta#les aro/nd
hi" in a #r/shin ri$' Ar"s $inioned4 /nable to rea#h his blaster4 the Sontaran str/led
des$erately #reatin a tre"endo/s ra#,et as his heavy li"bs -lailed at the reenery'
The Do#tor $o$$ed o/t -ro" behind a nearby b/sh and observed the str/le !ith
benin interest' 9I #an see yo/ t!o are ettin on very !ell49 he said4 and h/rried on his
!ay'
The Sontaran !as still str/lin4 tho/h "ore -eebly4 !hen Stor and &elner #a"e into
the #onservatory' Stor raised his #o""/ni#ator4 "ade an ad=/st"ent4 and s!it#hed it on'
There !as a hih?$it#hed ele#troni# h/"' +aralysed by the hih?-re>/en#y so/nd !ave4
the vine?$lant9s tenta#les !ent li"$' The Sontaran troo$er staered o/t'
Stor loo,ed at the troo$er dis$assionately' 9Co/ !ill -ollo! this Ti"e *ord and
destroy the $o!er /nit he !ill sho! yo/' Re$ort to "e in the +ano$ti#on !hen yo/ have
s/##eeded'9 Stor $rod/#ed a renade -ro" his belt4 and #he#,ed its ti"er'
The troo$er sal/ted4 and -ollo!ed &elner -ro" the #onservatory' Stor stood
"otionless -or a "o"ent' He too, o-- his hel"et4 and stood breathin hard4 as i- the
strain o- the lon #hase !as beinnin to tell even on hi"'
So "any delays4 so "any -r/strations4 vi#tory al!ays so #lose4 yet al!ays
snat#hed a!ay at the last "o"ent' His shi$4 and the !hole Sontaran battle -leet tra$$ed
o/tside the barrier' He had #on>/ered a $lanet4 and no! he had to hold it !ith only a
hand-/l o- "en'
Stor9s li$less "o/th tihtened4 and his little red eyes blaFed !ith aner' Do,?torA
Al!ays Do,?torA He !o/ld ,ill the Do,?tor and then all !o/ld be !ell' I- ne#essary4 he
!o/ld destroy all %alli-rey to ens/re the Do#tor9s death' Stor h/rried a!ay'
&elner led the Sontaran troo$er into a s"all b/t eleant allery' Master$ie#es -ro" "any
$lanets lined the !alls4 stat/es and b/sts !ere s#attered here and there abo/t the roo"'
&elner loo,ed aro/nd ad"irinly' 9Bea/ti-/l4 isn9t itB9
The Sontaran said nothin' Bea/ty is o- no interest to Sontarans4 sin#e it has no
-/n#tion in !ar' Indeed4 to a Sontaran !ar is bea/ty' 9What is this $la#eB9
9An an#illiary $o!er station' Ho! li,e the Do#tor to #on#eal its -/n#tion !ith
bea/tyA9
&elner !ent over to the larest stat/e4 a robed -e"ale -i/re in the style o- an#ient
%ree#e' He o$ened a s"all hat#h in the side o- the stat/e9s $linth4 and $ressed an o--?
s!it#h' 9No!4 try yo/r tra#er'9
The troo$er too, the devi#e -ro" his belt4 s!it#hed on and st/died the readins'
9The h/"anoids are three levels belo!A9 he anno/n#ed tri/"$hantly' 9We shall o and
destroy the"A9
In the !or,sho$4 the Do#tor4 Bor/sa and Andred stood !at#hin Rodan as she $/t the
-inal to/#hes to a #o"$le:4 ri-le?li,e !ea$on' &
1
stood s"/ly by4 li,e an instr/#tor
!at#hin a $riFe $/$il at !or,'
9FinishedB9 said the Do#tor'
9Ces' It is -inished'9
The Do#tor sna$$ed his -iners' 9Wa,e /$4 Rodan' %ive "e the %reat &ey'9
Rodan blin,ed4 $rod/#ed the &ey -ro" her belt?$o/#h and handed it to the
Do#tor'
The Do#tor $i#,ed /$ the /n and stood -or a "o"ent4 %reat &ey in one hand4
/n in the other'
S/ddenly Bor/sa /nderstood !hat !as ha$$enin and an e:$ression o- horror
#a"e over his -a#e' 9NoA9 he !his$ered' 9NoA9
The Do#tor9s -a#e !as stern' 9Co/ ,no! ho! hel$less !e are aainst the
Sontarans4 Chan#ellor'9
9I -orbid yo/ to /se that !ea$on4 Do#tor' It sho/ld never have been #reated'9
9What is itB9 as,ed *eela4 #/rio/sly'
9The /lti"ate !ea$on49 said the Do#tor si"$ly' 9The De?"at /n'9
Rodan !as as horri-ied as Bor/sa' 9B/t that9s i"$ossible' All ,no!lede o- that
!ea$on is -orbidden4 by Rassilon9s de#ree'9
9B/t the in-or"ation !as still there4 stored in the Matri:' &
1
$assed it on to yo/4
and yo/ b/ilt the /n /nder hy$nosis'9
The Do#tor loo,ed do!n at the !ea$on' 9No! I have only to ar" it' This is !hy
the %reat &ey re"ained hidden -or so lon'9
The Do#tor sli$$ed the ,ey into a slot in the b/tt o- the !ea$on and sna$$ed it
ho"e' The /n see"ed to throb !ith enery in his hands' For a "o"ent he -elt the
e:hilaration o- total $o!er?and realised !hy Rassilon had ordered that the !ea$on sho/ld
be -orbidden' 9With this !ea$on4 I #o/ld r/le the Gniverse4 eh4 Chan#ellorB9
9Is that !hat yo/ !antB Destroy it4 Do#torA Destroy all ,no!lede o- it4 or it !ill
thro! /s ba#, to the dar,est aeA9
9NoA9 !his$ered a harsh voi#e -ro" the door!ay' 9It !ill ta,e /s -or!ard4 to a ne!
ae o- Sontaran #on>/est'9
The Do#tor t/rned' A Sontaran troo$er !as in the door!ay4 &elner #lose behind
hi"'
As the Sontaran raised his blaster the Do#tor -ired the De?"at /n' The Sontaran
vanished4 abolished -ro" e:isten#e'
The Do#tor s!/n the !ea$on to #over &elner' 9Where is Co""ander Stor'9
&elner didn9t re$ly'
9&ill hi"4 *eela49 said the Do#tor #as/ally' *eela dre! her ,ni-e and "oved
-or!ard'
9The +ano$ti#on49 s#rea"ed &elner' 9He9s in the +ano$ti#on' I thin, he9s ot so"e
,ind o- bo"b'9
Horri-ied4 the Do#tor dashed -or the door'
Stor had al"ost -inished his tas,' The -/sion renade !as $ri"ed and ready4 $la#ed
s>/arely in the #entre o- the dais' He straihtened /$ to see the Do#tor standin over hi"4
a strane !ea$on in his hand'
9Wait4 Stor'9
9This -inal a#tion !ill $rovide "e !ith reat $leas/re4 Do,?tor'9
9Co/9ll destroy yo/rsel- and yo/r "en4 as !ell as /s'''9
9It is an hono/r to die -or the lorio/s Sontaran E"$ire'H
9The $o!er o- a bla#, hole is tra$$ed beneath /s' E:$lode that renade and yo/9ll
destroy the entire $lanet'9
9And all the Ti"e *ords on itA9
9Co/9ll set o-- a #hain rea#tion that !ill blo! /$ yo/r o!n battle -leet'H
9We have "any battle -leets' I- !e #annot #on>/er yo/4 Ti"e *ord4 !e shall
destroy yo/A %oodbye?Do,?torAH
Stor triered the renade'
1!
The .isdom of -assilon
In the sa"e "o"ent4 the Do#tor raised the De?"at /n and -ired'
Stor vanished and the e:$lodin renade vanished4 too' So"eho! the eneries
released by ato"i# renade and De?"at /n blended4 "ered4 and #an#elled ea#h other
o/t'
The -or#e o- the enery?#ollision -l/n the Do#tor ba#, a#ross the dais and
dro$$ed hi" /n#ons#io/s on the ro/nd'
In the vast4 shado!y +ano$ti#on4 everythin !as >/iet' Stor !as one' The
-/sion?renade !as one' Even the De?"at /n had disa$$eared'
All that re"ained o- it !as the trierin devi#e4 the %reat &ey o- Rassilon' It lay
on the -loor4 #lose to the o/tstret#hed hand o- the Do#tor4 !ho lay still as death'
The sho#, o- the e:$losion !as -elt even in the TARDIS !or,sho$' For a ti"e4 Bor/sa4
Andred4 Rodan4 *eela and &
1
!aited4 !onderin !hat had ha$$ened4 and !hat they
sho/ld do' They heard slo!4 heavy -ootste$s4 #o"in to!ards the !or,sho$ door'
Bor/sa li-ted the staser4 *eela dre! her ,ni-e'
The door o$ened and the Do#tor stood s!ayin in the door!ay4 e:ha/sted4 yet
so"eho! relieved4 as i- so"e reat !eiht had been li-ted -ro" his sho/lders'
*eela ran to hel$ hi"' 9Do#tor4 are yo/ all rihtB9
The Do#tor bea"ed at her' 9Hello4 *eela'9 He loo,ed at Bor/sa' 9What on Earth are
yo/ doin here4 Bor/saB9
9Co/r E:#ellen#yB9
9My E:#ellen#yB Is this so"e ,ind o- a =o,e4 Bor/saB Co/ never /sed to "a,e
=o,esA And !hy a" I !earin this thinBH He /n-astened the Sash o- Rassilion4 and stared
at it in a"aFe"ent'
9B/t Co/r E:#ellen#y49 said Bor/sa4 9don9t yo/ re"e"ber yo/r ind/#tion as
+residentB9
9My ind/#tionB "e, +residentB9 Clearly4 the Do#tor re"e"bered no s/#h thin'
9And the VardansB9
9What VardansB9
9The SontaransB9
9What SontaransB9
Bor/sa $/t his hands on the Do#tor9s sho/lders' 9Do#tor4 yo/ have =/st saved
%alli-rey'9
9Have I reallyB9 said the Do#tor delihtedly'
9What do yo/ say to that *eelaB9
*eela loo,ed at Bor/sa' 9His "ind has one49 she !his$ered'
Bor/sa s"iled' 9No49 he said ently4 9only his "e"ory' It is better so' It is the
!isdo" o- Rassilon'9
So"e ti"e later a s"all ro/$ o- Ti"e *ords and O/tsiders led by Nesbin and Bor/sa
asse"bled aro/nd the TARDIS' As /s/al the Do#tor had -ir"ly re=e#ted any tho/ht o-
o--i#ial than,s or a -are!ell re#e$tion4 and had insisted on a >/iet de$art/re'
He $a/sed e"barrassed in the TARDIS door!ay' The Do#tor had al!ays hated
-are!ells' 9Well4 oodbye everybody' Co"e on4 *eela'9
*eela didn9t "ove' 9I a" stayin Do#tor'9
9Stayin hereB WhyB9
Andred !as standin beside *eela4 and she rea#hed o/t and too, his hand' In
*eela9s tribe4 -e"ales as !ell as "ales #o/ld #hoose their "ates4 and *eela had #hosen'
Andred loo,ed $leased4 b/t a little startled'
9Oh I see49 said the Do#tor tho/ht-/lly'
9Do#tor4 I ho$e??9 bean Andred'
9I9" s/re yo/ ho$e49 said the Do#tor sole"nly' 9Don9t !orry4 she9ll loo, a-ter yo/'
She9s very ood !ith a ,ni-e' Co"e on &
1
'9
9Neative4 Master'9
9Co/9re stayin tooB9
9A--ir"ative'9
9WhyB9
9To loo, a-ter the Mistress?Master'9
The Do#tor nodded' Clearly an a/to"aton #o/ld have -eelins a-ter all'
A little sadly the Do#tor o$ened the TARDIS door'
*eela #alled' 9Do#torA9
9Ces4 *eelaB9
9I9ll "iss yo/4 Do#tor'9
9I9ll "iss yo/ too?savaeA9
Raisin his hand in a -are!ell sal/te to Bor/sa4 the Do#tor !ent inside the
TARDIS and #losed the door'
A "in/te or t!o later there !as a !heeFin4 roanin so/nd and the bl/e $oli#e
bo: de"aterialised'
*eela t/rned to &
1
' 9Will he be lonelyB9
9Ins/--i#ient data4 Mistress'9 B/t &
1
9s tail antenna dro$$ed sadly'
Andred too, *eela9s hand4 and they !al,ed a!ay'
&
1
lided a-ter the"'
In the TARDIS #ontrol roo"4 the Do#tor !andered aro/nd the #onsole4 ad=/stin the
#ontrols here and there4 and tellin hi"sel- he >/ite li,ed it on his o!n'
He didn9t believe hi"sel-' S/ddenly4 a tho/ht str/#, hi"' He o$ened a storae
lo#,er and $/lled o/t an enor"o/s #ardboard bo:' On it !as sten#illed 9&
1
4 Mar, II9' The
Do#tor s"iled'
Anythin any other s#ientist #o/ld do4 he #o/ld do better' He9d desined and
asse"bled the $arts -or a ne! i"$roved &
1
so"e ti"e ao4 tho/h he9d ,e$t the bo:
hidden -or -ear o- h/rtin the -eelins o- the oriinal'
Ha$$ily4 the Do#tor o$ened the bo: and set to !or,'
S#anned and $roo-ed to the $a$erba#,' O#t 004 7;;7 T&