Doctor Who - Past Doctor Adventures - 51 - Palace of the Red Sun (6th Doctor) by Christopher Bulis

Author:Christopher Bulis
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science Fiction, General, Space Opera, Doctor Who (Fictitious Character), Fiction
ISBN: 9780563538493
Publisher: BBC Pubns
Published: 2002-03-03T08:00:00+00:00

But they were almost hidden by forest. Was it an abandoned spaceport returning to nature - or very good camouflage?

Even though there seemed no immediate threat Dynes felt dangerously exposed. Suppose the defenders had anticipated a scout craft might come through the discontinuity first and were lying in wait under cover so they could catch the main attack force off-guard? Whatever the case, he had to get ready to cover Judd's landing.

Dynes aimed the Stop Press at a tiny clearing in the forest a kilometre or so from the port and dived. Dark sinuous trees and leathery fungus-like growths seemed to rise up to meet him. Skimming the treetops he cut in the landing thrusters at the last moment and set down in a spray of decomposing leaf litter.

Even if he had been seen, it would take any defenders a little time to get to him and Judd's force would be landing by then. Judd would detect the spaceport even sooner than he had and he would soon test its true nature.

And Dynes had to be there to record what happened next.

He released half a dozen DAVEs through a small portal in the hull and sent them flitting through the trees at top speed towards the spaceport. He turned to the DAVE by his shoulder and said in slightly hushed tones:

'I have just landed on the world believed to be the secret retreat of the royal family of Esselven. There is no sign of any active resistance at this moment. I have despatched camera drones to what may be the remains of a spaceport, hidden in forest on the night side of the planetoid. I expect Glavis Judd's assault force to be following me through the discontinuity in the planetary defence shield at any moment.

What action he takes then will depend on the reception he receives. One thing is certain. If King Hathold is on this world, Judd will stop at nothing to find him. The end of the final chapter in the story of the fall of Esselven to the Protectorate could be just hours... perhaps even only minutes, away. The only question is: will Hathold be taken alive?'

The screens relaying the images from the flock of DAVEs showed the dark trees opening out to form a wide clearing with a level floor, silted over with earth, leaves and a matt of interlaced vines.

Blocky shapes loomed about the perimeter of the clearing.

They were encrusted by fungi and bushy secondary growth and half hidden by the encroaching forest, but their outlines and proportions were unmistakable. Dynes sent a DAVE in for a closer look at the nearest of them. Yes, there were clearly windows peering out from under a curtain of vines.

'The drones have reached what looks like the spaceport,'

he continued. 'However it appears to be long abandoned and overgrown. Of course this may be a ploy to disguise the facility. If so, I don't think it will fool Glavis Judd'

His ship cameras were focused on the sky to catch Judd's force as it appeared.

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