Doctor Who - Target Novelisations - 141 - Mission to the Unknown by John Peel

Author:John Peel [Peel, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, General, Science Fiction, Life on Other Planets, Doctor Who (Fictitious Character)
ISBN: 9780426203438
Publisher: W.H. Allen
Published: 1989-10-14T07:00:00+00:00

‘Quite sure, Doctor. Government regulations are quite specific about carrying the parts, and this is an official ship. It’ll be fully stocked.’

‘The bureaucratic mind never changes,’ Steven observed. ‘How long will it take?’

Bret shrugged. ‘A full replacement, about four or five hours. There’s not the time for that, so I’m just replacing the major boards, and cutting out the sections the Daleks overrode. Shouldn’t be too long.’

The Doctor snorted. ‘Primitive fiddle-faddle and out-of-date machinery!’

‘What are you talking about?’ Bret asked in astonishment. ‘This is the Spar – the most sophisticated ship in the history of space travel!’

‘No doubt!’ the Doctor sneered. ‘And that’s why we’re stranded on this hell-hole of a planet!’

Steven couldn’t take that criticism quietly. He had grown to admire this ship, which was far more sophisticated than the ones he had flown a few centuries earlier. Perhaps when compared with the TARDIS this ship was primitive, but... ‘Oh, come on! The TARDIS isn’t perfect. I mean, you can’t even control where it’s going.’

‘Don’t you criticize my TARDIS!’ the Doctor yelled.

‘For all you know of space travel – ah, you’re still wet behind the ears!’

‘Enough!’ Bret called out. ‘We have work to do, Doctor, so please don’t distract us with pointless bickering.’

‘Bickering!’ the Doctor echoed. ‘Young man, I never bicker!’ Gathering his cape about him, he stormed out.

Bret glanced over at Steven. ‘What’s wrong with grandpa?’

‘He gets like that from time to time. What’s the next part you need?’

The Doctor was suddenly aware that Katarina was missing. Poor child, she must feel so useless here! She understood nothing of any of this. The Doctor was feeling a twinge of guilt over her predicament. It was never a good idea to take a travelling companion from a pre-technological world. They could never adjust to travel through space and time. Still, he had not been given much choice in the matter as far as Katarina was concerned. If she had stayed in Troy, she would certainly have died. And she had been helpful with Steven’s wound.

He found her in the airlock, staring out into the dark night. Gently, he put an arm on her shoulder, and drew her under his cloak. ‘You really should keep this door closed,’

he said, quietly. ‘You may catch a chill.’

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and trusting. ‘You will look after me,’ she said, simply. ‘You are a good man –

if, indeed, you are a man.’

‘Yes, well, quite. I do try to be a good man. Ah, that is...’

He waved his hand dismissively. ‘Don’t try flattery on me, child. I assure you I am quite immune.’

‘I do not know where I am,’ Katarina said, softly, gazing out into the night again. ‘All my life, I have lived in Troy.

This is all so strange to me. Yet, I know that I have not long to live.’

‘What nonsense is this?’ the Doctor demanded gruffly.

‘It is not nonsense,’ the handmaiden replied. ‘When I served Cassandra, the prophetess, she told me that I should journey soon to my death, and that I should then achieve the Place of Perfection.

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