Doctor Who - Target Novelisations - 142 - The Mutation of Time by John Peel

Author:John Peel
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780426203445
Publisher: Target
Published: 1989-12-14T08:00:00+00:00

Hopping nervously from foot to foot and uncertain whether he should address the Dalek or this human who seemed to have some authority, the Monk nodded.

Wringing his hands helplessly, he tried to put on a natural-looking smile, and missed by a long shot. ‘Er, yes... by reputation only...’

Chen raised an eyebrow. ‘Then you are certainly not of this time.’

‘No,’ the Monk agreed, forcing a better smile on to his lips. ‘Just a passing time-traveller. Anxious to move on,’ he added, hopefully, and took a step backward. The Dalek moved to cover his possible retreat, leaving the Monk in the unhappy position of having to talk to Chen with his back to the Dalek. Sweat started trickling down the inside of his habit. He wanted to scratch his back very badly, but didn’t dare make any movement with the Dalek covering him.

The Doctor was observing all this from his hiding place behind one of the granite blocks. He could hear perfectly, and was torn between apprehension for his companions and amusement for the predicament that the Monk had got himself into.

Chen was enjoying baiting this wretched little fellow, and played it to the hilt. ‘Three time-machines in one infinitesimal speck of space and time!’ He looked enquiringly at the Monk. ‘Of course, a coincidence is possible – but hardly likely. You would agree?’

Trying to keep one eye on the Dalek behind him, the Monk nodded vigorously. ‘Oh, yes,’ he said, enthusiastically. ‘I agree.’

‘Then why have you arrived here?’

Nervously, the Monk started twiddling his fingers.

‘Three time-machines,’ he stalled. ‘Yes, well, that’s mine, and yours and... the odd one out belongs to a... a certain Doctor...’

‘The enemy ship!’ the Dalek grated suddenly, almost terrifying the Monk to death.

‘Yes, yes, the enemy ship!’ the Monk nodded enthusiastically at this, having realized that the Daleks were also after the Doctor. No doubt, his old adversary had run foul of these nasty little creatures somehow. ‘I have an old score to settle with him.’ He waved his hand, airily.

‘But I’m sure yours is the prior claim.’

‘He is a friend of yours?’ Chen asked, politely.

‘Friend?’ The Monk fixed an expression of horror on his face. ‘Good heavens, no! An enemy! An enemy to end all enemies!’ Raising his voice to be certain that the Dalek could hear him, he added: ‘I came here to inflict a terrible vengeance on him! Oh, yes, we’re all of us here on the same side – against him!’

‘But he knows you?’ asked Chen.

That left the Monk in a bit of aquandary, since he was aware that a wrong answer was likely to get him exterminated. ‘Ah... well, ah... yes. But, then again, no!’

Chen could see that the little idiot was having problems deciding on what answer was required, so he helped out a little. ‘Could you gain his confidence?’

‘Oh yes, of course!’ The Monk beamed now, on safer ground. ‘Of course – if you want me to. No question of it!

Without a doubt!’

‘Then,’ Chen said, smoothly, ‘you may have a slight chance of saving your miserable life.

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