Doctor Who - The Darksmith Legacy - 03 - The Colour of Darkness by Richard Dungworth

Author:Richard Dungworth [Dungworth, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: General, Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 9781405905152
Google: yBq3PQAACAAJ
Amazon: 1405905158
Publisher: BBC CHILDREN'S
Published: 2009-04-07T07:00:00+00:00

'The Darksmiths of Karagula have no need of light! We despise it! From darkness comes power, creation and truth!'

'If you say so,' replied the Doctor pleasantly.

'I am Drakon, High Minister of the Witan, voice of the Darksmith Collective,' continued the figure in grey. 'State your business with this council, John Smith.'

'Right. Yes.' The Doctor looked sombre. 'Well, as I told the gentleman earlier, I'm here on behalf of the Spiel Confederation. We govern a system of planets in the Blarney Cluster. It's a system that's always enjoyed great prosperity. Until recently.'

'Explain,' Drakon commanded.

'Well, our wealth is due almost entirely to the Blarnian Twaddle, a native species of my home-world. Its eggs are highly valued for their healing powers, and fetch a good price. But about ten years ago, the Twaddle began to die out — nobody knows why. Then one day, no more Twaddle. And now the species has been declared extinct.'

' W h a t is this to do with us?' another of the cloaked figures rasped.

'Well, because we want to rebuild the Twaddle population and the trade it supports. Which means bringing at least one breeding pair back to life.'

The Doctor gestured to the council members with his sonic, causing them to flinch back from its light. 'That's where you lot come in. Amongst other things, you have a reputation for being able to create life from inanimate matter, I'm told.'

Several of the Witan exchanged shifty glances.

'So!' The Doctor looked round the shadowed faces eagerly. 'A device that could bring dead remains back to life — does that sound like something you might be able to rustle up for us? Money no object, of course...'

High Minister Drakon signalled for the muttering around him to cease. He shook his skull-like head slowly. 'Such a commission is beyond our powers.

Not even we can bring the dead to life.'

'Funny,' said the Doctor, 'because the word on the intergalactic grapevine is that one of you — a Mister Varlos, is it? — has already created Drakon cut in, his tone menacing.

'Former Brother Varlos is no longer one of the Collective. The commission you refer to was a unique contract, undertaken for a unique client. It was unsuccessful.'

The Doctor held Drakon's cold gaze for a moment, then shrugged.

'Fair enough. Disappointing, but can't be helped. You wouldn't lie, I'm sure. Let's face it —

the Doctor grinned, I'd see right through you!

Still,' he continued, 'while I'm here, perhaps I could take a look at the sort of stuff you do take on? In case there's anything the Confederation might be interested in.'

Drakon paused, then nodded. He turned to address one of his hooded colleagues.

'Brother Jaxal Escort our visitor to the Cathedral Library.' He -looked back at the Doctor. 'Our trading registers contain details of all the contracts we have undertaken since the Collective was founded, together with testimonials from satisfied clients and favourable reviews from the major lifestyle magazines where appropriate. And where the contracts are not strictly confidential, of course, you may browse them at will.

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