Doctor Who NA51 - Godengine by Craig Hinton

Author:Craig Hinton
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-07-13T01:04:52+00:00

Chapter 8

‘Two days, Draan!’ hissed Falaxyr, knocking over the chessboard and scattering the pieces across the floor. ‘The Adjudicator has been loose in the base for two days!’ The Grand Marshal strode forward and held his clamp only inches away from Draan’s visor. ‘Do you realize how much this has inconvenienced me?’

Draan knew exactly how much it had inconvenienced his superior, because this was the third time they had had such a dialogue since the human had escaped. He also knew that keeping quiet was his best defence when Falaxyr was as angry as he was now.

‘The project is unravelling before my eyes, Draan. Unless the Daleks see some tangible proof that the GodEngine is functional, they will conquer this world as easily as they did Earth.’

Draan couldn’t see his people allowing the Daleks to simply annex them without resistance. ‘We are Martians, Your Excellency -’

Falaxyr growled, and turned his back on his adjutant.

‘Ninety-nine per cent of our race is currently on another planet, Draan, or had you forgotten the Great Exodus? We need the GodEngine; if not as a bargaining tool, then definitely as a means of defence. I have watched these Daleks systematically annihilate the outer colonies of the Earth Alliance with weapons that we could not begin to understand, let alone counter; they are merciless and without honour. If they decide to invade Mars, we will be powerless to stop them.’

‘But we have the two scientists -’

Falaxyr thumped his desk. ‘But I cannot spare the technicians to put them through the Brain-rack! Thanks to your inherited incompetence, all of my personnel are currently hunting down this Adjudicator!’

Draan wanted to point out that it was Falaxyr’s desire to treat the Adjudicator honourably that had led to his escape, but thought better of it. He remained silent, trying to let Falaxyr’s anger wash over him. It was difficult.

‘However, my need for the scientists is now too great to ignore, especially since they will begin to suffer permanent neurological damage if they are anaesthetized for much longer. Therefore, you will replace Technician Yeess on watch.’

Draan ran a quick diagnostic of his helmet’s cyber-net, but his enhanced hearing wasn’t malfunctioning; Falaxyr had just ordered Draan, a Supreme Lord of the Martian Military Elite, to go on guard duty like a common Warrior.

‘Your Excellency, I must protest! I am -’

Falaxyr’s voice was quiet yet threatening. ‘You are a bungler, Draan. Yeess is the only Martian left to me who can operate the Brain-rack, and therefore of importance.’ Unlike you, Draan, was the unspoken corollary. ‘A perfectly logical decision, I believe.’ The Grand Marshal reached down and picked up the Amber Marshal chess piece from the floor.

‘Now go, Draan, before I decide to let Yeess practise on you.’

An empty threat – the Brain-rack was specifically designed to influence human brains – but the insult was cutting.

Draan left the chamber without comment, but his course of action was clear. He would find the Adjudicator and deliver him personally to Falaxyr.

After torturing him, of course.

Chris

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