Doctor Who: Target - Novelisations [051] - The Revenge of the Cybermen by Terrance Dicks

Author:Terrance Dicks
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science-Fiction - Doctor Who
ISBN: 9780848801564
Publisher: Target Books
Published: 1986-06-14T22:00:00+00:00

7

The Living Bombs

Captain Sheprah, the commander of Tyrum’s City Militia, reported back to his chief. ‘There is no further resistance in the mine galleries. The Guardians are holding a defensive position outside the Guild Chambers.’

Tyrum nodded. ‘That is as I expected. Let them hold their precious Guild Hall – for the moment. Offer them a truce.’

‘We could take the Guild Chambers with one determined assault.’

‘And lose the lives of many of our people? No – we shall wait.’

Reluctantly Sheprah accepted the decision. ‘There is one further matter, Councillor. Two humans have been captured in the galleries.’

Tyrum listened keenly as Sheprah told of the discovery of Harry and Sarah. ‘It appears they were escaping from Vorus,’ concluded Sheprah. ‘We also captured a squad of Vorus’s men. They were hunting the humans. Their instructions were to find and kill them.’

Tyrum brooded over the implications of Sheprah’s story. ‘Let me see the humans,’ he ordered. Sheprah beckoned to a guard and dispatched him to fetch Harry and Sarah. Tyrum looked grimly at his Captain. ‘If Vorus has committed treason, he will be fortunate if he dies in battle before I reach him.’

‘You think he is a traitor, Councillor?’

‘I think he has been holding secret negotiations with the humans. Promising them gold in return for weapons.’

Sheprah, who was no politician, was baffled. ‘Why should he do that? Ah, I see…’ He answered his own question. ‘To seize power here on Voga!’

‘Vorus has never concealed his ambition to replace me. But I never thought that even he would be reckless enough to expose us to our enemies.’

Sheprah was out of his depth again. ‘You think that the humans are now our enemies? Surely they were our allies long ago?’

‘After the cataclysm of our ancient past, we have survived only by regarding all outsiders as hostile. Now I must discover how far Vorus has involved us with these aliens.’ He turned as the guard brought in the two prisoners. Sheprah left, to return to his troops.

For the second time, Harry and Sarah were brought as captives before a high-ranking Vogan. But the mild-mannered Tyrum made a far more favorable impression on them than had the blustering Vorus, though both sensed an edge of steel beneath the mildness.

Tyrum rose as they entered, and made a formal bow.

‘Greetings. I am Tyrum, Chief Councillor of Voga.’

Harry was rather taken aback by the politeness of this reception, but did his best to rise to the occasion. ‘Er… how d’you do?’ he stammered. ‘I’m Harry Sullivan. This is my friend, Sarah Jane Smith.’ Tyrum bowed again. Sarah wondered if she ought to curtsy, but decided against it, contenting herself with a short bob.

‘Tell me,’ said Tyrum, ‘what is your mission here on Voga?’

For all Tyrum’s gentle manner, it was clear that he was determined to get a satisfactory answer from them.

‘Mission?’ said Sarah hurriedly. ‘We haven’t got any mission. Have we, Harry?’

‘That’s true enough,’ Harry confirmed. ‘We just came here more or less by accident. Nothing to do with us, really.’

Tyrum looked from one to the other of them.

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