Doctor Who: Target - Novelisations [052] - The Ribos Operation by Ian Marter

Author:Ian Marter
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science-Fiction - Doctor Who
ISBN: 9780491024297
Publisher: Target Books
Published: 1979-12-08T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Escape Into the Unknown

Outside the chamber the three Levithian sentries had been startled by the sudden appearance of K9 round a corner some way along the passage. With swift disciplined movements they formed a compact defensive group, charged their laser-spears and took careful aim at the strange device bearing down on them. Meanwhile K9’s circuits were buzzing away, rapidly computing their average bodyweight and the thickness of their armour plating in order to calculate a suitable stun level.

Microseconds before the Levithians could press their discharge buttons they were all three silhouetted in a brilliant flash from K9’s muzzle, which sent them reeling back against the door to their Prince’s quarters. Like three monstrous puppets they slid clumsily down the rough woodwork into a tangled heap on the flagstones.

K9 came to rest in front of them. ‘Most satisfactory,’ he announced.

The Doctor flung open the door, revealing the three Levithian Guards spreadeagled on the threshold and K9 standing impassively over his victims buzzing quietly to himself.

‘What kept you K9?’ the Doctor cried delightedly, stepping over the unconscious sentries.’ We’ve been on tenterhooks for hours.’

‘Topographical difficulties, master,’ K9 replied.

The Doctor patted the creature’s whirring head: ‘Of course – you can’t manage stairs, poor old thing,’ he murmured kindly.

Romana clambered past the huddled bodies followed closely by Garron. ‘Are they dead?’ she asked with a grimace of distaste.

The Doctor gave her a shocked look. ‘Of course they aren’t dead,’ he cried. ‘What an idea.’

‘Negative, Mistress,’ K9 added. ‘Stun was calibrated at zero nine atmospheres.’

‘They’ll be out for hours,’ the Doctor muttered, dragging the first of the limp bodies through into the Graff’s quarters.

‘Correction, master: period of immobilisation estimated at three point two nine hours,’ K9 announced crisply.

‘All right, all right. Stop showing off,’ the Doctor scolded irritably as he and Garron dealt with the other two Guards.

Shutting the door firmly behind him, the Doctor asked Garron to lead the way to the Concourse. Sticking the laser-spear and charger unit which he had taken from Krolon into his belt, Garron set off quickly along the passage.

‘Don’t stop at every corner, K9,’ the Doctor called. ‘We have very little time.’

Romana looked extremely unhappy as she and the Doctor hurried along behind the waddling con-man. ‘You are going to trust that petty trickster, Doctor?’ she whispered incredulously.

The Doctor nodded vigorously: ‘No more than he is going to trust us, my dear…’ he murmured.

‘Then why are we helping him?’ Romana demanded in an undertone grabbing the Doctor’s sleeve and attempting to slow him down.

The Doctor continued to forge ahead. ‘We are not helping him,’ he muttered out of the corner of his mouth. ‘He is helping us.’

Romana cast her eyes upward and shook her head, dumb with exasperation. She had the Locatormutor Core safely tucked into her robe, and it was becoming increasingly apparent to her that she would be forced to continue the search for the First Segment of the Key to Time all by herself…

The strident warbling from Unstoffe’s wrist seemed to shatter the silence around Binro’s tiny hovel and echo among the columns of the colonnade.

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