Doctor Who: Target - Novelisations [086] - The Dominators by Ian Marter

Author:Ian Marter
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science-Fiction - Doctor Who
ISBN: 9780426195535
Publisher: Target Books
Published: 1984-10-14T23:00:00+00:00

6

Fighting Back

In the cool Capitol the Councillors were locked in dispute with their Director. Senex seemed to be reconciling himself to the need for action, whereas Bovem led a majority in favour of doing nothing.

‘We must hope that the Doctor will succeed in devising an effective course of action,’ Senex stated firmly.

‘With respect, I am reluctant to rely upon the assistance of an alien,’ Deputy Bovem objected. ‘We should support the recommendations of the Emergency Committee.’

‘Chairman Tensa is able,’ Senex agreed, ‘but can he deal with this unprecedented crisis?’

Bovem looked shocked. ‘Tensa has proved his competence dealing with floods, droughts, earthquakes…’ he protested.

The Director smiled indulgently. ‘All natural disasters, Bovem, not the result of aggressive intelligences.’

At that moment the wall parted and a surprisingly robust young Dulcian entered with an of determined ability. A grateful sigh of relief rose from the troubled Councillors, as though all their problems were solved at last. They sat up expectantly.

Tensa looked at them gravely. ‘We have three alternatives,’ he announced abruptly. ‘If these aliens are indeed hostile – which has not been proved beyond question – we can fight, we can flee or we can submit.’

There was a doomed silence. The Councillors waited, as if hoping for more, for some magical solution. Tensa remained silent.

Senex rose slowly to his feet. ‘We cannot fight, we are not able. We cannot flee, there is no refuge. We can submit, but to what?’

‘Who knows?’ Tensa replied curtly.

The assembly stared aghast at Chairman Tensa, as though all their trust and expectations had been betrayed.

Eventually the Director sank back into his luxurious chair.

‘So we can only wait…’ he concluded.

Fortunately for Zoe, Kando had fainted and fallen on her face in the burning sand, and her collapse had distracted the Quark from Zoe’s suspicious behaviour. Having revived Kando and laid her next to Balan by the museum entrance, the others carried on the struggle to clear the drilling site, though Teel was getting rapidly weaker from the unaccustomed physical exertion. Determined as ever, Kully and Zoe had soon devised another escape plan.

‘So all we need now is somewhere we can hide…’ Kully whispered.

‘The bomb shelter,’ Teel suddenly muttered. ‘I am sure they built one… part of the atom tests.’

Kully glanced surreptitiously at the Quarks. ‘Where is it?’ he asked, passing Teel a jagged sheet of metal.

Teel shrugged apologetically and shook his head.

‘Fat lot of use!’ snapped Zoe irritably. ‘Listen Kully, once inside, give me time to get the Quarks into your line of fire.’

‘Don’t forget to duck,’ Kully joked under his breath, heaving a slab onto his shoulder and bending at the knees.

‘Wish me luck.’

‘Don’t forget to point the gun the right way,’ Zoe muttered anxiously.

Kully staggered a few paces with his burden, then he groaned dramatically, stumbled and fell.

Immediately the two Quarks stomped over to him.

‘Specimen has failed,’ one bleated.

‘Join the other failed specimens!’ screeched the second.

With grossly exaggerated effort, Kully dragged himself painfully across to the entrance and lay dawn in the shade beside Balan and Kando. Meanwhile, closely watched by the Quarks, Zoe picked up the slab Kully had dropped and struggled on.

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