Doctor Who: Target - Novelisations [094] - Marco Polo by John Lucarotti

Author:John Lucarotti
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science-Fiction - Doctor Who
ISBN: 9780426199670
Publisher: Target Books
Published: 1985-04-14T22:00:00+00:00

10

Bamboozled

The journey became a nightmare. In the morning they discovered that Marco had segregated them, taken away their horses, thereby making them travel together in a wagon, and eat and sleep in a guarded separate tent. Ping-Cho was not allowed to associate with any of them which made her resent Marco who, as they travelled on, struggled to fight off his pangs of conscience. But the arrangements suited Tegana perfectly. The caravan was divided which would make his and Acomat’s task much easier when they reached the bamboo forests where he would despatch Marco whilst Acomat and the Tartars slaughtered the others and Ping-Cho.

On the third day of the journey as they sat in the wagon Ian gave vent to the sentiment the four of them felt.

‘It’s pointless continuing like this,’ he said, ‘we must make a bid for freedom.’ The Doctor nodded.

‘That’s more easily said than done, Ian,’ Barbara warned.

‘I know the odds are against us,’ he replied, ‘but we must try.’

‘Yes, Chesterton, I agree with you,’ the Doctor added.

‘My ship is sitting there waiting for us.’

‘But Marco has both keys,’ Susan reminded them.

‘We must recover one of them,’ Ian said. ‘But how?’

‘Capture Polo,’ the Doctor remarked.

‘Why not?’ Ian asked. ‘Take him hostage.’ Barbara shook her head.

‘We’re hopelessly outnumbered, Ian.’ He smiled at her.

‘During the day, yes. But not at night. Then there’s only the guard.’

‘Armed,’ Susan observed. Ian raised his hand.

‘It’ll be up to me to change that.’

‘And Tegana?’ Barbara asked.

‘Since we’ve all been lumped in one tent, Marco sleeps in his own quarters which has an outside flap, so the War Lord has the main section of their tent to himself.’ Ian grinned. ‘I’ll do my best not to disturb his slumbers.’

‘Fully aware that you are perfectly capable of this enterprise, Chesterton, I have only one question to put to you,’ the Doctor said. ‘When?’

Ian glanced at them one by one. ‘Tonight.’

The Doctor turned to Susan. ‘I’m sorry, my dear, but I must insist, not one murmur of this venture to Ping-Cho.’

Susan shrugged.

‘Marco has forbidden us to speak to one another, grandfather.’

It was late afternoon when the caravan stopped on the edge of a bamboo forest. The tents were pitched and a campfire lit using wood the Mongol bearers had collected during the day’s travel as bamboo was unsuitable for a fire. Barbara and Susan prepared a meal for the Doctor, Ian and themselves while Ping-Cho cooked for Marco and Tegana.

It was all so awkward and formal that Ping-Cho and Susan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. But on one occasion when Marco wasn’t watching them closely, Ping-Cho put her right hand in front of her chest and discreetly waved her fingers up and down. Susan did the same and they both understood.

Later, the Doctor, Susan, Barbara and Ian were sealed in their tent and the armed guard posted in front of the flap.

‘Shall we sing a song?’ Ian asked, holding up a porcelain plate. ‘A rousing, noisy one.’

‘How about Loch Lomond?’ Barbara suggested.

‘I know that

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