Doctor Who: Virgin Missing Adventures [032] - The Dark Path by David A. McIntee

Author:David A. McIntee
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science-Fiction - Doctor Who
ISBN: 9780426205036
Publisher: Doctor Who Books
Published: 1997-04-12T22:00:00+00:00

Twelve

Sherwin glanced at the time yet again. It was totally unlike Salamanca to be late. In fact, she wouldn’t be surprised if unpunctuality was a capital offence on Draconia.

A tall thin black man, with the first hint of lines of wisdom developing around his eyes, came in. He wore an ID plaque pinned to his robelike clothes,, but Sherwin had never seen him before.

Surely this wasn’t yet another shy diplomat who’d been in hiding for the whole voyage? That was impossible. He didn’t seem shy: more like an ancient Moorish prince.

The newcomer came over, and gave a slight neck-bow. ‘My Lady,’ he said respectfully. ‘I have prepared a duty roster for the duration of our presence in this system. Commissioner Epilira, however, has concerns about –’

‘Hold it right there.’ She motioned to two stewards to come over.

‘Now, who are you, and what are you doing on my ship?’ Probably an Imperial trying to get aboard for spying purposes, she might have thought, except that he was hardly inconspicuous. Perhaps someone who had been in prison down there, and thought that making it to a Federation ship would prevent his reincarceration.

‘What are you talking about? It’s me, Salamanca. Your first officer!’

‘My first officer is a Draconian.’ How stupid could this intruder be?

‘But of course I am.’

‘You,’ she went on, ‘are human.’

‘Yes! What is the problem? I am a man of Draconia, and always have been. My Lady, how could I not be who I say?’

‘Lock him up, Clark.’

‘Right.’ Clark nodded to the two stewards, who took the stranger by the arms.

‘My Lady, have I offended you? Have I not pursued my duties properly?’ Clark ushered him away.

Captain Sherwin watched them go. The stranger’s story was obviously untrue but he told it with such conviction. And surely nobody could be so stupid as to mistake themselves for a member of another species, no matter how much vrax – or whatever – they were on. There was more to this, she was certain. ‘What wouldn’t I give to have a Mentiad on board right now. Computer, where is Commander Salamanca?’

‘Deck one, section one, leaving the flight deck,’ the toneless receptionist-like voice answered. That was impossible – Sherwin could see that corridor from here, and only Clark, the stewards and the intruder were there. The intruder who had claimed to be Salamanca. A chilly suspicion hit her, and she went to the nearest console, powering up its screen, and entering her authorization code.

‘Display Salamanca’s personnel file.’

A picture of the intruder’s face appeared on screen, identified as Commander Salamanca. Sherwin dropped into the chair by the console, and stared almost incredulously at the display. Would an escaped convict or psychiatric case alter the records? Would such a person even be able to?

She shut off the display, and turned back to Mei Quan. ‘Institute a shipwide search for Salamanca, and scan the planet for Draconian life signs, just in case.’ Perhaps he had been snatched away by an Imperial transmat beam. ‘When Clark gets back, have him download fresh personnel backups over the hyperlink from central records on Alpha Centauri II.

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