Doctor Who: The Secret in Vault 13: A Doctor Who Story by David Solomons

Author:David Solomons
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub, pdf
ISBN: 9781405937603
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2018-11-01T00:00:00+00:00

14. School’s Out

The last lines of the third and final hymn of the ceremony tingled to the lofty ceiling of the assembly hall, and the students once more took their seats.

Ryan touched the tie round his throat. Past M8-Tron, he could see the Doctor and Graham in the audience, but what could they do? The Faculty held all the power, literally, in the palm of its hand. With one press of a key, it could cause agony – or worse – to every child in this room.

‘So smart and well behaved,’ said M8-Tron cheerily. Its musical duties performed, the robot passed along in front of the graduating class. ‘You older students must set a good example to the younger ones. Now, a dose of pink medicine will help to dull the pain.’ It began measuring out a spoonful for Ryan.

‘I’m not in pain,’ he said through gritted teeth.

M8-Tron’s voice retained its unflinchingly cheery tone. ‘Oh, but you will be.’ The robot trundled closer. ‘When the Spectres eat you alive.’

The Faculty stood at the dais, beaming from ear to ear to ear to ear, greeting the graduating students as they walked forward, shaking hands and passing out certificates. As each student collected their diploma and returned to his or her seat, there was a muted round of applause from the audience of schoolchildren. To Graham, it sounded like gunfire. In just a few minutes, Ryan and the others would be flung out into the wasteland, at the mercy of the Spectres.

‘Doc, we have to do something,’ he urged.

‘I already did,’ she said, pulling herself out of her chair and leaping lightly on to the stage. She snatched a diploma meant for one of the graduates out of the Faculty’s hands.

‘This is most irregular,’ said the Head. ‘Please sit down, Mrs Smith.’

At the end of the row, Ryan frowned. ‘Mrs Who?’

Even M8-Tron was distracted by the unusual development. Its brimming medicine spoon froze midway to Ryan’s mouth.

The Doctor reached past the Faculty for the microphone. ‘Paragon Teletronics,’ she said, the words booming out across the assembly hall.

‘Really, madam, this interruption will not do.’

She ignored the Head and carried on addressing the children. ‘One of the most successful, innovative manufacturers of military and law-enforcement technology in this time period. Thing is, there was a scandal – or, I should say, there will be, about twenty years from now. It happens when users discover that the company included a secret line of code in all their products. See, Paragon wanted customers to buy their shiny new gyrovariable handcuffs or supersonic frosted riot shield or –’ she turned to the nearest student, who happened to be Aaron, and tweaked his tie – ‘vibrospatial strangulator. And, while many were happy to queue up for the latest version, most didn’t bother upgrading until theirs broke. So Paragon decided to help that along, by including a kill code.’

Sensing danger, the Faculty raised the palm with the embedded keypad.

‘I warn you,’ said the Head, and the Deputy Head finished, ‘one more word and I will severely punish the entire school.

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