Lethbridge-Stewart - The New Unusual: A Doctor Who spin-off novel. by Adrian Sherlock & Andy Frankham-Allen

Author:Adrian Sherlock & Andy Frankham-Allen [Sherlock, Adrian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Candy Jar Books
Published: 2018-05-02T23:00:00+00:00

Travelling the world was not a new experience for Anne, and this was not her first visit to Australia, although it was the first time she’d passed through the Red Centre. Colonel Rafferty, throughout the journey from Nexus to their midnight accommodation, continued to act as if none of them had ever left the UK before, so by time they reached the small camp, Anne made of point of letting him know that she was probably better travelled than he. He didn’t seem to believe her, even when Lethbridge-Stewart backed her up.

‘Why, it was only a few months ago that Anne was in Tibet.’

A comment that, although well-intended, brought a sadness to her heart that killed the conversation there and then.

By time everybody had disembarked the truck, they were all stiff and tired. Anne and her people had grabbed sleep on the almost-full day flight from the UK to Australia, but she longed for a proper bed. Despite Rafferty’s promise, what waited for her at the camp was a hard cot. Still, it was better than sleeping on a plane, she supposed.

Bill didn’t complain, and huddled down next to her. She was asleep long before him. And struggled to wake up only a couple of hours later. They still had a long road-trip ahead, and an early start was necessary. The phrase ‘early start’ had rarely been used so well; 2am was barely the next day!

Hours of endless red sand and heat passed, taking a toll on Anne’s ability to remain awake, and she drifted off in the second truck where she had chosen to ride the second leg of the journey on account of the rowdy soldiers in the first truck. Bill had offered to ride with her, but she’d insisted he remain with Rafferty’s men, to build up a bit of camaraderie with them. They needed to respect him and his authority once they reached their final destination. Nobody knew what awaited them in Coober Pedy – for that is where they were ultimately heading – but the eggs came from there and, since Anne and Lethbridge-Stewart expected some extra-terrestrial explanation, it would be good to have the Australian Army troops prepared for the worst-case scenario. And should such a thing come about, they needed to trust Bill’s leadership. So it was that she sat on the crates in the second truck with Richard Bell (‘Please just call me Richie,’ he’d told her, ‘after all, we have a long way to go before we reach Alice Springs.’). She was glad for Richie’s presence, as his previous experience with the Royal Signals and his technical expertise would probably come in handy if they found the source of the dream eggs.

But in the end, despite Richie’s conversational skills, tiredness won out and Anne huddled down to sleep some more. Richie pulled out a book, a battered copy of Margery Allingham’s The Mind Readers, and read.

They made good time, and Anne was awoken gently by Richie as the trucks drove into Alice Springs, situated exactly halfway between Darwin and Adelaide.

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