To the Slaughter by Stephen Cole

Author:Stephen Cole [Cole, Stephen]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Science-Fiction - Doctor Who
ISBN: 9780563486251
Publisher: BBC Books
Published: 2005-04-26T22:00:00+00:00

Bits of the Polar Lights were floating past the window, spiralling lazily out into space.

‘Goodbye, old girl,’ whispered the Doctor fondly. ‘Thanks for the jour-

neys.’

‘Just what did you do to those computers?’ Trix demanded.

‘Not guilty.’ murmured the Doctor, jabbing a finger towards the window.

‘Which is more than I suspect we can say for that.’

A chill ran through Trix. There was a ship outside, performing a lazy

manoeuvre to bring it down to the docking pad. It resembled a dull silver

arrowhead, absorbing the cold glare of the distant sun and the stars it shot through.

‘That alien fish-thing,’ she whispered. ‘It’s come for us.’

‘Why destroy our ship now? Why not on Thebe?’ The Doctor answered

his own question. ‘I suppose it must have known Thebe was about to get

blitzed – that’s why it shot off when it did.’

‘Never mind that! What are we going to do?’

‘Ask Torvin for a lift in his ship?’ suggested the Doctor.

But even as he spoke, there was a blinding white flash from outside.

Seconds later, more debris was choking the view.

He sighed. ‘Perhaps not.’

‘Torvin?’ Trix was already haring back down the corridor. ‘How long

before your mates pick you up?’

‘It’s that creature from Thebe, isn’t it?’ Torvin looked grey and haunted.

‘He wiped out my crew, now he’s come back for me!’

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

131

‘He’s come here for some purpose, certainly.’ The Doctor’s voice behind

her made her jump; she hadn’t heard him approach. ‘But yes, now he

knows we’re here, he’ll almost certainly want to kill us. So! Perhaps we

should prepare some sort of barricade? Buy ourselves some time.’

‘This podule thing is under construction,’ said Trix. ‘Surely we can find

some building materials or something to put against the docking hatch?’

‘Good thinking. Torvin, go with her and search.’

‘And what will you be doing?’ Trix asked.

‘No barricade is going to hold that creature for long,’ he said gravely.

‘We need a second line of defence.’

And he walked off, briskly.

‘Come on then,’ Trix told Torvin. ‘We can’t have long. It’ll be docking

any minute.’

‘Escape capsule,’ he said, standing his ground. ‘Conference centre of

bigwig business types – there’s bound to be an escape capsule! I can make

it to my friends in that.’

‘Brilliant!’ Then her elation faded. ‘But this place isn’t finished. What if it’s not been built yet?’

‘Hey, Investigator.’ He gave her that goddamned ghost of a smile. It was

cute and creepy all at once. ‘There’s only one way to find out.’

‘But the barricade,’ Trix said with a twinge of guilt. ‘We have to slow it

down, buy the Doctor time to think of something.’

‘Oh. Yes, I guess you’re right.’ Torvin nodded. ‘A distraction could be useful, however small.’

With that, he punched Trix full in the face.

She staggered backwards and fell to the floor, cracking her head. Her

eyes closed, and she didn’t know how long it was before they opened again.

‘A million and two ways to lose it.’ She propped herself up on her el-

bows. There was a dull, thick ache in her jaw and she could taste blood at

the back of her throat. Of Torvin, predictably, there was no sign. Bastard

maniac.

Heavy, familiar footfalls sounded through the plastic floor.

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