Doctor Who - The Caves of Androzani by Terrance Dicks

Author:Terrance Dicks [Dicks, Terrance]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2011-02-05T06:48:26.828217+00:00

7

Spy!

Luckily for the Doctor, the nearest of the gun-runners saw the monster’s turning aside as a retreat. Emboldened, he leaped forward, blazing away with his machine-pistol at close range. The movement attracted the monster’s attention. It swung round roaring, hurling itself upon its latest attacker.

The man went down screaming. The Doctor, quite unable to help him, dashed out from his hiding place and ran down the gallery, leaving the noise of battle behind him.

As the monster devoured its latest victim, Stotz and his two surviving gun-runners retreated the other way.

General Chellak looked up in astonishment as his office door was flung open and Salateen entered, dragging Peri behind him. Chellak noticed with some astonishment that his usually immaculate aide was grimy and dishevelled. He was brandishing a machine-pistol that was clearly not service issue, and actually seemed to be in a state of some excitement.

‘What the devil is going on, Salateen?’

‘I’ll explain in a minute, General.’ Salateen closed and scaled the door, and shoved the exhausted Peri into a chair.

‘One escaped prisoner, sir.’

‘The android?’

Salateen nodded towards the rash that was spreading across Peri’s legs. ‘She’s real enough. Androids’ legs don’t blister.’ Salateen paused for a second, gathering his thoughts. He had a complicated and incredible story to tell, and very little time in which to convince Chellak of the truth. ‘Sharaz Jek smuggled in copies of this girl and her friend, the Doctor.’ He hesitated. ‘And I’m afraid, sir, he also copied me.’

‘Copied you? ’

‘I’ve been held prisoner in his camp for months, sir, ever since I was captured. What you thought was me was in fact an android. A spy for Sharaz Jek.’

Chellak gaped at him, unable to take in the incredible truth. ‘You mean to say I’ve had an android for my aide all this time, without knowing it?’

‘It’s the truth, sir. When he made that copy of me it was like looking in a mirror. He’s incredibly clever.’

‘What a fool I’ve been!’

Peri slumped forwards, almost falling from her chair.

Glancing at Chellak for permission, Salateen poured her a glass of water from the desk carafe.

‘Don’t blame yourself too much. That android has a cortex with over five million responses programmed into it. Jek boasted that it was his finest creation.’

Chellak was beginning to take in the full implication of Salateen’s story. ‘So Sharaz Jek has known every move, every plan we’ve made for months now, thanks to his android?’

‘Within seconds, sir. The android is linked to his main computer.’

‘Well, we’ll soon put a stop to that!’ Chellak flicked a switch on his desk-com. ‘Major Salateen?’

Salateen reached forwards and closed the switch. ‘Wait, sir. There’s a better way. I thought of it on the way over...’

Suddenly, Salateen had the eerie experience of hearing his own voice coming from the speaker. ‘Salateen here, sir.

You called me?’

Chellak said, ‘It’s all right Major, I’ve found what I was looking for.’

‘Very good, sir.’

Chellak sat back and looked at the real Salateen. ‘You said there was a better way?’

‘Disinformation, sir,’ said Salatcen simply. ‘Using

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