War Games, The

Author:Malcolm Hulke
Format: mobi

7

The Security Chief

The scientist approached the black door nervously. No one relished being summoned by the Security Chief. His fears increased as he went inside and saw the Chief’s stormy expression.

‘Sit down,’ said the Security Chief.

The scientist sat. Two of the Chief’s guards were tending a guard lying on the floor.

‘Is his neck broken?’ asked the Chief.

‘No, sir,’ said one of the guards. ‘Bruised but not broken.’

‘Then remove him.’

They dragged the guard out.

The Security Chief stood behind his desk. He was a small man who enjoyed immense power; he did not like people to see how short he was, so often he remained standing. Different from the War Chief, the Security Chief wore a simple black uniform without braid or piping. It made him look very sinister.

‘I understand you were overpowered and tied up?’ he said.

‘Yes,’ replied the scientist.

‘I believe some of the resistance group who infiltrated this base arrived on the planet without being brought here by us.’

‘Impossible!’

‘Is it? The girl I questioned spoke of a space-time machine. The man who tricked you understood our mental processing equipment. Wasn’t that odd?’

‘I suppose so,’ said the scientist, who hadn’t really thought about it. ‘But time and space travel – who else in the entire galaxy knows about that?’

‘The people whose knowledge we are using,’ said the Security Chief. ‘Remember how we obtained that knowledge…’

‘Through the War Chief.’

‘Exactly! He is a traitor to his own people, the Time Lords.’ The Security Chief looked at the scientist, awaiting a response.

‘Are you… are you suggesting he’s bringing in his own people?’

‘He joined us because he wanted power. Perhaps there are others of his people who have the same ambition. For instance, this person the girl spoke of as the Doctor.’

‘Can you prove any of this?’

‘I am simply giving an opinion,’ the Security Chief said honestly.

‘I wish you wouldn’t give your opinions to me,’ said the scientist. ‘If you have these ideas you should tell the War Lord on the home planet.’

‘When I have proof.’ The Security Chief placed a hand on the scientist’s shoulder. ‘You can help me. Before you re-process those stupid soldiers whom we ambushed and stunned, study them carefully. If you find any of them who have never been processed, send them to me for questioning. And don’t mention it to the War Chief.’

The scientist’s throat had gone dry. ‘But I… I don’t want to get mixed up in intrigue. The War Chief has total authority here.’

‘And I,’ said the Security Chief, ‘have power of life and death. You are my friend, are you not? As friends we should work together.’

The Security Chief squeezed the scientist’s shoulder and gave a smile that sent shivers down the scientist’s spine.

Lieutenant Carstairs looked along the rows of different coloured jackets hanging on racks.

‘A uniform for all occasions, what?’

‘We’re in the wardrobe,’ said the Doctor, delighted.

He held out the sleeve of a jacket with a row of tiny buttons. ‘I’d say that’s the Russian Army of the 18th Century. Catherine the Great had the buttons put on to stop her soldiers from wiping their noses on their sleeves.

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