Doctor Who: The Mutation of Time Page 8

  ‘Are you mad ?’ he hissed.

  ‘Steven, if they break out, they will recapture the Taranium core.’

  ‘They will anyway, if we go rushing blindly down there.’ Steven shook his head, firmly. ‘We have to warn the Doctor.’

  ‘Why?’ Sara asked, bitterly. ‘He doesn’t care. All he’ll do is take off again.’

  ‘I don’t think he will. But even if he does, we’ve got to warn him!’ He looked at her, pleading, and saw that he had made absolutely no impression. ‘All right, if we do try to take them out on our own and fail, they’ll certainly get the core back. The Doctor won’t even be on his guard!’

  Sara was thinking of Bret again, and how she could redeem herself by killing Mavic Chen... she could almost taste the death of that arch-traitor... but then she realized that this was a selfish desire, and that logic was on Steven’s side. Reluctantly, she reholstered her weapon. ‘You win,’ she sighed. ‘But we could have taken them with surprise on our side.’

  ‘We can still plan something,’ Steven argued, and they started back for the TARDIS. ‘Haven’t you ever heard of an ambush?’

  This was an ill-chosen question. At that very second, the two of them were jumped by Egyptian soldiers. Hyksos had arrived with his guards, and had lain in wait for the two intruders. Totally unprepared for this, the travellers were knocked down. The short staves the soldiers carried knocked both of them senseless. One soldier drew a bronze dagger, and held it to Steven’s throat. A slight pressure, and Steven’s lifeblood would stain the desert sands and atone for the trespass that they had committed.

  Chapter 7

  Golden Death

  Tuthmos had accompanied the armed party, and he was still looking for the old man that he had seen. He glanced around the stone blocks, then moved back swiftly to rejoin Hyksos. ‘There are more of them.’

  Reaching down, Hyksos stayed the soldier’s hand, and the knife fell from Steven’s throat. ‘Guard these two,’ the captain ordered this soldier and his comrade. ‘The rest of you —follow me!’

  Hyksos glanced out from the stones and saw Mavic Chen with the Dalek. The second figure made no sense to him, but the was seemed to be looking for something. Quite clearly, he was a looter. With a gesture, Hyksos led his men out of hiding, and towards the intruder and the strange thing with him.

  Seeing a dozen or more Egyptian warriors racing towards him, Made Chen dodged for the cover of a limestone block. The Dalek spun to face the newcomers. One man threw a spear, which broke as it crashed into the Dulck’s casing.

  ‘We are under attack,’ the Dalek reported back to the time-machine. It opened fire on the oncoming men. One of them paused, screamed, and burnt in the deadly radiation stream the Dalek had fired off. The soldier collapsed, dead. The others stopped in their tracks, completely terrified by this.

  Two further Daleks emerged from their time-machine, and moved to join the first. As they did so, the soldiers regained their nerve, and began to move forward again, though at a definitely slower pace.

  ‘It is a small local force,’ the first Dalek informed the others. ‘Their weapons are primitive.’

  ‘Combined fire!’ one of the new arrivals ordered. Three guns spat death at once.

  Two more soldiers were caught in the lethal rays as they hurled their spears. Both spears glanced off the Daleks,as both warriors fell, dead, to the sand.

  Hyksos could see that his small force could not succeed in defeating these strange creatures. ‘Retreat!’ he called. ‘We need more men! Get the prisoners we have back to the camp! Retreat!’

  The men needed no further urging. With one mind, they wheeled and sprinted back the way that they had come. They were as brave as any warriors, but these unknown intruders were too much for them to face.

  The three Daleks ceased their fire and conferred. ‘Did we sustain damage?’ one asked.

  ‘No,’ the original Dalek replied. ‘Only the inhabitants of this time and planet, and they are unimportant.’

  ‘Understood. They are to be exterminated on sight.’

  Hyksos and his men dodged in and out of the discarded stone blocks about the base of the pyramid, seeking only to lose the strange, metal beings that had killed their companions. Steven and Sara, unconscious, were carried along with them.

  The Doctor returned the toolbox to the TARDIS, and picked up his stick once again. He walked back to the door, and carefully examined the lock with a measure of what he felt was justifiable pride. It was a long time since he’d had to field-strip his TARDIS lock, and he’d done a remarkably fine job. Especially considering all the interruptions he’d had.

  He glanced about for the sources of those interruptions, but neither Sara nor Steven was anywhere to be seen. ‘Now where can they have got to?’ he asked himself crossly. It didn’t take him long to realize that they had disregarded his instructions and gone to try to stop the Monk by themselves. Admittedly the Monk was not exactly the type to go in for physical violence, but there was an awful lot that the slippery little character could do to trap them. He doubted that the Monk would actually harm them – he was more like a capricious child than truly evil – but the Monk did have a problem of knowing exactly where he should draw the line. He might injure the foolish youngsters by accident.

  Why did he always have to get these young people out of trouble? Sighing, he set off across the sands to find the Monk’s TARDIS and free his companions. Some days, they were definitely more trouble than they were worth!

  The day was getting oppressively hot, and the Doctor wasn’t as young as he had been – and would be again, some day. He paused to loosen his tie, and to mop his forehead with his large handkerchief. Dodging around all this assorted bric-à-brac intended for the final resting place of the Pharaoh was quite exhausting. After a few further minutes, he was ready for a rest. Spying a gold-inlaid throne, he smiled to himself, and plopped down on it for a short breather. He started to mop his face again

  With a similar racket to that made by his own ship, the Monk’s TARDIS materialized barely thirty feet away. It was disguised as one of the large building blocks. The Doctor could barely suppress his amusement, burying his face in his hankie to avoid being heard. Clambering to his feet, he dodged behind another of the blocks, and peered around its edge at the newly arrived TARDIS.

  After a further moment, the door opened, and the Monk’s eyes peered out. The little man blinked in the strong sunlight, and then vanished back inside. When he finally emerged, he was dressed in his usual Monk’s habit, but sporting a pair of mirrored sunglasses that were very definitely out of place here – but also very handy. As the hidden Doctor watched, the Monk consulted something he held in his hand, and then set off in the direction of the Doctor’s TARDIS, whistling off-key to himself.

  The Doctor emerged from his hiding place and was about to follow the Monk when he suddenly realized something. Steven and Sara had gone off to investigate the Monk’s TARDIS that they had seen land. Yet, he himself had just witnessed the arrival of the Monk. So... what had Steven and Sara seen?

  Them was only one possibility that came to him, and it chilled his blood. ‘Daleks...’

  The Egyptian soldiers dropped the unconscious forms of the Doctor’s companions to the straw-covered earth floor without much care. The interior of the house was considerably cooler than the desert, and at the moment far safer. The men made no move to leave. Tuthmos and Khephren looked enquiringly at Hyksos.

  The captain grunted. ‘Plunderers,’ he explained. ‘Robbers of the tomb.’

  ‘But what do we do about the others?’ Khephren asked, nervously, meaning the Daleks.

  ‘I will journey to the next encampment,’ Hyksos decided. ‘We shall need an army to do battle with their fire-throwing machines and the other intruders.’

  ‘Meanwhile,’ Khephren added, ‘I shall take my slaves into the tomb. The treasures that the Pharaoh has sent for his journey to the after-life will be safer inside its stone walls.’ He looked down at Steven and S
ara. ‘There they will be easier to guard, also.’

  Steven had recovered consciousness by now. His journeys with the Doctor had trained him to feign unconsciousness until he managed to get a grip of the situation. Through half-lidded eyes, he saw Hyksos and Khephren leave the room. Then, carefully, he tested his bonds. They were too tight for him to slip out of. The only ones left now were Tuthmos and a few guards, but they and the ropes were enough to keep Steven here. Since there was no point in further pretending he was unconscious, Steven sat up.

  ‘How long are you going to keep us here?’ he asked.

  Tuthmos turned slowly to face him. ‘Until your friends are brought to join you,’ he replied finally. ‘Then you will answer for you crimes.’

  ‘We’ve nothing to answer for,’ Steven said. ‘We’re not interested in your treasures.’

  ‘Of course not!’ Tuthmos mocked. ‘You have travelled here for your health. Not even the old man is interested in any of the Pharaoh’s fine treasures?’

  ‘Not even the old man,’ Steven agreed, warily, wondering what the Doctor had been up to while he was unconscious. ‘Then,’ continued Tuthmos, ‘why did he examine so carefully the large blue box that stands with the Pharaoh’s other possessions?’

  ‘Probably because that old blue box is his, and not your Pharaoh’s.’

  ‘Now I know you lie!’ exclaimed Tuthmos, triumphantly. ‘Everything that the slaves hauled have across the desert belongs to the Pharaoh! It is all accounted for in our records. If the Pharaoh’s slaves brought the box here, then it is Pharaoh’s – and how else could the box have been brought here? Did the gods perhaps pluck it up and set it down, so?’ He imitated the gesture as he spoke, and then laughed, derisively.

  Steven suddenly felt a slight movement behind his back, as fingers moved across the ropes that bound him. He realized that Sara must have awakened also, and was attempting to free him. It was important to make certain that this Egyptian overseer didn’t spot her at work, so Steven, to distract him, asked: ‘Why do you think that the treasures will be any safer in the tomb?’

  ‘Because the tomb will house the memories of the Pharaoh’s stay on Earth. His spirit will be free to visit it whenever it wishes.’ Tuthmos saw the blank expression on Steven’s face, and explained further: ‘His spirit will need no doors to enter – so the tomb, with the treasures inside, will be sealed.’

  Steven finally got the point. ‘And we... we’ll be inside also.’

  Tuthmos smiled. ‘It seems only fitting – after all, you came here for the treasures, didn’t you? This way, you can be with them – always!’

  The Monk marched happily through the sand, half-wishing he’d brought along his bucket and spade; well, there’d be time for that later, after his revenge... He had no idea at all that the person he intended to get his revenge on was in fact following cautiously behind him, a big grin plastered on to his wrinkled features. The Monk’s whistle cut off short as he heard a slight noise from behind the next block.

  Its surely couldn’t be the Doctor – he couldn’t possibly know that the Monk was here! Therefore it had to be a native. The Monk’s ideas of history were always a bit hazy – he’d never paid attention in class – so he wasn’t absolutely convinecd that he’d be inconspicuous in his current attire. He vaguely recalled something about monks in the Egyptian desert sitting on flagpoles or something, but couldn’t recall if that was BC, or AD – and, come to think of it, he wasn’t certain what the year was when he’d landed anyway. Ah well, nothing for it but to bluff it out and hope for the best. If you looked innocent, nine times out of ten you’d be left alone!

  He placed his hands piously together, and kept his head low as he left his cover. ‘Good morning, my son,’ he said, in the holiest voice he could muster.

  Then he stopped dead, as he understocid what it was he had just passed. His eyes widened behind the glasses. ‘A Dalek !’ he squeaked. He had paid attention to a few things in class...

  The Dalek raised its gun, and trained it on the Monk’s quivering form. ‘Exterminate!’

  Chapter 8

  Into the Pyramid

  ‘Wait!’ Mavic Chen stepped out from behind the Dalek, and pushed the gun-stick aside.

  The Dalek’s eye-stick swivelled to focus on Chen. ‘Dalek orders will not be questioned!’ It raised its gun again, ready to kill the Monk.

  Carefully, Chen interposed himself between the Dalek and the Monk. ‘Wait!’ he hissed. ‘This could help us to recover the Taranium core.’ His mind, devious as ever, had already thought out a plan. The Daleks might well be impervious to the primitive weapons that the Egyptian troops wielded, but he wasn’t. He had no desire to expose himself to unnecessary danger – especially when there was an unwitting idiot at hand to use...

  The Dalek finally lowered its gun. ‘Proceed,’ it agreed. The Monk let out the breath he had been holding, and opened his eyes again, happy to be still alive. He was quite certain that there would be a price to pay for this rescue, however.

  Chen turned to face him, attempting a kindly smile. It resembled more the expression on the face of a snake about to strike. ‘So,’ he purred, ‘you have heard of the Daleks.’

  Hopping nervously from foot to foot and uncertain whether he should address the Dalek or this human who seemed to have some authority, the Monk nodded. Wringing his hands helplessly, he tried to put on a natural-looking smile, and missed by a long shot. ‘Er, yes... by reputation only...’

  Chen raised an eyebrow. ‘Then you are certainly not of this time.’

  ‘No,’ the Monk agreed, forcing a better smile on to his lips. ‘Just a passing time-traveller. Anxious to move on,’ he added, hopefully, and took a step backward. The Dalek moved to cover his possible retreat, leaving the Monk in the unhappy position of having to talk to Chen with his back to the Dalek. Sweat started trickling down the inside of his habit. He wanted to scratch his back very badly, but didn’t dare make any movement with the Dalek covering him.

  The Doctor was observing all this from his hiding place behind one of the granite blocks. He could hear perfectly, and was torn between apprehension for his companions and amusement for the predicament that the Monk had got himself into.

  Chen was enjoying baiting this wretched little fellow, and played it to the hilt. ‘Three time-machines in one infinitesimal speck of space and time!’ He looked enquiringly at the Monk. ‘Of course, a coincidence is possible – but hardly likely. You would agree?’

  Trying to keep one eye on the Dalek behind him, the Monk nodded vigorously. ‘Oh, yes,’ he said, enthusiastically. ‘I agree.’

  ‘Then why have you arrived here?’

  Nervously, the Monk started twiddling his fingers. ‘Three time-machines,’ he stalled. ‘Yes, well, that’s mine, and yours and... the odd one out belongs to a... a certain Doctor...’

  ‘The enemy ship!’ the Dalek grated suddenly, almost terrifying the Monk to death.

  ‘Yes, yes, the enemy ship!’ the Monk nodded enthusiastically at this, having realized that the Daleks were also after the Doctor. No doubt, his old adversary had run foul of these nasty little creatures somehow. ‘I have an old score to settle with him.’ He waved his hand, airily. ‘But I’m sure yours is the prior claim.’

  ‘He is a friend of yours?’ Chen asked, politely.

  ‘Friend?’ The Monk fixed an expression of horror on his face. ‘Good heavens, no! An enemy ! An enemy to end all enemies!’ Raising his voice to be certain that the Dalek could hear him, he added: ‘I came here to inflict a terrible vengeance on him! Oh, yes, we’re all of us here on the same side – against him !’

  ‘But he knows you?’ asked Chen.

  That left the Monk in a bit of aquandary, since he was aware that a wrong answer was likely to get him exterminated. ‘Ah... well, ah... yes. But, then again, no!’

  Chen could see that the little idiot was having problems deciding on what answer was required, so he helped out a little. ‘Could you gain his confidence?’

&
nbsp; ‘Oh yes , of course!’ The Monk beamed now, on safer ground. ‘Of course – if you want me to. No question of it! Without a doubt!’

  ‘Then,’ Chen said, smoothly, ‘you may have a slight chance of saving your miserable life.’ Leaving the Monk to ponder on this, Chen moved to join the Dalek. Softly, he said: ‘I would suggest that we use this idiot traveller for our own purposes.’

  The Dalek glanced at the quivering wreck. ‘There is no proof that he is to be trusted.’

  ‘Only his fear of the Daleks!’ Chen replied, knowing that a little flattery wouldn’t hurt. ‘He could well be able to recover the vital Taranium core with an ease that we, the Doctor’s enemies, could never hope to achieve.’

  ‘He claims to also be the Doctor’s enemy.’

  Chen spread his hands. ‘He is obviously lying to save his own worthless neck.’

  The Dalek considered this for a moment. ‘Failure could not be tolerated,’ it finally stated.

  ‘My interests in the conquest of the Universe are identical to yours,’ Chen reasoned. ‘If he fails, then another method will be necessary. But I am certain that this will succeed!’

  ‘I will consult Control,’ the Dalek decided. There was a short silence as it communicated with the Red Dalek in the time-ship. The Monk was biting his lips in apprehension, almost drawing blood. Finally, the Dalek glanced back at Mavic Chen. ‘Control allows him one Earth hour.’

  Chen nodded his understanding, and then walked back to the Monk. Putting his arm around the smaller man’s shoulders, he said, confidentially: ‘The Doctor and his friends have in their possession a small device, a Taranium core, that belongs to the Daleks. You will recover this and bring it to me within one hour.’

  ‘Oh, I shall , I shall!’ the Monk said, nodding, and crossing his heart with his fingers. ‘I promise .’ In fact, he simply intended to dash back to his TARDIS and get out of here. Let the Doctor deal with this problem! He’d worry about getting his revenge later!