Doctor Who and the Cave-Monsters by Malcolm Hulke

set out in my paper to the Minister. All you’ve done is chase about in the caves, and mount some sort of man-hunt in the surrounding countryside. On top of all that, you have allowed that fool, Major Barker, to escape from the sick-bay and knock out one of your own guards.’
    The Brigadier said, ‘I agree that we haven’t got very far with our investigation, Dr Lawrence…’
    Dr Lawrence cut in without listening to the rest of what the Brigadier might have said. ‘“Haven’t got very far”? That is the understatement of the century! We are still suffering from these power losses. You have come up with no explanation about that!’
    The Doctor said, ‘I believe the power is being drained off by some means we don’t understand yet.’
    Dr Lawrence turned and looked at the Doctor. ‘My dear sir, even I could have told you that!’
    ‘The problem,’ said the Brigadier, ‘seems to lie in the caves.’
    ‘If only the research centre had been built somewhere else,’ said Liz, not very helpfully. ‘You see, that’s the trouble.’
    Dr Lawrence tried to hold back his anger. ‘Miss Shaw, this research centre has cost the government twenty million pounds to construct. Of one thing you may be certain – we are not going to move to another site!’
    The Doctor quickly tried to cover for Liz. ‘I’m sure my companion didn’t mean to suggest that, Dr Lawrence. But the construction of this centre in the same hill as these particular caves does seem rather unfortunate…’ The Doctor stopped as Dr Meredith came rushing into the office.
    Dr Meredith started to speak. ‘Dr Lawrence…’ But Dr Lawrence waved him to silence and looked at his wristwatch.
    ‘You are exactly eighteen minutes late,’ said Dr Lawrence. ‘I called this meeting for three o’clock.’
    ‘I was looking for Major Barker,’ said Dr Meredith, clearly flushed with some news he wanted to impart. ‘I thought he might have gone to Dr Quinn’s cottage, so I just called there.’ He paused to catch his breath. ‘Dr Quinn’s dead, and Miss Dawson is behaving just like Spencer, cringing in a corner of the hallway, unable to talk.’ Dr Meredith slumped into the one remaining hard-backed chair. ‘There’s something else,’ he went on. ‘The door from Dr Quinn’s store-room to the hall has been burnt down.’
    For a moment no one said anything. Liz looked to the Doctor, but the Doctor pretended not to notice her look. It was the Brigadier who broke the silence. ‘I shall send a request for more troops,’ he said calmly, ‘many more troops, so that we can enter those caves and find out exactly what’s going on.’
    ‘I’d much rather if you didn’t do that,’ said the Doctor. ‘A full-scale military action could be absolutely disastrous.’
    ‘I believe you are UNIT’s scientific adviser,’ said Dr Lawrence, ‘and not a military man. I completely endorse the Brigadier’s plan. If, as Major Barker claimed, there are saboteurs in those caves, enemies of this country, they must be routed.’
    ‘Thank you, sir,’ said the Brigadier, rising. He turned to the Doctor. ‘I’m sorry, Doctor. It’s the only way.’ Without waiting for a reply, the Brigadier hurried out.
    Dr Lawrence also rose. ‘The meeting is closed. And now I must get on with trying to run this research centre.’ He hurried out after the Brigadier.
    The Doctor turned to Dr Meredith. ‘Do you know how Dr Quinn was killed?’
    Dr Meredith shook his head. ‘So far as I could see, there wasn’t a mark on his body. His heart had just stopped beating. But I’m going back there to make a full report.’
    Liz asked, ‘What’s happened to Miss Dawson?’
    ‘I called the ambulance,’ said Dr Meredith. ‘She’s been taken to the local cottage hospital.’ He paused a moment, as though not entirely believing what he was about to say. ‘You remember how Spencer drew pictures on the wall? She was doing the same. She was cringing in a corner, sticking her finger into