fire inside it. A source of intense optical energy. Now look at it through Kane's eyes. See it as an evil mind would see it...'
In his Control Room, Kane listened to the Doctor's words via the radio tracking device in the seal of Glitz's map.
'At last,' he whispered to himself, 'after three thousand years, the Dragonfire shall be mine!'
In the chamber of the Singing Trees, Glitz smiled. 'I think I'm beginning to feel a warm, cosy sensation in my money pouch!'
Ace turned angrily on Glitz. 'Lay one finger on the Creature, Bilgebag, and I'll rivet your kneecaps together!'
'All right! Don't get so fidgety, Sprog.'
'Look!' Mel pointed at the Creature. The sections of its skull were hinging back into place, and the membrane skin glided back over the slimy mucus.
Ace screwed her face up in disgust. 'Ugh! That's sick!'
The Doctor wasn't paying attention. He was pacing distractedly, murmuring to himself. 'There's something wrong here. Can't quite put my finger... Proamon...'
'The woman in the hologram said that Proamon was Kane's home planet,' volunteered Mel.
'But why have I heard of it before? Where is it? And was it in the past, or is it in the future?'
'Is this really important, Doctor?' complained Glitz.
'Is a grain of sand important, Glitz? I think I'd like to consult the starcharts back in the TARDIS.'
Ace's eyes lit up. 'Your spacecraft? Brill!'
'Doctor, we don't have time,' reminded Mel.
Ace turned on Mel in disbelief. 'Doughnut!'
'No need to perambulate all the way back to Ice world, Doctor,'
interrupted Glitz. 'These passages have got their own star charts. The Ice Garden. I found it, remember?'
The Doctor looked at Glitz. 'A primitive star chart, eh? Basic constellations and orbital calculations, I imagine. It'll be enough for what I want to check.'
Ace's eyes lit up again. 'Ice Garden?'
The Doctor turned to her. 'No, I'd prefer you to stay here. Won't be long.'
Ace's face fell.
'The Doctor's right, Sprog. Very risky enterprise. You two wait here until the Doctor and I get back.'
'Bilgebag!'
The Doctor interrupted before it came to blows. 'Now, now. I'd like you to stay here too, Glitz.'
'Behave, Doctor! I'm not going to nanny these two!'
'Actually, I was thinking they might keep you out of trouble. Won't be long.'
Ace stuck her tongue out at Glitz in victory.
CHAPTER TEN
In the Duty Guards' Room Sergeant McLuhan was lying back on one of the bunks. It was the waiting she didn't like. Always waiting. Mostly, just waiting for the end of the shift. Waiting and hoping that something exciting would happen - anything to break the boredom. The most that usually happened was that a fight would break out in the Refreshment Bar and the Duty Guards would be summoned to deal with it. Or somebody would be caught trying to steal goods from the Freezer Centre. Not exactly what McLuhan had had in mind ten years ago when she was going through basic military training as a new recruit. But at least this was work. And at least there was always the possibility that eventually she might get to do some real fighting - fire a weapon somewhere more than just the practice range.
She listened to Bazin on the bunk below as he turned a page in the book he was reading. Why had they teamed her with him? Was it somebody's idea of a joke to give her a partner who hardly seemed to know which end of a gun the pulse beam came out of? Some joke.
What would happen if they ever got into danger? Would she be able to rely on Bazin to cover her back? Or would he turn chicken and run, leaving them both to get killed?
She heard him turn another page. She knew what he was reading. The Rule Book. He was always reading the Rule Book. Always quoting it at her. If she could have
her way with his Rule Book, he'd never again be able to sit and swallow at the same time!
An undulating whine cut through the boredom, and an amber light began to flash on the communication panel. What this time? wondered McLuhan, as Bazin leapt from his
In his Control Room, Kane listened to the Doctor's words via the radio tracking device in the seal of Glitz's map.
'At last,' he whispered to himself, 'after three thousand years, the Dragonfire shall be mine!'
In the chamber of the Singing Trees, Glitz smiled. 'I think I'm beginning to feel a warm, cosy sensation in my money pouch!'
Ace turned angrily on Glitz. 'Lay one finger on the Creature, Bilgebag, and I'll rivet your kneecaps together!'
'All right! Don't get so fidgety, Sprog.'
'Look!' Mel pointed at the Creature. The sections of its skull were hinging back into place, and the membrane skin glided back over the slimy mucus.
Ace screwed her face up in disgust. 'Ugh! That's sick!'
The Doctor wasn't paying attention. He was pacing distractedly, murmuring to himself. 'There's something wrong here. Can't quite put my finger... Proamon...'
'The woman in the hologram said that Proamon was Kane's home planet,' volunteered Mel.
'But why have I heard of it before? Where is it? And was it in the past, or is it in the future?'
'Is this really important, Doctor?' complained Glitz.
'Is a grain of sand important, Glitz? I think I'd like to consult the starcharts back in the TARDIS.'
Ace's eyes lit up. 'Your spacecraft? Brill!'
'Doctor, we don't have time,' reminded Mel.
Ace turned on Mel in disbelief. 'Doughnut!'
'No need to perambulate all the way back to Ice world, Doctor,'
interrupted Glitz. 'These passages have got their own star charts. The Ice Garden. I found it, remember?'
The Doctor looked at Glitz. 'A primitive star chart, eh? Basic constellations and orbital calculations, I imagine. It'll be enough for what I want to check.'
Ace's eyes lit up again. 'Ice Garden?'
The Doctor turned to her. 'No, I'd prefer you to stay here. Won't be long.'
Ace's face fell.
'The Doctor's right, Sprog. Very risky enterprise. You two wait here until the Doctor and I get back.'
'Bilgebag!'
The Doctor interrupted before it came to blows. 'Now, now. I'd like you to stay here too, Glitz.'
'Behave, Doctor! I'm not going to nanny these two!'
'Actually, I was thinking they might keep you out of trouble. Won't be long.'
Ace stuck her tongue out at Glitz in victory.
CHAPTER TEN
In the Duty Guards' Room Sergeant McLuhan was lying back on one of the bunks. It was the waiting she didn't like. Always waiting. Mostly, just waiting for the end of the shift. Waiting and hoping that something exciting would happen - anything to break the boredom. The most that usually happened was that a fight would break out in the Refreshment Bar and the Duty Guards would be summoned to deal with it. Or somebody would be caught trying to steal goods from the Freezer Centre. Not exactly what McLuhan had had in mind ten years ago when she was going through basic military training as a new recruit. But at least this was work. And at least there was always the possibility that eventually she might get to do some real fighting - fire a weapon somewhere more than just the practice range.
She listened to Bazin on the bunk below as he turned a page in the book he was reading. Why had they teamed her with him? Was it somebody's idea of a joke to give her a partner who hardly seemed to know which end of a gun the pulse beam came out of? Some joke.
What would happen if they ever got into danger? Would she be able to rely on Bazin to cover her back? Or would he turn chicken and run, leaving them both to get killed?
She heard him turn another page. She knew what he was reading. The Rule Book. He was always reading the Rule Book. Always quoting it at her. If she could have
her way with his Rule Book, he'd never again be able to sit and swallow at the same time!
An undulating whine cut through the boredom, and an amber light began to flash on the communication panel. What this time? wondered McLuhan, as Bazin leapt from his
Similar Books
