Doctor Who: The Dominators by Ian Marter Page B

accepted!’ he rapped.
    ‘However,’ Rago continued with deliberate emphasis, ‘I do not expect to find further destruction on my return.’
    While the two Dominators and the Quark were busy preparing the capsule for flight, Zoe and the Doctor managed to confer quietly.
    ‘...but why didn’t you tell me about the shelter before?’
    the Doctor grumbled resentfully. ‘I’ve been worried to death about Jamie.’
    ‘I’ve hardly had much of a chance,’ Zoe replied hotly.
    The Doctor pondered silently, keeping a close watch on the group huddled round the capsule. ‘I suppose it’s just possible they found the shelter,’ he sighed eventually. ‘But if they didn’t...’
    Zoe clutched at his sleeve. ‘Couldn’t we just creep away now back to the ruin... and at least try to find them?’ she pleaded, her eyes prickling with tears.
    Gently the Doctor put his arm round her shoulder, but before he could reply Toba came striding over to them.
    ‘You will follow me!’ he commanded.
    Zoe opened her mouth to resist, but the Doctor firmly propelled her forward, following Toba back in the direction of the saucer.
    As they departed, the Doctor glanced back at the capsule where Rago and the Quark were busy making final adjustments. ‘Happy landings,’ he murmured.
    In the atomic shelter, the plight of Jamie and Kully was now desperate. They clung to the ladder under the trap door, gasping for breath, their skins burning and their throats dry as ashes. In vain they listened, straining to detect the faintest hint of rescue. Some time earlier, the vibration of the drilling rig had provided a short-lived burst of euphoria and hope. But since it had stopped there had been total silence: nothing.
    ‘It’s no good, it’s the end,’ Kully whimpered. ‘They’ve abandoned us. We’ll never get out now.’
    Jamie sagged against the cold steel rungs of the ladder, sweat pouring down his face and dripping off his chin.
     
    ‘Doctor, where are ye?’ he gasped, ‘Where are ye?’
    Then slowly Jamie roused himself. With an almost superhuman effort he balanced his body and placed both hands against the hatch. Then he straightened his legs and pushed his head up against his hands. Kully stared at him as if he were mad. Jamie’s face went beetroot, he let our a blood-curdling yell and roared: ‘ MacCrimmons for ever... ’
    Kully stared speechless at the extraordinary totem-like figure with in squashed crimson face performing an almost magical rite in front of him.
    Suddenly there was a faint grating sound, a trickle of dust and then a brief waft of cool air. Jamie bent his knees, lowered his arms and seized Kully in a wild embrace.
    ‘It... it moved... it moved...’ screamed Jamie.
    Kully looked doubtfully up at the heavy trap door: ‘You must have imagined it...’
    ‘Come on, man, heave!’ Jamie shrieked, almost knocking himself out as he thrust frenziedly upwards again with head and hands.
    Sceptically Kully did the same The hatch stirred and rose a few millimetres and cool, fresh air rushed through the gap. ‘We did it, we did it!’ Kully yelled, drinking the air greedily. ‘What did I tell you, Jamie?’
    After a few seconds they were obliged to lower the trap and rest.
    ‘Aren’t you the wee ray of sunshine,’ Jamie panted ironically. ‘But we’re no free yet.’
    ‘Oh don’t be such a defeatist,’ Kully scolded him, ‘it’s no good giving up now.’
    ‘Who’s giving up?’ Jamie demanded, throwing himself at the hatch again.
    ‘Well, I’m , not,’ Kully cried, adding his considerable weight.
    Gratefully they gulped great lungfuls of air as the trap rose several centimetres.
    ‘Even if we canna get oot, at least the air can get in,’
    Jamie observed while they rested once again.
     
    ‘No good wasting time,’ Kully panted, heaving away with all his might yet again.
    Shaking his head in wry astonishment at Kully’s miraculous new lease of life, Jamie straightened his legs and pushed. Suddenly the