haven’t come here to spout the evil-minded dicatator’s epitaph.’
Mykros shook his head in agreement, but was now very much out of his depth as the Doctor began removing one of the panels.
‘Are you sure you know what you are doing?’ asked Mykros.
The Doctor failed to answer the question and continued his task, grunting as he broke into a sweat which was mainly due to the intense heat generated by the open panels. ‘If I can short-circuit these power lines ...’ The Time Lord stopped to catch his breath, realising the extreme danger involved in his risky endeavours. Mykros could sense the gamble but with the entire planet’s population on the brink of total annihilation, the prevailing dangers seemed of little consequence.
‘Is there anything I can do, Doctor?’
‘Yes, tell me how far the android battalion is from their target.’ Frantic activity at the open panel continued as Mykros worked out some figures with his chronographer.
His conclusion was approximately three minutes. The android army would probably be visible now in the Citadel’s central corridor.
Peri armed herself with a blaster, tucking herself tightly into a corner of the Inner Sanctum near the Timelash. She reasoned that a flight in the vortex with the prospect of twelfth-century Earth as the final resting place for the remaining years of her life, was a preferable option to death by strangulation.
Katz joined her, also armed to the teeth. ‘I pray our weapons will work,’ she said.
Peri forced a smile. ‘We’ll be all right.’
Katz cocked her weapon in readiness. ‘Mind you, Peri, I must be honest and tell you we only have enough ammunition to stop the first dozen or so. Then -’
Peri held her hand in front of Katz’s mouth, who took the hint and changed the subject.
‘Listen!’ Sezon commanded silence in the chamber as all the rebels stopped their activity. The beat of marching filtered through the air, growing progressively louder and more threatening. No comments were necessary as the small unit of freedom fighters positioned themselves for the final conflict. Sezon slid beside Katz, recognising her as an equal. They shared the same thought of respect and friendship, joining hands in a gesture of unified camaraderie, while the rhythmic drone of impending doom pulsated in the ears of the waiting fighters.
Mykros was sorely tempted to run back to Vena, sensing that his beloved’s end was but a few moments away. Yet the Doctor was now using him as a second pair of hands, and he acknowledged the fact. He would stay at his station for as long as the Time Lord and fate would allow, even though his mind was with Vena.
The temperature in the confines of the power vault had escalated to an almost unbearable level. The Doctor’s face was crimson, and his colourful jacket wet through with perspiration. Mykros observed the famous Time Lord under stress, and could see through this struggle that the Doctor was undoubtedly brave and a caring individual, prepared to risk his own existence to save the lives of others. It was probably this basic fact alone that kept Mykros where he was, resolutely supporting and nurturing the last ditch attempt to stop the Borad’s legacy of destruction.
Like the clatter of pounding sledgehammers, a vast force of battle androids, moving forward five abreast and brandishing spiked clubs, appeared at the end of the corridor that led to the Inner Sanctum. Programmed to kill all life on Karfel beginning at the Citadel’s nerve centre, the powerfully constructed army marched on and were now only a few feet away from the disintegrated portals of the council chamber.
Sezon’s team, together with Peri, Herbert and Vena, watched, entirely mesmerised by the numbing sight of vicious mechanical monsters devoid of control.
The rebels’ leader bellowed a ‘present arms’ instruction above the intimidating furore. Herbert, positively terrified, began firing his hand-weapon prematurely, missing his
Mykros shook his head in agreement, but was now very much out of his depth as the Doctor began removing one of the panels.
‘Are you sure you know what you are doing?’ asked Mykros.
The Doctor failed to answer the question and continued his task, grunting as he broke into a sweat which was mainly due to the intense heat generated by the open panels. ‘If I can short-circuit these power lines ...’ The Time Lord stopped to catch his breath, realising the extreme danger involved in his risky endeavours. Mykros could sense the gamble but with the entire planet’s population on the brink of total annihilation, the prevailing dangers seemed of little consequence.
‘Is there anything I can do, Doctor?’
‘Yes, tell me how far the android battalion is from their target.’ Frantic activity at the open panel continued as Mykros worked out some figures with his chronographer.
His conclusion was approximately three minutes. The android army would probably be visible now in the Citadel’s central corridor.
Peri armed herself with a blaster, tucking herself tightly into a corner of the Inner Sanctum near the Timelash. She reasoned that a flight in the vortex with the prospect of twelfth-century Earth as the final resting place for the remaining years of her life, was a preferable option to death by strangulation.
Katz joined her, also armed to the teeth. ‘I pray our weapons will work,’ she said.
Peri forced a smile. ‘We’ll be all right.’
Katz cocked her weapon in readiness. ‘Mind you, Peri, I must be honest and tell you we only have enough ammunition to stop the first dozen or so. Then -’
Peri held her hand in front of Katz’s mouth, who took the hint and changed the subject.
‘Listen!’ Sezon commanded silence in the chamber as all the rebels stopped their activity. The beat of marching filtered through the air, growing progressively louder and more threatening. No comments were necessary as the small unit of freedom fighters positioned themselves for the final conflict. Sezon slid beside Katz, recognising her as an equal. They shared the same thought of respect and friendship, joining hands in a gesture of unified camaraderie, while the rhythmic drone of impending doom pulsated in the ears of the waiting fighters.
Mykros was sorely tempted to run back to Vena, sensing that his beloved’s end was but a few moments away. Yet the Doctor was now using him as a second pair of hands, and he acknowledged the fact. He would stay at his station for as long as the Time Lord and fate would allow, even though his mind was with Vena.
The temperature in the confines of the power vault had escalated to an almost unbearable level. The Doctor’s face was crimson, and his colourful jacket wet through with perspiration. Mykros observed the famous Time Lord under stress, and could see through this struggle that the Doctor was undoubtedly brave and a caring individual, prepared to risk his own existence to save the lives of others. It was probably this basic fact alone that kept Mykros where he was, resolutely supporting and nurturing the last ditch attempt to stop the Borad’s legacy of destruction.
Like the clatter of pounding sledgehammers, a vast force of battle androids, moving forward five abreast and brandishing spiked clubs, appeared at the end of the corridor that led to the Inner Sanctum. Programmed to kill all life on Karfel beginning at the Citadel’s nerve centre, the powerfully constructed army marched on and were now only a few feet away from the disintegrated portals of the council chamber.
Sezon’s team, together with Peri, Herbert and Vena, watched, entirely mesmerised by the numbing sight of vicious mechanical monsters devoid of control.
The rebels’ leader bellowed a ‘present arms’ instruction above the intimidating furore. Herbert, positively terrified, began firing his hand-weapon prematurely, missing his
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