Doctor Who_ The Time Monster Part 18

'But what did he say say?'

'Nothing,' said the Doctor simply. 'Not a word. He just sat there, expressionless, while I poured out my troubles. I was too unhappy even for tears, I remember. When I'd finished, he lifted a skeleton hand and he pointed. Do you know what he pointed at?'

Jo shook her head.

'A flower,' said the Doctor softly. 'One of those little weeds. Just like a daisy it was. I looked at it for a moment, and suddenly I saw it through his eyes. It was simply glowing with life like a perfectly cut jewel, and the colours were deeper and richer than you could possibly imagine. It was the daisiest daisy I'd ever seen.'

'And that was the secret of life? A daisy?' She laughed. 'Honestly, Doctor!'

The Doctor smiled. 'Yes, I laughed too! Later, I got up and ran down that mountain and I found that the rocks weren't grey at all. They were red and brown and purple and gold. And those pathetic little patches of sludgy snow were s.h.i.+ning white in the sunlight!'

The Doctor was silent for a moment or two. Then he said, 'Are you still frightened, Jo?'

'Not as much as I was.'

'I'm sorry I brought you here.'

'I'm not.'

'Thank you,' said the Doctor quietly.

Suddenly the cell door crashed open and a guard thrust Dalios into the cell. 'Inside, old man.'

Dalios made a quavering attempt to a.s.sert his dignity. 'I demand to be taken to the Queen.'

'You'll do as you're told,' said the guard indifferently, shoving him back.

Dalios was outraged. 'How dare you lay your hands on me? I shall shall see the Queen. see the Queen.

Out of my way, slave.'

He tried to thrust the guard aside, and the guard, almost by reflex, swung the b.u.t.t of his trident. Dalios staggered back beneath the blow and collapsed close to the Doctor and Jo. The guard moved away, slamming and locking the cell door.

By stretching their chains, the Doctor and Jo could just reach Dalios. The Doctor lifted the old man's head. 'Dalios!'

The old man had been badly beaten. The guard's blow was the last of many. His eyes fluttered. 'Who would have thought it - my sweet Queen...'

'Is the Master responsible for this?'

'Aye. He sought to bend me to his will... But it is no matter. Come closer . . . I have so little time . . .'

'What is it?' asked the Doctor gently.

Dalios's voice was faint. 'Atlantis is doomed. I tell you the vision of a dying man. You are a true philosopher, friend Doctor. The world must be saved . . . and you are the one to save it.' Dalios's head fell back, and his eyes closed.

'Don't worry, Dalios. We shan't fail you,' said the Doctor fiercely.

But Dalios could no longer hear him.

15.

The Return of Kronos

Once again the Council of Atlantis was a.s.sembled in the great hall of the temple.

Once again, two figures sat on the throne-like seats on the raised stone. Just as before, one was Queen Galleia. But this time, the other was the Master.

Crito rapped on the floor with his staff of office.

'Silence. The Lady Galicia, Queen of Atlantis, speaks!'

Galleia rose. 'Brethren of the Council - my faithful few.' (This was a reference to the fact that over half the council had mysteriously disappeared.) In a ringing voice she continued: 'Our troubles are now at an end. No longer shall we fret beneath an old, defeated King. I present to you his Holiness, the Most Venerable Lord Master.'

The Master rose, looking about him with arrogant self-satisfaction. Everything was prepared.

In front of his own TARDIS stood the TOMt.i.t apparatus on a specially prepared altar, this time with the large crystal attached. Nearby sat the Doctor, a bound and guarded prisoner, with Jo at his side, unbound, and Krasis standing guard over her.

The Doctor looked up at the Master, standing on the dais beside Galleia. 'Getting a bit above yourself, aren't you?'

'Silence!' screamed Krasis.

The Master began to speak. 'Greetings to you, my brothers. I grieve to see the Council so small. Yes I rejoice ,that you, the few who put me here have come to claim your just reward. You shall see the Mighty One himself, Kronos the Most Terrible.'

There was a murmur of awe from the little crowd, The Master held up his hand, 'Krasis, the High Priest, will a.s.sist me. Krasis, beware!'

Krasis went to the TOMt.i.t consote and operated the few simple controls that the Master had shown him the night before. There was a hum of power and the crowd drew back.

The Doctor raised his voice. 'What's happened to the rest of the Council? Are they alive?'

The Master looked down. 'The point is academic, Doctor. In another minute or so it will be of no further interest to you.'

'Satisfy my curiosity then. Are they indeed alive? Or are they dead - like King Dalios?'

'Dalios is unharmed,' said Galleia quickly.

'The King is dead, Madam,' said the Doctor.

'It's true,' said Jo. 'We were there in the cell with him when he died.'

Galleia stared at her. 'You were there? You saw him die?' She turned to the Master.

'Is this true?'

The Master made no answer.

Galleia rose and approached him. 'Is this true? Is the Lord Dalios, the King, no longer alive? Answer me!' Answer me!'

'He is dead,' said the Master indifferently.

'You were responsible for his death,' shouted the Doctor.

Galicia looked accusingly at the Master. 'But you promised me . . .'

'I promised you power,' said the Master impatiently. 'And you shall have it. Power to realise your most ambitious dreams.'

Galicia was not listening. 'You promised he should not be harmed.'

The Master shrugged. 'He was an old man - and stubborn.'

Galicia aimed a savage blow at his face, but he swept her hand aside and she fell back. She turned to the temple guards. 'Seize this man!'

As the guards began closing in on the Master, he called out: 'Krasis! The switch!'

'No! Stop him!' shouted the Doctor.

But it was too late.

Krasis threw the power switch and the Crystal blazed into fiery life.

The towering winged figure of Kronos seemed to burst from the heart of the Great Crystal, filling the temple with the beat of his mighty wings.

To his horror, the Doctor saw that in this manifestation Kronos was larger and more uncontrollable than ever - a fact that the Master failed to realise.

'I, the Master, welcome you Kronos,' he bellowed. 'I bid you to do my will.'

Kronos began swirling to and fro, swinging back and forth across the temple, sending the crowd fleeing in terror.

'Do you hear me, Kronos?' shouted the Master. He pointed to the Doctor. 'I command you to destroy that man!'

Kronos ignored him. Already the temple was beginning to shake, great stone blocks falling from the walls and ceiling. The air was filled with dust and the screams of the wounded and dying. There would be death and destruction in plenty in Atlantis that day, but it would be at the whim of Kronos alone.

'He'll never obey you,' shouted the Doctor. 'Don't you understand what you've done?

He's uncontrollable.'

Even now the Master refused to admit defeat. 'I need more power,' he muttered. 'All the power in the Universe is waiting for me - in another time, another place.'

He ran to the TOMt.i.t apparatus and wrenched free the Great Crystal.

'Stop him,' shouted the Doctor. 'He mustn't get away!'

But no-one dared approach the Master or the Crystal.'

No-one but Jo Grant.

Darting from her place at the Doctor's side Jo ran to the Master, reaching him just as the Crystal came free. In a desperate attempt to slow the Master down, she leaped upon his back.

It had not the slightest effect. The Master ran for his TARDIS clutching the Crystal, and carrying Jo Grant, who hung on like a child playing piggy-back.

To the Doctor's dismay, Jo, the Master and the Crystal all disappeared inside the Master's TARDIS - which promptly dematerialised.

The Doctor called to Galleia. 'Your Majesty set me free!'

Galleia s.n.a.t.c.hed a sword from the body of a fallen guard and began severing the Doctor's bonds. 'You and Dalios were right, Doctor,' she sobbed. 'I was wrong. Go quickly! It is too late now to save my people.

The Doctor sprinted to his TARDIS and vanished inside. Moments later, the TARDIS too disappeared.

Queen Galleia stood alone in the centre of the temple. Above her Kronos roared to and fro, bringing down the roof and walls with his fiery pa.s.sage, in an orgy of destruction.

The destruction would not come to an end until the entire city of Atlantis had been destroyed.

The Master was handcuffing Jo to the console of his TARDIS. (Just like the Master to have built-in fittings for prisoners, thought Jo.) 'There, Miss Grant. I think we've seen the last of the Doctor. Buried for all time under the ruins of Atlantis. You know, I'm going to miss him!'

'He's not finished,' said Jo stubbornly. 'I know it.'

'Nonsense, my dear. Of course he is.'

'You're the one who's finished,' said Jo. 'Do you really think that - thing out there will ever let you control it?'

'I do so already. He came at my call. You saw that for yourself.'

'Like a tiger comes when it hears a lamb bleating,' said Jo scornfully.

The Master smiled. 'Nicely put, my dear. Worthy of the late lamented Doctor himself.'

He laughed exultantly. 'You know, I could kick myself for not having polished him off long ago.' He strolled over to the Great Crystal, which rested on a table by the console. 'Just think of the future. Dominion over all time and all s.p.a.ce. Absolute power forever, and no Doctor to ruin things for me.'

'Don't worry, Jo,' said the Doctor's cheerful voice. 'I'll soon sort him out for you.'

Jo looked up and saw the Doctor's face beaming at her from the scanner screen.

'Doctor!'

The Master laughed, slightly bitterly this time. 'Really, Doctor, you must be as indestructible as that wretched TARDIS of yours! And how exactly do you propose to sort me out?'

'By making you see reason - and by making you destroy that Crystal.'

'And why should I do that? I have my TARDIS, I have Kronos, and I have Miss Grant.

Now, my reason tells me that I hold all the cards.'

'But there's one you've forgotten,' said the Doctor calmly. 'I hold the trump card. I can stop you whenever I please.'