Doctor Who_ The Fall Of Yquatine Part 28

He shook his head. 'No way. I would rather die.'

She looked angry, offended. 'Think of all the lives you'll save!'

Stefan shrugged.' There are, what, about five hundred souls on this station? Do you think, after what happened to Yquatine, that I care? There is no way I am going to give in, and why are you so interested?'

She ignored his question. 'So there's absolutely no way you're going to surrender.'

'No.'

'Very well, then.' She smiled and spread her arms wide. 'Come to me.'

He'd had no choice in the matter. He stumbled towards her and there was a flash of light which split his head in two.

And then he'd found himself here, in this church of madness.

But I'm not insane.

It was Arielle. It had been her, right down to the last detail.

It had been her.

There was a loud click, the sound of footsteps. Fitz woke with a start and looked up as the cell door opened, expecting to see the huge form of an Anthaurk commando.

But instead there stood Compa.s.sion.

'Oh, h.e.l.lo,' he said, yawning and stretching. 'Wondered where you'd got to.'

Compa.s.sion's dark eyes flickered down to the blonde head of Trooper Jones, nestled in Fitz's lap.

He waved a dismissive hand. 'We didn't have any cards,' he said by way of explanation. Let her think what she liked. All they had done was talk until sleep had overcome them both.

'The battle', said Compa.s.sion with a smile of extreme smugness, 'is over. President Vargeld is currently negotiating terms with the new Grand Gynarch.'

Fitz yawned again. Just couldn't seem to become awake. Maybe it was his age all downhill once past thirty, wasn't it? 'The Anthaurk had won, last I heard.'

Compa.s.sion stepped into the room, flinging her black cape around her like some vaudeville villain. The other troopers had stirred from their slumbers and were regarding her with expressions of dopey amazement and confusion.

'There is now a peace, of sorts,' she announced. 'You are all free to go.'

The troopers all got to their feet. Fitz s.h.i.+fted his legs, rousing Jones, who swore and lifted her head from his lap. There was a wicked grin on her face. 'You make a bony pillow, Kreiner.'

Then she was up and gone with the rest of them.

Fitz stood opposite Compa.s.sion. He yawned again. Then he burst into tears. She watched him, tapping her booted foot on the tiled floor.

Fitz rubbed the tears from his eyes, feeling embarra.s.sed, and a little worried. 'Sorry,' he mumbled. 'Don't know where that came from.'

They looked at each other. Fitz wondered if her eyes were really eyes, in the organic sense. How did she cope with having a universe both inside and outside of her? How did she manage to keep an eye on both? How was she able to walk without falling a.r.s.e over t.i.t?

'Finished?' she said at length.

'I b.l.o.o.d.y hope we're not,' said Fitz, making to go out of the cell. Now everything seemed to be wrapped up, it was high time they got going.

Compa.s.sion grabbed his shoulder. 'Where are you going?'

He turned to face her, felt another qualm coming on, suppressed it. 'I don't know. I mean, the Doctor's dead; you can't take off without being sent on an endless magical mystery tour; and ' he waved a hand 'this is our home, now.'

Compa.s.sion had folded her arms and started pacing about the room. 'Your home. I have other plans.' home. I have other plans.'

Fitz rolled his eyes. Not this again the 'mere human you don't understand' stuff. There was nothing mere about being human, but he couldn't be bothered to rise to the bait. 'What plans?'

A look he would never forget the look a girl would give you if you'd just s.h.a.gged her mother and given all her clothes to Mencap.

Fitz backed away. 'How how were the Anthaurk defeated, anyway? At least tell me that!'

Compa.s.sion sighed. 'It wasn't easy. I impersonated Arielle, kidnapped the President, impersonated him, and then surrendered. It was the only way to ensure peace. I tried to convince the Grand Gynarch that she couldn't take over the System just like that. She wasn't having any of it but fortunately her successor is a bit more progressive. They've got a long way to go but I think I've just averted a major war.'

Fitz boggled. 'All in a day's work, eh?' He remembered the President's surrender, how out of character that had seemed. Made sense now.

And then it hit him. Compa.s.sion had impersonated Arielle. Had used it to trick President Vargeld. Whatever his faults, the guy had loved her. Fitz could easily imagine how it would feel to see Arielle alive again.

'What's the matter?' said Compa.s.sion impatiently.

'Oh, nothing,' said Fitz. 'Look, whatever you do, please, please, do not ever turn into Arielle in front of me. I don't think I could take it.'

'Funny,' said Compa.s.sion, a smile creeping over her lips. 'That's almost exactly what President Vargeld said.'

The coffee was slightly bitter with a smoky aftertaste, which lingered long in the mouth. It was the best he had ever tasted.

President Vargeld sat on the edge of his bed in his quarters, the coffee mug cradled in his hands, and told himself that he could handle it. He could handle the facts.

Arielle hadn't been Arielle. She had been a thing thing called 'Compa.s.sion' the lady friend the Doctor had mentioned. Only this was no lady. As far as he could tell she was some droid with internal dimensions that were larger than the outer sh.e.l.l. Impossible, sure, but he'd seen the evidence. She could change her shape. She'd taken on Arielle's appearance so she could get to him, get him out of the way so she could impersonate him. called 'Compa.s.sion' the lady friend the Doctor had mentioned. Only this was no lady. As far as he could tell she was some droid with internal dimensions that were larger than the outer sh.e.l.l. Impossible, sure, but he'd seen the evidence. She could change her shape. She'd taken on Arielle's appearance so she could get to him, get him out of the way so she could impersonate him.

Thank the stars she had abandoned her Arielle disguise. She'd changed before his eyes, to prove her story from Yquatine woman to Anthaurk to a rather stern-looking pale-skinned girl with ginger hair. The change wasn't easy and had seemed to cause Compa.s.sion some pain.

He'd seen it with his own eyes. So he had to believe it. Still, it was difficult to accept. He'd asked her about the Doctor, but at the mention of his name she'd closed up, and strode off in a huff.

Leaving him with more questions than answers.

And in a few minutes he was due to meet the new Grand Gynarch to start to piece together the broken shards of the Minerva System.

Was he up to it? He'd been too blinded by grief, rage. maybe even madness, to see that surrender to the Anthaurk was simply the first step on the road to peace. He'd been immature, selfish, unfit to be President. And Compa.s.sion had made peace, had solved the problem using his appearance. Everyone would think it was him. He was going to be hailed as a hero, when in fact he'd almost started another war.

Stefan Vargeld, Marquis of Yquatine and President of the Minerva System, put his head in his hands, squeezing hard, as if he could somehow physically hold his mind together.

The plate was groaning with golden chips crowded round a hefty steak-andkidney pie with a crimped border, glistening in the soft light of the restaurant.

Things had almost returned to normal on Aloysius Station. The Anthaurk had all gone back home, apart from their leaders, who were in negotiations with the Senate. Repairs were being carried out to the battered and blasted superstructure of Aloysius Station. There was a palpable atmosphere of relief, a delicate, brittle feeling that the end was in sight. People were openly weeping for the loss of Yquatine and the crime rate was sky-high typical if diametrically opposed manifestations of grief but the hostilities were over. For now.

Fitz picked up a chip and popped it into his mouth. His stomach growled in antic.i.p.ation.

Opposite him sat Lou Lombardo, who kept darting nervous glances at Compa.s.sion, sitting bolt upright and glowering to Fitz's right.

They had talked briefly about what to do next. They really had no choice. The longer they remained in one place and time, the easier it would be for their enemies to find them. Sooner or later probably sooner, judging by Compa.s.sion's hunted expression they were going to have to Randomise themselves into the vortex. Then, that would be it no more Doctor, just Fitz and Compa.s.sion zooming on crazy unpredictable adventures through time and s.p.a.ce.

But without the Doctor there seemed to be little point to it. Fitz had more or less decided to stay here, help with the reconstruction of the System. Compa.s.sion could go her own way.

He popped another chip in his mouth. When was the best moment to tell her? How would she react?

'The trouble with the pies in this place', said Lombardo, his large frame hunching over the table, 'is that they're not fussy about their suppliers. Now I only use er, used to use SynthoCorp.'

Fitz was glad of the chance to think of something else. 'Doesn't sound like they manufacture real meat.'

Lombardo frowned. 'What do you mean?'

'You know real meat. From cows, pigs?'

Lombardo stared at him oddly. 'No, lad, almost all meat's artificial these days. Grown in vats. Eliminates the possibility of infections and animal cruelty. No carcinogens, either.' He smiled and patted his stomach. 'Pork, lamb. beef, chicken, all artificial. And it tastes great!'

Fitz had to admit it, the 'steak-andkidney' pie he was gobbling down like there was no tomorrow and he still couldn't shake the feeling that there wouldn't be was the finest he had ever tasted. 'Yeah,' he said through a mouthful of crust and gravy. 'This is lus.h.!.+'

'Be quiet!' Compa.s.sion held up both hands.

Fitz noticed how lined and old-looking her palms were. 'What is it?'

'Something's coming.' She rose from the table, sending her chair sc.r.a.ping back over the tiles. 'Something bad.'

Fitz dropped the chip he was holding. 'Oh, farts. Not again!

Lombardo's moon face was a mask of incomprehension.

'I'll explain later,' said Fitz. 'Yow!'

Compa.s.sion had grabbed his arm and he was dragged from the table. 'Where are you taking me?'

's.p.a.cedock One,' yelled Compa.s.sion. 'We've got to get there before anyone else does.'

Fitz gripped the railing on the observation bay in s.p.a.cedock One. Compa.s.sion wasn't saying anything, which was highly annoying. He heard footsteps behind him. He turned to see President Vargeld, followed by a phalanx of troopers. The guy didn't look very happy. Fitz gave him a little wave. Ignored. Fitz winced. Bad move. The President could still have him locked up but apparently this latest crisis was taking priority.

There were others with President Vargeld: a tall Adamantean, a deerlike creature, a bipedal tiger in tattered robes. Oh. and a giant beetle thing, a bit like the creature he'd bought that yukky food from when he'd first arrived on Yquatine earlier that morning, a month ago. Fitz tried to stop his mind from boggling at the thought. 'Compa.s.sion, for the last time, what the BH is going on?'

A remote expression, a faint smile. 'You'll see.'

All Fitz knew was that a s.h.i.+p of some sort was heading right for the doors of the s.p.a.cedock. As he watched, they slid open like a giant robotic mouth.

And there, blotting out the stars, was the unmistakable, sleek, ovoid shape of an Omnethoth s.h.i.+p.

'Oh, h.e.l.l!' cried Fitz. 'Why didn't you tell me?'

On the floor of the dock, a row of gunlike things had been set up, cables snaking off towards the walls. Fitz heard the President shout an order into his comms unit.

Compa.s.sion shoved Fitz aside, made for the President. 'No!' she screamed.

The pa.s.sion and urgency in her voice made Fitz's jaw drop.

The troopers drew their weapons but President Vargeld ordered them to stand down. He looked uneasy. 'You again.'

'Don't use the ionisers,' snapped Compa.s.sion.

President Vargeld pointed at the Omnethoth s.h.i.+p, which had floated right inside the dock, the s.p.a.ce doors sliding silently closed behind it. 'Give me one good reason why I should spare it.'

'Look!' cried Fitz. Something was happening to the Omnethoth s.h.i.+p. It was changing, rainbow colours was.h.i.+ng over its surface like oil in sunlight. A hole appeared halfway along its back, and something emerged.

It was beautiful. A cloud being, its body a gently undulating ma.s.s of cotton-wool blue, pink tendrils waving gently. Another followed, and then another, then another. Fitz gasped in wonder as they floated about the s.p.a.cedock like giant jellyfish.

The s.h.i.+p descended to the floor. A hatch opened in the side and someone stepped out.

Fitz almost fell to the floor with shock and relief.

The someone was waving up at them, a big smile on his handsome but rather tired-looking face.

Fitz waved back weakly. 'It's the Doctor!'

Compa.s.sion raised her eyebrows and tutted. 'Well, duh.'

Chapter Twenty-Six.

'That's fine, then'

Much as Fitz admired the Doctor, he badly wanted to tell him something. Tell him that, while he'd been off on his jolly jaunt solving the Omnethoth problem, he, Fitz, had spent a month in prison, all hope lost and certain to die. He was also fighting with the ever-present guilt, remembering how before his imprisonment, he'd planned to run away with Arielle. Well, the Doctor need never know about that.

Compa.s.sion looked extremely annoyed with the Doctor, impaling him with her most evil stare, but he seemed oblivious.

He was enjoying himself. It was explanation time.