Doctor Who_ Divided Loyalties Part 29

Oh dear, I appear to have lost a couple of p.a.w.ns and a rook. And why, Doctor, how delightful for you. You've lost no one.

Yet. Oh, let me introduce your team.' He tapped on the mirror with his ring, against the image of a p.a.w.n. Carved into its front was Braune's face.

To the Doctor's horror, it blinked.

The ring touched the king's rook. Etched into that was Townsend's face, twisted into a scream of fear. The bishop was Dieter and the knight was young Desorgher.

Oh, who might your queen be? I wonder if it's... oh yes, so it is. Tell me, Doctor, do they play chess on Traken?'

Are they... are they dead?'

Oh no. Well, not yet. But if rooks, knights or bishops fall, then yes. Ditto the p.a.w.ns - poor Mr Braune. Lots of chances but, like all good security men, he's in the front line. That's what he gets paid for. As for Nyssa and your king, as there is only one of them... yes, they get zapped more quickly.'

Adric?'

Is the king, yes. And that's probably why your team are doing so well. He's instinctively good at playing. His mathematical skills make him an ideal strategist, organising his players. He's far better than my man, dear old Sir Henry.'

The Toymaker shot the Doctor a quick grin. Doctor, would you mind awfully if I hung on to Adric when the game is over? He could be very useful around here.'

I'd like him back, please.'

Oh look, Doctor! Adric has sacrificed a bishop to get a p.a.w.n to put Sir Henry in check. Oh, that's so clever. King moves to king's bishop one I think, Sir Henry.' The camera moved, suggesting the move was being made. Of course, Doctor, that was a bluff on our part. Dear Queen Nyssa is now exposed to my rook. Eliza I think she's called.'

The Doctor watched in mute horror, impotent to do anything but stare as Adric tried to configure a way to save Nyssa.

He did so by moving his remaining bishop directly in front of the queen. The rook would have to take it, and, in turn, the queen could take the rook without placing herself in further danger.

But the Doctor realised that Adric was in a quandary. He was down a bishop Arcady - when he lost this one, Dieter would be gone too.

The bishop moved into position.

Adric...'

Oh, sorry, another thing I forgot.' The Toymaker was enthralled by the game. The players don't actually know the fate that befalls the lost players. Whoops - there goes Nurse Dieter and and Eliza the maid in one fell swoop.' Eliza the maid in one fell swoop.'

Nyssa had indeed taken the rook.

Then a red p.a.w.n came forward. The white p.a.w.n that had put the red king in check moved forward on to the first line of the red team's side of the board.

Oh, well done, Adric,' the Doctor whispered. I think we get a man back for that, Toymaker!'

The Toymaker looked dark again but slowly smiled. If you say so, Doctor. Anything to spice this up. I take it you'd like a new bishop?'

Yes, please.'

Done. Oh, but one thing, Doctor. Observe.'

On the memory mirror, the new white bishop swivelled round and the Doctor could see its face. It wasn't Dieter. It was Oakwood.

Bored yet, Doctor?'

No,' he replied and glanced back at the jigsaw. He had done rather well until recently - he might finish the puzzle, but he had to time it for when the chess match ended.

a.s.suming Adric won.

Lord!' There was a sharp cry from LeFevre, which caught everyone's attention.

The chess match was interrupted by a sudden flash.

Nyssa sat up as the world went even crazier around her. She was no longer inside a chess piece, or attached to it, or melded to it, or...

Instead, she was sitting next to Adric as the dreamscape around them wobbled and fluctuated, bits breaking away into mist then re-forming, but as other things. Parts of a cathedral.

We're on Dymok!'

Tegan was there - standing next to that old man, the Observer, and behind them were loads of the Dymova she had last seen asleep. They were now wide awake, linking hands and staring forward, chanting.

I say, this is not on!' George and Margaret stepped forward. You have interfered with the lord's game! You cannot -' As one, the Dymova turned and stared at the couple.

And they were gone - replaced by a book. Nyssa reached over to it and saw a picture inside - a drawing of two figures, a man and a woman in undergarments. Ranged around the double-page spread was a series of possible costumes for them, with dotted lines to cut and little tabs to fold over the bodies.

Her attention was next caught by the drone of a model aeroplane diving towards them. Another glance from the Dymova stopped that in midair and it dropped like a stone to the ground, bouncing away before breaking in half.

Adric picked the bits up. It was made of balsawood and there was no sign of the little pilot figurine.

Tegan turned to the Observer.

Are you sure about this?'

Yes,' he said quietly, then called out Now, brethren. It is time!

Back in the realm, the Doctor was frantically putting the jigsaw together. You're running out of time, Toymaker. With the chess game abandoned, your own rules of fair play mean we have to go free.'

Only when that jigsaw is complete, Doctor. And you know what happened last time. Remember the trilogic game?'

And the Doctor did. That earlier encounter. By winning, he would have actually lost. Yes, his then companions, Steven and Dodo, would have escaped in the TARDIS but he would have been sacrificed, would have had to stay behind as the Toymaker's plaything.

That fate faced him again, unless he could play for time.

On the memory mirror, the image of the countryside dreamscape had gone and was replaced by the sight of Dymok hanging in s.p.a.ce, Little Boy II Little Boy II far above it. far above it.

And Dymok was juddering.

In the celestial toyshop, the clocks still ticked but no one was present to listen.

The area by the arched doorway where George and Margaret usually stood was vacant, although a book lay closed on the floor.

And beside an overturned pine table was a chess board, a set of red pieces scattered around the floor. Of the white pieces the only sign was two bishops, both snapped in half.

And hanging from the rafters was the shattered tail of a balsawood aeroplane.

Directly below it, lying on a black lacquered Chinese chair was the fuselage, a tiny toy pilot twisted and broken in the wreckage.

And sitting amid a mah-jong set on another table was a string puppet, dressed in burgundy robes. Its normally expressionless painted face seemed to be smiling...

In the realm the Toymaker held up a hand to stop LeFevre and Stefan moving forward.

Facing them across the room were Tegan, the Observer and the Dymova.

Now,' hissed the Observer, and the Dymova turned on their G.o.d - the Doctor could see blue crackles of mental energy pouring out of them. They used the Observer as a focus to group it into one single blast.

As the energy hit the Toymaker, he returned it and a battle began.

Tegan...'

No, Doctor,' she yelled. Stay back. I know what I'm doing.

Trust me!'

I do trust you! But are you sure?'

Tegan shot him a look. A look that needed no verbal back-up.

All right,' he said quietly. You are are sure.' sure.'

But, unseen by anyone, he crossed his fingers.

The Toymaker suddenly seemed to take command of the battle, drawing the Dymova's mental energy into himself. You created them,' Tegan yelled. Can you take what they dish out?'

I created...? I... created nothing...' He staggered slightly, then regained his concentration.

The Doctor saw Tegan smile. What was she up to? The Toymaker was winning... Why was that good?

But he had to trust her.

She was the backbone of his team - the co-ordinator', he had once dubbed her. He had to trust in her because this time the upper hand had slid away from him.

He turned back to the jigsaw, frantically trying to complete it - to get to the stage where it only needed one last piece. And then he would - Victory!' screamed the Toymaker and the Doctor looked on aghast.

The Observer had dropped to his knees, and in the memory mirror, Dymok shuddered violently and then simply ceased to exist.

A wave of pure mental energy seemed to emanate from the nothingness that replaced the planet, was.h.i.+ng over Little Boy Little Boy II II before dissipating. before dissipating.

The Dymova vanished soundlessly, obliterated.

The Toymaker turned to face the Doctor. His face was replaced by the panorama of stars, but his delight was evident in his voice as it boomed throughout the realm.

I have won!'

6.

Love and Hate You

Victory is mine, Doctor. At long last, you face destruction!'

With Stefan to one side, LeFevre to the other, the Toymaker, his face slowly returning, was staring maniacally at the Doctor as he stood beside the jigsaw. Look, I'll even return your p.a.w.ns!

They can share your misery!'

From behind him stepped Nyssa and Adric. Tegan still stood alongside the Observer, who fixed the Doctor with a hard stare.