Imagine a war. A war that has lasted centuries, a war which has transformed an entire planet into a desolate No Man’s Land. A war where time itself is being used as a weapon. You can create zones of decelerated time and bring the enemy troops to a standstill. You can create storms of accelerated time and reduce the opposition to dust in a matter of seconds. But now the war has reached a stalemate. Neither the Plutocrats nor the Defaulters have made any gains for over a hundred years. The Doctor, Fitz and Anji arrive at Isolation Station Forty, a military research establishment on the verge of a breakthrough. A breakthrough which will change the entire course of the war.
They have found a way to send soldiers back in time. But time travel is a primitive, unpredictable and dangerous business. And not without its sinist sinister er side effect effects. s. . . This is another in the series of original adventures for the Eighth Doctor.
Anachrophobia Jonathan Morris
Published by BBC Worldwide Ltd Woodlands, 80 Wood Lane London W12 0TT First published 2002 c Jonathan Morris 2002 Copyright The moral right of the author has been asserted Original Original series broadcast broadcast on the BBC c BBC 1963 Format Doctor Who and TARDIS are trademarks of the BBC ISBN 0 563 53847 3 c BBC 2002 Imaging by Black Sheep, copyright Printed and bound in Great Britain by Mackays of Chatham Cover printed by Belmont Press Ltd, Northampton
Contents Chapter One
4
Chapter Two
22
Chapter Three
42
Chapter Four
62
Chapter Five
81
Chapter Six
101
Chapter Seven
120
Chapter Eight
138
Chapter Nine
155
Chapter Ten
173
Chapter Eleven
191
Chapter Twelve
206
Acknowledgements
228
About the Author
229
2
To Ann and George
Chapter One As always Oake’s thoughts turned to death. It would be soon, he knew; he felt it with every shudder of the van, with every cigarette-warmed breath, with every shadow that dropped to a mournful bow as they passed by. But the thought of death held no terrors. He had heard the screams of too many soldiers soldiers for that. He had cradled someone someone in his arms, her skin cooling to the touch. He had pumped bullets into strangers and felt nothing as they jerked into the mud. It was a comfort, to know that soon it would all be extinguished. Oake valued his own life as little as that of the enemy. No, death held no terrors. But the means – A bullet, bullet, its impact impact pulpin pulping g the innard innards? s? The burn burn of a gas attack attack? ? A snow-blanketed corpse? These deaths were quick. Easy. No, the real horror was reserved reserved for the new death. The death that filled filled every every nightmare. nightmare. Oake sucked the smoke into his lungs and held it there for comfort, his body body rockin rocking. g. Ahead, Ahead, picked picked out in the glare, glare, the snow swirled swirled towards towards them them lik like e a starfie starfield. ld. The wipers wipers batted batted the slush slush into into the corners corners of the winds windscre creen. en. The van’s van’s engin engines es whined whined as it pitche pitched d over over pothol potholes, es, the mounta mountain in road windin winding g down down into into a forest forest of skelet skeletal al trees. trees. Beyond Beyond the beam beamss of the the head headli ligh ghts ts,, ther there e was was nothi nothing ng.. Th The e road road roll rolled ed out out of a rest restle less ss blackness, dipping into patterned sludge or rising into the brilliance of a fresh snowfall. The Th e air air insi inside de the the van van was was free freezi zing ng,, bring bringin ing g bloo blood d to the the skin skin and and biti biting ng the lips. lips. The fittings fittings rattled rattled at every every bump and the dog masks overhea overhead d nodded nodded doleful dolefully ly.. The dashboar dashboard d clock clock read five-twen five-twenty ty.. It was nearly nearly morning, thought Oake, though on this planet there would be no dawn. Twenty-nine wenty-nine hours had passed since they had left Station One. According According to the clock. On this planet, in this never-ending dead of night, it was easy to lose track of time. Oake stubbed the exhausted exhausted roll-up roll-up into the ashtray and shifted to look into the tarpaulin-co tarpaulin-covered vered rear section section of the van. He could see eight figures in the gloom. They huddled into their thick protective suits, their eyes blanked blanked with goggles, goggles, juddering juddering with the motion motion of the van. 4
CHAPTER ONE
5
As they rounded a corner, Oake turned to face the road. It was blocked. The outlines of black vehicles. An enemy barricade. For two long seconds, Oake found himself staring staring ahead. Then he reacted. ‘They’ll ‘They’ll have mined the road,’ road,’ he yelled. ‘Get off the bloody bloody road!’ The driver swung the steering wheel to the right and crunched down the gears. gears. But the road was sheer sheer ice and the wheels wheels had locked locked into a skid. Reacting too late, the driver parried the van away, revving it hard and heaving them towards the edge of the road. For a moment the wheels were spinning against thin air, then they dipped and jolted down the incline. The rocks beneath them flung the van from side to side. The branches of the trees thwacked into the windscreen, scraping away the wipers. The headlig headlights hts went went out. out. The winds windscre creen en shatte shattered red.. The engin engine e died. died. The driver dragged at the wheel, but there was nothing he could do. Oake Oake was not afraid. afraid. He would would be free free soon. He thought thought of the other deaths he had shared. The smell of antiseptic and corridors corridors echoing echoing with footsteps. Her eyes, filled with fear and wet with tears. Her skin, pale and growing cold – The impact slammed through his body and the seat belt knifed into his shoulder. And then all was darkness. Oake opened opened his eyes to find the side window was under under him. Overhead, Overhead, the driver’s corpse corpse swung from its belt. The engines engines were dead and all was silent, bar the creak of metal. He could smell leaking fuel. He struggled out of his belt and kicked away the shards of windscreen. He grabbed a headmask, bundled it into his pocket and, feet first, edged his way through the windscree windscreen n and out into the night. A cold gust whipped into his body and rolled him down the incline. He spread spread his arms and pressed his leather-glov leather-gloved ed hands to the ground. ground. For a moment, he lay and listened to the wind and the bustling of the trees. Flecks of snowflakes gathered on his goggles. Leaning into the blizzard, he picked himself up and struggled around the vehicle. vehicle. The tarpaulin tarpaulin had detached detached from the framework framework and was flapping as though trying to escape its moorings. moorings. Oake strained strained to make out anything; everything was just shadows amongst shadows. Four of the soldiers were dead. Their bodies bodies lay piled against the side of the the van, van, alre alread ady y cove covere red d in a crus crustt of snow snow.. Wi With thin in a few few mi minu nute tes, s, they they would would be comple completel tely y buried buried.. Anothe Anotherr soldie soldierr was nearly nearly dead. His legs legs and arms were twisted. twisted. Oake Oake trudge trudged d toward towardss him him,, fightin fighting g to stay upright. upright. Closer Closer, he could see that the soldier had become become impaled on one of the supporting struts. He too would soon be buried.
CHAPTER ONE
6
Of the three remaining soldiers, one limped, his left leg barely able to support support his weight. weight. The other two were unharmed unharmed but shivering shivering in shock. ‘Names?’ Oake shouted over the roar of the wind. The limping soldier said, ‘Combe.’ ‘Heath,’ ‘Heath,’ said one of the others through chattering chattering teeth. ‘Heath.’ ‘Heath.’ ‘Bishop.’ Oake acknowledged with a nod. ‘We have to move. The defaulters will be here soon.’ ‘Which way?’ said Combe, patting together his snow-caked snow-caked gloves. Oake surveyed surveyed the blackness, blackness, one arm sheltering sheltering his vision. vision. The slope led down into a forest. Nothing but trees and rocks. It would provide cover, at least. ‘This way.’ ‘What about the others?’ said Heath. ‘And –’ ‘We don’t have any choice.’ Oake climbed into the back of the van and scrabbled under the benches. He felt several several heavy heavy cylind cylinders ers.. He pulled pulled out one rifle and passed it to Bishop, then retrieved rifles for himself, Heath and Combe. He checked the ammunition ammunition before clicking clicking off their safeties and handing handing them over. over. ‘You ‘You got your dog masks?’ They all nodded. ‘Good,’ Oake instinctively patted his suit to make sure his own gas mask was at hand, ‘then let’s go.’ They made their way down into the forest. Sheltered Sheltered from the storm, the wind soon faded and the only noise was the scrunch-scrunch of their boots. Suddenly Suddenly an intense intense light picked out the trees. There were shadows shadows everywhere, including those of Oake and his fellow soldiers, giants dappling over over the ground ground.. A moment moment later later and they were plunge plunged d back back into the darkness. Oake Oake turned. turned. In the distance, distance, maybe thirty thirty yards behind behind them, them, two sear search chli ligh ghts, ts, thei theirr beam beamss scan scanni ning ng the the surr surrou ound ndin ing g fore forest st.. No, No, thre three e searchligh searchlights. ts. Four. our. The beams glance glanced d back and forth, creating creating wraiths wraiths from the mist. ‘Defaulters,’ said Combe. ‘Come on.’ Oake dropped to a crouch and ran, piling bodily through the underbrush. One of the soldiers called out, ‘Sir!’ Combe had tripped into the knee-deep snow. He pulled himself upright and stood, his silhouette haloed in the beams of a searchlight. A shot rang rang out, out, and another another.. Combe’ Combe’ss body body crumpl crumpled ed under the impacts and he fell, face down and dead.
CHAPTER ONE
7
The defaulters fired again, and again as Oake ushered his two companions panions forward. forward. They had no choice but to keep moving. moving. They pounded pounded down through the forest, skidding on the scree and scrambling over boulders. Oake never looked looked back. They must have been running for twenty minutes before Oake finally called for them to stop. Bis Bishop hop and Heath Heath piled up to him him,, gaspin gasping, g, as he gave the signal for silence. There were no lights. Gunshots Gunshots rang out in the distance. distance. ‘They’ve stopped,’ said Heath hoarsely. ‘We’ve lost them.’ Oake Oake dug into his pock pocket etss and and pull pulled ed out a torc torch. h. He click clicked ed it on, on, keeping the beam low. ‘Where are we going now, sir?’ said Bishop, his young face lit a ghostly white. ‘We’ll wait, and then head back to the road. We can follow it back to the nearest station.’ ‘What about the defaulters?’ ‘We’l ‘W e’lll just have to keep keep our eyes eyes open.’ open.’ Oake Oake huddled huddled into his suit. suit. Something Something was making him nervous. nervous. The defaulters defaulters did not usually give up so easily. He circled with the torch. They had reached the edge of a steep-walled gorge. gorge. The snow whirled around around them, catching on their fur-lined fur-lined hoods and and thei theirr bear beards ds.. The wind wind was joined joined by an eerie eerie howli howling ng.. Th The e tree treess creaked in the breeze, their arms dancing. The creaks of the trees grew louder as though, one by one, they were coming coming to life. life. The storm storm gathere gathered d in intens intensity ity.. Soon Soon it took took all Oake’s Oake’s strength to remain upright, and he grabbed a nearby tree for support. The wind grew stronger still. It rose to a scream. The rustle of the trees became a constant rushing. It meant only one thing. The death that filled every nightmare. As Oake realised, his heart pounded in panic. So this was it. ‘Time storm!’ screamed Heath. ‘Get ‘Get your your mask maskss on!’ on!’ yell yelled ed Oake. Oake. He dug his headhead-ma mask sk out of his pocket and tugged it over his face. The material of the baggy, balaclava-like hood was coarse and chafed against against his skin. Next, he strapped strapped the bottom of the mask into the neck of his suit to form form a protec protectiv tive e seal. The wind wind tugged tugged at Oake’s fumbling fumbling thick-glove thick-gloved d hands, but, after what seemed seemed like a lifetime, he had each strap secured. Light-headed with relief, he fastened the final buckles. buckles. This made the suit suit comple completel tely y airtig airtight, ht, an impene impenetra tra-ble TR body-bag. body-bag. He was completel completely y enclosed in a claustroph claustrophobic, obic, smelly world.
CHAPTER ONE
8
The clamour of the storm was replaced by the sound of his own respiration, as if he were underwater. The only taste was the bitter, clammy rubber of the air filter, a stubby cylinder that lent the wearer the appearance of a muzzled dog. His view was restricted to two narrow eye-holes. But he was safe. Alive. Heath Heath had not been been fast enoug enough. h. Th The e wind wind rushed rushed over over him him,, pumpummelling him with the force of a thousand fists. The gas mask fell out of his hands and span into the night. He screamed as the force of the time storm hit him. Oake Oake couldn’t couldn’t turn away away. Heath’s Heath’s mouth mouth was wide open, fixed in a scream. scream. His jacket hood fell back back to reveal reveal his tousled hair. hair. His face was red red and and puffy puffy. But But then then he bega began n to chang change. e. His His skin skin dried dried and shrivshrivelled, elled, forming forming deep deep crests crests across across his forehead forehead and around around his jowl. jowl. His hair sprouted, snaking out of his scalp. The colour faded from his skin as it drew back over his skull, etched in wrinkles wrinkles and lines. The last silk-white hairs disappeared disappeared from his crown. His body shook, shook, as though though trying trying to resist resist the onslaugh onslaught. t. His milky milky eyes eyes turned to Oake, filled with desperation. His His skin skin turn turned ed a sick sickly ly yell yellow ow.. It rott rotted ed from from his his face face like like old old parc parchm hmen entt to reveal reveal wasted wasted tissue tissue beneat beneath. h. Then Then that that too crumble crumbled d to expose expose the skull. skull. His eyeballs eyeballs turned turned completel completely y white. His tongue tongue scattered scattered to the wind like ash. Heath’s skull stared through empty sockets, its jaw open in mock surprise. The surface surface of the bone was covered covered in small pits, rapidly growing growing larger as the brittle bone crumbled away like sand in an hourglass. For an instant, instant, the skull riddled riddled with fractures. fractures. Then it shattered. shattered. Heath’s Heath’s empty suit slumped to the ground and the wind rolled rolled it away. away. It had taken five second secondss for Heath Heath to die. die. Five Five seconds seconds to die of old age. Oake shook. But at least here, inside his TR suit, he was safe from the ravages ravages of the storm. Shielding his eyes, Oake cast the thin light of the torch over the rocks. There was no sign of Bishop. His breathing breathing heavy in his ears, Oake clambered clambered out of the ravine. ravine. He gripped the nearest branch and wrenched himself forward, tumbling into the forest. forest. His mind filled filled with panic, panic, he ran, oblivious oblivious to the tangle tangled, d, thorn-spiked bushes. The wind was growing growing ever stronger stronger. The bark peeled from the trees, trees, rotten rotten and black. All around around him, the foliage foliage withered, recoiling recoiling into the ground. Suddenly Suddenly,, Oake felt a chill by his left ankle. His skin was damp. For a
CHAPTER ONE
9
moment moment he wondered wondered what it was. His suit was letting in snow. snow. A tear in the suit – But there was no waking up from the nightmare, not this time. A sharp pain bit into his knee, and rose up throug through h his body. body. His leg prickled prickled with cramps. The muscles muscles felt strained strained and weak. Oake swung around, but there was no one to help him. The pain shifted to his other leg, and to his stomach, his arms, and his head. His whole body ached so much. So, so tired. He could hear the sound of unfamiliar unfamiliar breathing; breathing; the last, painful gurglings gurglings of an old man. He felt hair ha ir flowi flowing ng from from his his scal scalp, p, his bear beard d bris bristl tlin ing, g, his nail nailss exte extend ndin ing. g. His sig sight ht blurred and clouded. His skin puckered, becoming leathery and loose. The timbre timbre of the storm change changed, d, becomi becoming ng more deep and boomin booming. g. Every Every moveme movement nt seemed seemed difficult difficult.. Painful ainful.. Even Even the effort effort of filling filling his fluidfluidlogged logged lungs was too much. As always, Oake’s thoughts turned to death. And death turned to him. ‘Knight takes pawn,’ said the Doctor. He gave a sardonic smile as he lifted his eyes. ‘Checkmate, ‘Checkmate, I think?’ Anji watched from the shadows of the doorway as Fitz examined the board. board. She smiled smiled as he tapped tapped the heads of the chess chess pieces. pieces. He knew he was beaten, but nevertheless insisted on seeing the game through to the bitter end. ‘Doctor –’ Fitz paused, rubbing his red-rimmed eyes. He had the dishevelled elled air of someone disturbed disturbed at four in the morning. morning. He slouched slouched in an ill-fitting ill-fitting leather jacket jacket and unironed unironed shirt. The perpetual perpetual student. ‘W ‘Would ould you you mind mind going going back through through the game? game? To the point point where where I first first went went wrong?’ ‘No, ‘No, no, not at all all.’ .’ The Doctor Doctor began began unpicki unpicking ng the game, game, move move by move, move, return returning ing the captured captured pieces pieces to the board. board. ‘How ‘How far back do you think?’ ‘A bit further further.’ Fitz stood up and scraped back the chair. chair. ‘Go back – go back to the point where I agreed to play chess with you.’ The Doctor looked crestfallen, then grinned. ‘Ah. Yes. But that presents us with a paradox. To undo the events of the past, you must have first experienced the past you wish to undo and therefore you cannot have undone it.’ He packed away the chess pieces and turned to Anji as though he had known she was there all along. ‘Anji. You’ve found us.’ It was what the Doctor called the chess room. The room was small and intimate, intimate, like quarters in an Oxbridge college. college. An antique reading reading lamp and a crackling crackling log fire infused infused it with a warm, homely homely atmosphere. atmosphere. As the room was part of the TARDIS, a dimensionally ambivalent spaceship that
CHAPTER ONE
10
travelled through something called a time vortex, Anji wondered where the smoke from the fireplace fireplace actually ended ended up. For all she knew, knew, the smoke could could just convenientl conveniently y disappear disappear once it was out of sight. Like the rest of the ship, the chess room’s walls were honeycombed with circular indentations. Here, though, each roundel was stacked with books piled at random, a higgledy-piggledy assortment of orange-and-white Penguins, guins, manual manuals, s, annual annuals, s, manusc manuscrip ripts, ts, crease creased d novels novels and import important ant-looking bound volumes, ancient and festooned with snake-tongued bookmarks. marks. More More books swamped swamped the oak bureau bureau,, the shelves shelves and the armarmchairs, and much of the carpet. The room smelled academic and musty like an antique bookshop. The Doctor prodded the fire with a poker, the logs spitting in protest. ‘Did you have a good sleep?’ He looked at her deeply. ‘You’re all right?’ Anji strode into the room, the heat from the fire bringing a flush to her face. ‘I popped into the control room. You know we’re still moving?’ Fitz Fitz coughe coughed d to catch catch Anji’s Anji’s attention attention.. He was dropping dropping teabags teabags into into mugs, and gave her a do-you-want-one? look. She shook her head. ‘I said we’re still moving. It didn’t take us this long to get to Endpoint.’ They They had recentl recently y left left a city city in the imm immeas easura urably bly distant distant future: future: the Endpoint. Upon dematerialising, the Doctor had set the TARDIS controls to send them spinning back through time. That was two days ago. Since then, she had wandered the corridors corridors and taken several several long baths. And she still thought thought of Dave, of course, course, but now she didn’t feel sad. The memories memories that came to mind were of them laughing across a candlelit table, spilling wine. And as she remembered she found herself smiling. The Doctor and Fitz, meanwhile, had slunk into the chess room, passing the time with endless board games, books and cups of tea. ‘Ah. Yes, well, it’s going to take us a little while to get back,’ murmured the Doctor, collecting a steaming mug from Fitz. ‘The TARDIS is worn out. After all she’s been through, it’s the least you would expect.’ He sipped and mmed. ‘And it’s harder work going back in time than going forward.’ ‘Why?’ The Doctor regarded Anji as though the answer was obvious. ‘Because it’s it’s uphi uphill ll.’ .’ He ran his gaze idly idly over over the piles piles of books books and and pick picked ed up one particularly particularly ragged-look ragged-looking ing volume. Checking Checking the spine, spine, he casually slipped the leather-bound notebook into his pocket whilst Fitz was busy pouring himself some tea. ‘What was that?’ said Fitz, turning round a moment too soon. ‘Oh, nothing,’ said the Doctor evasively. ‘Well, nothing much. Just something I picked up in a little book shop in London in 1938 –’ The fire gave gave a loud loud snap snap and and a spray spray of embe embers rs scurri scurried ed up up the chimn chimney ey..
CHAPTER ONE
11
The floor juddere juddered, d, and Anji steadie steadied d hersel herselff agains againstt the wall. wall. The tea in Fitz’s Fitz’s mug swille swilled d and patter pattered ed on to the carpet. carpet. Some Some of the books books fluttered from their perches and slapped to the floor. ‘What –’ began Fitz. The Doctor shushed him. A rumbli rumbling ng grew beneath beneath their their feet. feet. More More towers towers of books books collap collapsed sed and strew themselves half-opened. The desklight dimmed; for a second the filament was visible, then it died. The floor shook, hard, and Fitz staggered agains againstt the mantelpi mantelpiece ece for suppor support, t, discard discarding ing his sloppi slopping ng mug. Anji Anji tighte tightened ned her grip on the roundel roundel as her feet were were buried buried in books. books. The kettle and saucers clattered; one saucer trembled off the desk and smashed. The room shuddered, and kept on shuddering. One by one, the remaining books dived from the shelves. ‘Doctor ‘Doctor –’ Anji’s voice shook. There was a wheezing, groaning sound; the discordant trumpeting that normally normally heralded heralded a landing. landing. It sounded as though the TARDIS was suffering fering some terrible, terrible, agonising exertion. exertion. The noise grew, grew, grinding grinding up to a crescendo and wrenching down again. Anji and Fitz looked to the Doctor. His expression, caught in the flickering of the fire, was that of a haunted man. His lips twitched, as though he was trying to remember something. Something terrible. ‘What’s happening? happening?’’ Fitz gasped as he pursued the Doctor into the shuddering console room. The mechanical grinding was deafening. The sound consumed the dark, tombli tomblike ke chambe chamberr, rising rising up throug through h the consol console, e, the pitch pitch rising rising and fallin falling g with the central column, a glass cylinder containing rows of glowing rods that rotated and pressed together like champing teeth. The wall circles pulsed, each pulse a little weaker than the one before. As they dimmed dimmed,, the circles circles turne turned d amber amber.. In the growing growing shadows, shadows, the statue of Napoleon gained a sinister profile. The Doctor had dashed to the central console and was stooped over the instruments, his fingers scrabbling across the switches and levers and buttons. Reacting to a bulb flash, the Doctor made adjustments in a unbroken sweep of action, like a pianist pianist performing performing a solo. The movement movement was unconscious, fluent, rapid. His stomach heaving with seasickness, Fitz held on to the console for dear life. The panels were cold to the touch. ‘Doctor?’ His breath formed a vapour and his cheeks prickled. It was like winter had fallen early. The Doctor spoke in short bursts, his attention focused on the flitting dials dials.. ‘I’m ‘I’m not. not. . . sure sure.. Th The e TAR TARDI DIS? S? It seems seems some someth thin ing g –somet –somethi hing ng is trying to pull her down.’
CHAPTER ONE
12
‘I thou though ghtt it mi migh ghtt be good good news news.’ .’ Anji Anji join joined ed them at the the cons consol ole, e, brushing her bob of hair out of her eyes. ‘What is this “something”?’ ‘I don’t know.’ The Doctor shook his head, and waved for Fitz and Anji to move move out out of his way as he circl circled ed the contr control ols. s. ‘I don’t don’t know know.. Some Some external force. But she doesn’t like it. Anji – can you hold down this lever for me? The one at the top.’ The roundel roundel lights lights faded faded out. The only illumin illuminatio ation n came came from from the column and the monitor, a television bracketed to the ceiling that flickered with with rollin rolling g static. static. The three three of them were now surrou surrounde nded d by endless endless blac blackn knes ess. s. Where Where ther there e woul would d norm normal ally ly be arch archwa ways ys lead leadin ing g to the kitc kitche hen, n, laboratory, filing room and library, there was now absolute nothing. ‘Why don’t we just, I don’t know, know, pull away?’ away?’ suggested suggested Anji hoarsely over the screeching. ‘It’s ‘It’s too strong.’ strong.’ The Doctor Doctor sprinted sprinted around around the consol console, e, resett resetting ing switches in his usual random way, his black velvet frock coat flailing after him. One of the components exploded, sending a fizzle of sparks outwards. The Doctor snatched back his hand and sucked his finger. ‘But whatever it is, the TARDIS is prepared to tear herself apart rather than materialise.’ ‘Isn’t that a bit dangerous?’ Fitz yelled. ‘Onl ‘Only y for for us. us. I’ve I’ve boos booste ted d all all the the circ circui uits ts,, diver diverte ted d ever every y ounc ounce e of powe power. r. . . but but it’s it’s no goo good. d. It’s It’s not not eno enoug ugh.’ h.’ He thu thump mped ed the the con conso sole le,, muttering. muttering. The monitor’s monitor’s interferen interference ce flashed flashed in his eyes. ‘Come on, old thing, this isn’t the time to be difficult, how many times must I apologise?’ Fitz Fitz exch exchan ange ged d a worr worrie ied d glan glance ce with Anji Anji.. It ha had d all all ha happ ppen ened ed so quickly. The TARDIS was supposed to be indestructible and yet something was overpowering it. ‘There ‘Th ere’s ’s only one thing thing we can do.’ The Doctor Doctor moved Anji aside and rested rested a hand on a lever lever.. ‘If this does does what I think think it does does –’ He tensed, tensed, clenching his teeth, and pulled. ‘And what’s that?’ said Anji, leaning over the Doctor’s shoulder. ‘Complete systems shutdown.’ The Doctor watched the central column revolve to a halt. ‘The TARDIS can’t fight any more. She’s too tired.’ The screeching ended with a heavy crump. The floor stopped shaking. They had landed. For a moment, they waited in the sudden, total silence. Even the everpresent present background background hum had stopped. Three figures figures alone, their breath drifting in the air. Anji Anji was the first first to speak. speak. ‘So let me get this straight straight.. A “somethi “something” ng” was dragging us off course, and the only way you could stop the TARDIS from from destroyi destroying ng itself itself trying trying to get away. away. . . was by turning turning the TARD TARDIS IS off?’
CHAPTER ONE
13
‘That’s the essence of it, yes.’ The Doctor’s Doctor’s voice echoed in the cryptlike cryptlike darkness, darkness, as if there was a chorus chorus of ghosts mocking mocking his every word. ‘Every ‘Every system, every circuit, deactivated. Dead.’ ‘Which means that whatever whatever this “something “something”” was, it has succeeded?’ succeeded?’ ‘Oh yes.’ ‘And this place that the TARDIS was so desperate to get away from – that’s where we are?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Oh,’ said Anji, ‘I see.’ She hugged herself herself through her chunky jumper jumper. ‘On balance, that’s probably quite a bad thing, isn’t it?’ ‘And And there is one other other small small but notewo noteworth rthy y proble problem.’ m.’ The Doctor Doctor twisted some knobs on the console to no effect and looked up. He seemed amused and worried at the same time. ‘We can’t dematerialise.’ Fitz struggled to take it all in. ‘You mean we’re stuck here? Wherever – whenever – here happens to be?’ ‘Unfor ‘Unfortun tunate ately ly,, yes.’ yes.’ The Doctor Doctor levere levered d open open one of the lockers lockers undernea derneath th the consol console. e. He retrie retrieved ved a torch, torch, and flicked flicked it on. A pool of light appeared, appeared, shifting shifting over the roundelle roundelled d walls and casting casting nightmarish nightmarish shadows before settling on the exterior doors. ‘So where are we then?’ The Doctor Doctor shook shook his head. head. ‘I have absolut absolutely ely no idea. idea. All the instruinstruments ments are dead.’ dead.’ He looked looked up. The monit monitor or was blank. blank. ‘So shall shall we go and look?’ ‘Forgive me for stating the obvious, but are you sure that’s a good idea?’ said Anji. ‘W ‘We e don’t know if there’s any air, air, we don’t know –’ ‘Good idea or not, we don’t really have any choice.’ The Doctor strode up the steps leading to the main double doors, and waved Fitz over to join him. ‘Now, ‘Now, without any power to open the doors, doors, we’ll have to use brute force.’ The Doctor placed a hand inside a door roundel and braced himself against against it. Fitz followed followed his example and gripped gripped the surface surface of the other door. ‘Ready?’ Together, they heaved the doors apart, opening inwards. An icy wind blasted into the room, sending a flurry of snowflakes across the floor and forcing the doors wide open. Faced with the biting cold, Fitz pocketed his hands for warmth, gritting his teeth to prevent them chattering. Outside there there was darkness. darkness. Nothing Nothing but the rumble of thunder thunder and the howls of the storm. The Doctor crossed to the coat stand and bundled off two knee-length over overco coat ats. s. He passe passed d one one to Fitz, Fitz, one one to Anji. Anji. He didn’ didn’tt coll collec ectt a coat coat for himself, although by rights he should have been freezing in his mockEdwardian get-up; a cravat, a burgundy waistcoat and stiff-collared shirt. Anji wrestled wrestled herself into her coat. ‘W ‘We e could always just stay in here.’ here.’
CHAPTER ONE
14
Fitz found his coat cumbersome cumbersome.. It was like wearing a rug two sizes too big. ‘And freeze our tits off?’ The Doctor Doctor raised raised his eyebrows eyebrows.. ‘I’m afraid afraid Fitz has a point. point. Withou Withoutt the life-support life-support systems, systems, we wouldn’t wouldn’t last too long.’ The Doctor grinned. grinned. ‘Come on. Let’s see where we are. It might not be so dreadful.’ Buttoning his coat, Fitz followed the Doctor and Anji over to the doors. Looking Looking out into the gloom, a foreboding foreboding weighed weighed heavily on his heart. heart. He had the feeling that leaving the safety of the TARDIS was going to prove a desperately bad mistake. Anji’s Anji’s shoes crunche crunched d into into the snow. snow. Buffet Buffeted ed by the wind, she covered covered her eyes eyes and squinte squinted d into into the night. night. They They were in some some sort of forest forest;; leafless leafless trees stretching stretching away in every direction. direction. The ground was uneven and treacherous, treacherous, black crests of rock jutting out of the whiteness. whiteness. It might not be so dreadful? The Doctor had to be joking. To shel shelte terr from from the the wind, wind, Anji Anji pull pulled ed hers hersel elff into into the the cove coverr of the the TARDIS. The Police Box sat lopsidedly, one corner wedged under the piling snow. It was little more than a mournful shape in the darkness, but it was the only reassuring thing in sight. Incongruous, and yet familiar. Fitz staggered over to her as the Doctor locked the TARDIS door. ‘We’re in Narnia. We’re in sodding Narnia!’ The Doctor pocketed the key, using his free hand to sweep his mane of hair out of his eyes. ‘I don’t think so somehow, Fitz. No lamppost.’ ‘Can’t ‘Can’t you land land us anywhe anywhere re warm for once? once?’’ said Anji. Anji. ‘Th ‘This is is even even worse than Endpoint.’ ‘Yes, ‘Yes, but at least we’re on solid ground,’ ground,’ said Fitz. ‘Small blessings, blessings, eh?’ The Doctor made a series of short hops. ‘Gravity ‘Gravity about Earth normal.’ normal.’ He lifted his head and drew in a breath as though savouring a wine. ‘Atmosphere about the same, too. Clear, thin, possibly due to the altitude. Rather bracing, bracing, all in all.’ ‘So we’r we’re e back on Earth, Earth, then?’ then?’ sugg sugges este ted d Anji. Anji. If only only they they were were a brisk walk walk from a log log cabin and and steaming steaming drinks. drinks. . . But that was probab probably ly too much to expect. More likely, they had landed in the middle of someone else’s nightmare. She shivered. The cold seemed to get right into her bones. ‘I suppo suppose se we could could be. But But –’ The Doctor Doctor had had a fara farawa way y look look.. ‘B ‘But ut maybe not. Curious. Curious. No, it seems. . . wrong, wrong, somehow somehow.’ .’ ‘Wrong?’ Fitz’s chin was shaking. ‘I can’t put my finger on it.’ A worry flickered flickered on the Doctor’s brow. brow. ‘A A sensati sensation on that things things are are out of place. place. Not quite quite so.’ He broke broke his train of thought and looked around himself himself.. ‘W ‘Well, ell, which way do you think we should go?’
CHAPTER ONE
15
The Doctor’s torchlight torchlight drifted drifted over their surroundings. surroundings. Shapes formed in the shifting eddies of snow. snow. To Anji, every direction direction looked looked much the same. There were no paths, no signs of life. ‘Does it matter?’ ‘Probably ‘Probably not. But we’ll go this way,’ way,’ decided decided the Doctor Doctor, pointing pointing the beam uphill. uphill. Due north.’ ‘How do you know that’s north?’ said Fitz. ‘Because that way’s east.’ The Doctor waved to the right. ‘So, logically, this must be north.’ ‘And how do you know that way’s east?’ ‘Because this way’s north.’ He marched up the hill. ‘Do try to keep up.’ ‘There must have been some sort of an accident,’ said Fitz, huddled into his coat. His fingers were were numb, his cheeks were sore and he suspected suspected that his shoes were leaking. Exhausted after their climb, he slouched against a tree trunk. trunk. Anji halted beside beside him and breathed on to her cupped hands. The Doctor strode forward to examine the upturned vehicle. The van lay on its side, half-buried. half-buried. Its tyres and metalwork were caked caked with snow, snow, the only exposed exposed area being the underchassis. underchassis. The axles and mudguards mudguards were encrusted encrusted in grime. grime. The windows and wing mirrors mirrors had smashe smashed. d. The rear sectio section n of the van was open, open, reveal revealing ing a cage cage frameframe work. The design of the vehicle seemed very functional and old-fashioned; like a Bedford delivery van. Fitz had seen dozens of similar vans, convoying their way through war newsreels. ‘Well, whatever happened it was a long time ago,’ said the Doctor, squatting on his haunches by the bonnet. He scraped some snow away to reveal russet-coloured metal. After a pause, he stood up, clapping his hands clean. ‘Mos ‘Most, t, most most curi curiou ous. s. The The meta metall ha hass ruste rusted d all all the the way way thro throug ugh. h. But But the leve levell of corrosion – it’s quite astonishing. astonishing. The oxidisation oxidisation process process alone couldn’t couldn’t account for it.’ ‘What do you mean?’ said Anji. ‘This metal has not just corroded. It’s been eroded. This must have lain here undisturbed, for hundreds, possibly thousands, of years.’ ‘Don’t move, plutos!’ There There was a series series of loud clicks clicks from all around around them. them. The sound sound of safety catches being taken off. ‘ Plutos? Wha–’ –’ Fitz Fitz looked looked up into into a stingin stinging, g, brilli brilliant ant beam. beam. Beside Beside Plutos? Wha him, Anji and the Doctor shielded their eyes. Out of the swirlin swirling g mist emerge emerged d six soldier soldiers. s. Each Each held held a bulky bulky machine rifle. In the reflected light, Fitz could see the soldiers’ uniforms, torn and spattered. spattered. One of the soldiers had a red-spotted red-spotted sling; sling; another had a bandaged forehead.
CHAPTER ONE
16
They drew nearer. Their faces were tired and gaunt. Their eyes burned with anger. The Doctor Doctor grinned grinned a congen congenial ial grin. grin. ‘I suppose suppose you would would like us to put our hands up?’ They They had been trudgin trudging g for what seemed seemed lik like e hours. hours. As they they made made their their way downhill, a fog had swallowed them, cloaking everything beyond a couple couple of yards. Trees appeared appeared like phantoms, phantoms, solidifying solidifying into skeletons. skeletons. With no horizon, it was as if they were enclosed in a claustrophobic, murky world. The Doctor led the way, Anji and Fitz following a brief way behind. Behind them were the soldiers. Anji Anji wiped her nose and shuffled shuffled close closerr to Fitz. They They had barely barely exchan change ged d a word word in the the last last ten ten mi minu nute tes. s. Th The e only only sound sound ha had d been been the relentles relentlesss crunch of bootsteps. bootsteps. Fitz stooped stooped as he walked along, along, his hair plastered over his forehead. By contrast, the Doctor was resolutely cheerful. As though remembering, remembering, the Doctor stopped. ‘Excuse ‘Excuse me –’ The leader of the soldiers soldiers raised his gun. ‘Keep ‘Keep moving.’ ‘Yes, yes.’ The Doctor started to walk. Then he stopped and turned back again. ‘May I ask where we are?’ ‘Move.’ ‘Of course.’ The Doctor repeated the performance. ‘I don’t suppose you happen to know where we’re going, do you? Only, if I’m leading the way –’ The leader levelled his rifle with the Doctor’s face. Then he shifted his aim to Anji. She looked looked down the mouth mouth of the barrel barrel.. Immedi Immediate ately ly she could could feel feel her heart heart pound pounding ing.. Oh, please please,, she thought. thought. Not now now. Her throat felt tight, as though she were going to throw up. ‘We only need one of you plutos. Shut it and get moving.’ The Doctor placed placed himself between between Anji and the leader leader. ‘Plutos? ‘Plutos? Who do you think we are?’ ‘This is our planet, plutocrat,’ said one of the other soldiers earnestly. He was younger, and his voice betrayed his nerves. ‘You’ll get nothing out of us.’ ‘Plutocrat ‘Plutocrat? ? I can assure you I am probably probably the least plutocrat plutocratic ic person you are likely to meet.’ The leader leader stepped stepped forward. forward. He was in his fortie forties, s, six foot tall, tall, overover weight weight but muscular muscular.. ‘Either you move or you’ll be the one defaulting defaulting on your payments.’ The other soldiers gave a laugh. ‘All you’re worth to us is target target practice. One more word and you’re you’re dead meat.’
CHAPTER ONE
17
The Doctor made an elaborate elaborate mouth-zipp mouth-zipping ing mime. He turned, turned, and then stopped to give a permission-to-start-walking-again mime. The leader raised his rifle and slammed the barrel into the Doctor’s shoulder. Stunned, the Doctor sprawled into the snow. Seconds later, he rolled on to his back and clutched clutched his chest. He gasped as if surprised at his own frailty. frailty. ‘Now get up and move.’ The Doctor Doctor staggere staggered d to his feet. feet. He put his arm around around Anji Anji and she took some of his weight. weight. Together ogether,, they picked their way further into the haunted haunted mist. Six pairs of boots crunched crunched after them. ‘Doc ‘Docto torr, are are you you all all righ right? t?’’ whis whispe pere red d Anji, Anji, duck duckin ing g them them unde underr a branch. ‘I feel like a canary,’ he said. ‘A what?’ ‘A canary canary.’ He nodded nodded back. back. ‘Th ‘They ey need us alive. alive. They’r They’re e using us to make sure that the way ahead is safe.’ ‘Safe from what?’ ‘I’m not sure. Gas? Mines?’ He shook his head. ‘No. No, it’s something else...’ The forest had become a wasteground, a desolate No Man’s Land of snowflecked flecked mud and steaming steaming pools. pools. The darkness darkness seemed seemed to stretc stretch h away away foreve foreverr in every every directi direction. on. There There was no hint of dawn. dawn. The skies skies were were draped with thunder-black clouds, not a star in sight. Some Some distan distance ce away, away, on the crest of the ridge, ridge, Fitz Fitz could could make make out the the silh silhou ouet ette tess of five five or six soldie soldiers rs.. Th They ey were were littl little e more more than twotwodimensional dimensional figures figures caught in the torchlight. torchlight. And, like cut-outs, cut-outs, they did not move. They appeared to be running, the mud spattering around them, but the instant had been frozen like a photograph. They were statues, their mouths open in endless, silent screams. The Doctor observed observed the stationary stationary soldiers. ‘Tim ‘Time. e. Brought Brought to a standstill.’ ‘A DT Zone,’ breathed the leader. leader. He patted his gun as he looked around. ‘We should be careful.’ ‘DT?’ ‘Decel ‘Decelera erated ted time. For them, a minute minute will take a thousa thousand nd years to pass. They’ll still be running when the war’s won.’ The leader coughed and spat. ‘But they’re dead. Fire a bullet into the zone, and it’ll kill them.’ ‘How?’ said Fitz. ‘If time has stopped –’ ‘Decelerat ‘Decelerated. ed. It might take a hundred hundred years to reach them, but it’ll do its work sure enough. Are you stupid, pluto?’
CHAPTER ONE
18
The Doctor Doctor stampe stamped d some feelin feeling g into his feet. feet. ‘And, And, and. . . and there there are a lot of these zones about, are there?’ ‘You really are stupid!’ The Doctor nodded vigorously. The leader leader gave him a hard hard look, look, and gave in. ‘You ‘You can’t smell smell them. them. Or hear them, them, or feel them. them. You could could be in the middle middle of one and know nothin nothing g about about it. You just walk right in, and once you’re you’re caught caught,, it’s too late.’ late.’ He gazed gazed at the soldie soldiers rs frozen frozen on the platea plateau. u. ‘They’r ‘They’re e the lucky ones. They don’t know they’re dead. But with the AT storms –’ ‘AT? Ah! Accelerated time?’ asked the Doctor. ‘A hundred years in seconds,’ said the young soldier bitterly. bitterly. ‘Your ‘Your whole life flashes past you, and then you’re reduced to dust.’ ‘I see,’ see,’ said the Doctor Doctor,, ‘that ‘that explai explains ns the vehicle vehicle we found. found. Warfare arfare based on the manipulation manipulation of relative relative time. May I say this is a very peculiar peculiar war you’re having?’ The leader lifted his gun. ‘Now move.’ The attack came suddenly. They had been advancing through through the thickening thickening smog. Visibility Visibility was down down to a couple couple of metres metres.. Anji’s Anji’s skin was clammy clammy and sore, sore, her legs ached and she yearned with every ounce of her being for a warm bed. It seemed to come from all around around them. A flicker of light, incredibly incredibly bright. It happened so quickly Anji wasn’t sure if it was her imagination. ‘Bomba ‘Bombardm rdment ent – Get down!’ down!’ The soldier soldierss hurled hurled themsel themselves ves to the ground ground and squatted behind the withered trees and boulders. boulders. ‘Everyone ‘Everyone down!’ The Doctor waved to Anji and Fitz to join him behind an outcrop of stone. stone. Their Their feet skidding skidding in the mud, they crouch crouched ed down beside beside him him.. Then the rumbling started; a deep, gravely boom, summoned up through the earth. The Th e im impa pact ct hit. hit. The The grou ground nd shoo shook, k, the the inte intens nsity ity hurl hurlin ing g Anji Anji off off her her feet feet.. Her palms landed flat in the snow, and the vibrations slammed through her body. Everything around her seemed to be juddering. A wind blasted into her, her, pelting pelting her with hailstones hailstones and sharp air. air. The roar was deafening; deafening; a howling that burrowed inside the skull. The Doctor grabbed Anji’s hand and squeezed. ‘Hold on –’ He pressed her into his chest, his collar and cravat fluttering in her face. There was another searing flash, and she squeezed her eyes shut. ‘What’s happening?’ yelled a terrified Fitz. ‘This is our chance,’ shouted the Doctor. ‘Come on!’
CHAPTER ONE
19
‘What? No –’ But the Doctor had pulled them out of cover and into the storm. storm. Even with the Doctor’s support, support, Anji could barely barely remain upright. upright. Her shoes slipped as the wind lashed about her, battering her through her coat. There were agitated shouts as the soldiers realised their prisoners were escaping. Their leader bolted towards them, seizing the Doctor by his coat. In his othe otherr ha hand nd he hoist hoisted ed his rifle rifle.. Befo Before re he coul could d aim, aim, the the Doct Doctor or caught the gun barrel and jabbed the butt back into the soldier’s stomach. The leader choked and lost his balance. The Doctor slammed an uppercut to his jaw, sending him sprawling into the mud. Anji Anji yelped yelped a warnin warning. g. Anothe Anotherr soldie soldierr stood stood before before them, them, his gun raised. Fitz dived out of nowhere with a holler, launching himself on to the soldier’s back. The soldier swung around with Fitz perched on his shoulders, his gun firing into the fog. Fitz grasped the weapon and wrenched it back against the soldier’s neck. Only when he fell to the ground did Fitz loosen his grip. The Doctor grabbed Anji’s wrist tightly. The mist billowed around then, curdling curdling into a thick soup. For a moment moment Anji lost sight of Fitz, but then he appeared out of nowhere, breathless and grinning. With a thunderous roar, the ground shuddered, shuddered, much harder this time. In a moment moment of clarity clarity,, Anji thought thought of lightning. lightning. The gap between the flash and the sound was getting getting shorter. The bombardment was getting closer. ‘Come ‘Come on,’ on,’ said said the Doctor Doctor,, and they they ran, ran, disapp disappear earing ing into into the enfold enfolding ing fog. They reached some sort of rough road. The mud had been churned up by vehicle tracks, the snow smoothing over the indentations, ice pooling in the grooves. Gunshots echoed in the distance. They seemed to be miles away, but Fitz knew the soldiers were close behind them, maybe no more than a hundred yards. Another Another flash. Fitz held his hand across his eyes and stumbled stumbled over to the Doctor and Anji. They were squinting into the darkness. It was slowly getting lighter. The Doctor stepped forward, hands raised. Two diffuse lights grew out of the fog like the eyes of an approaching monste monsterr. The beams beams made made a haze haze of the mis mist, t, blanch blanching ing out the Doctor Doctor and Anji’s faces. Fitz had grown used to seeing them as half-shapes in the darkness; it seemed strange to see them so clearly, picked out as white as zombies. The beam narrowe narrowed d and the two eyes formed formed headligh headlights. ts. Fitz could could hear the vehicle’s engine sputtering as it drew to a halt.
CHAPTER ONE
20
It was a small, box-shaped armoured car plated in a dull green metal. The metal shielded every surface, bolted into position, studded with rivets. The door on the passenger side slid open. A young woman with cropped grey-flecked hair and bottle-thick glasses leaned out. She wore a shapeless drab military military survival survival suit. ‘There you are,’ are,’ she shouted shouted over the crash of the storm. ‘We thought we’d lost you.’ ‘You ‘You thought you’d lost me?’ The Doctor approached approached her, her, and Fitz and Anji followed. ‘You’re the time expert, right?’ said the woman. The Doctor was taken aback. Momentarily at a loss for words, he stammered, mered, ‘Well ‘Well.. . . yes, yes, yes I am, aren’t aren’t I? The time expe expert. rt.’’ He gave gave a eager grin. ‘Good to see you,’ she said, keenly shaking his hand. ‘We’ve been waiting for you back at IS Forty. We thought the defaulters had got you.’ ‘They almost did,’ said Fitz. ‘Get in.’ The woman ducked back inside the van. ‘They’re doing a saturation chrono-bombing.’ The Doctor swung himself in through the door and clambered into the back. back. Anji Anji follow followed, ed, tuggin tugging g her coat behind behind her. her. Taking aking a final final breath breath,, Fitz heaved himself after them, taking his place on the vinyl-padde vinyl-padded d bench facing facing Anji. The air tasted of petrol. petrol. The benches benches were on opposite opposite sides, with the passengers’ passengers’ backs backs to the bare metal metal walls. Fitz could make make out a bundle of blankets in the far corner. ‘Come on, this whole area is going to be AT. Shut the bloody door!’ Fitz Fitz tugge tugged d at the passen passenger ger door door, but it was too heavy. heavy. He gave it anothe anotherr wrench wrench,, his should shoulder er aching aching under under the strain strain.. T Than hankfu kfully lly it clange clanged d shut. The woman floored the accelerator and they shuddered backwards. She heaved heaved the steeri steering ng wheel wheel to the right, right, jammed jammed the gearle gearlever ver into first first and launched them forwards. The van bounced over the potholes and Fitz banged his head on the ceiling. ‘I’m Lane,’ shouted the woman over the throb of the engine. ‘I’m the Doctor. Doctor. This is my friend friend Anji, and the man yelping yelping in pain is Fitz. You saved our lives.’ ‘You ‘You should’ve been more careful,’ careful,’ said Lane, her eyes on the road. Her voice voice was world-wear world-weary; y; bitter and yet determinedly determinedly cheerful. cheerful. ‘Bloody ‘Bloody defaulters everywhere. What they’re doing in this section, I don’t know. Next thing our lot are launching an accelerated time bombardment with you lot slap-bang in the middle.’ ‘Yes, ‘Yes, yes.’ yes.’ The Doctor Doctor leaned leaned forward, forward, examin examining ing the interi interior or of the van. He ran an inquisitive finger over the green metal. ‘We’re safe in here,
CHAPTER ONE
21
though?’ ‘It’s plated with TR alloy.’ alloy.’ She crunched crunched into a higher higher gear, gear, the engines grinding. As the van accelerated, so the clattering increased. Fitz wedged himself against the wall, every shudder of the van going right through him. ‘TR? ‘TR? Time resista resistant? nt? Of course, course,’’ said the Doctor Doctor.. ‘Wha ‘Whatt was that that you called called the soldiers? soldiers? Defaulters Defaulters? ? This is their planet?’ planet?’ ‘Are Are you off-wo off-world rld? ? Yes, that’s that’s what they say. say. They’r They’re e squatter squatters. s. It’s empire property, and they’ve reneged on their back-payments.’ ‘I see,’ said the Doctor, moving back to the bench. The bundle of blankets gave a groan and rolled itself upright. The blankets slid back to reveal a soldier, his thick insulation suit soaked with a viscous liquid. He had a fresh, smooth face – he couldn’t have been a day above twenty – but his eyes were wide and terrified. His mouth hung open, drool on his lips. ‘Are you all right?’ said Anji anxiously. ‘What’s your name?’ The young soldier looked to her, his eyes watering. ‘Bishop.’ ‘Lucky boy,’ boy,’ said Lane without turning. ‘Found ‘Found him on the edge of sector. sector. Got caught in an AT. Lucky he survived. Lucky boy, aren’t you?’ The blanket blanket dropped to the floor. floor. Fitz could see that Bishop’s suit had been been torn torn and his left left arm hung useles uselessly sly by his side. Wrinkle rinkless and pale hair covered covered the sinewy sinewy flesh, the skin hanging hanging in gnarled gnarled folds. The upper half of his hand was as white as flint, all the pigment bleached out of it. The lower half had no flesh at all. His arm merely ended ended in a claw of bone. bone. His arm was centuries older than the rest of him.
Chapter Two The clock was embedded embedded into the concrete concrete wall. wall. The second hand ticked ticked around the sepia face. The roman numerals gave it an incongruously outdated dated look, Anji thought. thought. The sort of clock clock you would find at a car-bo car-boot ot sale. ‘Five twenty exactly,’ said Lane into the intercom relay. Behind her, Anji waited and shivered with Fitz, the Doctor and the wounded soldier, Bishop. After being rattled around in the van for an hour she had bruises on her back back and and thigh thighs. s. Too exha exhaus uste ted d to spea speak, k, she conc concen entr trate ated d on willi willing ng clos closer er the moment when she would be warm and sitting down. They had entered some sort of airlock; a heavy reinforced bulkhead had clanged clanged down behind behind them and another another door blocked blocked the way ahead. A man’s voice buzzed back. ‘And now?’ ‘Five twenty and fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen.’ ‘ID,’ crackled the intercom. ‘Look, we’ve got a half-dead AT casualty out here, Shaw. Stop buggering about and open the door.’ The Th e inte interi rior or door door clan clanke ked d upwa upward rds. s. Lane Lane shoved shoved an arm arm arou around nd Bishop Bis hop’s ’s waist waist and, and, with with the Doctor’ Doctor’ss help, help, she bundled bundled him inside inside.. Anji Anji forced her legs into movement and followed. ‘What was all that with the clock?’ asked Fitz. ‘To check that time is passing at a synchronous rate inside and out,’ said the Doctor. ‘Quite an ingenious system. If time was passing faster or slower within the airlock, then the clocks wouldn’t match.’ ‘Oh. Like checking the air pressure is the same?’ ‘Same principle,’ principle,’ said Lane. ‘Hold on, Doctor. Doctor. We’ll put lucky boy down here here for a minute minute.’ .’ She dumped dumped Bishop Bishop into into a chair chair as Anji Anji steppe stepped d into into the room. room. It was the base’s base’s receptio reception n area, area, but the reception reception it gave gave was far from welcomi welcoming. ng. The chamber chamber was concret concrete e and basic, basic, lit by a bulb bulb dangling from the low ceiling. Padded body-suits lined one wall and stared down at them through gas mask eyes. A clock watched over them from the centre of the wall. At the far end, another door led on to a passage, where 22
CHAPTER TWO
23
a stairwell wound down to the level below. The room room was scatte scattered red with electr electroni onicc instru instrume ments nts,, wires wires writhin writhing g over the floor and clumping into sockets. The instruments had valves and bell-s bell-switc witches hes,, lik like e antiqu antique e radios radios.. All the techno technolog logy y seemed seemed oddly oldoldfashioned. fashioned. There was even a television television performing performing a shadow-play shadow-play in black and and white white.. It was all like – Anji Anji felt felt ridi ridicu culo lous us to admi admitt it – it was like walking around in a fifties sci-fi film. Upon Upon enteri entering, ng, Fitz Fitz spotte spotted d the electric electric fire and gave a gasp gasp of joy. joy. ‘Warm!’ He dashed over to it, raising his palms to its warmth. The Doctor unstacked unstacked some chairs and positioned positioned them around around the fire. Anji lowered lowered herself into one with a shiver of relief. Lane Lane spoke into a wall interco intercom. m. ‘W ‘We’r e’re e in. Close Close interio interiorr door.’ door.’ She cros crosse sed d to a tabl table e clut clutte tere red d with with mugs mugs and and a stove stove.. ‘Th ‘The e base base is kept kept a clean one sec per sec. We’re chrono-insulated from AT storms but even so we have to be bloody paranoid paranoid about a breach. breach. The consequence consequencess would be disastrous for our work here.’ ‘And for you,’ said the Doctor. ‘So we have to keep one eye on the ticker at all times.’ She poured poured some steaming liquid. ‘Coffee?’ ‘Oh, God, yes please,’ please,’ sighed sighed Anji. Anji. Lane Lane passed passed her a metal metal mug and Anji cupped it in her hands and inhaled. It was muddy and bitter, but she had been awaiting this moment for so long, she gulped it down. It coated the inside of her mouth with grit. She coughed as her throat burned with alcohol. Lane handed the Doctor and Fitz their mugs, lit a cigarette and drew in the smoke. ‘Welcome to Isolation Station Forty.’ The stairwell in the corridor outside rang with footsteps and a soldier appeared in the doorway. He had sunken eyes, pockmarked skin and protruding cheekbones. ‘You’re late,’ he said to Lane as he strolled in, hands behind his back. ‘Bragg’s doing his nut. I do hope you’ve got a good excuse.’ ‘We were caught in an AT. I tried to radio –’ ‘We’ve had no comms for two days,’ said the soldier. He eyed the Doctor. ‘If this this is the time time expert expert they promi promised sed us, us, he took his. . . time.’ time.’ ‘Yes, ‘Yes, well, I’m sorry about that. But even experts lose track sometimes.’ sometimes.’ The Doctor stepped forward offering a handshake. ‘I’m the Doctor.’ The soldier soldier turned turned brusquely brusquely to Fitz Fitz and Anji. ‘And ‘And these are. are. . . ?’ ‘His assistants,’ said Lane. The soldier stared stared at Anji. She felt uncomfortable uncomfortable being being evaluated evaluated by his sneering sneering eyes. She folded her arms across her chest as he looked looked her up and down.
CHAPTER TWO
24
He nodded to indicate Bishop. ‘And this one?’ ‘A casualty from the attack.’ ‘Another hard-luck case? I hope he’s worth your trouble.’ He smiled at Lane. ‘It’s good to have you back.’ Lane downed her coffee and stubbed out her cigarette. ‘We’d better get our friend to the medical bay,’ she said, crossing to Bishop. The Doctor sprang to her assistance. ‘Please, let me help you.’ He placed an arm under Bishop’s back and together they hoisted him to his feet. ‘The medical bay’s three levels down,’ said Lane. ‘This way.’ ‘Doctor –’ called Anji. ‘Don’t worry,’ said the Doctor. ‘I’ll just see to this poor fellow. I won’t be long. long. Trust rust me.’ me.’ He gave her a reassu reassurin ring g grin and lifted Bishop Bishop out into the corridor. The soldier watched them go, poured himself a slow coffee and turned to Fitz and Anji. ‘If you’re both ready, ready, I’ll show you to your quarters.’ Lane lowered lowered Bishop on to the stretcher stretcher. Coughing, Coughing, Bishop coiled up as he slipped slipped into sleep. The Doctor unfolded unfolded a wool blanket blanket over him. ‘His arm is severely necrosed,’ necrosed,’ observed observed the Doctor. Doctor. ‘The limb will need to be amputated.’ ‘We ‘W e should should wait for Hammond. Hammond.’’ Lane Lane took took two of the handles handles of the stretcher. ‘Help me with this?’ The Doctor took his position at the other end. ‘Hammond?’ ‘The station doctor doctor.. Lift.’ Bishop lolled lolled and groaned as they raised the stretcher stretcher.. Lane guided guided the Doctor Doctor towards the nearest DT unit. ‘W ‘We e don’t know whether Bishop here is viable yet.’ ‘Given time, I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t –’ ‘Viab ‘Viable. le. Whethe Whetherr he is worth saving.’ saving.’ They lowered lowered the stretcher stretcher into the the DT box, box, an eigh eightt-fo foot ot long long meta metall and and cera cerami micc sarc sarcop opha hagu gus. s. Lane Lane pressed the blankets inside, making sure every part of Bishop’s body was enclosed. Then she strapped him in, pulling each fastening taut. Satisfied, she pressed pressed a switch switch and the unit unit activa activated ted with a hum. hum. Inside, Inside, Bishop’s Bishop’s chest rose and fell with a rapid rhythm. ‘Of course he is worth saving,’ said the Doctor. Lane Lane twist twisted ed the the dial dial from from one one over over one, one, to one one over over ten, ten, twen twenty ty,, fifty. fifty. Bishop’s Bishop’s breathing breathing became smooth and slow motion. motion. ‘W ‘We e don’t know whether whether it would would be justified. Economically. ’ ‘Economica ‘Economically lly – I don’t under–’ under–’ The Doctor realise realised. d. ‘Oh. And what if he’s not “viable”?’ ‘He’ll be terminated.’ ‘You mean you would let him die?’
CHAPTER TWO
25
Lane regarded regarded the Doctor Doctor incredulously incredulously.. ‘What would be the point of saving him? We’ll keep him alive if we get a decent return. Else, nothing.’ ‘This is a man’s life we’re talking about.’ ‘If he’s a non-viable non-viable,, then we’re better off without him. We’re all of us indebted indebted to the empire, empire, Doctor Doctor.. And our lives lives are at risk. risk. . . ’ ‘. . . If we don’t don’t keep keep up repayme repayments nts?’ ?’ ‘Quite ‘Quite.’ .’ Lane Lane turned turned the dial to one over over one hundre hundred. d. The hummin humming g dropped to a throb. The timepiece set into the inside of the coffin held its breath breath.. Bis Bishop hop’s ’s moveme movement nt was paused paused,, or at least least too slow to percei perceive. ve. ‘One ‘One over over a thousan thousand,’ d,’ said Lane. Lane. ‘That’l ‘That’lll keep keep him going going till till Hammon Hammond d gets here.’ ‘Until he’s been evaluated, evaluated, you mean?’ The Doctor examined examined the casket, ket, traili trailing ng an admiri admiring ng hand over the surface. surface. ‘Th ‘This is is very very clever clever.. I’m impres impressed sed.. One over over a thousan thousand. d. . . that’s that’s three three second secondss every every fifty minminutes.’ He peered inside. ‘Tell ‘Tell me, why was only Bishop’s arm affected?’ affected?’ ‘See here.’ Lane indicated indicated where the sleeve sleeve of Bishop’s Bishop’s survival suit had been torn away. away. A belt had been strapped strapped around his shoulder shoulder so tightly tightly that it bit into the skin. ‘When his suit was damaged, he must have applied a tourniquet. The rest of him was still sealed up.’ The Doctor leaned forward. ‘But even so –’ ‘Caref ‘Careful, ul,’’ said Lane, Lane, ‘if you get a hand hand caught caught in the DT field. field. . . ’ The Doctor withdrew. ‘Ah, yes. That could be rather nasty.’ ‘He was lucky lucky, that’s all. Lucky,’ Lucky,’ commented commented Lane. ‘ATs don’t usually usually leave survivors.’ ‘But ‘But to have the presen presence ce of mind mind to reseal reseal his suit. . . ’ Caught Caught up in his thou though ghts, ts, the Doct Doctor or pace paced d acro across ss the the tile tiled d floor floor.. He He took took in the empty empty beds beds,, each picked out of the gloom by a lamp, and the equipment piled against the walls. walls. One side of the room room was taken taken up by an observ observati ation on window window facing into the quarantine area. With a sudden interest, the Doctor peered inside. Lane joined joined the Doctor at the window. window. There was nothing nothing to see. She could make out the quarantine chamber, empty apart from two beds, a mirror and basin. The Doctor’s Doctor’s reflection watched watched her. her. ‘Why were you expecting me to arrive?’ ‘You know why. Station One informed us you were on your way.’ ‘Yes.’ The Doctor gave a frown. ‘ Who informed you?’ ‘You’d have to ask Shaw. He took the message.’ The Doctor’s attention shifted to the clock on the quarantine room wall. He watched it for some seconds. ‘Why did you come out to search for us?’
CHAPTER TWO
26
‘You ‘You were late,’ late,’ said Lane. Lane. ‘And And Hammond Hammond thought. thought. . . we both thought thought you might have run into trouble.’ trouble.’ The Doctor turned turned to her and smiled. ‘I’m grateful grateful you did. Presumably Presumably it is the interference from the time storms that is preventing radio contact?’ Lane nodded nodded uncertainl uncertainly y. ‘I’m just. . . concerne concerned,’ d,’ added the Doctor Doctor,, ‘whether ‘whether they will have been informed informed of my safe arrival.’ arrival.’ ‘Not ‘Not till the storm storm clea clears rs,’ ,’ said said Lane Lane,, ‘and ‘and that could could be days days.’ .’ Sh She e glan glance ced d back back at Bisho Bishop. p. ‘So, ‘So, until until we get get comm commss back back,, we don’t don’t know know whether lucky boy here is going to live or die.’ They clattered down the staircase, down two levels into the depths of the base. Fitz followed followed the shadowy forms of Anji and Shaw through through a maze of cramped corridors. The ceilings were a mass of vents, ducts and conduits, and were so low that Fitz had to stoop. Bolt-studded bulkhead doors were set at intervals along the narrow metal passages, each one ready to slam down at any provocation. provocation. It was like exploring exploring the belly of a submarine. submarine. Beside each each door there was a clock clock set into the wall. wall. They seemed seemed to be everywhere he looked, each one tick-tocking away behind its screen, some brass, some silver, silver, some plastic. Fitz felt his skin creep; creep; he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were watching him. ‘What did um. um. . . what did Lane Lane say your your job was?’ was?’ asked Anji. ‘A ‘A clockclocksomething?’ ‘Clockwatchman,’ said Shaw. ‘Oh. Yes. What does one of those do when they’re not at home?’ Shaw halted. His slit eyes judged them and found them guilty. ‘We live under constant constant threat of time-based time-based attacks. This base must be kept sealed sealed and time-tight time-tight at all times.’ times.’ ‘And And that’s something to do with all the clocks?’ clocks?’ asked Fitz. ‘Our early warning system. If there is a breach, some time displacement, then the clocks will warn us.’ ‘Oh, ‘Oh, I get get it,’ it,’ said said Fitz. Fitz. ‘In case case you’ you’ve ve got one of thos those e go-f go-fas aste terr or go-slower things?’ ‘In the event of a clock not corresponding, the base’s defences would be activated. Automatically.’ Automatically.’ ‘That sounds terribly efficient,’ said Anji. ‘The affected area would be immediately sealed off.’ Shaw led them further down the corridor and waited outside a door. ‘There are TR bulkheads at every corridor intersectio intersection. n. In the event event of a breach, they close.’ ‘You are very careful,’ said Anji admiringly. ‘We ‘W e have to be.’ be.’ Shaw Shaw pressed pressed a switch and the door swung swung open. Inside, a light fluttered on.
CHAPTER TWO
27
Fitz said, ‘What about – what about if one of the clocks runs down?’ ‘That can’t happen. My job is to check they all give the same time. I am clockwatc clockwatchman. hman. Here is your room.’ room.’ Shaw directed directed them inside. Fitz Fitz stoope stooped d throug through h the door. door. The room was narrow narrow and bare. Two beds beds lay on either either side of a wash wash basin, basin, chai chairr and and lock locker er.. ‘W ‘We’ e’re re sha. . . sharing a room?’ ‘I’m sorry. We can’t afford luxury accommodation.’ Shaw smiled. ‘If you will will excuse excuse me, I advise advise you get some rest. The demonst demonstrat ration ion is due at eleven.’ ‘What ‘Wh at demons demonstra tratio tion?’ n?’ began began Anji, but Shaw had vanishe vanished. d. Pouting outing,, she pulled off her coat and folded it over the chair and sat down on her bunk, giving Fitz a this-is-all-your-fault look. Fitz shrugged shrugged off his coat and lay back on his bed. There was no pillow, pillow, so he rested his head on his arms. There was an uncomfortable silence. Eventually Anji removed her shoes and sighed. ‘W ‘Well, ell, at least we’re warm, I suppose. suppose. That’s something.’ something.’ ‘Mmm? ‘Mmm? I am knackered,’ knackered,’ yawned Fitz. He curled curled up, kicking away his shoes. He could barely keep his eyes open. ‘I wonder what’s happened to the Doctor.’ ‘Oh, I’m sure he’s having fun.’ ‘You don’t seem very concerned,’ said Anji, ‘considering what happened to the TARDIS.’ ‘I’m sure sure it’s only only temporar temporary y. The Doctor Doctor will find a way. way. He always always does. Usually.’ Usually.’ ‘I wish I shared your confidence.’ confidence.’ Anji closed the door. door. ‘And And where are we, anyway?’ ‘I don’t know. Earth, I suppose.’ ‘You think so?’ said Anji. ‘Coming back, it normally feels – I don’t know – normal.’ She sat down. ‘This doesn’t.’ ‘After travelling with the Doctor for a while, you get swept up in all the weirdness. weirdness. And then the ordinary ordinary stuff starts feeling feeling weird. weird. Believe Believe me.’ Fitz’s eyelids shut. ‘But ‘But if this is Earth, Earth, when is it? I mean, this isn’t isn’t any history history I know know. And that woman, Lane. She was expecting us.’ She sighed again. ‘It doesn’t make sense.’ ‘You have a point there.’ Fitz let himself drift into a welcome sleep. His mind sifted through the events of the day: the chess game, the endless walk throug through h the night, night, the clocks. clocks. . . . . . after several several minutes minutes or hours hours had passed, passed, he emerged emerged back into into wakefulness. He blinked open his eyes. Anji lay huddled on the bed opposite.
CHAPTER TWO
28
Over the regular tick-tock of the wall-clock he could hear muffled music. The sound warbled like an old record, but he could make out the slither and pat of drums and a melancholic theme on harmonica. And a woman, singing regretfully: ‘There’s a brighter day tomorrow, if we hold on for one more ore day day. . . ’ Lane placed the drum on Norton’s chest and listened to the whoosh and thud of his heartbeat. heartbeat. Unpluggin Unplugging g the stethoscope stethoscope from her ears, she addressed Hammond. ‘Standard condition. No depreciation at all.’ Hammond regarded her with colourless eyes and no hint of expression. His features were severe, his skin stretched taut over his cheekbones, his grey hair slicked back over his skull. He nodded at his patient, the soldier Ash, and Norton. ‘Good news, gentlemen gentlemen.. You are both in sufficient sufficient health to participate in the demonstration.’ ‘Thank god for that.’ Norton pulled on his shirt and buttoned it. ‘If only my credit rating was as healthy healthy, eh? Still, you know what they say, say, your health is the last thing you should trade in.’ He coughed with laughter. ‘It was my saviour’s saviour’s day the day I got seconded seconded back here. Beats freezing freezing to death death on the front front line, line, but what doesn’t doesn’t? ? It’s It’s brass brass monkeys monkeys out there. there. Don’ Don’tt mi mind nd if I sm smok oke, e, do you?’ you?’ He patted patted his pock pocket etss and and retr retrie ieve ved d a tobacco tin. Ash seemed less enthusiastic. He looked about ten years younger than Norton, Norton, still slim and smooth-face smooth-faced. d. Gazing at the floor, floor, he sullenly pulled pulled on his jacket. ‘You ‘You should should both both get get some some rest,’ said Hammond. Hammond. He folded folded away away his stethoscope stethoscope and the tubing tubing of the blood-pressur blood-pressure e gauge. ‘The demonstrademonstration is due to commence in two hours.’ The Doctor had been perched on a bed throughout, watching the examination from the shadows. ‘What demonstration?’ he said, swinging his legs to the floor. Hammond Hammond regarded the Doctor. Doctor. ‘I am sure Dr Paterson aterson will go over the details with you.’ ‘It’s ‘It’s to break the deadlo deadlock, ck, isn’t it?’ said said Norton Norton,, tappin tapping g his roll-up roll-up.. His face had an ugly, drooping expression, his stubble-covered cheeks lined with jowls. ‘That’s the half of what I heard.’ ‘The deadlock?’ said the Doctor. Lane snapped her equipment bag shut. ‘The war.’ ‘Tell me about the war.’ Hammond looked at the Doctor incredulously. ‘What is this?’ ‘What – you don’t know?’ Norton’s Norton’s cigarette cigarette dangled dangled from his lips. He jumped jumped down from his stretcher stretcher and approached approached the Doctor Doctor. ‘Are Are you off-
CHAPTER TWO
29
world or something? You been living in a DT?’ The Doctor gave an affirmative grin. ‘I’m afraid my briefing was a little too brief. Indulge me.’ ‘This planet was a colony,’ explained Lane resignedly. ‘The empire franchised chised out the developm developmen ent. t. In return, return, they would would hold hold a lease lease on the property.’ ‘The empire is always keen to work in partnership with the private sector,’ added Hammond. Lane continued, ‘But the colonists failed to maintain their residuals to the empire.’ ‘This is all about money?’ ‘ Everything money. They defaulted, defaulted, and so the planet planet was Everything is all about money. designated for repossession. The empire sent in receivership forces.’ ‘You, ‘You, you mean?’ mean?’ said said the Doctor Doctor, addres addressin sing g Norton Norton,, Ash and HamHammond. ‘That’s right, right, us.’ Lane scratched scratched her shoulder shoulder.. ‘And And we’ve been been here ever since.’ ‘But ‘But now you have have reach reached ed a. . . stalema stalemate? te?’’ ‘The ‘Th e curren currentt positio position n is not sustaina sustainable ble.. Each Each side has access access to temp temp technology. As a result, the environment has been reduced to –’ ‘A bloody nowhere,’ muttered Norton bitterly. ‘I’ve seen it,’ said the Doctor Doctor. ‘An An endless winter, winter, and an endless midnight.’ ‘Neither ‘Neither side is in a position position to make gains. gains. That is why Paterson’s aterson’s work is so important,’ said Lane. ‘It could provide the breakthrough we need –’ The door clicked open and Shaw stepped stepped into the medical bay. bay. He remained in the doorway, his shadow extending across the floor. ‘Doctor. Dr Paterson is ready to see you.’ The Doctor Doctor grinn grinned. ed. ‘Good. ‘Good. I’m ready ready to see him, too.’ too.’ He walked walked to the doorw doorway ay.. ‘If you you will excu excuse se me. me. . . Oh, one one last last thing. thing. How long long has has this war of yours been going on?’ ‘I’m not sure.’ Lane shrugged. shrugged. ‘You’re not sure?’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘Approximately?’ ‘Well, approximately,’ said Lane, ‘about four hundred years.’ ‘Fitz?’ Fitz grunted grunted and rolled rolled on to his back. Above him a naked bulb glowed. He could smell starch and disinfectant. He coughed and spent a quiet moment yearning yearning for a cigarette. cigarette. His back and legs ached. ‘Time ‘Tim e to wake up. They’re They’re about to begin the demonstration demonstration.’ .’
CHAPTER TWO
30
Two question questionss formed formed in Fitz’s Fitz’s cloudy cloudy mind. mind. What time time was it? And what demonstratio demonstration? n? He looked around around the room, at the drab walls and floor. The brass wall-clock showed five past eleven. He had been out of it for six hours. Anji stood beside him, clasping a metal mug. She had tidied her hair and clothe clothess and looked looked a pictur picture e of efficiency efficiency,, as usual. usual. ‘Wh ‘What at demonstration?’ mumbled Fitz. ‘I’m ‘I’m not not sure sure,’ ,’ she said. said. ‘It ‘It’s ’s the pet pet proj projec ectt of some some blok bloke e call called ed Pater aterso son. n. He’s He’s arranged arranged it for the Doctor Doctor’s ’s benefit. benefit. Drink Drink this.’ this.’ She passed passed him the mug. ‘What is it?’ ‘I have absolutely no idea,’ said Anji. ‘They call it coffee.’ ‘Mmm? Thanks.’ Fitz felt the hot liquid stick to his tongue and retched. But it did the trick; there was no way he could fall back to sleep now. He collapsed himself out of bed, feeling the sudden icy floor through his socks. He padded over to the sink, and splashed his face with water. water. He swilled and spat. ‘What about breakfast?’ breakfast?’ ‘I got you this.’ Anji passed him an anonymous anonymous metal metal tin. It contained contained some pinkish-brow pinkish-brown n meat. ‘It’s not quite Nigella, Nigella, but it’ll have to do.’ Aft After er slipp slippin ing g on his his jack jacket et and and shoe shoes, s, Fitz Fitz sniff sniffed ed it and fork forked ed out out some some of the paste. It tasted of nothing, but it filled the gap. ‘You don’t happen to know –’ ‘The end of the corridor. corridor. Last door on your right.’ The labora laborator tory y was a confus confusion ion of electr electroni onicc equipm equipment ent;; oscill oscillosc oscope opes, s, banks of dials, switches and flashing flashing indicators. indicators. Wires Wires streamed around around the floor like unruly spaghetti. A neon tube provided stark, bright kitchen illuminatio illumination. n. Anji spotted several several televisions televisions flickering flickering amidst the mess, each one an old valve job with a Bakelite casing and bulging screen. A row of timepieces timepieces dominated dominated the near wall. wall. The opposite wall wall contained a window that gazed out into a reflected laboratory; a raised obser vation vation platform ran the length length of the room. Anji tasted static in the air. air. A short, short, beagle beagle-fa -faced ced man rushed rushed over to the Doctor Doctor.. He had shi shiny ny brown hair swept to one side, a rough, Benny Anderson beard and thick Nation National al Health Health glasses. glasses. His crumpled crumpled shirt barely barely containe contained d his tubby frame. ‘Doctor! Good, you’re just in time. We’re just about to begin –’ ‘Dr Paterson, this is Anji,’ said the Doctor, ‘and Fitz.’ Paterson shook their hands. ‘Your assistants?’ ‘My. ‘My. . . studen students. ts.’’ The Doct Doctor or shot shot Anji a wink. wink. ‘Students? ‘Students? Good. Well. Well. Well. Well. If you would like like to see the capsule. capsule. . . ?’ ‘Yes.’ The Doctor beamed. ‘There is nothing we would like more.’
CHAPTER TWO
31
Paterson pressed a button, and the door opposite cranked open to reveal a small small airlock airlock.. Inside Inside,, there there was hardly hardly space space for the four of them. them. Fitz Fitz jostled into Anji’s back as the door behind them swung shut. The door in front front clattere clattered d up and open. open. They They emerge emerged d into a large, large, gloomy chamber, the size and shape of a mediaeval cathedral. The concrete floor was strewn with cables. cables. At the nave, a vast hole sank into the ground. Lamps were placed at intervals intervals around the pit, each one directing its beam of light upwards. As Anji entered the chamber she felt a breeze on her legs. The air here was at a higher pressure, and was moist, like a cellar. Suspen Suspended ded over the hole was a huge huge metal metal sphere. sphere. It was covered covered in hundreds of rectangular plates, each one composed of a dark green substance, stance, each one dotted with row upon row of bolts. bolts. Together ogether they formed a geome geometric tricall ally y perfec perfectt surfac surface. e. It was like a giant giant golf ball in steel steel and brass. Mounted around the waist of the sphere was a series of circular portholes, holes, and a hatch hatch was set into the lower lower hemisphe hemisphere. re. An oily substance substance coated the surface, glistening in the light of the pit lamps. It seemed unreal, or rather, it made everything else around it seem unreal. ‘What is that?’ Anji breathed at last. Paterson gazed up at the sphere proudly. ‘That is an RT capsule.’ ‘A what?’ said Fitz. As they drew nearer, nearer, Anji’s throat ran dry. dry. The capsule hung from a joist, held in place by a heavy chain, each link the size of an arm. It creaked as it revolved revolved back and forth. forth. The chains chains draped draped to the side of the chamber chamber where they wound into a winching mechanism. It put Anji in mind of the head of a mine shaft. ‘The latest step in my research. A means of diving back into the depths of time,’ proclaimed Paterson. Fitz couldn’t take his eyes off it. ‘In that thing?’ ‘It’s ‘It’s fantast fantastic. ic.’’ The Doctor Doctor turned turned to Paterso aterson. n. ‘How ‘How far back can you go? An hour? A day?’ ‘Oh, I think you will be surprised, Doctor. Well. If you could follow me back. . . ’ They returne returned d to the airlock airlock and waited waited for the doors doors to close close and open. They emerged to find that Shaw had insinuated himself into the laboratory. He wasted no time in accosting Paterson. ‘What is the reason for the delay?’ ‘We’r ‘W e’re e only a few minute minutess behind. behind. I’m very very sorry, sorry, but. but. . . ’ Paterso aterson n ad justed a knob on one of the screens. The television flared to show Lane in a featureless antechamber with two uniformed men. The soldiers climbed
CHAPTER TWO
32
into padded survival suits, legs first and then tugging their arms into the sleeves. Paterson aterson spoke into the mic. ‘Lane? Lane, status of our passengers? passengers?’’ Lane’s voice fuzzed back. ‘Almost ready, sir. Bagging them up now.’ ‘There ‘Th ere,, Shaw Shaw, you see!’ Paterso aterson n closed closed the airloc airlock k door door and turned turned gleefully gleefully to Fitz. ‘A safety measure,’ measure,’ he explained. explained. ‘The chamber chamber must be entirely entirely time-tight. time-tight. In order to create the necessary necessary impulse, we need to generate a localised AT storm.’ ‘How do you make one of those?’ said the Doctor. Paterson frowned from behind his glasses. ‘But surely, Doctor –’ ‘Please. For the benefit of my students,’ said the Doctor, waving towards Fitz and Anji. Anji tried to look attentive. ‘Do we have time? time? Oh. Well. ell. We utilise utilise a time-a time-acti ctive ve element element called called chrononium. You are familiar with – no? No? Oh, I think have some here.’ Paterson scuttled under one of the desks and retrieved a rusted case. He levered the case open with his elbow. Inside Anji could see a lime-green substance that gave off a modest glow. ‘Chrononium. Yes. The source of our temp technology.’ Paterson forced the case shut. ‘The element has the property of displacing the time around it. Depending on the state, that displacement can be greater or lesser than the natural rate. In its unprocesse unprocessed d form, form, it merely slows down time.’ ‘As in your DT fridges,’ said the Doctor. ‘Yes. Yes. And in its inert state it also acts as insulation,’ said Paterson. ‘You will have noticed we use an alloy of it to plate our cars, vehicles – all of the bulkheads in this base. Just as radiation cannot cannot penetrate penetrate lead, time cannot cannot penetrate penetrate a TR field. The substance substance can even be woven into protective suits.’ Prompt Prompted ed by this, this, Anji Anji looked looked back at the monitor monitor.. The two soldiers soldiers were were now sealed sealed in their suits and had strappe strapped d on head-mas head-masks. ks. They They strode towards a reinforced door. Paterson continued. ‘But in an active state, chrononium causes a rapid temporal acceleration.’ ‘Like in the war,’ said Anji, ‘in the time storms.’ ‘Indee ‘Indeed. d. Yes! Both ourse ourselve lvess and the. the. . . er. . . defaul defaulter terss have have not been been backward in realising chrononium’s potential. But this is merely scratching the surface. You see, chrononium can also be used to launch an object back through time.’ ‘Back through time. Right.’ Fitz nodded sagely. ‘Tell him how you do it,’ prompted the Doctor. ‘We create a localised AT storm within a DT field. The contention of the two forces creates an opposing third impulse of reverse reverse time. However However,, it
CHAPTER TWO
33
requires a far greater magnitude of power to move back through time than to slow down or accelerate forward through it.’ ‘Why?’ asked Fitz. ‘Because it’s uphill,’ answered Anji. ‘Yes,’ laughed Paterson, ‘exactly! And, after a certain period, the craft is returned to the present –’ The intercom buzzed. ‘The passengers are ready, sir,’ said Lane. ‘Good.’ Paterson pressed some switches. ‘Airlock door opening now.’ ‘I realise this is a stupid question, but since no one else is going to ask it –’ said Fitz. ‘Why do you want to travel back through time, exactly? ‘To win the war,’ stated Shaw. He stepped on to the central observation platform and rested his weight on the handrails. ‘We go back and destroy the enem enemy. y. . . before before they they destr destroy oy us.’ us.’ It had all seemed so easy. easy. Norton Norton would lease out some time to the empire and, at the end of the freehold, he would buy his way out and settle down with Georgia. Georgia. He could still see her face looking looking up at him, her forehead forehead shiny with sweat. And if she was unavailabl unavailable, e, he could could afford someone someone else. That That had been been the plan, plan, ten long years years ago. ago. But the empire empire had compulsorily renewed his contract, and given him another ten to serve. By the time his commission commission was over, over, Georgia Georgia would have moved on. The memories Norton held of her were as out of date as his photographs, frozen images of a lost past. The old days were gone forever. People change. Most of all, Norton had changed, and he couldn’t step back into his old life. And he would never go back. He knew, in his heart, that he would die out out here here.. All All that that he ha had d ah ahea ead d of him was a tunn tunnel el of fear fear with death death at the other end. end. So he took took what small pleasu pleasures res life life had to offer offer him. Because the small pleasures were all that remained. Through the eyeholes of the mask, Norton looked up at the capsule. It loomed loomed over over him, a forbiddin forbidding g globe poised poised over over the maw of the pit. A ladder ladder reached reached up to the open open hatch. hatch. Norton Norton gripped gripped the tubula tubularr metal metal and began to climb. Behind him, Ash waited. The lad hadn’t spoken more than a few words since since they had been been station stationed ed here. He didn’t underst understand and,, but he knew knew enough enough to be afraid. afraid. Norton Norton was afraid afraid too, the weight weight in his stomac stomach h growing growing heavier with each upward upward step. But whatever whatever lay in store, it was better better than spending another another minute minute on the front line. Norton swung his bulk through the hatchway. As his eyes acclimatised to the darkness, he could make out panels of switches switches and dials. The two passen passenger gerss sat opposite opposite each other on vinyl vinyl seats. Porthol ortholes es dotted dotted the
CHAPTER TWO
34
walls. walls. Instrumen Instruments ts and metal boxes boxes cluttered cluttered the rest of the cramped circular compartment. Stooping under the ceiling, Norton felt his way over to his seat and strapp strapped ed himself himself down. Ash climbed climbed into the capsul capsule e and slamme slammed d the hatchway hatchway shut behind him. The clang reverbera reverberated ted through through the bell. Ash rotated rotated the locking locking wheel, and the bolts rang into place one by one. Now there was no escape. escape. The radio crackled. crackled. ‘Atmospher Atmosphere e and time check.’ It was the woman, Lane. Norton Norton ran a gloved hand over the instruments. instruments. Atmosphere Atmosphere normal.’ normal.’ He looked up. ‘Time eleven oh five and six seconds. Seven. Eight.’ He felt like a robot, running through programmed procedure. ‘Time ‘Ti me here here eleven eleven oh five and nine. nine. Ten. en. Eleven Eleven.’ .’ The radio radio paused. paused. ‘Passengers ready to go?’ Norton gripped the arm rests. The air inside his suit smelled of rubber. The material was thick and heavy and suffocating. Norton wished he could get out of here, out somewhere he could breathe. ‘Ready to go,’ he heard himself saying. He flicked the switches in front of him. Then he rested back into his seat and waited. The time capsule lowered soundlessly into the well. The floor lights slipped over its surface, then the capsule sank into the darkness and out of sight. Fitz watched as the chain continued to roll out, link by link, the power cables slithering after it into the pit. The two remaining members of the base crew had arrived. They stood beside Shaw on the observation platform, following the descent. They were both in their fifties; the dour fellow with the narrow nose, Brylcreemed hair and autopsy autopsy gaze was the station station doctor doctor, Hammon Hammond. d. The other other was the base’s commander commander,, Bragg. Bragg. Bragg Bragg remained remained silent, his arms folded, his face sour. ‘One hundred feet,’ read Lane. ‘One hundred and ten. Twenty. Thirty.’ Paterson hunched over the main bulb-flashing instrument bank, a clipboard under one arm. ‘All power through-channels charged.’ Outside in the chamber, the chain rolled out, catching glints of illumination. ‘Two hundred feet. And stop,’ said Lane. The chain halted. ‘Capsule in place. Detaching.’ Fitz exchanged a glance with Anji. She suppressed a smile at his mock doom-laden expression. With a nod, she directed his attention to the Doctor, who was studying the readings like a child memorising the contents of a toyshop window.
CHAPTER TWO
35
‘Good, good!’ said Paterson. ‘Begin countdown.’ A rumble rumble thudde thudded d out of nowhere nowhere.. The room room trembl trembled. ed. ‘Ten. ‘Ten. Nine. Nine. Eight.’ Paterson altered a sequence of settings. ‘Activating through-channels.’ ‘Activate the ming-mongs,’ muttered Fitz in a Bluebottle version of Paterson’s terson’s voice. Anji kicked him. ‘Seven. Six. Five.’ ‘All systems activated. DT field go.’ The rumble lifted to a roar and the floor shuddered. shuddered. Fitz gripped the nearest desk with one hand, giving Anji’s hand a squeeze with the other. She tugged it away. ‘Four. Three. Two.’ ‘Accelerated Accelerated time ti me focus.’ ‘One.’ Outside, a storm billowed out of the pit, swirling the air into a whirl wind. The floor lamps rattled rattled and dust flew up and span around around the chamber. ber. Then it dashed against against the window. window. Fitz recoiled, recoiled, automaticall automatically y assuming the world was going to end. And then, all was stillness. ‘The ‘The capsu capsule le is now in transi transit,’ t,’ said said Lane Lane.. ‘It’s ‘It’s now. now. . . thirt thirty y minute minutess into the past and accelerating.’ The Doctor stroked his chin like an amused theatre-goer. ‘Check on the passengers, would you?’ said Paterson. Lane picked her way through the cable-strewn floor to the mic. ‘Capsule status?’ In reply, reply, the radio whooshed whooshed like spitting oil. A voice hissed over the static, ‘Fine.’ ‘Time check.’ ‘Time. ‘Ti me. . . eleven eleven fifte fifteen en and and five. five. Six.’ Six.’ Anji whispered to Fitz, ‘I thought they said –’ The Doctor whispered back, ‘The time inside the capsule. As far as the crew are concern concerned, ed, the same amount amount of time has passed for them as for. . . as for us. Even though the capsule itself is now –’ ‘Now one hour in the past,’ said Lane. ‘Yes. Increasing power,’ said Paterson. ‘Now ‘Now two hours hours into the past. Three Three hours. hours. Transfe ransferri rring ng power power.’ Another stomach-sha stomach-shaking king rumble rumble followed. followed. ‘They’re ‘They’re now six hours into the past. Eight. Twelve.’ ‘Good,’ said Paterson. ‘Maintain acceleration, please.’ Fitz Fitz slumpe slumped d down down in a chair and looked looked up at the clocks. clocks. Whi Whilst lst the one marked Absolute Time counted second-by-second as normal, the hands on the clock marked Capsule Time – Hours were winding anticlockwise.
CHAPTER TWO
36
Beside that, there was another one-handed clock marked Capsule Time – Days and one marked Capsule Time – Years . ‘One day into the past,’ Lane announced. announced. ‘The capsule capsule is now one day into the past!’ Anji slipped slipped neatly into the seat beside beside Fitz. ‘Doctor ‘Doctor –’ she began, but the Doctor shushed her with a gesture. Lane continued. ‘Two days. Three. Five. Ten. One month.’ Fitz looked up. The Years hand had started moving now. ‘Two months. Five. Nine. One year.’ ‘A year?’ muttered Fitz in awe. ‘They’re a year in the past?’ ‘Time check?’ said Paterson, ticking his clipboard. ‘Capsule status,’ spoke Lane into the intercom. Static Static crashe crashed d back. The words words were faint. faint. ‘Cap. . . ’ ‘Time check.’ The voice broke up into white noise and then returned, shuddering with turb turbul ulen ence ce.. ‘El. ‘El. . . ven ven sixt. sixt. . . five five secon seconds. ds.’’ The Doctor caught Fitz’s eye and indicated the Capsule Time clock. clock. It read eleven seventeen and thirty seconds. The Doctor strolled swiftly over to Paterson. ‘A word, Dr Paterson –’ ‘Capsule is now two years into the past,’ read Lane. ‘Three years.’ ‘How far back are you planning to send them?’ them?’ said the Doctor Doctor. Paterson peered over his spectacles. ‘You’ll see.’ ‘Five years. Ten years. Twenty years.’ Fitz held his breath. breath. Beside him, him, Anji frowned. frowned. Even Bragg Bragg and Shaw seemed uncomfortable. ‘Thirty. Forty.’ ‘Do another time check,’ insisted the Doctor. ‘Fifty,’ said Lane. ‘No. It’s not necessary,’ said Paterson irritably. ‘Please,’ said the Doctor. ‘Seventy.’ ‘Please,’ repeated the Doctor, placing himself between Paterson and his desk. Paterson boiled for a moment, but then backed down. ‘Oh. Well. Well. Lane –’ he called. Lane understood. ‘Capsule. Time check.’ The Th e repl reply y was was dista distant nt,, as thou though gh it were were comi coming ng from from deep deep unde underrgrou ground nd.. ‘.‘. . . elev eleven en sixt sixtee een. n. . . and. and. . . thir thirty ty.. . . ’ But the Absolute Time clock clock on the wall read eleven eleven ninetee nineteen. n. Wi With th a rush of adrenalin, adrenalin, Fitz realised realised something something was wrong. wrong. He felt like he was dropping through the floor –
CHAPTER TWO
37
‘Stop the craft now,’ said the Doctor. ‘What? What do you mean –’ protested protested Paterson Paterson.. ‘Stop it! There is –’ The radio gave an ear-shredding hiss. A distant voice cried out, ‘Help – help help us. us. . . ’ It turn turned ed into into a scre scream am of gurg gurgli ling ng terr terror or.. And And then then the the inte interc rcom om cut, dead. Lane gasped. ‘We’ve lost contact, sir. We’ve lost them. One hundred and fifty years –’ ‘Get them back,’ yelled the Doctor. Paterson made some frantic adjustments to the controls and shook his head in disbelief disbelief.. His face dripped dripped with sweat. He looked looked on the verge of tears. ‘I can’t. It’s out of control – I can’t bring them back.’ ‘What do you mean, you can’t bring them back?’ back?’ said the Doctor Doctor. Paterson aterson twitched, twitched, and brushed brushed aside his fringe. fringe. ‘Tell. ‘Tell. . . tell him, him, Lane.’ ‘Usually we halt the capsule at a point in the distant past –’ ‘When? ‘Wh en?’’ The Doctor Doctor grippe gripped d Lane by the arms. ‘How ‘How far back do you send them?’ ‘I don’t know – a depth of about one hundred and twenty years.’ ‘One hundred and twenty?’ Lane nodded dumbly. ‘Well, yes. That’s as far as we can manage. Anything further and –’ ‘And?’ Lane gestured gestured towards the main bank. Along the top sat a row of bulbs. bulbs. ‘These indicate the control responses of the craft.’ One by one, they blinked out. Lane looked up at the clocks. ‘They’re at two hundred and fifty years now. Bloody hell.’ The Doctor Doctor frowne frowned d at the controls controls,, as though though they should should explain explain themselves. ‘So you can’t bring them back, can you?’ said Bragg. Paterson wiped his mouth with his sleeve, blinking rapidly ‘Um. I don’t think so, sir. They’re dropping out of range now. Ah. No. There’s nothing we can do for them –’ ‘We can,’ said the Doctor softly. ‘What? How?’ sputtered Paterson. ‘These lights lights only indicate indicate a return return signal. The outward control control signal may still be reaching them.’ Lane Lane glared glared at him. ‘But ‘But we have no way of knowin knowing g if we’re we’re getting getting through –’ ‘It’s worth a try.’ try.’ The Doctor dashed dashed over to Paterson. aterson. ‘Now, ‘Now, Paterson aterson my dear fellow, how do you bring them back?’
CHAPTER TWO
38
Paterson hugged his clipboard and stammered, ‘We normally remove the DT contention to create a forward impulse. But –’ ‘I don’t like sentences that begin with “but”.’ ‘But we can’t do that, can we? They’re still diving. The through-channels would would overload. overload. It’s too dangerou dangerous, s, Doctor. Doctor. Not just for them. them. No no no. For us. If there is a power blowback –’ ‘We have to try.’ Fitz felt his nerves jangle jangle like a discordant discordant note. Above him, him, the Years cloc clock k now now read read three three hundr hundred ed.. Th Thre ree e cent centur urie iess into into the past. past. It was a horrib horrible le thought. thought. It wasn’t wasn’t like popping popping back in the TARD TARDIS IS where where you were were here one second second and there the next. next. No, the capsul capsule e was rushin rushing g back through time like a bullet down a gun barrel, the years whooshing past in a blur. ‘All right,’ conceded Paterson, his jaw trembling, ‘we’ll give it a try. But if there is any chance –’ ‘I understand. understand.’’ The Doctor grinned encouraging encouragingly ly and patted his shoulshoulder. He turned to Lane. ‘Lane, would you be so kind as to prepare a power boost? Fitz, Anji, I’ll need your help.’ Fitz bounded to his feet. ‘What do you want us to do?’ ‘Anji, Anji, keep an eye on the clocks. clocks. Fitz, I need you here.’ here.’ He waved Fitz over to one of the flashing-bul flashing-bulbs-and bs-and-knob -knobss units. ‘W ‘We’re e’re going to have to be rather quick.’ ‘They’re three hundred and fifty years into the past,’ Anji called out. The Doctor stretched his fingers, about to perform. ‘We need to gather a storm.’ He placed Fitz’s hands on a lever. Lane and Paterson stood ready at their desks. ‘Now.’ The Doctor’s fingers darted over the panel, making fleeting but precise adju adjust stme ment nts. s. A hum hum rose rose thro throug ugh h the the floor floor to fill fill the the lab lab with with a loud loud,, grat gratin ing g throb. ‘Transferring ‘Transferring power.’ power.’ Outs Outside ide,, in the the main main cham chambe berr, the the stor storm m pick picked ed up agai again n and and dust dust bega began n to spiral around the central pit. ‘Four hundred years,’ said Anji. ‘We need more power,’ urged the Doctor. ‘Fitz, second lever on the left. Now. No, the other way.’ ‘You’ll overload the –’ protested Paterson. The throb became became a deafening deafening wail. All eyes turned turned to the window. window. A funnel of cloud coiled out of the pit, whipping up dust. The Doctor yelled, ‘It’s going to blow – get down!’ Fitz dived to the floor Anji Anji crouched. crouched. Lane and Paterso Paterson n took cover. cover. . . Taking advantage of the distraction, the Doctor sprinted over to Paterson’s terson’s controls controls and slammed down every switch. The room shuddered, shuddered,
CHAPTER TWO
39
sending sending the Doctor sprawling. sprawling. He picked himself himself up, dusting dusting his sleeves. sleeves. ‘Anji?’ ‘Four hundred and five years,’ read Anji. ‘They’re slowing down. You’ve done it!’ ‘Not quite. Throwing a vehicle into reverse when it’s at top speed is not exactl exactly y the best best way of changin changing g directio direction. n. . . ’ ‘So what do we do now?’ shouted Paterson. ‘Four ‘Four hundred hundred and ten,’ said Anji. Getting Getting back on his feet, Fitz stared at the brass display of the Years clock. clock. The singl single e hand drew drew to a halt. A few moments later, and the Days and Hours clocks followed suit. ‘They’ve ‘They’ve stopped,’ gasped Lane. ‘Thank God.’ ‘Now we’ll see,’ said the Doctor. The hand on the Hours clock clock began to move. Forward, orward, this time, with gathering gathering speed. Then the Days began to rotate, and the Years. . . ‘You’ ‘You’ve ve done done it,’ said said Fitz, Fitz, gidd giddy y with with relief relief.. He laughe laughed. d. ‘They’r ‘They’re e coming coming back.’ ‘Four centuries,’ said Lane. ‘No one’s ever gone that deep before.’ ‘We’re not quite home and dry yet,’ said the Doctor. ‘We need to reduce their rate of ascent. Lane, we’ll need a DT to slow them down.’ Lane nodded and made the necessary adjustments. ‘Three ‘Three hundred hundred and fifty years,’ said Anji. Paterson dabbed his forehead. ‘I don’t believe it. Well, well. A successful dive to four hundred hundred years. This surpasses surpasses my previous previous achievements achievements –’ ‘Successful?’ The Doctor gave him a withering glance. ‘I remember you were going to give up.’ ‘Three hundred years,’ said Anji ‘Capsule ‘Capsule rising at rate of ten years a second, second, and falling. Nine years years a second.’ ‘Two hundred and fifty.’ ‘Six ‘Si x year yearss a seco second nd,’ ,’ said said Lane Lane.. On the the bank bank in fron frontt of her her, the the indic indicat ator orss flashed into life one by one. ‘They’re back in radio range.’ ‘Try regaining contact,’ said the Doctor. Lane Lane nodded nodded and activated activated the radio. It gave a swoosh swoosh of hard hard static. static. ‘Calling capsule. Please give status. Calling capsule.’ But no reply came. ‘Four hours,’ said Anji. ‘Three hours.’ ‘Any response yet?’ questioned the Doctor. Lane shook her head. ‘Still nothing. Just static.’ ‘They’re ‘They’re slowing down, though,’ said Paterson. Paterson. ‘Fifteen ‘Fifteen minutes a second. Increasing DT level.’
CHAPTER TWO
40
Bragg made his way down the platform steps, hands clasped clasped behind behind his back. He approached approached the Doctor Doctor.. ‘It seems you have proved proved your worth, worth, Doctor Doctor. You You have saved us us from a. . . loss.’ ‘That’s one way of putting it,’ said the Doctor without looking round. Lane gave up on the radio, rubbing rubbing her eyes. She stretched stretched her arms. ‘I’m gonna get suited up. We need to get the passengers out and into isol. Hammond?’ Hammond tilted his head in understanding. ‘Isol?’ said Fitz. ‘Isolation. Quarantine. Just a precaution. Temp travel has been known to have. have. . . side side effe effects cts.’ .’ ‘What ‘Wh at sort sort of. of. . . side effect effects?’ s?’ ‘We anticipate every eventuality,’ clipped Hammond, and followed Lane out of the laboratory. ‘One hour,’ said Anji. ‘Forty minutes. Thirty. Twenty.’ Fitz checked the Hours clock. clock. The hands drew to a stop at eleven thirtythirtyfive, the same as the Absolute Time. For a moment moment they were both still, and then they ticked forward simultaneous simultaneously ly.. There was a unanimous unanimous sigh of relief. ‘They’re back,’ smiled the Doctor. ‘Attach Attach the chain, chain,’’ said Pater Paterson son.. ‘Let’s ‘Let’s please please get them out of there, there, hmm?’ Lane Lane patte patted d her her ha hand ndss over over her her oran orange ge-a -and nd-g -gre rey y TR suit, suit, chec checki king ng the the seal seals. s. Her mask in place, she took an experimental gulp of air through the filter. The airlock chamber was walled with featureless chrononium alloy. alloy. One bulkhe bulkhead ad door door led to the medical medical bay via the quaran quarantin tine e chambe chamberr. The other door opened on to the travel chamber. Hammond Hammond stood beside her. her. She could hear his breathing breathing through through her earphone. ‘Final check.’ He turned around so that she could test the seals on the back of his suit. ‘They’re back,’ said the Doctor tinnily in her ear. ‘Ready?’ She turned so that Hammond could check her suit. He patted her shoulder to indica indicate te all was OK. She took in anothe anotherr gulp gulp of breath. breath. ‘Read ‘Ready y. Open.’ The bulkhea bulkhead d door door drumme drummed d open. open. Throug Through h the circle circle of metal metal,, the chamber chamber awaited. The floor lamps were submerged submerged in dust and thick shadows painted the walls. walls. The time capsule hung hung from its chain, chain, glistening glistening in the half-light. half-light. The surface was covered in a green, gluelike substance that slicked over the metal and drooled down into the shaft.
CHAPTER TWO
41
Without speaking, she and Hammond entered the chamber, their boots patting patting into the dust. Together ogether they collected collected the ladder and raised it to the capsule’s door. Lane gave it a tug to test it was sure, and climbed. The gluelike substance was slippery and thick. Lane wiped it away from the lockin locking g wheel set in the centre centre of the hatch. hatch. When When enough enough of it was cleared, she began to turn the wheel. They had congregated around the radio, where the Doctor stood, his face fixed in concentration. ‘I’ve found them.’ Lane crackled back. ‘Oh –’ ‘What is it?’ said the Doctor. ‘What’s wrong?’ There was a long pause before Lane replied. ‘Anachrophobia.’
Chapter Three ‘Calling Station One.’ The radio hissed. Bragg adjusted the dial. ‘Calling Station One.’ Nothin Nothing. g. Bragg Bragg switche switched d the radio radio off and rubbed rubbed his eyes. eyes. The AT AT storm storm had cut them off. off. There There was no way of knowin knowing g how close close the defaulters were. One mile away or ten. A map took up the wall above the radio, depicting the wilderness as a looping looping fingerprint fingerprint of contours. contours. To the north lay the sections occupied occupied by the defaulters. defaulters. According According to reports reports three days old. Bragg lifted himself out of his chair and heaved himself over to his locker and the waiting gin bottle. He collected a mug and poured. Raised to his lips, he could smell the liquid’s fire. He drank and his body numbed with warmth. Bragg studied his reflection in the locker mirror. He didn’t recognise the man who stared stared back. back. He still half-ex half-expec pected ted to see the man he had once once been. But that young man had grown old and tired and scared. He had never never been handsom handsome, e, of course. course. Even Even when he was young young the sight of his reflection reflection had filled him with contempt. contempt. He was repulsed repulsed by the feelings feelings the sight sight create created d in him. But in his unifor uniform, m, he became became anonymous. Bragg remembered his fellow soldiers at the beginning of duty. duty. Young Young and ruddy-aced, ruddy-aced, with clean-presse clean-pressed d uniforms. uniforms. They had been the handsome ones. That Th at was was all all too too long long ago. ago. Sinc Since e then then,, he ha had d dedi dedica cate ted d hims himsel elff to tryi trying ng to forget who he was. He had become the Empire’s machine. A cough came from the doorway. Bragg turned to see Shaw, his portable chronomete chronometerr clutched in one hand. Shaw entered. entered. ‘Still no comms? ‘Nothing.’ Bragg poured himself another drink. ‘There’s been no let up in the storm.’ ‘According to our instruments, it will get worse over the next two days, sir,’ said Shaw. ‘The whole sector will be AT.’ He scrutinised the wall-clock. ‘No one will be able to get in or out.’ ‘And And with no comms, comms, we can’t even call for help.’ help.’ Bragg Bragg watched watched the 42
CHAPTER THREE
43
liquid swill in his mug. ‘We’re on our own. Just you and me, Shaw.’ The Doctor peered through the window into the quarantine area. ‘Anachrophobia?’ Lane retrieved retrieved a cigarette cigarette tin from her pocket. ‘Anachronis Anachronism m phobia. The fear of temporal displacement.’ ‘Of being in the right place at the wrong time?’ said the Doctor. ‘I know the feeling.’ ‘I doubt doubt it,’ it,’ said said Lane. Lane. She tappe tapped d the end end of a ciga cigare rette tte and and lit lit it. ‘Anachropho Anachrophobia bia is a mental condition condition but with a systemic systemic response. response. It’s a reaction against, well, against temporal travel. The brain can’t handle the transition.’ ‘A form of post-traumatic stress?’ ‘A bit bit more more than than stre stress. ss. Take ake a look look at them. them.’’ Sh She e nodd nodded ed into into the the isolation isolation area. Inside the dark chamber chamber, there were three three figures. Norton Norton sat hunched in his shirtsleeves, Ash lay outstretched on the other bed. The third figure, figure, Hammond, Hammond, was enclosed in a TR suit. He moved cautiously cautiously,, like a diver through water, water, his breath rasping rasping through the radio link. He unpacked a blood-pressure gauge and wound it on to Norton’s arm before inflating it. Nort Norton on shi shive vere red, d, swea sweatt bead beadin ing g off off his his skin skin and and into into his his shi shirt rt.. His His mout mouth h hung hung open, his lip lipss a pale pale blue. blue. He breathed breathed as though though gripped gripped by some some fever fever.. As Hammon Hammond d took took his reading, reading, Norton Norton doubled doubled up retchi retching ng and coughing. The Doctor watched. watched. ‘No, I agree. Those men are sufferin suffering g something something much worse.’ ‘The ‘Th e brain brain can’t readjus readjustt to the new temp zone. zone. End result, result, extrem extreme e neurological disturbance.’ ‘It reminds reminds me of. of. . . decompressi decompression on sickness? sickness?’’ ‘Same ‘Same principl principle.’ e.’ Lane Lane drew on her cigare cigarette tte.. ‘Th ‘The e effects effects of coming coming back up to the present too fast. Yeah, that’s it. Poor bloody sods.’ ‘You’ve seen this before?’ The Doctor drummed absently on the window. ‘Symptoms vary. Cyanosis, hypertension. Sometimes paranoia, memory loss. loss. . . in some some case casess comp comple lete te break breakdo down wn,, ment mental al,, ph phys ysic ical al.. Depe Depend ndss on the individual. individual. And the depth, of course.’ course.’ In the chamber chamber, Hammond signal sig nalled led that he had finished finished his tests. tests. Lane Lane presse pressed d the airlock airlock control control and the access access door inside inside the quaran quarantin tine e area area swung swung open. Hammon Hammond d climbed climbed in and Lane sealed the chamber chamber.. ‘But these two have gone back further than any others.’ The Doctor Doctor turned turned.. ‘Others ‘Others? ? So I’m to assume this this isn’t the first time time this has happened?’
CHAPTER THREE
44
Before Lane could reply Hammond called through the intercom, ‘Sterilisation procedures complete.’ ‘No, ‘No, it’s not the first,’ first,’ Lane Lane said. The airlock airlock opened opened and Hammon Hammond d emerged emerged into the medical bay. bay. He unstrapped unstrapped his dog mask to reveal his drawn, solemn face. ‘So. What’s the bad news?’ Lane asked. Hamm Hammon ond d cons conside idere red. d. ‘The ‘They y are are the the most most seve severe re case casess I’ve I’ve come come across.’ ‘I was right then?’ ‘Yes. They are lost.’ ‘Lost?’ said the Doctor. Hammond unfastened his body-suit. ‘In this condition, the higher centres of the brain fail to resynchronise to the present,’ he said matter-offactly. ‘They become dislocated in time.’ ‘I see. Lost.’ The Doctor patted a bed, trying to gather his thoughts. ‘And this is what usually happens, is it? After a time-dive?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘And And you still still procee proceed d with with the experime experiments nts? ? No, don’t don’t answer answer that.’ The Th e Doct Doctor or took took a deep deep breat breath. h. ‘How ‘How long long did it take take your your prev previo ious us.. . . volunteers to recover from the experience?’ ‘They don’t recover,’ answered Hammond. ‘What?’ ‘It is an irreversible condition. All past participants have suffered similar aftereffects aftereffects.. As a result, result, their economic economic prospects prospects were considered, considered, on balance, to be irredeemably compromised. So they were terminated.’ ‘How many?’ said the Doctor angrily. ‘How many people?’ ‘Twenty ‘Twenty-six,’ -six,’ said Hammond. Hammond. ‘All All soldiers requisitioned requisitioned from the front front line. Don’t worry, worry, they were were all. . . expendabl expendable. e. There is always always a plentifu plentifull supply of non-viables, you see.’ He smiled reassuringly. ‘We are well within our budget.’ The officers’ officers’ mess consist consisted ed of some some chairs chairs,, a table table and a rudime rudimenta ntary ry kitche kitchen. n. The oven oven was chipped chipped white Bakel Bakelite ite.. It reminde reminded d Anji of her grandmother’s house, full of fifties furniture, sliding doors and linoleum. Her mother had repeatedly failed to make her redecorate. In the end, the cooker cooker and and the rest rest of of her kitc kitchen hen had ende ended d up in the the street street for the the counci council. l. It even even smelle smelled d the the same. same. Anji Anji turn turned ed and and watc watche hed d Fitz Fitz rumm rummag age e through each of the cupboards, collect a bottle and slouch into the nearest chair. Of course, for him, all this retro was state-of-the-art. Fitz poured himself a drink. ‘To the hero of the hour. The Doctor.’ ‘It’s ‘It’s a good good job he was here here to sort things things out.’ Anji Anji paced paced around around the small, drab room. Some fading photographs were pasted to the wall. The
CHAPTER THREE
45
pictures were of soft-focus starlets, all peroxide and cleavage. ‘If it wasn’t for him those soldier-boys would have been, well, lost in the past.’ ‘I know,’ said Fitz deliberately. ‘It’s all a bit convenient, isn’t it?’ ‘In what way?’ said Anji in her best Angus Deayton voice. ‘That the Doctor happens happens to turn up just when he’s needed. What you said said last night, night, about about us being expect expected. ed. . . Thi Thiss time expert expert Lane said said she was looking for. Maybe it was the Doctor. Do you think she knew?’ ‘Knew what? About us?’ ‘Maybe ‘Maybe not all that, that, but. but. . . I don’t know know.’ .’ Fitz shrugge shrugged. d. Anji laughed. laughed. ‘Is it National National Paranoia Paranoia Day and no one told me about it?’ ‘Coincidence, then. But I’m still not happy, about the Doctor –’ Footsteps approached down the corridor outside. Anji and Fitz fell silent as Shaw materialised in the doorway. ‘Out watching your clocks, clocks, cock?’ said Fitz. Shaw examined examined their wall-clock wall-clock.. Satisfied, Satisfied, his attention attention shifted to Anji. ‘In two hours hours it will will be our. . . rest rest period. period. You may wish wish to return return to your your room.’ ‘But I only just got up,’ complained Fitz. Shaw ignored him and took Anji to one side. ‘Some of your time.’ ‘What?’ ‘I would value it most highly.’ ‘Why? ‘Wh y? Wha Whatt do you want want to talk talk about?’ about?’ She had dealt dealt with enough enough Shaws at the office back in the City. Creeps with too much money and too much of an opinion opinion about themselve themselves. s. Overgrown Overgrown public schoolboys schoolboys who thought the best way to sweep a woman off her feet was to get her legless first. A smile trickle trickled d over over Shaw’s Shaw’s lips. ‘I am prepar prepared ed to make make you a most most generous offer.’ ‘An An offer offer I could couldn’t n’t refus refuse?’ e?’ said Anji Anji.. ‘Er. ‘Er. . . No thanks thanks.. You could couldn’t n’t afford me.’ ‘Oh, I think I could. Everyone has their price, in my experience.’ ‘No.’ Anji folded her arms. Shaw stared at her indignantly, turned and left the room. Fitz puzzled. ‘What was all that about?’ ‘Don ‘Don’t ’t even go there. there.’’ Anji Anji poured poured herse herself lf a drin drink. k. ‘Wh ‘What at were were you you saying? saying? About the Doctor?’ Fitz Fitz sig sighed hed.. ‘Oh, ‘Oh, I don’t know. know. After After all that busine business ss with his heart – sometimes I think he needs protecting.’ ‘Who from? Sabbath?’ Sabbath?’ ‘From himself.’
CHAPTER THREE
46
Anji laughed laughed at Fitz’s doom-laden doom-laden expression. expression. ‘I think if anyone anyone needs protecting, it’s us. The Doctor is more than capable –’ She paused as more footsteps approached down the corridor. The Doctor peered into the room, a grin across his face. Anji brushed a hair out of her eyes. ‘We were just talking about you.’ The Doctor looked concerned. ‘Really? I hope I haven’t missed any juicy gossip.’ ‘We were wondering – when are we getting out of here? The –’ ‘I haven’t haven’t forgotte forgotten,’ n,’ the Doctor Doctor admitte admitted. d. ‘No, ‘No, I haven’ haven’tt forgot forgotten ten.. I know you’re worried. worried. But at the moment I’m rather more concerned concerned with what’s what’s going on here. here. This experimen experimentt of Paterson Paterson’s ’s . . . it’s very interes interesting. ting. I’m about to look over the capsule. Fitz, if you’re not busy, would you –’ Fitz suppressed a yawn and got up. ‘No, not at all.’ ‘And me?’ said Anji. ‘Anji. How is your bedside manner?’ Norton eased himself off the bed. He had a cramp in his right leg and his arms arms tingl tingled ed with pins and needles. needles. He studied studied the room. The clock, clock, the sink, the toilet, the mirror mirror. Ash lay on the other bed, slurring slurring in his sleep. A window filled one side of the room, looking out on to a hospital ward. He could could make make out rows rows of empty empty beds. beds. And a ghost ghost looked looked back at him him.. The ghost had tired eyes, its mouth hung open. How had he got here? He felt numb, as though he was under an anaesthetic. He shivered with a sudden cold. His head throbbed. He could could hear the hissin hissing g of his own own brea breath thin ing. g. He was wear wearin ing g a padded survival suit and looking out through goggles. The floor juddered. The whole whole metal metal chamber chamber seemed seemed to be shakin shaking g itself itself apart. His gloved gloved hands scrabbled across switches. A woman’s voice spoke to him through through a radio. ‘D’you know where where you are?’ Norton looked away from the glass. The bed by the far wall was occupied by a young man he didn’t recognise, his body hunched into a foetal position, ‘Do you know your name?’ Where was the voice coming from? Norton turned back to the medical bay. There was a woman in there, alone, perched on one of the far beds, a cigarette in one hand. Her smoke curled up to the ceiling. The far door opened and another woman strode into the ward. ‘How are they?’ she asked Anji.
CHAPTER THREE
47
‘Quiet ‘Quiet.’ .’ Lane Lane gla glanc nced ed over over to the isolation isolation chamber chamber and shudde shuddered red.. Norton stood motionlessly behind the window, staring out at them. In the reflected ward light, he looked a pallid, transparent figure. ‘What’s his name again?’ again?’ ‘Norto ‘Norton,’ n,’ said Lane. ‘He’s ‘He’s somnambu somnambulat lating ing.. It’s not uncomm uncommon on with anachrophobia.’ ‘When I first heard that name I thought it was something to do with spiders.’ ‘Your friend the Doctor called it a sort of time-travel bends.’ Lane turned away from the chamber. The sight of Norton made her uneasy. ‘I wonder why we don’t get it,’ Anji muttered. ‘What?’ ‘Oh, nothing,’ said Anji. ‘You know, your friend Shaw –’ ‘You don’t have to whisper, you know. The isol chamber is soundproof, airtight and time-tight. Nothing can get in or out.’ Anji regarded her curiously. ‘What are you scared of?’ Lane paused. What was she scared of? She gave the textbook response. response. ‘Time ‘Tim e can have a mutagenic mutagenic effect effect on viruses. Can’t be too careful.’ careful.’ ‘But these two are all right, aren’t they?’ ‘Hammond hasn’t found anything. Yet. They’ve come up clean.’ Anji took another look at Norton. ‘Can I talk to him?’ ‘Go ahead.’ Anji walked walked to the window. window. They were, Lane thought, thought, about the same age. age. But, But, unlike unlike Anji, Anji, she had grown grown old before before her time. time. She lived lived with the constant nausea of regret. She had lost her value. Anji pointed at the intercom. ‘I speak into this thing here, do I?’ ‘The switch.’ Anji held down the bell-switch bell-switch and spoke calmly calmly into the mic. ‘D’you know where you are?’ Norton Norton did not respond. respond. But his eyes shifted shifted as though though following somesomething moving across the room. ‘Do you know your name?’ Ever Everyw ywhe here re was was dark darkne ness. ss. Fitz Fitz trie tried d to stra straig ight hten en up, up, but but the the ceil ceilin ing g pressed against his shoulders. Moving forward, he banged his knee against something sharp. The ground creaked as the capsule paused and changed its direction direction of rotation. rotation. The Doctor clicked on a torch, lighting up Paterson’s concerned face and shining shining glasses. ‘Here. ‘Here. You’d better have this.’ He handed the torch to Fitz.
CHAPTER THREE
48
Fitz let the torch-ghost torch-ghost drift around around him. The portholes portholes flashed as the light moved over them. The sloping metal walls were reinforced by struts and dotted dotted with with rivets rivets,, all moulded moulded in dark dark green green paint. paint. Two seats had been welded to the floor on opposite sides of the main control unit, a steel box covered in switches and indicator lights. Above it the torch picked out a row of clocks identical to those in Paterson’s lab. ‘Over here, please –’ The Doctor squatted down beside Paterson and levered levered open the top of the control control unit. Fitz shifted forward forward and shone the light inside to reveal reveal a bird’s nest of wires and circuit circuit boards. The Doctor reached reached in and unscrew unscrewed ed a valve. valve. ‘W ‘Well, ell, well. well. . . ’ He rotated rotated it, dragging dragging a finge fingerr over over the surf surfac ace. e. ‘Tel ‘Telll me, me, Dr Pater aterso son, n, what what do you you thin think k ha happ ppen ened ed?’ ?’ Paterson aterson removed removed his glasses and massaged massaged his eyes. ‘I’m not sure. As far as I can tell, tell, every everythin thing g seems seems to be functio functionin ning. g. There There was no. no. . . no reason for it.’ He looked pained. ‘It shouldn’t have happened.’ ‘But ‘But it did, didn’t didn’t it?’ The Doctor Doctor tapped tapped a finger finger on the connec connection tions. s. His breath clouded in the chilly air. ‘You’re right though. This all seems to be. be. . . in orde orderr.’ Paterson aterson pulled himself himself to his feet. ‘What we need to do, I think, is to test the capsule –’ ‘No.’ ‘But ‘But a contro controlle lled d descen descentt into into the past, maybe maybe only only a few days. days. A few hours. Just to check the systems are still –’ ‘No. No more time-dives, Paterson.’ Paterson stammered, ‘but Doctor –’ ‘Some ‘Somethi thing ng terr terrib ible le ha happ ppen ened ed to those those two two men, men,’’ said said the the Doct Doctor or gravel gravely y. ‘And And until until I know know what what it was, no one else is to enter this capcapsule. Is that understood understood?’ ?’ ‘If you insist –’ ‘Those ‘Th ose are my instru instructi ctions ons.. I am the time expert.’ expert.’ The Doctor Doctor swiped a handke handkerch rchief ief from his pocket pocket and dabbed dabbed his hands hands clean. clean. ‘And And as for sending those poor men on a dive when you knew the likely consequences –’ ‘All losses have been accounted for, Doctor.’ ‘Accounted for? Accounted for?’ The Doctor stared at Paterson in disbelief. ‘You don’t realise, do you? You can’t see you’ve done anything wrong?’ ‘What do you mean?’ ‘I mean –’ The Doctor raised his hands. ‘It doesn’t matter what I mean, what’s what’s done is done. What is more important is finding out what happened to them.’ Fitz handed him the torch. ‘What do you think, Doctor?’
CHAPTER THREE
49
‘I’m not sure,’ sure,’ muttered muttered the Doctor, Doctor, ‘but I have some rather. rather. . . unsettling unsettling ideas. Fitz. When did you first notice that the capsule was out of control?’ Fitz ummed. ‘The ‘Th e clocks, clocks, rememb remember? er?’’ the Doctor Doctor prompt prompted ed him. ‘Ti ‘Time me inside inside the capsule was lagging behind time in the laboratory. Now, what does that tell you?’ Fitz shrugged. shrugged. ‘Tim ‘Time e inside the capsule was slowing slowing down?’ ‘Yes! But the capsule was accelerating back through time, so –’ ‘Yes?’ ‘Perhaps there was a breach.’ ‘That is impossible,’ said Paterson, ‘the capsule is chronoinsulated, the shell –’ ‘Maybe it isn’t quite as impregnable as you think.’ ‘But you’re suggesting suggesting that time –’ ‘– was being sucked sucked out of the capsule? capsule? Yes,’ es,’ said said the Doctor Doctor.. ‘And And that’s not all.’ He made his way over to the hatch. ‘Come on, I think we’ve finished here.’ Anji Anji had spent ten minutes minutes trying to get through through to Norton Norton.. She’d She’d asked asked the standard questions you’re supposed to ask. ‘What is the last thing you remember remember?’, ?’, ‘What is your name?’ name?’ and so forth. And Norton had just stood there. And then Norton strolled calmly over to the window and gazed back at her, her, as still as a statue. statue. ‘l know who I am,’ am,’ he announc announced, ed, ‘my name is Norton.’ Behind Behind her, her, Lane Lane scurri scurried ed to the window. window. Anji Anji presse pressed d the intercom intercom switch again. ‘Do you know where you are?’ The speaker crackled crackled with Norton’s Norton’s laughter. laughter. ‘Isol Station Forty Forty.. The quarantine quarantine area.’ area.’ He spoke as though though it were obvious. obvious. Anji and Lane swapped worried glances. ‘Norton, d’you know who we are?’ ‘Of course I do.’ Norton turned to Lane. ‘Your name is Lane.’ He turned to Anji and smiled. ‘And you’re Georgia.’ ‘Wha–’ Anji shivered. shivered. ‘Who?’ Norton’s Norton’s smile dropped. dropped. ‘What is this, some sort of a game?’ Before Before Anji could could reply, reply, he yelled at her with frightening frightening force. force. ‘ Why am I locked up here?’ He smashed his fists against the window. ‘ Why are you doing this to me?’ Lane and Anji backed away. away. Norton Norton launched launched himself against the window, thudding his shoulder hard. He howled with pain and slipped to the floor. As he doubled up, tears dribbled from his eyes. He looked up at them
CHAPTER THREE
50
wretchedly. ‘Let me out of here. Please. Please.’ He crawled over to his bed and slumped on to his back. Lane pressed the switch. ‘Norton.’ ‘Norton.’ There was a long pause. ‘What?’ ‘Do you know who we are?’ said Lane. Norton screwed his eyes shut. ‘I. Don’t. Know.’ ‘But –’ said Anji. ‘Short-term memory loss,’ Lane interrupted. ‘Where are you?’ ‘I don’t know –’ ‘Who is in the room with you?’ Norton Norton gave gave Ash’s form form a cursor cursory y glance. glance. ‘ I don’t know.’ He turn turned ed towards them, his chest heaving, his face a half-grimace, half-smile. The room that that Norton Norton had shared shared with with Ash was another another drab cell. cell. Anji Anji glanced over the drawers and wall-clock before spotting what she was looking for. Someone had pasted the corner wall with photographs. Anji sat on a bed for a closer look. The black-and-white pictures showed faces and groups. groups. She couldn’t couldn’t tell where they had been taken; the backgrounds grounds were a blur. blur. One of the photos featured featured a young man in his new uniform, uniform, a woman shyly smiling smiling beside him. Anji peeled peeled it carefully carefully from the wall. It must have been taken a decade or more ago. Norton was slim and clean-shave clean-shaven, n, and they had the glow of summer about them. Pocketocketing it, she skimmed through the other photographs, and found a creased picture of Norton’s regiment. She peeled it off and folded it into her pocket. Lane was at the quarantine room window when Anji returned to the medical medical bay. bay. She smiled brave-fac brave-facedly edly as Anji entered. entered. ‘He’s still talking. talking. But he’s depreciating rapidly.’ ‘What do you mean?’ whispered Anji. Inside the quarantine area, Norton sat coiled on his bed, his gaze directed to the floor. Lane buzzed the intercom. ‘Norton, what year is it?’ ‘I don’t know,’ snapped Norton. ‘I don’t know.’ He stood up and pressed his hands against the window. ‘Let me out of here.’ Anji unfolded the photos from her jacket, and selected the one of Norton’s regiment. ‘What are you doing –’ said Lane. ‘An idea. To see exactly how bad his memory is,’ Anji took over. ‘Norton,’ she said, flattening the photo against the glass. ‘Look at this.’ Norton stared at it for some seconds. ‘Do you recognise anyone?’ He frowned and shrugged. shrugged. ‘No.’
CHAPTER THREE
51
A horrified feeling feeling began to creep up on her. her. Anji replaced replaced the photo with the one of Norton and the girl. ‘What about this?’ Norton studied it and his lips twitched into a smile. ‘That’s Georgia,’ he breathed, his eyes glistening. ‘That’s Georgia.’ ‘Who is she with?’. ‘I’m not sure –’ Norton frowned at the picture through the window, trying to remember. ‘l don’t know.’ Tears streamed down his cheeks. ‘Who is he? Who is he?’ ‘Unstuc ‘Unstuck k in time? time? Wha Whatt is that supposed supposed to mean?’ mean?’ Fitz Fitz scrape scraped d his way through through another tin of ersatz meat. The base’s medical medical bay reeked of disinfectant. infectant. It looked looked half derelict, derelict, the walls shelved with electroni electronicc instruments, ments, a grimy ceramic sink and wooden workbenc workbenches. hes. Oddly, Oddly, a row of fridge fridgess lined lined one side of the room. room. Large, Large, coffin-si coffin-sized zed fridges. fridges. Upon Upon entering, Fitz had glanced inside one, only to shudder at the sight of Bishop lying still and dead. The Doctor had reassured reassured him that Bishop had merely been decelerated in time. Put on hold, as it were. ‘Norton no longer has any sense of the “now”,’ the Doctor explained. ‘He’s lost the ability to discern the past and present.’ ‘He’s losing his memory, too,’ said Anji. ‘Anachrophobia.’ Lane stoked up another cigarette. ‘Classic symptoms.’ ‘Yes,’ said the Doctor. ‘But there might be something more to it. I think he may have have been. been. . . affected affected by their their exposure exposure to time.’ time.’ ‘And how, exactly, are we supposed to check for this?’ said Lane. “Hammond’s gone over them and found nothing.’ ‘It may not be detect detectabl able e by the usual usual means. means. I have have a theory theory I would would like to put to the test, Miss Lane. May I borrow one of your TR suits?’ ‘Be my guest.’ The Doctor unhitched a protective suit from beside the quarantine airlock. lock. He remove removed d his own coat with with a flourish flourish and and handed handed it to Fitz. Fitz. In his shirtsleeves, he climbed into the baggy suit, strapping himself in as he unfolded the legs up to his waist. Soon the Doctor was completely enclosed apart from his head. ‘May I?’ said the Doctor, indicating a small brass timepiece and stethoscope. scope. Lane Lane shrugged shrugged.. The Doctor Doctor deposite deposited d them them in a pocket, pocket, and then then pulled pulled on a rubber rubber head-mas head-mask k and disappea disappeared red inside inside the airlock. airlock. ‘One ‘One two, one two.’ His voice hissed through the intercom. ‘Sterilising airlock,’ said Lane. ‘Complete.’ Through Through the window window, Fitz saw the inner inner door swing open. open. A survivalsuited figure emerged, his blank gas mask eyes searching from left to right.
CHAPTER THREE
52
At the other end of the quarantine area, Norton and Ash lay on their beds, shivering in uneasy sleep. ‘What’s he playing at?’ whispered whispered Fitz. The Th e Doct Doctor or chec checke ked d the time time on the the brass brass cloc clock, k, jamm jammed ed the the stet stetho hosc scop ope e drum into the back of the timepiece, and plugged the stethoscope ears into the suit mic socket. After a sharp snap, a steady clicking came through the interc intercom. om. The tickin ticking g of the clock. clock. Fitz Fitz tapped his fingers fingers in time to the clicking. The Doctor approached the two soldiers, the clock held at arm’s length. Fitz’s tapping tapping started to slip out of synch. Either he was losing his sense of rhythm rhythm or the clicki clicking ng had slowed slowed down. down. He kept his fingers fingers still still and listened. It was definite definitely ly slowing slowing down. down. Each Each tick tick seemed seemed to be drawn out, as though though each second second had been stretche stretched d to twice twice its normal normal length. length. The pauses pauses between ticks ticks grew larger still, still, to three seconds, seconds, five. . . The Doctor rested the clock on Norton’s bedside. The clicking clicking halted. Fitz could hear nothing but static. Very gingerly, the Doctor picked up the clock and stepped away from Nort Norton on.. Imme Immedi diat atel ely y, ther there e was was a rapi rapid d tickin ticking g as the cloc clock k rush rushed ed to rega regain in the seconds it had missed. As the Doctor returned to the door, the tick-tock returned to normal. ‘Bloody ‘Bloody hell,’ said Lane. ‘They’re ‘They’re slowing down time.’ ‘You think they’ve been contaminated?’ ‘Yes,’ said the Doctor, bundling his TR suit on to a shelf. ‘A little time can be a dangerous thing.’ ‘Something ‘Something to do with this chrono-nonium chrono-nonium stuff?’ Fitz couldn’t couldn’t understand how the two soldiers could be at a time-standstill, while he could still see their chests rising and falling. falling. Shouldn’t Shouldn’t they be motionless, motionless, like Bishop Bis hop in his fridge? fridge? And what what was a DT zone, zone, anyway anyway? ? He’d He’d imagine imagined d it as a place where where the air had turne turned d to liquid. liquid. The Doctor Doctor could could move throug through h it, but only becau because se of his special special time-r time-resi esista stant nt suit. suit. But. But. . . but whenever whenever Fitz thought he was close to understandi understanding, ng, he lost his thread. thread. ‘Chr ‘Chron onon oniu ium? m? Th They ey seem seem to be exhib exhibiti iting ng some some of its prop proper erti ties es,’ ,’ agre agreed ed the Doctor. Doctor. ‘But, no, I don’t think it’s that simple.’ simple.’ ‘Never is, is it?’ ‘Anji – you observed that Norton’s memory was deteriorating?’ ‘Yes,’ said Anji. ‘Half an hour ago he knew who Lane was. Now he can’t even recognise his own face.’ ‘Sometimes I don’t recognise my own face,’ muttered the Doctor. ‘Those little white lies –’ He tugged on his coat, brushing his mane free of the
