Текст книги "Doctor Who- The Sontaran Games"

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Chapter Six

THEY HURRIED THROUGH the corridors. The four students had all decided to stay with the Doctor. None of them fancied trying to hide from the Sontarans on their own.

It was easy to track down the rest of the athletes. The Doctor and his friends just followed the sound of screams.

‘They’re in the gym hall,’ Holly told the Doctor. She shivered. ‘What are they doing in there?’

‘That’s what we’ve got to find out,’ he replied.

Emma looked thoughtful. ‘Doesn’t the hall have a viewing gallery?’ she said. ‘They might not notice us if we were up there, but we could see what was going on.’

The Doctor beamed at her. ‘Good plan!’ he said. He spun around. ‘Lead the way!’

They hurried up a flight of stairs and into the viewing gallery. There they crouched down, not wanting to be spotted by any Sontarans who looked their way. Bent almost double, they crept to the front of the gallery and peered into the gym.

Frantic, crying students filled one end of the hall. They were dressed in nightclothes. Some of them seemed dazed. Perhaps they didn’t know that they were awake and thought they were still in a nightmare. At the other end, towering above them, was a Sontaran. The Doctor did a double take. Then he realised that the short alien was standing on a vaulting horse. ‘I hope he falls off,’ he muttered.

A Sontaran stood on either side of the horse. ‘Silence!’ shouted the Sontaran on the left.

The Sontaran on the other side echoed him. ‘Silence! Silence!’ Their guns swung from side to side, covering the panicking students.

A laser beam flew into the crowd. There were cries, but it didn’t seem as though anyone had been hit. A warning shot. The students fell silent except for a few sobs.

‘Silence for Major Stenx!’ shouted the left-hand Sontaran.

‘Silence for Stenx the Strong-hearted!’ shouted the right-hand Sontaran, despite the fact that the students had clearly got the message already.

The central Sontaran carefully lifted up his helmet. Emma clapped a hand to her mouth. There were gasps all around the gym as the alien’s head was revealed. Its skin was the muddy brown of a rotten apple. Its head was as domed and hairless as the same fruit cut in half. Little piggy eyes squinted from either side of a large nose. A small black tongue flicked in and out of a slit of a mouth as the Sontaran spoke.

‘I am Major Stenx of the Twelfth Sontaran Battle Fleet. This building is now under Sontaran control,’ he announced. ‘You there!’ A three-fingered hand jabbed towards a scared-looking young man near the front of the crowd.

‘That’s Jimmy,’ whispered Karl.

‘What is the purpose of this place?’ Stenx went on.

‘This is . . . this is BASE,’ the lad stammered. ‘We’re training for the Games.’

‘Games?’ echoed Stenx. ‘What are these “Games” of which you speak?’

Jimmy could barely speak for fear. ‘The . . . the Globe Games,’ he said at last. ‘We compete with other countries in sports.’

‘Ah!’ Stenx’s thin mouth curved into a smile. ‘You are warriors, then, of a sort. This is good! Sontarans, too, think training is vital if one is to defeat one’s enemies. Perhaps you will provide a challenge for Sontaran soldiers, unlike the rest of your feeble species.’

Stenx ordered Jimmy to come forward. Trembling, the young man did so, and stood in front of the vaulting horse.

‘Tell me,’ said Stenx, ‘in what sport do you compete?’

‘I’m a hurdler,’ Jimmy said. His voice was so low that the Doctor had to strain to hear.

‘A hurdler?’

‘I jump over hurdles. And run. Run and jump. Over hurdles.’

‘Run and jump.’ Stenx leaned over to speak to one of his aides. The Sontaran nodded, then stomped over to a balance beam and knelt down, appearing to inspect it. Stenx turned back to Jimmy. ‘You could jump over that?’ he asked, pointing at the beam.

Jimmy nodded.

‘Good. Do so. I wish to see this “running and jumping”.’

The Doctor stared down at the Sontarans. Every instinct he possessed was telling him to leap from the viewing gallery and confront them. He knew, though, that he had more chance of stopping them if they didn’t know he was there. So far, at least, they hadn’t harmed anyone.

Down in the gym, Jimmy had started to run towards the beam. As he picked up pace, the worry seemed to drain from his face. He was an athlete. This was what he did.

The youth soared gracefully into the air. He cleared the beam easily, and came in to land. His foot touched the floor.

There was an explosion. It happened in a split second, and no one had time to turn away. All the students saw exactly what happened to Jimmy.

The Doctor saw it too. His hands were on top of the barrier and his knees were bent. He was ready to vault down into the hall before the sound had even died away.

Strong arms dragged him back. To the Doctor’s enormous surprise, Emma was pulling him down to the floor of the gallery. Her swimmer’s muscles were straining to hold back the angry Time Lord. ‘Don’t!’ she whispered. ‘If they catch you, you’ll condemn us all to death.’

‘But that boy, Jimmy,’ the Doctor began.

Emma shook her head. ‘It’s too late for him. You have to stay free, for the rest of us. You’re our only hope.’

Down in the hall, Major Stenx was speaking to the shocked students. ‘An interesting study. The youth had speed and some degree of skill, but his mind was not alert. He failed to detect the charge placed by Captain Skeed.’ He sneered. ‘I believe you humans have a saying which he did not observe: “Look before you leap”. He did not, and so is no match for the might of the Sontarans!’ Stenx thumped a fist against his palm. ‘Sontar-ha!’

The two Sontarans beside him took up the cry. ‘Sontar-ha! Sontar-ha!’

Up in the gallery, the Doctor was nearly boiling over with anger. He wanted to be down there, facing the Sontarans. It was only Emma’s hand on his arm that was holding him back.

‘I need to know why they’re here!’ he hissed through closed teeth. ‘Then maybe I’ll be able to stop them.’

Karl, Sid and Holly had crept closer, perhaps feeling safer near the Doctor. ‘Maybe it’s something to do with the swimming pool,’ Sid suggested. ‘That’s where the first death happened.’

The Doctor nodded. ‘As good a place to start as any,’ he said. ‘Let’s go.’

As they crept from the gallery, the Sontarans’ shouts echoed after them. ‘Sontar-ha! Sontarha! SONTAR-HA!’

Chapter Seven

THE DOCTOR AND the four students made their way out of the viewing gallery. They headed towards the swimming pool.

‘I don’t think we’re going to learn anything, though,’ said Emma. ‘I know Laura died there, but the other two didn’t.’

Holly nodded. ‘Well, yeah. But Andy’s body was found quite near the pool area, and Joe was Laura’s boyfriend – he might have been trying to find out what had happened to her.’

The Doctor’s ears pricked up. This was news to him.

‘You didn’t tell me two of the victims were a couple,’ he said to Emma. ‘I thought no one round here spoke to anyone else!’

She wrinkled her nose. ‘Sorry. I forgot you wouldn’t have known.’ She shook her head. ‘But I still don’t think the pool’s important. We’ve been swimming there every day since and not seen anything odd.’

‘Ah, but you didn’t know what you were looking for!’ he said.

Karl looked hopeful. ‘And you do?’ he said eagerly.

‘Well, no,’ said the Doctor, and the students sighed. ‘But I am an ace private eye with a degree in detecting and a licence to sleuth. I’ll work it out.’

They reached the pool room. The Doctor asked Karl to stay on guard, watching for Sontarans. The sprinter seemed relieved not to have to come inside with the others.

The Doctor flicked a switch as they entered, and the pool area was flooded with harsh white light. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Emma shiver.

‘Cold?’ he said.

She shook her head and pointed at the pool. ‘That’s where she was,’ she said. ‘Laura. You could just see her hair, floating out on the surface like seaweed.’

The Doctor patted her shoulder awkwardly. ‘Don’t worry. I’m not going to let anything like that happen again.’ He paused for a second, trying to think of something else to say. ‘You know, it is a bit chilly in here. Indoor pools are usually toasty warm.’

‘The heating went out with the first power cut,’ said Emma, still staring at the water.

‘Ah.’ There didn’t seem to be a lot else to say. The Doctor was itching to begin his search. He started to roam around the room, looking for anything that seemed out of place. Notices on the walls warned about the dangers of running on the wet tiles. The Doctor was still wearing the rubber boots, though, and he was as sure-footed as a cat.

After a few minutes, Sid called over, ‘Is it just me, or can anyone else smell something?’

They all sniffed. ‘It’s just chlorine,’ said Emma. ‘They put loads of it in the pool to keep it clean. You’d get used to it if you were down here all the time.’

Sid shook his head. ‘No, there’s something else.’

The Doctor joined Sid. He shut his eyes, letting his keen Time Lord sense of smell take over. ‘You’re right, there is something,’ he said, and began to sniff like a bloodhound, with his eyes still closed. Only Sid’s quick reactions stopped the Doctor walking straight into the swimming pool.

After a short detour, he was back on the trail again. ‘It’s over here,’ he said at last, opening his eyes. He was standing by a grille in the floor. He peered through it, but couldn’t see anything.

After a few waves of the sonic screwdriver, the Doctor was able to pull up the grating. Using his torch, he examined the opening, and finally reached an arm down the hole.

Emma, Sid and Holly watched with bated breath as the Doctor pulled his arm out again. His hand came into view. It was holding on to another hand, gripping it as if pulling someone up through the floor.

But there was no person on the other end of the hand. There wasn’t even an arm.

Holly turned round and was sick. Sid and Emma looked as though they were thinking of joining her.

The Doctor laid the hand on the tiled floor. ‘Someone’s tipped about a gallon of chlorine over it. They probably hoped to hide the rotting smell. That makes it harder to judge how long it’s been down there, but I’d say about a week.’

‘But that’s before Laura died!’ said Sid.

‘Oh yes.’ The Doctor nodded. ‘And none of the bodies you showed me had a hand missing. There weren’t just those three deaths. There were four.’ He turned and stared at the students. ‘At least.’

Emma opened her mouth, but the Doctor never heard what she had to say. An alarm blared out, making them all jump. Then a hoarse Sontaran voice boomed out of a speaker. ‘Alert! Alert! Humans are still loose in the building! They must be found!’

‘What’s happening?’ cried Holly.

‘Well,’ said the Doctor, ‘I reckon the Sontaran that Sid knocked out has just woken up. The building is sealed, so they know we must still be around somewhere.’

‘We’ve got to get out of here!’ Emma called, running towards the door. She flung it open, but was met by Karl, coming the other way.

‘Sontarans!’ he yelled. ‘They’re nearly here!’

The five looked around in dismay. There was only one other exit, a tunnel leading to the changing rooms. They dashed towards it.

Halfway across the floor, Holly slipped on the wet tiles and landed on her back. Unable to stop in time, Sid fell over the prone gymnast. Karl held out a hand, but Sid yelled in pain as he tried to get up. He fell back, clutching his ankle. Emma tried to help Holly, but she just lay there, muttering about being dizzy.

Heavy footsteps were getting nearer and nearer. A Sontaran shadow fell across the doorway. There was no time now to get to the tunnel, even if Sid and Holly could walk.

Quick as a flash, Emma jumped into the pool, her dive barely creating a single ripple. The Doctor hardly had a second to reflect on her skill, before two helmeted Sontarans entered. He recognised Captain Skeed by the military symbols on his collar, and assumed the other Sontaran must be the one they’d met by the TARDIS. Both held weapons.

‘Ah!’ cried Skeed. ‘Here they are. Did you think you could escape the Sontarans for long?’

‘Not really,’ said the Doctor, joining them. ‘Oh well. We’d better get going, then.’ He began to walk out of the door.

‘Not so fast, human!’ Skeed put up a hand to stop him. ‘Our great leader Stenx has said you must be punished for your conduct. You are to take part in the first ever Sontaran Games!’

‘Really?’ said the Doctor. ‘Lucky old me! Well, I don’t want to miss that.’ He started walking again.

Skeed raised his weapon, pointing it at the three students. ‘These others will also take part in the Games.’

The Doctor waved a hand. ‘What, them? They wouldn’t be much good. One’s got a busted ankle and one’s just whacked her head on the floor.’ He waggled a finger round his ear. ‘Can’t think straight. No use at all.’

‘We will find a use for them,’ said the second Sontaran, starting towards the little group.

‘No, no, all right, they’re coming,’ said the Doctor hurriedly, as Holly and Sid limped towards the door, helped by Karl. He didn’t want the Sontarans getting any closer to the pool. If Emma could remain free, they might still have a chance. But how much longer could she stay under the water? If they didn’t get out of here soon, she would have to come up for air and all would be lost.

The Doctor gave a sigh of relief as the three students finally made it across the floor, and he started hustling them out through the door. ‘Come on, come on, we don’t want to keep the Sontarans waiting. It’s the first ever Sontaran Games, you know.’

He risked a quick glance back. Was that a dark shape at the bottom of the pool? With a sigh, the Doctor turned away as Skeed slammed the door. Emma had been under the water for almost three minutes – could she possibly have held her breath for that long?

The Doctor, Karl, Sid and Holly were led back to the gym hall. Holly seemed dazed still, and was holding on to the Doctor’s arm. Sid leant on Karl, and was wincing in pain with every step.

Skeed seemed interested in the students, and asked the Doctor about them. ‘The damaged one, what is his sport?’ the Sontaran said.

The Doctor glanced back at Sid, unsure if telling the truth would get the lad into trouble. ‘Oh, throwing things mainly,’ he said lightly.

Skeed nodded. ‘Ah. Then he is of little use to us. All missiles have been removed. Is that not right, Lieutenant Slorr?’

The other Sontaran stood up straight. ‘Following my disgrace, I offered Major Stenx my weapon!’ he said hotly. ‘He refused to accept it, as all are needed to find—’

‘Silence!’ Captain Skeed’s eyes burned through the slots in his helmet as he shouted. ‘Do not add to your folly by speaking of Sontaran concerns in front of these humans!’

The Doctor smiled to himself. Dissent in the ranks was always good. Besides, he now knew something he hadn’t known before. The Sontarans were searching for something. The question was – what?

Chapter Eight

THE GYM HAD changed since the Doctor had last been in it. For a start, all the students had gone. Only the sad, huddled body of Jimmy, the Sontarans’ victim, was left.

A number of pieces of sporting equipment had been dragged onto the floor. Stenx was walking around the room, inspecting them.

The Sontaran major turned as the Doctor and his friends were brought in. He strode over and looked the four up and down.

Holly flinched as he reached out and touched her throat. ‘A female,’ Stenx said. ‘Females possess less speed and strength than the males. They are inferior.’

Holly let go of the Doctor’s arm and faced Stenx. ‘Oh no we aren’t,’ she said, as she walked forward and fell over.

Stenx sneered. ‘Point proved.’

‘She’s one of the best gymnasts in the country!’ Karl put in. ‘Maybe the best. She’s not inferior to anyone.’

The Doctor smiled at Karl as he helped Holly to her feet. He hadn’t imagined it – the students were starting to be nicer to each other.

‘She’s hurt,’ the Doctor told Stenx. ‘She may be concussed. She needs help.’

‘To help a damaged human would be a waste of Sontaran resources,’ said the major.

‘Two of them are damaged,’ put in Captain Skeed. He pointed at Karl and the Doctor. ‘Only these two are fit for our purpose.’

Stenx moved over to Karl and lifted his chin with one stubby finger. ‘What skill do you possess, human?’

‘I’m a runner,’ gasped Karl. ‘A sprinter.’

The Sontaran gave a nod. Without a neck, the whole of his upper body moved forward as he did so. ‘Speed is good, but not vital,’ he said. ‘Yes, we will use this one first. It will not matter if he dies.’

Lieutenant Slorr grabbed Karl’s arm and began to drag him forward. The scared youth gave the Doctor a pleading look.

The Doctor coughed. ‘You haven’t asked me what skill I possess,’ he said quietly.

Stenx turned towards him. ‘Well, human?’

‘Quite well, thank you. But not human.’

Four guns pointed at him instantly. ‘This is the one!’ shouted Skeed. ‘The one we have been searching for! Cover him, Lieutenant Skezz!’ The fourth Sontaran pointed his gun at the Doctor.

The Doctor frowned. He had wanted to distract them. He hadn’t dreamed he would turn out to be the prey they were hunting.

But no. If they had been looking for him, surely they would have recognised the TARDIS.

‘Do you deny you are the shape-shifter?’ yelled Skezz.

‘Yes, I deny it!’ said the Doctor. Then he thought for a second. ‘Well, maybe a shape-shifter. I don’t do it on a daily basis, though, just, oooh, maybe once a century. Does that count?’ He grinned. ‘But I know who you’re looking for, now, Major Stinks.’

‘The name is Stenx!’ yelled Captain Skeed. ‘Stenx the Strong-hearted!’

‘That’s what I said,’ agreed the Doctor. ‘Stinks the Strong-f—’ He broke off, as Skeed’s gun swung round to point at Karl.

‘You will show respect to the major,’ Skeed growled. ‘If you do not, I will kill this human as an example to you.’

Every trace of a smile vanished from the Doctor’s face. ‘Oh, I wouldn’t do that,’ he said, and his stare made even the Sontarans flinch. He lowered his voice. ‘You never did ask me what my skill was. Bit rude to assume I’ve just got the one, by the way. I’ve got lots.’

Stenx waved his gun, but the Doctor would not be cowed and kept on. ‘But the main one, the big one, is the skill to know about everything. Well, almost everything. More or less everything. Perhaps a bit more less than more. Still, I know lots and lots about you. The Sontarans. In fact, one of my other skills is defeating you. Want to hang around while I do it again, or will you leave this planet now?’

‘How dare you speak to Major Stenx like that!’ shouted Captain Skeed. ‘Who do you think you are, creature who is not human?’

The Doctor smiled. ‘I’m a Time Lord,’ he said. ‘I hope that answers all your questions.’

For a moment, none of the Sontarans spoke. Then Stenx smiled. ‘The ancient enemy,’ he said. ‘What a prize to bring Sontaran High Command!’ He turned to his fellow Sontarans. ‘Comrades! When we arrived on this planet, we thought merely of gaining a single kill. Then the trail led here, and we gained the chance to collect data on humans. Now we can also assess the weak points of a Time Lord! For the glory of Sontar!’

The others echoed his cry. ‘For the glory of Sontar!’

The Doctor was tempted to remind them that he was the last of the Time Lords. Anything they learned from him wouldn’t be of much use to them in the future. But then they might decide to just kill him straight away, so he kept quiet.

The Doctor was locked up in a cupboard. Empty racks were labelled ‘javelins’, ‘bows’ and so on. The Sontarans had removed anything that might be used as a weapon against them. He tried to open the door with his sonic screwdriver, but failed.

There was one glimmer of hope, though.

The Doctor had been led under the edge of the viewing gallery. For a moment he’d thought it was raining indoors, as a spot of water hit his head. It wasn’t rain, of course. He’d lifted his hand, wiped the wet spot and held his fingers to his nose. Was that the faintest whiff of chlorine? Could it be a drip of water from a soaking wet swimmer, hiding somewhere above him?

He’d raised his head, slowly, hoping the Sontarans wouldn’t spot what he was doing. He’d looked up at the gallery.

A hand had crept over the edge, and given him a thumbs-up.

The Doctor had smiled. If Emma was there, he still had a chance.