Chapter Three
In Windsor Great Park, the Doctor turns off the scanner.
"What can we do?" asked Nita.
"I think our best move is to go to the crypt, unarmed, with the bow," replied the Doctor.
"Professor, are you losing your marbles?" cried Ace.
The Doctor takes a handful of marbles from his pocket and pours them into Ace's hands.
"We've got to get the bow into the statue's hands in order to activate the validium," he said.
"Is this the only way?" asked Nita.
"I believe in the direct approach," replied the Doctor. "You can always go back to the Tardis."
"Are we going or what?" asked Ace.
In the Crypt, De Flores tips some gold dust into his palm then turns around to face the Cybermen.
"Surely we, er, we can negotiate this er, this misunderstanding?" he said.
"Our understanding is perfect," replied the Cyber Leader. "You thought you had all three components of the statue, and naturally wished to destroy us."
"You are completely mistaken," objected Karl.
"Silence!" commanded the Leader.
"Validium activity indicates proximity of the bow, Leader."
"Excellent. Kill them."
De Flores throws the gold dust at the Leader, but is aiming at its head, not chest unit. It staggers back briefly as De Flores and Karl walk out.
Outside the Crypt, a Cyberman follows them.
"Herr De Flores!" cried Karl.
"You fool, they're going to kill us."
"Your day is over."
"You betray me? Have I taught you nothing?"
"Everything. Which is why we now part company. I'm afraid you failed to understand history in addition to Wagner."
"I?"
"Supermen are all very well, but the giants are the master race."
The Cyber Leader comes outside.
"Here he is." Karl turned to the Cyber Leader. "Now make me one of you."
"You show potential," said the Cyber Leader. "Very well. Have them programmed at once."
Two Cybermen take Karl and De Flores back inside the tower.
"We must complete the statue immediately," said the Cyber Leader. "Locate the bow. Destroy the Doctor and his young friends."
Richard leads the Lady Peinforte up some steps from below the base of the tower.
"How is it with you, my lady?"
"I understand not."
"What's to understand?"
"Always I have treated you badly. I have done you no service, shown you no kindness, and yet you risk your life to save me. Why so?"
"Should I not?"
"I do not live in the world of what should. But you're a good man, Richard, and I am evil."
"My lady, we have no more weapons."
"No, you're wrong. I have one more yet that will not fail. My knowledge. I will have the statue of Nemesis."
In Windsor Great Park…
"Doctor."
"Ace?"
"Look, let's be honest, right? I've never really bottled out of anything before, have I, but I'm really, really scared, Doctor."
"Me too, Doctor," said Nita.
"Oh, girls. I'm sorry. Forgive me. Why don't you go back to the Tardis? You'll be safe there, whatever happens."
"No chance, Doctor," said Nita.
"No chance," echoed Ace.
In the Crypt, De Flores and Karl have been fitted with headphones.
"The Cyberfleet are still not receiving our transmission, Leader," said a Cyberman.
"Is there any pattern to the jamming signal?" asked the Leader.
The Cyberman turns on the monitor channel, and jazz is heard.
"It is meaningless," replied the Cyberman.
As the Doctor, Nita and Ace run towards the tower, the tape stops. The communications unit light comes on.
"Communication channels to the Cyberfleet are clear again, Leader."
"Excellent. Their arrival is imminent."
"You fool!" cried De Flores. "Without the bow the statue's power is nothing."
"We will shortly obtain the bow," said the Leader.
"From the Doctor?" cried De Flores. "Don't delude yourself. He is no common adversary. Do you think he'll simply walk in here and hand it over?"
"Good afternoon," said the Doctor.
"Doctor," said the Leader.
"Yes, here we are," said the Doctor. "I'm sorry we couldn't have been here earlier, but we were held up on the way. I don't believe you've met my friends Ace and Nita.
"Give me the bow," commanded the Leader.
"Cyberleader moves pawn to discover check," said the Doctor.
"Ace replies by neatly castling with the bow," said Ace.
"Give me the bow," repeated the Leader.
"Doctor en passant behind Cyberleader," said the Doctor.
"Give me the bow!"
The Doctor grabs the bow with his umbrella.
"Doctor supports combination gambit."
"Take the bow from him!" commanded the Leader.
"Middle game element with Cybermen," said the Doctor.
The Doctor pirouettes to the sarcophagus, putting his hat over a Cyberman's gun.
"Kill him!" cried the Leader.
"End game. Illegal move, but checkmate!" cried the Doctor.
The Doctor gives the bow to Nemesis to activate it, then takes it back.
"That seems to be in order," he said.
The Doctor takes back his hat.
"Run!"
Outside the Crypt…
"The Tardis," said the Doctor.
"No statue?" asked Nita.
"Now it's awake, it'll follow the bow," replied the Doctor.
The glowing silver statue stands up and there are small explosions around her. A piercing scream splits the air as fire blows out of the windows of the tower.
In Windsor Great Park, Lady Peinforte hears it.
"Fear not, Richard. It is the Nemesis come alive."
"Alive?"
"Why, yes. Which means it is complete, and now it shall be mine."
The Tardis dematerialises.
"All power, all power past, present and future, shall be mine. Why, I shall be mistress of all of that is, all that shall be, all that ever was. Yes, all! All!"
"My lady, let us find some shelter."
"How dare you! I shall lead and you follow!"
At Lady Peinforte's home, the Doctor is staring at the chess board in 1638 while Ace rolls up the mathematicians papers.
"Hey, why are we here? What's going on, Professor?"
"Unfinished business. We don't want those to fall into the wrong hands, just yet."
"How's the game going?" asked Nita.
"Black's losing."
"What happens to these calculations?" asked Ace.
"Bishop takes rook. Someone steals them."
"The same person who steals the bow?" asked Ace. "I mean, the same person who steals it in 1788?"
"How should I know, Ace? Questions, questions. Queen takes bishop."
"Who brought validium to Earth in the first place?" asked Nita.
"But pawn takes queen."
"What's really going on, Doctor?" asked Nita.
"Checkmate. Black wins. Time to go. Take those gold coins. We may need them."
On the Road, Lady Peinforte and Richard see a hitchhiker get a lift in a car.
"We needs must walk, Richard. We have no carriage."
"We can avail ourselves of one of these steeds, my lady. I see the method. Sit you here and rest awhile."
Lady Peinforte settles herself on a stone seat built into the estate wall. Richard goes to the side of the road and sticks his thumb out. A car drives straight past him, then a second. Lady Peinforte sings to herself as she waits.
In the Crypt…
"The Doctor must not lead the statue back to the rocket sleds," said the Cyber Leader. "We will stop him."
In a Warehouse, the Tardis materialises.
"Ah. Now, the statue should be here any moment now," said the Doctor. "Everything depends on my final calculations. I can't get my figures wrong this time."
"It's okay, Professor. We promise not to interrupt you."
"You are interrupting me."
"Sorry."
"There's also another slight problem," said the Doctor. "The Cybermen could be here at any moment."
"Don't worry, Doctor. We'll look after you," said Nita.
Ace takes a catapult from her belt.
"Aim at the chest panel. And I trust you remember my strict instructions never to cause any further explosions?"
"I'm a better person as a result, Doctor," replied Ace.
"Good. We're ready for anything."
Ace goes to place the Nitro Nine flask.
On the road…
"All will be mine," said Lady Peinforte.
Richard is still failing to get a lift. Lady Peinforte gets up as a stretched limousine approaches and holds up her hand.
In the limousine, there is a rich American lady in the back.
"Er, Cyril, honey, pull the automobile over. There's some people there who could use a lift."
The car stops and the window winds down.
"Where are you folks headed?"
"To Windsor, and it please you, ma'am," said Richard.
"It surely does, honey. Jump right in."
In the Crypt, Karl has disposed of his headphones and the Cybermen.
"Herr De Flores, your day is over," he said.
He takes De Flores's headphones off. De Flores laughs. "You betray me. Have I taught you nothing?"
"We completely deceived them, Herr De Flores."
"Even I thought for a moment we were finished. I am not afraid of death, only of failing in my duty."
In the warehouse, the Doctor climbs into the rocket sled with the bow. The statue arrives and floats in beside him.
"Now, ah yes, the bow. The bow. The bow is essential. You shall have the bow."
The Nemesis takes the bow.
In the limousine…
"You must be parched from standing in the sun. May I offer you a little refreshment?"
"Thank you, no, madam," said Richard.
"Oh. Are you folks students?"
"Alas, I am but a servant, and cannot read or write."
"Oh."
"My mistress is of noble birth, and has some Latin and a little Greek."
"Well, you must be on vacation at this time."
"Go you far, ma'am?" asked Richard.
"Far? Oh, I just came over from London."
"Two days ride," said Richard.
"Well, no, actually the traffic was pretty reasonable. I left about, let's see, forty minutes ago."
"Forty minutes?" asked Richard.
"Folks from the south are never in a hurry. As a matter of fact, I'm here on a visit, checking out my roots."
"Tis wise with crops this time of year, ma'am," said Richard.
"Oh."
In the warehouse, while the Doctor programmes the rocket sled, Ace and Nita walk up to look at the statue.
"I am beautiful, am I not?" said the Nemesis.
"Yes. You're very beautiful," said Nita.
"It is only my present form. I have had others which would horrify you. I shall have those again. You are surprised I speak?"
"I know you're living metal," said Ace.
"I am whatever I am made to be. This time Lady Peinforte called me Nemesis, so I am retribution."
"Catch you later," said Nita.
In the limousine…
"Well, my family came from around here. I traced them all the way back to the sixteen hundreds."
"All things will soon be mine," said Lady Peinforte.
"I guess they will, honey."
"Time past, present and future. Power invincible."
In the warehouse, Ace runs to the doorway and a Cyberman enters, firing. She runs back and up the steps to a landing outside an office, gets out her catapult and sends a gold coin straight into its chest unit. The other Cybermen enter and see the body.
"Destroy the human female. Find and destroy her!" commanded the Leader.
In the limousine…
"The secret of the heavens," said Lady Peinforte.
"Virginia is heaven, if you ask me. My family owns a little land there. They used to own a little land around here, too. The Remingtons of Remington Grange."
"I know them," said Lady Peinforte. "Thieves and swindlers all."
"You study history?" asked Ms Remington.
"Dorothea Remington did bribe away my cook."
"Oh. Now, let me see. Yes, there was a Dorothea. She died in sixteen…"
"…Twenty one. Twas a slow poison."
"This is unbelievable."
"Many found it so."
"Here I am, driving around, and I pick up someone who's researched my family tree."
"We ride to destiny."
"We surely do, honey. We surely do."
In the warehouse, Nita takes out a Cyberman on the upper floor then leads another on a chase while the Doctor continues his programming. Another meets its end on a small spiral stone staircase, but the second forces her to move up the steps, leaving the bag of coins behind.
The Nemesis lies down in the rocket sled.
"And now, we'll set the rockets for the correct projection, and then you will be on course for the Cyberfleet."
Ace makes her way along a catwalk up in the roof space. She sees the Tardis down below her, then a Cyberman pops up in front of her and holds up its hands. The Cyberleader is on the adjoining catwalk.
"Why? You're going to kill me anyway."
"We detect only one more piece of gold," said the Leader.
"Correct. So who'll be next, and who'll be lucky?"
A third Cyberman boxes her in from the rear.
"Kill her."
Ace fires her catapult at the Cyberleader on the other catwalk, then ducks to let the two Cybermen in front and behind kill each other.
The Doctor is outside the rocket sled.
"The rockets are now locked in to a destination. Now, let's see how the Cyberfleet is progressing."
He turns on the tape deck scanner.
"Right on course."
"And I'm to destroy the entire Cyberfleet?" asked the Nemesis.
"Forever."
"And then?"
"Reform."
"You might need me in the future, then?"
"I hope not."
"That is what you said before."
"Enough."
"And after this, will I have my freedom?"
"Not yet."
"When?"
"I told you when."
The Doctor takes the bow from Nemesis.
"Things are still imperfect," said the Doctor.
Two Cybermen approach the Doctor and Ace and Nita run in. They turn, guns raised.
"Stop! Harm them in the slightest, and I will destroy this bow!"
"Give us the bow, Doctor."
"No."
"We shall simply take it and kill you all."
"Ah."
"In any case, your threat was meaningless. How could you have destroyed the bow?"
"Well, actually, I would have arranged to have the bow neatly placed in front of the rocket sled. Then I would have arranged the rockets to test fire at a pre-arranged time. By the way, Ace, what is the time?"
"Well, it's almost…"
The Doctor hooks her arm with his umbrella and pulls back behind the rocket motors just before they burst into life, incinerating the Cyberman. The Doctor covers both girl's eyes. Up on the catwalk, the Cyberman removes the bent gold coin from its chest unit.
"Is that it, Doctor?" asked Nita. "Oh no, not you again."
It is De Flores and Karl.
"The bow," said De Flores.
Karl picks it up and hands it to De Flores.
"We have both succeeded in deceiving the Cybermen," said De Flores.
"They made the mistake of assuming all human beings to be weak, corruptible," said Karl. "We, however, are loyal to the death."
De Flores takes the bow to Nemesis.
"The long journey is over. You will be worshipped forever. Doesn't she speak?"
"Not to the likes of you," said the Doctor.
"She will. Well, Doctor, we must part. And thank you for removing the Cybermen. Now the Nemesis is finally mine."
The Cyberleader shoots De Flores and Karl.
"I'm sorry, Doctor," said Ace. "I thought I'd got him."
"Give me the bow, or I will kill her," said the Leader.
"All things, all power," said Lady Peinforte. "Time, space, the world."
"She is mad," said the Leader.
"Speak not of my lady so," said Richard.
"See, I am here."
"What do you want?" asked Nita.
"My Nemesis."
"You're too late," said Ace. "The Doctor's got it."
"It is incomplete until it holds the bow. That may be given over to anyone. It will now be given to me."
"No! To us!" cried the Leader.
"You are nothing. Only the Doctor matters, and he is but a pawn in the game of my making."
"Listen, you old bag!" cried Nita.
"Silence!" cried Richard.
"The Doctor's not just going to give you the bow," said Ace. "Tell her, Doctor. Tell her."
"Doctor who? Have you never wondered where he came from, who he is?" asked Lady Peinforte.
"Nobody knows who the Doctor is," said Nita.
"Except me," said Lady Peinforte.
"How?" asked Ace.
"I know him."
"All right, so what does it matter? He's a Time Lord, we know that," said Nita.
"Well, Doctor?"
"If I give you the bow…"
"Your power becomes mine, but your secrets remain your own."
"It's all over, girls. My battle, all my battles, I've lost. I can only surrender."
"Yes."
"But not to you. The Cybermen will have the Nemesis."
The Doctor gives the bow to the Cyberleader.
"This is most rational, Doctor," said the Leader.
"But I know your secrets."
"Very well, tell them."
"I shall tell them of Gallifrey, tell them of the old time, the time of chaos."
"Be my guest."
"Your secrets ."
"The secrets of the Time Lords mean nothing to us," said the Leader.
"Exactly," said the Doctor. "Thank you for coming to the twentieth century and giving me assistance. Thank you for bringing the arrow. You may go now."
"What?"
"You had the right game, but the wrong pawn. Check."
"Enough, Doctor," said the Leader. "Cancel the statue's destructive capability."
The Doctor takes back the bow.
"Thank you."
And gives it back to Nemesis.
"Do you understand the Cyberleader's instructions?"
"Perfectly," said the Nemesis.
"Please don't surrender, Doctor," pleaded Nita.
"Prepare it for launching to liaise with our fleet," said the Leader. "You have the position from this device."
The Cyberleader holds up the tape.
"A new and final era begins, Doctor," said the Leader. "Imagination, thought, freedom, pleasure, all will end."
It crushes the jazz tape and throws it away.
"The Earth will be transformed into our base planet, the new Mondas. Before I kill you all, you may watch the arrival of our fleet. Launch the Nemesis."
"Let them kill me, Doctor. Don't surrender," pleaded Ace.
"Stand back," said the Doctor. "She's ready for launching."
Lady Peinforte screams, grabs the bow and throws herself on top of the Nemesis. It writhes as it absorbs her, then the rocket sled blasts out of the warehouse entrance and up into the sky. Mrs Remington watches it go.
"Nice rocket technology, Doctor," said Nita.
"We will watch its progress," said the Leader.
"Certainly."
The Doctor turns on the tape deck scanner. The Nemesis flies into the heart of the Cyberfleet, which is stationed by the moon, and detonates.
"This is impossible," said the Leader. "You gave my instructions to the statue."
"Yes, I gave your instructions to the Nemesis, and it understood them. It understood them, and disobeyed them, and destroyed the Cyberfleet."
"Then you will join them."
"It's worth it."
Richard sees his gold tipped arrow still stuck in the Tardis' door. He grabs it, runs over and thrusts it into the Cyberleader's chest. It dies with a lot of noise.
"That seems to be that," said the Doctor. "Thank you."
"It was nothing, Doctor. I wish I could have saved my lady, too, but she was one with your statue. How shall I live now, stranded, a stranger in this time?"
"I know how you feel. However…"
"He'll give you a lift," said Nita.
"Back to 1638?" asked the Doctor.
"It's possible?"
"Anything's possible," replied the Doctor, leading the way into the TARDIS.
Nita grabbed the Doctor's arm. "Can we not go yet? There's something I need to do."
The Doctor sighed. "Oh, very well, but don't take too long."
"I won't," Nita promised, running off down the street.
"Ace, keep an eye on her, will you?" the Doctor requested.
"Sure thing, Professor," Ace said, taking off after Nita.
"I'll make us a cup of tea while we're waiting," said the Doctor.