A/N: Sorry you've had to wait so long guys, but here it is. Hope that you enjoy it!
Please R&R!
Chapter 4
I did it; I swiped it from right under his nose. The fools won't know what's hit them. I'll get my best guards on them. There's no way that I'm going to let those spies get their hands on that technology, not when my plan is going so well.
Marcus smiled to himself, as he walked down the torch-lit passage towards the guards quarters. The room he entered was dimly illuminated by a few candles wedged into bottles, shadowy figures of guards sat around tables, hunched over their mugs of posca ¹. He was greeted warmly.
"Ello Marc!"
"Marcus!"
"Evening,"
He embraced each of his fellow men in turn, the smile never leaving his face.
"Had a bit of trouble with one of the slaves today, Marcus," said Stanis, as the two men shook hands.
"Oh?" Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, she was trying to smuggle this out," replied Stanis, leading Marcus over to the bundle, where it lay on a nearby table, "We sorted her out though; good and proper." The man grinned. He played the events back in his mind: the limp body on the ground, the other men kicking her, then they had dragged her to the cells, blood trailing behind them.
Marcus approached the table that Stanis had pointed to. His eyes widened as he pulled back the cloth.
"Where is the girl now?" he asked, turning to Stanis, his expression suddenly serious.
"Prison sector XI,"
"Take me there, immediately," said Marcus.
"Marcus?" asked Stanis, as he stood in front of his friend.
"Now!" ordered Marcus. The other guards exchanged bewildered looks, as the two men left the room.
"Rose, come here," the familiar voice brought the blonde back from her daydream, "have a look at these."
"What is it?" she asked, as she wandered over to where the Doctor was standing. Rose stared down at the papers that the Doctor was holding, "Looks like plans."
"Blueprints, to be precise," corrected the Doctor.
"For what exactly?" Rose asked, taking some of the papers into her hands.
"I dunno, some sort of research facility," replied the Doctor, as he studied the plans.
"Research facility?" she said, frowning.
"It seems that there is a lot more going on here than there would appear to be," replied the Doctor, his face solemn. He turned, as he heard the doors of the library open and footsteps enter.
A balding man, probably in his late fifties approached them. He was dressed in a long toga³, with two broad, red stripes down either side, and a burgundy coloured cloak, that trailed on the floor behind him.
"Looks like we're in trouble," whispered Rose to the Doctor, "I suppose you're gonna bluff your way through this, as ever."
"I hadn't thought that far ahead," replied the Doctor, smiling, which was not unusual under the circumstances.
"I am Chancellor Braxleo," announced the man standing in front of them.
"Hello, I'm the-"
"The Doctor, I know, Commander Thylium already informed me of your arrival,"
The Doctor and Rose exchanged suspicious glances, "Please, come this way."
"Wake up!"
The sudden outburst brought Moria back from her state of semi-consciousness. Her head was throbbing, and her whole body ached. Her cell was dark and cold. The only light came from a flickering wall-torch; its shadows playing eerily on the walls. Suddenly aware that she was not alone, Moria looked up to see two men standing at the door of her cell; one of them was the guard who had shot her, the other was… Oh Clementia², have mercy…Marcus Thylium.
"We will now begin your interrogation," A soldier unlocked the door for the Commander, and he and Stanis entered the cell. Moria tried to move, but the only response was the mind-numbing pain that shot through her.
"You were discovered today trying to escape from the city, were you not?" began Marcus. Moria nodded, reluctantly.
"You had stolen something important, hadn't you?" Moria shook her head. Marcus' face darkened. "You had stolen this." He unfolded the bundle that was in his hands. Moria stared at it, and shook her head again, tears now rolling down her cheeks.
"Don't lie to me girl!" Marcus roared, as he struck her round the face with the back of his hand. Moria cowered against the damp, stone wall, her hand covering her face.
"What do you know about the Grecon Theta Project?"
"Nothing," she whispered, hoarsely.
"Then tell me, if you know nothing, how did you know what to steal?"
"I…I..." she croaked.
"I suppose you're going to tell me that your associates told you?" Moria looked up then, a mixture of pain and perplexity on her face.
"Marcus, we should leave now. The girl is clearly still suffering from concussion. We will return again tomorrow, perhaps, then, she will be more willing to talk," said Stanis.
Marcus smiled grimly down at Moria. "Well then, until tomorrow."
¹ Vinegar mixed with water, typically a soldier's drink.
² the Roman goddess of mercy and clemency.
³ tunic
