Chapter 4
"What are Ice Warriors doing here?" Asked the old man.
"They have a colony here as well," explained the Lieutenant. "We lived in peace together for years. Then hostilities broke out a year ago."
"A year ago?"
"Yes. We've lost every team sent out to fight them."
"Sent out? Have you ever witnessed any of these battles?"
"Well, no…"
"Lower your gun, man!" Ordered the old man as he entered the street and approached the Ice Warriors. Jack quickly followed him. "Excuse me! Could you, please, tell me your business here in the human colony?"
"We're here to render aid," hissed the leader. "We've not had contact with your colony is over a year. We've become accustomed to the trade between our colonies. I'm Ice Lord Ssreer. We've come to investigate, and render aid, if necessary."
"That's very kind of you," said the old man, giving the Lieutenant a cross look. "Are you familiar with the Cybermen?"
"Our people fought them a long time ago on the planet Yama-10. We were victorious!"
"Cybermen have infiltrated this society. We must rout them out, less the entire planet fall under their power."
"How can we assist?"
"First, we have a subspace transmitter to repair. Lead on, Lieutenant!"
The Lieutenant called his superior officer over his communicator, informing him of the situation as he led the time travelers and the Ice Warriors to the subspace control room. It was a simple shack built atop the highest building in the enclosed city. A ladder and cables rose from the shack to the steel roof above.
"It's not in the controls here," Declared the old man as he rose from under the console he was working on. He left the shaft, and pointed to the ladder. "Where does that lead to."
"The subspace antenna," explained the Lieutenant. "It's mounted on the mountain that the north end of the colony is built into. If you are thinking of going up there, you should know it's far worse on that mountain then on the ground. I'll have to go back for some arctic survival…"
"No need for any, save for you and the Group Captain here. I'm made of stern stuff, and the Ice Warriors have their cozy armor."
The old man and the Ice Warriors were already up the mountain and halfway up the antenna by the time the Lieutenant and Jack were suited up and on the colony's roof. The old man was ready to climb down to his human friends when an Ice Warrior signaled him over. Carefully moving across to him, the old man looked at the junction indicated. Nodding to the Ice Warrior, he removed a silver cylinder from his pocket. A red light emitted from its tip, and an electronic whine could be heard even above the nose of the wind.
As the old man waved to Jack, indicating his success, and began to climb down, a loud rumbling filled the air. Jack Shouted, "Avalanche!"