Chapter Thirteen
A Very Loud Bang
The Doctor reset the coordinates, materializing the TARDIS at the base of the fissure in the ice beside the partially buried capsule. He and the Major collected all of the pieces of the android and placed them inside the capsule. Eroica kept watch over Jason, who had returned to consciousness for a few brief minutes before passing out again.
"How do you plan to destroy this?" the Major asked as the Doctor leaned into the capsule.
"If I can find it, I can trip the auto-destruct." The Doctor studied the instruments, running his hands over the panels.
"What will that do?"
"It will vaporize this capsule, its contents and a sizable chunk of this glacier," came the succinct reply.
The Major's eyebrows went up. "You are planning on not being here when that happens, I hope," he responded aridly.
The Doctor smiled broadly. "Oh, we'll be long gone by then, Major." He continued to struggle with the instruments and finally cursed under his breath.
"What's wrong?" This was Eroica, who had come to the TARDIS doorway to watch.
The Doctor gave a growl of annoyance and extracted himself from the capsule. "I can't get into the panel I want. My fingers aren't small enough." He threw a quick glance over at the TARDIS. "If Jason were fit, he could do it by altering his hands."
"Why not let the thief do it?" the Major suggested, much to his listeners amazement.
Eroica gave him a bright smile. "Is that an endorsement, Major?"
"You may be an idiot, but you are a good thief," the Major stated flatly.
Eroica shrugged and crossed to the capsule. "I'm warning you, Doctor," he said as he peered into the alien craft. "I'm not very good with machines."
"Just think of it as disconnecting an alarm," the Time Lord suggested as he directed the thief's efforts. Within a few minutes, Eroica had succeeded in tripping the ship's auto-destruct.
"Excellent!" the Doctor enthused. "Now, I suggest we all retire to the TARDIS before this creates a very loud bang."
The Doctor dematerialized the TARDIS, rematerializing again several kilometres directly above the alien craft. He switched on the scanner and the three watched in silence as the capsule exploded, taking a large portion of the surrounding ice field with it.
"Won't that register somewhere?" Eroica wanted to know.
"Undoubtedly," the Time Lord replied. "But they'll just pass it off as being another one of the tremors. Anyway, today is May 28th, 1983, isn't it?"
Eroica exchanged a puzzled look with the Major. "Yes…" he replied hesitantly.
The Doctor nodded. "Well, after a great deal of seismic activity, the volcano will erupt around noon today, local time."
"We've been walking around on a live volcano!" the appalled Eroica gasped.
"Changes the whole dynamic, doesn't it?"
Everyone turned when Jason spoke. His voice was weak, but clear. The Doctor smiled broadly and crossed the room in what seemed like three steps. "I was wondering when you'd wake up again," he said calmly. While his face was all smiles, his eyes were filled with concern.
Jason gave a weak smile. "Is it over?"
"Just about."
"Good."
Eroica came up beside the Doctor and received a tired smile. Jason patted the side of the bed, inviting him to sit beside him, which he did.
"Don't look so worried," Jason said calmly. "I'll be okay. The Doctor and K-9 know what to do for me."
"Well, K-9 at least," the Doctor replied playfully.
"Did you know about the volcano?" Eroica wanted to know.
Jason's eyes flashed up to the Doctor and then back to the thief's face. "No. I'm not as good as the Doctor at not interfering with historic events. I tend to want to change things."
"That would drive me mad."
"What makes you think it hasn't me?"
At that moment the console started to beep for attention. "Incoming transmission, Master," K-9 announced.
The Doctor frowned and crossed to the console, flipping a switch when he arrived. A voice started coming from the speaker, bringing an amused smile to the Eroica's face. It was Mischa the Cub looking for his helicopter.
"Is there any way of responding?" the Major asked suddenly.
Eroica saw the evil look come to the Major's face. "He's going to enjoy this," he remarked, bringing a puzzled look to Jason's face. He didn't know the Major could enjoy anything.
"Paval, respond!" Mischa's voice was saying. "You should've been here hours ago!"
The Doctor hit the switch and held a hand out to the Major, inviting him to speak.
"Are you looking for you helicopter, Mischa?" the Major asked as he lit yet another cigarette.
There was a pause. "Who is this?"
"Don't you recognize my voice, you stupid Russian toad?"
"Is this a joke?" Mischa replied. "What are you playing at, Paval? Get that helicopter back here!"
"I never joke," the Major replied, blowing smoke into the air. "I always knew you were an idiot, Mischa. I just never realized how much of an idiot until now."
"Eberbach!"
The Major took another drag on his cigarette, clearly enjoying himself. "Finally. I thought I would have to spoon feed you."
"How the hell—?"
"Shut up, you fat pig, and listen. You're men are somewhere between the glacier and hell, the artefact is in millions of very tiny pieces, and your helicopter is in the possession of my agents." The Major paused to take another drag on his cigarette. "And the NATO office in Reykjavik will very likely be interested in knowing why a civilian tanker has a military helicopter onboard."
"You fucking Kraut!" Mischa snarled before cutting the transmission.
The Major looked over at the Doctor to see him smiling back at him. "Now, Doctor, I need to contact Reykjavik to see what damage my agents have done to the rest of Iceland."