Chapter Eighteen

The lack of wind was highly gratifying as they slid over the Emperor's grounds towards the hangar. Cerf, looking out the shield (and anywhere, in fact, but at the prisoner, the sight of whose face now sickened him), was surprised to observe almost no trace of the chaos that had ensued when Sode's little army broke out of the Labyrinth. Soldiers and civilians alike were lined up against the palace walls, not moving, barely breathing. They all seemed to be watching the hoverjet as it touched down.

"I don't like this," said the Doctor.

"You and me too," said Cerf grimly. "What are they waiting for?"

"They're like a bunch of robots someone's turned off," said Jamie.

"Let's hope it isn't like that," said the Doctor. "Robots aren't their own masters, and whatever can be turned off can generally be turned back on again. We have to get down to the TARDIS."

Gamra activated the ladder at the side of the hoverjet, and Alendar, who had reverted to his old self as soon as he was out of the pilot's seat, unhooked Sode's copper chain from the guard rail. The traitor had ceased muttering, but was still staring into space. As the chain moved he climbed stiffly to his feet, and followed the others meekly down the ladder.

"Now let's not make any sudden moves," said the Doctor, leading them toward the palace doors. "They don't seem to mind us going this way."

Hundreds of eyes followed them across the courtyard.

"What's happened to them?" said Cerf, looking around. "Oh no, there's Elfik." She was standing in a row of Phestans, eyes vacant. Of Kapik there was no sign.

"They're under some kind of telepathic control," said the Doctor.

"Sode?"

"No, he seems to be under it too. I was afraid of this."

Without warning, Sode stepped to one side, snapped the chains as easily as he had the bandages, and walked away. Cerf aimed his needler, but Jamie yelled "Look out!" and pulled him to one side just in time to dodge a blaster bolt. Sode walked steadily toward the palace doors, as though the whole matter were no longer his concern, and a line of people commenced to close in, moving slowly and stiffly. One of the people was Auburning.

"Come on, everybody, run!" yelled the Doctor, leading the way through the doors and into the great hall. "Jamie, where's the TARDIS?"

"It's down this way," said Jamie, heading for the stairs. "At least that's the way the guard was taking me."

"We can't go that way!" panted Alendar. "That leads to the dungeon. We'll be trapped!"

"Not if the TARDIS is down there," said the Doctor, following Jamie. Several Phestans burst into the hall, removing all other options, so Cerf and the Guards followed him.

They found themselves outside a cell in the dungeon. The police call box sat impassively inside. The Doctor dug into his pocket for the key. Then he remembered that he had given it to Victoria.

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Discrete thoughts flicked over the ephemeral surface of an immense mind, formatting a new protocal of action.

cannot escape / can escape / new data / anachronistic device / contained / restrain at once

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Several Phestans came down the steps, lurching from side to side, as if not in full control of their motor skills. The Doctor pounded on the door. "Victoria! It's us, open up!"

Victoria operated the door control and everyone rushed in just in time. The Doctor, pressing buttons, said, "There, the force field's up. We're safe... for the time being, at any rate."

"Doctor, what's happening?" said Victoria. "Kapik and Elfik went out to get some files they left behind, and they never came back."

Cerf recovered from the shocking fact of the giant space inside the police box and said, "What did you mean you were afraid of this?"

"Well," said the Doctor, "Elfik's sensor blip is clearly some sort of spacecraft, and I'm afraid they may be somewhat less than friendly." He looked at Victoria. "And that may also account for Elfik and Kapik."

Jamie shook his head and blinked.

"Jamie?" said the Doctor in concern. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, aye," said Jamie. "I just had a little headache before, but it's gone away now."

The Guards had been conferring, and Gamra stepped forward. "Highness," he said, "I must report that we also had headaches. They disappeared when we entered the Doctor's ship."

"So did mine!" said Victoria. "And Elfik and Kapik both got headaches when they went out of the TARDIS to get their papers."

"It has to be a telepathic beam of some kind," said the Doctor. "The TARDIS is protected against that sort of thing. Victoria, can I see the book?"

Victoria handed him A Better Way, and he leafed through it. Then he frowned and snapped it shut. "This is no use at all!" he said in consternation. "It ends right at the point in history when we are now. I do hate cliffhangers, don't you?" He ran a distracted hand through his hair. "Where's Volume Two?"

"I couldn't find it," said Victoria.

"Of course not," said the Doctor, pacing frantically up and down the control room. "It won't be published for another twenty-five years. You realize what this means, don't you: we're rewriting history from scratch."

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