Chapter 4
In the control room, Belazs watches Kane in the restricted zone through a glass door. She hears the computer voice say: "Cabinet at minus a hundred and ninety three Celsius." She goes to the central console and activates the communicator.
"Yes, sir?" comes a man's voice.
"It's me, Belazs. Mister Kane has changed his mind about Glitz's spacecraft. It's not to be destroyed, do you understand?"
"Spacecraft is not to be destroyed."
"That is correct."
On the lower levels, the Doctor and Glitz are following the map along catwalks between walls of ice. They stop at an intersection.
"Have you seen any Singing Trees or Ice Gardens, Glitz?"
"We're still too close to the upper levels, Doctor. Let's cast me eyes over the map."
"Well, since we've come from that direction," the Doctor points to their left. "I think we should go in that direction", pointing to the right. He turns in a circle. "Then again…"
Glitz drops the map and bends to retrieve it as the Doctor's umbrella swings above his head.
"Perhaps that direction. Yes. And keep your eyes peeled for any Singing Trees or Ice Gardens, Glitz."
In the docking bay, several people are struggling to open a door.
"Come on, both sides, push! Harder! Push!" cries Kracauer.
Mel, Nita and Ace enter.
"Gordon Bennett, what a bunch of Spocks!" cries Ace. "They'll never get it open at that rate. Here, let's have a couple of those" she gestures to the nitro nine.
"You're not going to use those, are you?" asks Mel, nervously.
Ace pulls the tops of the cans and walks up to the frozen hatchway.
"If I were you lot, I'd go for your tea break now."
She sticks the cans on the ice.
"Why? What's in those cans?" asks Kracauer.
"Nitro Nine. We've got eight seconds. Last one back's a gooey mess."
Ace, Nita and Mel run.
"Nitro? Everybody, get down!" cries Kracauer.
There is a small explosion.
"Ace!" cries Ace.
"Ace!" cries Mel.
"Errr…Ace!" cries Nita.
Belazs enters the restricted zone and goes over to the temperature monitor, then back to the sculpture.
"Target blood temperature of minus one hundred and ninety three Celsius achieved," says the computer.
Kane gets out of his cabinet. He notices Belazs. "What are you doing in the restricted zone?"
"I was looking for you. There's been an ice jam in the upper docking bay and the emergency services haven't responded."
"Must I do everything myself? Go there immediately and take charge of the situation."
"Of course."
The Doctor and Glitz reach the Singing Trees, an area of stalactites, crystalline stalagmites and a tinkling sound.
"Singing Trees," says the Doctor.
"But these aren't trees."
"Use your imagination, Glitz. Willow trees, something like that."
"Well, where's the singing coming from?"
"Air current causes the crystal membranes to vibrate."
Glitz picks up an icicle. "I bet this is worth a few grotzits."
"Yes, what's it do?"
"Do?"
"Yes. Some sort of opto-electronic circuit. But why? I mean, what's it doing here?"
"You mean someone made all this? Dragons?"
"Possibly. Come on, Glitz. Tempus fugit. I want to be back in time for tea."
Belazs enters the docking bay with an escort. "What is going on? You three are under arrest. Take them away."
"What?" asks Nita.
"Hang about!" cries Ace.
"Put me down!" cries Mel.
Mel, Nita and Ace are hustled away.
"Leave me alone! Get off! Stop it! Not fair!" cries Ace.
At an ice junction, Glitz takes a right turn by a formation that looks like flowers, leaving the Doctor alone on the slippery passageway. "Glitz? Glitz? Glitz?"
Ace, Mel and Nita are escorted into the refrigeration room.
"Quite a little expert with explosives, I hear," says Kane.
"Yeah? So what if I am?" asks Ace, belligerently.
"Excellent. I like women with fire in their bellies, don't I, Belazs? I might yet have a use for you."
"Oh yeah? What makes you think I'd be interested?"
"Oh, I can be very persuasive."
"I'm not frightened of you."
"Good. Because I shall need people like you in my army of mercenaries."
"You what?"
"Think about it. Travelling through the twelve galaxies, the diamond sparkle of meteorite showers, the rainbow flashes of an ion storm. Think about it."
"Don't listen to him, Ace!" cries Nita.
Ace snaps out of her trance.
"How old are you?"
"Six…err… eighteen."
"Eighteen, eh? No home to call your own. The twelve galaxies are your home. Come with me. I understand you."
"It won't be like that, Ace!" cries Mel. "Don't believe him."
"Join me. Take my golden sovereign."
He puts it on the console for her. It's intense cold steams against the metal.
"Take the sovereign."
"Don't do it, Ace! Please, don't do it!" cries Nita.
"You've heard altogether too much," Kane says to Mel and Nita. "Freeze them!" he commands.
"No, Ace!" cries Mel, struggling to get away as she and Nita are restrained.
"Take my coin," Kane repeats to Ace. "Take the coin."
Ace knocks the coin to the floor and brandishes a can of Nitro Nine. "Right, freeze! I mean, don't freeze. Stand still and let Mel and Nita go.
Kane nods and the girls are set free.
"You stupid girl. Think it's that easy to walk away from me?"
"Do you feel like arguing with a can of deodorant that registers nine on the Richter scale?" Ace retorts, throwing the can. "Run!" she cries to the girls.
Mel, Nita and Ace run out and meet up on the ice catwalk. They keep running.
Meanwhile, the Doctor finds himself at the top of an ice cliff. For some bizarre reason, he climbs over the railing.
Ace, Nita and Mel stop running in a dark area.
"Hang on, are you sure this is the right way?" Nita asks Ace.
"Course I'm sure. Don't you trust me?"
"I don't know. What with the dragon and all that."
"The dragon!" Ace scoffs. "It's just something to frighten little children with. It's like witches and goblins. There ain't no such thing."
Then something black and rather dragonesque approaches them. Mel screams.
Meanwhile the Doctor is hanging off a railing running along the edge of the ice cliff. He reaches for his umbrella which is also hooked onto the railing, but his hands slide down the fabric, leaving him dangling above an abyss.