[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
There was a massive computer read-out terminal in the
corner. The Doctor went over to examine it – and heard
footsteps coming down the corridor.
Quickly the Doctor ducked down into the dark corner
behind the big computer console. He heard someone come
into the cabin, sit down at the computer terminal
keyboard, and switch on the read-out screen. For a minute
or two the man sat at the keyboard punching up
information. Then with a grunt of satisfaction, he rose and
left the cabin.
The Doctor waited a minute or two then came out of his
cramped hiding place. He sat down at the key-board,
studied the controls, switched on the read-out screen and
punched up ‘Repeat’.
Immediately information began to flow across the
screen.
‘Eden Operation – Budget.’
Beneath were rows and rows of figures.
The display changed. ‘Eden Operation – Projected
Turnover.’ Then more figures, many more of them this
time. It was clear that profits were at least a hundred times
greater than expenditure. The Eden Operation, whatever it
was, was very profitable indeed.
The Doctor switched off the computer and slammed his
fist down on the console. ‘The profits on human misery,’
he muttered savagely.
He heard foosteps again and flattened himself behind
the door. This time the footsteps went right by and,
looking out, the Doctor saw Dymond going down the
corridor in a space suit.
The Doctor tiptoed after him.
He followed Dymond down the narrow corridor into a
small bare ante-chamber, on the far side of which was an
open airlock door. The Doctor could see through the
airlock and into the control cabin of the tiny shuttlecraft
beyond.
Dymond stood with his back to the Doctor. He was
putting on his helmet and adjusting the seals. The Doctor
slipped past him, through the airlock and into the
shuttlecraft, and ducked down into the cramped space
behind the pilot’s seat.
Seconds later there came the clang of the airlock door
and the sound of Dymond entering the cabin and settling
himself in the pilot’s seat. The Doctor heard the roar of the
motors, and something else – a strange hissing sound.
He peeped over the edge of the chair and saw Dymond
attaching an oxygen lead to the space helmet. With a
sudden shock, the Doctor realised that the shuttlecraft was
so primitive that the cabin wasn’t pressurised. He would be
making this journey without benefit of oxygen.
Luckily the trip would be a short one. Calling upon his
Time Lord training, the Doctor closed his eyes and went
into a trance, suspending his life-processes until the trip
was over. The shuttlecraft separated itself from Hecate and
floated slowly to-wards the Empress.
Fisk studied the approaching shuttlecraft on the monitor
screen on the bridge of the Empress. He turned to Costa.
‘Right, Dymond’s on his way back. Any sign of the
Doctor?’
‘No, sir, they’re still searching.’
A voice behind them said. ‘I think I may be able to tell
you where the Doctor is.’
Fisk turned. ‘Professor Tryst! Why didn’t you tell me
this before?’
Tryst gave a rueful smile. ‘I was afraid you wouldn’t
believe me. You still may not.’
Fisk’s voice hardened. ‘Then convince me, Professor.’
‘I think the Doctor went into the Eden projection.’
‘What?’
‘The CET machine’s image has become a kind of
unstable dimensional field. You remember that the
projection was there in the lounge when you broke in? It’s
there now. I have just discovered that someone has
sabotaged the controls – the projection cannot be changed,
or the machine switched off.’
Della and K9 were waiting outside the TARDIS when
Romana arrived. ‘Did you find anything?’
Della shook her head. ‘Only a Mandrel – and it nearly
found me. The crew are still hunting them.’
‘Well, the Doctor must be somewhere. What about you,
K9?’
‘Negative, Mistress. I have scanned the ship and there is
no trace –’ K9 broke off. ‘Correction, Mistress. The Doctor
has just come on board. This way, please!’
K9 moved off.
As oxygen hissed into the shuttlecraft cabin, the Doctor
opened his eyes and saw Dymond removing his helmet and
climbing out of the pilot seat.
Uncoiling his cramped limbs, the Doctor climbed out of
his hiding place and left the cabin.
Cautiously he slipped through the airlock and off after
Dymond.
12
The Smugglers
On the bridge, Fisk was still grappling with Tryst’s new
theory. ‘If the Doctor did go into this projection, he’s got
to come out of it sometime. Check the VIP lounge, Costa,
I’ll join you there in a moment.’
Unholstering his blaster, Costa hurried away. Fisk
turned back to Tryst. ‘What puzzles me is, why would the
Doctor want to go into the projection?’
Tryst shrugged. ‘To escape from you, that is one reason.
But I believe there is another, more urgent one. My theory
is that one of the crew on my expedition, a man called
Stott, found a new source of the drug Vraxoin on the planet
Eden. He must have placed a supply of the drug inside the
projection, and the Doctor has gone to collect it. That is [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl wyciskamy.pev.pl
There was a massive computer read-out terminal in the
corner. The Doctor went over to examine it – and heard
footsteps coming down the corridor.
Quickly the Doctor ducked down into the dark corner
behind the big computer console. He heard someone come
into the cabin, sit down at the computer terminal
keyboard, and switch on the read-out screen. For a minute
or two the man sat at the keyboard punching up
information. Then with a grunt of satisfaction, he rose and
left the cabin.
The Doctor waited a minute or two then came out of his
cramped hiding place. He sat down at the key-board,
studied the controls, switched on the read-out screen and
punched up ‘Repeat’.
Immediately information began to flow across the
screen.
‘Eden Operation – Budget.’
Beneath were rows and rows of figures.
The display changed. ‘Eden Operation – Projected
Turnover.’ Then more figures, many more of them this
time. It was clear that profits were at least a hundred times
greater than expenditure. The Eden Operation, whatever it
was, was very profitable indeed.
The Doctor switched off the computer and slammed his
fist down on the console. ‘The profits on human misery,’
he muttered savagely.
He heard foosteps again and flattened himself behind
the door. This time the footsteps went right by and,
looking out, the Doctor saw Dymond going down the
corridor in a space suit.
The Doctor tiptoed after him.
He followed Dymond down the narrow corridor into a
small bare ante-chamber, on the far side of which was an
open airlock door. The Doctor could see through the
airlock and into the control cabin of the tiny shuttlecraft
beyond.
Dymond stood with his back to the Doctor. He was
putting on his helmet and adjusting the seals. The Doctor
slipped past him, through the airlock and into the
shuttlecraft, and ducked down into the cramped space
behind the pilot’s seat.
Seconds later there came the clang of the airlock door
and the sound of Dymond entering the cabin and settling
himself in the pilot’s seat. The Doctor heard the roar of the
motors, and something else – a strange hissing sound.
He peeped over the edge of the chair and saw Dymond
attaching an oxygen lead to the space helmet. With a
sudden shock, the Doctor realised that the shuttlecraft was
so primitive that the cabin wasn’t pressurised. He would be
making this journey without benefit of oxygen.
Luckily the trip would be a short one. Calling upon his
Time Lord training, the Doctor closed his eyes and went
into a trance, suspending his life-processes until the trip
was over. The shuttlecraft separated itself from Hecate and
floated slowly to-wards the Empress.
Fisk studied the approaching shuttlecraft on the monitor
screen on the bridge of the Empress. He turned to Costa.
‘Right, Dymond’s on his way back. Any sign of the
Doctor?’
‘No, sir, they’re still searching.’
A voice behind them said. ‘I think I may be able to tell
you where the Doctor is.’
Fisk turned. ‘Professor Tryst! Why didn’t you tell me
this before?’
Tryst gave a rueful smile. ‘I was afraid you wouldn’t
believe me. You still may not.’
Fisk’s voice hardened. ‘Then convince me, Professor.’
‘I think the Doctor went into the Eden projection.’
‘What?’
‘The CET machine’s image has become a kind of
unstable dimensional field. You remember that the
projection was there in the lounge when you broke in? It’s
there now. I have just discovered that someone has
sabotaged the controls – the projection cannot be changed,
or the machine switched off.’
Della and K9 were waiting outside the TARDIS when
Romana arrived. ‘Did you find anything?’
Della shook her head. ‘Only a Mandrel – and it nearly
found me. The crew are still hunting them.’
‘Well, the Doctor must be somewhere. What about you,
K9?’
‘Negative, Mistress. I have scanned the ship and there is
no trace –’ K9 broke off. ‘Correction, Mistress. The Doctor
has just come on board. This way, please!’
K9 moved off.
As oxygen hissed into the shuttlecraft cabin, the Doctor
opened his eyes and saw Dymond removing his helmet and
climbing out of the pilot seat.
Uncoiling his cramped limbs, the Doctor climbed out of
his hiding place and left the cabin.
Cautiously he slipped through the airlock and off after
Dymond.
12
The Smugglers
On the bridge, Fisk was still grappling with Tryst’s new
theory. ‘If the Doctor did go into this projection, he’s got
to come out of it sometime. Check the VIP lounge, Costa,
I’ll join you there in a moment.’
Unholstering his blaster, Costa hurried away. Fisk
turned back to Tryst. ‘What puzzles me is, why would the
Doctor want to go into the projection?’
Tryst shrugged. ‘To escape from you, that is one reason.
But I believe there is another, more urgent one. My theory
is that one of the crew on my expedition, a man called
Stott, found a new source of the drug Vraxoin on the planet
Eden. He must have placed a supply of the drug inside the
projection, and the Doctor has gone to collect it. That is [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]