Doctor Who and the Cave-Monsters (12 page)

‘How long are you leaving me in here?’ said Major Barker. ‘They’ll be coming after me, you know!’

The reptile man remained where he was, offering the food. Major Barker snatched the jug of water and threw it at the reptile man. ‘I don’t want your poison!’

The reptile man walked away. When he was some distance away, the Doctor went up quietly to the side of the cage. ‘Major Barker,’ he whispered.

Barker swung round. ‘How did you get in here? Have you brought the troops?’

‘No,’ whispered the Doctor, ‘we’re alone. Is there any way we can get you out of there?’

‘Not a chance,’ said Major Barker. ‘Some sort of electronic lock. Now listen,’ he went on with all the authority of the victor rather than the vanquished, ‘what you’ve got to do is to get yourselves out of here and tell the Brigadier what you’ve seen. These chaps are dangerous, you know.’

‘Yes,’ said the Doctor, ‘I imagine they are.’

‘I don’t know whose side they’re really on,’ Major Barker went on, ‘but there’s something pretty big going on down here. There’s one thing I’m certain of – it’s not good for England.’

‘I quite agree,’ said the Doctor.

‘So you and your young lady had better chop-chop back to that Brigadier, and tell him to come down here with everything he’s got. Bazookas, rockets, rifles, the lot. Got the idea?’

‘If the Brigadier does that,’ said Liz, ‘you may get killed.’

‘I’m a soldier, ma’am,’ said the Major. ‘Soldiers have to accept getting killed.’

‘But you can only do it once,’ said Liz.

‘Under the circumstances,’ said Major Barker, ‘I don’t think that’s particularly funny.’ He turned back to the Doctor. ‘Everything understood?’

‘Have they talked to you at all?’ asked the Doctor.

‘They keep asking me questions. Population of the Earth. What weapons we use. What foods we eat. Naturally I refused to answer. I tried to explain to them about the Geneva Convention concerning prisoners-of-war, but I don’t think they understood.’

‘No, I don’t suppose they would,’ said the Doctor. ‘If they speak to you again, seem to co-operate with them a little, and see what you can find out about them.’

‘I do not co-operate with the enemy,’ said Major Barker. ‘Still, if I do get a chance to find out anything, I shall bear your remarks in mind.’The Major looked down at himself. His clothes were torn and filthy, his hands grimy with cave dust. ‘Sorry to have you see me in this condition, ma’am,’ he said to Liz. ‘I shall try to brush up a bit before we meet again.’ He turned back to the Doctor. ‘I really think you ought to get along now. No point in pushing one’s luck.’

‘But we can’t leave you like this,’ said Liz.

‘No alternative, I’m afraid,’ said the Major, and again turned to the Doctor. ‘Remember now. Bring in the big guns, and let’s get this sorted out once and for all.’

Two reptile men started to approach the cages. The Doctor quickly drew Liz away, and they sank back into the darkness of a corner. The reptile men went up to Major Barker.

‘You have not eaten your food,’ one of them said. ‘We shall not offer food again, not until you answer our questions.’

‘Then I shall starve to death,’ shouted the Major.

The Doctor whispered close to Liz’s ear. ‘That’s a very brave man, Liz. A fool. But a really brave man.’

The Doctor and Liz crept back to the opening of the air ventilation tunnel. Some minutes later they were back in the great cave and making their way back to the research centre.

Dr Lawrence stood looking at the power dials in the cyclotron room. They all registered zero. At one time he would have been issuing orders to all the technicians and physicists around him, telling them to boost the nuclear reactor to get more power. But now he knew it was hopeless. Whatever force drained off the centre’s vast electrical power output, it did it when it wanted to do it, and there was nothing Dr Lawrence could do to stop it.

‘Reactors closed down safely,’ said one of the technicians.

Dr Lawrence nodded. ‘Just let me know when things get back to normal,’ he said.

He left the cyclotron room and walked along the metal passageway to his office. He tried to remember how long he had been down in the research centre, five hundred feet below fresh air and sunshine. One week? Two? A month? Being a responsible man, he hadn’t even taken an afternoon off-duty since the emergency started.

Once in his office, he closed the door, slumped into his chair behind the desk and put his head in his hands. He remembered how excited he was when he received the letter from the Ministry telling him that he had been appointed as Director of the Wenley Moor Research Centre. It was a job that many other scientists would envy. The pay was very good, but money wasn’t the only attraction. He wanted to
do
something with his life, to be remembered by future generations, like Faraday or Edison. Here, in this research centre, was the golden opportunity to do something that would be remembered, and it was all being ruined by forces he could not understand. His thoughts were interrupted by a tap on the door. Miss Travis, one of the young female technicians, entered.

‘Excuse me, sir,’ she said. ‘I’ve just heard that Mr Masters is on his way here.’

‘Who?’ Dr Lawrence was so lost in thought that he couldn’t remember any Mr Masters.

‘The Permanent Under Secretary,’ said Miss Travis.

Dr Lawrence was still confused. ‘You mean he’s left London to come here? When will he arrive?’

‘He has arrived,’ she said. ‘He’s coming down in the lift now. The guard at the top ’phoned down and I answered the ’phone.’

‘Thank you for letting me know.’ Dr Lawrence stood up, buttoned his jacket. Any chance you could rustle up some coffee for us?’

‘I’ll do what I can,’ she said and left.

Dr Lawrence looked at himself in a wall mirror and straightened his tie. Then he cursed himself for behaving like this. Masters and he were at prep school together, had known each other since they were children. He had nothing to fear from Freddie Masters. On the contrary, perhaps Masters could sort out the whole awful mess. These thoughts were running through his head as the door was opened by a security guard and the Right Honourable Frederick Masters, M.P., entered. As always Masters was smiling, as though he had just won a General Election.

‘Charles,’ he said, advancing on Dr Lawrence with outstretched hand, ‘I do hope you’ll forgive my arriving unannounced like this.’

‘You’re most welcome,’ said Dr Lawrence, remembering to add the friendly, ‘Freddie.’

The smile on Masters’s face faded for just a fraction of a second. ‘I’ve rather dropped “Freddie” these days. “Frederick” seems to fit the image more, don’t you think?’ With this remark Masters made it clear that he was now rather important in the government, and Dr Lawrence was not.

‘Yes, of course,’ said Dr Lawrence. ‘What can I do for you?’

Masters looked about the office, and ran a finger along a ledge which hadn’t been dusted for some time. Then, as though he owned the place, he sat down in Dr Lawrence’s chair behind the desk.

‘What can you do for me?’ he said, ‘or isn’t it rather what I can do for
you
?’ He produced a perfectly white handkerchief, dusted the desk top before placing his elbows on it. ‘I believe you are in terrible trouble.’

Dr Lawrence quaked. ‘You mean with the government?’

‘With everyone, dear boy,’ said Masters. ‘When I read your latest report, I just didn’t know how I dare pass it on to the Minister.’

Dr Lawrence leant over his own desk and spoke earnestly. ‘Something very strange is going on here, something outside of science as we know it…’

You don’t have to tell me,’ Masters cut in with a wave of his immaculately manicured right hand. ‘A dead pot-holer, another one gone mad; another technician killed by your own security officer with a blow on the head; and above all else, these extraordinary power losses.’ He paused for effect, as though making a speech. ‘You see, Charles, all these incidents might be acceptable to the government if at the same time there had been any progress in your work. But there has been no progress at all!’ Then he put on the famous smile. ‘Am I being beastly?’

‘No,’ said Dr Lawrence. ‘Everything you say is true. In fact, since my last report the situation has worsened.’

‘If that is possible,’ said Masters. ‘Do tell me more?’

Dr Lawrence knew there was no point in hiding anything. ‘Major Barker, our security officer, was attacked by some person or persons unknown in the caves, and has since run away from the sick-bay. Dr Matthew Quinn has been murdered. Miss Dawson, one of our most important technicians, has become mentally unbalanced.’

Masters looked at Dr Lawrence for a full half-minute without speaking. ‘Well, well,’ he said at last, ‘it just isn’t your day, is it?’

‘Look, Frederick,’ said Dr Lawrence, lowering his voice. ‘You’ve got to help me, for old time’s sake. Is there any chance I could get out of this place?’

‘You just get into that lift and press the button…’

Dr Lawrence cut in on Masters’ facetious reply. ‘I mean get another job somewhere.’

‘With your qualifications,’ said Masters, ‘I should think that very easy. We have posts open in laboratories and research centres all over the country – for junior technicians.’ He smiled again. ‘You don’t really want to be the first rat to leave a sinking ship, do you?’

‘I know that if I remain here, and finally this place has to be written-off as a total loss, you people in the government will always hold the blame against me!’

‘Come now,’ said Masters. ‘We aren’t as beastly as that!’ He paused again for effect. ‘But you don’t seem to have made much of a success of it all.’

Dr Lawrence sat down in one of the hard-backed chairs. He felt very tired and miserable. He knew he wouldn’t get his own chair back while Masters remained here. ‘What do you want me to do?’ he asked.

‘Some coffee would be nice,’ said Masters.

‘I’ve already ordered it.’

‘And a little scientific progress would be even nicer,’ said Masters. ‘We sent you the Brigadier. Has he been of much help?’

Dr Lawrence shook his head. ‘None at all, so far as I can see.’

The door was flung open and the Doctor and Liz entered, both grimy with cave dust. ‘Dr Lawrence,’ said the Doctor, ‘have you just had a power failure?’

‘We’re always having power failures,’ said Dr Lawrence.

‘But the time of the last one,’ said the Doctor urgently. ‘It’s most important.’

‘At four twenty-two,’ said Dr Lawrence. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, I’m trying to have a discussion with …’

But the Doctor ignored Dr Lawrence and turned to Liz. ‘You see, it fits exactly. I checked my watch when we saw the reptile being de-hibernated.’

‘May I ask who you are, sir?’ said Masters with edge to his voice.

‘You may indeed,’ said the Doctor, and as he spoke Miss Travis entered with a tray of coffee for two. ‘How terribly thoughtful of you, my dear,’ he said to the startled girl technician, then turned to Dr Lawrence. ‘Your people do look after us terribly well down here.’ He took the tray from Miss Travis, set it on the desk in front of Masters and started to pour two cups of coffee. ‘How many sugars, Liz?’

‘One,’ she said.

‘To keep that figure of yours,’ said the Doctor. ‘Very wise.’

‘That coffee,’ said Dr Lawrence, ‘was ordered for myself and the Permanent Under Secretary!’

‘Really?’ The Doctor was already sipping the cup he had poured for himself. ‘Well, when he gets here, Miss Travis can make some more.’

‘I’m already here,’ said Masters.

The Doctor turned and looked down at Masters. ‘My dear fellow, how appallingly thoughtless of me. Here, it’s yours.’

Masters looked at the proffered cup. The Doctor’s grimy finger-marks were all over it. ‘I can wait,’ he said. ‘Why did you want to know the time of the last power loss?’

‘Because we saw what happened to all your electricity,’ said the Doctor. ‘They use induction, you see, instead of cables.’

‘
They
? Masters was by now keenly interested.

‘The reptiles,’ said Liz. ‘Like lizards.’

Masters drew back in his chair, not wishing to be contaminated by the madness of the two grimy people standing before him. ‘Lizards who know how to use electricity?’

‘It’s quite logical,’ said the Doctor. ‘Humans sometimes use electricity to get muscles to work again.’

‘Excuse me, sir,’ said Miss Travis, who had been waiting by the open door, ‘but should I get more coffee?’

‘Yes,’ said Dr Lawrence. ‘A great amount of very black coffee.’

Miss Travis turned to go, and collided with the Brigadier as he entered. ‘Mr Masters,’ he said, going forward to shake hands. ‘I’ve only just heard of your arrival. How are my reinforcements coming along?’

‘They’re not,’ said Masters. ‘That’s one of the reasons I’m here. I really can’t get the Regular Army to send support for you on the basis of a wild tale about monsters in caves.’

‘But we have overwhelming evidence that there is something hostile in those caves,’ said the Brigadier. ‘The caves are vast, with a great many galleries and passageways. I need a lot of men to cover them completely.’