encourage speed.
Behind them, the pursuers reached the trapped Chumbley and encircled it. One of them stood before it, chittered a while, then extended a clawed arm, grasped the mesh and effortlessly pulled it clear.
Immediately it came to life, visor flashing, turned and set off with its comrades after the Doctor and his party.
They had a surprising turn of speed and the party had to run to stay ahead of them, the Doctor soon wishing that he had found a younger body to inhabit. There was not a lot to be said for this one. In no time at all his hearts were hammering, his lungs labouring like a pair of ancient bellows and his limbs moving only with the greatest of reluctance. Steven turned back and put an arm about him to help him, but his assistance did little to improve things. This was an old body and there was nothing to be done about it, despite the hectoring calls from the two Drahvins for more haste.
He was about to give up entirely when Steven gasped, ‘There it is, Doctor.’
The Doctor looked up and there before him was the Drahvin spaceship. It was some fifty metres in length, observation ports lining its side, a badly damaged aerial protruding from the top. There were serious burns in its sides and several patched holes. It had obviously been in a battle and taken a lot of punishment. But at least it offered sanctuary, for which the Doctor would be deeply grateful. With one huge last effort he forced himself onward until they reached the ship’s entry. It slid open and they piled inside, all out of breath.
‘Close external door,’ One snapped.
A voice came from a speaker above them. ‘Close external door.’
It slid shut and Vicki leaned exhausted against the observation panel to see the Chumblies come to a halt just outside. She could see their visors flashing and knew that they were reporting back, though she could hear nothing as yet. She turned away. ‘Are you all right, Doctor?’
The Doctor emptied his lungs, then inhaled deeply. ‘I think so. I’m just not very good at physical exercise these days. This body’s wearing out.’
‘Oh, it should last a while yet,’ Steven said. ‘God bless you for those words of comfort.’ ‘You’re welcome.’
The Doctor turned to the Drahvins: ‘What now?’
‘We shall go inside,’ Two said. ‘Follow me.’
She pressed her hand against a light in the bulkhead and another door slid open. She led the way into the adjoining compartment. This too, the Doctor noticed, was somewhat battered. Clearly, some attempt had been made to clear up the damage, but holed metal needs tools and he surmised that these were in short supply. The table to the side had one leg on chocks and the chairs looked none too sure of themselves. The shelving listed. A desk had been torn away from the deck and now stood forlornly to the bulkhead. Originally spartan, the compartment now looked utterly cheerless, no effort ever having been made to brighten it in the first place.
‘Warm and cosy,’ he muttered to himself. ‘A nice place to die.’
‘Biggish, isn’t it?’ Steven said, looking about him.
‘And more than a little backward, by the look of it,’ the Doctor replied. ‘The machinery I. can see looks fairly primitive.’
‘It got them through space,’ Vicki said.
The Doctor nodded. ‘Just.’
Another Drahvin entered. She too wore the same uniform as the others. She too was blonde. She too had the same absence of expression. Steven was beginning to think that they looked like mobile dolls. For all he knew, that was precisely what they were. Whatever the truth of it, he was beginning to dislike attractive women who showed no sign of feeling.
‘Silence. Maaga is coming,’ the third one said.
Maaga stepped into the room. She also was blonde, but something about her was different. Her face was lively and her eyes bright. She glanced briefly at the trio, then addressed Drahvin Two: ‘Report.’
Drahvin Two stood rigidly at attention, as did her companion.