Doctor Who: The Rescue by Ian Marter Read Free Book Online Page B

quarters?’ Barbara asked as tactfully as she could.
    ‘In the sphere.’ Vicki gestured beyond the bulkhead. ‘It broke off on impact. Our engineers cut a way out. There was a reactor leak and it’s all contaminated now.’
    Barbara stood up slowly and took a few faltering steps to test her legs. ‘Well, no broken bones at least,’ she smiled.
    Vicki said nothing but just stared at the bulkhead which led through the debris to Bennett’s compartment as if waiting for Koquillion to emerge.
    ‘What are the others like?’ Barbara asked, trying to prompt Vicki to talk about her fears.
    ‘Koquillion is the only one we ever see. They live quite near, I believe, somewhere in the caves. They have to because of their suns or something. It is something to do with the radiation but I don’t really know... and the silver things...’
    ‘Silver things?’
    Vicki shook her head sharply, as if she did not want to discuss it. ‘I have glimpsed them sometimes, just for a second... ‘ she said reluctantly. ‘Like statues. Just for a second.’ She crossed to the bulkhead and opened a small panel to put away the medical kit.
    Barbara caught sight of a large pistol in the locker. ‘Isn’t that a gun?’ she said, a vague and reckless idea flitting across her mind.
    Vicki took it out to show her. ‘It’s not a weapon,’ she explained. ‘It fires a signal flare. I keep it ready.’
     
    Barbara recognised it as an extremely sophisticated version of the Very pistol. ‘For the rescue craft?’
    Vicki nodded and put the pistol back in the locker. ‘Our power cells may not last to operate the radio beacon,’ she admitted. ‘I just hope they find us before it is too late.’
    ‘When are you expecting them to arrive?’
    Vicki just shook her head. It was as if her experiences after the crash and the massacre of the crew had numbed her spirit and drained all the fight and energy from her mind and body.
    Barbara desperately wanted to help, but she was beginning to realise that she might find herself depending on the rescue craft too. ‘Perhaps it will come soon’, she said brightly.
    Vicki turned on her. ‘But there is always Koquillion!’
    she shouted. ‘He could stop us... He could keep us here forever!’ She frowned suspiciously. ‘Why are you staring at me like that?’ she demanded savagely.
    Barbara was taken aback. ‘Like what?’
    ‘You’re sorry for me,’ Vicki spat, advancing as though to attack Barbara. ‘There is no need, do you hear? No need! I am perfectly all right. It does not matter to me whether they come or not. I shall be all right!’
    Barbara retreated. At first she was dumbfounded, then she guessed that Vicki’s outburst was a kind of attempt to assert her independence and also a reaction to the bitter disappointment of discovering that Barbara was nothing to do with any rescue mission.
    Before Barbara could say anything, Vicki suddenly went as taut as a bowstring. Beyond the bulkhead they heard the sound of laboured movement through the tangled wreckage. Leaping forward, Vicki pushed Barbara down onto the bunk and flung the blankets over her so that she was completely hidden. Then Vicki hastily retrieved some of her scattered rock specimens and sat down with them at the table.
    Next moment the shutter panel was thrust fully open and Bennett stumbled into the compartment. He stood staring at Vicki, swaying jerkily on his injured leg. ‘He has gone...’ he said hoarsely, clutching at the radar scanner for support. ‘He tried to trick me into telling him things but I did not Vicki. I did not tell Koquillion about the Seeker .’
    Vicki nodded and tried to smile approvingly.
    Bennett lurched a few paces nearer. ‘Koquillion told me about some strangers up on the ridge... The people in the cave... He killed them all, Vicki... You and I must help each other now... We must cooperate and take care of...’
    Vicki jumped to her feet. ‘No, Bennett! Koquillion has not killed all of them!’ she