Doctor Who: The Visitation by Eric Saward Read Free Book Online Page A

beginning to believe me?' said the Doctor.
     
    The actor indicated his surroundings. 'It seems I have little choice.'
     
    As they emerged from the pod, Richard Mace questioned the Doctor closely concerning the secrets of how the sliding door worked. In his own mind the actor had already conceived a drama that not only featured such a door but also a wall that could be walked through. People would come from far and wide. He would be rich and famous.
     
    But Mace's fantasy was interrupted by an urgent cal from Nyssa. A hundred yards away stood three men, two of whom were armed with farm implements – a pitchfork and an axe - the other with a longbow.
     
    The Doctor and Mace stopped at the foot of the ramp.
     
    'Do you know who they are?' said the Doctor.
     
     
    'They're from the local village.' Mace drew his pistols as the three men fanned out into an arc. 'The one with the bow is the poacher.'
     
    'You can put those away.'
     
    Mace frowned at the Doctor.
     
    'Look at their wrists. They're wearing control bracelets.'
     
    Mace cocked his pistols. 'In my experience, most men are cowards, sir. The poacher and his friends are no exception. They will run.'
     
    The poacher fitted an arrow to his bow.
     
    'The bracelets over-ride fear,' said the Doctor. 'The only way you will stop them, is to kill them. So back into the pod. They're only interested in me.
     
    'Let me kill them.'
     
    The Doctor shook his head. 'At the moment there are only three. Fire those things and we could have a dozen to contend with.'
     
    Mace opened his mouth to protest.
     
    'Save your breath,' said the Doctor. 'Into the pod. And take Nyssa with you.'
     
    Mace and Nyssa backed up the ramp, leaving the Doctor to face the poacher and his companions alone.
     
    'Are you the Doctor?' the poacher asked him.
     
    'I am indeed. How do you do?'
     
    'You must come with us.'
     
    'I think not.'
     
    With Mace and Nyssa safely inside, the Doctor felt it was time for him to edge his way towards the hatch. Although he talked constantly, bombarding their controlled minds with endless questions, they remained undaunted. The poacher raised the bow to the firing position, his powerful arm drawing back the bow string. The Doctor continued to chatter away, his eye firmly fixed on the tempered steel arrowhead. He was now within a few feet of the hatch.
     
    'Stop! Or I fire!'
     
     
    'All right. I'll come with you.' The Doctor moved a step or two down the ramp. The poacher momentarily relaxed, allowing his bow to dip. Having anticipated this lapse of concentration, the Doctor turned, flung himself up the ramp and dived through the hatch. As he flew in, Nyssa hit the door-closing mechanism. The hatch started to slide to, but not before the poacher's arrow was able to find its mark in the padded bulkhead, only a few inches from the Doctor's head.
     
    With the hatch tightly shut, it was difficult to tell which of the trio was shaking most.
     
    'Are you all right?' said Nyssa.
     
    The Doctor nodded as he climbed to his feet. As he did so, the pod started to echo with the sound of metal against metal.
     
    'What's that?' demanded Mace.
     
    'Our friendly neighbourhood axeman trying to break in.'
     
    'He'll never cut through that hatch,' said Nyssa with relief.
     
    'You're right.' The Doctor moved quickly to the far end of the pod. 'But he might get lucky and hit the opening mechanism on the outside.'
     
    Mace again drew his pistols.
     
    'Forget those. We can get out through the back door.' The Doctor prodded the hatchway he had examined earlier. 'Emergency escape hatch. Crouch down.'
     
    Such was the urgency in his voice, they obeyed without question.
     
    Nyssa and Mace watched as the Doctor started to fiddle with the insignia on the hatch.
    First he pressed it, then carefully felt round its edges, searching for the release mechanism he knew must be there - somewhere.
     
    'Can I help?' said Nyssa.
     
    'Just stay where you are.'
     
    The sound of the axe