Doctor Who: Timelash by Glen McCoy Read Free Book Online Page B

spittle.
    Albeit somewhat delayed, Peri unleashed an almighty scream, reeling back into the cave’s darker corner. But the truth of the matter remained - the monstrosity was eager to get its prey and there was nowhere to run.
    The Doctor paced the reception room quite rattled by Tekker’s irritating grin.
    ‘You expect me to believe this preposterous story?’
    yelled the Time Lord, puckering his mouth in disgust.
    ‘That a lady of the Inner Sanctum just happened to fall into the time vortex with a vitally important key to your planet’s power?’
    Tekker responded to the Doctor’s high-handedness with exaggerated pomposity. He rose to his feet and delivered a look of extreme annoyance and impatience.
    ‘Yes, Doctor,’ he eventually concluded. ’And there’s little time left for you to retrieve it.’
    The Doctor could not believe his ears, and stormed over to meet the Maylin almost nose to nose. ‘And give me one good reason why I should!’ he demanded emphatically.
     
    Tekker returned his cheeky look with a blend of one-upmanship. ‘Peri,’ he laughed, watching his guest’s face fall.
    Peri screamed, clutching the slimy wall of the tight cave as the long gnashing snout of a large Morlox trapped her in an inescapable position. Enormous fangs protruded from the bellowing creature, as it threatened Peri’s very existence. It sized up the prey before its bright bulging eyes and moved closer, ready to snatch a first bite.
    ‘ Fire! ’ a distant voice commanded as a burst of blaster-fire hit the elongated neck of the tunnel monstrosity, making the lumbering animal yelp and back off from its intended meal. Peri flicked her head to one side relieved by the retreat of the creature.
    Four troopers headed by Katz and Sezon continued fire until they had forced the Morlox back into the murky black depths of the caves. Katz dashed forward to move Peri away, but suddenly a burning android that materialised somehow from nowhere blocked their path completely.
    Sezon signalled the others to butt the smouldering remains and make a path of escape. Peri did not argue or ask questions and clung to Katz making a clean hurried exit.
    The attack force led by Sezon headed for cover some way from the dangerous tunnels renowned for Morlox.
    Katz hustled Peri to one side as the task force unit regrouped in the cover of some scattered rocks. Sezon stared at the unknown girl with suspicion, ordering the team to stay on watch at all times.
    ‘Who is she?’ quizzed the commander. Periopened her mouth to answer but was given little opportunity to respond.
    Katz piped up, snapping a curt reply: ‘She’s not one of ours.’ Sezon pronounced instant judgement on the young girl, sentencing her life to be terminated at once. Peri was confused, not sure whether she could believe her ears.
     
    There seemed little point in being rescued only to find her fate sealed yet again.
    ‘Wait, I’m not a spy,’ she insisted, looking imploringly at Katz who was more her age. ‘Please, you’ve got to believe me.’
    Something in Peri’s tone made Katz interested in hearing more, even though Sezon goaded her on to carry out his sentence of execution upon the suspected spy from the Citadel. Peri begged to be given a chance to prove her innocence, but the impatient rebel leader preferred simply to carry on their day’s strike without having to drag dead wood with them.
    ‘I said, kill her!’ Sezon was losing his temper now. ‘She’s bound to be one of the Borad’s lackeys. Come on, we’re wasting time.’
    The vault of the Borad was buried deep within the Citadel.
    This nerve centre drained large reserves of power, in order to convert pure energy to activate the many time experiments conducted by Karfel’s tyrannical ruler. His insatiable obsession with time continued to feature as an all-consuming passion. No one quite knew what exactly he was searching for, though many had experienced the ‘side’
    discoveries he had already made. One