DOCTOR WHO AND THE THREE DOCTORS Read online

  Jo wrinkled her forehead. 'Look if I understood what you were talking about, this whole world, everything in it, was sort of thought up, by Omega?'

  Both Doctors nodded.

  'Well, if he can think up a cell, why can't you think up a door? You're a Time Lord, aren't you? In fact you're two Time Lords. Surely your wills combined are a match for his? Why do you think the two of you were sent here?'

  'It might work,' muttered the Doctor.

  'If the combination of wills multiplies, rather than just doubles,' said Doctor Two excitedly. 'Let's try. Contact?'

  'Contact!'

  The two Doctors stared hard at the cell wall. Each in his mind, which was of course the same mind, formed the picture of a door. The wall was not blank. There was a door... a door... a door...

  Jo, Benton and Tyler looked on anxiously. Suddenly, faintly, there was a door. It grew more and more distinct. And then it was there—an open door in the hitherto blank cell wall. Their road to freedom was open.

  8

  Escape from Omega

  Confronted with freedom, everyone realised they had no very clear idea what to do next. Benton moved towards the door. 'Come on, then, let's get out of here.'

  The Doctors exchanged glances, then nodded; for once in accord. 'You take Jo and Dr. Tyler out of here,' Doctor Two told Benton. 'See if you can get back to the TARDIS inside UNIT H.Q. We'll meet you there.'

  Jo looked up at them worriedly. 'What are you going to do?'

  Doctor Two gave a determined scowl. 'We're going to do what you suggested, my dear. Look for a way to defeat Omega.'

  'You see,' said the Doctor, her Doctor, 'if our theory's correct, somewhere in this castle is the actual Point of Singularity, the centre of all Omega's power. If we can find it, gain control over it in some way, we'll be able to defeat him.'

  Jo saw that both Doctors were cheerful again. She had given them the confidence to escape from the cell. But she had also inspired them to run into even more danger. She looked from one to the other, and realised there was no chance of changing their minds.

  The little party slipped out of the cell, Benton, Tyler and Jo, turning towards the great hall and the main gates, while the two Doctors headed the other way, deeper into the secret recesses of Omega's palace.

  While Benton and his party had simply to try and retrace their steps, the two Doctors were heading into completely unknown territory.

  They moved along endless brazen corridors, sometimes passing through huge vaulted chambers. The whole palace was empty, echoing, unfinished, as though Omega had tired of his creation the moment he had thought it into existence. They had no way of knowing that they were going in the right direction, yet both felt they knew the route. Often the corridors divided, but they never had doubts as to which path to follow. It was as though the Flame of Singularity was drawing them on.

  Eventually they began to feel a kind of burning glow. It was like approaching an enormous furnace. They heard a low, roaring, crackling sound. The heat grew more intense...

  Then they came to the door. It was not a door in any ordinary sense. Rather it was a curtain of flame, stretched across a mighty parabolic arch. The roaring and crackling sound came from beyond it. They looked at it. They looked at each other. 'Well,' said the Doctor, 'I think we've found it.'

  Doctor Two gave a rueful grin. 'I almost wish we hadn't.'

  'No use just standing here. Someone ought to go in.'

  'Yes, they did, didn't they,' agreed Doctor Two unenthusiastically. He brightened. 'Tell you what, we'll toss for it.'

  He produced his silver coin, but the Doctor put out a restraining hand. 'Don't bother,' he said wryly. 'I remember we tried that before. Wish me luck!' And with that the Doctor ducked through the curtain of fire.

  Doctor Two waited, feeling slightly conscience-stricken. His double-headed Martian Crown had got him out of many tight spots, but perhaps it was a bit much to play tricks on himself.

  Suddenly he heard the Doctor's voice. 'It's all right. Come through!'

  Screwing up all his nerve, Doctor Two took a running jump through the fiery curtain. He was vaguely conscious that there was almost no sensation of heat. His feet skidded on the polished brass floor, and the Doctor caught an arm to steady him. 'Just take a look at that, old chap.'

  Doctor Two looked. They were in another of the great chambers, smaller in diameter than the entrance hall, but far, far higher. In the centre, an enormous pillar of fire rose like a colossal fountain, disappearing into the recesses of the roof. Its ever-changing lights made flickering patterns on the polished brazen walls. They were at the Flame of Singularity.

  Both Doctors gazed in awe at the spectacle. They knew of course that the Point of Singularity wasn't really an enormous flame. But that was how Omega thought of it, and in this world of Omega's creation, his thoughts were real.

  They stood for a long time, hypnotised by the flame. It seemed almost impertinent to think of taming it, of bringing it under their control. Suddenly a figure walked through the curtain of flame behind them.

  Omega stepped forward, towering over them both, and roared, 'I imprisoned you. How is it that you are free?'

  Turning, the two Doctors locked their wills together, shielding each other from the terrible blast of Omega's wrath. 'We combined our minds against you,' said the Doctor calmly. 'Together we were able to overcome your barriers. You are not all-powerful, Omega—even in this world.'

  Doctor Two spoke, and there was nothing comic about him now. His voice was stern, his manner imposing. 'Stop the energy drain, free us and our friends and we shall plead with the Time Lords to show you mercy. Otherwise, we shall combine our wills to destroy you.'

  Omega's angry bellow threatened to shatter the brazen roof. The colossal flame flickered under his wrath. 'You threaten to destroy me?'

  The Doctor was unimpressed. 'If we must, we shall fight you.'

  Omega's laugh echoed around the room. 'You wish to fight the will of Omega? Then you shall!'

  Suddenly they were—elsewhere. It was not so much that they moved, as that the room moved from around them. The Doctor blinked. He was standing alone, in the centre of an arena, rather like those used for games in the time of the Caesars. It was surrounded by high stone walls, unbroken except for a simple viewing stand, a kind of royal box. There, like some fantastic Roman emperor, stood Omega. Beside him, unable to move a muscle, was Doctor Two.

  Overhead was the threatening purple sky of Omega's planet. Underfoot was the familiar grey sand. Into some corner of the Doctor's mind came the thought that, with the chance to invent a world, it was surely a waste of your opportunities to create such an unattractive one. From behind the Doctor came a grating sound. He whirled round. On the far side of the arena a door had opened. From it shambled—what? You could give it many names, thought the Doctor, as he backed away. Demon, Ghoul, Monster. Any of the horrors that rose from the black depths of the imagination. It was a good eight feet tall, humanoid in shape, apparently made of some substance like smooth black granite. The powerful limbs were knotted with muscle. Hands and feet ended in long evil talons. Small pointed ears clung to the ape-like head, and fangs gleamed inside the slavering mouth. The slanted eyes glowed a fiery red. As the thing came closer, the Doctor could smell the reek of sulphur on its breath. Suddenly something about that hideous face struck him as familiar. In a curious way, it looked like Omega. Naturally enough, thought the Doctor, since in a sense it was Omega. In this world Omega's thoughts and feelings were real, and this ghastly creature was an incarnation of all the rage and hatred that Omega felt towards the Doctor.

  Gleaming claws hooked at the end of long arms, the monster shuffled towards the Doctor. He backed further away, and the creature moved after him with terrifying speed. The door through which it entered had disappeared, the walls of the arena were high and smooth. There was no escape. The monster sprang.

  The Doctor was one of the few two-armed beings to have mastered the complex art of Venusian
Aikido. He reached for the black shiny limbs, held, twisted, spun, and the monster flew howling across the arena and slammed into the steep stone sides. It twisted cat-like to its feet, and attacked again.

  In the fierce struggle that followed, the Doctor was under one serious disadvantage. Nothing he did seemed to harm his opponent in the slightest, but there was no doubt as to its ability to harm him. Those claws and fangs were all too real, and if the thing once got a good grip of him, he would be torn to pieces. A slashing blow missed the Doctor's throat, but the creature's forearm slammed into his chest with enough force to send him crashing to the floor of the arena. The monster pounced, and landed on the spot where the Doctor had once been, as he rolled swiftly away.

  From his place beside Omega, Doctor Two watched the struggle in powerless anguish. Locked in the grip of Omega's will he was unable to move or speak. He looked on helplessly as the Doctor ducked, weaved and dodged, throwing his monstrous opponent time and time again, only to have it bound back to the attack. Doctor Two could see that the end was inevitable. Time Lords had immense strength and endurance, but they are not superhuman or immortal. They can tire, they can be hurt, and they can die. Doctor Two wondered what would happen to him if his other self were to be killed. Presumably he too would wink out of existence, and cease to be.

  It was obvious that the Doctor was beginning to tire. His holds and throws were fewer and less successful. Soon he abandoned retaliation altogether, and concentrated simply on evading the monster's claws. His foot skidded in the sand, and the monster was upon him, pinning him to the ground with its enormous bulk, the clawed hands digging cruelly into his throat. As the grip tightened, the Doctor could see only the metal mask of Omega gazing pitilessly down at him.

  'Destroy him!' Omega roared.

  With a tremendous effort, Doctor Two managed to speak. 'No, Omega, remember why you brought us here—you need us. If you kill him you destroy your only chance of freedom. Alone, I cannot help you.'

  There was a long, terrible pause. Omega did not speak or move. From the arena came choking sounds, and the exultant howl of the monster.

  Suddenly, monster and arena vanished. Doctor Two found himself standing at Omega's side by the Flame of Singularity. The Doctor was on his back, face contorted, hands still trying desperately to keep the claws of the now-vanished monster from his throat.

  Realising that the struggle was over, the Doctor got slowly and painfully to his feet. He straightened his clothes as best he could, and dusted himself down. He nodded coolly to Omega. 'Thank you. A most interesting demonstration.' Then he collapsed into Doctor Two's arms.

  Omega laughed. 'See what becomes of those who defy the will of Omega. Serve me faithfully, Time Lord, if you would escape the same fate.'

  The unimposing figure of the second Doctor nodded humbly, as he carefully lowered the Doctor's tall figure to the floor. 'Yes, of course, Omega. Tell us what you want and we shall obey your commands. But I'm afraid my, er, friend will need to rest before he is fit to serve you.'

  Omega nodded, then turned away, and disappeared through the curtain of flame. As he knelt over the slowly recovering body of his other self, the second Doctor's usually mild spirit was burning with a savage resolve. They would destroy Omega if it was the last thing they ever did. With a sudden rueful grin, he thought that it very probably would be.

  Although they did not know it, the ordeal of the two Doctors was the salvation of Jo, Benton and Tyler. Almost the whole of Omega's mind was taken up with the punishment of those who had dared to defy him, and there was little of his attention left for the three figures creeping along the endless metal corridors.

  It was for this reason, the simple absence of Omega's attention, that the palace seemed so empty and deserted as they made their way towards the entrance hall. Scarcely believing their luck, they reached it at last. They could see the main doors at the far end. Just as they were crossing the hall, Omega left the Singularity Chamber and returned his attention to the castle, sensing immediately that the fugitives were trying to escape. The matter did not concern him greatly. The humans were of little importance now the two Time Lords were thoroughly tamed. But it displeased Omega to be defied, and with an almost careless thought he despatched his servants to recapture the prisoners. Then he returned to endless brooding upon his coming revenge.

  With freedom almost theirs, the escaping trio were horrified to see blob-men running towards them from every direction. By now they were at the massive doors, and they began struggling desperately to open them. The huge metal doors opened inward, and there was no handle to give them a grip. They scrabbled at the central crack where the double doors met, but couldn't open them more than a few inches. The blob-men came nearer and nearer, their jelly-like surface glistening horribly. Jo felt she would scream if one of them even touched her. All at once the doors started to move-not because of their pulling, but because someone was pushing from the outside. Soon the gap was big enough and one by one they squeezed through it, first Jo, then Tyler, then Benton. Outside, they were astonished and delighted to see the Brigadier, revolver in hand, backed up by another, smaller man clutching a huge shot-gun.

  The double doors were closing again of their own weight as one of the blob-men tried to come through. Hollis's shot-gun blasted it into glistening fragments, and before it could reassemble the doors slammed to.

  'Make for the dunes,' urged the Brigadier. 'They'll be after us any moment.' He led them at a brisk jog trot away from the castle.

  'Excuse me, sir,' panted Benton as he ran up abreast of him. 'How did you know we were trying to get out?'

  The Brigadier chuckled. 'We didn't. Saw the doors moving and decided it was our chance to get in. What about the Doctor?'

  'Still inside, sir. Told us to make for UNIT H.Q. and wait there for them.'

  'Them?'

  'There really are two of them, sir, You ask the others.'

  The Brigadier gave him a look, but didn't pursue the matter.

  'Probably our best plan anyway,' he agreed. 'At least we can have a shot at defending the place.'

  They were in the shelter of the dunes by now, and there was still no sign of pursuit from the castle. The Brigadier and Benton paused to allow the others to catch up.

  'Listen,' gasped Jo indignantly, as she puffed up to them. 'We don't have to sprint everywhere like a team of Olympic athletes. Bessie's here!'

  'The Doctor's car? Where?'

  Jo's face fell. 'I'm not sure. Somewhere near the sea, where we fast met Dr. Tyler.'

  Hollis spoke suddenly. 'I know it. I was watchin' you. Just you follow me.'

  He set off across the dunes, and they all followed. Hollis's countryman's instincts for a landscape seemed to be in full operation, even in this strange world. He led them unerringly across the dunes, and in a remarkably short time they were looking down at the Doctor's car.

  Eagerly, they ran towards it. The Brigadier jumped behind the wheel, Jo sat beside him, while Benton, Hollis and Tyler piled in the back. Jo settled down in her seat, remembering how she and the Doctor had found the little car, so long ago. She turned to the Brigadier. 'Where are we making for?'

  'UNIT H.Q.,' the Brigadier said cheerfully, as he started the car. He noticed Jo's astonished reaction and grinned. 'Don't worry, Miss Grant, it's a good deal nearer than you think.'

  From the back of the car, Benton gave him a respectful tap on the shoulder. 'It may not be too easy to reach though, all the same, sir.' He pointed. The dunes were lined with blob-men. One of them raised a shapeless paw, and the ground exploded in front of the car.

  Once again, the fugitives benefited from the fact that Omega wasn't giving them his full attention. He had programmed his servants to recapture them, and left the matter at that, withdrawing his attention. The blob-men were programmed to use the simple herding method that had always before worked with humans. Now, however, they were after a very different quarry. Thanks to the Doctor's many improvements, which included a 'Superdrive', 'B
essie' was not only a very fast little car, but a supremely nippy one. She could spin round in her own length, and hills didn't bother her at all. The Doctor always said that he could 'drive her up the side of a house', and in the next few minutes the Brigadier came very close to proving just that.

  Flicking the 'Superdrive' switch, stamping down hard on the accelerator, and spinning the wheel, the Brigadier whizzed the little car up the side of the dune, weaving to and fro to dodge the blob-men, and the explosions caused by their pointing fingers. He was quite accustomed to remaining cool under fire and the bangs and flashes didn't bother him at all, especially when he realised that they were aimed to deter rather than destroy. His passengers clung on frantically as he dodged their pursuers and whirled 'Bessie' round like a souped-up dodgem car, avoiding the gesticulating blob-men and the flurry of explosions. With a final triumphant roar 'Bessie' shot clean over the top of a sand dune and disappeared from sight, leaving her attackers milling about in hopeless confusion.

  Before very long, the car was drawing up in front of the UNIT building, which still sat perched incongruously in the sand. They screeched to a halt, and the Brigadier jumped out cheerfully. 'Enjoyed that. Very pleasant little drive.'

  For the first time, Jo realised that UNIT H.Q. really was in Omega's world. 'How did that get here,' she gasped.

  'A very good question, Miss Grant,' said the Brigadier. 'We'll discuss it inside.'

  They trooped through the front door, and into the familiar building. The Brigadier locked and barred the door behind them and led the way to the Doctor's laboratory. It still looked bare, since the greater part of its furniture was distributed over the surrounding dunes, but the solid blue shape of the TARDIS sat reassuringly in its usual corner. Jo had assumed they would shelter inside, but when she tried the door it was locked. The Brigadier shook his head. 'Typical,' he said. 'Never mind, we'll do the best we can with this building.' He produced a set of keys. 'Sergeant Benton—check the armoury. All the heavy stuff you can find... grenades, bazaokas—I think there's an old Bren-gun in there somewhere.'