Doctor Who: The Savages (2 page)

‘We have come to welcome you, Doctor. I am Edal, Captain of our Guard, and this is my lieutenant, Exorse.’

The younger man bowed to the Doctor. ‘This is a great honour, Doctor, to have you visit our planet.’

‘Just as I thought,’ said the Doctor. ‘You know who I am. And I am expected?’

‘We don’t know your name, sir,’ said Edal. ‘But our space observers have their own name for you.’ ‘And what is that?’ asked the Doctor.

‘They know you as the Traveller From Beyond Time,’ said Exorse.

The Doctor nodded with a hint of approval. ‘And how did you know when and where to expect me?’

‘The Elders of our city have been plotting the course of your space-time machine for many light years. They estimated its arrival here some days ago,’ explained Exorse.

‘How very clever of them,’ mused the Doctor.

It was at that moment that Captain Edal noticed the instrument the Doctor carried. He was at once wary. Some of the welcome vanished from his manner.

‘We understood from the Elders that you did not

carry weapons.’ He pointed to the Doctor’s calculator.

‘They were quite right,’ said the Doctor dismissively. ‘This is my own invention. Used to make calculations — of many sorts. As I told my two young friends

‘You are not alone?’ said Edal sharply.

‘Did you expect me to be?’ asked the Doctor.

‘The Elders have given us no information about that,’ said the Captain. ‘Do you have companions?’

‘Yes, but you’ll find them very pleasant,’ said the Doctor cheerfully, ‘in spite of their youthful indiscretions.’

He glanced down the path towards the TARDIS. ‘That reminds me,’ he added, ‘they expected me back some time ago.’

But Edal more or less barred his path, firmly but politely. ‘We have no instructions about them,’ he said. ‘The Elders must first be informed. You must come with us.’

‘Must?’ said the Doctor, with a raised eyebrow. He did not care for the note of authority that had crept into the Captain’s voice. But the younger man remained charming and stepped forward to explain.

‘Captain Edal merely wishes to take you to see the Elders of our City. They are in session, waiting to welcome you.’

The Doctor nodded. ‘Very well. But perhaps you, young man, would care to go and collect my friends. You’ll find them along that path. Steven and Dodo. Tell them the Doctor sent you.’

Exorse glanced at his Captain.

Edal nodded. ‘Go and fetch them, Exorse. Bring them to the City.’ Then he turned and signalled to the Doctor. ‘This way...’ and as an afterthought... ‘if you please.’

He moved off with the Doctor following. Exorse turned and headed through the shrubland towards the TARDIS.

2 ‘You Have Made Me Look Very Grand’

Not even the Doctor could be so far out in his calculations about time, thought Steven. There must be something wrong. He might need help.

‘I must go and look for him, Dodo. You never know with him. Something may have happened.’

She didn’t like the idea of being left alone again. ‘I’m coming with you,’ she said.

But they hadn’t taken more than a couple of steps when she gripped his arm and whispered, ‘Steven, look! There is something up there.’

‘You’re imagining things,’ he said. He began to move off, guessing they ought to hurry.

There was a loud ‘thump’ as something hit the ground beside them. A spear ricocheted across the rocky surface with a clatter. They spun round. It could have come only from the ridge above them, but there was no one in sight.

‘I told you,’ whispered Dodo.

Steven crossed to the fallen object and picked it up cautiously.

‘This really is a primitive piece of work.’ The shaft had been hacked into shape. He fingered the point. ‘But, look! It’s as sharp as a knife!’

They peered up at the rocks above. Nothing moved. ‘What do we do?’ asked Dodo.

‘Back to the TARDIS,’ said Steven.

He hurried her towards the safety of the time-space machine. This seemed to act as a signal for they were suddenly showered with a volley of spears. It was a miracle they weren’t hit.

And then, just as suddenly, the attack came to an abrupt stop. It was such a surprise they stopped running. What had happened?

They turned in amazement as a youthful voice called, ‘Hello, there. Dodo and Steven?’

Standing on the edge of the scrubland was a good-looking young man, smiling cheerfully and holding out a welcoming hand.

‘You know us?’ said Steven blankly.

‘Welcome to the Traveller’s companions,’ said the young man.

‘Who are you?’ asked Dodo.

‘I am Exorse. The Traveller told us I should find

you here. He said to say the Doctor sent me.’

‘The Doctor?’ Dodo was relieved. ‘Is he all right?’ ‘Perfectly,’ said Exorse ‘He has gone to meet the Elders of our City.’

Dodo looked at him, still puzzled. He seemed a most cultured young man. ‘But we thought the place was full of savages.’

Exorse grinned broadly. ‘I think you’ll find us fairly civilised.’

‘So this isn’t the Iron Age?’ said Dodo.

‘By no means,’ Exorse assured her.

‘And the Doctor was right,’ said Steven.

‘I suppose he generally is,’ suggested Exorse. ‘Now I must invite you to come with me. Our Elders wait to honour your Doctor. They will be very happy also to welcome his friends.’

Dodo still hadn’t got her thoughts in order, but she and Steven both set off with this very pleasant young stranger.

The Doctor had imagined what sort of a city he was coming to, but it far surpassed his expectations. It was built of the most beautiful stone, rather like marble, but with a lighter, more delicate appearance. A pleasing and restful design, it did one good merely to look at the way in which the arches curved, and the columns tapered.

Artistic people clearly lived in these surroundings. It was a place of light, and gaiety, learning, and laughter. He felt as though a load had been lifted from his own shoulders as Captain Edal conducted him up the steps to the spacious council chamber, towards the raised platform where a collection of people rose to greet this white-haired stranger who had just dropped out of the skies.

A fanfare of trumpets sounded gently, and there was a noise like muted cheering. The Elders themselves broke into applause as Edal announced the Doctor.

‘You are very welcome, Doctor. Welcome indeed.’ The man who stepped forward was clearly the Chief amongst the Elders, with charm and intelligence, powerful, broad-shouldered, elegant in his stylised dress with a trim dark beard and a ready smile.

‘I am Jano and I represent the Elders of our City, all of whom think of you as an old friend, though all we know of you is what we have recorded in our charts of time and space.’

The Doctor was quite moved. ‘My thanks,’ he said. ‘It is very kind to make me feel so welcome.’

‘We are honoured by your visit. Everyone here looks upon you with admiration. These are my Councillors.’

The reception party bowed their greetings as Jano moved across to an elaborate display of maps and charts, sparkling with a multitude of little lights picking out details across a galaxy of stars and stratospheres.

He indicated them with a flourish. ‘We have charted your voyages from galaxy to galaxy, and from age to age, but we never thought we would meet you face to face. This is the proudest moment in our history.’

The Doctor was about to protest, but Jano turned and signalled to a group of attendants. They moved towards the Doctor as Jano continued. ‘And in order to show our admiration we would be pleased if you would accept the office of one of our High Elders.’

The attendants were carrying robes, an ornamented cap, and other regalia. It looked to the Doctor very much like a robing ceremony at an old-world university.

‘This is very good of you indeed.’ The Doctor had to admit he was flattered.

If you will allow our attendants to help you on with your robes, Doctor,’ suggested Jano.

‘I am not honoured like this everywhere I go,’ said the Doctor with some feeling, as he struggled into the splendid coloured gown.

The attendants were led by a rather pretty young girl, he noticed. It was surprising how splendid all the people looked, and how contented and assured they were. He wondered vaguely what their secret must be.

By the time he was fully adorned he looked quite magnificent. ‘We recognise you as the greatest specialist in time-space exploration,’ said Jano, viewing him with satisfaction. ‘You have taken that branch of learning beyond our elementary investigations.’

‘Come now,’ protested the Doctor. ‘I know very well you have been responsible for some remarkable scientific work. I have known for some time now that there existed a race of great intelligence in this segment of the universe.’

Jano nodded. The man had a quiet confidence about him. ‘Yes, Doctor. We like to think we have created something of lasting value here.’

The Doctor viewed himself in the mirrors that surrounded the hall, and it has to be said he liked what he saw. ‘Thank you, young ladies,’ he said. ‘I must say you have made me look very grand.’

He turned, as everyone else turned, to see the new arrivals as Exorse entered the Council Chamber with his two visitors. Both Dodo and Steven gazed around in wonder, and neither of them recognised the Doctor in his new clothes.

‘The two strangers,’ called Exorse. ‘Steven and Dodo.’

‘You are very welcome.’ Jano crossed to greet them.

‘So there you are, young man,’ said the Doctor. ‘What have you got to say now? Do you still think I made a mistake?’

Dodo let a grin spread over her face. ‘You’re really with it now, Doctor, in those clothes.’

‘With what?’ There were times when the Doctor really couldn’t understand the girl.

But Steven had eyes only for the marvels around him. ‘What is this place?’ he asked.

‘Did the Doctor not tell you?’ asked Jano, amused by the young man’s amazement.

‘He just said it was an age of great advancement,’ said Steven.

‘And I was right,’ added the Doctor. ‘Probably the greatest development of the civilised mind.’

‘But we are not perfect,’ said Jano. ‘For example, we didn’t realise the Doctor had anyone with him, or we would have made other preparations. Nevertheless, though our honours are for him, our gifts are for you.’

Two of the attendant girls came forward at a signal; they had a small, beautifully engraved and bejewelled hand mirror which they handed to Dodo.

It took her breath away. ‘Look at it, Steven,’ she said with delight, ‘it’s beautiful. Thank you very much. And see... These are real diamonds.’

But Steven was too absorbed as the attendants turned to him, one of them presenting him with a carved dagger, a real work of art.

‘For me?’ He could hardly believe it. ‘It’s magnificent.’

‘I am sorry,’ said the Doctor. ‘We don’t usually come bearing gifts. We have nothing to give you in return.’

‘Your visit is enough,’ said Jano. ‘And now perhaps Steven and Dodo would like to make themselves at home. Our young people will show them round.’

‘An excellent idea,’ said the Doctor. There were questions of a scientific nature he wanted to concentrate on, and the less intrusion the better. And as Steven and Dodo moved off with a crowd of the young attendants, he couldn’t deny himself a last quip, calling after them, ‘And perhaps next time you’ll believe me when I say I know where I am!’

Jano took the Doctor confidentially by the arm. ‘And now, Doctor, we have many questions to ask you.’

There was a general dispersal from the Council Chamber.

Exorse headed back for duty in the scrubland that lay outside the City. He found himself waljting alongside his Captain. Eclat was silent as they made their way back to where they had found the Doctor. Exorse noticed he frowned most of the way, and wondered what troubled him.

And when Edal spoke, he sounded bitter. ‘Of course, they don’t ask us for our opinion. We’re just the City Guard. It doesn’t matter what we think, does it?’

‘What is it?’ asked Exorse. He was used to the Captain’s moods.

‘I don’t trust them,’ said Edal. ‘I never did trust strangers, and I trust them less than most.’

‘Don’t trust them?’ Exorse blinked at him.

‘Why should we treat that old Doctor like one of ourselves?’ asked Edal suspiciously.

‘The Elders think highly of him,’ said Exorse. ‘The Elders!’ scoffed Edal. He couldn’t explain what disturbed him.

‘All right,’ he said ‘We’ve wasted enough of the morning already. Get back on patrol. We’ve a lot of work to catch up on. Take the crater section. Off you go.’

Exorse saluted and moved away into the scrubland, denser, rougher, rockier, than they had crossed over. He knew it was a place to be constantly on the alert. He brought his light gun into readiness.

Edal watched him disappear between rocks and bushes, and he still frowned angrily; then he too moved into the desolate scrub.

They were not unnoticed — not that they took much trouble to disguise where they were, striding through the bush like men who were masters.

From their place of hiding, both Chal and Tor watched them. It was best to be sure which way the Patrol was heading; they reckoned they could look after themselves, but with them they had a third person — a young girl, dressed in the same sort of rough skins as they were themselves, dark-haired and pretty in a wild and startled fashion, her eyes following the progress of the two guards with alarm. Every sound made her jump. The two men tried to reassure her, but it wasn’t easy when the girl knew they were afraid themselves. The safest thing would be to send her back to the caves. The Patrols seldom went there.

‘They’ve started hunting,’ said Chal softly.

‘We must warn our people,’ said Tor.

Chal whispered to the girl, ‘Listen, Nanina. Get back to the caves as quickly as possible. Tell the families to hide. Not all together. Spread out.’

The girl looked at them anxiously. ‘What about you, Chal?’

‘We’ll be safe,’ said Chal. ‘We’re used to them.’

Nanina took a quick look at the guards. She could see only the Captain now, moving at an angle across the rocky waste. ‘All right,’ she said, ‘I’ll go.’