There came the sound of hammering on the outside doors. Edal’s voice resounded, ‘Open the doors, Senta.’ There was a struggle to reach the exit controls. The Doctor looked on, contemplating the primitive struggle taking place in this, one of the most sophisticated places he could remember visiting. There was a moral in it somewhere.
But Steven, Exorse and their allies outnumbered the Elders, and held them back until destruction had run its course, and the laboratories were in ruins.
Everywhere was ankle-deep in scientific litter. The so-called savages waded through the rubble that had once subjected them to slavery. They were too overcome even to be jubilant. A sense of responsibility had suddenly descended onto everyone’s shoulders.
Everyone turned to Jano. The Doctor was confident now of what he would say. There was really no further need to sustain this two-way communication that had been going on at an intransference level.
Now Jano spoke for himself: ‘We are at the beginning. For both the people of the City, and for Chal and his friends. After the destruction we must learn to live together, to build a world for everyone. And we shall need a new leader, someone who can be trusted, and who can unite us.’
The door suddenly gave way with a crash and Edal and his guards swarmed in. ‘Make sure the strangers don’t escape,’ shouted Edal above the noise. ‘This disaster has been brought on us by them. Kill them on sight.’
He came in at the head of a little mob and came to a stop as he saw the carnage. He was in a fury. ‘Kill them!’ he shouted, ‘kill them!’
And there in the chaos he saw Jano. This was a moment for revenge. ‘Arrest Jano,’ he barked.
The guards swept forward. Facing them, Jano made no attempt to escape. But Steven moved fast, getting between Jano and the crowd. ‘What do you think you can do now?’ he shouted. ‘Your power has gone. This place has been destroyed. You are going to need Jano as never before.’
‘Don’t listen to him,’ said Edal. ‘I should have got rid of him long ago.’
Then he saw the Doctor making his way towards them. ‘Look what you have done to us, Doctor! This is because of you.’
‘With a little help from my friends,’ smiled the Doctor.
‘Edal,’ said Jano, ‘you have no further authority.’ ‘You are a traitor.’ Edal brought up his gun. ‘Drop it,’ called Steven.
‘Before you give orders,’ said Edal grimly, ‘you should be sure you have the fire-power to see they can be enforced.’ He grinned sourly at Steven and took aim at Jano.
Steven swung round on Exorse who stood behind him, grabbing his gun, jerking it from him and firing. Edal was open-mouthed at the speed he moved, and took the full force of the light beam, pitching forward into the litter on the ground.
‘We owe you much already,’ said Jano. ‘Now I owe you my life.’ They picked Edal up and carried him to the emergency room.
‘He is a strong fellow,’ said the Doctor. ‘He will recover. It is good he should do. You will have need of such men. All they will need is a time for understanding, then perhaps you will find that the most loyal and useful are those such as Edal.’
Later the Elders had recovered sufficiently to give a subdued audience to the Doctor and his friends.
‘Now your power over your fellows has gone you must build on a new foundation,’ said the Doctor.
The Elders had asked Jano to speak for them. ‘We need someone like yourself, Doctor, to guide us. The past will be forgotten slowly, and we need a mediator... At least until we have begun to feel we are one people.’
‘That is true,’ mused the Doctor.
‘So you see how important it is for you to stay on our planet for a while.’
‘Unfortunately that is impossible in my case,’ said the Doctor.
Jano was not to be discouraged: ‘But we must have someone in whom we can trust. His judgements must come from the heart, even more than from his head.’
‘I agree,’ said the Doctor. ‘And I think you have the man here.’
For a moment everyone wondered who he could mean. Then Jano stepped forward. ‘I understand,’ he said. ‘This is such a man.’ He put his hand on Steven’s shoulder.
Steven looked at him blankly: ‘Just a moment, I couldn’t..
‘It’s a great honour, Steven,’ said the Doctor.
‘I know,’ protested Steven. ‘But I can’t just walk out on you, Doctor.’
The Doctor smiled warmly. ‘Think what a challenge it would be, my boy. To set these people, this planet, on its feet again. No easy task. But I think you are ready for it.’
Steven hesitated. He looked round at the shambles of this once magnificent civilisation, now thronged with a mixture of citizens and savages. A confusion of elements which could go for a start.
‘Do you think I could do it, Doctor?’
‘I’m sure of it,’ said the Doctor. ‘In fact, you’re the only one who could put it together.’
Steven turned to the men opposite. ‘Is this an offer from both sides?’
‘It is from us,’ said Chal. ‘With you as leader we would have real hope. We could become great again. And we would be equals.’
‘What about your fellows, like Tor?’
‘I accept you,’ called out Tor, ‘though I am sure there will also be times I shall complain.’
‘And you know what we have said,’ Jano told him.
To Steven it was like cutting oneself off from all safe things, but he said, ‘Very well. I shall stay.’ Dodo had been standing a few steps away. Now she moved to take his arm.
‘I shall miss you both,’ said Steven.
‘And we shall miss you,’ said Dodo.
Jano took the Doctor aside. ‘For many light years we looked forward to your visit, Doctor. Your wisdom was well known to us. But we did not dream that you would have brought us such a miracle.’
‘Thank you, Jano, but perhaps next time you feel the need for some of that wisdom you will allow me to give it to you of my own free will, and you won’t put me in an oven to try to steam it out of me.’
‘We shall be waiting for you in the Conference Chamber, Steven,’ Jano said as he led the rest of the Elders away. It was the moment of parting and Steven couldn’t think what to say.
‘I am proud of you, my boy,’ said the Doctor. ‘Goodbye, Steven, and good luck,’ said Dodo.
‘I... I... Well, Doctor...’ Steven could only
shake his head.
‘I quite understand,’ said the Doctor. ‘Well, on you go. You mustn’t keep your new friends waiting.’
‘Goodbye, Dodo.’ Steven put his arms round her with great affection, and Dodo was very moved. She waved as Steven turned and hurried away.
She asked the Doctor rather wistfully, ‘Do you think we will ever see him again?’
The Doctor was thoughtful: ‘Who knows? In this strange complex of time and space anything is possible... Well, my dear, we must be on our way... We mustn’t look back.’ The Doctor had put an arm around her shoulder and led her away.
It was a familiar track they took as they headed back towards the TARDIS.