Ten Little Aliens: 50th Anniversary Edition (12 page)

‘I made available to Pentagon Central the experiential records of each soldier in the squad,’ said Shel. ‘Their computers then ascertained what further training experiences were needed to take the AT squad into elite class, and selected a suitable location.’

‘Dumb computers,’ Roba snorted.

The Doctor shook his head. ‘The computer, sir, is only equipped to take decisions according to the caprices of its programmers.’ He surveyed his audience haughtily. ‘You were expected here. All this is an elaborate trap that has closed around you.’

‘Around
us
, you mean,’ said Ben with feeling.

‘Yes, quite so.’ At once the Doctor’s smugness vanished, and he looked suddenly distant. ‘I hardly think a means of escape will be left to us.’

‘While I’m sure you know
everything
, Doctor,’ Haunt said dourly, ‘I think we’ll check for ourselves.’ She turned to her soldiers. ‘Shade, Lindey, go back to the ship, check it out. Roba, Frog, get out there and guard that doorway. Anything coming our way, I want to know about it.’

Silently, they obeyed.

‘And remember,’ Haunt called after them. ‘There could be one, maybe two droids still out there in our share of this rock. Watch yourselves.’ She turned to Polly. ‘You claim you left this room by another exit.’

‘I don’t
claim
anything.’ Polly crossed to stand by Ben’s side. ‘It’s true.’

‘Creben. Joiks. Find another door.’ Haunt gestured broadly around her with her rifle. She waved it around so naturally, like the thing was a part of her.

Creben moved smartly away and Joiks slouched off to investigate in the other direction, his heavy-set face troubled.

‘Tovel,’ Haunt went on. ‘You’re the pilot. Can this really be a kind of ship?’

‘Sure it can,’ Tovel replied.

Ben looked confused. ‘But how can it steer or whatever, if it’s just a dirty great rock?’

The Doctor ignored him and turned to Tovel. ‘Young man, would you agree that technology of this sort would need some kind of primed navigational matrix in order to move through space?’

Tovel raised his eyebrows. ‘Yeah. It’s Schirr technology. They load up crystals with cartographic info, all pre-programmed, and burnt into the systems at launch. But the crystals are gone. We’ve no way of knowing where we’re headed.’

‘We’re on the edge of Morphiean space,’ Haunt said. ‘Any infringement on their territory could be construed as open warfare.’

‘Who are these Morphieans?’ asked Polly.

Tovel looked at her. ‘So we can take it you had no relatives on Beijing Minor, then.’

‘We, er, have been out of circulation, you could say,’ the Doctor told him with an apologetic smile.

‘Refugees,’ Haunt reminded Tovel.

‘In a few years we could all be.’

Polly didn’t understand what Tovel meant, but found herself shivering anyway.

‘The Morphieans are the geezers with the magic, the Spooks,’ Ben piped up. ‘That bunch on the dais are called Schirr, and they’ve been ripping off the Morphieans’ secrets, see Pol? The Morphieans want them back. And since the Schirr are part of
Earth’s
Empire now, the Morphieans are having a pop at
us
for not putting the lid on
them
.’

The Doctor gave Ben a withering look. ‘Succinctly put.’

Polly was grateful for Ben’s summary, but still confused. ‘How did the Schirr get these secrets in the first place?’

‘We learned from the pacified Schirr that centuries ago, the Quadrant was active in this sector; before their isolationist stance,’ Tovel told her. ‘Certain Schirr elements still practised the Morphiean black arts, and none better than DeCaster. He’s become a hero, a god to these primitives.’

Shel spoke up. ‘Over the last ten years he has used Morphiean rituals to commit the most devastating terrorist acts against Empire.’

‘Whole worlds,’ said Haunt, ‘just gone up in flames.’

Polly thought she got it. ‘And once the Morphieans realised what was happening, they started reprisals with worse magic?’

‘Much worse,’ said Tovel.

Polly’s voice rose a little in panic. ‘And we could be heading straight for them! We can’t tell!’

‘How can these crystals have gone? We’ve only just set off.’ Ben suddenly clicked his fingers. ‘’Ere, maybe the stiff did the business while we were all out of the room –
then
he dissolved.’ He swung round to face the dais, half-expecting the missing figure to have suddenly sneaked back in.

‘Not likely, is it,’ said Tovel.

‘In any case, the countdown started ages ago,’ Polly said.

‘According to you,’ Haunt pointed out.

‘It’s true, we told you,’ said Ben hotly, his fingers feeling for Polly’s hand. ‘She just disappeared somewhere!’

Haunt sneered. ‘Just like you appeared out of thin air.’

‘You can see our craft for yourself, madam,’ the Doctor said impatiently, gesturing to the TARDIS.

‘Where were you standing,’ asked Haunt, ‘when you
disappeared
?’

‘It was dark, I’m not sure.’ Polly frowned. ‘Over by the bodies there, somewhere near the TARDIS. I was trying to get away from them.’

‘Marshal, these two
were
here when we arrived,’ Shel said, his voice flat and emotionless as he looked at the Doctor and Ben. ‘It’s possible they could have set our destination and then hidden the navigational crystals.’

‘Oh, come off it,’ Ben protested.

‘The systems were dead until you entered,’ the Doctor agreed tetchily. ‘The area was pressurised, as you well know.’

‘But we
don’t
know how long you were here before us,’ Tovel said, without, Ben was pleased to see, a good deal of conviction.

‘We’re wasting time!’ the Doctor said. ‘Even without the crystals I’m sure I can decipher the residual coding in the navigational circuits.’

‘You can?’ Tovel looked surprised. ‘Care to show me how?’

‘Wait,’ Haunt ordered. ‘Scan them, Shel.’

Shel waved some weird-looking device over the Doctor. Then he stuck it in Ben’s face. Ben felt dizzy for a few moments.

Shel opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. He looked a bit dizzy himself. Maybe it was catching, thought Ben.

‘Cl… Clear, Marshal. No power source detected.’

Haunt frowned at Shel. ‘You all right?’

‘I’ll check the girl.’ He moved over to Polly as if nothing had happened. But by the uneasy look between Haunt and Tovel, clearly something significant had.

‘Nothing,’ Tovel observed, and Shel turned away impassively.

‘As you see, we were telling the truth,’ said the Doctor. ‘Nevertheless, you were quite right to check. The crystals must be on board somewhere.’ He smiled icily at Shel. ‘Concealed by whoever set this vessel in motion.’

‘Why can’t they be on the part we left behind?’ Ben asked.

‘Without them,’ Tovel explained, ‘this ship can’t change course. Ever.’

‘It’s a one-way journey,’ said Polly quietly.

‘Indeed, that’s quite possible.’ The Doctor steepled his fingers and turned his eyes to the vaulted ceiling high above. ‘But to where are we travelling, hmm? Let us consider the facts.’

Haunt looked at him warily. ‘Go on.’

‘Firstly, it would seem the Schirr infested this training area and subverted its functions to accommodate their own. If we are travelling under the guidance of their systems it is unlikely we shall be entering Morphiean space. To do so would mean certain suicide for DeCaster and his followers.’

‘Yeah, but they’re already dead, Doctor,’ Ben interrupted.

‘Precisely, my boy. But the flight of this asteroid, and the timing of its take-off, would have been determined
before
the bloody conflict that consumed them took place.’

‘They’ve turned this whole place against us,’ Haunt breathed. ‘They must mean to use it as a weapon.’

Shel considered. ‘DeCaster’s intent has always been hostile to Earth and Empire. Outwardly, our appearance, size and mass suggests a simple meteor.’

‘This rock could steer smoothly into orbit around an Earth world,’ said Tovel, catching on, ‘then drop out of the sky on any continent before anyone can react.’

Polly just stared at him, horrified.

Ben was still scratching his head. ‘But if they had all this planned on the automatics, why stay behind? Why fight among themselves?’

‘A power struggle of some kind?’ wondered Shel. ‘Perhaps Pallemar wanted to take control.’

Haunt nodded, a faraway look in her eyes as if she were somehow watching the bloody events unfold. ‘Pallemar was placing the others in the stasis field. They didn’t know how long they would have to wait for the next training squad. They planned to use our ship to escape in once the trap was sprung, marooning us here. But Pallemar must’ve realised that with
DeCaster
stuck in stasis, he could set himself up as the leader.’ She nodded with sudden conviction. ‘The scum won’t even stay loyal to their own kind.’

‘The scenario would seem to fit,’ said the Doctor. ‘Except for one thing. If such a squabble took place at the end, unexpectedly… why are the crystals not in evidence?’

Tovel clicked his fingers. ‘Of course. One of the Schirr must have them! If we can breach that stasis field, we can simply take the crystals back and change course as we wish.’

‘Scan the corpses, Shel,’ said Haunt.

All eyes were on Shel as he waved the wand-like device around the dais.

And shook his head.

‘No power source, Marshal,’ he stated.

Polly felt sick as her hopes plummeted. She noticed the Doctor nod his head, just a fraction, as if he’d suspected as much all along.

III

Lindey led the way through the narrow passage in the rock that led to the doorway. Shade wished it was him staying behind to guard it.

‘Watch out for dead Schirr,’ he called lightly to Roba and Frog.

Roba said nothing. Frog gave him an obscene gesture.

Shade headed off through the glittering shadows of the complex, Lindey just behind him. He felt exposed without his webset, hated having such freedom to think. Without the mission to trammel his thoughts, they were escaping all over.

Half the bullring had collapsed in on itself. The route back to the ship, along with another tunnel, was buried forever. Shade saw that some of the weed had been shaken down from
the
crumbling ceiling by the tremors. A cloud of fleas hopped round his feet. He watched them jump, fascinated. Going about their business, unaware giants were gathered around them.

‘Shadow?’ asked Lindey lightly.

He couldn’t stop staring.

‘You seem a little worked up, Shadow,’ she went on.

Shade didn’t see the point of arguing the point. ‘What if we’ve got no way off this rock?’

‘Haunt will find one.’

‘Yeah?’

‘You doubt it?’

Shade closed his eyes. He didn’t want to doubt it. ‘And what about Denni? Do you reckon she’s dead like Joiks thinks?’

Lindey shrugged. ‘Maybe we’ll find her while we’re checking out what else is left behind here.’

‘You don’t sound bothered.’

‘She grew up on Paris II, didn’t she? Worst cess-pit in Little Europe. She can handle herself here.’

Shade didn’t respond. He hated Lindey for being so cool. She was always this way, whatever the spot. She’d
earned
her place here.

‘Poor Shadow.’

She may have picked up on his self-pitying mood, but her voice was cold.

‘Huh?’

‘Always seems to happen to you, doesn’t it? Things getting out of hand. Going wrong.’

She knows
. Shade cleared his throat, made a big pointless show of picking which tunnel they might take as an alternative. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lindey.’

‘I think that sappy little girl likes you, you know,’ Lindey went on, her eyes wide and smiling. ‘She must find it so reassuring having a big brave soldier like you around. Someone who keeps
his
head while all around are losing theirs.’ The smile faded. ‘Someone who makes damn sure of it.’

Shade couldn’t keep up eye-contact, and studied his palmset instead. ‘Seems there’s nothing beyond this rockfall.’ He tried to sound brisk and emotionless about it. ‘No ship. This is the end of the road.’

‘Maybe they’ll airlift you out again,’ Lindey whispered, her face in shadow. ‘Earthman.’

Shade bore down on her angrily. ‘What the hell is all this, Lindey?’

But she put her finger to her lips, shushed him, and walked off back the way they had come. ‘You know, I wanted you to get through this mission so badly.’ Her voice wasn’t teasing now. It was strained. ‘I wanted you to get merits, to earn your Elite placing. To feel like you’d actually made it, like you’d finally pushed the past behind you.’ She paused, enjoying herself. ‘Before I buried you with it.’

‘Lindey?’ Heart sinking, he strode up behind her, grabbed hold of her shoulder.

She spun round, gun pulled and ready, and jammed it into his neck. ‘Off. Now.’ She sneered. ‘You’re not in the Royal Escort now, and I’m not just some petty officer in Pauper Fleet –
Earthman
. We’re equal.
Elite
, right?’

Shade let go of her. She chuckled softly.

‘I know what you are.’ Lindey said simply. ‘And I know what I could be. So you’d better think of a few strings you can pull for me back on Earth. Or a few other people here might have to find out about you too.’

Shade felt his temples throbbing, felt the shrapnel in his face bite at the little good skin left. ‘What are you going to do?’

Lindey lowered the gun and tapped the palmset tucked into her belt. ‘If we ever get out of this… You’ll see.’ She blew him a kiss and turned away. ‘And then you’ll have to be very,
very
nice to me, my little Earthborn Shadow…’

Shade watched her go, clenched his fists. ‘Will I,’ he muttered.

IV

Polly sighed. The Doctor and Tovel were digging about in the gossamer cables within the navigational console. Haunt was watching them, sullenly. Creben and Joiks were still waving little pieces of machinery around the place, looking for her magic door (Polly hoped they would fall through it and vanish, just as she had). Shel lingered by the grisly display of corpses, staring at them as if he were somehow communicating with them telepathically.