Doctor Who: The Ark (9 page)

‘Of course it was,’ the Doctor said soothingly. ‘So you had many happy times; you, your husband and your family?’

‘Yes. Times that I will always remember.’

‘You sound very contented,’ the Doctor mused. ‘You know, the more I’ve wandered around and observed advanced civilisations, the more I’ve noticed how unhappy they seem when compared to the old. In your case, much of your happiness must have been due to that place where you worked, ate, slept and played?’

‘Yes! Played! Here we don’t play. Oh, I suppose the ones who are working on building that statue have something of that feeling... but for the rest of us, that experience is completely missing.’

The Doctor looked out at the lands. ‘The Monoids seem to share a work ethic. But why is it that I can only see them in the fields? No Guardians?’

‘Guardians do not like manual labour; Monoids accept it.’

The Doctor’s attention was caught by a movement in the distance, among trees. An impression of a mixed party of Guardians and Monoids. They seemed to be interested in the farmhouse and his presence there. Then he shrugged, dismissing the thought.

Rhos called from within: ‘Everything is all right!’

A quick examination of the patients proved this to be true. ‘That’s it!’ the Doctor exclaimed. ‘This vaccine is successful, no matter what the climate!’

They left the patients with the Doctor giving the mother final advice: ‘Warm and comfy! That’s the way they should be kept and they’ll be back to normal in a few days!’

‘Thank you, Doctor,’ the mother said. She touched his arm and delayed him for a moment while Rhos and the Monoid walked out to the conveyor. ‘I have this which I brought from Earth. So it’s real. Now, take a piece and I will hold on to the rest to remind me of my old home.’

The Doctor took it and nodded understandingly, then left the house. As he climbed into the conveyor Rhos asked him: ‘What have you got there?’

‘A sprig of heather,’ the Doctor replied.

Zentos had received the report about the Doctor and his movements in the cultivated zone and pursed his lips as he wondered where he might go next.

The polar bear reared on its hind legs, threatening the Doctor, Rhos and the Monoid as they hove into view in the icy regions of the polar cap.

‘Good heavens!’ the Doctor exclaimed. ‘What a powerful-looking beast!’

‘And still a dangerous one,’ Rhos replied. ‘One of the species that failed to respond to our genetic treatments of many Segments ago.’

‘Then I suggest that we give it a wide berth,’ the Doctor said firmly. In answer the Monoid guided the conveyor away from the area of danger. The Doctor shivered.

‘After the other places this is quite a contrast. Cold! But on the other hand it’s a dry cold. It’s doubtful if the virus would have reached anyone in this area.’

‘We’ll soon find out,’ Rhos replied. ‘There’s a settlement over there.’ He indicated a cluster of low buildings.

But the Doctor’s prediction was proved wrong the moment they entered the buildings. Everyone inside, Guardians and Monoids, was laid low by the fever. They were lying in their beds and some were huddled on the floor.

The Doctor surveyed the scene in dismay.

‘So I was wrong. And in these climatic conditions the fever will have a sharper effect.’

Rhos had quickly moved among the stricken victims, checking each in turn as did the Doctor and the Monoid.

From a corner he called out: ‘You’re right! There are two here who are dead.’

The Doctor glanced over and saw that Rhos was pointing at the bodies of a Guardian and a Monoid. ‘Yes,’

he observed, ‘And the rest of them are so ill that they have obviously not been able to bury them. The first thing we must do is get those bodies outside.’

He and the others hastily donned their protective masks. Now they worked together to move the dead bodies out into the snow. There they started covering the cadavers with snow, swiftly forming makeshift graves.

From a high mound in the distance their actions were observed by the party of Guardians and Monoids that Zentos had instructed to follow them. Immediately they reported what they saw back to him.

Zentos listened to the report in the Control Room and clipped his fingers impatiently.

‘More dead!’ he informed Manyak. ‘And Rhos seems to be working along with the Doctor to conceal them! Which means that I was right to keep an eye on events.’

Once back in the buildings, the Doctor, Rhos and the Monoid started on the task of helping the other patients.

‘I suppose by rights we should have a stronger vaccine,’

the Doctor reflected. ‘But that would take time, going back to the clinic and then returning here. Instead, I suggest we give them a first treatment of the one we have, monitor them and then, if necessary, give them a booster treatment.’

They worked diligently, moving among the patients and administering the first shots of the vaccine. The Doctor made up a chart on which he noted down each of the building’s occupants by a number and then recorded their temperature and pulse rate readings.

Eventually they had applied the first dose of the treatment. The Doctor leaned back and addressed Rhos and the Monoid.

‘Well, that’s that! Our first step. Now all we can do is wait and see what happens.’

Zentos strode through the Great Hall, passing the work in progress on the Homo Sapiens statue without a glance. He made his way along a corridor and entered a room.

In it were a number of Guardians and Monoids. They were clothed in special, distinctive uniforms.

Zentos addressed them: ‘Your attention, please! As you know, I have organised you as a security force in the event that anything should go wrong. Well, now it has. More deaths have occurred.’ There was a murmur of consternation and anger. ‘So now you must arrest the intruders and we will have to carry out the original sentence of expelling them into outer space!’

They nodded in agreement. One Guardian asked, ‘But where are they?’

‘The two young ones are in the room where we first placed them. And the Doctor is with microbiologist Rhos in the polar regions at the co-ordinates of KZ8 and WN3.’

They prepared to set out, but Zentos delayed them.

‘And when you arrest the Doctor, bring in Rhos as well.

There is some indication that he may have fallen under the spell of the Doctor and may be a traitor, so we need him for questioning!’ Nodding, they set out on their mission.

The Doctor examined several of the patients in the polar buildings, while Rhos attended to others.

‘There seems to be some improvement,’ the Doctor stated. ‘What about those you’ve examined?’

‘A little,’ Rhos concurred.

‘But not as much as we could have hoped for,’ the Doctor concluded. ‘So let’s give them another dose of the treatment. We might get better results then.’

They set about the task immediately, the Doctor deciding on the dosages to be given after consulting the notes he had made on his first examination of the patients.

They had varied in their reactions to the first stage of the treatment; some required a full second vaccination, others only milder doses. The Doctor was well aware that his judgements were entirely subjective, but in these special circumstances he had only his instinct to guide him.

Rhos had recognised this, too; and so had the Monoid.

But their respect for the Doctor had gradually grown as they had wandered around the hinterland of the Ark, and they faithfully followed his every instruction.

When the police Guardians and Monoids entered the jail-room in which the intruders had first been incarcerated and where Steven had been nursed by Dodo, they were greeted by the sight of Steven standing on his feet, Dodo at his side. ‘What’s this?’ Steven asked.

‘We have instructions to take you back into custody,’ a Guardian stated.

‘Why?’ Dodo asked.

‘Because there have been more deaths from the fever you brought to this space ship.’

‘But look at him,’ Dodo argued. ‘Steven was as sick as anyone, but now he’s cured!’

The Guardian could see that this was true, but he shook his bead. ‘It makes no difference. We have our instructions, so you will come with us.’

Steven sighed. ‘We’ll have to go, Dodo.’

‘I suppose so,’ she said sulkily. ‘But wait until the Doctor hears about this. He’ll flip his lid!’

‘The Doctor is being sought now,’ the Guardian informed them. ‘Then we will find out what... er...

“flipping his lid” means.’

At first they were dark dots, moving through the snowy wastes of the polar region.

It was the Monoid who had noticed them when he had glanced out of the buildings at the surrounding landscape.

He indicated them to the Doctor and Rhos.

‘Animals?’ the Doctor asked.

‘Yes,’ Rhos had answered. ‘Of our kind.’

It was true, for as the dots came close and took on recognisable shape, they were revealed as Guardians and Monoids.

‘Strange,’ the Doctor observed. ‘I wouldn’t have thought you would have had so many in this region.’

‘Normally we don’t. But these are Guardians and Monoids with a special task, judging by the uniform they are wearing.’

The Doctor pursed his lips, guessing instantly what Rhos was implying. ‘Then let’s check on these patients and see how they’re doing, before anything untoward happens.’

Quickly he, Rhos and the Monoid did so, moving from one individual to another, taking their temperatures and pulse rates and reacting in pleased surprise as they found them to be returning to normal. At the same time the patients were coming to and starting to talk coherently between themselves.

‘Splendid!’ the Doctor cried. ‘We’ve made progress, after all!’

Then he and the others glanced around as the doors of the building were flung open and the police party of Guardians and Monoids entered.

Ah!’ the Doctor exclaimed by way of greeting. ‘So glad to see you... and to inform you that these fellows, who were all sick, are now making excellent progress!’

‘You will come with us, Doctor,’ the leading Guardian ordered. ‘You are under arrest.’ He turned to the microbiologist. ‘You, too, Rhos!’

‘Arrest?’ the Doctor protested. ‘But surely there must be some mistake?’

‘None!’ the Guardian replied. ‘Orders!’

‘But...’ the Doctor looked around hopelessly, ‘... what about these patients? We have treated them, but they still need nursing.’

The Guardian gestured toward the Monoid who had accompanied the Doctor and Rhos. ‘He can take care of them.’

The Doctor sighed. ‘ Ah, yes, if you say so.’ He went over to the Monoid. ‘I think by now you know what is to be done, old chap.’ The Monoid nodded. ‘If there are any more attacks or resistance by the virus, treat them with the vaccine. And above all, continue to make sure that they are kept warm.’ He patted the Monoid’s shoulder in encouragement, then turned to the arresting Guardian.

‘Now, just who is it who has ordered our arrest... and why?’

‘It is on my instructions that you have been brought here,’

Zentos stated as he addressed the Doctor and his companions, together with Rhos, in front of an assembly of Guardians and Monoids. ‘We have learnt of more deaths, this time in the polar region. And you, Doctor, were seen organising the hiding of the bodies.’

‘Stuff and nonsense!’ the Doctor exploded.

Dodo turned to the Guardian who had arrested her and Steven. ‘That’s what’s meant by “flipping his lid”!’ she said.

‘We weren’t hiding the bodies,’ the Doctor explained.

‘We were just giving them a temporary burial. Isn’t that so, Rhos?’

‘Yes,’ Rhos replied.

‘They had already been dead for some time when we found them,’ the Doctor continued. ‘And the rest of their friends in that polar station were sick and unable to carry out the task. But now, thanks to our treatment, they are recovering!’

‘All I know is that there were deaths. So far only your own kind,’ Zentos indicated Steven and Dodo ‘seem to be fully recovered. I still believe that you are a threat, and that the original sentence of expelling you into space should be carried out!’ He turned to face the assembled Guardians and Monoids. ‘What do you say now? No Guardian or Monoid has yet achieved full recovery, so should we execute that sentence?’

There was a mixed reaction. Some were for carrying out the sentence, others were more restrained.

Zentos grew impatient. ‘And while we are at it, the fate of microbiologist Rhos should also be decided, for he seems to have thrown in his lot with the Doctor without caution. He even helped to hide the bodies of the dead.’

This brought a firmer response from the assembly.

There were cries of: ‘Carry out the sentence!’ ‘Expel them!’

‘And with them, the traitor!’

‘Very well, then,’ barked Zentos. ‘Take them away and carry out the sentence.’

As the Doctor and his companions, together with Rhos, were seized and led away protesting, Mellium entered the control room and addressed them: ‘My father...’

‘What about him?’ Zentos asked.

‘He wishes to speak to you!’

Automatically Zentos and the others glanced at the relay source. Zentos addressed it: ‘Yes, Commander?’

‘You are making a foolish and unjust mistake!’ the Commander declared.

But his voice did not come from the relay source.

Instead it came directly from the Commander himself as he strode into the Control Room.

‘For as you can see, I am well... totally restored to health!’ He smiled at the Doctor. ‘Thanks to the skills of our visitors!’

There was immediate consternation among the Guardians and the Monoids, who automatically released their captives.

‘My fever has totally abated,’ the Commander stated emphatically. ‘My temperature is back to normal and my pulse is regular.’ He turned to Zentos. ‘I think that you are making a hasty judgement, Zentos. I respect your reasons, but I am compelled to over-rule you.’

‘Thank heavens for that,’ Dodo ejaculated. ‘I like space travel, but not the sort of journey they were planning for us!’ The Doctor smiled. ‘For once your English seems to be in order and expresses my feelings exactly.’