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.'The Doctor the Doctor is dead,said Romana, unable to take her eyes away from the Doctors coffin.Evadne looked to Harken.He nodded gravely.'He sacrificed his very life, attempting to defeat the terrible menace threatening the G-Lock,' said Harken.'It was a noble and courageous death.Quite moving.''You saw it happen?' said Evadne.'Oh, yes.I filmed it.All seems a bit futile now, of course, but the intention was there'Romana listened with mounting horror.So this was the Doctor's fate; to end up as a charred corpse in the wreckage of the necroport.'But how? I mean, what was he trying to do, exactly?'asked Evadne.'Ah, well, that's a good question, because you see -''Silence!' yelled Paddox, swinging his pistol round.'I have very little reason not to kill you all.My reserves of patience are not infinite' Harken fell into silence, and Paddox directed his gun towards Romana.'And you.Back against the wall now or you will join your dead friend.'Romana looked at Paddox as though he was an unpleasant stain.Reluctantly, she raised her hands above her head and joined Evadne and Harken by the wall.'What are you trying to do?' she said angrily.Paddox indicated the strange plant creatures on either side of the Doctor.'Do you know what these are?''Aboretans,' said Romana.The male is called Gallura.'Paddox approached Romana, still holding two lengths of chain.'Yes.Now, how do you come to know that?''Oh, you would be surprised how much I know,' said Romana calmly.'As you say, these are Arboretans.And I have discovered their secret.''What secret is that?'Paddox took on a faraway look.The greatest discovery in the history of science.'Hoopy looked around the Great Hall uneasily.There was no sign of the zombies, but he had a feeling they would turn up when least expected - so he tried to keep his expectation of them appearing as high as possible.The Doctor clanged down the staircase.'Come on, Hoopy old chap''We're going in there? Into the necroport?' Hoopy said incredulously.'Have your brains popped out for lunch?''Everything that has occurred has been as a result of that machine,' said the Doctor.'I would rather like to have a snoop inside.''Oh, double helpings of ungrooviness with freak-me relish to go'The Doctor paused, ruffling his hair.'I have a feeling something is happening in there we should know about.Now, isn't that odd?' Reaching the bottom of the steps, he walked towards the necroport.* * *Romana watched Paddox with detached amusement.'You have a slight problem.' Paddox faced her, his laser pistol in one hand, chains in the other.'What?''You need two hands to chain somebody up.You can't chain one of us up and point your gun at the other person at the same time:'Poor planning, innit,' said Evadne.Harken laughed.Paddox swung the pistol towards her.'Do not mock me.I do not mock easily.''I have an idea,' suggested Romana.'Why don't you give me the gun, and I can point it at myself whilst you're chaining Evadne up?''No, I have a better solution,' said Paddox.'I point the gun at you, and then you chain Evadne up.''Of course,’ Romana suddenly looked over Paddox's shoulder, and gasped.'Doctor, you're alive after all! Thank goodness!''What –‘ Paddox whirled around, his gun arm outstretched.Taking advantage of the distraction, Romana launched herself into his back, knocking him to the ground and sending the pistol and chains clattering across the floor.She raced across to the access ladder.'Evadne, well don't just stand there, come on!'Evadne was frozen to the spot, her mouth hanging open.And then Paddox recovered his pistol and aimed it at Romana.A beam extended from the barrel and caused a flash of sparks over her left shoulder.Romana grabbed the highest rung and heaved herself up the ladder, her mind racing.Another part of the wall exploded just below her legs.Reaching the top, she was relieved to find the hatch still open.She dived through and slammed it shut behind her.Without pausing for breath she turned and piled into the person blocking her path.'Romana!' It was the Doctor, a surprised expression on his lips.Beside him was the lizard from the medical bay - Hoopy.Romana was baffled.Paddox retrieved the chains from the floor and advanced on Evadne.Harken shifted his body-weight from his right arm to his left, and groaned.Not only had the Doctor and Romana's plan failed, but he was condemned to die in the most unflattering position possible [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]