Chapter 7 (There are Giants in the City)
Susan’s head was buried in her grandfather’s arms. She had heard the scream coming from Kelly, and then the sickening crunch of bones before the inevitable silence. The scream was then followed by cries and shouts from the rest of the team that had ventured out of the city to investigate the crashed object.
“Commander Borshack,” said Dr. Who, gently pushing Susan a little way from him.
Borshack looked as stunned as the rest of the team in the command centre. The red lights continued to blink on and off, illuminating their horror-struck, pale faces. Borshack looked across to Kelly’s vacant chair. They had served together for five years. Kelly had been a young upstart when he had arrived, but over the years he had matured to become one of Borshack’s most trusted officers.
The thought of that chair remaining empty and for him to never see his laughing face again made him feel sick. It was like he’d lost his own son. Again.
“Commander,” said Dr. Who again, his voice almost a whisper, “we need to plan our next move.”
“You told me I should give them a chance,” said Borshack, still refusing to meet the strange mans eyes.
“That was a mistake. That I accept.” Dr. Who moved to stand in front of Borshack, but his eyes still stared right through the old man. “We now know they are a threat to the city. We must plan our defence.”
“You told me.”
“Grandfather always tries to see the best in people,” said Susan, crossing over to the commander and looking up at him. “If we don’t offer the hand of friendship first then we’re just like the monsters that killed your friends.”
Borshack looked down at the young girl and frowned. She had an old head on those very young shoulders, but it still didn’t stop the anger from threatening to rise up inside Borshack.
“Please, Commander Borshack, we have to stop this happening again.”
The lights flickered back on along with the rest of the systems. The handful of staff were momentarily confused and then snapped back to checking readings and examining data.
“Borshack!” said Dr. Who again.
Borshack looked down, his fists balled up.
“Sir,” came the voice of Ridge, a young, blonde girl with bright green eyes. The corners of her mouth were upturned making it look like she was always smiling, “we’re picking up readings from outside the city. The visitors are approaching the outer airlocks.”
“They’re trying to break in, sir,” came another voice, this time male. “What shall we do?”
“Your officers need you, Commander,” said Dr. Who.
Borshack looked across to Ridge and then Wilson before his eyes finally rested on Dr. Who. “Yes. Yes we need to plan. We need to prepare.”
Before Borshack could issue any more orders there was thunderous sound which rocked the entire room causing the lights to flicker once again.
“What was that?” asked Borshack. “Report, Ridge!” He could feel the frustration flaring up inside of him again.
Ridge ran to the computer bank and checked the readings. “We’re receiving a report of an explosion at North-West Corridor 25.”
“That’s on the outer sections,” said Borshack. “Have they just blown a hole in my city?”
Ridge glanced up worriedly at Borshack. “Looks like it, sir.”
Borshack didn’t need to wait any longer. He grabbed the nearest communicator – attached to a flexible cable from the ceiling – and brought it to his mouth. His eyes were white, the pupils in the grey irises almost pinpricks. “This is Commander Borshack. This is not a drill. All security personnel to North-West Corridor 25. We have intruders in the city. Expect a hostile reaction. They have already killed a team led by Lt. Kelly. Do not let them get any further. I repeat – this is not a drill!”
Dr. Who turned to look at Susan who looked terrified. “It’s all going to be okay, Susie, dear.”
“How can you be so sure, grandfather?”
“Because I have faith. Now, we must get to Ian and Barbara and check that they are okay.”
They were about to turn when the doorway to the command centre opened and a man with short, messy hair and a beard piled through the entrance followed by a young, dark-haired girl. He skidded to a halt and stood, looking straight at the old man.
“More intruders!” said Borshack. “Wilson, get them out of here.”
“Wait!” said the male newcomer. “I need to speak to you all.”
“Not right now you don’t. We have an emergency to deal with in case you haven’t heard the explosions.”
“Please, it’ll only take a moment, Captain.”
“Commander!” said Borshack. “It’s Commander Borshack. And who might you be?”
“Well, that’s a little bit difficult to explain,” said the man, “but my name is the Doctor.”
“Goodness me,” said Borshack, exasperated, “not another one.”
“And you,” said the Doctor, walking towards Dr. Who, “must also be the Doctor.”
The old man reached out and took the Doctor’s hand. He grasped his hand tightly and shook it. “What is this, young man?”
“A very complicated story,” said the Doctor, glancing back at the bewildered, dark-haired girl.
Ian and Barbara had managed to get changed back into their regular clothes and had made their way from the swimming pool area towards where the commotion was coming from. They had heard the explosion and watched as the crowds of people ran from the scene, but Barbara’s curiosity had gotten the better of her. She had always suspected her sense of curiosity had been inherited from her grandfather. Her parents were certainly not curious in the slightest.
“Are you sure about this?” asked Ian, as Barbara dragged him down the corridor.
“We need to meet up with grandfather anyway, and I bet you anything he’s down here in the thick of things.”
“If you don’t mind, love, I’d rather not be stuck in the thick of things.”
“Oh, come on,” said Barbara, “where’s your sense of fun?”
“It disappeared the day I set foot on Skaro,” said Ian, remembering his first trip in the TARDIS to the dead world of the Daleks. After a brush with a Roman Legion he and Barbara had taken time out to try and get back to normality.
Yes, thought Ian to himself, normality was never going to be a “thing” with my wife.
“I bet he’s just around this corner,” said Barbara as they turned the corner and ran head long into smoke.
“Back, back,” said Ian, dragging her out of the cloud.
“Get out of here!” came the shout of a gruff-faced, square-jawed guard as he led a group of about twenty heavily armed security men past them and into the smoke.
“You heard what he said,” said Ian.
There then came the sound of laser bolts and flashes of red lights followed by horrible, terrified screams.
Barbara moved backwards towards her husband and he grabbed her by the shoulders to protect her. Ian Chesterton had never felt particularly brave, but when it came to his wife he would protect her with his life.
There was silence and then the sound of boots walking rhythmically up the corridor and towards them. Out of the smoke came six giant figures. They towered at about seven-feet tall and as they emerged from the smoke Barbara could make out their horrible, deformed features. But it was the eyes that frightened Barbara the most – the piercing, dead-blue eyes that looked at the newlyweds with murderous intent.
“You will be killed!” came the haunting, sing-song voice of the lead creature.
Barbara could do nothing but scream.
Borshack had returned to his station as himself, Ridge, Wilson and the rest of the ops team monitored the ever-worsening situation in the North-West Corridor. The appearance of this second Doctor had almost tipped him over the edge, but instead he had decided to ignore the two, strange men and their female friends and concentrate on defending his base.
Now the Doctor and Dr. Who were sat face to face on chairs across a computer console looking at each other.
“Fascinating,” said the old man, his eyes beaming with intrigue. “I knew of the theory of parallel universe, but never dreamed I’d meet a parallel version of myself!”
“I suspect our lives have had different things affect us along the way. What regeneration are you?”
He looked confused. “I bed your pardon? Regeneration?”
The Doctor smiled. This grey-haired man looked older than him, but he also looked more innocent – almost like a child. Almost like he was right at the start of his adventures.
“It doesn’t matter,” said the Doctor. “Where do you come from?”
“Earth. Isn’t that where you come from, dear boy?”
“No,” smiled the Doctor. “Well, not exactly.”
“I built my TARDIS only a few years ago.”
“You actually built it?” asked the Doctor. “But...I don’t understand. What about the Time Lords? Surely you have them in your universe?”
“You mean the Time Kings?” said Dr. Who. “Yes, I’m on my way to their planet. Once we’ve dealt with this little mess I’m to join them and become one of them.”
The Doctor stifled a smile. “This is absolutely fascinating. I need to know more.”
“Doctors,” said Holly who had been stood near the main central console, “we need to sort this mess out first.”
“Yes, of course,” said the Doctor, pulling himself away from his alter ego.
“We’re receiving a communication from the security guards in the corridor,” said Borshack.
There was static and then the radio switched on, followed by the screams of the men.
“Damn them!” yelled Borshack, punching the console and nearly shattering its glass surface.
There came a female scream, followed by pained pleas.
“That’s Barbara!” said Susan, worriedly.
“Indeed it is,” said Dr. Who, looking concerned. “Commander, we must send a team down there to help my other granddaughter.”
“Nothing can stop them,” said Borshack.
The screams stopped and everything was silent.
Dr. Who looked across at the Doctor who looked down at his feet sadly.
“Grandfather, are they dead?” asked Susan.
“Doctor?” asked Holly.
To be continued...
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