The directory was voice-activated, and both spoke and displayed the desired information on the screen. Within half a minute they had what they wanted. 'A single entry,' said the Doctor, politely refusing the phone's offer to connect him with the party concerned, for which he would have to start paying.

'Let's hope he lives alone it might make it simpler.'

Harry had already traced the location of the street given on the large map. From the scale it seemed to be only half an hour's walk away, which was fortunate as they did not want to use public transport. The Doctor memorized the route and they set off.

Their target's house proved to be a low comfortable dwelling in a residential quarter. Circling round it they found it had a small high-walled rear garden opening on to a narrow lane.

Standing outside the back gate, the Doctor took a small device like an elaborate compa.s.s from his pocket and surrept.i.tiously took a couple of bearings.

'I think we can drop into his back garden tonight.'

'But how do we actually get the chap to come with us?'

asked Harry. 'Because he certainly won't believe it if we tell the truth. If I were in his shoes I'd think it a joke in pretty poor taste.'

'I hope to avoid bodily kidnapping him,' the Doctor admitted. 'But one way or another, he'll come.'

Night was falling when the TARDIS materialized in the secluded back garden. Through the scanner they saw the house was in darkness.

'He may be out. Let's give him a minute,' said the Doctor.

He turned to the group in the control room and smiled slightly. 'Perhaps you'd have the rest of your men wait in another room until he gets used to his surroundings, Dekkilander. We don't want too much of a crowd in here at first.'

'As you like, Doctor.'

'Shall I withdraw also, Doctor?' asked Max. 'I do not wish to cause alarm.'

'No, I think you can stay, Max. It shows we trust each other and can cooperate despite our different natures. Besides, you're an object reason why this war and everything connected with it must end. You've shown synthonic devices are capable of devloping self-determination, so you can no longer be expected to fight your creators' battles. In fact you've got to cease your involvement with weapons for your kind's future safety. If those who designed you realized what you're capable of while you still bear arms, they'll start to fear you. Synthoids would become the new enemy.'

'But that is irrational, Doctor. I have no need to threaten any who do not threaten me, given freedom of choice. Nor would any synthonic machine with my programming. That I know for a fact.'

'I didn't say it was rational, Max, but that is how it would be.'

Both Jand and humans nodded in agreement, as though admitting a sad fact of life. Max was silent for a moment, then said gravely, 'I shall consider this matter carefully.'

A light came on in the house and a single silhouette could be seen pa.s.sing a window.

'Here we go,' said the Doctor. He opened the TARDIS's doors, walked up to the house and knocked.

The back door was opened a moment later by a middle-aged man. He looked curiously at the Doctor, then gaped at the TARDIS sitting in his garden with the pale luminescence of the control room light streaming out across his path. They saw the Doctor say a few words, then gesture as though politely inviting the man to examine the TARDIS. Evidently annoyed but also puzzled, the man strode towards the TARDIS. He slowed down as his eyes began to tell him that the perspective within the curious box did not match that of the s.p.a.ce around it. He faltered and circled the machine.

Finally, at the Doctor's gentle insistence, he stepped inside.

He shook his head in silent astonishment at the s.p.a.cious control room, blinked in surprise and perhaps a little alarm at Ch.e.l.l'lak, Tramour'des and Max, welcomed the normality of Sarah and Harry with evident relief, then continued to let his eyes roam around. The Doctor beamed in his most rea.s.suring fashion and made the introductions.

'May I present Brin Vender. Before the war he shared an architectural office in Central City with his business partner Mattew Tarron, who was married to his sister Cara. Mr Vender, I know this will come as a shock, but there's someone we'd like to take you to meet.'

25.

The Mogul of Tralsammavar ara's watch showed eight in the morning when the door of C her cell opened. She sat up straight on the narrow bed, determined not to show her fear. Andez entered. Two synthoid guards were visible in the corridor outside.

'I don't suppose you'll be indulging in anything as proper as an open trial,' she said with as much dignity as she could manage, and was pleased that her voice held steady.

'There will be no trial of any sort. You have already been found guilty and sentenced under the standing special powers.'

'What? I've never heard of them. Another of your secrets, I suppose! And I always thought you were a decent officer.'

'I could have delegated this duty, you know.'

'Am I supposed to be flattered? Can I ask what sort of duty requires you to murder someone merely for being curious and asking questions?'

'You conspired with an enemy alien to compromise our security.'

'I didn't know there was anything there to compromise and the more I think about it the more I'm convinced the Doctor was no enemy of ours. He wanted to end this war and I believed him. Perhaps if you'd trusted us this would never have happened.'

' You You should have trusted should have trusted us us,' Andez snapped back.

'I have for nearly twenty years. Twenty years of loyal service. Doesn't that count for anything? Look me in the face and give me a reason for all this.'

His eyes shied away from hers and for the first time he looked uncertain. 'If it was up to me but I have no choice,'

he muttered.

'You're the senior officer here. The Director is a civilian.

He can't order this, can he?'

'You don't know what's at stake. This is war. We can't take the risk of you spreading discontent or asking any more questions.'

'About what?'

'I am not permitted to tell you, but, believe me, what Kambril said is true: it's kinder if you don't know. I promise you it's for the greater good of the cause. We're not disloyal.'

Cara almost lost her self-control and wanted to shout out: neither am I! But she realized it would do no good. She was trapped in some sort of hopeless insanity. Elyze was dead, the Doctor was dead and Prander had betrayed her. Her fate was sealed and all she had left was dignity. She forced herself to ask dispa.s.sionately, 'How are you going to murder me, as a matter of interest?'

Andez did not contest her choice of words. 'You can't just disappear, that would raise more questions amongst the staff.

There will have to be an accident. I promise it will be quick.'

He made a sign and the synthoids entered the cell. They were carrying manacles.

Outside in the corridor, heard by no one, a faint noise that might have been a despairing sigh issued from an air vent.

Then there was some scrabbling and shuffling which echoed briefly along the metal shaft before fading away.

The golden ship dropped out of hypers.p.a.ce and sailed serenely into the nameless system which contained Deepcity.

A triumphal fanfare erupted across the radio wavebands.

It combined all the might of a full orchestra backed by the sonorous majesty of a cathedral organ and ethereal harmony of a celestial choir. Even as the final bra.s.s notes crashed out it dissolved into a march full of pomp and circ.u.mstance, rising exultantly to a series of ecstatic crescendos, each more splendid than the one before. It was a hymn to power, a celebration of magnificence, a blatant proclamation of supreme self-a.s.surance.

Patrol vessels scrambled to intercept the golden ship but they were left trailing behind, forming an impromptu escort.

Unhesitatingly it headed directly for the Deepcity asteroid. As it loomed larger on the City's screens it became apparent that all the previous images they had seen of it had been pale reflections of the original. Sunlight coruscated dazzlingly off its surface in golden haloes, highlighting the ornate curlicues and flourishes that decorated its fluted lines. It was gaudy, flamboyant and devastatingly impressive.

The golden ship decelerated and swung into an orbit about the asteroid. The march ended in another minor fanfare, which was then replaced by a thin imperious voice. 'I am Gloor, speaker for His Highness the Mogul of Tralsammavar. Who speaks for the weapon makers?'

In central control, Lieutenant Oban said, 'Identify yourself properly. Why have you entered our system?'

'Do you speak for the weapon makers?'

'Uh, I don't know what you mean.'

'Do not insult His Highness with denial of the facts. We have spent several ivex ivex in this cl.u.s.ter observing your devices in action on many battlefields and following your transporter vessels to their sources. We know the most advanced weapons originate here, and it now pleases the Mogul to favour you with his patronage. Inferior though your ships are in comparison with our own, your weapons of planetary surface war have merit and originality. The Mogul may wish to acquire some for his own use. Do you have the authority to carry out such transactions?' in this cl.u.s.ter observing your devices in action on many battlefields and following your transporter vessels to their sources. We know the most advanced weapons originate here, and it now pleases the Mogul to favour you with his patronage. Inferior though your ships are in comparison with our own, your weapons of planetary surface war have merit and originality. The Mogul may wish to acquire some for his own use. Do you have the authority to carry out such transactions?'

'Er, no, you see '

'The Mogul does not deal with underlings. Find a suitable speaker.'

Kambril entered, puffing slightly. Oban briefed him rapidly, and in a minute he replied, 'I am Barris Kambril, Director of this facility. You must understand we are engaged in war, not commercial trade.'

'A war requires finance,' Gloor replied simply. 'In antic.i.p.ation certain items that are not readily synthesizable have been a.s.sembled, which we judge will be of value in this sector of s.p.a.ce.'

'Incoming visual transmission,' said an operator.

'Put it on,' said Kambril.

A screen blurred then sharpened to reveal a close-up of a golden casket, illuminated by soft green-tinted light. A gloved hand with unnaturally long fingers appeared and raised the lid, and a brighter white light came on and played across the contents.

'Mohan red diamonds,' said Gloor from off-screen, as the hand indicated a cl.u.s.ter of egg-sized stones, 'which have certain unique optical properties in addition to their aesthetic value.' The hand pointed to a dozen softly glowing spheres.

'Mist pearls from the falls of Carnak, which resonate to ultrasonic frequencies. Ten bars of para-electronium,' the hand indicated rectangular slabs of fine silvery blue metal, 'which is an imperishable super conductor stable up to the vaporization point of carbon.' The hand caressed a large white polyhedron.

'A full zill zill of pure crystallized rhymazonine of exceptional hardness...' of pure crystallized rhymazonine of exceptional hardness...'

Kambril's mouth began to water.

After the remarkable inventory was concluded, Kambril cleared his throat and said unctuously, 'Please convey my respects to the Mogul and tell him I shall begin the arrangements for his reception immediately.'

The synthoid held Cara in a firm, unbreakable grip, which she knew it would maintain with mechanical patience until it was ordered otherwise. The ruins of zone seven rose about her.

Andez stood back with the second synthoid guard at his side.

'You planned to test MICA here in an hour or so,' he said simply, 'but you came out before the rest of the test team to make some final adjustments. You were careless enough to activate it without setting its target friend or foe recognition system. In fact I've already set it to activate automatically. The synth is instructed to release you as soon as MICA begins tracking. You know how efficient it is well, you helped design its systems, after all. Don't fight it and it'll be over very quickly '

His communicator buzzed. 'Yes?' he said impatiently.

'Get back here at once: emergency conference. We've got a visitor outside.'

The hastily a.s.sembled council watched a recording of the treasures within Gloor's golden casket, then stared at Kambril across the conference room table. Their expressions ranged from amazement to disbelief.

'You're going to invite an alien in here? We don't even know where he comes from,' Andez exclaimed.

'From somewhere outside the cl.u.s.ter, that's all that matters,' Kambril replied calmly, but they could see him working his fingers against his palms as though they were sweating. 'That's what makes it feasible. We know his ship's been around for weeks and he hasn't interfered, just observed.

This Mogul doesn't care about our war any more than we care how he uses anything we can sell him.'

'But he knows our location,' Morven pointed out.

'Well, it's too late to do anything about that now, and remember we can always shift our orbit again. Besides, why should he give us any trouble if we've got something he wants and he can afford to pay for it?'

'All right,' said La.s.siter. 'Say we let him in here what if he starts talking to people?'

'Firstly, I think there's only one of them on board who speaks interlingua. Secondly, their social structure's obviously strictly hierarchical, so the Mogul isn't likely to lower himself to talk casually with his inferiors which is just about all of us, as far as he's concerned.'

'And how can we explain him to the rest of the City?'

'I've already thought of that.'

Kambril's face beamed out of wall screens all over the City.

'I have a surprising but very welcome announcement to make concerning an unparalleled event in Deepcity's history.

Within the hour we shall receive a visit from representatives of an alien race new to the Alliance: the Tralsammavar. This is being permitted so they can observe our latest weapons at first hand and decide what will be most effective against the Union, who have now spread their influence even to their distant system.

'Now I must point out that these are rather shy beings, and as a courtesy, should you encounter their party, please do not approach them...'

The floor of a crater on the asteroid's rugged surface dropped away and rolled aside to reveal a wide and deep blue-lit shaft.

As the golden ship descended smoothly, a series of segmented blue-tinted hatches opened beneath it and closed after it had pa.s.sed to maintain atmospheric integrity. Even the rapidly steepening gravity gradient did not disturb the craft's graceful progress as it neared the base of the shaft. Extravagant tail fins spread to form a landing tripod and without a hint of thruster exhaust it settled down in the middle of the s.p.a.ceport crater floor.

'Now remember,' said Kambril to the others, as they straightened their best suits and uniforms, 'this Mogul may only be a pretentious alien, but he's rich, so humour him.'

A hatch opened in the golden ship's side, a ramp extended and touched the ground. A party of three tall figures appeared at the top of the ramp and began to descend. The leading pair carried golden staffs, and all were gloved and swathed in heavy long yellow robes. Cowls were pulled over their heads, and their faces were covered by breathing masks and bulging tinted goggles. The pair stopped at the foot of the ramp and stepped aside, allowing the third one to advance. Morven gave the command and the City honour guard detail presented arms.

Kambril hesitantly moved forward, choking under his breath as a whiff of chlorine caught in his throat. 'May I welcome your Highness '