12.

Tradesman's Entrance The Valeyard remained calm beneath the accusing stares of both the Doctor and the Inquisitor.

'The information that has been extracted is for your eyes and ears only, My Lady.'

'Something else it is not in the public interest to reveal?'

'Exactly so, My Lady.'

'This is a charade,' said the Doctor. 'If that information was known to those two rogues, what possible reason can there be for concealing it from this Court?'

'This trial is concerned only with your actions, Doctor, and their consequences,' said the Valeyard. 'Wider issues - if there are any - are not within our terms of reference.'

The Inquisitor was far from pleased. 'Perhaps that is something I should decide, Valeyard.'

'Of course, My Lady. My own instructions were to pursue only matters pertinent to the central issue.'

There was a long pause. Then the Inquisitor said, 'That is accepted. However, I should like to hear that section again.'

'Do me a favour, Dibber,' said Glitz wearily. 'The sleepers found a way into the ( word bleeped word bleeped) the biggest net of information in the universe. So you think they were nicking recipes for making chutney?'

'Yeah, but do we know what these secrets are?'

'Facts, my son,' said Glitz impressively. 'Figures and formulas. Travelling faster than light, anti-gravity power.

Dimensional transference. Scientific stuff like that. Worth a fortune.'

'How?'

'We sell it, Dibber. A government here, a federation there. They're all in the market for that sort of high-tech cobblers.' He heaved his gun up again. 'Don't think about it, Dibber. 'You'll give yourself a hernia...'

Dibber picked up his multi-blaster and they went on their way.

The Doctor and Peri stood watching while Merdeen tried unsuccessfully to operate the communications box.

'The Immortal does not always answer,' said Merdeen apologetically.

Suddenly Drathro's voice, feebler than usual but quite unmistakable, crackled from the apparatus. 'Yes, Merdeen?'

'You commanded me to find the Doctor, Immortal. I have him here.'

The Doctor stepped into the field of the camera lens. 'I have returned to help you, Drathro.'

There was a long silence, then Drathro's voice said, 'You are too late.'

'If I believed that, I would not be here.'

'You are here because Merdeen found you.'

'No Drathro, I came voluntarily. There may yet be time to repair the black-light system.'

Another agonizing pause. Then Drathro said, 'Very well, Doctor. Present yourself at my portals - alone.

Merdeen?'

'Yes, Immortal.'

a.s.semble my guards and cull all the organics who stand waiting outside my Castle.'

'At once, Immortal.'

Merdeen bowed and they hurried away.

The Doctor sprinted ahead to the Castle gates, while Peri and Salazar walked back more slowly with Merdeen.

'You can't do it, Merdeen,' urged Peri. 'You can't kill all those innocent people.'

'Peri is right,' said Balazar. 'You have seen the truth. It would be murder to kill them. You cannot do it.'

'Nor can I free them,' said Merdeen sadly. He knew that the bulk of the guards were still loyal to the Immortal.

'Well, just leave them,' pleaded Peri. 'Leave them for the present anyway.'

'The Immortal will kill me,' said Merdeen.

Peri said, 'If the Doctor's right we're all in danger anyway. We might all die.'

The outer and inner gates opened for the Doctor and soon he was back with Drathro in his control room.

The Doctor studied the erractically flickering console and shook his head. 'Well, I don't need a computer to tell me that system is defunct. I must shut it down.'

'No,' rumbled Drathro. 'You will not shut it down!'

'But it's the only way.'

'If the system is shut down, I too will cease.'

'But if it's allowed to run wild and heat to termination point, you'll cease then anyway, Drathro, and so will everyone and everything else around here.'

'That does not matter, Doctor. Everything here is my creation.'

'But there are several hundred people here, Drathro.'

'The work-units exist only to serve me. Without me they would have no function.'

'You can't see beyond your tin nose, can you,' said the Doctor exasperatedly.

'Is that abuse, Doctor?'

The Doctor made a mighty effort to keep calm. Robots responded to logic, not emotion. 'Listen, Drathro...'

'I am listening, Doctor.'

'Drathro, you are only a robot. Those people out there, the work-units, the organics, whatever you call them, are living creatures. They have a right to their lives.'

'Explain, why?'

The Docor sighed. 'I don't think I can, not in your terms. Whoever programmed you forgot to include moral values.'

'I understand values, Doctor. Is it your claim that organics are of greater value than robots?'

'Yes, if you care to look at it that way.'

'Then why should I be in command of organics?'

'You shouldn't. Without organics, there would be no robots, no one to create them.'

'Accepted,' said Drathro triumphantly. 'This proves that robots are more advanced than organics, therefore of greater value.'

The Doctor buried his head in his hands.

'Is there another way into the Castle, Merdeen?' demanded Peri. 'A back door or something.'

He shook his head. 'There are only the big doors.'

'There must be some other way in. The Doctor may need help. I've got to get in there.'

'There's the ration chute,' said Balazar.

'Ration chute?'

'Of course,' said Merdeen. 'Every day the Immortal sends out food to the work units. The chute must lead into the Castle.'

'Merdeen, you're a pal,' said Peri. 'You're both pals.

Now, lead me to this chute.'

The Doctor was still continuing his extraordinary debate.

He knew he had no chance of overcoming Drathro physically. He just had to win him over.

Robots were logical beings, and the course the Doctor was advocating was strictly logical. Surely Drathro must understand?

'Your trouble is, Drathro,' said the Doctor, 'you have no real concept of what life is!'

'I have studied my work-units for five centuries, Doctor.

I understand all their responses.'

'Understanding isn't knowing, Drathro. Your work-units are the result of millions of years of development.

Life!'

'I understand evolution.'

'But you don't. If you understood anything of what life was about, you would want to help me save those people out there.'

'But why. Doctor? I have said that without me they have no purpose.'

'Everything in life has purpose, Drathro. Every creature plays its part. The purpose of life is too big to be knowable.

A million computers couldn't solve that one.'

'This discussion is of no value,' said Drathro dismissively. 'I do not wish my work-units to continue when I have ceased to function.'

'Oh, so that's it, is it,' said the Doctor softly. 'Hubris!'

'Hubris!? What is hubris?'

'Overwhelming arrogance. Insolent conceit. A human sin. You've controlled your pointless little empire far too long. Now you can't see anything beyond it.'

Dibber and Glitz were studying the Castle doors.

'We'll have to blast through them, Dibber.'

'Don't like it, Mr Glitz.'

'Why not? Five rounds rapid should do the trick.'

'What if the L3 robot is still functioning? And what if he's got an emergency backup support system?'

Glitz frowned. 'There's a lot of "What ifs" in there, lad!'

'Yeah, I know, said Dibber. 'And the most important of all is, what if I'm right?'

Glitz rubbed his chin. 'Maybe there's some kind of back way...'

Peri, Merdeen and Balazar were surveying a hatchway set into a tunnel wall.

'Are you sure this leads into the Castle?' asked Peri.

'It must do,' said Merdeen.