"You're just being difficult," she snapped. "Why won't you let us into the TARDIS? Just because you're choked about being rescued, you're going to let the lions eat us?" "If the lion is roaring, it's because one of the lionesses has just made a kill," the Doctor said crossly. "It would hardly howl like that if it was stalking anyone, would it? And I don't want Gilgamesh inside the TARDIS. It might affect the course of human history."

"Him? He's too thick to understand what the TARDIS is and too drunk."

"Will you stop arguing with me?" The Doctor had had quite enough of Ace for one evening. If she had any sense, she'd just shut up and let him think, but she ploughed on instead, making her mistakes worse by the minute.

"Look, how was I to know you'd used your respiratory bypa.s.s to avoid being drugged?" she asked, annoyed. "I thought I was helping you out of another one of those stupid mistakes you make."

"I never make stupid mistakes," he retorted, trying to muster all his dignity.

"Only very, very clever ones. And then only when I think you might actually do as you're told for once. Leaving Gilgamesh alone like that could have been a disaster. He might have been killed by those guards. And if you hadn't interfered, I might now know what's happening in Kish."

"If I'd stayed with Gilgamesh I'd have topped him myself," Ace snapped back. "And if I hadn't rescued you, you could have been killed. Then where would we be?" Avram had endured all the bickering he could take. He had given his cloak to En-Gula - her skimpy garments might be suitable inside a heated temple, but not in the cold night air and the chill was making him irritable too. "Please," he begged, "can you two refrain from arguing? It is quite clear that neither of you is listening to the other."

"That's fine by me," Ace said, turning her back on the Doctor. "I've had all I can take from him, anyway."

"Good," the Doctor said peevishly. "Now we'll get some peace. And perhaps I'll be able to think."

The strained silence was better than constant arguments. Avram nodded, and went back to where En-Gula was huddled by the small fire they had decided to risk lighting. Both Gilgamesh and Enkidu were sleeping silently, worn out after their battle. Avram was glad, because the n.o.bility always made him uncomfortable. At least he could talk to the girl.

She glanced up, a worried look on her face, as he smiled down at her. She tried a thin smile of her own, but it didn't work well.

"Troubled?" he asked sympathetically.

"I dare not return to Kish," she said, sighing. "Ishtar would kill me if I tried. What is to become of me now?" Ace had wandered over, and she sat down beside the girl. "Why not go to Uruk with us?" she suggested. "You could probably find a job there."

"Job?" En-Gula asked blankly.

"You know, work. Employment. What can you do?" En-Gula shrugged.

"What I have been trained to do. I am a priestess of Ishtar. I serve in her temple by lying with her votaries."

"Great," Ace muttered. "A professional ceiling inspector." She glanced at Gilgamesh's sleeping shape. "Well, he'd probably appreciate you. Can't you do anything else? Something useful?" "What I do is useful," the girl retorted, hotly. "Without my sacrifice of love, how will Ishtar bless the wombs of our people? How will Enki give us his sweet waters of life? How will Nisaba give us her divine gift of the corn? How will Ennugi keep watch over...." "I get the picture!" Ace broke in, dreading a complete list of the G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses in the Mesopotamian pantheon. "If you stop giving out, they stop giving out."

"Your words are strange," En-Gula said, "but they do seem to be correct."

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe the corn would grow without you having to go to bed with anyone who'll pay you?" asked Ace. She hated to see people being used like this in the service of dull superst.i.tion.

En-Gula laughed. "Surely, you joke! If the G.o.ds were to leave the corn unattended, then it would not grow at all! We should all starve! What I do is vitally important to the welfare of our people." She thought for a moment, and then added: "Besides which, it is not difficult work, and I am not required to perform it too frequently. And I am told that I am very good at it."

Ace laughed bitterly. "The hours are short and the pay's good," she commented. "Gordon Bennett, I feel sorry for you."

The Doctor tapped her on the shoulder. "It's a few thousand years too early to start feminism here, Ace," he told her. "They don't understand your philosophy."

"And you're in favour of tarts in the temple?" she snapped.

"My own feelings have little to do with this civilization," he told her piously.

"I'm not supposed to interfere with its natural development. Unnatural development, on the other hand, is a different bucket of fish." He smiled down at En-Gula. "Young lady, from your speech I gather that you are employed in the temple of Ishtar?" The girl shrugged. "I suspect that I am no longer welcome there."

"Well, we'll settle that later." The Doctor sat cross-legged in front of her.

"Meanwhile, perhaps you could tell me something of what is happening in Kish? Especially anything to do with Ishtar."

En-Gula found herself, for the second time in one day, telling a new friend about the terrible deeds she had witnessed. Ace, spellbound, actually stopped complaining to the Doctor. Avram was taking mental notes, clearly for his own future use. At the end of her tale, En-Gula told the Doctor: "The Princess Ninani fears that Ishtar will destroy the whole of Kish. She seeks a way to defeat the G.o.ddess first."

"Perceptive of her," the Doctor commented. "But it's not simply Kish that this G.o.ddess of yours might destroy. She may be endangering the whole planet."

Ace was getting an attack of the creeps. "Do you really think she's some kind of G.o.ddess?" she asked, quietly.

"No," replied the Doctor, thoughtfully. "From the sound of things, I'd say that Ishtar was some form of robotic or cybernetic organism. Clearly, she can mentally communicate with her servants, and somehow has an electronic bond with them..."

"Electronic?" Ace asked, slowly, an idea forming in her mind. "You use copper in electronics, don't you?" "Among other. . . " The Doctor stopped as he caught Ace's drift. "The walls! Of course! Ishtar is lining the walls with copper in patterns . . . " He leaned forward, and started scribbling in the dirt with the tip of his umbrella. "Avram, En-Gula, help me. I want to sketch a plan of the walls of Kish. Those that Ishtar has put her so-called artwork on."

Puzzled, since they had no idea what the Doctor and Ace were talking about, the two did as they were asked, using sticks to try to fill in portions of the walls that they knew. After a short while, and much arguing, there was a crude diagram in the dirt. The Doctor rocked back on his heels and stabbed at it with the point of his umbrella.

"A radio generator of a very sophisticated kind," he announced in awe.

"Linked to the right power source, it could transmit a signal that could blanket the entire Earth."

Ace said, thoughtfully: "I remember reading at school that they dug up a crude battery somewhere around here, Professor."

"Probably one of Ishtar's prototypes," he said. "There would have to be a lot of work done. There's virtually no native technology to speak of, and she'll need some serious power if she's going to do what appears to be on her mind."

When he didn't say anything more, Ace knew he was waiting for the inevitable question. For a moment she considered annoying him further and not asking it. But then she'd never get to know what was going on.

"What do you think she's up to?" "From what I've been able to piece together," he lectured her happily, "I'd say that Ishtar has some sort of link into the brains of selected people. Like that high priest -"

He glanced at En-Gula.

"Dumuzi," she supplied.

"Dumuzi," the Doctor continued. "It explains his blank look, and lack of surprise. She can't have those devices in too many people, because the power requirements would be staggering. And even with computer enhancement, she'd have trouble organizing the thoughts from more than a dozen brains at one time. This kind of transmitter -" he jabbed at the map on the ground again "- would enable her to expand her links to anywhere on Earth. Given key individuals, she could rule the entire planet in a matter of decades. Quite ingenious, really. All she needs is a good power source."

Ace snorted. "They're still using wood for fuel, Professor. Where could she get any power from?" "The place is littered with it," the Doctor retorted.

"Why, there are vast oil fields under this land. And hydro-electric possibilities in the rivers. Power's the least of her problems, I'd say."

Ace had a sudden vision of Kish, with oil wells, generators and even automobiles . . . four and a half thousand years too soon. "That could muck up history a bit," she commented.

"Just a trifle," the Doctor agreed, absently. "Avram, how long has this building project been going on?" Unable to follow the Doctor's conversation with Ace, Avram had almost dozed off. He jerked back upright. "What? Oh, a few weeks at most. Forty days, I'd say."

"Hmm. . ." The Doctor studied the plan again. "Then I'd say we've got probably the same amount of time left to defeat her. Once that radio transmitter is built and powered up, she'll be too strong to be stopped."

En-Gula seized upon his words. "You believe that it is possible to stop the G.o.ddess?" she asked, eagerly.

"Oh, yes. With a little luck, and a lot of brilliance. Both my specialities, I might add."

"Good job it's not modesty that's called for, then," Ace said. "Or we'd really be up the creek."

The Doctor glared at her again, but only said: "I wonder how Ishtar got here?" En-Gula shrugged. "She came down from the heavens."

Ace snapped her fingers. "Old gonads-for-brains over there -" she pointed at Gilgamesh, "-said he met this Ishtar character in the hills, halfway towards Uruk."

"Did he indeed?" "Yeah," Shrugging, she added: "But I wouldn't believe too much of what he says."

"Nor would I, without proof," the Doctor agreed. Crossing to the sleeping king, he prodded the man gently with his umbrella. Gilgamesh leapt to his feet, one hand going for his axe before he saw the startled Doctor, and let out a huge sigh.

"It is dangerous to wake me like that, Ea. What do you want?" Gesturing at Ace, the Doctor said politely: "My companion tells me that you met the G.o.ddess Ishtar in the hills."

"That I did," Gilgamesh growled. "A fast-talking, sly-thinking harpy. She tried to trick me."

"Fancy that." Putting one arm as far as he could about Gilgamesh's muscular neck, the Doctor added: "Do you think you could show us where it all happened, on our way back to Uruk?" Gilgamesh shrugged. "If you feel it's important."

"It is, Gilgamesh." "On the morrow, then." The king yawned. "Right now, I need my sleep."

"Good idea. Let's all get some shut-eye." The Doctor fussed over the others until they all settled down for the night. He didn't sleep. Leaning casually on the TARDIS, he watched the rest of them like a hawk. When he was certain that they were all in the arms of Morpheus, he quietly unlocked the doors and went into his craft.

The Doctor stood on the lip of the impact crater and stared into the dark depths. "I don't know how I do it," he muttered, mostly to himself, but Ace caught it.

"Do what?" she asked.

"Start off with just one person and end up with a circus troupe." The Doctor stared over his shoulder at their four travelling companions. Avram and EnGula had been talking in low tones all morning, in distinct contrast to Gilgamesh and Enkidu. To Ace's astonishment, the king had woken with no trace of a hangover and ready for a good, long walk at a steady pace.

Though she considered herself fairly fit, she was secretly glad of the chance to rest for a while.

The Doctor, curious as ever, seemed inexhaustible. He started down the slope, and looked back at her, raising an eyebrow. With a sigh, she followed him. It never seemed to occur to him that she might appreciate a bit of a rest. The others fell into a silent line behind her.

"Oi," Ace called out ahead of her. "How come this Ishtar thing didn't send some troops after us last night?" "Her radio link is probably limited to the vicinity of the city," the Doctor replied, absently. "And she can't trust uncontrolled guards to get Gilgamesh. Look what happened when she tried that yesterday morning."

"So we're probably safe here?" "Whatever gave you that idea?" Glaring at the Doctor's back, Ace muttered: "Thanks a lot. That really encourages me."

"Don't be so - aha!" He stopped suddenly, and Ace ran into his back. He was staring into the bottom of the pit. From one of his pockets he drew a large electric torch. It was one of the items he'd picked up in the TARDIS the previous night. He switched it on and handed it to Ace. In the strong, white beam he scuttled across to what he had spotted. It was the glint of metal.

Avram was staring at the torch in wonder. "Now I begin to believe that you are truly Aya!" be breathed. "Light from your hand!" "Leave it out," she growled. "It's just a trick, not a badge of divinity." After a while, being taken for a G.o.ddess was getting on her nerves. "Oi, Professor, what is that?" The Doctor was examining the metal fragment he had found. Then, tossing it blithely away, he said: "Bit of a heat shield. There's more over here. Come on."

Gilgamesh peered into the darkness, feeling uneasy. "This is where that tricky Ishtar sat," he said. "Is it wise to proceed?" "Probably not," replied the Doctor, heading off anyway. "Stay behind me, all of you."

He led the way down, while Ace did her best to keep the patch illuminated.

After a few more minutes, during which they pa.s.sed further sc.r.a.ps of metal, they arrived in the bottom of the pit. Ahead of them was a cone of sorts, very battered and scarred from a fiery descent. It was about twenty feet high at its tallest point, and shaped like an old - or, in this time, future - Apollo s.p.a.cecraft.

"Escape capsule," the Doctor mused. "Ishtar must have been in serious trouble, then. Main ship broke up about her, I should think. There's scarring from various chunks of metal, as well as the burning of re-entry at the wrong angle."

"That is her ziggurat," Gilgamesh growled. "You are certain she is not in it?"

"She's in Kish," the Doctor explained. "But I'd be very surprised if she hadn't left us a little present." Bending down by the main hatch, he grinned.

"Christmas is early this year!" "What is it, Professor?" Ace moved to join him. He gestured into the doorway, and she saw a faint gleam of a wire strung across the threshold.

"Primitive," he said, scornfully. "But she probably couldn't spare any power for anything more sophisticated. Mind you, this would be enough:" He stepped gingerly over the trip-wire, and followed it a short way. It terminated in a small bundle. "You'd like this, Ace. Thermite bomb. A bit rudimentary, but effective. If we had tripped that trap, we'd be out of this mortal vale of tears." Disconnecting the detonator, he tossed the bomb to his companion. Ace caught it with ease and immediately started to examine it.

Taking the torch from her, the Doctor played it around the interior of the craft. Bare stanchions and bits of wire hung down. There was none of the equipment left. Sand, dust and bits of plant-life had drifted inside. "She's taken most of the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs to Kish, by the look of things." The beam caught something, and he stopped.

It was a bas-relief moulding, with some alien script under it. The raised shape was of three triangles, points down, two atop the third, and making up a larger triangular form.

"Any idea what that is?" Ace asked.

"None at all," the Doctor replied, examining it with interest. "It's some language I've never seen, and the picture's no help."

"I've seen it before," Avram offered, from the doorway. The Doctor spun on his heels to face the singer.

"Really? Travelled a lot, have you?" "A musician always travels, Doctor,"

Avram replied. Reaching into the pouch at his belt, he withdrew a small metallic disc. On the front was the same symbol as on the wall of the ship.

On the reverse, the Doctor noted with satisfaction, was a small printed circuit design.

"Where did you get this?" he asked. "On the plain?" "Nowhere in these parts," Avram replied. "It was when I was in the mountains of Mashu. I took it from the Zuqaquip."

"The who?" asked Ace, blankly.

"The scorpion men," explained Avram. "There were two of them, in the form of men, but with bodies and stings like those of scorpions."

Ace stared at him. "You're pulling my leg, aren't you?" she asked, hopefully.

He glanced down at her feet. "No-one is touching your legs."

"I mean, you're not serious about scorpion men, are you?" "Of course," He seemed puzzled that she doubted him. "Have you not heard the story of Utnapishtim?" "There's time for that later," the Doctor decided, abruptly.

"Come on." He shot outside once again, and wandered over to Gilgamesh.

"I think it's time we returned to Uruk," he decided. "We've got to start making a few plans, I think."

Grinning hugely, Gilgamesh clapped the Doctor on the back, almost felling him. "Capital! War plans, eh? Time to attack that harpy Ishtar and destroy the benighted city of Kish?" En-Gula gave a short gasp of horror, and the king looked at her. "No offence," he said good-naturedly, "but Kish is a cesspit under the gaze of the G.o.ds. Fit only to be p.i.s.sed on or burned down."

"I was thinking more of liberating Kish than destroying it," the Doctor replied.

"Oh." The answer seemed to disappoint Gilgamesh. Then he brightened, and winked. "I get it - liberate the city! Ha! Capital idea! Let's liberate it right into my control."

"Gordon Bennett," Ace muttered. "He's completely hopeless." While the Doctor wasn't looking, she slipped the thermite bomb into her jacket pocket. You never knew when such a thing might come in handy, especially when you were following the Doctor around. She didn't bother mentioning that she'd appropriated it. Despite his affinity for dangerous situations, he didn't seem to possess any understanding of the usefulness of weaponry.

"We'll discuss that back in Uruk," the Doctor suggested to Gilgamesh.

"Over a good meal and a jar of beer, eh?" "Doctor Ea," the king grinned, "I like the way you think!" He slapped the Doctor's back again, then set off once again out of the pit.

Swaying, the Doctor managed to catch his balance and follow. The rest fell in line behind, and the strange procession set off once again.

King Agga was not in a good mood at all. He had returned from yet another conference with Ishtar, and this had left him in a black temper. The G.o.ddess was furious about the violation of her temple and the possible damage that might have befallen her precious secrets. She had vented her anger on the king, and he, in turn, was brooding blackly in his palace.