by Ian Marter
While the sergeant attended to Perkins, Captain Turner cautiously approached the three prone aliens half-buried under the smoking rubble. He could still hear the faint sound of strangled mechanical breathing. He shouted urgently into the darkness.
'Jamie... Zoe... Isobel... If you can hear me come out quickly...'
To his relief he heard a faint cry of acknowledgement from Isobel. 'There's not much time,' he yelled. 'Quick as you can this way!'
'Perkins is dead, sir,' reported the sergeant. 'Harris copped a shrapnel splinter in the shoulder.'
'Right, get him out of here,' Turner ordered, covering the still breathing Cybermen with his machine pistol while Benton and the sergeant manhandled Harris to the manhole shaft.
'Get a move on, you idiots...' Turner shouted, peering into the tunnel as one of the Cybermen's hands started twitching spasmodically.
Eventually he heard running footsteps and the three fugitives suddenly appeared round the curve shouting excitedly.
' James... thank goodness you're...'
'Shut up and get out of here,' Turner snapped, jerking his head towards the shaft.
Isobel scowled. 'Well, there's no need to be so rude!' she retorted.
'I've already lost one good man because of you lot and I don't want to lose any more,' Turner said, bundling them roughly past the gasping Cybermen and the hideous corpse of Private Perkins.
'See any more behind you?' he asked Jamie as the girls clambered up the ladder.
'No,' Jamie mumbled shamefacedly.
'Well, give me a hand with Perkins's body,' Turner snapped, 'And watch out. Those Cyber things are still breathing.'
Jamie helped sling the corpse over Turner's shoulder and started to follow him painfully slowly up the ladder to the street.
Suddenly there was a croaking roar from below. Jamie looked down and saw the glinting figure of one of the Cybermen shaking itself free from the rubble and lumbering towards the shaft. Above him, Turner was just struggling out of the manhole helped by Benton and the sergeant. Jamie scrambled up the ladder for dear life, but just as he reached the surface his ankle was seized in a crushing grip. Screaming with pain and panic, he fought to free his foot. Benton and Turner each took an arm and tried to drag him clear, while the sergeant knelt down and smashed the Cyberman again and again on the head with a rifle butt.
At last the weakened Cyberman released its grip and Jamie was hauled out. Then the sergeant dropped a grenade into the Cyberman's arms and he and Benton heaved the heavy iron manhole cover back into place. The thick plate shook as a muffled explosion spurted smoke round its edges. They all watched the manhole cover in the ensuing silence. It did not stir.
'I don't believe it,' gasped the sergeant. 'Them things are almost indestructible.'
Turner glanced over at the jeep where Zoe and Isobel were making Private Harris comfortable. 'Maybe, but we're not,' he snapped, helping Jamie to hobble. 'Let's get out of here.'
As the Doctor poked among the monolithic circuitry with two probes, frowning unhappily at the wavering traces on the oscilloscope beside him, he didn't notice the Brigadier quietly enter the makeshift laboratory in the basement of Professor Travers's London house.
'Any success, Doctor?'
'Ah, Brigadier. Not yet I fear. There's an alien logic in these circuits, but I haven't managed to work it out yet,' smiled the Doctor, rubbing his tired eyes.
Lethbridge-Stewart yawned. 'The Watkins girl's just developing her snapshots upstairs. I'm taking a full report to Geneva in the morning.'
'How long will that take?'
'Depends. Should get some action in a day or two.'
The Doctor stared dubiously at the oscilloscope screen. 'That could be too late,' he warned glumly.
Just then Isobel burst in waving some large photo-graphic prints still dripping wet. Zoe and Jamie followed.
'There you are, Brig! Aren't they beauties?' Isobel cried, laying the black and white prints out on the bench.
The Brigadier glanced at the greyish, blurred shapes unenthusiastically. 'Er... Well done, Miss Watkins...' he muttered, turning back to the Doctor.
'What's wrong with them?' Isobel demanded in a wounded tone.
The Brigadier attempted a conciliatory smile. 'I don't want to hurt your professional pride, Miss Watkins, but to be honest they look a little like... well, fakes.'
'But they're Cybermen,' Jamie protested. 'Anyone can see that, ye Sassenachl'
The Brigadier smiled condescendingly. 'You can because you've seen them before. But I have to convince a bunch of sceptical international defence experts.'
All at once the Doctor leaped up like a Jack-in-the-box. 'Yes, of course...' he cried.
'What?' Zoe asked eagerly.
But the Doctor sat down again just as abruptly, resuming his tinkering without another word.
Vaughn and Packer stood in the subdued light of the suspended spherical lamps, looking out at the lights of the city under the darkening sky.
'It was definitely a UNIT force. They destroyed two Cybermen,' reported Packer despondently.
'How clever of them,' purred Vaughn.
'But they got out alive, sir. The authorities will know by now,' Packer whined.
Vaughn shrugged disinterestedly. 'They are powerless to stop us. In a few hours the invasion will be completed. We shall control all that...' he murmured, gesturing expansively through the window.
A buzzer sounded.
'That will be Gregory. The Professor's machine must be ready, sir.'
'Excellent. Let them in, Packer.'
Gregory entered, followed by Professor Watkins carrying his Cerebration Mentor like a precious baby. It looked lighter and more compact and the earphone pads had been replaced by a long, narrowly tapering horn.
'We've added narrow bandwidth transducers to focus the output directionally,' Gregory announced, as the Professor placed the device on Vaughn's desk and turned his back on it.
'This is sheer madness,' Watkins shouted. 'That machine is now a deadly weapon.'
'I compliment your efficiency,' Vaughn murmured, examining the device approvingly.
'Those modifications were totally unnecessary,' Watkins protested, blinking unhappily behind his thick glasses.
'For your purposes perhaps, Professor. But I have a somewhat different use for your little gadget.'
Watkins rounded on his tormentor. 'Do what you will. It's yours. Now just give me my niece and let us go free.'
Vaughn laughed urbanely. 'My dear fellow, your niece is already at liberty and no doubt sitting comfortably at home.' He turned to his Chief Researcher. 'Now Gregory, how does one operate this thing?'
'Isobel free? I don't believe you!' Watkins whimpered, realising his utter helplessness now.
'Careful, Mr Vaughn,' Gregory, warned, as Vaughn picked up the device and pointed it at Watkins. 'Dangerous is it?' Vaughn sneered, pressing a sequence of switches.
Watkins backed away, wide-eyed with terror. 'Don't... don't point it...' he beseeched him.
'Do you know what fear is?' Vaughn taunted as the machine began emitting its evil clicking sounds, rising rapidly to a piercing whistle.
Watkins shut his eyes and pressed his hands over his ears, moaning pitifully.
'Mr Vaughn, you could kill him!' Gregory warned, trying to intervene. Packer held him back, watching the torture with excited eyes.
'We must make sure he's done his work thoroughly,' Vaughn laughed, increasing the power so that the whistling rose even higher.
Watkins's glasses fell off his nose as he writhed and cowered against the wall, his kindly eyes popping widely open as he focussed on some imaginary horror. He started punching wildly at the air as if warding off some loathsome attacker and then uttered strangled squeaks of submission. Impassively Vaughn watched the cringing old man slide down the wall to his knees, sobbing with fear. Then he switched off the machine and put it back on the desk.
'Most effective,' he beamed. 'I congratulate you, Professor. Suc
h a pity we cannot test it at full strength. However, we have further need of your expertise.'
Watkins peered blindly up at him, foaming at the lips and trembling with shock.
Vaughn turned to Gregory. 'You will take the Professor back to the complex immediately. I want these devices on the production lines at once.'
Packer yanked the old man to his feet and shoved his glasses back onto his nose.
'You force me to work for you, Vaughn,' Watkins suddenly burst out in a hoarse whisper. 'You are an evil man. I pity you, but given the chance I shall kill you.'
Vaughn gazed at the hunched figure, momentarily disconcerted by his victim's impassioned threat. 'Kill me, Professor?' he mocked. 'Would you really?'
Watkins nodded vigorously.
Vaughn walked over and took Packer's machine pistol out of its holster. He thrust it into Watkins's hand. 'What are you waiting for?' he laughed, slapping the old man's tear-stained cheek. 'Shoot me!'
Watkins stared at the gun, then at Vaughn in bewilderment.
'Shoot me!' Vaughn shouted, sending Watkins reeling with another vicious slap before walking away a few paces and turning.
Recovering his balance, the Professor fired a burst. Shots smashed into lamps and a video screen.
Vaughn shook his head derisively. 'Surely you can do better than that?' he taunted. 'Try again.'
Racked with conflicting emotions, Watkins hesitated. Then he took careful aim and fired again. Several holes appeared in Vaughn's jacket and shirt as bullets ricochetted round the office. Vaughn threw back his head and laughed at Watkins's incredulous stare.
'Take him away and get the device into production!' he cried, casually flicking the torn shreds of cloth off his jacket.
In Travers's basement the Doctor was still struggling to solve the riddle of the monolithic circuitry. Jamie was fast asleep in an old armchair with his injured foot propped on a cushion, while Jimmy Turner sat sleepily by his portable radiotelephone unit on the workbench.
Isobel brought in some tea and shortcake biscuits and sat down beside him. 'Am I forgiven?' she asked.
Turner grinned. 'Not really your fault, I suppose,' he murmured, patting her hand.
'I just didn't realise about the Cybermen...' Isobel explained. 'I've been listening to Zoe telling the Brigadier all about them for his report.'
Turner shook his head in amazement. 'We hit 'em with four or five grenades and one still survived! I'd hate to have to tackle a whole army of the things.'
Suddenly the Doctor threw down the circuits in despair. 'No, no, no,' he muttered, rubbing his bleary eyes irritably as he rose and walked about restlessly.
'What's the matter?' Jamie gasped, waking with a start and wincing at the pain in his ankle.
The Doctor ignored him, absently picking up Turner's tea and sipping it deep in thought again.
At that moment the radiotelephone bleeped. Turner answered it, asking Isobel to fetch the Brigadier.
'What's the flap?' asked Lethbridge-Stewart, taking the receiver.
'Benton reported from Blue Sector One, sir,' Sergeant Walters's voice informed him mushily. At 2130 hours he saw two security guards and another man leaving the IE Headquarters with Professor Watkins. He's on their tail now.'
'We could intercept and release the Professor, sir,' suggested Turner listening on the extension.
Isobel looked anxiously at the Brigadier.
He frowned. 'I don't like the idea, Jimmy,' he said after a pause.
'Oh come on! Please!' Isobel begged him, clutching his sleeve.
The Doctor cleared his throat noisily. 'Brigadier, the Professor might be able to help me solve this problem,' he said, waving the two monolithic circuits.
The Brigadier looked unhappy at the risk of further trouble before his mission to UNIT Command in Geneva.
'It could be a vital chance for a breakthrough,' the Doctor urged him.
Lethbridge-Stewart considered the two earnest faces. Finally he relented. 'All right. It's your show, Jimmy, but be careful,' he said reluctantly.
Isobel hugged him and gave him a smacking kiss on the cheek.
'Tell Benton to stay with them. I'll contact him en route. I'm on my way, Sergeant,' rapped Turner into the receiver.
'Vaughn's lot know we mean business now,' the Brigadier warned him. 'They won't be playing games.'
'Neither will I, sir!' Turner promised and he dashed out with Isobel staring admiringly after him.
The Brigadier, still blushing from the kiss, reached across and handed the plate to Isobel. 'Care for a biscuit?' he asked gallantly.
An owl hooted somewhere in the nearby trees. Turner and three UNIT soldiers sat tensely in their jeep at the deserted crossroads, listening to Benton's regular reports on the radio giving the position of the International Electromatix company car carrying Gregory and Professor Watkins back to the factory complex. Thin trails of cloud scudded across the Moon, giving it a covert, lurking appearance high above them.
'About a kilometre from your position now, sir,' Benton suddenly blurted.
'Go!' snapped Turner to his driver. The jeep swept out of the side lane and drew across the narrow road, completely blocking it. The driver cut the engine and the lights and the four men whipped out their pistols and jumped into the surrounding hedgerows.
Twenty seconds later, a set of powerful headlights sliced the darkness, followed by another, some distance behind but gaining rapidly. The International Electromatix car screamed to a halt a few metres from the jeep. As one of Vaughn's men got out to investigate, the UNIT force emerged with levelled pistols and challenged him. The man yelled something and the limousine started reversing, but Benton's Jaguar roared up behindand cut off its retreat. Another man jumped out and they both opened fire on Turner's squad. While the UNIT squad fired back, Professor Watkins opened the rear door of the limousine and scuttled towards the undergrowth along the lane. Gregory leaped out after him and raised a revolver at his back. Before he could shoot the Professor, Benton fired from his car and Gregory fell dead on the grass verge. At the same instant, Turner's advancing force killed one of the Professor's escort and the other one fled into the woods and got away.
Turner ushered the shocked and dazed Professor gently into the Jaguar and he and Benton drove him swiftly back to London with the rest of the squad escorting them in the jeep.
In Vaughn's darkened office Packer was smacking his bony fists together with impotent rage.
'It was a UNIT group again,' he fumed, his mean eyes glittering malevolently at his master. 'I warned you, but you ignored me.'
'Still sceptical, Packer?' Vaughn inquired calmly, reclining in his chair with his eyes closed.
'Well, what can we do now?' Packer whined. 'We've only got one machine. Now they've got Watkins back and Gregory's dead we can't manufacture any more, can we?'
If Tobias Vaughn was at all worried by the recent kidnapping he betrayed no sign of disquiet. 'Once Cyber Control is transmitting the coercion signal the Doctor and his friends will be utterly helpless,' he reminded Packer. 'You'll be able to pick them up and enjoy your revenge. Can I trust you to accomplish that?'
Packer stared at Vaughn's shadowy figure with gnawing hatred. 'Of course!' he snapped petulantly.
'Good.' Vaughn glanced at his luminous digital watch. 'Now, I suggest that you get some rest,' he murmured. 'There remain just five and one half hours until the invasion begins...'
8
Invasion
Professor Watkins gratefully drank several cups of tea, clutching his niece's hand with affectionate relief. Then he nibbled at a biscuit and gazed in bewilderment at the ringof faces around him.
'I know nothing,' he admitted regretfully, 'nothing at all.'
The Doctor sighed dejectedly. 'You've no idea what these micromonolithic circuits are for, Professor?' he asked for the third or fourth time.
'I'm sorry, Doctor,' Watkins smiled feebly. 'I don't even know why Vaughn wanted me to adapt my machine.'
'Yo
u say he intends to mass produce them?' mused the Doctor.
Watkins nodded wearily and hugged Isobel again.
The Brigadier was baffled. 'Why should Vaughn need such a weapon if he's already got the Cybermen?'
The Doctor suddenly perked up. 'Professor, you say you adapted your device to induce excessive emotional responses...?'
Watkins nodded and hung his head in shame.
The Doctor stood up and walked round and round the cluttered bench. 'Emotion is alien to Cyber neurosystems,' he reflected. 'Perhaps it could be used to incapacitate or even destroy them... Yes, Vaughn obviously plans to use the machine against the Cybermen once he has no further use for them.' He gazed at his silent audience excitedly, then he hurried to the bench and picked up the circuits from the Hercules computer and from Jamie's radio. 'Of course. Emotional Induction. How could I have been so stupid? No wonder the circuits aren't logical!'
Professor Watkins jumped up as if infused with new life and joined the Doctor at the bench. The two of them started muttering together and examining the circuits through magnifying glasses, totally oblivious of everyone else.
The Brigadier consulted his watch. 'Heavens, I must get back to the Hercules,' he exclaimed. 'I'm leaving at dawn for Geneva. Contact me at once it the Doctor comes up with anything, Jimmy,' he ordered and strode briskly out.
Zoe and Jamie glanced across at the bench. The Doctor and Watkins were deep in animated discussion over the oscilloscope. Jamie yawned cavernously and settled himself back in the armchair. 'Wake me if anything happens, Zoe,' he mumbled and closed his eyes.
Zoe gaped at him in disgust. 'You're incredible,' she exclaimed. 'You'd sleep through anything. For all we know, the Cybermen might be lurking beneath us at this very moment!'
Frantically Jamie struggled to shake himself free as the repulsive creature began to devour his foot. He woke with a start to find that Zoe was tugging his arm.
'Quick, Jamie, the Doctor's discovered something!' she cried.