DOCTOR WHO: TO THE SLAUGHTER.
by STEPHEN COLE.
Chapter One.
Tinya froze. Something had brushed against her left leg beneath the boardroom table.
She tried to keep her face carefully neutral as she glanced across at the director. Falsh was clearing his throat, ready to address his executives. Had he meant to touch her leg with his own, or. . .
There it was again. Tinya feared for a second she might actually break her habitual cold composure and blush. Up till now, Falsh had never outwardly shown the slightest interest in her beyond her abilities as his personal PR Tinya feared for a second she might actually break her habitual cold composure and blush. Up till now, Falsh had never outwardly shown the slightest interest in her beyond her abilities as his personal PR liaison executive and that had suited her fine. His face well shaped and lined attractively with experience, not age was impa.s.sive as ever, and yet. . .
Yes! There it came again: a deliberate brush Just below her knee! a deliberate brush Just below her knee!
She frowned. She"d both dreaded and daydreamed about this moment.
Falsh"s power alone made him attractive, and for such a devious man he had a straightforward reputation what he wanted, he took.
Tinya looked out of the window, hoping the familiar splendour of Saturn and its rings would soak up her messy thoughts. Not a chance.
Falsh leaned back in his chair. In his impeccable black suit, only a shade darker than his unblemished skin, he drew all eyes without even trying. Now he studied briefly the dozen expectant faces gathered before him (avoiding her own gaze, she noted) before letting his honey-coloured eyes rest on the holo-minuter.
"Minuter off," he instructed, and the text bubble obligingly popped. "Emergency symposium of Falsh Industries Select Executive continued at 16:47. I"m aware that our celebrated decoratiste decoratiste will be arriving shortly. But before he arrives, I felt it prudent we discuss the accidental demolition of Carme. Just to set the record straight among ourselves." will be arriving shortly. But before he arrives, I felt it prudent we discuss the accidental demolition of Carme. Just to set the record straight among ourselves."
A few knowing smiles and smug expressions blossomed around the table.
"A lamentable incident," lisped Piers to her right, Falsh"s operations a.n.a.lyst, oily as ever in his pinstripes. "Our contract with Blazar Demolition Services has been terminated."
"I should hope so," said Hoon, sat opposite. He was something high up and dull in Accounts. "Inevitably, Falsh Industries has been made to appear incompetent by a.s.sociation with Blazar." He tilted back his head and peered at Piers over the handlebars of his prodigious moustache. "Damage to Falsh 1 share value is higher than you predicted, Piers."
" Marginally Marginally higher, I"ll agree." Piers gave an exaggerated shrug. "It will recover once all this has blown over." higher, I"ll agree." Piers gave an exaggerated shrug. "It will recover once all this has blown over."
"Tinya has issued a full statement to NewsCorps," said Falsh. He looked at her coolly but there was no mistaking the warmth of his leg against hers.
Her senses were tingling. Should she reciprocate? The idea of this vain, power-crazed man wanting one of his execs was quite intoxicating. But could she risk endangering her position now, after sacrificing so much to get here?
With a jolt she realised the others were looking at her expectantly, and raffled. "Copies of the statement were distributed," she said. "It includes a statement from Blazar"s CEO accepting full liability for destroying the wrong Jovian moon and exonerating Falsh Industries from all blame."
Hoon raised a weighty eyebrow. "Faked?"
"Oh, it"s genuine all right. After a little persuasion." Tinya cast a sly glance at Falsh, but he wasn"t looking. "The activities of Blazar"s Joves.p.a.ce outpost have been suspended pending a full inquiry."
"Which will never come to pa.s.s," said Falsh flatly.
"And if the truth about Carme gets out, what then?" This was Kameez, the little woman with the big mouth from Subsidiaries Acquisition, piping up from the other end of the table. "Blowing up an uninhabited lump of rock is one thing, but "
Tinya gave her coldest smile, the one that stretched her face tight over her enhanced cheekbones. "The truth will never get out," she said, discreetly kicking off her shoe. "Steps are being taken."
As she spoke, she reached out her leg and caressed her foot against Falsh"s calf. She would risk it. Why not? She would never have got this far so quickly if she hadn"t taken chances.
The brief contact sent a thrill through her. He glanced at her, his eyes unfathomable. But was it her imagination or was that the ghost of a smile on his full lips?
"We"ve leaked some faked doc.u.ments to a PressSat," she went on, "allegedly from Blazar"s operations base on Thebe. They prove conclusively that we requested demolition of Callirrhoe Callirrhoe, a useless speck of rock not among the Ancient Twelve."
"Excellent," murmured Falsh with a smile.
She reached out again and squeezed the raw silk of his trouser leg with her toes. He frowned and she pulled away quickly.
b.a.s.t.a.r.d. What was he doing, just playing around?
Falsh only ever played for keeps, as he never tired of telling you.
"I"ve prepared a new demolition contract," Piers announced. "Awarded this morning to one of our hidden subsidiaries, NewSystem Deconstruction."
2."About time," Kendor said from further down the table. "I"ve been directing them on this job for weeks already."
"Share value will rise considerably as a result."
"Have to make up for the shortfall in those figures somehow, eh, Piers?"
smirked Hoon, his moustaches twitching.
Piers glowered at him. "Simply ensuring that the proposed demolition of Jupiter"s unnecessary satellites will continue on schedule."
Falsh gave him an irritated look. "Of course it will." He moved his leg out of Tinya"s reach. "While our tame decoratiste decoratiste is lending his name to the programme, we will always have the President"s endors.e.m.e.nt." is lending his name to the programme, we will always have the President"s endors.e.m.e.nt."
"Not so tame right now, is he?" Hoon snorted. "Losing Carme has ruined his "grand orchestration". He"ll have a thing or two to say when he arrives."
"And he"ll swallow them back down when he sees the gifts I"ve had transported here," said Falsh. "A most generous gesture from myself and my board.
Should have Halcyon purring again."
Tinya"s wristpad chimed. She looked down and checked the message. "He"s arrived now. His ship"s docking "
She broke off as she felt a furtive pressure on her right right leg. Someone was caressing her thigh! But Falsh was sat to her left, how could he. . . leg. Someone was caressing her thigh! But Falsh was sat to her left, how could he. . .
With horror, she realised Piers had a sweaty smile all over his face. "You were saying, Tinya?" he purred.
With an involuntary yelp she turned in her seat to escape his grip. As she did so she brushed against Falsh"s leg once more with her bare foot.
He rounded on her. "Tinya, what is the matter with you?"
The words were like a smack and she flinched, flushing. But a second later the entire table burst out in a confused babble of accusations. Hoon was staring incredulously at the woman beside him, who had just smacked his face. Three seats down, two men from Takeovers were waving their hands in the air, hotly disputing something with Subsidiaries.
Falsh was staring round at his executives with a face like a time bomb, ready to blow.
"There"s something under the table!" shouted Hoon.
It was a man. He scrambled out from his hiding place and stood awkwardly before them.
For a split second, all argument ceased and hush descended on the boardroom.
Then the screaming and yelling started.
"Look, I"m sorry, OK?" shouted the newcomer. "Everyone just stay calm!" He was tall and bony with a long, angular face and scruffy dark hair, and he was dressed in bizarre clothes. Had to be an agitator. Something was clutched in his hand and he was waving it about.
3."He"s got a gun!" shrieked Piers.
"That"s not a gun," Tinya realised. "It"s my shoe!"
"Security," Falsh snapped into his wristpad. "Boardroom, now." A few seconds later an alarm started up, buzzing and insistent.
"Look, I"m sorry if I"ve messed up your meeting," the intruder shouted over the fuss and noise. "I didn"t mean to touch your legs. I was hoping to stay hidden till you"d gone but it"s quite cramped under there. . . "
"Restrain him, somebody," Falsh ordered.
"No need for that!" the man protested, white faced and staring round anxiously. Falsh"s executives seemed to agree, and remained dithering in their seats.
"How did you get in here?" Falsh demanded.
"Through the door," said the agitator meekly. "It was open, and the view through the window. . . well, it"s pretty d.a.m.n cool isn"t it? Kind of grabs the attention."
Tinya rose from her seat in the hope of further intimidating the intruder.
"Who are you?"
"Fitz."
"Fitz? What do you want here?"
"Nothing!"
She shook her head. "You"re an agitator, aren"t you, Fitz? An Old Preserver!"
"I"m a Londoner!" he protested. "Look, love, we came here by accident, landed in a loading bay or something and we were just "
""We"!" gasped Hoon.
"I!" said Fitz, looking awkward. " I I was just having a " was just having a "
"He said, "We"!" Hoon insisted. "There"s more than one of him!"
"Oh no," came another voice from under the table, prompting fresh executive horror. "There"s only one Fitz, I a.s.sure you."
And suddenly, little loudmouthed Kameez was rising up into the air. Another outlandish figure was balancing both her and her chair on his shoulders clearly he was stronger than he looked. In his long dark coat, wing-collared shirt and waistcoat he looked like he"d leapt from a historical reconstruction.
"Everyone remain calm and still, please." This second intruder sounded altogether more cultured than Fitz. He glanced upwards. "Especially you, Mrs Executive. I"d hate to drop you."
Drop her, Tinya willed him. Tinya willed him.
Piers found his voice. "Another agitator!"
"You"re jumping to conclusions," said the man. His features were strikingly cla.s.sical: proud and clear, yet determinedly melancholy. "You might be agitated, but that doesn"t make me the agitator. I"m the Doctor, as it happens. If you weren"t such a fidgety bunch we"d have stayed happily hidden until you"d 4 all pushed off back to your no doubt charming offices. Do they all enjoy so lovely a view as this one?" He looked round at them, apparently genuinely interested, and Kameez squeaked as she nearly fell out of her chair, clinging on for dear life. "I"ll bet your your office does, Mr Falsh. Would you call your security guards, please, and tell them it was a false alarm?" office does, Mr Falsh. Would you call your security guards, please, and tell them it was a false alarm?"
Falsh raised his eyebrows. "Or you"ll do what bang Kameez"s head on the ceiling?"
Do it, thought Tinya. thought Tinya. Do it, do it! Do it, do it!
"You think we"d come in here defenceless?" He took a few wobbly steps towards Falsh, Kameez still teetering alarmingly above him. "We have far more than a chair, a woman and a shoe in our a.r.s.enal," he said gravely. "Now, call off your guards."
"Security code six," Falsh reluctantly told his wristpad. "Stand down."
"Thank you," said the Doctor. As the buzz of sirens died away, he gently set down the stunned and dishevelled Kameez in her chair and scooted her back to her place at the table. "I must apologise for disturbing your secret meeting."
He patted her on the head and smiled over at Tinya. "Give the lady her shoe back, Fitz."
Fitz tossed the shoe on to the table, and mouthed "sorry" to Tinya.
Falsh slowly got to his feet. "You"ve made the big show." He put his fists together. "Now, no more bull. What is it that you freaks want?"
"Actually, some mercury would be very useful right now," said the Doctor.
"Does anyone have a little they could spare? It"s for the fluid links, you see. . . "
The table remained stunned and silent.
He sighed. "Well in that case, we want to leave you in peace, so you can get back to your secret schemes and subterfuges and decoratistes decoratistes. It"s none of our business, is it? My views on wanton vandalism are neither here nor there." A distant, distracted look came to his face. "Although I remember Carme being discovered you know. . . Late 1930s, wasn"t it? And Lysithea discovered the same year. . . " He blinked, shook his head as if to clear it. "Destroyed, you say?
That"s so sad!"
Fitz was giving his odd ally a pleading look. "Not now, Doctor. . . "
"They heard everything," hissed Hoon. "They can"t leave, they know too much!"
"Far too much," muttered Tinya.
"Nonsense," cried the Doctor. "I know a fair bit, it"s true, but Fitz here knows next to nothing right, Fitz?"
"Mind like a sieve," Fitz confirmed, as the Doctor steered him towards the door. It whooshed open as they approached.
"Bye-bye!" called the Doctor. The door slid shut behind them.
5.For a few seconds, a dumbfounded silence filled the boardroom. Then Kameez started crying. Most of the other men rushed now to comfort her.