The delegates left, all except one, a tall, black-cloaked figure with a white face and burning red eyes. His name was Grimoire, and he was the nearest thing the General had to a friend.
Perhaps it was because Grimoire was the only man if man was the word who wasn"t afraid of him.
In his own way, Grimoire was devoted to the General, although he showed it, as sometimes happens, by needling him constantly.
"You really think you can get away with taking those apes to a formal reception?"
"They"ve got to put in a token appearance," said the General firmly. "We"re a peace conference, a conference has to have delegates. You"re in charge, Grimoire. Anyone gives any trouble, bustle them out. I know I can rely on you."
As indeed he could.
Grimoire had been having a hard time before the General took him on his staff. He was an experienced mercenary, but he had certain limitations, especially during the hours of daylight.
After dark, however, he was unequalled. And he asked for little...
Loaded down with a variety of parcels in different shapes and sizes, the Doctor and Peri staggered into her room. Peri had exchanged her dressing-gown and robes for a well-cut grey trouser-suit.
Dropping his armful of burdens on the bed, the Doctor perched on the end of it and mopped his brow.
"I have undergone many terrifying experiences during my travels through s.p.a.ce and time, Peri but shopping with you is undoubtedly the most unnerving."
Peri, exhausted but happy, set about unwrapping and sorting her acquisitions.
"You just don"t understand shopping, Doctor. It"s a girl thing."
"Why did you have to buy three evening dresses?" he protested. "And why did you insist on my buying that dress suit?
We"re leaving in a day or so and I haven"t heard of any festivities."
"That"s where you"re wrong. One of the women in the commissary was buying a new gown for the reception."
"What reception?"
"There"s a reception tonight for the peace conference delegates."
"Well, we"re not invited."
Peri spotted an ornate envelope on her bedside table, grabbed it and ripped it open. "Oh yes we are at least I am.
"Lord Delmar, Governor of the Hospice of Karn, requests the pleasure..." There"ll be one of these waiting for you in your rooms, Doctor."
"Blast! What time"s this reception?"
"Six o"clock." Peri glanced at her newly acquired watch and shrieked. "It"s already gone three!"
"Plenty of time then."
"Less than three hours to get ready? Plenty of time?" Peri sorted through the parcels until she found the one containing the Doctor"s dress suit and thrust it into his arms. "There you are then, off you go. Pick me up here at a quarter to six and don"t be late!"
She bustled him out of the room.
The reception was well under way by the time the Doctor and Peri arrived. (They were a little late because Peri had changed her mind three times about which dress to wear.) The reception was held in a large, ornately furnished room in Lord Delmar"s quarters. There were glittering chandeliers, and servants with trays of exotic drinks and delicacies. There were scattered little groups of people, drinking and nibbling and making laborious conversation.
There was even a major-domo to announce the guests.
"Mr John Smith and Miss Perpugilliam Brown," he boomed.
Peri glanced at the Doctor as they went inside.
" Mr Mr John Smith? What happened to the Doctor bit?" John Smith? What happened to the Doctor bit?"
"We"re in a hospital," the Doctor reminded her. "It might give people the wrong idea. I don"t want people telling me their digestive problems over the canapes and champagne."
"There"s more to it than that, isn"t there?"
"Let"s just say I"ve good reasons for remaining incognito."
They moved to the centre of the room, where Lord Delmar, splendid in frock coat, knee-breeches and buckled shoes, was waiting to greet them.
His eyes lit up at the sight of Peri in her low-cut red gown.
Beside her was the Doctor, looking neat and sleek in his black dress suit.
Peri curtseyed and the Doctor bowed.
"Charmed, charmed," said Lord Delmar. He studied Peri"s bare shoulders and arms with appreciation. "You certainly seem restored to full health, young lady. Another success for our esteemed Doctor Solon."
Solon, who was standing amidst a worshipping little group of junior doctors nearby, came towards them at the mention of his name.
"It was a privilege," he murmured. "I am only too happy to have been of service."
"I couldn"t possibly tell you all that Doctor Solon has done for me," said Peri. "I only wish I could repay him as he deserves."
The sweetness of her words contrasted strangely with the fury in her eyes, and Solon moved away as a waitress came over with drinks and another with delicacies.
Lord Delmar registered the exchange. "Your young friend doesn"t seem too fond of Doctor Solon, Mr Smith. A little friction, perhaps?"
"Doctor Solon"s surgical skills are undeniable," said the Doctor. "His bedside manner leaves something to be desired."
"Hanky-panky," thought Delmar instantly. There had been rumours about Solon and female patients before. Solon"s eminence gave him a certain lat.i.tude, but all the same... He decided to have a word with Commander Hawken.
Hawken himself came over, looking, as usual, as if he ought to be swinging from the rafters. The Doctor introduced him, and Hawken"s suave charm soon made Peri forget his intimidating appearance.
Hawken seemed quite taken with Peri and it was easy to see why. The Doctor surveyed the room. Doctors and army officers and their wives, hospital administrators, nursing staff, all dressed in their sober best. In her scarlet gown Peri stood out like an orchid in a cabbage patch.
Soon young officers and young doctors swarmed around her. The Doctor looked on amused, and made solemn conversation with a retired colonel and a senior administrator.
Then he excused himself, scooped two gla.s.ses of champagne from a pa.s.sing tray and detached Peri from a protesting group of her admirers.
They found a quiet corner and stood watching the crowd.
"I thought you might like a break," he said. "How"s it going?"
"Pretty well," said Peri. "Three dates, two propositions and a proposal."
"I"m not surprised," said the Doctor surveying her thoughtfully. "Maybe you should have worn the high-necked, dove-grey number after all."
"You mustn"t begrudge a girl her little triumphs," said Peri. "I think I might stay on here. Marry Lord Delmar and become First Lady of Karn."
"Why settle for a mere lord?" said the Doctor absently. "Why not a king?" He looked round the room. "Notice who"s missing, Peri?"
"No, who? I thought everybody who was anybody was here."
"All except the guest of honour the General and his accompanying peace delegates."
"Maybe he"s just being fashionably late," suggested Peri.
"Maybe or perhaps he wants to make a big entrance."
At that moment there was a mild commotion as a gaudily uniformed group appeared at the door. Unable to grasp the string of barbaric-sounding names hissed, snarled and grunted at him, the major-domo compromised.
"General Rombusi," he boomed. "And party!"
One man strode into the room, the others at his heels like a pack of savage dogs. He wasn"t a big man, in fact he was under medium height, but his presence seemed to fill the room. He wore a uniform of scarlet and gold and he was, thought Peri, quite incredibly handsome, with the face of a Greek G.o.d, or a Roman emperor.
He scanned the room with casual arrogance and suddenly his eyes met the Doctor"s. Their glances clashed like two swords in the first deadly seconds of a duel and their minds touched.
The Doctor sensed a powerful mind shielded by impregnable barriers.
Staring hard at the Doctor, the General sensed exactly the same.
For a moment time was frozen...
Chapter Eleven.
Encounter It was an extraordinary moment but it was just a moment, no more. Scarcely breaking stride, the General strode across the room to Lord Delmar and made a sweeping bow. Commander Hawken was at Delmar"s side.
"My lord, allow me to present General Rombusi and his a.s.sociates."
Gracefully, Lord Delmar returned the General"s bow.
The a.s.sociates, meanwhile, were staring around the room with the pleased antic.i.p.ation of wolves who unexpectedly find themselves in a sheepfold.
The General snapped his fingers and they bowed, clumsily, like dancing bears performing a new trick, retreating immediately into the background.
"This is a great honour, my lord," said the General. "Your kindness and generosity alone have made our conference possible. On behalf of the peace-loving peoples of the galaxy, I offer my humble thanks."
His voice was deep and mellow, and although it wasn"t loud, every word carried distinctly around the room.
"The honour is mine, General," said Lord Delmar. "It is a privilege to aid such a n.o.ble cause." But he couldn"t help flicking a brief sceptical glance at the a.s.sociates.
"I must ask your indulgence for my friends," said the General.
"They are humble peasants, simple men, unused to such distinguished company. But they are all leaders on their own primitive planets, and their hearts are in the right place. They have the vision to see that, humble as it is, the peaceful federation we plan can be a force for good in a war-torn galaxy.
If we, unimportant as we are, can take the first faltering steps on the path to peace, other and mightier powers may follow."
"It"s a speech," thought Peri. "A political speech a very effective one too." And, indeed, as the General"s words spread around the room, they were greeted with spontaneous applause.
The General bowed modestly.
"And what about you, General?" asked Commander Hawken.
"If I may say so, you don"t strike me as the humble peasant leader of a primitive community."
The General laughed, acknowledging the hit. "I must wear more straw in my hair! No, I was I am an immigrant to the planet Darkeen, which I now have the honour to represent.
After a not unsuccessful career in the political life of my home planet, I retired to seek a more simple life. I bought myself a plantation on Darkeen and settled down to be a melon farmer."
"But it didn"t last?"
The General gave a rueful smile. "I"m afraid not, Commander. The planet was fertile, potentially rich and prosperous, but its affairs were in chaos, its economy in ruins. It was engaged in a series of trade wars with neighbouring planets trade wars that inevitably turned into shooting wars. Something had to be done."
"And you did it?"
"You might say so. I became involved in local politics and eventually in politics at planetary level. I was able to negotiate trade agreements, peace treaties... One thing led to another and here we are!"
Lord Delmar"s shrewd old eyes were studying him thoughtfully. "It"s a drug, isn"t it, General? A hard one to give up." "What is, my lord?"
"Power."
"Power?" said the General scornfully. "I a.s.sure you, my lord, I had all the power anyone could want before I set foot on Darkeen. I renounced it voluntarily. I found another drug, even more powerful than power." He paused dramatically. "Service!"
Another ripple of applause.