Free The Forgotten Army by Doctor Who

mighty beasts of Ancient Earth to do the work of millions of Vykoids. But as there are none left, I shall return instead with millions of your well-fed drones.'
    The Doctor's face fell. He looked more than a little disgusted. 'Amy, have you heard of the island in the Pacific made up of dried seagull droppings? After hundreds of years it turns into guano and it's mined to be made into explosives.' Amy pulled a face as the Doctor kept on. 'Well the Cassetia asteroids were excreted several millions years ago by a mighty Space-Boar. A race of giant carnivores, they ate only rotting meat from the swamps of Malmatine 5, and grew so huge they evolved into creatures capable of travelling in space. A herd of
    96

    THE FORGOTTEN ARMY
    Space-Boars ate their way around the universe for 20,000
    years before producing the asteroids. Some say it's the worst smell in the entire galaxy. The most concentrated foul stench you can possibly imagine. I've heard terrible stories of the Vykoid slave mines. The smell is so foul, that one whiff can make your hair fall out, and turn your eyes green. The atmosphere of the mines actually prolongs the lives of the slaves. Anyone they take will work for three hundred years or more...'
    General Erik's plan seemed insane to Amy. There were millions of people in New York, and there was no way the miniature army could simply kidnap all of them. 'Doctor?
    Can't they, you know, take the animals here?'
    'Not exactly fair on the poor animals, is it? But hang on, good point, why can't you take beasts from elsewhere?'
    Amy thought she could see General Erik grinning. 'You will be easier to defeat.'
    Amy was surprised by his confidence. The Vykoid army had the enchanting freedom of shipwrecked men, with nothing more to lose, and everything to gain. Amy whispered in the Doctor's ear. 'We can stop them, right?'
    The Doctor grinned at Amy. 'Oh, yes!' Turning his head away from General Erik, he addressed the neat ranks of soldiers, gazing into their beady little eyes. 'Listen to me, army of Vykoid warriors. Your
    97

    DOCTOR WHO
    war is over. Your time has gone. There is not a single person or creature on the planet that you are fit to touch. Return to your planet, and tell everyone you meet that the people of Earth are born free. You got a problem with that? Come see me!'
    The Vykoid troops watched the Doctor stony-faced.
    'And don't listen to old Sour-Face here.’ the Doctor went on, pointing at General Erik. 'Look around you! This is a place of beauty and life. You will not harm anyone. Now, scram, before I have to do something about it.'
    General Erik became even more furious. 'I will not be undermined in front of my troops by this lumbering beast.
    By a pacifist! All my years of training in the Vykoid army have prepared me for moments like this. I have heard the legends of the great Vykoid heroes, and soon it will be my time to join them.' He puffed out his diminutive chest and went on. 'I too will have a statue built for me, in the Hall of Honour on our home planet! Efficiency and punctuality are the backbone of any successful military campaign, and since we seem to have woken up several thousand years too late, I am not about to waste any more time.'
    His speech finished, General Erik turned his back on the Doctor, and barked at his men: 'Activate the Temporal Lock!'
    The ranks split, and a select group of soldiers 98

    THE FORGOTTEN ARMY
    quick-marched back into the mammoth. They obviously hadn't been deterred by the Doctor's speech, and seemed only too keen to follow General Erik's commands.
    'Doctor?' Amy raised an eyebrow. 'What's a temporal lock?'
    The mammoth was beginning to stir into life once more.
    Lights were clicking on inside its body, shining out of its eyes and ears. With a grinding noise, the mammoth's trunk was raised into the air, and started to revolve like an aerial.
    The Doctor scrambled to his feet and took Amy's hand. 'I think, given the circumstances, it would be a good idea if we