dragon-ships were now directly overhead. Then they opened fire.
In the council chamber, the Regulator had turned the concave space of the dome into a huge screen, onto which it was projecting images of the events happening outside. The Doctor, Rory and Hilthe watched in horror as the two dragon-ships made their first pass over Geath.
'Doctor,' Hilthe said, 'what are these creatures?'
She had moderated her tone considerably, presumably having realised that making demands was not the best way to extract answers from this stranger. She got her reward.
'They're not creatures,' the Doctor explained.
'They're ships — vessels that can fly in the air.
This is a demonstration of power. The Regulators are trying to show how powerful they are in comparison to your people.' He turned angrily to the Regulator. 'That's right, isn't it? You want to scare them into handing over all the Enamour.'
104
THE KING’S DRAGON
The Regulator bent its head, as if acknowledging that what the Doctor said was true.
The Doctor stood, hands clenched by his side, and watched helplessly as events unfolded on the dome overhead. The gunships flew over once again.
When they reached the far side of the city, they opened fire, sending a barrage of shots down the valley, over the buildings, across the river. The ships banked, turned, and flew past for a third time.
Then they fired another volley of purple flame over Geath in the direction of the hills. Some trees caught fire. The picture cut to the streets, where people were running for cover.
'My poor city,' Hilthe whispered.
The Regulator panned around Geath, showing a city in turmoil and distress. Then it spoke again.
'Nobody has been harmed. Yet. This is a warning. All substances covered by the Act must be handed over within ten standard time units.' As it spoke it shrank and, as soon as it reached his height, it addressed the Doctor directly. 'We shall be monitoring your progress.' Then it disappeared.
The council chamber was dim and quiet and the dome was dark. The ships were gone, but outside there was the clamour of chaos and confusion.
One by one the lamps around the chamber leapt alight.
'How much time exactly is ten standard time 105
DOCTOR WHO
units?' asked Hilthe in an uncertain voice.
The Doctor didn't answer. He thumped his palm hard against the dragon. 'Bureaucrats!' he spat. 'Is there anything in the universe I detest more than bureaucrats? You can travel from the Dawn of Time to the very end of existence, and there they are
- the cockroaches of eternity! Bureaucrats! With their rules and their protocols and their procedures and their unshakeable belief in their own right to enforce all that mumbo-jumbo! And their superior firepower to back up their threats! Well, I've had enough! I'm sick of it!' He stood in the centre of the hall and shouted up at the darkened dome. 'Do you hear me? Sick of it! You want all the Enamour? I should hand it over to the Herald right now!'
'That,' said Rory in exasperation, 'is what I've been saying for ages. Why does nobody listen to me?'
As they argued, Hilthe finally lost her temper.
'Quiet! Now!' They stopped. 'I am not a stupid old woman, but this is simply too much. Too much to digest, all at once, and who can think while you shout at one another? Either one of you tells me right now what is happening here, or I send for the watch and have you both slung into the stocks. What is happening?'
The Doctor swung round and stared at her in alarm.
106
THE KING’S DRAGON
Rory said, 'Go on then!'
The Doctor pulled a face. 'Not me! She's scary!
Anyway, she's your friend.'
'What?' Rory said incredulously. 'This whole thing is your fault!'
'How did you work that one out?'
'You're the one with the time machine! I was on my stag night!'
'Ah. Fair point.' The Doctor turned to Hilthe and clapped his hands together. 'Right. Are you sitting comfortably?'
She glared. 'Doctor, my city is being destroyed. Do not be glib.'
'Destroyed? Hmmm.'
In the council chamber, the Regulator had turned the concave space of the dome into a huge screen, onto which it was projecting images of the events happening outside. The Doctor, Rory and Hilthe watched in horror as the two dragon-ships made their first pass over Geath.
'Doctor,' Hilthe said, 'what are these creatures?'
She had moderated her tone considerably, presumably having realised that making demands was not the best way to extract answers from this stranger. She got her reward.
'They're not creatures,' the Doctor explained.
'They're ships — vessels that can fly in the air.
This is a demonstration of power. The Regulators are trying to show how powerful they are in comparison to your people.' He turned angrily to the Regulator. 'That's right, isn't it? You want to scare them into handing over all the Enamour.'
104
THE KING’S DRAGON
The Regulator bent its head, as if acknowledging that what the Doctor said was true.
The Doctor stood, hands clenched by his side, and watched helplessly as events unfolded on the dome overhead. The gunships flew over once again.
When they reached the far side of the city, they opened fire, sending a barrage of shots down the valley, over the buildings, across the river. The ships banked, turned, and flew past for a third time.
Then they fired another volley of purple flame over Geath in the direction of the hills. Some trees caught fire. The picture cut to the streets, where people were running for cover.
'My poor city,' Hilthe whispered.
The Regulator panned around Geath, showing a city in turmoil and distress. Then it spoke again.
'Nobody has been harmed. Yet. This is a warning. All substances covered by the Act must be handed over within ten standard time units.' As it spoke it shrank and, as soon as it reached his height, it addressed the Doctor directly. 'We shall be monitoring your progress.' Then it disappeared.
The council chamber was dim and quiet and the dome was dark. The ships were gone, but outside there was the clamour of chaos and confusion.
One by one the lamps around the chamber leapt alight.
'How much time exactly is ten standard time 105
DOCTOR WHO
units?' asked Hilthe in an uncertain voice.
The Doctor didn't answer. He thumped his palm hard against the dragon. 'Bureaucrats!' he spat. 'Is there anything in the universe I detest more than bureaucrats? You can travel from the Dawn of Time to the very end of existence, and there they are
- the cockroaches of eternity! Bureaucrats! With their rules and their protocols and their procedures and their unshakeable belief in their own right to enforce all that mumbo-jumbo! And their superior firepower to back up their threats! Well, I've had enough! I'm sick of it!' He stood in the centre of the hall and shouted up at the darkened dome. 'Do you hear me? Sick of it! You want all the Enamour? I should hand it over to the Herald right now!'
'That,' said Rory in exasperation, 'is what I've been saying for ages. Why does nobody listen to me?'
As they argued, Hilthe finally lost her temper.
'Quiet! Now!' They stopped. 'I am not a stupid old woman, but this is simply too much. Too much to digest, all at once, and who can think while you shout at one another? Either one of you tells me right now what is happening here, or I send for the watch and have you both slung into the stocks. What is happening?'
The Doctor swung round and stared at her in alarm.
106
THE KING’S DRAGON
Rory said, 'Go on then!'
The Doctor pulled a face. 'Not me! She's scary!
Anyway, she's your friend.'
'What?' Rory said incredulously. 'This whole thing is your fault!'
'How did you work that one out?'
'You're the one with the time machine! I was on my stag night!'
'Ah. Fair point.' The Doctor turned to Hilthe and clapped his hands together. 'Right. Are you sitting comfortably?'
She glared. 'Doctor, my city is being destroyed. Do not be glib.'
'Destroyed? Hmmm.'
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