Free Doctor Who: Terror of the Vervoids by Pip Baker, Jane Baker

isolation room.
     
    The room was in darkness. Groping for the light, the Doctor switched on.
    An oxygen tent shrouded the bed. But unlike an orthodox, transparent oxygen tent, this consisted of opaque, plastic drapes.
    With only their eyes visible above the smoke masks, the interlopers exchanged a puzzled look. Never loathe to satisfy his curiosity, the Doctor unzipped the black tent.
    Light illuminated the patient.
    And what a patient.
    On the pillow lay a once-human face. But now it was grotesquely latticed with straggly creepers, vines, and waxy, olive leaves. Across the forehead, a stem pulsated sickeningly.
    Revolted by the sight, Mel nevertheless could not resist leaning nearer – the scaly eyelids snapped open – and bony, waxy, leaf-veined hands reached for her throat!
     
    13

Quirky Phenomena
    Mel screamed and recoiled as the mutant clawed for her throat.
    ‘No... No...’ The hoarse, rasping protest came from the mutant. Toppling the oxygen tent, the verdant figure lurched from the bed.
    Unmistakably human in origin, the arms and body had stems and leaves growing from their veins. But what made the aberration even more repellant was that the stems pulsated as green liquid throbbed along them.
    The Doctor yanked Mel clear, placing himself between his young companion and the threat. But the mutant, staggering unsteadily, lunged not for them but for the door.
    ‘No... Stop her...’ it croaked.
    Sharing Mel’s horror, the Doctor was nevertheless perplexed.
    ‘Stop Lasky...’
    Stop Lasky? Distorted though the voice was, that name was quite audible. ‘Stop Lasky –’
    The door crashed wide and Lasky herself burst in followed by Doland and Bruchner.
    Elbowing the Doctor and Mel aside, Bruchner grappled with the mutant while Lasky diverted to a wall cabinet.
    Snatching up a padded muzzle with an aerosol attached, she thrust it over the mutant’s mouth.
    ‘Get them out of here!’ muttered Lasky.
    Doland responded immediately, ushering the trespassers towards the door. Mel needed no second bidding but the Doctor attempted to linger.
    ‘Out!’ ordered Doland, shoving the Time Lord unceremoniously into the corridor.
     
    ‘Stop mauling me!’ The Doctor wrenched free and stripped off the smoke mask.
    ‘I should drop the innocent party act,’ advised Doland.
    ‘Any moment now that guard you duped into believing there was a fire will be back. He’s going to be even less enchanted by your antics.’
    Mel removed her mask. ‘Never mind the guard! That monstrosity tried to kill me!’
    ‘Does the Commodore realise what’s being isolated in there?’ The Doctor emphasised the word ‘isolated’.
    Pausing before replying, Doland tightened the rein on his anger. ‘I don’t know by whose authority you ask, but if it’ll put an end to your meddling, I’ll explain.’ He glared at Mel. ‘That monstrosity, as you call her, is my lab assistant.
    She –’
    ‘She!’ cut in Mel.
    ‘Ruth Baxter. We’re taking her to Earth where perhaps they’ll be able to reverse her condition. Our facilities on Mogar were too primitive.’
    ‘But what happened? How did she get in that state?’ Mel could not come to terms with the nightmare.
    ‘The experimental nature of our work entails some calculated risks.’
    ‘Calculated!’ The Doctor’s disgust erupted. ‘You’re admitting that sad travesty was a statistical probability!’
    ‘The word should be "crimimal"!’ added Mel.
    ‘Very well, I should have said unforeseen.’ Doland was becoming more and more irritated with these two non-scientists who did not understand the ethics of his profession. However, he realised he had to pacify them in order to prevent them from taking further action. ‘During a particularly delicate cross-fertilisation, a speck of pollen penetrated a minute scratch on my assistant’s thumb. She should never have left it uncovered –’
    ‘There he is, Mister Rudge!’ Preceding Rudge, the hoodwinked sentry had returned from the