And Now Departing

The Brigadier

The Doctor starts to answer him, but Brigadier Bambera interrupts. "Look, I still don't understand what's going on here, but you-- "

And then she is interrupted... by an explosion!

A hole is formed in the wall opposite the door and through it three grey-hair-helmeted knights storm into the room, their leader ordering the three to... "Kill them! Kill them now!"

Typical.

Seems that whenever some alien race or some other kind of "offworlder" comes down to visit my world–with some notable exceptions–they always seem bent on either destruction and/or conquest! I see yet again that history is repeating itself.

I would find it rather sad if I allowed myself time to reflect upon it, but right now such is definitely not the time!

"Oh for the love of the Creator!" Inquirer nearly groans, exasperated, "Pray tell can those who are about to die be allowed the simple courtesy of see the face of our executioner! Is that too much to ask?!"

.....

She then nods, seemingly to agree with some question or statement. Only problem is that nobody has said anything!

Odd. While my immediate attention is on these intruders, I sense out of the corner of my eye that Inquirer's body is tensed as if.... As if she's ready to pounce bodily on these cads and thrash them, if given half a chance! This of course is utterly absurd! Our would be executioners are well across the room, ruling out that possibility!

Shouldn't it?

The Doctor attempts to intervene by introducing himself, but the squad leader ignores him for the moment, instead looking at Inquirer oddly for a moment. Then throwing off whatever odd feelings she may induce within him, I hear him chuckle a little. He puts up the visor on his helmet and grins at us, only to have it falter a little when he finally seems to notice the Doctor!

"Merlin?" I see his lips form, "But this cannot be he, for Mother bound him in the Ice Caves for all Eternity!"

"Modred!" Ancelyn shouts, seeming to recognize this fellow (and drawing his attention and our would be executioners for a second).

As of even today I now sometimes have trouble believing what happened next, but in those scant seconds.....

In those scant seconds another kind of explosion of sorts happened, leaving "Mordred" and his tin-can flunkies sprawling!

It is marked by a shriek similar to what a tyre makes when an race automobile "pops it's clutch". That comes from where Inquirer was....WAS standing.

Suddenly she's a blur amongst Mordred and his group! It is much like watching one of those "karate" movies with Bruce Lee....on fast forward! A knight is able to get one or two shots off, striking her, but....it is like she doesn't even acknowledge the wounds. The wounds (breaking of bone and gashes) that her attackers get are felt by them by the way they scream!

And it's over almost before it even began.

She turns back and opens her mouth as if to speak, but frowns and then tries again.

"The distraction worked well husband," she seems to say softly, smiling back at the Doctor and the rest of us. However....the voice is coming not from her mouth (which isn't moving), but rather from some point around he diaphragm.

Plan? When did this plan come up? Did I somehow step out of the room for a moment and miss it? That skitters through my mind as I gape at the still burning wounds on her chest....and her throat! That and....why the bloody hel is Sigin making odd gestures and musical chants, as if to ward something away....like bad magic?

"What the H*ll?" Brigadier Bambera whispers, looking first at the wife of the Doctor....and then at Inquirer's hands.

1. The wedding band that I had seen her wearing is still there, but large sections of skin around it....are gone! Scrapped away as her hands had torn long gouges in breastplates, tearing the armor pieces bodily away from the breasts of unconsious villians.

Go Back