Doctor Who: The Seeds of Doom Read Online Free Page A
Author: Philip Hinchcliffe
Tags: Science-Fiction:Doctor Who
gets established all animal life is extinguished. What happened to your friend Moberly should convince you.’ Sarah could see the Doctor was irritated by Stevenson. She tried to sound reassuring.
‘But there’s no real danger now, is there? One pod is safely in the freezer and...’ she was about to say ‘Winlett’ but checked herself, ‘and... the other... is probably frozen stiff under the snow.’
The Doctor crossed to the door. ‘I hope you’re right, Sarah,’ he said as he led them out.
The three figures emerging from the Power Unit were unaware of a hideous form crouched behind a snowbank, less than twenty feet away. Its cold, inhuman eyes followed the Doctor’s movements as he bolted the door from the outside. Then, as the trio climbed back up the ridge and out of sight, the creature—half man, half plant—crept from hiding and crawled across the snow towards the building. With one swift movement it prised open the door and entered. Inside, it let out a low rattling noise and settled beside the fuel cell, sucking in the warmth.
In the Laboratory, Scorby and Keeler were conducting a methodical search.
‘You’re supposed to be the botanist, Keeler. Where would you keep this pod?’
‘It must be here somewhere.’ Keeler looked round in desperation. Scorby picked up an intricate piece of measuring equipment and held it aloft. ‘Careful!’ warned his companion, ‘that’s valuable.’
Scorby grinned, then smashed it violently on to the floor. ‘So what?’ he sneered, ‘there’ll be nobody here to use it after we leave.’
Suddenly the radio sprang to life. ‘HELLO... HELLO... THIS IS SOUTH BEND CALLING CAMP THREE... COME IN CAMP THREE... OVER...’
Scorby darted a look at Keeler then crossed to the radio. He pressed a switch. ‘Camp Three receiving you... over.’
‘IS THAT YOU DEREK?’ said the voice, distorted by static.
Scorby hesitated. ‘Er... yes... go ahead, South Bend.’
The voice continued. ‘THE WEATHER’S CLEARING THIS END. THE MEDICAL TEAM WILL BE WITH YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.’
‘Have they left yet?’ asked Scorby, concealing his alarm.
‘THEY’RE LEAVING RIGHT NOW.’
‘Cancel them!’ ordered Scorby. ‘We don’t need help. Everything’s under control.’
There was silence for a moment, then the voice spoke again, this time inquisitive and suspicious. ‘HELLO?... IS THAT YOU DEREK?’
Smiling, Scorby clicked off the radio and began smashing the circuits with the butt of his gun. Keeler looked up in alarm.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Fixing it,’ grinned Scorby. ‘Didn’t anyone ever tell you, silence is golden?’
‘But...’
‘Shut up, Keeler, and find that pod! ‘ The small man winced as his partner savagely dismembered the radio equipment.
A few moments later, however, Keeler let out an excited yell as he removed a tray from under the bench. On it lay the two empty halves of the first pod.
‘Look! It’s the pod in Dunbar’s photograph.’ He fitted the two halves together.
‘Some idiot’s cut it open,’ hissed Scorby.
Keeler shook his head. ‘No. It wasn’t cut. It must have germinated.’
‘What’s that?’
‘The pod has opened as part of its natural cycle to release a shoot or something.’
Scorby digested this unexpected piece of information. ‘But it’s the actual plant that Harrison Chase wants, right?’
‘Right.’
‘Then what have they done with it, Keeler?’ He paced the room nervously. ‘We’ve got to find it or Chase’ll skin us alive!’
‘If you hadn’t smashed the radio perhaps we
‘But there’s no real danger now, is there? One pod is safely in the freezer and...’ she was about to say ‘Winlett’ but checked herself, ‘and... the other... is probably frozen stiff under the snow.’
The Doctor crossed to the door. ‘I hope you’re right, Sarah,’ he said as he led them out.
The three figures emerging from the Power Unit were unaware of a hideous form crouched behind a snowbank, less than twenty feet away. Its cold, inhuman eyes followed the Doctor’s movements as he bolted the door from the outside. Then, as the trio climbed back up the ridge and out of sight, the creature—half man, half plant—crept from hiding and crawled across the snow towards the building. With one swift movement it prised open the door and entered. Inside, it let out a low rattling noise and settled beside the fuel cell, sucking in the warmth.
In the Laboratory, Scorby and Keeler were conducting a methodical search.
‘You’re supposed to be the botanist, Keeler. Where would you keep this pod?’
‘It must be here somewhere.’ Keeler looked round in desperation. Scorby picked up an intricate piece of measuring equipment and held it aloft. ‘Careful!’ warned his companion, ‘that’s valuable.’
Scorby grinned, then smashed it violently on to the floor. ‘So what?’ he sneered, ‘there’ll be nobody here to use it after we leave.’
Suddenly the radio sprang to life. ‘HELLO... HELLO... THIS IS SOUTH BEND CALLING CAMP THREE... COME IN CAMP THREE... OVER...’
Scorby darted a look at Keeler then crossed to the radio. He pressed a switch. ‘Camp Three receiving you... over.’
‘IS THAT YOU DEREK?’ said the voice, distorted by static.
Scorby hesitated. ‘Er... yes... go ahead, South Bend.’
The voice continued. ‘THE WEATHER’S CLEARING THIS END. THE MEDICAL TEAM WILL BE WITH YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.’
‘Have they left yet?’ asked Scorby, concealing his alarm.
‘THEY’RE LEAVING RIGHT NOW.’
‘Cancel them!’ ordered Scorby. ‘We don’t need help. Everything’s under control.’
There was silence for a moment, then the voice spoke again, this time inquisitive and suspicious. ‘HELLO?... IS THAT YOU DEREK?’
Smiling, Scorby clicked off the radio and began smashing the circuits with the butt of his gun. Keeler looked up in alarm.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Fixing it,’ grinned Scorby. ‘Didn’t anyone ever tell you, silence is golden?’
‘But...’
‘Shut up, Keeler, and find that pod! ‘ The small man winced as his partner savagely dismembered the radio equipment.
A few moments later, however, Keeler let out an excited yell as he removed a tray from under the bench. On it lay the two empty halves of the first pod.
‘Look! It’s the pod in Dunbar’s photograph.’ He fitted the two halves together.
‘Some idiot’s cut it open,’ hissed Scorby.
Keeler shook his head. ‘No. It wasn’t cut. It must have germinated.’
‘What’s that?’
‘The pod has opened as part of its natural cycle to release a shoot or something.’
Scorby digested this unexpected piece of information. ‘But it’s the actual plant that Harrison Chase wants, right?’
‘Right.’
‘Then what have they done with it, Keeler?’ He paced the room nervously. ‘We’ve got to find it or Chase’ll skin us alive!’
‘If you hadn’t smashed the radio perhaps we
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