Post by Oldmankrondas on Nov 19, 2010 13:14:54 GMT
Transporting His Majesty had been a difficult journey, the man was clearly suffering and it could be a matter of months before he passed. Thank God then, thought Havers, that this man Fairfax had proposed new measures which could perhaps prolong the Kings life. Whilst George had stepped out of the public eye for a few years now, Havers had always felt he had it in him to be a truly great King and had let it go to waste. A humble servant to him since he was Prince Regent he was not sure what he would do with himself should the King finally pass away.
As the King slept, struggling to breathe, attended to by nursemaids, Havers looked out at the grounds of Holyrood Palace and up at Arthurs Seat, another extinct volcano overlooking the city of Edinburgh. He hoped that tomorrow would bring a solution to their problems.
The Doctor and Constable Norrie stood perfectly still in the Esplanade, hands raised in surrender. 'Right, now, could we lower the guns?' the Doctor asked, cocking his head in the direction of Major McCallum. 'I don't really like dealing with people with guns.'
'The guns remain raised!' ordered Major McCallum. 'At least until this man can tell us what business he has here at the Castle and on whose authority?'
'Whose authority?' the Doctor asked. 'If you'll allow me to lower my hands I'm going to retrieve my documentation from my pockets....'
'Slowly.' snapped McCallum 'And no tricks, or my men will kill you where you stand.'
The Doctor smiled nervously as he lowered his hands. 'Oh I don't doubt it....' He placed his hands in his coat pockets and began rummaging around, a minute later he produced several pieces of paper. 'Now then, it's 1829, which means George IV is on the throne....' he found the piece of paper he was looking for. 'Here we are! The royal seal of King George IV!'
The Doctor was holding out a piece of paper with the embossed image of the royal seal. McCallum stepped forward to examine it, once he was satisfied, he nodded his head and turned to his men. 'Stand down men! This man is here on the authority of the King.' The Doctor was relieved by the image of several soldiers lowering their weapons and moving away. 'Now tell me sir, what news from Holyrood House?'
The Doctor arched an eyebrow, trying not to show surprise, if he did his cover would be blown instantly. 'Holyrood House, yes, well...we're just here to inform you of a risk to the Castle from a foreign force.' he replied in a grave tone. 'Perhaps we could discuss it further inside?'
Major McCallum nodded, before turning on his heel and leading them through the gates of the Castle. 'Holyrood House Doctor? That's the Kings residence in Scotland....does that mean?'
The Doctor nodded. 'Yes Constable, I'm rather afraid it does....'
'The Kirkyard Unit report being witnessed by two human males.' reported one of the Cybermen on the bridge of the Cybership.
The Cyberleader turned to the viewscreen. 'Relay the footage.' Minutes later the Cyberleader was watching a man in the police uniform of the time talking to a tall man in a beige raincoat. The man turned round to face the screen, he had shortish slightly curly black hair and a square jaw. This image matched the report from the Cybermen in the Vaults. 'It is the Doctor. Did they capture him?'
'Negative Leader, he escaped the Kirkyard. Calculations suggest he was heading for the Castle.'
'Excellent.' the Cyberleader turned off the feed and began plotting coordinates into the navigational computer deck. 'Our plans must advance to the next stage. Course plotted in for the Castle....' The ship lurched slightly as it began moving from behind Arthurs Seat and across the Edinburgh skyline heading towards its destination.
'These Cybermen you call them, what country are they from?'
'That doesn't matter Major, nationality does not matter to the Cybermen, they only want to colonise and convert. They'll start here then they'll move on throughout the United Kingdom and out into the Empire, other empires. We have to stop them here.' the Doctor replied, taking a sip of the tea they had been provided. 'I'm assuming they'll march on the Castle, but they may surprise us, I'm not sure how many soldiers they have, or what artillery. I had a friend who was trying to find that out, but I lost her. I fully intend on getting her back from the Cybermen....'
'Okay Doctor, I'll increase my forces around the Castle, but what about the King?'
The Doctor nodded. 'I believe they'll try and take out the Castle first, eliminate the defending army before moving in to take Holyrood. You need to be ready.'
Major McCallum nodded and rose to his feet. 'Then I shall deploy my men immediately Doctor.' He saluted him, which received a dismissive wave from the Doctor. The Major stepped out of his quarters and back out on to the Esplanade, a minute or two later, the Doctor and Norrie heard shouts. They both darted outside to see what the commotion was.
On stepping back outside, the Doctor could see the soldiers were all transfixed on something in the sky. The Doctor followed their gaze to see a Cybership hovering above them from a distance, a distance that was getting narrower and narrower as the ship moved closer to the Castle.
As the King slept, struggling to breathe, attended to by nursemaids, Havers looked out at the grounds of Holyrood Palace and up at Arthurs Seat, another extinct volcano overlooking the city of Edinburgh. He hoped that tomorrow would bring a solution to their problems.
*
The Doctor and Constable Norrie stood perfectly still in the Esplanade, hands raised in surrender. 'Right, now, could we lower the guns?' the Doctor asked, cocking his head in the direction of Major McCallum. 'I don't really like dealing with people with guns.'
'The guns remain raised!' ordered Major McCallum. 'At least until this man can tell us what business he has here at the Castle and on whose authority?'
'Whose authority?' the Doctor asked. 'If you'll allow me to lower my hands I'm going to retrieve my documentation from my pockets....'
'Slowly.' snapped McCallum 'And no tricks, or my men will kill you where you stand.'
The Doctor smiled nervously as he lowered his hands. 'Oh I don't doubt it....' He placed his hands in his coat pockets and began rummaging around, a minute later he produced several pieces of paper. 'Now then, it's 1829, which means George IV is on the throne....' he found the piece of paper he was looking for. 'Here we are! The royal seal of King George IV!'
The Doctor was holding out a piece of paper with the embossed image of the royal seal. McCallum stepped forward to examine it, once he was satisfied, he nodded his head and turned to his men. 'Stand down men! This man is here on the authority of the King.' The Doctor was relieved by the image of several soldiers lowering their weapons and moving away. 'Now tell me sir, what news from Holyrood House?'
The Doctor arched an eyebrow, trying not to show surprise, if he did his cover would be blown instantly. 'Holyrood House, yes, well...we're just here to inform you of a risk to the Castle from a foreign force.' he replied in a grave tone. 'Perhaps we could discuss it further inside?'
Major McCallum nodded, before turning on his heel and leading them through the gates of the Castle. 'Holyrood House Doctor? That's the Kings residence in Scotland....does that mean?'
The Doctor nodded. 'Yes Constable, I'm rather afraid it does....'
*
'The Kirkyard Unit report being witnessed by two human males.' reported one of the Cybermen on the bridge of the Cybership.
The Cyberleader turned to the viewscreen. 'Relay the footage.' Minutes later the Cyberleader was watching a man in the police uniform of the time talking to a tall man in a beige raincoat. The man turned round to face the screen, he had shortish slightly curly black hair and a square jaw. This image matched the report from the Cybermen in the Vaults. 'It is the Doctor. Did they capture him?'
'Negative Leader, he escaped the Kirkyard. Calculations suggest he was heading for the Castle.'
'Excellent.' the Cyberleader turned off the feed and began plotting coordinates into the navigational computer deck. 'Our plans must advance to the next stage. Course plotted in for the Castle....' The ship lurched slightly as it began moving from behind Arthurs Seat and across the Edinburgh skyline heading towards its destination.
*
'These Cybermen you call them, what country are they from?'
'That doesn't matter Major, nationality does not matter to the Cybermen, they only want to colonise and convert. They'll start here then they'll move on throughout the United Kingdom and out into the Empire, other empires. We have to stop them here.' the Doctor replied, taking a sip of the tea they had been provided. 'I'm assuming they'll march on the Castle, but they may surprise us, I'm not sure how many soldiers they have, or what artillery. I had a friend who was trying to find that out, but I lost her. I fully intend on getting her back from the Cybermen....'
'Okay Doctor, I'll increase my forces around the Castle, but what about the King?'
The Doctor nodded. 'I believe they'll try and take out the Castle first, eliminate the defending army before moving in to take Holyrood. You need to be ready.'
Major McCallum nodded and rose to his feet. 'Then I shall deploy my men immediately Doctor.' He saluted him, which received a dismissive wave from the Doctor. The Major stepped out of his quarters and back out on to the Esplanade, a minute or two later, the Doctor and Norrie heard shouts. They both darted outside to see what the commotion was.
On stepping back outside, the Doctor could see the soldiers were all transfixed on something in the sky. The Doctor followed their gaze to see a Cybership hovering above them from a distance, a distance that was getting narrower and narrower as the ship moved closer to the Castle.
