Septurus sheaved his sword, smiling nastily at Liz.
‘I wonder who you are,’ he mused, ‘For it is evident that the real Queen Shuzaan is in the castle courtyard. But it matters not,’ he added dryly, ‘I couldn’t conduct this scheme without Grendell’s consent, and now this galaxy will decay through his direct instruction.’
Septurus chuckled nastily. ‘And there is nothing that you, or your friends, can do to stop it.’
He span on the spot in alarm as the nearby window smashed. A large boulder had broken through the window, and was shortly followed by none other than the Doctor. A cord had been clumsily looped around his shoulders, and he affixed it to a nearby rampart.
‘It’s steady!’ he yelled out the window, before turning to face Septurus. ‘Sorry for the delay. The front door was locked, so we had to improvise!’
‘So I see,’ replied Septurus with a curled lip, ‘Not that it will do you much good. You are alone, unarmed, and have no time to thwart my plan.’
The Doctor cast a casual look around the room. Still keeping his voice light and casual, he said ‘I see that you like to think you hold all the cards.’ His voice raised itself theatrically, ‘The Pentamic lock is a nice touch. We have variants on our planet, but not as refined as yours.’
As he spoke the Doctor walked casually towards the central consoles of the laboratory, but Septurus arrested his progress with a pointed gesture of his sword.
‘Not too close please, Doctor,’ he said coolly, ‘Not that you are able to do anything, but I wouldn’t like you to try.’
Septurus was so focused upon the Doctor, that he hadn’t noticed Liz begin to work furiously upon the lock. The Doctor had introduced her to pentamic locks, and given her a crash course in how to break them. Removing a hairclip, her nimble fingers worked rapidly at the lock, as the Doctor continued to distract the Prince.
‘I rather think I can do more than you can,’ the Doctor said, ‘You see, I have known for some time who you must be.’
Septurus frowned. ‘You know who I am, Doctor. Whatever you have heard to the contrary.’
The Doctor shook his head.
‘You know who others have told me you are, but that’s not who you are. Let’s consider the facts. A man of considerable personality, who emerges from a little known principality to aid the most powerful rival to the Taran throne. But also a man who is unwilling, or perhaps … unable … to take power personally.’
Septurus face was transformed into a rictus glare of malevolence. ‘Silence! That is enough!’
The Doctor continued remorsely. ‘Someone who cannot act alone, but only through intermediaries. Capable of directing and guiding, but not of acting. And someone whose will is to cause chaos and destruction.’
There was an awful pause.
‘In fact – the Black Guardian!’
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