‘You attempt to appeal to my better nature. You believe this will save you, Gallifreyan?’
‘Can't hurt but try.’
‘But why are you here, now? This cannot be a coincidence.’
‘Oh, it's no coincidence. My old friend the Brigadier called me on that machine that intrigued Broton so much. I wasn't going to come. I never visit this decade if I can help it and I'm very busy right now. But Romana pointed out something very interesting about the stars tonight – it's the reason you're here now, I believe – and here I am.’
‘What did your Brigadier tell you?’
‘I've already told you; it seems a secure storage facility has been breached and several surviving components from the Hiskarasa were stolen...’
‘Recovered.’
‘Very well, recovered. I've also learned several people went missing this past week...’
He knew far too much.
‘Doctor, you must not interfere! I no longer seek revenge but I will instruct the Skarasen to kill you here and now if I must!’
‘Are they dead, Grotton? Bright, Westchester, and the rest? Did you kill them? What about the others? The Duke, the Caber, Sister Lamont?’
Once, my admission would have seemed a weakness. ‘Doctor, I have slain no-one since the man, your friend Sullivan, found on the coast. The Caber, only days after Stanbridge house, drowned in the loch. He was hunting the Skarasen, the fool. It defended itself and presented his body to me. As I still wore this form-‘
‘About that-‘
‘In a moment. I will explain. As I still wore this form I simply re-assumed his identity. I served the Duke until his death. You know, I think he suspected, but he never asked. Strange. He died peacefully, in his sleep, leaving his ghillie a substantial pension. I have dwelt here ever since. I do not know what became of Sister Lamont.’
‘Fine, but what about these television people?’
‘They are unharmed. When the work is done they will be released.’
The Sun set. In the clear sky, the stars began to appear.
‘What 'work', Grotton? What are you planning?’
I searched the sky and found a tiny, flickering speck of light. My heart thumped. I wished Odda was here to share the coming moment.
‘Why, I'm calling the fleet, of course.’
‘You can't! Why would you do that?’
‘I notice you persist in asking questions, Doctor.’
‘What can I say? I am cursed with curiosity.’
‘There is an Earth homily about that.’
‘I'm not an Earthling.’
‘But you are allied with them. Now, tell me your intentions. Do it now. Very soon, I will want to be alone. This can be accomplished in two ways.’
He looked at the stars. I sensed that he was waiting for something. Then, I heard a buzzing. He answered his phone and listened. ‘Thank you, Romana. Keep them there for now,’ he said, and ended the call.
‘That was Romana,’ he said. ‘All your prisoners are well and accounted for, if a bit confused.’
‘As I said.’
‘But what was it for? Why did you infiltrate a television news network?’
‘You haven't guessed? Your powers of deduction fail you, Doctor. Who on this world could refuse free publicity? Any moment now, the Bethel Ridge radio telescope is going to send a transmission to the stars. To the fleet.’
‘How are you going to do this if you're here? Unless... Grotton! You aren't alone!’
My telephone beeped.
‘Excuse me,’ I said, ‘That will be Odda.’
‘In her final moments of life, the Hiskarasa saved us,’ I said. ‘Oh, but we underestimated the craft and loyalty of the ship. On her own, her intelligence had devised a way of saving me if the unthinkable occurred. Just as the final moment passed we were enveloped in a mass of tough, fibrous tissue and I felt the familiar tingle of a body-print. But this was different. More than perception, my very body changed. Odda retained her glorious form but I felt my tissues flow and reform. Then the blast rendered us unconscious.’
‘And after you awoke you slipped away and were accidentally photographed. Odda survived her wounds, then?’
‘Barely, but yes. She stayed in the Caber's cottage, venturing out at night. For half a human lifetime, this was our existence. We became used to it, and to this world. And we realized we did not miss Zygor. It seems like a dream now. We are more Earthlings than Zygons.’
‘I know exactly how that feels, but don't tell anyone!’
‘If Odda completes her task as planned, we will make one final transmission. I believe I will describe our encounter.’
‘Oh. Well, I won't stop you.’ He produced a small paper sack and said, ‘Would you like a jelly baby?’ He smiled at my expression. ‘That's not a literal description.’
He watched me eat the vile treat.
‘I have a confession to make, Grotton. I've already heard the transmission. Oh, don't look so surprised. I told you, I'm a time traveller. Tell me, why did you do it?’
I thought before I answered, then decided to tell him the truth, just as I tell it to you who fly so far away.
‘Because any attempt at an invasion of the Earth would fail, Doctor. I have watched your technology develop – Broton sowed the seeds of our failure on the day he contacted the man Watt. By the time the fleet arrived, centuries from now, Earth will have the technology to meet them in open space, long before she is threatened in any way. So why bother? “Find another planet”, we told them, “Earth is defended.”
‘So it's a purely tactical decision, then?’
‘Well... of course. What else would it be?’
‘Right. One wouldn't want to be accused of going native, would one?’
‘There's no need for insults, Doctor.’
He stood. ‘Well, this has been pleasant, but I must go. I'll tell the Brigadier something or other. You'll be left alone.’ He spied the barely visible top of the Skarasen's head as it lurked, watching us. ‘Good-bye!’ he told it. ‘Take care, Grotton,’ he said, turning to go.
‘Doctor,’ I said, ‘tell me one more thing. The fleet... have you seen what happens to them? Do they survive?’
He stopped and searched the sky for a moment. ‘There!’ He pointed. ‘Do you know the constellation Pegasus? See the square? Halfway down its right side is 51 Pegasi. It's orbited by the planet Bellerophon, orbited in turn by a Zygor-like moon. It's a hot, nasty, swampy place, completely wild. But in about two hundred years there will be a thriving culture there, slightly xenophobic but not aggressive to her neighbors. And in the central court of her capital the new government will erect a statue of a breaching Skarasen, a tribute to the greatest heroes the race has ever known: the crew of the Hiskarasa.’
‘I do not understand, Doctor. Why are we held in such esteem? Because, we warned them about Earth?’
He chuckled. ‘No, Grotton. It's because you told them how to reach their new home. Or you will. Presumably, when you send that last transmission. Remember, 51 Pegasi.’
‘I understand. Thank you, Doctor.’
‘Don't thank me! Just tell me you'll leave humanity alone. They have enough problems. Do that and you'll never see me again.’
I promised and he was satisfied. The Doctor slipped away. A few moments later I heard him calling a dog. I thumbed the device and the Skarasen returned to the sea. I was alone with the loch and the sky.
Kinsmen, I would kill them all if I was able. Perhaps these words shock you and your new society but I am still a Zygon of Zygor. My mind burns bright and my hands are strong. These humans are dim and weak. But you are all so far away, and if the alien Doctor was right and you have renounced the old ways then Odda and I have no place among you.
I watched the stars. There! A distant sun flared and became the brightest object in the sky. Across the light years, I watched our world die. The mighty Zygor, reduced to a silent memorial to cosmic chance.
Odda would be watching. She would call me soon, I knew. I thought of her and our plan to modify the body-print for permanence. We will be humans together, and produce offspring in the human manner. Perhaps, one day, they will venture to 51 Pegasi and unknowingly meet their ancestors. I wonder if they will make war upon you?
But for now, Odda and I have no immediate plans beyond sending this final transmission to you. The Earth is ours. Perhaps we will introduce Zygon science to Earth and become wealthy and famous. Perhaps we will sell our warrior skills to this world's dictators. I do not know, but I suspect we will do nothing of the sort.
Hiding has become a habit, you see. We will not commit Broton's error. We will dwell quietly, rear our offspring. And on nights when the moon is dark and the loch is still, we will swim with the Skarasen.
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