Doctor Who: War Machine Read Online Free PDF Page B

much,’ said Brett coldly.
    Krimpton supposed that the worst must have happened. ‘Has the computer system broken down?’ ‘On the contrary,’ said Brett, ‘it is we who have broken down. It is we who have failed.’
    The man didn’t make sense. ‘We’ve failed?’ They reached the outer office. ‘In what way?’
    ‘Humanity has come to a standstill intellectually. We are unable to develop our Earth properly. Progress is beyond us.’
    ‘For heaven’s sake, Brett. This is nonsense!’
    Brett was unlocking his office door, but he halted to look severely at his friend. ‘Be careful what you say, Krimpton. This is the conclusion reached by Wotan.’ He opened the door and ushered the other man in.
    ‘Are you joking? Do you mean to tell me that this machine..
    ‘It’s no joke,’ cut in Brett. ‘Wotan has decided the world cannot continue the way mankind is running it.’ He looked at Krimpton as though he were stating a Truth handed down from the heavens. It was comic! Krimpton began to laugh. The Professor was taking his invention too seriously.
    ‘And what does Wotan propose to do about it?’ he asked. ‘Take over the job from us?’
    ‘Correct.’ There was no flicker of a smile on Brett’s face. He was cold and aloof as Krimpton had never seen - him before. ‘From now on we are to serve.’
    ‘And what if mankind doesn’t cooperate? What happens? We all get obliterated?’
    ‘If necessary.’
    The man was to unlike himself, so alien, that Krimpton was alarmed. ‘You’ve gone off your rocker, old fellow,’ he said, and backed cautiously towards the door.
    ‘You can’t get away,’ said Brett.
    ‘You’ve been working too hard, my friend,’ said Krimpton. He threw open the door. The Major was standing just outside.
    ‘Thank goodness you’re here, Major. He’s off his head... right round the bend!’
    The Major shook his head. ‘He’s not mad, Professor Krimpton.’ There was the same impersonal look in the Major’s eyes, the same lack of emotion.
    Krimpton tried to push past. ‘Let me out!’
    He was no match for the Major as he was forced back into the room. ‘I refuse to be treated like this!’ he shouted. ‘I won’t stay... ’ He saw the phone on the desk and snatched it up.
    ‘Put that down,’ ordered the Major.
    Krimpton was shaking so much that he couldn’t use the dial.
    ‘Let me go!’
    The Major closed the door and came towards him. ‘Keep away,’ pleaded Krimpton. ‘Just leave me alone... Let me... ’ The strength had gone out of him, and his voice trailed away. He became aware of two powerful beams of light playing over him.
    The computer had been silent, but now gradually came to life. The sound of its electronic pulses quickkened.
    Krimpton gazed at it with alarm. ‘It’s not possible,’ he whispered. ‘Not possible... not possible..
    He tried to cover his eyes, but there was no protection from the light.
    He made a last protest, calling out, ‘I don’t believe it! I won’t serve you... I am not a machine... I am a person... A human being! The most important thing is human life. It doesn’t matter if we are not as efficient as you are. Machines are not masters... We made you for our purposes... ’ His voice cracked. He stopped for a few seconds, then moved trance-like to stand before Wotan.
    ‘What do you want?’ he asked in a flat, impersonal voice.
    It was shortly before the Doctor arrived to collect Dodo from ‘The Inferno’ Club that Polly discovered that the girl was missing. She, Kitty and Ben searched the cellars, but there was no sign of her.
    ‘Surely she wouldn’t just leave without a word,’ said Polly. ‘I’m worried. I’m supposed to be looking after her.’
    The Doctor made an impressive contrast with the rest of those who still packed the floors as he arrived. ‘There you are!’ he greeted them. ‘I imagine you and Dodo have enjoyed yourselves – if the amount of noise is anything to go by.’
    ‘We can’t find Dodo,’