Doctor Who BBC872 - To the Slaughter

Fitz was thrown for a few seconds. ‘St Augustine’s of Archway,’ he said
honestly, ‘since you ask.’
Halcyon’s disapproval was obvious in the scowl he showed Sook. ‘One
of these abstruse hybrid schools, I suppose, bastardising the classic philosophies.
. . ’
‘Well, the path less travelled and all that. . . ’ said Fitz gamely, utterly bewildered
and with hope fading fast.
‘Should I test him, Sook?’ he asked. ‘I fear he may disappoint me.’
Sook seemed a little uneasy. ‘You know how the most primitive notions can
yield the highest perfections.’
‘True,’ said Halcyon. ‘How long before we reach Callisto?’
Sook was calculating. ‘If we stay in cruise mode –’
‘Which we shall. I find fast travel so unsettling.’
‘Quite. It should take us about seventeen hours.’
‘Stay in cruise mode?’ Fitz gave a small whimper. ‘We’re in flight?’ Sook
looked at him, puzzled.
‘Have been for an hour.’
‘Oh. . . That’s just fab,’ he muttered.
‘Seventeen hours.’ Halcyon seemed to make up his mind. ‘Very well. It
appears I have a small window.’
‘I’ll try not to break it,’ said Fitz weakly.
‘You’re familiar with PadPad, of course?’
‘How could I not be?’
‘Well, as Sook says, since you are here, you may as well show us what you
can do.’ He smiled, a creepy kind of smile. Fitz had the unsettling notion that
Halcyon was looking straight through him. ‘I’ll compile a template at once and
give it to Roddle to implant. Sook, stay with Kreiner throughout the exercise
and deliver the chip to me personally. I wish to experience his vision no later
than eight in my cubicle.’
‘Just as you wish, Halcyon,’ she told him.
‘Then you may set out Falsh’s latest gifts in the level one gallery, laid out
according to the six principles. I shall peruse them later.’
Fitz noticed Sook pull a face. ‘Of course.’
‘Trinkets and baubles to appease me. . . ’ Halcyon clasped his hands tightly
together. ‘I’m tense, Sook. Whatever Falsh says, we’ll have the preservers out
in force now Carme’s gone. . . ’ He shook his glittering head despairingly. ‘I
shall have to entrust the computers to recalculate the chi equations. So little
time. . . ’ He turned and walked through the wide doorway with a parting shot:
‘Do try not to disappoint me, Kreiner. Discoursing with the Callisto authorities
will be a dreary and unrewarding pastime. And I should hate to take Sook to
task for her bad judgement as well as her laxity in letting you aboard. . . ’
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