Doctor Who Internet Adventures Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Doctor Who Companion Internet Adventure #00 - "Jadi Morok and the Dark Sapphire"


Chapter 2
"Here's an offer you can't refuse"
by William Howells


---


Delwyn Travis leant back in his comfortable chair and gazed through the large window in front of him, taking in the view before him, from the towers in the foreground to the mountains in the distance. He sighed contentedly. *Bleep.* He swiveled his chair round a wheeled it up to his desk. "Come in." The door at the far side of his office slid aside. A dark-haired woman walked in, arms folded, followed by the marching form of Kluge, Travis's right hand man. "Ah," Travis said with a smirk, "thank you for taking time out of your hectic schedule to visit me, Miss Morok."


       Kirena Morok crossed to the chair on the opposite side of his desk and sat down. "What do you want?" she asked simply. He looked up at Kluge, who was standing by the door. "Would you get us some coffee, please?" His henchman tilted his head to one side questioningly. "Go on," Travis insisted. As Kluge reluctantly left the room, Travis turned back to Kirena Morok. "Rumours are abounding," he said, "that I am responsible for the misfortunes against which your Guild is persistently coming." She nodded.


       "I've heard them." Travis continued. "Now that's interesting, because I was concerned that you might have been behind them."


       "Is that all you called me here for?" He smiled. "Oh no, I was just trying to get the conversation going. I haven't even started yet." The door opened again. "Ah, here's our coffee."


* * *


Jadi Morok awoke in the dark with a splitting headache.


       He tried to move, only to discover that his hands and feet were tied. He grunted angrily and slumped back against the cold wall behind him. "Are you awake?" The female voice seemed just a few feet away. It seemed vaguely familiar. Jadi groaned.


       "Just." He heard the sound of material sliding across the concrete floor, and felt someone sit by his side. "Who are you?"


       "My name's Menha, Menha Nerranov. You're Jadi Morok, right? Thanks for helping out earlier. Are you all right?" Jadi realised where he'd heard the voice before: this was the woman he'd been stuck next to on the shuttle form Deremar. "Yes, yes, I'm fine." He winced as his head attempted to contradict him. "How do you know my name?" he asked, suspicious. "And why were those men attacking you?" Before she could answer, a small, metal hatch on the opposite wall slid open. Jadi winced as his eyes adjusted to the sudden presence of light in the room. He could now make out the woman's features. She was indeed the same red-head who had nagged him on the flight, her gregarious clothes now soiled and fraying. "Who's there?" he asked, glancing back at the light source. "So, you're back in the land of the living then." The hatch slammed shut. A moment later, that section of the wall was revealed a large metal door, which slowly opened inwards.


* * *


"I am prepared to strike a deal," Delwyn Travis said, sipping his coffee. Kirena's mug sat, untouched, on the desk in front of her. "Oh yes?"


       "Yes indeed." He drank the last of his coffee before activating the computer on his desk. A few seconds later, he entered a series of instructions. Then he spun the monitor round to display the results to his guest. "This graph shows the increase in efficiency in the Guild of Absolute Enforcement since I took over a year ago.


       Although the crime rate in the city is roughly the same, the number of arrests and subsequent convictions has soared.


       Apprentices are flocking here. Alas," he added, tapping his keyboard and bringing up a different graph on the screen, "it would appear the same cannot be said for the Guild of Poetic Justice." Kirena snorted.


       "We're doing very well, thank you."


       "Oh, but you're not. You have a diminishing position in today's society. The novelty is wearing off. Meanwhile, my Guild is flourishing." Kirena wasn't sure whether to trust his figures or not. His smugness was, it had to be said, very convincing. "You said something about a deal?" Travis reached across the desk and took her mug of coffee.


       "You weren't wanting this, were you?" He sat back in his chair.


       "Ah yes, my proposition. While your Guild is flailing, mine needs to expand. I wish to buy up the assets of the Guild of Poetic Justice." Kirena was momentarily taken aback.


       "If I were to agree, it would mean the end of the Guild." Travis smirked. "Indeed it would, but it would be in a good cause. I'm sure you'll find my offer very generous." "You seriously expect me to sell out to the sort of slimeball the Guild was set up to deal with?" Travis chuckled.


       "Now *that's* poetic justice," he said.


       "I'm sure you'll come round to my way of thinking." "And if I don't?" "Oh, you will." Kirena Morok shuddered as she heard a muffled chuckle from inside Kluge's helmet. She decided it was time to leave. "I'll give it some thought," she said hurriedly, standing up.


       "Please do. Kluge will show you out." He lifted her now-tepid coffee to his lips and began to drink.


       "Don't worry, I can find my own way," she muttered, nimbly dodging past his henchman and out of the door.


* * *


A tall man stood silhouetted in the doorway. "I represent the Guild of Direct Action," he told Jadi and Menha. Jadi snorted. "Alias the Guild of Thugs. Still an underground group, or have you become reputable since I was last here?" The figure ignored him and continued.


       "You fight well. You took out two of my men. I have an offer for you."


       "Don't tell me," Jadi said, "an offer I can't refuse." He heard the familiar sound of a safety catch being flicked off.


       "Uh-oh."


---
To be continued...



Prev | Up | Next


Advertisement