9

The Doctor lay on his back, staring up at a palm tree. It was very peaceful. He could hear birds singing. He felt like he could stay like this forever and lose himself in the lovely deep blue of the sky.

‘Doctor?’

Fat chance. There was always something to do, someone to deal with, a problem to solve, a world that needed saving. He lifted his head and it felt as heavy as a sack of potatoes, as if it might fall off and roll away down a hill. His vision blurred and swam, and when he managed to refocus there was Hammurabi leaning over him, with Zabaia and the three judges.

‘I am sorry I doubted you,’ said Hammurabi. ‘You were right, Doctor.’

‘I usually am,’ said the Doctor, and he closed his eyes. ‘Now go away, I’m sleeping.’

‘We must write about you in our histories,’ said Zabaia. ‘What is your name?’

The Doctor sighed and hauled himself up on to his elbows, blinking. He felt like every bone in his body must have been broken, but he could move all his limbs and wiggle his toes. It had been a close thing, though. Too close.

‘You go through Marduk’s fifty names,’ he said to Zabaia. ‘You’ll probably find my name in there somewhere.’

‘Marduk?’

The Doctor grinned at Zabaia – actually more of a grimace; it hurt like Helios to move his face. He fought off a wave of nausea and faintness. The chief judge held out a hand to help him to his feet.

‘Get away from him!’

‘No, Ali …’

But there was no stopping her. Ali sliced her way through a line of soldiers, and then swung her claw at the judge who had no time to even scream before the pincers closed on him.

‘You would have killed him,’ Ali grunted. ‘You and all the others. Now see how you like it.’

Ali dropped the judge, swatted Zabaia out of the way and advanced on Hammurabi, who collapsed to his knees, head bowed, hands gripped together.

‘Ali … No …’ The Doctor tried to stand, but swayed and felt consciousness slipping away. ‘Stop. You’ve done enough. You have to stop. It’s over …’

And at last Ali did stop. She picked the Doctor up and the last of her anger drained away. She looked around at the devastation, the bodies of the soldiers and the judge, Hammurabi on his knees in the dirt, quivering …

‘Ali …’ said the Doctor. ‘I think it’s time to go home.’