Chapter Six

She smiled weakly.

'Bernice has got married since then, Alistair - you and Doris came to the wedding.'

'Really? That was in my future, I take it, Mrs - ?'

'I'm still a Summerfield.' Bernice was a little uncomfortable discussing her marriage. It was going through a bad patch at the moment, the Doctor remembered. 'And yes, it was in the future: 2010.'

The Brigadier looked a little surprised. 'I'm still around in thirteen years time, then?'

'Not only that,' Bernice assured him, 'you've never looked better.'

The Brigadier grimaced. 'That's what people have started saying to me now. I imagine it means that I'm on the way out. God knows what I'll be like a couple of decades from now.'

'Old soldiers never die, Alistair,' the Doctor said softly.

'Neither do Time Lords, Doctor, eh? Now, you two, about these Ice Warriors...'

The Doctor and Bernice both stopped and stared at him.

The Brigadier looked like the cat that got the cream. 'That is what you were about to tell me, I take it?'

They had reached the car and the Doctor recognised the Brigadier's companion. 'You're full of surprises today, Alistair.'

'You're Alexander Christian,' Bernice announced, betraying some considerable discomfort. 'I've just been reading about you.'

'Nothing bad, I hope?' he asked lightly. The Doctor found himself grinning and shaking his hand.

'It seems that Mr Christian has been misjudged.' The Brigadier clambered in to the back seat. 'You drive, Doctor.'

'I was framed,’ Christian explained. ‘I found out things on Mars that I shouldn't have done. I'll tell everyone when we get to UNIT.'

The Brigadier had got comfortable, and was clearing a space for Bernice. 'We're only five minutes away from UNIT's London Office here. After your email message, I phoned Bambera. They're expecting us.'

'Well,' the Doctor said breezily, 'we mustn't keep Winifred waiting.' He located the ignition podule and started the engine.