"Here's water Marco Polo." "Come for it..." "What has happened to Tegana?" "Is he lost?" "Perhaps he never found the oasis." "But in the hope he did, I inched our caravan forward through the night." "What misery." "A bitterly cold wind swept down from the north and set us shivering as we stumbled on." "I fear the end is not far off." "No sign of Tegana." "Nothing but sand..." "Tegana is our only hope now." "Surely, he should be back by now." "He would not start back from the oasis in the dark, for fear of missing us." "Then we must get going." "Yes..." "Hot again soon Marco." "Hadn't we better get started?" "We would not get very far, Ian." "No, we must wait here." "The Doctor and Susan are still in the TARDIS." "Oh, let them sleep Barbara." "Oh... water.... water.... water!" "..." "Susan, Susan, child." "Susan, wake up." "Wake up, quickly!" "Fetch some cloth and cups." "We must catch the water... we mustn't waste a drop!" "Come along, child, wake up, quickly!" "Look at it... it's streaming down the walls." "Look, we must collect it." "It's water!" "We must... quickly... quickly... before the ship heats up in the sun... hurry child... hurry please..." "Not a sign of him..." "Water!" "Look!" "Water!" "Please wait - we must be careful." "This is in your caravan?" "Yes, but it's not pure water you see..." "You told me you weren't carrying any Doctor!" "I haven't got any water, don't you understand." "I wouldn't allow us to get into this state if I had water, young man." "No this was the water that was running off the walls." "It's condensation, it's unbelievable!" "Condensation, do you understand?" "No, I do not understand!" "Chesterton, make him understand!" "It was condensation off the walls and I..." "The old man lied to me!" "Marco, you remember, last night it was cold." "Bitterly cold, Marco." "The outside of the caravan cooled, but the inside stayed warm" " and so moisture formed on the inside." "It's condensation, we just call it that..." " ...it's just a name." " That's true, Messr Marco." "It was running down the walls, and from the ceiling." "We... we took it in this look, we squeezed it in here." "You see?" "You understand now?" "I have seen this happen." "Let me see you drink it." "Not too much... steady..." "There were bandits here last night when I arrived." "So I had to wait in hiding until this morning when they left." "And then, when I prepared to leave for you," "I saw your caravan coming across the desert towards me." "Had the Doctor not discovered water, you might have been too late to save us, Tegana." "And are those bandits likely to return?" "No, no, I overheard them saying they were going to ride for Karakorum." "Karakorum?" "That used to be to the north, on the great steppes." "It still is, Barbara." " Well, the sooner we leave here the better..." " But Marco..." "This oasis is dangerous, Barbara." "We must leave here as soon as possible." "Marco, we're all in need of rest, and the Doctor is still very weak." "We will stay here until tomorrow morning - no longer." "Please tell the others." "What amuses you?" "You don't really believe their story, do you, of water forming inside a caravan?" "Yes." "I know it to be true." "I think I can repair the circuit in a week, maybe less." "We're leaving here tomorrow." "Oh, we're always rushing around... a day's rest would do us all a lot of good..." " Marco's worried about bandits." " Oh, rubbish!" "Tegana said there were some here last night." "Well if they were, they were very clean about it." "What do you mean?" "Look, last night was very cold." "But there's no sign of a fire having been lit." "Well, perhaps they didn't want anyone to know they'd been here." "Yes, that may be." "But I think Tegana just used the bandits as an excuse for not coming back to us with water." "Maybe." "Well, the thing to do is to ask Tegana." "Ask Tegana what?" "How many bandits were there here last night?" "Twelve." "It was a cold night." "Didn't they light a fire?" "If they had, Ian, the remains would still be visible." "Doctor?" "Well?" "Barbara may have told you that we're leaving here tomorrow, so get all the rest you can today." "You may use your caravan again, but before we leave in the morning, it will be locked, and the key handed over to me." "Young man, you have no concept of what is happening, have you?" "And you still don't seem to realise that you're speaking to a man of superior intellect." "My conscience pricks me." "I was adamant, despite the Doctor's protests, that the key and his caravan should be handed over to me." "Now we journey on across this burning desert and I shall not rest until I see the temple spires of the city of Tun-Huang." "I've never seen so many temples in my life!" " Tun-Huang is a famous city, Susan." " Yes..." "Isn't the cave of the thousand Buddhas near here?" "Thousand Buddhas?" "Yes." "Have you heard of the cave of the five hundred eyes?" "No, I haven't." "I do not know that one either, Messr Marco." "I'm intrigued by this cave, Marco." "Why is it called five hundred eyes?" "On the walls are painted the faces of 250 evil men who once lived there." "They were the Hashashins." "Hashashins?" "Yes, and they were so called because they used a drug - hashish." " Are there still Hashashins in the cave?" " No, Susan." "They were put to the sword twenty years ago by a great Mongol conqueror called Hulagu." "There is a story of Hulagu and the Hashashins." "Oh, tell it to us, Ping-Cho." "Later, if you wish." "Why not now?" "It needs preparation." "It seems we shall be stopping here for a while" " it means I can get on with more work." "Oh, repairing the circuit, young man..." "Aren't you forgetting something, Doctor?" "Don't you realise they will be much less vigilant?" "I shall be able to sneak into the TARDIS, no worry at all!" "Yes, but you've given Marco Polo the key." "A key, my boy." "A key." "What use do you think it's going to be to him?" "And where do you suppose I got that from?" "I have no idea." " I made it." " Made it?" "When?" "On the night of the oasis." "Only chance I had - she knows all about it, don't you Susan?" " Yes!" " You crafty old fox!" " Grandfather." " Yes?" "What do you know about the Hashashins?" "Well... now, let me think..." "let me think... yes, they were some kind of sect." "Why?" "Well, Ping-Cho knows a story and she's going to tell us about it." "Oh, how delightful!" "Yes... yes... why not?" "Ian, Ian, I must talk to you." "What is it?" "It's about Tegana." "I caught him off-guard." "Sssh!" "Later." "Come and sit over here..." "No, I'll be all right over here." "Ping-Cho... oh, Ping-Cho, are you ready?" "I am ready, Susan." "Gracious maidens, gentle lords" "Pray attend me while I tell my tale" "Of Ala-eddin, the Old Man of the Mountain" "Who by devious schemes, evil designs" "And foul murders ruled the land." "No host of arms, no vast array" "Of banners served this wicked lord." "They were but few - ruthless, reckless men" "Who obeyed his cruel commands." "Thus did he persuade them" "Promising paradise, he gave his followers" "A potent draught and whilst they slept" "Transported them to a vale where" "Streams of milk and honey, wine and water, flowed." "Here were gardens and flowers of every hue" "And essence." "Here, too Golden pavilions outshone the sun" "And even the stars of heaven envied" "The bejewelled interiors strewn with incomparable silks, tapestries," "And treasures." "Hand-maidens, dulcet-voiced" "Soft of face, attended them, and thus bemused" "Did they dwell in this man-made paradise" "Until Ala-eddin intent upon some evil deed" "Proffered again the hashish draught" "And brought them sleeping to his castle." "What lord, are we cast out of paradise" "Awakening, they cried." "Not so, Go abroad, seek out my enemies" "And strike them down." "But care not for your lives." "Paradise is eternal." "So terror stalked the land for many years." "Then one day, came mighty Hulagu" "To stand before Ala-eddin's lair" "For three long years in siege" "And thus fell Ala-eddin and his men." "Now honest hands reap harvests of life" "From the soil where death and evil Reigned." "And those who journey" "Through the vale are heard to say" "Tis truly paradise today." " That was really delightful..." " Thank you - my Lord is kind." "Thank you, Ping-Cho." "Charming, Ping-Cho, charming." "Susan, do you know that we use the word Hashashin in English today?" "No." "Yes - assassins." "Assassin!" "Yes." "Ping-Cho, is the lair of Ala-eddin really near here?" "No, Susan." "It was on a mountain called Mount Alumet in Persia." "Persia!" "But Messr Marco said that Hulagu killed the Hashashins near here." "So he did, Susan." "Some of Ala-eddin's followers lived near here, in the cave of 500 eyes." "Malik?" "Malik?" "Who calls my name?" "Tegana, the Mongol Warlord." "We have waited for you Tegana." "You need wait no more, old man." "What news from Noghai?" "You shall hear it." "You shall hear it." "Come - follow me." "Welcome." "Acomat!" "What news from Noghai?" "He has formed his army and marches now for Karakorum." "Good." "Where he will await news of your success." "I will not fail him." "You failed at Lop." "You were to meet our courier on the third night in the desert." "There was a sandstorm." "He did not return..." "Before the courier left, he spoke of gifts to Noghai." "Yes - a caravan that flies." "It belongs to an old magician who accompanies us." "Polo's taking it to the Kublai Khan." "With such a caravan, Noghai would be invincible." "Yes, that is why you must capture it." "You will attack our caravan as we're going to Shang-Tu." "It shall be done." "And then, deliver it to Noghai." "And Polo, and those that go with him?" "What of them?" "Kill them?" "Of course..." "Did a woman accompany you here?" "No." "There is one in the outer cave now." "This is the most dangerous thing she could have done!" "What kind of country do you come from where a woman can wander alone through the streets at night?" "You will never find her alive in Tun-Huang." "We won't find her sitting here." "Wait, Ian." "We will search together." "The city is divided into distinct areas." "Tegana, you will take one, we will take another." "We will meet back here in two hours' time." "Well, let's get started." "Do you need my help?" "No, Doctor, you stay here." "And nobody else move." "Don't worry, child." "We'll find her." "Don't worry." "Grandfather... grandfather..." "Don't worry about Ping-Cho, you can trust her." "Well, it looks as though I must, doesn't it?" "What is it, hmm?" "We think we might know where Barbara is." "Oh, where?" "Messr Marco was telling us about the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes." "Yes, and Barbara was very interested." "So we thought she might have gone off and had a look without asking anybody, because Messr Marco might have tried to stop her." "Do you know where this Cave of Five Hundred Eyes is?" "I do not know my lord." "But Chenchu would know." "Aha, my friend!" "And how long have you been lurking there?" "I arrived this very moment my lord." "Where is the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes?" "The Cave of Five Hundred..." "Yes." "Where is it?" "On the road to Su-Chow my Lord." "Set back against the foothills." "Well, how far is it from here?" "About a third of a league, my lord." "A mile, a mile, yes..." "Now you two go back in there and wait... go along... go along... go along..." "My lord is going there now?" "At this time of night?" "But it is haunted, my lord, the spirits of the Hashashins... you should not go, my lord." "You mustn't go there alone, grandfather." "And anyway, we must stay with you." "Messr Marco will be angry - he told us to stay here." "Never mind about him." "Which road?" " The road to Su-Chow..." " Grandfather, you'll never find it on your own." " Come on!" " Yes all right, if you insist!" "Then come along, both of you, quickly!" "Do not go my lord!" "Not at night!" "You will not come back alive!" "Frightening." "Look at those eyes." "I'd prefer not to, Susan." "Extraordinary!" "Look!" "Yes, it's quartz... ha, ha... yes... a mineral ore..." "Look, you see the veins going through the rock structure." "And look how cleverly that face is carved so that at the eye, the quartz is exposed." "Now, isn't that interesting, hmm?" "Grandfather, we're supposed to be looking for Barbara." "Barbara?" "Oh yes, of course." "Yes, yes, we mustn't waste time!" "No... come on..." "Now, let's see if we can find the spirits..." "My lord?" "Oh, it's you." " He's gone my lord." " Gone?" "The old lord has gone." "After you had gone, the young ladies approached me - they were looking for him." "Well... wasn't he in his room?" "Not so my lord." "He was out there." "That's where they found him." "That's why I came and told you, my lord." "But he forced me to tell him the way to the cave." "What cave?" "He forced me, my lord." "He forced me..." "What cave?" "!" "The Cave of Five Hundred Eyes." "You fool..." "He forced me..." "A fool's errand, it's a fool's errand, child." "That's what you've brought me on." "And I had so much work to do in the TARDIS." "Now, come along, we mustn't waste any more time here..." "Barbara's probably in bed and asleep by now." "If you had any sense, where both of you should be!" "My lord, look." "That's Barbara's!" "She must have been here." " Barbara!" "Barbara!" " Miss Wright!" "Barbara!" "They moved..." "The eyes moved!"