Checkmate

    Do you play chess sir? Just as well Number 6 does, otherwise it would have been no good him taking up a square on the chessboard that day. It must have been prearranged that Number 6 would be the white Queen’s pawn, otherwise someone else could have taken up that square! Come and be the Queen’s pawn! We’re all pawns me’ dear, and none of the major pieces on the board will put themselves out to protect a pawn, unless it happens to reach the far side of the board. Then a pawn can become a Castle, Knight, Bishop or even a Queen! But in general chess play a pawn is to be sacrificed for the greater good of the game. Number 6 plays a fine game, and is capable of checkmate in 11 or even 7 moves. But the game Number 6 is best at is the one he plays against Number 2, only this time Number 6 outplays himself, his natural air of authority lets him down. There was just a slight mistake in judgement on the part of the Rook, he thought Number 6 was one of them. I don’t think they could have escaped even if they had managed to board M. S. Polotska and overpower the crew. Remember the helm was still locked, and possibly the motor cruiser could have been sailed back to The Village under remote control operated by an operator in the Control Room, which I’m sure is what happened at the end of the episode anyway!

Be seeing you