Post by Fitz Kreiner on Sept 3, 2008 20:42:52 GMT
“What’s going on?” Cristina Rossini had stopped in what seemed to be a large track in the jungle, looking for all the world like a long green tunnel, that Doctor Sauer had said was a migratory path, her head cocked to one side and her hands on her hips. “You’re not your normal self, and we’re not exactly surveying anything.”
Tobias Sauer stopped and removed his hat and using a white handkerchief, wiped the think sheen of perspiration that was accumulating on his forehead. “Well, to be honest, my dear, before you popped in, Olbrich was on the comms with me.” Sauer paused as he pocketed the handkerchief and popped his hat back on his head.
“Yeah, you said.” Cristina smiled.
“Well, what I didn’t say was that he informed me of an anomalous reading the mother ship got about two miles from the landing craft. I downloaded the information and thought that we’d check it out.” Sauer admitted. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have deceived you.”
“No, that’s cool, Doc.” Cristina said, walking over to him. “Kinda cool, strange readings. Maybe it’s an ancient civilisation that we’ve awakened somehow!”
Sauer chuckled as he saw Rossinis’ eyes sparkle as she spoke. The young Italian woman had a sense of adventure that was greater than the expedition leaders combined. He remembered that she chomping at the bit to get going back at Charon University.
“That could be dangerous.” Sauer said. “It may just be an old crashed satellite from the 20th Century. Remember, no one ever found the Voyager.”
“Hey, if we find that..!” Cristina started, her eyes wide and sparkling.
“Not likely that we’ll find that.” Sauer replied. “I recon it will be another thing like the Mary Celeste. We will never know.”
A rustling in the bushes made the two Zoologists turn.
“What was that?” Cristina asked, narrowing her eyes to look at the wavering of the branches.
“Oh, most probably an animal or something.” Sauer replied, passing over the noise until it came again, this time with a soft murmering.
“They were definitely voices.” Cristina said, looking closer at the branches as they swayed. “Can any of the creatures here talk?”
“Nonsense.” Sauer almost scoffed. “None of the other teams have come out this way. It must have been the wind.”
Cristina looked around and stooping down, ripped a small section of undergrowth up and dropped it watching it fall straight to the ground. “What wind?” She asked.
“Hello there!”
The voice made the pair of them start. They spun round to see two figures stood on the migratory path about fifty yards down from them. One male, one female. It was the male who had shouted and was currently waving at them. He was dressed in light grey trousers, which had muddied at the bottom, a light green paisley waistcoat and a white shirt that was undone at the neck and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. Long curly brown hair snaked from under a white panama hat to his shoulders.
The girl stood to his side had long golden blonde hair and was stood rather awkwardly, as though embarrassed by the man’s behaviour. She was wearing a blue vest shirt and khaki shorts. She had hiking boots and grey socks curled just above the tops of her boots. Her legs and lower arms were a mass of scratches from the undergrowth.
“I wonder,” The man was saying, walking up the path towards them. “Could you tell me where we are?” The girl seemed to roll her head and trot along behind him.
Sauer and Cristina looked at each other totally perplexed as the strange man bounded up to them.
“Hello.” He said as he approached and grabbed Sauer’s hand and pumped it up and down furiously. “I wonder if you could help us, we’re a little lost. I’m the Doctor and this is my friend Tifa.”
“Erm... Erm... Erm...” Sauer barely managed, floundering with his words not knowing what to say to the strange man.
“Doctor?” Cristina queried, cocking her head.
“Hello.” Tifa waved from behind the Doctor. “We’re travellers.”
“Travellers? This far out?” Sauer managed finally, still clearly perplexed.
“Yes,” The Doctor said slowly, pushing his hat further up his head. “We’ve been on the go a while and made a landing here, not actually knowing where here is.”
“It depends how long you’ve been travelling.” Cristina said. “Amaranth is one of the farthest surveyed worlds from Earth. We’re the first Zoological survey team here.” Cristina paused as she looked at the Doctor and Tifa. “Well, we thought we were.”
“I’ve been with the Doctor about five weeks.” Tifa replied.
“Ah, so you’re from the outer colonies.” Sauer smiled.
“Not quite. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, Mr?” The Doctor said.
“Doctor. Doctor Tobias Sauer. And my assistant Miss Cristina Rossini.” Sauer replied introducing himself and Cristina.
The Doctor stopped and looked at Sauer. “Tobias Sauer?” He repeated. “The Doctor Tobias Sauer? Author of ‘The Link Between the Archaeopteryx and Non Terrestrial Bird’? Famed for Zoological lecture tours throughout the Universities of the Solar System? The most prominent Zoologist of the 29th Century?”
Sauer stammered again, taken aback by the Doctors sudden enthusiastic outburst.
“Leader and organiser of the Bellingshausen Expedition.” Cristina replied, proudly.
“Of course!” The Doctor cried, hitting his forehead with the palm of his hand. “Doctor Sauer. What a great honour it is to meet you.” Grabbing Sauer’s hand again, the Doctor proceeded to pump it up and down with greater ferocity than before. “I’ve admired your work for centuries. I’ve lots of questions for you and lots more to talk about. I think it would be better if we talked back at your base or wherever you’ve set up shop, have a cup of tea.”
“I’m sorry, Doctor Whoever You Are, but we’ve no idea who you are and where you’re from. Or even, how you got here. We’ve been here over a month and seen no other ships in the sector.” Sauer said, finally retrieving his hand from the Doctors grip.
“Ah, yes.” The Doctor said, rubbing the back of his head. “That’s another thing you wouldn’t probably believe.”
“Try me.” Sauer said, standing his ground.
Cristina watched as Doctor Sauer stood staring down the stranger calling himself the Doctor who was almost hopping from foot to foot as though he were impatient to move on. The girl, Tifa, was stood looking from the Doctor to Sauer and then to Cristina. Her bright blue eyes sparkled as she caught Cristina’s eye and smiled.
“Oh, please?!” The Doctor was saying. “Please please please please?” Cristina was sure that he hopped from foot to foot in time to his repeating the word. “Just one hour, a cup of tea and then we’ll be gone and out of your hair.”
“Just one hour?” Sauer asked in confirmation.
“Just one hour.” The Doctor confirmed holding up a long finger and smiling. “Then we really will have to be getting going.”
“Oh, another engagement?” Cristina asked, picking up on the Doctors words. “I thought you were travellers?”
“Yes, but we said we’d meet Jess and Tom back at the TARDIS in-” Tifa trailed off when she realised that everyone was staring at her.
“There are more of you?” Sauer asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, my other two assistants. We agreed to each explore and meet back at my ship in two hours. Perfectly harmless. We wouldn’t dream of interfering with your expedition.” The Doctor smiled, before looking up and down the path. “Some sort of migratory track I’d assume.” He muttered before looking at Sauer. “So, this way or that?” He asked, pointing either way down the path, his arms crossing.
“Neither, Doctor.” Sauer corrected. “It’s this.” Pointing, Sauer turned to point to a tangent from the main migratory path they were stood on. Sauer paused as the Doctor came and stood beside him. “You say you’ve admired my work for, centuries?”
“Very much so.” The Doctor confirmed, following Sauer as he lead the way through the thick undergrowth.
Cristina looked at Tifa, who seemed to be stood rather uncomfortably, looking after the Doctor and Sauer. “Tifa?” She asked. “That’s a rather unusual name.”
“I’ve not heard yours before.” Tifa admitted.
“I’m originally from Italy, Earth. But I’ve been at Charon University for seven years now.” Cristina smiled, remembering how hard it had been for her in her early days. “I’m guessing you’re not local to me?”
“I don’t know.” Tifa replied. “I’m from Telris, a Thal colony.”
“That’s a new one on me.” Cristina replied, holding a branch out of Tifas’ way as the Thal passed.
“There are more of my people out there, somewhere.” Tifa said, looking up to the canopy of the trees and the sky beyond. “That’s what the Doctor says, although I don’t know where they are.”
“I’m sure you’ll find them.” Cristina smiled, noting a far away and tearful look come to Tifas eyes.
“Thank you.” Tifa turned, smiling at Cristina, missing the fallen branch at her feet. With a twist and a cry of shock, Tifa stumbled, grabbing hold of a low hanging creeper to steady herself. As though she’d been burnt, Tifa grabbed her hand away from the vine and fell flat on her face, with a pained grunt.
Before Cristina could ask if she was alright, or even extend a hand to help, the Doctor had paused, spun on his heel and was already helping Tifa to her feet.
“Are you ok?” He asked.
Tifa nodded as she first got to her knees and then to her feet, using the Doctor as support. “I just tripped. I grabbed hold of something but it stung me.”
“Let me see.” The Doctor asked.
Tifa held out her hand and was surprised to see that her hand was covered in blood, seemingly from the three small puncture wounds on her hand. Pulling a handkerchief out of a pocket, the Doctor gently wiped the blood away, seemingly unaware that he was being watched by Sauer and Cristina.
“Hmm, we’d best get some anti-septic and disinfectant on that as soon as we get back to Doctor Sauer’s camp.” The Doctor said as he rolled his handkerchief into a long strip and tied it round Tifa’s hand. “Doctor Sauer?”
“Yes, immediately.” Sauer replied leaning in to take a closer look at the vine. “Our expedition hasn’t fully catalogued the full effects of toxic Amaranth plant life.” Leaning back and going to take a step, Sauer paused and turned back to the Doctor and Tifa. “Not that all plant life here is toxic, it’s highly probably it’s just something like the Stinging Nettle, or Thistle from Earth, or Bellinus Relladrona from Jupiter III.”
“It stings.” Tifa said, wincing in pain.
“It will do.” The Doctor said, putting a comforting arm about her shoulders. “But you’ll be fine. We’ll get back to the camp and have that sorted before you know it.”
Sauer smiled at the Doctors seemingly endless optimism and turned, leading the way back towards the landing craft, thinking to himself about the forms of stinging plant life that he knew about on Amaranth. Following him, the Doctor led Tifa carefully through the undergrowth, with Cristina bringing up the rear.
Had they stayed where they were for a few moments longer, they would have seen the creeper that Tifa had grabbed move and writhe. Slowly it unfolded from the branch it was hanging over and the greenish shape beyond the branches moved. The strange and gnarled looking trunk twisted. Slowly, a large eye opened; a fiery yellow iris, ringed in black glinted in the blood red of the remaining eye. The pupil contacted, allowing for the extra light and slowly followed the four humanoids make their way through the jungle.
After several long seconds, the creature pulled itself into the higher branches using four powerful limbs and slowly set off in a hunting pursuit.
Corporal Neruda yawned and stretched as she swung her legs off her bunk and pulled herself into a sitting position. Reaching out to the small shelf beside her bunk she grabbed the small bottle of pep pills and beaker of water. Popping two pills in her mouth she downed the water and jumped off her bunk, slipping her feet into her boots.
“Mendez?” She called, lacing up her boots. “Where are you, you ugly sonova?”
Karolina Neruda never normally slept during the day, however since arriving on Amaranth, she had developed a terrible headache. Instead of bothering Doctor Le Druier, Mendez had suggested she take a break and have a nap, and it seemed to have worked. She’d protested initially, until the pain got too much. She wasn’t normally one to have headaches.
Neruda paused having laced up her boots. She hadn’t had a reply from Mendez. He shouldn’t have strayed far from the landing craft, unless he’d sealed himself into the cockpit. Grabbing her jacket off the back of the small metal chair, she flung open the sleeping chamber door and exited through the living area. Crossing the lab, Neruda opened the connecting door to the cockpit and threw it open.
“Mendez, you deaf bastard.” She started, stopping when she saw that the cockpit was deserted. “Mendez?” She asked again, looking about.
A small light was flashing on the console indicating that someone from the mother ship had requested communication. It hadn’t yet been answered. Neruda looked about. Perhaps Mendez was in the loo. Seating herself in the co-pilot seat, Neruda hit the comm. switch and an image of Commander Olbrichs’ face appeared on the communication screen.
“About time.” He snapped, turning on the screen, his face a picture of anger. “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting five minutes.”
“Sorry Sir.” Neruda apologised. “I’ve been resting off a migraine. It won’t happen again, sir.”
“Mendez informed me. I want you to check in with Doctor Le Druier when you return on Friday.” Olbrich said. “Where is Mendez? Why isn’t he on duty?”
“I don’t know sir.” Neruda confessed, running a hand through her short dark hair. “I was actually just looking for him. I thought he was either in the loo or having a cigarette.”
“Well find him, he should be on duty.” Olbrich snapped. “Not gallivanting about the planet.” Olbrich paused before looking up at the screen. “But before you go, Neruda; Mendez reported that one of the student teams had come across two strangers on the surface.”
“Strangers?” Neruda asked, flabbergasted.
“Never mind, we don’t know how they got here yet.” Olbrich cut in. “I ordered Mendez to send them straight up to the mother ship. Instead I wish to speak to them before they are sent up. I have heard of a small mission on the outer fringes of the territories. They may be part of that.”
“What mission, sir?” Neruda asked. “I’ve not heard of any other.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to, Corporal.” Olbrich said. “It was a need-to-know mission; they went missing two months ago. Before these unknown people are sent up to the mother ship, I want to see who they are.”
“Yes sir.” Neruda saluted before leaning forwards and switching the comm. link off. Sitting on the control panel was a report about the strangers, compiled by Mendez. Picking it up, she quickly read through it before getting to her feet. Neruda turned and made her way to the doorway leading to the planet’s surface. “Mendez you dopey son of a-” Neruda stopped dead as she looked out of the door. Mendez was laying face down in a damp patch of earth.
“Mendez!” Neruda cried, swiftly crossing the ground to where Mendez was laying. She crouched down beside him, putting her hand into the damp patch of earth. She pulled her hand back, the ground was sticky. Neruda slowly turned her hand round and looked at her palm; underneath the small clumps of earth that stuck to her hand was a sticky dark red substance. She recognised it immediately. She’d been on enough missions to know the look, texture and smell of blood.
Her heart starting to race, she slowly reached out and turned Mendez over. His eyes were staring up, glassy and shocked, his mouth agape. There was a large slash across his throat and his shirt was ripped over his heart, a jagged tear in the flesh underneath. His uniform was darkened, stained with his blood with earth and undergrowth sticking in the mess. Neruda’s mouth hardened as she looked down at the body of her friend. She was determined to find out who had done this. She was in no doubt that it was murder, there was no way Mendez could have done that to himself without a weapon.
Neruda pulled herself to her feet and straightened her shirt. A rustling sound to her right made her turn. Lucien Dufayel and Drew Bradman emerged from the forest stopping dead at the sight before them. Neruda turned, her hand falling to her belt, feeling for her holster, which wasn’t there. Behind the two students were the two strangers. Neruda almost double took; they were completely not what she was expecting. They were both young, about the age of the majority of the student team, both looking a little bedraggled from the jungle, however despite the attention of the foliage, the girl still looked rather smart in her black corset and skirt and white shirt. Totally inappropriate for the environment.
“What the hell happened?” Drew asked, looking at Mendez’ body as he stepped into the small clearing.
Neruda didn’t answer, keeping her eyes on the two strangers. They didn’t seem to notice Mendez’ body, instead the girl was looking at the landing craft, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. The young man was whispering something to her and pointing to the antennae at the top of the ship.
“Someone killed him.” She said loudly, breaking the two strangers out of their little tête-à-tête. “Murdered.” She added for effect.
The two strangers looked down at the body. Neruda studied their reactions carefully; they certainly didn’t seem overly shocked. The young man leaned over to the girl and whispered. Neruda watched carefully, she had some ability in lip reading, and the young man was watching her carefully as he spoke.
“This is where we get accused of it and thrown into the brig or whatever.” She saw him say. Neruda pulled herself to her full height and took a step towards the two strangers.
“Yes, you heard that.” The man said. “Look, I can assure you, we had nothing to do with your mates death.”
“How can we have?” The girl added pointing to Drew and Dufayel. “They’ve only just brought us here.”
“And, we’d be covered in blood.” The man added, placing a protective hand on the girls shoulder.
“Are you alone?” Neruda asked.
“No.” The girl replied, getting a small wince from the man who gently squeezed her shoulder.
“Not that you’re here.” He cut in quickly, smiling.
Neruda raised her eyebrow before turning to Drew and Dufayel. “You two, get back into the landing craft, I’ll deal with these two.”
Silently, Drew and Dufayel walked into the landing craft, being watched by Neruda, Jess and Tom. Turning back to Tom and Jess, Neruda watched them carefully for several seconds. “I’m not stupid you know. I know you two can’t have done this, but I also know you’re not alone. I want you to tell me who and where your friends are.”
The young man scoffed. “You don’t seriously think that they did that?” His smile faded when he looked at Neruda’s set expression. “You do? Oh dear.” He shook his head sadly. “Look, I worked in Earth Security for five years and you don’t make instant assumptions like this. We’ve not been on this planet half an hour and I doubt that the Doctor and Tifa could have got here ahead of us.”
“I’ve only your word for that.” Neruda said.
“True.” The man replied. “But think about it. Your fellow there must have known his killer, there’s no sign he tried to defend himself. And he’s military, like you. The old training would have kicked in.”
Neruda looked at the two strangers. The young man was right and the girl was smiling, she knew he was right too. She paused, stumbling over the words in her head. She didn’t know what to say as she looked at the young man’s ice blue eyes. “Then-” She started.
“That means the murderer is one of your party.” The young man finished, nodding.
Neruda looked at the man for several seconds, studying his face. He was unmoving, his face not twitching or flinching. “Crap.” She spat. “That’s crap. We know everyone on this expedition and there aren’t any murderers among us.”
“Evidence to the contrary.” The man said, nodding at Mendez’ body.
“It’s impossible for us to have done that, you said it yourself.” The girl added.
“That leaves only one logical path open. Use your mind; I’m sure you’ve got one.” The man said continuing. “There can’t be that many people who’ve had the chance to do this, but it wasn’t us. It was one of you.” The man paused, looking at his young companion before turning back to Neruda. “And our appearance here must be like Christmas to them. Who better to blame than four strangers? They’ll know that, and won’t be happy until you’re all dead.”
Tobias Sauer stopped and removed his hat and using a white handkerchief, wiped the think sheen of perspiration that was accumulating on his forehead. “Well, to be honest, my dear, before you popped in, Olbrich was on the comms with me.” Sauer paused as he pocketed the handkerchief and popped his hat back on his head.
“Yeah, you said.” Cristina smiled.
“Well, what I didn’t say was that he informed me of an anomalous reading the mother ship got about two miles from the landing craft. I downloaded the information and thought that we’d check it out.” Sauer admitted. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have deceived you.”
“No, that’s cool, Doc.” Cristina said, walking over to him. “Kinda cool, strange readings. Maybe it’s an ancient civilisation that we’ve awakened somehow!”
Sauer chuckled as he saw Rossinis’ eyes sparkle as she spoke. The young Italian woman had a sense of adventure that was greater than the expedition leaders combined. He remembered that she chomping at the bit to get going back at Charon University.
“That could be dangerous.” Sauer said. “It may just be an old crashed satellite from the 20th Century. Remember, no one ever found the Voyager.”
“Hey, if we find that..!” Cristina started, her eyes wide and sparkling.
“Not likely that we’ll find that.” Sauer replied. “I recon it will be another thing like the Mary Celeste. We will never know.”
A rustling in the bushes made the two Zoologists turn.
“What was that?” Cristina asked, narrowing her eyes to look at the wavering of the branches.
“Oh, most probably an animal or something.” Sauer replied, passing over the noise until it came again, this time with a soft murmering.
“They were definitely voices.” Cristina said, looking closer at the branches as they swayed. “Can any of the creatures here talk?”
“Nonsense.” Sauer almost scoffed. “None of the other teams have come out this way. It must have been the wind.”
Cristina looked around and stooping down, ripped a small section of undergrowth up and dropped it watching it fall straight to the ground. “What wind?” She asked.
“Hello there!”
The voice made the pair of them start. They spun round to see two figures stood on the migratory path about fifty yards down from them. One male, one female. It was the male who had shouted and was currently waving at them. He was dressed in light grey trousers, which had muddied at the bottom, a light green paisley waistcoat and a white shirt that was undone at the neck and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. Long curly brown hair snaked from under a white panama hat to his shoulders.
The girl stood to his side had long golden blonde hair and was stood rather awkwardly, as though embarrassed by the man’s behaviour. She was wearing a blue vest shirt and khaki shorts. She had hiking boots and grey socks curled just above the tops of her boots. Her legs and lower arms were a mass of scratches from the undergrowth.
“I wonder,” The man was saying, walking up the path towards them. “Could you tell me where we are?” The girl seemed to roll her head and trot along behind him.
Sauer and Cristina looked at each other totally perplexed as the strange man bounded up to them.
“Hello.” He said as he approached and grabbed Sauer’s hand and pumped it up and down furiously. “I wonder if you could help us, we’re a little lost. I’m the Doctor and this is my friend Tifa.”
“Erm... Erm... Erm...” Sauer barely managed, floundering with his words not knowing what to say to the strange man.
“Doctor?” Cristina queried, cocking her head.
“Hello.” Tifa waved from behind the Doctor. “We’re travellers.”
“Travellers? This far out?” Sauer managed finally, still clearly perplexed.
“Yes,” The Doctor said slowly, pushing his hat further up his head. “We’ve been on the go a while and made a landing here, not actually knowing where here is.”
“It depends how long you’ve been travelling.” Cristina said. “Amaranth is one of the farthest surveyed worlds from Earth. We’re the first Zoological survey team here.” Cristina paused as she looked at the Doctor and Tifa. “Well, we thought we were.”
“I’ve been with the Doctor about five weeks.” Tifa replied.
“Ah, so you’re from the outer colonies.” Sauer smiled.
“Not quite. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, Mr?” The Doctor said.
“Doctor. Doctor Tobias Sauer. And my assistant Miss Cristina Rossini.” Sauer replied introducing himself and Cristina.
The Doctor stopped and looked at Sauer. “Tobias Sauer?” He repeated. “The Doctor Tobias Sauer? Author of ‘The Link Between the Archaeopteryx and Non Terrestrial Bird’? Famed for Zoological lecture tours throughout the Universities of the Solar System? The most prominent Zoologist of the 29th Century?”
Sauer stammered again, taken aback by the Doctors sudden enthusiastic outburst.
“Leader and organiser of the Bellingshausen Expedition.” Cristina replied, proudly.
“Of course!” The Doctor cried, hitting his forehead with the palm of his hand. “Doctor Sauer. What a great honour it is to meet you.” Grabbing Sauer’s hand again, the Doctor proceeded to pump it up and down with greater ferocity than before. “I’ve admired your work for centuries. I’ve lots of questions for you and lots more to talk about. I think it would be better if we talked back at your base or wherever you’ve set up shop, have a cup of tea.”
“I’m sorry, Doctor Whoever You Are, but we’ve no idea who you are and where you’re from. Or even, how you got here. We’ve been here over a month and seen no other ships in the sector.” Sauer said, finally retrieving his hand from the Doctors grip.
“Ah, yes.” The Doctor said, rubbing the back of his head. “That’s another thing you wouldn’t probably believe.”
“Try me.” Sauer said, standing his ground.
Cristina watched as Doctor Sauer stood staring down the stranger calling himself the Doctor who was almost hopping from foot to foot as though he were impatient to move on. The girl, Tifa, was stood looking from the Doctor to Sauer and then to Cristina. Her bright blue eyes sparkled as she caught Cristina’s eye and smiled.
“Oh, please?!” The Doctor was saying. “Please please please please?” Cristina was sure that he hopped from foot to foot in time to his repeating the word. “Just one hour, a cup of tea and then we’ll be gone and out of your hair.”
“Just one hour?” Sauer asked in confirmation.
“Just one hour.” The Doctor confirmed holding up a long finger and smiling. “Then we really will have to be getting going.”
“Oh, another engagement?” Cristina asked, picking up on the Doctors words. “I thought you were travellers?”
“Yes, but we said we’d meet Jess and Tom back at the TARDIS in-” Tifa trailed off when she realised that everyone was staring at her.
“There are more of you?” Sauer asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, my other two assistants. We agreed to each explore and meet back at my ship in two hours. Perfectly harmless. We wouldn’t dream of interfering with your expedition.” The Doctor smiled, before looking up and down the path. “Some sort of migratory track I’d assume.” He muttered before looking at Sauer. “So, this way or that?” He asked, pointing either way down the path, his arms crossing.
“Neither, Doctor.” Sauer corrected. “It’s this.” Pointing, Sauer turned to point to a tangent from the main migratory path they were stood on. Sauer paused as the Doctor came and stood beside him. “You say you’ve admired my work for, centuries?”
“Very much so.” The Doctor confirmed, following Sauer as he lead the way through the thick undergrowth.
Cristina looked at Tifa, who seemed to be stood rather uncomfortably, looking after the Doctor and Sauer. “Tifa?” She asked. “That’s a rather unusual name.”
“I’ve not heard yours before.” Tifa admitted.
“I’m originally from Italy, Earth. But I’ve been at Charon University for seven years now.” Cristina smiled, remembering how hard it had been for her in her early days. “I’m guessing you’re not local to me?”
“I don’t know.” Tifa replied. “I’m from Telris, a Thal colony.”
“That’s a new one on me.” Cristina replied, holding a branch out of Tifas’ way as the Thal passed.
“There are more of my people out there, somewhere.” Tifa said, looking up to the canopy of the trees and the sky beyond. “That’s what the Doctor says, although I don’t know where they are.”
“I’m sure you’ll find them.” Cristina smiled, noting a far away and tearful look come to Tifas eyes.
“Thank you.” Tifa turned, smiling at Cristina, missing the fallen branch at her feet. With a twist and a cry of shock, Tifa stumbled, grabbing hold of a low hanging creeper to steady herself. As though she’d been burnt, Tifa grabbed her hand away from the vine and fell flat on her face, with a pained grunt.
Before Cristina could ask if she was alright, or even extend a hand to help, the Doctor had paused, spun on his heel and was already helping Tifa to her feet.
“Are you ok?” He asked.
Tifa nodded as she first got to her knees and then to her feet, using the Doctor as support. “I just tripped. I grabbed hold of something but it stung me.”
“Let me see.” The Doctor asked.
Tifa held out her hand and was surprised to see that her hand was covered in blood, seemingly from the three small puncture wounds on her hand. Pulling a handkerchief out of a pocket, the Doctor gently wiped the blood away, seemingly unaware that he was being watched by Sauer and Cristina.
“Hmm, we’d best get some anti-septic and disinfectant on that as soon as we get back to Doctor Sauer’s camp.” The Doctor said as he rolled his handkerchief into a long strip and tied it round Tifa’s hand. “Doctor Sauer?”
“Yes, immediately.” Sauer replied leaning in to take a closer look at the vine. “Our expedition hasn’t fully catalogued the full effects of toxic Amaranth plant life.” Leaning back and going to take a step, Sauer paused and turned back to the Doctor and Tifa. “Not that all plant life here is toxic, it’s highly probably it’s just something like the Stinging Nettle, or Thistle from Earth, or Bellinus Relladrona from Jupiter III.”
“It stings.” Tifa said, wincing in pain.
“It will do.” The Doctor said, putting a comforting arm about her shoulders. “But you’ll be fine. We’ll get back to the camp and have that sorted before you know it.”
Sauer smiled at the Doctors seemingly endless optimism and turned, leading the way back towards the landing craft, thinking to himself about the forms of stinging plant life that he knew about on Amaranth. Following him, the Doctor led Tifa carefully through the undergrowth, with Cristina bringing up the rear.
Had they stayed where they were for a few moments longer, they would have seen the creeper that Tifa had grabbed move and writhe. Slowly it unfolded from the branch it was hanging over and the greenish shape beyond the branches moved. The strange and gnarled looking trunk twisted. Slowly, a large eye opened; a fiery yellow iris, ringed in black glinted in the blood red of the remaining eye. The pupil contacted, allowing for the extra light and slowly followed the four humanoids make their way through the jungle.
After several long seconds, the creature pulled itself into the higher branches using four powerful limbs and slowly set off in a hunting pursuit.
*
Corporal Neruda yawned and stretched as she swung her legs off her bunk and pulled herself into a sitting position. Reaching out to the small shelf beside her bunk she grabbed the small bottle of pep pills and beaker of water. Popping two pills in her mouth she downed the water and jumped off her bunk, slipping her feet into her boots.
“Mendez?” She called, lacing up her boots. “Where are you, you ugly sonova?”
Karolina Neruda never normally slept during the day, however since arriving on Amaranth, she had developed a terrible headache. Instead of bothering Doctor Le Druier, Mendez had suggested she take a break and have a nap, and it seemed to have worked. She’d protested initially, until the pain got too much. She wasn’t normally one to have headaches.
Neruda paused having laced up her boots. She hadn’t had a reply from Mendez. He shouldn’t have strayed far from the landing craft, unless he’d sealed himself into the cockpit. Grabbing her jacket off the back of the small metal chair, she flung open the sleeping chamber door and exited through the living area. Crossing the lab, Neruda opened the connecting door to the cockpit and threw it open.
“Mendez, you deaf bastard.” She started, stopping when she saw that the cockpit was deserted. “Mendez?” She asked again, looking about.
A small light was flashing on the console indicating that someone from the mother ship had requested communication. It hadn’t yet been answered. Neruda looked about. Perhaps Mendez was in the loo. Seating herself in the co-pilot seat, Neruda hit the comm. switch and an image of Commander Olbrichs’ face appeared on the communication screen.
“About time.” He snapped, turning on the screen, his face a picture of anger. “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting five minutes.”
“Sorry Sir.” Neruda apologised. “I’ve been resting off a migraine. It won’t happen again, sir.”
“Mendez informed me. I want you to check in with Doctor Le Druier when you return on Friday.” Olbrich said. “Where is Mendez? Why isn’t he on duty?”
“I don’t know sir.” Neruda confessed, running a hand through her short dark hair. “I was actually just looking for him. I thought he was either in the loo or having a cigarette.”
“Well find him, he should be on duty.” Olbrich snapped. “Not gallivanting about the planet.” Olbrich paused before looking up at the screen. “But before you go, Neruda; Mendez reported that one of the student teams had come across two strangers on the surface.”
“Strangers?” Neruda asked, flabbergasted.
“Never mind, we don’t know how they got here yet.” Olbrich cut in. “I ordered Mendez to send them straight up to the mother ship. Instead I wish to speak to them before they are sent up. I have heard of a small mission on the outer fringes of the territories. They may be part of that.”
“What mission, sir?” Neruda asked. “I’ve not heard of any other.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to, Corporal.” Olbrich said. “It was a need-to-know mission; they went missing two months ago. Before these unknown people are sent up to the mother ship, I want to see who they are.”
“Yes sir.” Neruda saluted before leaning forwards and switching the comm. link off. Sitting on the control panel was a report about the strangers, compiled by Mendez. Picking it up, she quickly read through it before getting to her feet. Neruda turned and made her way to the doorway leading to the planet’s surface. “Mendez you dopey son of a-” Neruda stopped dead as she looked out of the door. Mendez was laying face down in a damp patch of earth.
“Mendez!” Neruda cried, swiftly crossing the ground to where Mendez was laying. She crouched down beside him, putting her hand into the damp patch of earth. She pulled her hand back, the ground was sticky. Neruda slowly turned her hand round and looked at her palm; underneath the small clumps of earth that stuck to her hand was a sticky dark red substance. She recognised it immediately. She’d been on enough missions to know the look, texture and smell of blood.
Her heart starting to race, she slowly reached out and turned Mendez over. His eyes were staring up, glassy and shocked, his mouth agape. There was a large slash across his throat and his shirt was ripped over his heart, a jagged tear in the flesh underneath. His uniform was darkened, stained with his blood with earth and undergrowth sticking in the mess. Neruda’s mouth hardened as she looked down at the body of her friend. She was determined to find out who had done this. She was in no doubt that it was murder, there was no way Mendez could have done that to himself without a weapon.
Neruda pulled herself to her feet and straightened her shirt. A rustling sound to her right made her turn. Lucien Dufayel and Drew Bradman emerged from the forest stopping dead at the sight before them. Neruda turned, her hand falling to her belt, feeling for her holster, which wasn’t there. Behind the two students were the two strangers. Neruda almost double took; they were completely not what she was expecting. They were both young, about the age of the majority of the student team, both looking a little bedraggled from the jungle, however despite the attention of the foliage, the girl still looked rather smart in her black corset and skirt and white shirt. Totally inappropriate for the environment.
“What the hell happened?” Drew asked, looking at Mendez’ body as he stepped into the small clearing.
Neruda didn’t answer, keeping her eyes on the two strangers. They didn’t seem to notice Mendez’ body, instead the girl was looking at the landing craft, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. The young man was whispering something to her and pointing to the antennae at the top of the ship.
“Someone killed him.” She said loudly, breaking the two strangers out of their little tête-à-tête. “Murdered.” She added for effect.
The two strangers looked down at the body. Neruda studied their reactions carefully; they certainly didn’t seem overly shocked. The young man leaned over to the girl and whispered. Neruda watched carefully, she had some ability in lip reading, and the young man was watching her carefully as he spoke.
“This is where we get accused of it and thrown into the brig or whatever.” She saw him say. Neruda pulled herself to her full height and took a step towards the two strangers.
“Yes, you heard that.” The man said. “Look, I can assure you, we had nothing to do with your mates death.”
“How can we have?” The girl added pointing to Drew and Dufayel. “They’ve only just brought us here.”
“And, we’d be covered in blood.” The man added, placing a protective hand on the girls shoulder.
“Are you alone?” Neruda asked.
“No.” The girl replied, getting a small wince from the man who gently squeezed her shoulder.
“Not that you’re here.” He cut in quickly, smiling.
Neruda raised her eyebrow before turning to Drew and Dufayel. “You two, get back into the landing craft, I’ll deal with these two.”
Silently, Drew and Dufayel walked into the landing craft, being watched by Neruda, Jess and Tom. Turning back to Tom and Jess, Neruda watched them carefully for several seconds. “I’m not stupid you know. I know you two can’t have done this, but I also know you’re not alone. I want you to tell me who and where your friends are.”
The young man scoffed. “You don’t seriously think that they did that?” His smile faded when he looked at Neruda’s set expression. “You do? Oh dear.” He shook his head sadly. “Look, I worked in Earth Security for five years and you don’t make instant assumptions like this. We’ve not been on this planet half an hour and I doubt that the Doctor and Tifa could have got here ahead of us.”
“I’ve only your word for that.” Neruda said.
“True.” The man replied. “But think about it. Your fellow there must have known his killer, there’s no sign he tried to defend himself. And he’s military, like you. The old training would have kicked in.”
Neruda looked at the two strangers. The young man was right and the girl was smiling, she knew he was right too. She paused, stumbling over the words in her head. She didn’t know what to say as she looked at the young man’s ice blue eyes. “Then-” She started.
“That means the murderer is one of your party.” The young man finished, nodding.
Neruda looked at the man for several seconds, studying his face. He was unmoving, his face not twitching or flinching. “Crap.” She spat. “That’s crap. We know everyone on this expedition and there aren’t any murderers among us.”
“Evidence to the contrary.” The man said, nodding at Mendez’ body.
“It’s impossible for us to have done that, you said it yourself.” The girl added.
“That leaves only one logical path open. Use your mind; I’m sure you’ve got one.” The man said continuing. “There can’t be that many people who’ve had the chance to do this, but it wasn’t us. It was one of you.” The man paused, looking at his young companion before turning back to Neruda. “And our appearance here must be like Christmas to them. Who better to blame than four strangers? They’ll know that, and won’t be happy until you’re all dead.”
