Post by Fitz Kreiner on Oct 21, 2008 15:26:13 GMT
Slowly, it heaved itself out of the high branches of the trees, and perching carefully, observed the scene before it. The four creatures that it had followed had arrived at a strange construct. It recognised the construct deep down, but what it was, it couldn’t comprehend. There was a shape on the floor that smelled, oh it smelled divine. It was making it salivate even more than the faint odour from the four creatures.
As it watched, the two taller creatures lifted the strange covering back and peered underneath before they were joined by a fifth, emerging from the construct. It watched closely, carefully making sure that it remained hidden. It knew it was stronger than the creatures, yet it knew it had to retain caution. Eventually they all disappeared inside the construct.
It pulled itself to its full height, rising up on its two incredibly powerful hind legs, its tail whipping and curling behind it. It stretched its long neck opening its beak-like mouth and flashing long, sharp teeth. It closed its mouth and flexed its powerful forearms, looking at the covered object on the ground. With a powerful jump, wrinkled skin unfurled from its arms, forming rudimentary wings. Despite its heavy and un-aerodynamic look, it glided graciously to the ground, landing silently, its ‘wings’ disappearing back into its limbs as it spread its weight onto all four.
Cautiously it edged towards the covering and using its snout, dug underneath. The smell was so much greater now and long strands of saliva trickled from its jaws and dripped to the ground. Grasping the covering between its jaws, it ripped it off with a sharp twist of its neck. What it had covered was another of the creatures, only this one was lifeless and covered in blood. It was the blood that smelled so good.
Not caring if the creatures saw it any more, it rose onto its hind legs and pulled itself to its full height and let out a loud bellow. The noise was two toned at the same time; a low howl mixed with a primeval and guttural screech, it had found its lunch. It lowered its head and extended its tongue, licking along the large gash in the creatures’ neck. The blood was already congealing, but still tasted as good as it smelled. Opening its mouth it took a bite of the creatures’ neck and gripping the torso with its forearms gave a sharp twist, severing the head and taking a large chunk of the neck and upper torso into its mouth. With several crunching bites, it swallowed its food and carrying the remains of the body, leapt up into the high branches and carried its meal off with it.
Tifa looked at her hand held before her, the greening skin and pulsing veins, too shocked to actually say anything, her face drained of all colour. Jess looked from Tifas’ hand, to the young Thal and then to the Doctor.
“Can you do something?” She asked eventually, ending the awkward silence.
“Yes.” The Doctor replied, looking up. “Given time and resources, yet the problem is, we don’t know how much of the former we have.”
“Wh- what’s happening to me?” Tifa asked.
“I don’t know yet.” The Doctor admitted his face stony. “But trust me, I will find out. We have all the resources and manpower we need here with the Bellingshausen Expedition.”
“I just hope that they do help. Remember, we’ve got a military investigative team on the way down.” Tom said.
“Not to investigate us.” The Doctor added. “They may have a problem themselves, but it’s nothing to do with us. A quick chat with their commander and he’ll see that.”
“We hope.” Tom muttered quietly under his breath.
“Now, Doctor Sauer is a brilliant mind, and-” The Doctor was cut off by the loud cry of an animal outside the landing craft, causing the Time Lord and his companions to turn looking to the door leading to the lab.
“That was right outside.” Jess said looking around her huddled friends.
“What do you think it was?” Tifa asked.
“I’ve no idea.” The Doctor admitted getting to his feet and walking to the door. “Although there are some people who’ve been surveying the life on this planet.”
The door to the living area was flung open and Doctor Sauer burst through the door and quickly looked round at the assembled group. “Ah good, you’re all here.” He said quickly before disappearing back through the door, slamming it closed behind him.
“What the devil was all that about?” Tom asked, breaking the stunned silence.
The Doctor turned to face his companions, a finger raised and his mouth open as though he were about to say something before turning and swiftly disappearing through the door. Stunned to silence, Jess and Tifa slowly turned to look at one another before turning to look at Tom, who was staring after the Doctor at the door as it gently swayed flashing glimpses of the lab in the adjoining room.
Seeing that the lab area was now deserted, the Doctor rushed through to the outside of the landing craft. Doctor Sauer, Cristina, Drew and Lucien were stood looking round in shock, Nerdua stood some way before them searching the outer fringes of the jungle, her gun in her hand. Slowly she turned around and spotted the Time Lord.
“What have you done with him?” She growled levelling the gun at the Doctor.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Corporal.” Sauer interjected. “There’s no way they could have done this without us seeing them.”
“What’s happened here?” The Doctor asked.
“Something has taken Mendez’s body.” Cristina said, before pausing and glancing back at the folded sheet still lying on the ground. “Well, erm no, body is right.”
Curiously, the Doctor walked over to the sheet, folded to quarter its normal size, a curious bump in the middle. Slowly he peeled the sheet back revealing Mendez’s head, the flesh ripped at the base of the neck and the jaw missing.
“Fascinating.” The Doctor mused before replacing the sheet and turning to Sauer. “Tell me Doctor Sauer, Tobias, can I call you Tobias?” The Doctor smiled at Sauer, not allowing him chance to reply as he continued. “Have you, or any other members of your expedition, come across anything that could do something like this? Any form of native life?”
The Doctor watched as the expedition members looked at each other, bemused. “Erm, possible one of the larger avian life forms, they seem to be the predominant life on Amaranth.” Sauer replied eventually.
“Even so, Doc,” Cristina started. “The largest of the Dodos couldn’t do this.”
Sauer looked at her and began to count off characteristics of the larger birds on his fingers before Dufayel stepped in with an opposing argument, siding with Rossini. Beyond them, Neruda had turned her attention back to the jungle, attracted by a dark stain on a large, flat leaf. Cautiously she moved closer to it to examine it.
“You take some convincing that we’re on your side.”
The voice beside her made her start. She spun round to see the Doctor stood beside her, examining the same leaf she was.
“It looks as though whatever it was took your friends body, took it into the uppermost branches of the trees. If you look, you can see other blood stains on leaves higher up.” The Time Lord pointed before turning to face Neruda. “You’re beginning to realise we didn’t have anything to do with it. Believe it, it will make coming to terms with things easier.”
Neruda stared after the strange man as he turned and walked over towards where Doctor Sauer was engaged in a now rather lively debate with his student team. A whining coming from overhead caught her attention. Looking up, she saw four of the travel pods making their way to the planet’s surface; two destined for here and two for the next landing craft which was in the next valley a couple of miles away
The Doctor walked up to Sauer and cleared his throat rather loudly. “Sorry to disturb your debate Tobias, but I could really do with your opinion on something.”
Sauer paused in his discussion with his students and looked at the concerned expression on the Doctors face. It was a look that stopped Sauer dead. “What’s the problem, Doctor?”
The Doctors face twisted as he glanced at the students who were now staring at him. “Ah, I’d rather it if we discussed it somewhere a little more private.” Turning on his heel, the Doctor started on his way back to the landing craft. After several seconds of staring at the Time Lords back, Sauer shrugged to his students and followed, disappearing inside the ship.
“What do you suppose that was all about?” Drew asked, scratching the back of his head.
His question received a shrug from both Dufayel and Rossini, the latter of whom turned after Sauer, her finger thoughtfully on her lips, a concerned expression spreading across her face.
“Doctor Sauer,” the Doctor said, in an almost theatrical style as he stood next to Tifa, who was starting to look pale. “I’d like your professional opinion on this.” He said as he showed him the infection on Tifa’s hand. “Now, I know you’re not a botanist or a medical doctor, but we seem to think that this little fellow may be responsible.” The Doctor carefully picked up the thorn that Tom had found.
“Well,” Sauer said as he crouched down beside Tifa. “I can’t say that I’ve ever seen anything like this before.”
“That’s not the exactly building my confidence.” Tifa replied.
“Don’t worry,” the Doctor smiled down at his companion. “I’ve seen one or two things like it before. But I’ve never been to Amaranth before, let alone studied any of the plant or animal life.”
The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck and glanced over to the door to the sleeping berths where he had sent Tom and Jess while he and Sauer looked at Tifa’s hand. He didn’t want to tell Tifa that the two forms of plant life he’d seen before, Varga Plants and Krynoid were fatal to any life form them infected.
“I think a broad spectrum anti-biotic might be prudent at this stage, Doctor.” Sauer said looking up at the Time Lord. “But if Commander Olbrich is coming down to the surface about Mendez, then I would have thought he’d bring Doctor Le Druier with him to officially record cause of death.”
“Excellent,” the Doctor grinned, clapping his hands together. “I’ve a smattering of knowledge that will transcend all aspects that we need, so working with the two of you, we can sort this out.”
“I think Doctor Le Druier will be more pre-occupied with Mendez.” Sauer said and instantly regretted it noting the look on the Doctor’s face.
“Mendez is dead,” the Doctor said. “Tifa’s situation is far more pressing.”
“What do you thinks’ happening?” Jess asked. She was sat on one of the top bunks swinging her legs idly watching Tom who was stood by the door, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation in the living area.
“I don’t know,” the young Time Lord replied moving away from the door and easing himself onto one of the other bunks. “But I do know that whatever is happening to Tifa is a tad more serious that the Doctor’s making out.”
“A tad?” Jess asked. “I see you’re as technical as ever. How much of a tad are we talking here?”
“More than a smidge, less than a heap.” Tom shrugged.
“Boy, you’re helpful.” Jess teased looking up as there was a metallic sound coming from the rear of the landing craft. The sound of the two travel pods arriving could clearly be heard and the locking mechanisms securing them to the larger landing craft. “What was that?”
“I’d imagine that would be the Commander of the mission. Here t’clap us in irons, arr!” Tom laughed, affecting a pirate accent and squinting as he finished the sentence.
“You’re remarkably relaxed about it all.”
“Well, there’s not much for you or I to do really at the moment. No marauding monsters, Dalek invasion fleets or renegade Time Lords, well, except for the Doctor and me.” Tom replied, stretching as best he could in the cramped bunk.
“What about the murderer? And what’s happened to Tifa?”
“Are you a doctor of biology, zoology or medicine or anything to help?”
“No, not really.” Jess replied, swinging herself fully into the bunk and laying back. “But the murderer?”
“That’s why the commander and his team have come down.” Yawned Tom. “I imagine we’ll be back out into the great wide yonder before too much longer.”
“Oh yeah?” Jess asked, raising her eyebrow. “What’s the bet this time?”
“Well, normally I would,” started Tom raising his hand to emphasise his point. “But this is us. Two things you can count out; the Doctor turning up claiming to be an expert or able to help and us running afoul of an attempt to take over the galaxy or getting arrested.”
Jess pursed her lips as she thought about what Tom said. “Yeah, alright smart arse, you win.” Jess smiled and closed her eyes listening to the murmur of voices from the living area.
“You ever get tired of it?”
“What?” Jess almost hit her head on the top of the bunk, not expecting Tom’s question.
“Well, I imagine it’s a far cry from 20th century student life.”
“It’s better than spending all day in the library.” Jess said. “It’s like nothing else, it’s fantastic. What about you? How different is it to Security Commander of a space station. It’s not like Star Trek I take it.”
“Nah, that was alright,” Tom said, swinging his legs off the bunk and sitting up. “You’ll have to let me know what this ‘Star Trek’ is before I can compare to it. It had a few hairy moments and you meet a wide variety of people and races. This is the same, but different.”
“Riiiiiight,” Jess said. “What’s brought this on? You thinking of leaving?”
“No,” Tom chuckled. “Where would I go? Back to EST3? The Time Lords will have made sure that I’m forgotten there. And I sure as hell am not going back to Gallifrey. No, I’m gonna be kicking about for a while yet.”
“Good to know you’re still gonna be ‘kicking about’.” Jess smiled laying back down on the bunk. “Who would I have to pick on if you left?” Jess collapsed into giggles as the pillow from the bunk Tom was laying on was thrown up into hers.
“Doctor Smith, I do not believe that you or any of your party were responsible for the death of my pilot.” Olbrich said, pacing up and down the laboratory section of the landing craft, his hands folded behind his back. “However, it still raises the question as to who was responsible?”
“The answer is obvious, Commander,” the Doctor said getting up from where he was sat next to Tifa. Doctor Le Druier was sat the other side of the young Thal tending her hand and administering an intravenous anti-biotic. Looking round, the Doctor leaned closer to Olbrich conspiratorially. “It’s just ‘Doctor’, by the way.” He smiled standing back and sliding his hands into his trouser pockets. “The murderer is clearly a member of the expedition. I take it that there were more than just the six people on the planet?”
“Well, naturally,” Sauer said, looking up from where he was sat watching Le Druier work, clearly fascinated in the infection in Tifa’s hand. “Professor Mori’s party are about three miles away.”
“Then if Corporal Neruda’s story is to be believed, that leaves the only logical place the murderer could have come from.” The Doctor said, pulling himself to his full height and gripping the lapels of his waistcoat, grinning.
“It’s hardly an amusing matter, Doctor Smith.” Olbrich said glowering at the Doctor. “It means I have a murderer on my hands and I need to find who and a motive.”
“Are you a medical doctor?” Doctor Le Druier asked looking up at the Time Lord.
“I’ve taken a couple of degrees in my time.” The Doctor replied turning away from Olbrich and swiftly sitting down opposite Le Druier and looking at what she was doing before looking at Tifa and smiling. “How are you feeling?”
“A bit light headed and weak.” Tifa said flexing her fingers. “My hand really hurts and my fingers feel tingly.”
“There’s definitely an infection there, it’s certainly no allergic reaction.” Doctor Le Druier confirmed. “But I’d like to get you up to the sick bay so I can examine and treat you properly.”
Olbrich looked up sharply and turned round to face Le Druier, the Doctor and Tifa. “I’m sorry doctor, doctors, but I cannot allow a potentially contagious alien infection aboard my ship.”
“But, Commander,” Le Druier began, getting to her feet. “I don’t have the facilities here to properly treat this infection. The whole point of my coming along was to supply medical attention to the expedition and anyone we encounter. I’m a doctor; it’s my duty to treat this girl. It was precisely for this reason that you brought me along.”
Tifa looked up at Doctor Le Druier and then to the Doctor before turning on to look at Olbrich, a look of pleading in her eyes.
“Commander, you cannot refuse medical attention for this girl when she so obviously needs it. If not taking her up to the command ship, then at least let some DNA and blood samples be taken up so that the Doctors can work on something.” Sauer said, backing up his colleague. “I have enough rudimentary knowledge to administer basic needs down here.”
Olbrich looked at the small group gathered before him for several seconds before finally relenting and nodding. “Very well. You can take up blood samples and anything you need, but you are to be confined to the sick bay. I do not want any infection spread aboard my ship.” With that, he turned on his heel and left headed towards the cockpit of the landing craft.
“Well, that’s less than I hoped for, but at least it’s something.” The Doctor admitted.
“I’m sorry he wasn’t more accepting.” Le Druier said. “We’ve never had an incident like this, let alone one with unidentified personnel.”
“So what’s going to happen to me?” Tifa asked, looking up at the Doctor, who crouched down besides her smiling comfortingly.
“Doctor Le Druier and I are going to take a few blood and skin samples from you to a medical facility on the ship in orbit. But don’t worry; Tobias here will keep you under close observation. You’ll be quite safe.”
“But, Doctor, I’m scared.” Tifa admitted, grasping the Doctors hand with hers. “I don’t know what’s happening.”
“I know.” The Doctor replied softly, patting her hand. “Tom and Jess will be here still to look after you. I promise you; you’ll be fine.”
Olbrich walked from the living area through the laboratory section of the landing craft, spotting Rossini, Dufayel and Bradman gathered round a bench. Pausing mid-step, he changed direction towards them. They had found the strangers on the surface, and Dufeyal and Bradman had returned with the two younger members of the Doctors party that he hadn’t met yet. There was still time to question them, most probably when the Doctor had left to go the command ship.
In the mean time, he could still question the student team here, and he would. He was walking towards them when one of the security personnel burst through from the cockpit, the adjoining door slamming into the partitioning wall with a loud crash causing the three students to spin round to face him.
“Sorry sir,” she apologised, straightening up. “We’ve just had contact from Sergeant Thaer from Professor Mori’s party,” Pausing, she quickly glanced round the eyes watching her. “They’re under attack by alien creatures.”
As it watched, the two taller creatures lifted the strange covering back and peered underneath before they were joined by a fifth, emerging from the construct. It watched closely, carefully making sure that it remained hidden. It knew it was stronger than the creatures, yet it knew it had to retain caution. Eventually they all disappeared inside the construct.
It pulled itself to its full height, rising up on its two incredibly powerful hind legs, its tail whipping and curling behind it. It stretched its long neck opening its beak-like mouth and flashing long, sharp teeth. It closed its mouth and flexed its powerful forearms, looking at the covered object on the ground. With a powerful jump, wrinkled skin unfurled from its arms, forming rudimentary wings. Despite its heavy and un-aerodynamic look, it glided graciously to the ground, landing silently, its ‘wings’ disappearing back into its limbs as it spread its weight onto all four.
Cautiously it edged towards the covering and using its snout, dug underneath. The smell was so much greater now and long strands of saliva trickled from its jaws and dripped to the ground. Grasping the covering between its jaws, it ripped it off with a sharp twist of its neck. What it had covered was another of the creatures, only this one was lifeless and covered in blood. It was the blood that smelled so good.
Not caring if the creatures saw it any more, it rose onto its hind legs and pulled itself to its full height and let out a loud bellow. The noise was two toned at the same time; a low howl mixed with a primeval and guttural screech, it had found its lunch. It lowered its head and extended its tongue, licking along the large gash in the creatures’ neck. The blood was already congealing, but still tasted as good as it smelled. Opening its mouth it took a bite of the creatures’ neck and gripping the torso with its forearms gave a sharp twist, severing the head and taking a large chunk of the neck and upper torso into its mouth. With several crunching bites, it swallowed its food and carrying the remains of the body, leapt up into the high branches and carried its meal off with it.
*
Tifa looked at her hand held before her, the greening skin and pulsing veins, too shocked to actually say anything, her face drained of all colour. Jess looked from Tifas’ hand, to the young Thal and then to the Doctor.
“Can you do something?” She asked eventually, ending the awkward silence.
“Yes.” The Doctor replied, looking up. “Given time and resources, yet the problem is, we don’t know how much of the former we have.”
“Wh- what’s happening to me?” Tifa asked.
“I don’t know yet.” The Doctor admitted his face stony. “But trust me, I will find out. We have all the resources and manpower we need here with the Bellingshausen Expedition.”
“I just hope that they do help. Remember, we’ve got a military investigative team on the way down.” Tom said.
“Not to investigate us.” The Doctor added. “They may have a problem themselves, but it’s nothing to do with us. A quick chat with their commander and he’ll see that.”
“We hope.” Tom muttered quietly under his breath.
“Now, Doctor Sauer is a brilliant mind, and-” The Doctor was cut off by the loud cry of an animal outside the landing craft, causing the Time Lord and his companions to turn looking to the door leading to the lab.
“That was right outside.” Jess said looking around her huddled friends.
“What do you think it was?” Tifa asked.
“I’ve no idea.” The Doctor admitted getting to his feet and walking to the door. “Although there are some people who’ve been surveying the life on this planet.”
The door to the living area was flung open and Doctor Sauer burst through the door and quickly looked round at the assembled group. “Ah good, you’re all here.” He said quickly before disappearing back through the door, slamming it closed behind him.
“What the devil was all that about?” Tom asked, breaking the stunned silence.
The Doctor turned to face his companions, a finger raised and his mouth open as though he were about to say something before turning and swiftly disappearing through the door. Stunned to silence, Jess and Tifa slowly turned to look at one another before turning to look at Tom, who was staring after the Doctor at the door as it gently swayed flashing glimpses of the lab in the adjoining room.
*
Seeing that the lab area was now deserted, the Doctor rushed through to the outside of the landing craft. Doctor Sauer, Cristina, Drew and Lucien were stood looking round in shock, Nerdua stood some way before them searching the outer fringes of the jungle, her gun in her hand. Slowly she turned around and spotted the Time Lord.
“What have you done with him?” She growled levelling the gun at the Doctor.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Corporal.” Sauer interjected. “There’s no way they could have done this without us seeing them.”
“What’s happened here?” The Doctor asked.
“Something has taken Mendez’s body.” Cristina said, before pausing and glancing back at the folded sheet still lying on the ground. “Well, erm no, body is right.”
Curiously, the Doctor walked over to the sheet, folded to quarter its normal size, a curious bump in the middle. Slowly he peeled the sheet back revealing Mendez’s head, the flesh ripped at the base of the neck and the jaw missing.
“Fascinating.” The Doctor mused before replacing the sheet and turning to Sauer. “Tell me Doctor Sauer, Tobias, can I call you Tobias?” The Doctor smiled at Sauer, not allowing him chance to reply as he continued. “Have you, or any other members of your expedition, come across anything that could do something like this? Any form of native life?”
The Doctor watched as the expedition members looked at each other, bemused. “Erm, possible one of the larger avian life forms, they seem to be the predominant life on Amaranth.” Sauer replied eventually.
“Even so, Doc,” Cristina started. “The largest of the Dodos couldn’t do this.”
Sauer looked at her and began to count off characteristics of the larger birds on his fingers before Dufayel stepped in with an opposing argument, siding with Rossini. Beyond them, Neruda had turned her attention back to the jungle, attracted by a dark stain on a large, flat leaf. Cautiously she moved closer to it to examine it.
“You take some convincing that we’re on your side.”
The voice beside her made her start. She spun round to see the Doctor stood beside her, examining the same leaf she was.
“It looks as though whatever it was took your friends body, took it into the uppermost branches of the trees. If you look, you can see other blood stains on leaves higher up.” The Time Lord pointed before turning to face Neruda. “You’re beginning to realise we didn’t have anything to do with it. Believe it, it will make coming to terms with things easier.”
Neruda stared after the strange man as he turned and walked over towards where Doctor Sauer was engaged in a now rather lively debate with his student team. A whining coming from overhead caught her attention. Looking up, she saw four of the travel pods making their way to the planet’s surface; two destined for here and two for the next landing craft which was in the next valley a couple of miles away
The Doctor walked up to Sauer and cleared his throat rather loudly. “Sorry to disturb your debate Tobias, but I could really do with your opinion on something.”
Sauer paused in his discussion with his students and looked at the concerned expression on the Doctors face. It was a look that stopped Sauer dead. “What’s the problem, Doctor?”
The Doctors face twisted as he glanced at the students who were now staring at him. “Ah, I’d rather it if we discussed it somewhere a little more private.” Turning on his heel, the Doctor started on his way back to the landing craft. After several seconds of staring at the Time Lords back, Sauer shrugged to his students and followed, disappearing inside the ship.
“What do you suppose that was all about?” Drew asked, scratching the back of his head.
His question received a shrug from both Dufayel and Rossini, the latter of whom turned after Sauer, her finger thoughtfully on her lips, a concerned expression spreading across her face.
*
“Doctor Sauer,” the Doctor said, in an almost theatrical style as he stood next to Tifa, who was starting to look pale. “I’d like your professional opinion on this.” He said as he showed him the infection on Tifa’s hand. “Now, I know you’re not a botanist or a medical doctor, but we seem to think that this little fellow may be responsible.” The Doctor carefully picked up the thorn that Tom had found.
“Well,” Sauer said as he crouched down beside Tifa. “I can’t say that I’ve ever seen anything like this before.”
“That’s not the exactly building my confidence.” Tifa replied.
“Don’t worry,” the Doctor smiled down at his companion. “I’ve seen one or two things like it before. But I’ve never been to Amaranth before, let alone studied any of the plant or animal life.”
The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck and glanced over to the door to the sleeping berths where he had sent Tom and Jess while he and Sauer looked at Tifa’s hand. He didn’t want to tell Tifa that the two forms of plant life he’d seen before, Varga Plants and Krynoid were fatal to any life form them infected.
“I think a broad spectrum anti-biotic might be prudent at this stage, Doctor.” Sauer said looking up at the Time Lord. “But if Commander Olbrich is coming down to the surface about Mendez, then I would have thought he’d bring Doctor Le Druier with him to officially record cause of death.”
“Excellent,” the Doctor grinned, clapping his hands together. “I’ve a smattering of knowledge that will transcend all aspects that we need, so working with the two of you, we can sort this out.”
“I think Doctor Le Druier will be more pre-occupied with Mendez.” Sauer said and instantly regretted it noting the look on the Doctor’s face.
“Mendez is dead,” the Doctor said. “Tifa’s situation is far more pressing.”
*
“What do you thinks’ happening?” Jess asked. She was sat on one of the top bunks swinging her legs idly watching Tom who was stood by the door, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation in the living area.
“I don’t know,” the young Time Lord replied moving away from the door and easing himself onto one of the other bunks. “But I do know that whatever is happening to Tifa is a tad more serious that the Doctor’s making out.”
“A tad?” Jess asked. “I see you’re as technical as ever. How much of a tad are we talking here?”
“More than a smidge, less than a heap.” Tom shrugged.
“Boy, you’re helpful.” Jess teased looking up as there was a metallic sound coming from the rear of the landing craft. The sound of the two travel pods arriving could clearly be heard and the locking mechanisms securing them to the larger landing craft. “What was that?”
“I’d imagine that would be the Commander of the mission. Here t’clap us in irons, arr!” Tom laughed, affecting a pirate accent and squinting as he finished the sentence.
“You’re remarkably relaxed about it all.”
“Well, there’s not much for you or I to do really at the moment. No marauding monsters, Dalek invasion fleets or renegade Time Lords, well, except for the Doctor and me.” Tom replied, stretching as best he could in the cramped bunk.
“What about the murderer? And what’s happened to Tifa?”
“Are you a doctor of biology, zoology or medicine or anything to help?”
“No, not really.” Jess replied, swinging herself fully into the bunk and laying back. “But the murderer?”
“That’s why the commander and his team have come down.” Yawned Tom. “I imagine we’ll be back out into the great wide yonder before too much longer.”
“Oh yeah?” Jess asked, raising her eyebrow. “What’s the bet this time?”
“Well, normally I would,” started Tom raising his hand to emphasise his point. “But this is us. Two things you can count out; the Doctor turning up claiming to be an expert or able to help and us running afoul of an attempt to take over the galaxy or getting arrested.”
Jess pursed her lips as she thought about what Tom said. “Yeah, alright smart arse, you win.” Jess smiled and closed her eyes listening to the murmur of voices from the living area.
“You ever get tired of it?”
“What?” Jess almost hit her head on the top of the bunk, not expecting Tom’s question.
“Well, I imagine it’s a far cry from 20th century student life.”
“It’s better than spending all day in the library.” Jess said. “It’s like nothing else, it’s fantastic. What about you? How different is it to Security Commander of a space station. It’s not like Star Trek I take it.”
“Nah, that was alright,” Tom said, swinging his legs off the bunk and sitting up. “You’ll have to let me know what this ‘Star Trek’ is before I can compare to it. It had a few hairy moments and you meet a wide variety of people and races. This is the same, but different.”
“Riiiiiight,” Jess said. “What’s brought this on? You thinking of leaving?”
“No,” Tom chuckled. “Where would I go? Back to EST3? The Time Lords will have made sure that I’m forgotten there. And I sure as hell am not going back to Gallifrey. No, I’m gonna be kicking about for a while yet.”
“Good to know you’re still gonna be ‘kicking about’.” Jess smiled laying back down on the bunk. “Who would I have to pick on if you left?” Jess collapsed into giggles as the pillow from the bunk Tom was laying on was thrown up into hers.
*
“Doctor Smith, I do not believe that you or any of your party were responsible for the death of my pilot.” Olbrich said, pacing up and down the laboratory section of the landing craft, his hands folded behind his back. “However, it still raises the question as to who was responsible?”
“The answer is obvious, Commander,” the Doctor said getting up from where he was sat next to Tifa. Doctor Le Druier was sat the other side of the young Thal tending her hand and administering an intravenous anti-biotic. Looking round, the Doctor leaned closer to Olbrich conspiratorially. “It’s just ‘Doctor’, by the way.” He smiled standing back and sliding his hands into his trouser pockets. “The murderer is clearly a member of the expedition. I take it that there were more than just the six people on the planet?”
“Well, naturally,” Sauer said, looking up from where he was sat watching Le Druier work, clearly fascinated in the infection in Tifa’s hand. “Professor Mori’s party are about three miles away.”
“Then if Corporal Neruda’s story is to be believed, that leaves the only logical place the murderer could have come from.” The Doctor said, pulling himself to his full height and gripping the lapels of his waistcoat, grinning.
“It’s hardly an amusing matter, Doctor Smith.” Olbrich said glowering at the Doctor. “It means I have a murderer on my hands and I need to find who and a motive.”
“Are you a medical doctor?” Doctor Le Druier asked looking up at the Time Lord.
“I’ve taken a couple of degrees in my time.” The Doctor replied turning away from Olbrich and swiftly sitting down opposite Le Druier and looking at what she was doing before looking at Tifa and smiling. “How are you feeling?”
“A bit light headed and weak.” Tifa said flexing her fingers. “My hand really hurts and my fingers feel tingly.”
“There’s definitely an infection there, it’s certainly no allergic reaction.” Doctor Le Druier confirmed. “But I’d like to get you up to the sick bay so I can examine and treat you properly.”
Olbrich looked up sharply and turned round to face Le Druier, the Doctor and Tifa. “I’m sorry doctor, doctors, but I cannot allow a potentially contagious alien infection aboard my ship.”
“But, Commander,” Le Druier began, getting to her feet. “I don’t have the facilities here to properly treat this infection. The whole point of my coming along was to supply medical attention to the expedition and anyone we encounter. I’m a doctor; it’s my duty to treat this girl. It was precisely for this reason that you brought me along.”
Tifa looked up at Doctor Le Druier and then to the Doctor before turning on to look at Olbrich, a look of pleading in her eyes.
“Commander, you cannot refuse medical attention for this girl when she so obviously needs it. If not taking her up to the command ship, then at least let some DNA and blood samples be taken up so that the Doctors can work on something.” Sauer said, backing up his colleague. “I have enough rudimentary knowledge to administer basic needs down here.”
Olbrich looked at the small group gathered before him for several seconds before finally relenting and nodding. “Very well. You can take up blood samples and anything you need, but you are to be confined to the sick bay. I do not want any infection spread aboard my ship.” With that, he turned on his heel and left headed towards the cockpit of the landing craft.
“Well, that’s less than I hoped for, but at least it’s something.” The Doctor admitted.
“I’m sorry he wasn’t more accepting.” Le Druier said. “We’ve never had an incident like this, let alone one with unidentified personnel.”
“So what’s going to happen to me?” Tifa asked, looking up at the Doctor, who crouched down besides her smiling comfortingly.
“Doctor Le Druier and I are going to take a few blood and skin samples from you to a medical facility on the ship in orbit. But don’t worry; Tobias here will keep you under close observation. You’ll be quite safe.”
“But, Doctor, I’m scared.” Tifa admitted, grasping the Doctors hand with hers. “I don’t know what’s happening.”
“I know.” The Doctor replied softly, patting her hand. “Tom and Jess will be here still to look after you. I promise you; you’ll be fine.”
*
Olbrich walked from the living area through the laboratory section of the landing craft, spotting Rossini, Dufayel and Bradman gathered round a bench. Pausing mid-step, he changed direction towards them. They had found the strangers on the surface, and Dufeyal and Bradman had returned with the two younger members of the Doctors party that he hadn’t met yet. There was still time to question them, most probably when the Doctor had left to go the command ship.
In the mean time, he could still question the student team here, and he would. He was walking towards them when one of the security personnel burst through from the cockpit, the adjoining door slamming into the partitioning wall with a loud crash causing the three students to spin round to face him.
“Sorry sir,” she apologised, straightening up. “We’ve just had contact from Sergeant Thaer from Professor Mori’s party,” Pausing, she quickly glanced round the eyes watching her. “They’re under attack by alien creatures.”
