Post by Fitz Kreiner on Feb 17, 2009 22:23:32 GMT
The Lander occupants stared at Tom in shock, before slowly turning to look at Mori, who’s eye’s were fixed on the young Time Lord, his mouth hung slack, open in disbelief.
“Who the hell are you to accuse me of such a thing, you stupid young upstart?” Mori finally exploded, trembling in rage.
Cooly, Tom turned from the small man and held out a rather battered looking data pad, with a large crack across the screen, towards Olbrich. “This data pad should contain all the information you need to know. It seems your pilot, Mendez, had discovered what the “professor” was up to and was planning to use the information for blackmail purposes; this is why he was killed. It links in with the theory that he knew his attacker. Oh, it got a bit damaged in the sabotage and explosion; you might have to hold it tight to get it to work properly.” Pausing, Tom glanced at Corporal Neruda out the corner of his eye. The marine had her hand on the butt of her pistol and was staring daggers at Mori.
“You’re not seriously entertaining this foolish story are you?” Mori asked, rounding on Olbrich. “How could any data have been entered about Mendez’s death if he was dead and no one saw it?”
“That was speculation mostly.” Tom admitted. “But the fact that there is clear data there from Mendez himself about his discovering you, it gives a very obvious motive. It also highlights the sabotage that you’ve inflicted upon this mission, and your own data and lab to throw suspicion off yourself. Not only that, but there are details of the illicit genetic experiments that you’ve been conduction on various animal and plant life which you have unleashed onto this unsuspecting world, and which have injured one of my friends and by the looks, attacked one member of your own expedition and killed two other marines.”
“He’s responsible for these creatures?” Rossini asked.
Tom nodded. “In the report I’ve got here it seems he’s called them ‘Wyvern’.”
Mori looked round at the people grouped around him; the marines, his colleague and students and the strangers. The Lander suddenly seemed more cramped than ever and the walls seemed to be closing in on him. “You seriously aren’t entertaining this nonsense are you?” He asked, looking at Olbrich. Neruda, Thaer and Sauer were stood behind him, looking up from the data pad.
Slowly and deliberately Olbrich passed the data pad back to Tom. “You might want to transfer this data to your friend on the mother ship.” He said before turning back to Mori and drawing his pistol. “Whereas you, Professor Mori, are under arrest, for murder, assault, criminal damage, sabotage and five violations of the Jupiter Genetics Law 2813.” Olbrich motioned to two of the marines stood near Mori, who moved forwards and grabbed the professor’s arms.
“You cannot be serious? Don’t you realise, you stupid military fool, that this boy has fabricated it all to get himself out of trouble?” Mori shouted at Olbrich.
“I’m sorry, Ita, that was all genuine. I can see it all now.” Sauer said sadly, stepping back from Olbrich. “What are you going to do with him?”
Olbrich kept his eyes firmly fixed on Mori. “It’s starting to get very crowded down here; however, I don’t want this man out of my sight.” Olbrich paused as he glanced around the crowded Lander. “I want this place cleared as much as possible. We’ve four travel pods, and I want all student team members to be evacuated to the mother ship. Thaer, Neruda, Doritz and Sauer; you will remain, Sauer to help treat the injured.”
“Now just a minute skip-” Drew started before Olbrich brought his hand up, cutting him off.
“I want to hear no arguments. We may have to abandon this mission yet. As for you,” Olbrich paused and took a couple of steps towards Mori. “I have every right to order your execution right now, you piece of filth.” Turning, Olbrich motioned to Neruda and Doritz. “Clear that office out and prep it as a makeshift cell. That man is leaving the planet with me.”
“What about me and Tom?” Jess asked.
“Yes, you two will remain here.” Olbrich said. “You can tend to your friend, and the young man looks as though he needs some medical attention.”
“In time.” Tom said, turning and hobbling towards the cockpit.
“Yes, very well. There isn’t the space here at the moment, I suggest we start preperations.” Olbrich said, pointing to Mori, a look of disgust on his face. “Bring him.” He said, making for the small office.
Jess walked into the cockpit of the Lander, squeezing between the bustling marines and students who were preparing to leave. It would seem quiet without them. Sergeant Thaer was stood at the door to the cockpit, staring towards the office prison cell, which had Neruda stood on guard outside.
Taking a last look about, she nipped into the cockpit. Tom was sat inside, gingerly holding his injured leg away from the chair he was sat in. He had activated several of the screens and it looked as though he was transferring the data from the pad into the computer.
“You really scared me.” Jess said eventually after several seconds of silence.
The young Time Lord stopped at what he was doing and turned to face her. He looked pained.
“I scared myself as well.” He admitted. “Close call doesn’t come close. How’s Tifa?”
“Asleep.” Jess said. “Doctor Sauer sedated her and gave her some anti-biotics to stop that infection. What’s that you’re doing there?”
“Getting all this info stored here onto the main ship computer so I can transfer it off to the Doctor.”
“The Doctor!” Jess replied, suddenly shocked. “He thinks you’re dead.” Jess paused noting the look on Tom’s face. “Well, we all did. But a message was sent up to the mother ship telling him you’d died in the explosion. I spoke to him myself.”
“Well, he’ll be pleased to see me then.” Tom said, looking straight into Jess’s eyes. They’d lost none of their sparkle.
Toms face broke into a large grin, cracking the drying mud and blood that spattered it. Jess found herself grinning back. She felt a lot safer and more comfortable now that he was back, and the relief that she felt not he was here and not dead, well, she couldn’t put it into words. Suddenly Jess felt a pang of guilt about Tifa, lying unconscious in the back of the Lander.
“I’m going to go and check on Tifa,” she said, the thought suddenly weighing on her mind. “Don’t do anything silly again, will you.” She added, stopping and laying a hand on Toms shoulder.
“I’ll be right here when you get back.” He smiled, reaching up and placing his hand on hers. “Or at least getting this leg seen to.”
Jess smiled and reached down to give the young Time Lord a hug, as best she could with his sitting down, without hurting him.
Doctor Le Druier was sat staring at the monitor screen before her. She seemed to be fading in and out the past couple of hours. She was tired and hadn’t had a break; she’d even point blankly refused a break when the Doctor had told her to go for one some hours ago. The Doctor. Her co-worker in this little project. He had been dashing about the sick bay lab and working at screens like a Will o' the wisp. She’d never seen such energy.
She was brought out of her reverie by a bleeping on the communications panel. Shaking her head clear she activated the circuit and the image of a rather dirty and battered looking young man appeared on the screen.
“Doctor, I think this is for you.” She said looking up at the Time Lord.
“Hmm? What is it?” He asked, his face looking almost empty of emotion.
“I think you should see this, it could be rather important.”
The Doctor bounded round the console to look at the screen. Instantly his face changed to a picture of pure joy and happiness. “Tom? Tom!” He cried out, and for several moments, Amelie thought that he was going to hug the screen. “You’re alive!” He cried.
“Just about. It was a close call.” Tom replied. “I don’t want to bore you with details, we may not have time, but I’ve managed to get some info about these creatures and their genetic make-up.”
“Ha ha! Brilliant! Thank you.” The Doctor grinned.
“We were right; they’re genetically engineered, by Professor Ita Mori. I’ve managed to get some information that was being held by the marine who was killed and I’m transferring it up for you now actually.”
The Doctor pulled a keyboard over and started to furiously tap at the keys at a speed that made his hands seem like blurs. On the screen the image of Tom shrank into the top left corner and reams of data blurred up the right hand side of the screen at a speed that Amelie was sure that was impossible for anyone to read, yet the Doctor seemed to be staring at it intently.
“Ah, Wyvern he calls them.” He muttered as some images of strange green creatures appeared in the text. “Genetically modified, genetic abnormalities, infection, lymph phagocytes, aggressive cellular defence.” The Doctor continued to mutter as the data scrolled up.
“I’m going to have to cut this short, Doctor.” Tom said from the screen. “I have a slight medical matter to have attended to.”
“Yes, yes, thanks you. Of course.” The Doctor smiled. “And thank you, this information could be most invaluable. See you soon.”
The communication link blinked off and Amelie looked up at the Doctor. The Time Lord was stood, staring at the screen intently, gently tapping his lips with his index and middle finger, a look on his face that hinted that he was in deep thought.
“Doctor?” Amelie asked.
“Hmm? Yes?” He asked, as if coming out of a deep reverie. “What is it?”
“What did all that say? Surely you can’t have had time to read it all?”
“Oh, yes I did. I’m a rather swift reader. And that was rather an interesting read!” The Doctor spun on his heel and grabbed Amelie by the shoulders. “It appears that these creatures were genetically created by some chap called Professor Ita Mori, whoever he is, and it has details of the methods and experiments he used as well as the genetic material he used, which we can use to help us develop an anti-serum for the infection that Tifa has. And if anyone else has been infected as well.”
“Professor Mori?!” Amelie exclaimed, running her hand through her hair. “But he’d have been the last person I’d have thought of.”
“Yes,” the Doctor mused. “And apparently he was behind a series of sabotage and the murder of the pilot on the surface.”
“But, he was attacked, just before all this trouble started, I saw to him.”
“May I see your records?” The Doctor asked.
Amelie reached round to access her medical records and pulled up her records of the attack on Mori. Reaching behind him and grabbing a stool, the Doctor dragged it round and sat back on it, reaching across and pulling the screen towards him at the same time. Resting his elbows on the bench before him, the Doctor planted his chin in his hands and stared at the record.
“Chemical inhalation?” The Doctor said thoughtfully after several seconds. “Didn’t you think that was rather suspicious?”
“Well, there was a lot of damage to the lab, bottles and containers smashed and scattered over the floor. Professor Mori himself was lying in a pool of chemicals.”
“Yes, it said here. But it’s highly probably that the attack could have been staged. After all, who is going to suspect the victim of an assault as the assaulter? It does happen but what the eyes and ears see and hear, the mind believes. You see a man having been attacked and assume that someone else has attacked him.”
Amelie smiled at the Time Lord. “You should have been a detective rather than a doctor.”
“I’ve been a lot of things in my time, Doctor Le Druier.” The Doctor smiled. “Detective and Doctor are just two of them.”
“Well, whatever you are, you’re very welcomed.” Amelie smiled. “Where are you and your expedition off to next?”
“Expedition?” The Doctor asked. “Oh, we don’t know yet. The TARDIS sort of does its own thing a lot of the time, which is alright by me.” He grinned.
“What sort of way is that to run an expedition?”
“Well, we’re more travellers and explorers than a scientific expedition. As nice as it is to do a spot of work like that sometimes.” The Doctor replied getting to his feet and walking back to where he had been working.
Amelie looked across at the Time Lord. He seemed sprightlier; there was a smile back on his face and almost a spring in his step. Amelie smiled. She felt instantly more comfortable about him, as if he emanated an aura of good feeling.
“So where are you heading next? The expedition that is.”
The question caught Amelie off guard, coming completely out of the blue. It seemed that the Doctor was now a different man now he knew his friend was alive, and he had the information to save his other friend at his finger tips.
“Erm, sector 411/23 I think. Even farther out than we are now. We know there’s a planetary system out that way, around the star Zeta Puppis.”
“Ah, how interesting.” The Doctor mused. “Containing the planet Moraur unless I’m much mistaken. The year 2824, yes, a colony of... How interesting.”
Amelie looked at the Doctor again, he had a faraway look on his face.
“Doctor? Is everything ok?” She asked.
“Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.” The Doctor said looking up and smiling one of his wonderful smiles at Amelie. “I’ve just got to have a chat with someone about something soon.”
“Now this could hurt,” doctor Sauer said, looking up at Tom.
The young Time Lord was sat on the bench in the living area of the Lander, his injured leg up on a chair. Doctor Sauer was crouched down beside, examining the shrapnel sticking out of his leg.
“I’m aware of that.” Tom replied.
“I really wish you came to see about getting this sorted earlier.” Sauer scorned.
“Well, no offence Doc,” Tom said shifting uncomfortably. “I thought sending the info about these Wyvern off to the Doctor a lot more important than a shrapnel wound.”
“I suppose you didn’t think about infection or even gangrene at all either, did you?”
“I’ve been fighting all that off. I’ve a different biochemistry to you humans, y’see.” Tom smiled at noting the confused look on the man’s face. “Long story. But basically, get that out and I can put myself to sleep to heal up.”
“I’d still rather administer some anaesthetics and anti-biotics.” Sauer protested.
“I’ve told you, wrong bio-chemistry. Anaesthetic could prove detrimental to my own personal regenerative capabilities. I wouldn’t want to survive a near fatal experience only to lose a life to a simple injection trying to help me!”
“Lose a life? Are you taking this seriously Mr. Rowan?” Sauer asked narrowing his eyes and getting to his feet. He reached out and laid a hand across Tom’s forehead. “You don’t seem to be running a temperature.” He said.
“Time Lord. Not human.” Tom said. “Just take a blood sample.”
“Hmm,” Sauer mused, moving back down to Tom’s leg. “As long as you’re sure you don’t want anything.”
“Yup,” Tom nodded.
“Would you object to my using a dermal regenerator to help repair the wound?” Sauer asked.
“You’ve got one?”
“Of course. Part of every first aid kit out here.” Sauer replied.
“Ah,” Tom paused and craned his neck to glance through the door to the sleeping berths. He could just see the male student who had been attacked. “Then why haven’t you used it on him?”
“I don’t want to close the wound around an alien infection.” Sauer explained. “Instead I’ve just sedated him for the time being. And, well, there was the issue that the regenerator didn’t seem to recognise the matter that his skin is metamorphosing into around the wound.” Sauer winced as he finished his sentence. “I just wish there was more I could do.”
“The Doctor will come through.” Tom replied.
Sauer looked up straight into Tom’s eyes. The piercing and vibrant blue of them seemed to reach out directly into his skull, and he found himself believing the young man. Everything almost seemed all alright again.
“Hold tight,” Sauer warned. He gripped hold of the shrapnel and pulled.
The door from the lab was flung open and Jess almost fell through the opening, Olbrich close behind her.
“What was that cry?” Jess asked, taking in the sight of Sauer holding a bloody piece of metal and Tom, his knuckles white, gripping the edge of the thin cushions that covered the bench, his head pressed back, a sheen of sweat over his forehead.
“It’s ok.” Tom said, through clenched teeth.
“Just a quick operation,” Sauer said almost sheepishly as he put the shrapnel on the table and picked up the dermal regenerator. “Your friend has the wrong bio-chemistry for anaesthetic.”
Jess took a sigh of relief and looked up at Tom. His eyes were closed and he hardly seemed to be breathing. “Is he ok? Has he fainted?”
Sauer looked up sharply at Tom. Swiftly he got to his feet and gently checked his eyes. “No, just asleep it seems. He said something about self inducing it to help heal himself.”
“Well, I think he must be onto something Herr Doctor.” Olbrich said, looking round the small group. “I think that you civilians should take his example and get some sleep. There is not much we can do now until the Doctor returns with the necessary information to help those two unfortunate kids in there.” Olbrich nodded to the sleeping berths.
“If you think that’s sensible, Commander.” Sauer said.
“I think it is necessary, Herr Doctor.” Olbrich said, folding his arms. “We have all been through a lot in the past couple of days and gotten very little rest. Sergeant Thaer, Corporal Neruda and I will take shifts in keeping watch and guard on Mori.”
“If you insist, Commander.” Sauer sighed.
Olbrich nodded and turned, walking out of the living area and shutting the door behind him.
Jess looked after him and soon found herself yawning. “I didn’t realise I was so tired I’ve been so worried about Tom and Tifa.” She said, turning to look at Sauer, who was still stood beside Tom.
“Adrenaline,” He said. “Now you know they’re both going to be ok, it’s returning to its normal levels.” Sauer paused, shifting uncomfortably. “Would, erm, would you prefer to be in here with Tom, or in one of the beds through there. I’ll go for the opposite of course.”
Jess shrugged. “I don’t care. Wherever is comfiest.”
“Probably perched on a branch outside.” Sauer smiled. “Take one of the beds. It’s a lot safer through there.”
“Are you sure you want to go alone?” Amelie asked, feeling rather sad that the Doctor was heading back to the planet’s surface already; and alone at that. “I mean, what if you need assistance?”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine, thank you Amelie.”
The Time Lord smiled and kissed her once on each cheek. Amelie found herself blushing. It was very rare that anyone used such an archaic gesture these days.
“Besides, you have your own patients to administer to.” The Doctor added.
“You’re right,” she admitted meekly.
“And if all goes well, everyone should be back up here and you on your way within a couple of hours.” The Doctor flashed Amelie another of his smiles as he hit the door control. “Bon voyage, and thank you, Amelie, you were a great help.” He smiled as the door closed.
Amelie found herself waving at the blank metal door of the travel pod before checking herself and moving back as the pod moved for travel to the planet. Crossing to the transport control panel, she stood behind the operator and watched as the red blip, that marked the travel pod, make its way down to the green mass that was Amaranth.
Camillo Piazzi’s eyes snapped open. The alien infection was coursing through his veins and nerves. His whole body was tingling. He could hear movement in the very fore of the Lander, smell the eight other occupants, and sense the vibrations of the power supply. His red and yellow eyes burnt through the darkness, giving him a clear vision. He had to get out, out of this metal cage and into the freedom of the jungle.
A growl emanated deep within his throat as he got to his feet. He could smell the outside world. He had to make his way through three doors, and at least six of the other occupants of the Lander were between him and freedom.
Crossing over to the door, he looked down at the handle. Cautiously reaching out, he pulled the door open. Two of the other occupants were in this section, both asleep. They posed no danger, and neither did the two in the same compartment as he was.
Piazzi narrowed his eyes as he opened the other door and light flooded in. He wasn’t used to the bright light, it almost seemed too much. However, he could smell where everyone was; two in the cockpit, one in the office and a man outside the office.
He could detect a change of smell in the man. He had clearly spotted Piazzi and was reaction, and the reaction was hostile. With a snarling wail, Piazzi flung himself at the man.
“Who the hell are you to accuse me of such a thing, you stupid young upstart?” Mori finally exploded, trembling in rage.
Cooly, Tom turned from the small man and held out a rather battered looking data pad, with a large crack across the screen, towards Olbrich. “This data pad should contain all the information you need to know. It seems your pilot, Mendez, had discovered what the “professor” was up to and was planning to use the information for blackmail purposes; this is why he was killed. It links in with the theory that he knew his attacker. Oh, it got a bit damaged in the sabotage and explosion; you might have to hold it tight to get it to work properly.” Pausing, Tom glanced at Corporal Neruda out the corner of his eye. The marine had her hand on the butt of her pistol and was staring daggers at Mori.
“You’re not seriously entertaining this foolish story are you?” Mori asked, rounding on Olbrich. “How could any data have been entered about Mendez’s death if he was dead and no one saw it?”
“That was speculation mostly.” Tom admitted. “But the fact that there is clear data there from Mendez himself about his discovering you, it gives a very obvious motive. It also highlights the sabotage that you’ve inflicted upon this mission, and your own data and lab to throw suspicion off yourself. Not only that, but there are details of the illicit genetic experiments that you’ve been conduction on various animal and plant life which you have unleashed onto this unsuspecting world, and which have injured one of my friends and by the looks, attacked one member of your own expedition and killed two other marines.”
“He’s responsible for these creatures?” Rossini asked.
Tom nodded. “In the report I’ve got here it seems he’s called them ‘Wyvern’.”
Mori looked round at the people grouped around him; the marines, his colleague and students and the strangers. The Lander suddenly seemed more cramped than ever and the walls seemed to be closing in on him. “You seriously aren’t entertaining this nonsense are you?” He asked, looking at Olbrich. Neruda, Thaer and Sauer were stood behind him, looking up from the data pad.
Slowly and deliberately Olbrich passed the data pad back to Tom. “You might want to transfer this data to your friend on the mother ship.” He said before turning back to Mori and drawing his pistol. “Whereas you, Professor Mori, are under arrest, for murder, assault, criminal damage, sabotage and five violations of the Jupiter Genetics Law 2813.” Olbrich motioned to two of the marines stood near Mori, who moved forwards and grabbed the professor’s arms.
“You cannot be serious? Don’t you realise, you stupid military fool, that this boy has fabricated it all to get himself out of trouble?” Mori shouted at Olbrich.
“I’m sorry, Ita, that was all genuine. I can see it all now.” Sauer said sadly, stepping back from Olbrich. “What are you going to do with him?”
Olbrich kept his eyes firmly fixed on Mori. “It’s starting to get very crowded down here; however, I don’t want this man out of my sight.” Olbrich paused as he glanced around the crowded Lander. “I want this place cleared as much as possible. We’ve four travel pods, and I want all student team members to be evacuated to the mother ship. Thaer, Neruda, Doritz and Sauer; you will remain, Sauer to help treat the injured.”
“Now just a minute skip-” Drew started before Olbrich brought his hand up, cutting him off.
“I want to hear no arguments. We may have to abandon this mission yet. As for you,” Olbrich paused and took a couple of steps towards Mori. “I have every right to order your execution right now, you piece of filth.” Turning, Olbrich motioned to Neruda and Doritz. “Clear that office out and prep it as a makeshift cell. That man is leaving the planet with me.”
“What about me and Tom?” Jess asked.
“Yes, you two will remain here.” Olbrich said. “You can tend to your friend, and the young man looks as though he needs some medical attention.”
“In time.” Tom said, turning and hobbling towards the cockpit.
“Yes, very well. There isn’t the space here at the moment, I suggest we start preperations.” Olbrich said, pointing to Mori, a look of disgust on his face. “Bring him.” He said, making for the small office.
*
Jess walked into the cockpit of the Lander, squeezing between the bustling marines and students who were preparing to leave. It would seem quiet without them. Sergeant Thaer was stood at the door to the cockpit, staring towards the office prison cell, which had Neruda stood on guard outside.
Taking a last look about, she nipped into the cockpit. Tom was sat inside, gingerly holding his injured leg away from the chair he was sat in. He had activated several of the screens and it looked as though he was transferring the data from the pad into the computer.
“You really scared me.” Jess said eventually after several seconds of silence.
The young Time Lord stopped at what he was doing and turned to face her. He looked pained.
“I scared myself as well.” He admitted. “Close call doesn’t come close. How’s Tifa?”
“Asleep.” Jess said. “Doctor Sauer sedated her and gave her some anti-biotics to stop that infection. What’s that you’re doing there?”
“Getting all this info stored here onto the main ship computer so I can transfer it off to the Doctor.”
“The Doctor!” Jess replied, suddenly shocked. “He thinks you’re dead.” Jess paused noting the look on Tom’s face. “Well, we all did. But a message was sent up to the mother ship telling him you’d died in the explosion. I spoke to him myself.”
“Well, he’ll be pleased to see me then.” Tom said, looking straight into Jess’s eyes. They’d lost none of their sparkle.
Toms face broke into a large grin, cracking the drying mud and blood that spattered it. Jess found herself grinning back. She felt a lot safer and more comfortable now that he was back, and the relief that she felt not he was here and not dead, well, she couldn’t put it into words. Suddenly Jess felt a pang of guilt about Tifa, lying unconscious in the back of the Lander.
“I’m going to go and check on Tifa,” she said, the thought suddenly weighing on her mind. “Don’t do anything silly again, will you.” She added, stopping and laying a hand on Toms shoulder.
“I’ll be right here when you get back.” He smiled, reaching up and placing his hand on hers. “Or at least getting this leg seen to.”
Jess smiled and reached down to give the young Time Lord a hug, as best she could with his sitting down, without hurting him.
*
Doctor Le Druier was sat staring at the monitor screen before her. She seemed to be fading in and out the past couple of hours. She was tired and hadn’t had a break; she’d even point blankly refused a break when the Doctor had told her to go for one some hours ago. The Doctor. Her co-worker in this little project. He had been dashing about the sick bay lab and working at screens like a Will o' the wisp. She’d never seen such energy.
She was brought out of her reverie by a bleeping on the communications panel. Shaking her head clear she activated the circuit and the image of a rather dirty and battered looking young man appeared on the screen.
“Doctor, I think this is for you.” She said looking up at the Time Lord.
“Hmm? What is it?” He asked, his face looking almost empty of emotion.
“I think you should see this, it could be rather important.”
The Doctor bounded round the console to look at the screen. Instantly his face changed to a picture of pure joy and happiness. “Tom? Tom!” He cried out, and for several moments, Amelie thought that he was going to hug the screen. “You’re alive!” He cried.
“Just about. It was a close call.” Tom replied. “I don’t want to bore you with details, we may not have time, but I’ve managed to get some info about these creatures and their genetic make-up.”
“Ha ha! Brilliant! Thank you.” The Doctor grinned.
“We were right; they’re genetically engineered, by Professor Ita Mori. I’ve managed to get some information that was being held by the marine who was killed and I’m transferring it up for you now actually.”
The Doctor pulled a keyboard over and started to furiously tap at the keys at a speed that made his hands seem like blurs. On the screen the image of Tom shrank into the top left corner and reams of data blurred up the right hand side of the screen at a speed that Amelie was sure that was impossible for anyone to read, yet the Doctor seemed to be staring at it intently.
“Ah, Wyvern he calls them.” He muttered as some images of strange green creatures appeared in the text. “Genetically modified, genetic abnormalities, infection, lymph phagocytes, aggressive cellular defence.” The Doctor continued to mutter as the data scrolled up.
“I’m going to have to cut this short, Doctor.” Tom said from the screen. “I have a slight medical matter to have attended to.”
“Yes, yes, thanks you. Of course.” The Doctor smiled. “And thank you, this information could be most invaluable. See you soon.”
The communication link blinked off and Amelie looked up at the Doctor. The Time Lord was stood, staring at the screen intently, gently tapping his lips with his index and middle finger, a look on his face that hinted that he was in deep thought.
“Doctor?” Amelie asked.
“Hmm? Yes?” He asked, as if coming out of a deep reverie. “What is it?”
“What did all that say? Surely you can’t have had time to read it all?”
“Oh, yes I did. I’m a rather swift reader. And that was rather an interesting read!” The Doctor spun on his heel and grabbed Amelie by the shoulders. “It appears that these creatures were genetically created by some chap called Professor Ita Mori, whoever he is, and it has details of the methods and experiments he used as well as the genetic material he used, which we can use to help us develop an anti-serum for the infection that Tifa has. And if anyone else has been infected as well.”
“Professor Mori?!” Amelie exclaimed, running her hand through her hair. “But he’d have been the last person I’d have thought of.”
“Yes,” the Doctor mused. “And apparently he was behind a series of sabotage and the murder of the pilot on the surface.”
“But, he was attacked, just before all this trouble started, I saw to him.”
“May I see your records?” The Doctor asked.
Amelie reached round to access her medical records and pulled up her records of the attack on Mori. Reaching behind him and grabbing a stool, the Doctor dragged it round and sat back on it, reaching across and pulling the screen towards him at the same time. Resting his elbows on the bench before him, the Doctor planted his chin in his hands and stared at the record.
“Chemical inhalation?” The Doctor said thoughtfully after several seconds. “Didn’t you think that was rather suspicious?”
“Well, there was a lot of damage to the lab, bottles and containers smashed and scattered over the floor. Professor Mori himself was lying in a pool of chemicals.”
“Yes, it said here. But it’s highly probably that the attack could have been staged. After all, who is going to suspect the victim of an assault as the assaulter? It does happen but what the eyes and ears see and hear, the mind believes. You see a man having been attacked and assume that someone else has attacked him.”
Amelie smiled at the Time Lord. “You should have been a detective rather than a doctor.”
“I’ve been a lot of things in my time, Doctor Le Druier.” The Doctor smiled. “Detective and Doctor are just two of them.”
“Well, whatever you are, you’re very welcomed.” Amelie smiled. “Where are you and your expedition off to next?”
“Expedition?” The Doctor asked. “Oh, we don’t know yet. The TARDIS sort of does its own thing a lot of the time, which is alright by me.” He grinned.
“What sort of way is that to run an expedition?”
“Well, we’re more travellers and explorers than a scientific expedition. As nice as it is to do a spot of work like that sometimes.” The Doctor replied getting to his feet and walking back to where he had been working.
Amelie looked across at the Time Lord. He seemed sprightlier; there was a smile back on his face and almost a spring in his step. Amelie smiled. She felt instantly more comfortable about him, as if he emanated an aura of good feeling.
“So where are you heading next? The expedition that is.”
The question caught Amelie off guard, coming completely out of the blue. It seemed that the Doctor was now a different man now he knew his friend was alive, and he had the information to save his other friend at his finger tips.
“Erm, sector 411/23 I think. Even farther out than we are now. We know there’s a planetary system out that way, around the star Zeta Puppis.”
“Ah, how interesting.” The Doctor mused. “Containing the planet Moraur unless I’m much mistaken. The year 2824, yes, a colony of... How interesting.”
Amelie looked at the Doctor again, he had a faraway look on his face.
“Doctor? Is everything ok?” She asked.
“Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.” The Doctor said looking up and smiling one of his wonderful smiles at Amelie. “I’ve just got to have a chat with someone about something soon.”
*
“Now this could hurt,” doctor Sauer said, looking up at Tom.
The young Time Lord was sat on the bench in the living area of the Lander, his injured leg up on a chair. Doctor Sauer was crouched down beside, examining the shrapnel sticking out of his leg.
“I’m aware of that.” Tom replied.
“I really wish you came to see about getting this sorted earlier.” Sauer scorned.
“Well, no offence Doc,” Tom said shifting uncomfortably. “I thought sending the info about these Wyvern off to the Doctor a lot more important than a shrapnel wound.”
“I suppose you didn’t think about infection or even gangrene at all either, did you?”
“I’ve been fighting all that off. I’ve a different biochemistry to you humans, y’see.” Tom smiled at noting the confused look on the man’s face. “Long story. But basically, get that out and I can put myself to sleep to heal up.”
“I’d still rather administer some anaesthetics and anti-biotics.” Sauer protested.
“I’ve told you, wrong bio-chemistry. Anaesthetic could prove detrimental to my own personal regenerative capabilities. I wouldn’t want to survive a near fatal experience only to lose a life to a simple injection trying to help me!”
“Lose a life? Are you taking this seriously Mr. Rowan?” Sauer asked narrowing his eyes and getting to his feet. He reached out and laid a hand across Tom’s forehead. “You don’t seem to be running a temperature.” He said.
“Time Lord. Not human.” Tom said. “Just take a blood sample.”
“Hmm,” Sauer mused, moving back down to Tom’s leg. “As long as you’re sure you don’t want anything.”
“Yup,” Tom nodded.
“Would you object to my using a dermal regenerator to help repair the wound?” Sauer asked.
“You’ve got one?”
“Of course. Part of every first aid kit out here.” Sauer replied.
“Ah,” Tom paused and craned his neck to glance through the door to the sleeping berths. He could just see the male student who had been attacked. “Then why haven’t you used it on him?”
“I don’t want to close the wound around an alien infection.” Sauer explained. “Instead I’ve just sedated him for the time being. And, well, there was the issue that the regenerator didn’t seem to recognise the matter that his skin is metamorphosing into around the wound.” Sauer winced as he finished his sentence. “I just wish there was more I could do.”
“The Doctor will come through.” Tom replied.
Sauer looked up straight into Tom’s eyes. The piercing and vibrant blue of them seemed to reach out directly into his skull, and he found himself believing the young man. Everything almost seemed all alright again.
“Hold tight,” Sauer warned. He gripped hold of the shrapnel and pulled.
The door from the lab was flung open and Jess almost fell through the opening, Olbrich close behind her.
“What was that cry?” Jess asked, taking in the sight of Sauer holding a bloody piece of metal and Tom, his knuckles white, gripping the edge of the thin cushions that covered the bench, his head pressed back, a sheen of sweat over his forehead.
“It’s ok.” Tom said, through clenched teeth.
“Just a quick operation,” Sauer said almost sheepishly as he put the shrapnel on the table and picked up the dermal regenerator. “Your friend has the wrong bio-chemistry for anaesthetic.”
Jess took a sigh of relief and looked up at Tom. His eyes were closed and he hardly seemed to be breathing. “Is he ok? Has he fainted?”
Sauer looked up sharply at Tom. Swiftly he got to his feet and gently checked his eyes. “No, just asleep it seems. He said something about self inducing it to help heal himself.”
“Well, I think he must be onto something Herr Doctor.” Olbrich said, looking round the small group. “I think that you civilians should take his example and get some sleep. There is not much we can do now until the Doctor returns with the necessary information to help those two unfortunate kids in there.” Olbrich nodded to the sleeping berths.
“If you think that’s sensible, Commander.” Sauer said.
“I think it is necessary, Herr Doctor.” Olbrich said, folding his arms. “We have all been through a lot in the past couple of days and gotten very little rest. Sergeant Thaer, Corporal Neruda and I will take shifts in keeping watch and guard on Mori.”
“If you insist, Commander.” Sauer sighed.
Olbrich nodded and turned, walking out of the living area and shutting the door behind him.
Jess looked after him and soon found herself yawning. “I didn’t realise I was so tired I’ve been so worried about Tom and Tifa.” She said, turning to look at Sauer, who was still stood beside Tom.
“Adrenaline,” He said. “Now you know they’re both going to be ok, it’s returning to its normal levels.” Sauer paused, shifting uncomfortably. “Would, erm, would you prefer to be in here with Tom, or in one of the beds through there. I’ll go for the opposite of course.”
Jess shrugged. “I don’t care. Wherever is comfiest.”
“Probably perched on a branch outside.” Sauer smiled. “Take one of the beds. It’s a lot safer through there.”
*
“Are you sure you want to go alone?” Amelie asked, feeling rather sad that the Doctor was heading back to the planet’s surface already; and alone at that. “I mean, what if you need assistance?”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine, thank you Amelie.”
The Time Lord smiled and kissed her once on each cheek. Amelie found herself blushing. It was very rare that anyone used such an archaic gesture these days.
“Besides, you have your own patients to administer to.” The Doctor added.
“You’re right,” she admitted meekly.
“And if all goes well, everyone should be back up here and you on your way within a couple of hours.” The Doctor flashed Amelie another of his smiles as he hit the door control. “Bon voyage, and thank you, Amelie, you were a great help.” He smiled as the door closed.
Amelie found herself waving at the blank metal door of the travel pod before checking herself and moving back as the pod moved for travel to the planet. Crossing to the transport control panel, she stood behind the operator and watched as the red blip, that marked the travel pod, make its way down to the green mass that was Amaranth.
*
Camillo Piazzi’s eyes snapped open. The alien infection was coursing through his veins and nerves. His whole body was tingling. He could hear movement in the very fore of the Lander, smell the eight other occupants, and sense the vibrations of the power supply. His red and yellow eyes burnt through the darkness, giving him a clear vision. He had to get out, out of this metal cage and into the freedom of the jungle.
A growl emanated deep within his throat as he got to his feet. He could smell the outside world. He had to make his way through three doors, and at least six of the other occupants of the Lander were between him and freedom.
Crossing over to the door, he looked down at the handle. Cautiously reaching out, he pulled the door open. Two of the other occupants were in this section, both asleep. They posed no danger, and neither did the two in the same compartment as he was.
Piazzi narrowed his eyes as he opened the other door and light flooded in. He wasn’t used to the bright light, it almost seemed too much. However, he could smell where everyone was; two in the cockpit, one in the office and a man outside the office.
He could detect a change of smell in the man. He had clearly spotted Piazzi and was reaction, and the reaction was hostile. With a snarling wail, Piazzi flung himself at the man.
