Doctor Who Zealots

[sc ikaiju]

In a forest area two robed figures walk a dark path under the night sky. Both heads were lowered as they traveled a well worn path, one taken by many travelers. One had their arms crossed and ducked into the opposite sleeve, the other had a similar pose as they walked a few steps behind the other. Then that one stopped l and raised their hands and, pulled back the hood to reveal long brown hair and feminine features as she looked up at the twin moons above them. After a few steps the other realized that she wasn't following anymore. That hood was pulled back to reveal a man with light red hair look back at her. “Kendrix?”

It took a moment for her to register that her companion said something and jerked her head down to look at him. Green eyes filled with sadness stared back as his blue. “”I’m fine Finn,. I’m fine,” she repeated, sounding a bit more distant while looking back up..

“Kendrix, we're going to be late.”

“Then we’ll be late.”

“Kendrix,” Finn hissed while quickly closing the distance between the two of them. “We can’t be late again. Father Drexin…”

“He can have my portion of gruel if he wants it,” she snapped back. “I just want to go home.”

Finn’s expression softened a bit. Calmly he said, “Kendrix, this is our home…”

“No it’s not!”, she exploded. That outburst caused Finn to quickly look around to make sure none of the others bore witness to this. “You’re two years older than I am,” she continued. “And I remember our transport being shot down…!”

“I haven’t forgotten,” he assured her while still checking to make sure there were no other witnesses to see her in this state. “I still have nightmares.”

“Then why aren’t you…?”, she began to ask.

“Because I also remember what happened to the ones who tried to fight,” he said grabbing her by the arms. “I remember the screams as they were killed. Screams that are still happening because they can’t handle the situation any more.”

“At least they’re still fighting,” she shot back as she broke free from his grip. “They haven’t given up.”

“I haven’t given up,” he insisted. “I’m very aware of the situation and fully aware there’s no way out of it. No way that doesn’t involve getting killed. Remember when we found the shup? How disappointed we all were when we realized the state of it?” She looked away. Finn knew Kendrix well to know that ahe knew he was right, and she absolutely hated it. He wasn’t exactly thrilled with the situation either but then again he pretty much lost all hope a long time ago. “We both hate it, but you have to face the truth, this is home now.”

“Only if you stop fighting,” both of them turned to the speaker. based on the extra adornment it was one of the elders. Finn started standing there trying not to look like he was panicking while glancing over at Kendrix repeatedly. Kendric just nodded as the elder lowered his hood revealing tne blue skin revealing this person wasn’t human. “But you have to be careful about saying such things out loud,” he said to Kendrix. “Does he know about,” he started to say until she started making a slashing movement with a hand. The elder got her meaning immediately and tried to cover up, fairly poorly,“about how I covered for you?”

Feeling confused and showing Finn it went, “What…?”

“It’s up to you Kendrix,” the elder said before walking off leaving the two of the alone again. Kendric looked ready to move on from this spot. In obvious contrast Finn wanted to find out more about what was going on, especially since an elder was apparently a part of whatever it was.

“Do I know about what?”, he asked. Kendric, who had started pulling her hood up and walk away. Finn grabbed her by the arm to strop her. “Kendrix.”

“”Keep this to yourself,” she finally answered in slightly hushed tones. “Our transport might noy be a completely lost cause. It won’t get off the ground. But a group of us are trying to fix the transmitter.” Her excitement over the ider was obvious. “We can call for help.”

“And how are you planning on keeping the other elders from detecting the signal?”, he asked. Finn wasn't trying to dampen her excitement, but it was an obvious question, and hopefully one that was brought up before.

Obviously not since her expression changed immediately, “Don’t tell anybody” She immediately turned around and started walking away.

“Kendric,” Finn said following her, “I want it to work, I really do. But you have to be realistic.Someone is not going to come out of the shy and save us. Not without being noticed.” She went to challenge this point but as soon as she opened her mouth a strange whinging, grinding type of sound filled the air. Both of them looked around trying to figure out what the sounf was and where it was coming from.

Lowering her hood again she stepped off the path and into the woods, “I think it's coming from over here.”

“Kendrix!”, Finn called out. He stopped at the edge of the woods only momentarily before following her in.

***
That sound, whatever it was, was fading fast. Kendrix started to slow down. Then she spotted the flashing light in the distance and ran for it despite Finn calling for her to slow down. The light stopped before she got there but there was something there so that was her destination. Some sort of big blue box greeted her, and Finn when he caught up.

“What is this?” she asked as they circled around it in different directions.

“I don’t know?”, Finn said as he studied the letters adorning the top of the structure on each of the four sides. “Whatever it is, apparently they call it a police box.”

Standing on her tiptoes Kendrick tried to get a look through one of the segmented windows near the top but couldn’t so she kept walking to the next side and found something different about this side. “This might be a door.” Finn came around to see her point at a panel eith instructions to pull to open. Both looked at each other unsure of what to do. Both started to nervously reach for the apparent handles on the doors.

Both of them jumped back when those doors suddenly swung in and a dark haired man came stumbling out holding his face. He only went a few feet before coming to a stop, shook his head a bit before saying, “As many times as I’ve done that you’d think it get easier.” Completely ignoring the two of them after lowering his hands he started looking himself over, “Alright, arms, hands,, all the fingers, legs.” Suddenly he shot an arm in their direction, “Mirror.” Finn and Kendriix looked at each other and shrugged. This strange man finally looked at them with intense blue eyes, “Mirror? Mirror!” That sudden outburst caught them off guard again. The man was growing visibly frustrated as he turned and walked away, “Wonderful, countless of beings in the universe at this exact moment and I get the ones without a mirror.”

“Now wait a moment,” Kenfrix said refusing Finn’s attempt to hold her back.

“Sorry, sorry,” he said shaking his head again. “Process is a bit dodgy at times. Sometimes it’s like waking up on the wrong side of the bed.” Suddenly he reached out and closed the doors as he spotted Finn trying to look into the box he came out of. Finn looked startled, at the action or what he saw she couldn’t be sure. “Please don’t peek, it’s not polite. Is there an American around here?”,” he looked around again before his eyes widen and clutched at his throat. “How now brown cow, the rain in Spain… oh my. I did not see that one coming.”

Finn took a cautious step closer, “ Are you alright sir? Can we help you?

“Not until I even out a bit, figure out how this body works.” He looked at Finn, particularly at his red hair before grasping at his own. “No, no, no, please.” he was saying while trying to look at his dark hair. Finally getting a good look at his locks he let out what could only be described as a disappointed sigh. “Well, it was fun while it lasted.” Running one hand through that hair he looked up, noticing the night sky above them and squinted a bit, “I don’t recognize these stars. Where am I exactly?”

“You’re on Skarold,’ Kendrix offered.

The man seemed even more confused,” And I don’t know that name. It sounds a bit like… no that’s just too crazy to contemplate.”

“That’s what the old elders named it after they claimed it,” Finn offered.

“Yeah, nobody knows what the original name was,” Kendrix added. “I’m Kendrix by the way, and this is Finn.”

“Oh, where are my manners, I’m the Doctor.” He caught himself going for something above his head. He looked as unsure of what he was doing as the two of them. “Why am I reaching for a hat? I’m not even wearing one.”

“I think he hit his head or something,” Kendrix leaned in and muttered to Finn.

He turned his back to this Doctor and pushed her back a bit. “Did you get a look in that box?”, he asked. When she shook her head in the negative he looked back at the man before speaking again. “It looks massive in there.” Kendrix looked at the blue box again, completely not convinced at what he was saying. “He acts like he’s never been in that body before and it being new. You know the texts and what they say.” Finn swallowed before glancing back at the man. To her he said, “I think that’s a Time Lord.”

“So you know what I am,” Finn quickly spun around to see the person who called himself The Doctor just look at the two of them. “Well that’s good,” he added while stretching a shoulder and walking around a bit, paying more attention to the surroundings than the two of them, “hopefully knowing that will cut down on the questions later. Granted I don’t mind answering questions but getting the same ones over and over gets a bit tedious after a while. Say I don’t suppose….?” The Doctor took a step toward them only to stop when Finn took several back, despite Kendrix’s protests. “Ah, I’m assuming Time Lords aren’t looked on that favorably around these parts. I’m probably on that side of the Time War. “

“Finn, he can help us,” Kendrix said suddenly. The Doctor raised an eyebrow at hearing that and looked back at the box.

“Where did you bring me this time?” He said out loud.

“Kendrix Time Lords are dangerous,” Finn said.

‘Definitely that side of the war,” The Doctor said almost sadly. “Look I’m not one of those Time Lords, actually,” he said while snickering to himself, “that pretty much been true my entire life now that I think of it. So why do you think I can help?”

“Don’t mind her,” Finn started to say before Kendrix got around him.

“Years ago our transport ship was shot down,” she began.

“Forced down,” Finn corrected her.

“Same thing,” she shot back.

“Technically you can’t force a ship down without shooting it,” The Doctor offered.

Taking that as he was agreeing with her Kendrix went , “See. The ones who did it forced everybody on board to join their religion.”

“And those who refused died,” Finn stressed that last word while looking directly at her. The look the Doctor currently had made him pause.

“I have no problem with religion if you choose to worship some higher being than good for you. I sincerely hope you find happiness. But to force others to worship what you believe in, now there I draw a line.””

“So you’ll help us?”, Kendrix hopefully asked. “You’ll help us get off this planet and get back home?”

When the Doctor didn’t reply right away she started feeling confused. For as long as they been here the’vey heard about the evil of the Time Lords.. And here was one right before them and looked for a moment he was going to save them from this place. So why was he hesitating in saying yes or no? Finally he started walking away rubbing his face muttering, "Why do I do this to myself?” Stopping and turning back around he looked at the two of them, “Is it just the two of you?”

“Well not everybody wants to,” Finn was telling him before Kendrix butted in.

“At least half the current village. Some of us have been trying to get the radio on the ship working, to call for help.”

“Well that complicates things a bit,” The Doctor said. “But if the transmitter seems workable maybe not.”

“But you have a ship,” Kendrix said gesturing to the blue box. “If the stories are true then it should be massive in there like Finn claimed.”

Sighing again the Doctor looked at her and said, “Yes, and quite comfortably, but how many of them are going to react like he did once they find out?”

Kendrix opened her mouth to say something then closed it as she realized there would be quite a few

“I’ll help anyone who’ll want help, And I get it, Time Lords are bad, I could probably add to whatever list you lot have made up if I could see those texts. But there is a reputation I’m fighting against and that’s going to be trouble. More than some are reluctant to accept help from those they fear or hate, believe me I've seen it before. Your original ship,” he said looking thoughtful, “is it still intact?”

“It still is,” Finn spoke up. “But it didn’t look space worthy. The ship's energy core barely had enough power.”

“But some of you think there’s enough to power a transmitter. That’s a start,” The Doctor told them. To Kendrix he said, "They're probably more likely to get on it than the TARDIS over here.”

“You’ll help us?”, Kendrix asked, feeling hopeful again.

“I’ll look the ship over and see what I can do, then we’ll go from there.” Kendrix rushed over and wrapped her arms around him. He looked surprised at his own reaction. “Looks like I’m a hugger this time around.” When she pulled away he looked down at himself then looked annoyed at something. “You know, for once I’d like to look at what I was wearing and think ‘This still works’, besides that is way too much cuff for this body. Give me a moment to find something a little more appropriate for this one.”

“Can I see?”, Kendrix asked. Then pointed to the box, “Inside I mean.”

Looking conflicted for a moment the Doctor eventually said, “Why not. But don’t touch anything.” He went to push in the doors but looked caught off guard when they wouldn’t budge. “Looks like I locked them by mistake.” Hand in pocket he started looking at one of the panels, in particular a round section that looked featureless. “You’re doing this now?” He stepped back and snapped his fingers, getting more aggravated at the lack of any effect. “You’re embarrassing me in front of the locals.” Grabbing the handles he shook the doors but they refused to budge any more than that.” Fine, finish doing what you're doing but we’re going to have a stern talk when I get back.”

“Is everything okay?” Finn cautiously asked.

“Are you stuck here now too?”, Kendrix added.

“What, no,” The Doctor said. “The TARDIS decided she wanted a new look as well. Damn inconvenient timing though. Change of plans, I’ll take a look at your ship then change clothes.”

“We might be able to help you there,” Kendrix said. “We do have some spare robes. Everybody does.”

“Seriously?”, Finn said thiugh his teeth. Any further outburst was cut off when The Doctor started feeling up the robe he was wearing. “Umm.”

“Fabric is a little rough, but passable. A temporary fix is better than no fix at all,” he said oblivious to Finn’s discomfort.

“How are we supposed to sneak him in?” Finn asked.

“Some of those people I mentioned are on the outskirts of the village,” She said and started off the way they came. “Come on, everybody should still be at the gathering, and most of the guards should be there. It’ll be easy.”

“Guards at a gathering,” The Doctor mumbled, "Wonderful.” Looking back at the TARDIS he wagged a finger at the box, “you just wait until I get back.” The Doctor started following Kendrix with a distraught Finn in tow.

***
A monk quickly walked through a building only acknowledging the occasional passer by. Most were heading out of the building as the gathering was still going on. Part of his duties was to monitor it and make sure things were going as planned.. Which was why he was headed further into the building. Going to a back wooden wall and straight to a door with a highly advanced panel next to it. Placing a hand on the panel there was a sofr click as the door opened and he entered and closed the door behind him. Inside were even more monks sitting and standing at various stations. He walked over and stood next to one who was staring at a radar looking effect on a circular screen. “Are you sure some sort of craft just landed?”, he demanded forgoing any type of greeting.

“From the look of things brother,” the monk told him.

“What do you mean from the look of things?”, he demanded. “A ship landed or it didn't. A ship doesn't just appear out of thin air.”

“Usually I would agree with you brother but look at the screen. You can clearly see a ship right there.” Going to the controls he punched a few buttons and screen changed and the mystery ship disappeared. “This is a scan of the same area from ten minutes ago, as you can see the ship isn't there.”

Pressing the buttons to bring up the current scan and the ship reappeared. “Where is the ship lobated?”

“”The outskirts of sector 5A.”

“That's right outside the village? Have you sent a patrol to investigate yet?”

“Yes brother, before I sent for you.” Another monk came over and hande him a data readoutd “Thank you sister.” Looking over the readout his eyes widened and quickly showed the results.

Taking the read out he paled slightly as beads of sweat started to form on his forehead. “Sister! Is this accurate?”

“Yes brother,” she said , not sure about the reaction she was witnessing.

“I must show this to Father Drexin,” and quickly turned and exited the room, looking like he wanted to run but was keeping himself from doing so.

***
Making his way to the gathering the monk made his way through the crowd. His target could easily be seen amongst the crowd. He was the only one standing tall as the rest stood there with lowered heads, outside of the guards watching the crowd. Not even waiting to be told to approach the monk still stood at a close but respectable distance away. And this false image the scanner men detected?” the Father asked, sounding almost bored with what he was about to hear,

“It wasn't a false reading Father Drexin,” he said. The father looked at him with an icy glare. When the monk didn’t flinch from the other human’s gaze and stood his ground. With a quick hand motion to follow they worked their way out of the crowd and away from it a bit. “A shpi practically appeared out of thin air in the woods over there.

Looking in that direction the father’s brow furrowed a bit, “That isn't possible. There’s no way it could have landed so close without anyone noticing. There has to be a malfunction somewhere.”

“I was about to make the same argument then we were shown this readout. The Father took the papers and read the data for himself. “That energy signature, it is in the records. It’s for a Gallifreyan engine.”

“That is impossible,” the father said as they kept walking. “They no longer exist, the holy ones eradicate them.”

“Are we sure?”, the brother asked. The Father whipped around obviously incest about the question. “The text says they mastered time travel, this could be one from before the eradication.”

“That is a possibility,” the Father reluctantly admitted. And looking very annoyed that he had brought that point up in his presence. “Has a guard detail been sent to investigate?”

“One was already dispatched, we’ll have answers soon enough.”

Nodding as they returned to they turned and headed back to the others he added, “Increase patrols around the village. If these are Time Lords then chances are they’re already on their way here. Even if they are from before the great conflict they are still the enemy of the holy ones.”

Stopping and bowing, the monk said, “I will obey.” and walked away inly stopping long enough to witness the Father walk toward a podium and done a headband with a small looking eyestalk attached to it. Before addressing the ones gathered.

***
Despite his previous apprehension of being around the Doctor, the longer they traveled the more Finn’s curiosity got the better of him. And once the Doctor answered that first tentative question the figurative floodgates opened. To his credit The Doctor tried not to look too annoyed at the verbal deluge. “”I mean do you actually die when you change?”

“In a sense.” The Doctor answered. “The person I was is gone the same moment the new me appears.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Finn,” Kendrix hissed. Hoping to get her friend to get the idea that maybe he should stop.

“Sometimes,” he admitted. He stopped and looked out into the distance. “I’m physically changing on a cellular level, it doesn’t feel good. The actual change is almost instantaneous.”

“Do you change completely?” Behind them Kendrix was forcing herself to nor facepalm at the question”.

“Physically, like I said, yes.But the important things, like my knowledge and memories, that’s still intact, sometimes a little scrambled post regeneration, but they’re still there.” Fin went to ask something else, The doctor, before could clamp a hand over Finn’s mouth, anticipated the next quest. “My personality changes from body to body. The core of who I am isstill there but it’s surrounded by a new set of quirks.”

“What kind of quirks?”, Kendrix ended up asking. She shot a dirty look toward Finn, as if she was blaming him for her asking it.

Looking back in amusement at this particular twist the Doctor told her, “I don’t know, I haven't discovered them all yet.”

“Can you talk to them?”, Finn asked. When the Doctor looked confused at what he meant he elaborated. “Your past selves,can you talk to them?”

“Only in the sense that I met my older selves on occasion.”

“Because of the whole Time travel thing,” Kendrix offered.

“Right in one,” the Doctor told while holding up a finger. It’s not supposed to happen but despite what the other Time Lords thought, time doesn’t obey the rules they set down. Very tedious times though,”

“Don’t get along with yourself?”, Kendrix said, tone implying she meant it as a joke.

“Surprisingly,” The Doctor said. “It always happen and it always surprises me when it happen. Because the one person I should get along with is me, because I think I’m just marvelous.”

“Kendrix, Finn,” someone called out.the two of them who froze immediately as another robed figure approached the trio. Removing his hood, and revealing a human male with a bearing the Doctor found familiar, the new comer looked the Doctor over.

“Brother Elias,” Kendrix started.

“I’m assuming,” Brother Elias slowly said, “You’re the reason why several sets of guards have been sent out into the woods. What’s your name stranger?”

“Smith,” The Doctor quickly said. “John Smith. Sorry to drop in unannounced. My ship has a mind of it’s own at times.”

“He thinks he can help with the ship,” Kendrix told the newcomer. Finn’s eyes bugged out a little when she did.

“That’s a pretty bold claim Mister… Smith was it?”, he asked with a raised eyebrow, it was almost as if he realized that it was a fake name. If he did Brother Elias didn’t press the issue.

“I said I’d take a look,” The Doctor told him. “Now you said something about an increased guard presence?”

“I did, and more than likely they’re looking for you so let’s get you back ro the village, I live in the outskirts we should be able to get in fairly quickly.”

“And quietly,” Kendrix stressed to Finn.

“I thought I heard something this way,” They heard someone say further up the trail.

“This way,” Brother Elias said and motioned for them to follow him off the trail and into the woods. None of them argued as they followed. Once they were deep enough Elias held up a fist, the Doctor stopped as soon as he saw the gesture and made sure Kendrix and Finn did as well. Both the Doctor and Elias looked back at the trail and through the foliage they could barely see the bodies that voice belong too walk past them and stop.

Elias tensed up a bit as they waited. Even more so as that person was soon joined by a couple of others. Elias quietly positioned himself to an attack posture as the group were obviously looking around. Finn picked up something but the Doctor gripped his hand and shook his head. “They must have headed in the opposite this way, come on.” It was well after the group left that Elias finally relaxed but shot a look at Finn who flinched back.

“Please tell me you weren’t going to be an idiot and throw something,” he demanded in hushed tones.

“I .. I thought distracting them …”, he started to say but Elias wouldn’t let him finish.

“And you thought having them look into the trees was a good idea? Come on,”

“I thought it was a good idea,” Kendrix assured Finn as they walked behind Elias.

The Doctor quickened his pace just enough to walk next to Elias. “So you were military before all this?”

“That obvious?”, he asked, keeping his eyes on the surroundings.

“I’ve been around a few soldier types in my life.”

“My patrol craft was attacked a few months back. I was one of the lucky ones.”

“It was his idea to try and repair the transmitter on our ship,” Kendrix spoke up.

“Figured if I could contact my ship,” Elias continued, “then they could try a rescue mission. We’re not set up for civilian transport but it has to be better than this.”

“Human hopefulness,” the Doctor muttered. “I never get tired of it.” They traveled a bit further in relative silence.

After another twenty minutes or so they came to atall wooden wall. Elias motioned for them to hold back as he moved a wooden panel and looked inside. ‘it’s clear, come on.” He held the panel open to let the others through on the other side was a smallish hut, maybe the size of a garage. “We use this way to sneak out to work on the ship all the time, but you can’t be too careful.” The Doctor checked over a small stone wall then immediately ducked back down. “What is it?” Elias asked as he carefully looked over the wall. “I’m not seeing anything.”

The Doctor looked back over as Finn and Kendrix joined them. The Doctor saw the threat instantly, in fact it hadn’t moved. “Over there,” and pointed toward something that had a round dome, and an eyestalk. “I can’t see the rest of it but there’s no mistaking what that is…”, he trailed off as the others stood up. “What are you doing?”, he snapped. “It’ll see you.”

“That’s a statue Mr. Smith,” Elias told him. Confused the Doctor stood as well. Getting a better look at the statue he could see the rough, but still distinct, body shape of a Dalek.

“Why is that in the village?”

“That’s what we've been told to worship ever since we were taken here,” Kendrix told him. The Doctor:s body almost went slack he was so shocked by the news. “They’re all over the village.”

“It twists my gut every time I see one,”Elias said. “I want to blow it up every time I see it. Let’s get inside.”

As the other three walked toward the hut the Doctor just stared at the statue in disbelief. “They worship the Daleks?”

 

[sc ikaiju]

The hut, which was slightly crowded the previous night since Kendrix and Finm both stayed with him and Brother Elias since the settlement’s guards had an increased presence. And that was due to his sudden arrival to this planet. Of course that was Elias’ idea since anyone approached by the guards at night would be asked questions. Questions he felt may give away to accidental answers. The Doctor was ready to face those answers head on, but then again he didn’t want either Kendrix or Finn to face any undue hardship on his account. Now things were less crowded after Elias took a quick look outside and gave the two the all clear to leave.

Alone Elias walked over to some sort of cabinet, or something that tried to look like one, and opened it. “Needless to say Mr. Smith,” he said pulling out another one of those robes that he, Kendrix and Finn wore, “You being out in plain view would be a bad idea, even if you looked like everybody else.”

Taking the offered robe the Doctor looked it over after opening it up, “Oh I completely agree. I’m sure there’s some gestures and customs I wouldn’t be able to fake. Not for long any way.”

“That’s right,” Elias told him. Going back to the cabinet he rummaged around a bit before retrieving a tablet of some kind and handed it to him, “Here, all new arrivals are issued one of these. It outlines those customs and rules. Among other things.”

Looking the device over the Doctor began to smirk a bit, “Fairly finger friendly for a group that worships the Daleks.”

“Based on your reaction to that statue,” he gestured in it’s general direction, “I’m guessing you survived the Daleks before.” The Doctor didn't answer right away. Elias admitted he was a military man and was obviously not with the leaders of this particular sect. But how much did he want to reveal?

“Once or twice,” he ended up saying.

“You must have a very unlucky streak then,” he said, with a smirk of his own.

Tilting his head slightly, it was hard to disagree with that particular statement. “That’s one way of looking at it.” Mumbling to himself he added, “That statement is probably more accurate than I’d care to admit.” Draping the robe over a chair he started to undress.

“I’ll walk around doing my regular routine, try to hear any news,” Elias told him. “I’m pretty sure they found your ship. There wasn’t any explosion last night so it may still be intact. I’d even hazard a guess that it’s under constant watch, to see if you show up and try to escape.”

“I’d be surprised if they haven’t found it by now. It is pretty noticeable being in the middle of the forest and all that.” With a nod Elias went out the door leaving him completely alone. Out loud to no one he added, “If that chameleon circuit worked then it wouldn’t be an issue.” Without anything else to do he finished undressing and donned the robes.

Smoothing the material out a bit he looked down and shook his head slightly, “If that meddling monk could see me now.” After smoothing out whatever imaginary wrinkles in there those hands went to his new face. “This has to be one of the longest periods that I’ve ever gone without knowing what I look like. I’m sure Brother Elias wouldn’t mind,” he said as he started exploring the hut. Yes there was glass on that tablet but the reflection wasn’t that great, especially in this darkened room. Still Elias was clean shaven so there had to be a reflective surface around here somewhere. Walking around and exploring anything he could find he stopped when he spotted someone else, freezing momentarily thinking it was a window before realizing it wasn’t. Slowly he went up to this “person”.

Turning his head a bit this stranger, because that who it was, a stranger he’d never seen before, did the same. “Oh my,” he said, staring. Then he waved one hand in front of him and wiggled the fingers of the others behind his head. The other person did the same. Backing up a bit he looked and sounded a bit more distressed as he repeated the “Oh my.”

“Rough with the smooth Doctor,” he told himself, running his hands over his new face. Studying it a bit more his demeanor changed slightly as he quickly got used to the new look. “Still, it’s not all bad. A good strong chin, high regal cheekbones,” putting a finger on the rip of his nose he gave it a slight wiggle, “Nose is a tad pedestrian. And I don’t think I have ever liked my ears.” Looking up at his image his gaze fell upon his dark brown hair. He ran a hand through it and sighed again. Looking down at what he was wearing one more time he looked back at his image. “Definitely not a look that goes with this face. All right,” he said going over to that tablet, ”let’s see what kind of hog wash they came up with here.”

***

In his office Father Drexlin looked over several reports. The one he wanted to ignore was the guards report on this apparent ship their scanners picked up after it landed. Reportedly the only thing in the only thing in the area was a strange blue box, that maybe, based on this description, could hold maybe two people, perhaps three, comfortably.. It was ludicrous, more than likely a prank from the new initiated trying to disrupt what they had here. An example would have to be made of those responsible, even among whomever was in charge of supplies because obviously the materials to make weren't found in the woods.

The door opened and one of his brothers monks, the one who informed him of the sighting and his oldest follower. In a past life, before he heard the calling, Drexlin would have even called him his friend. But that was then, in the now he said, “Get me the name supply master.”

“I will obey, but why?”

“Just do it!”, slamming his hands on the desk he stood up. “Someone is trying to make a fool out of us by making a blue box right outside the compound!. Whoever was in charge let those materials get stolen under their watch.” His hand immediately went to a spot on his forehead, where a great pain suddenly grew with intensity.

“Drexlin!,” the other exclaimed as he immediately went to his side and helped him back into the chair. “You've been hiding the headaches again,” he said, kneeling down. There was a concern in his voice that made Drexlin push him away. The man stood and stepped back to a respectful distance.After a moment the pain decreased to a more acceptable level. “Drexlin,” a sharp look from him made the other monk restarted, “Father Drexlin, while your theory is valid, it is equally valid that this box was created from the remains of the various ships. There are reports of some of the followers sneaking into the yards at night.”

He looked at him, but the other man didn’t flinch from his gaze. Finally Drexlin averted his gaze by looking at the floor before looking back up, “Your logic is sound. Increase guard presence around the yards, but not by too much. It’ll scare them away and I’m curious to see what they’re trying to accomplish.”

“I will obey,” he said and started to leave.

“Brother,” Drexlin began, then as soon as he turned around he said, “Daniel. I appreciate your concern. But I can not show weakness to the initiates. They will take any chance to rip apart what we've built here.”

He looked unsure but eventually went, “I’ve known you too long not to care.” Drexlin nodded his head as te monk did the same and excited the room.

Alone his mood darken slightly as he said, ”Emotions are irrelevant.”

***
As he said he would Elias went through his morning round, making sure he wasn’t noticed when he carefully edged closer when he spotted a couple of guards talking. He’s been doing it ever since he arrived. Intel was important to any operation after all. If he was going to get out of here he was going to need all the Intel he could get.

But this John Smith he met the previous night, there was something about him that was making him more alert than usual. There was nothing overtly malicious about the man that he could tell. But the way he, Kendrix and Finn seemingly dodged certain questions, or seemed hesitant to give an answer, like earlier when he made that comment about the Daleks, that put instincts he’d been trying to hide on high alert.

Still Mr. Smith was a newcomer to the planet. Elias had never seen him before last night. But what was it about the man that was bugging so much? Smith apparently pegged him as military and admitted he’d been around them. But nothing about the man suggested that he had any type of military experience. And how long had he’d been on the planet. Given were he originally spotted the three there was no way a ship could have landed without being noticed, and no one was talking about it.

Now who exactly was Mr. John Smith? And why was that name nagging him so much? Given the circumstances Elias didn’t blame the man for being secretive. Hell he was the only person he admitted his background to. But what was it about the man?

While he was filling the feed trough he spotted a couple of guards great each other and ignore him.”Is it true?”, one asked. If there was one thing you could count on in this galaxy it was that humans loved to gossip. So Elias inched a bit closer, a task made easier seeing what he was doing, to try to listen in. “What they found in the forest?”

“Aye,” the other said. “Damndest thing I ever seen.”

“A big blue box?”, the first asked. Elias froze momentarily but quickly went back to his task as he kept listening in.

“A big blue police box according to the sign on top of the thing. And we’re guarding the blasted thing like it’s gonna explode or something.”

Hearing enough Elias quickly finished what he was doing and walked away. Replacing the bucket he was using he made his way out of the feeding pens. He told Smith he was one of the lucky ones. He just never mentioned how many “lucky ones” there were. Heading to a rather plain hut in the middle of the village he gave the door four hard knocks. After a bit it opened and after making sure he wasn’t being watched entered quickly.

The man inside who outside of the robes was carrying a rifle looked out the door before closing it. “You weren’t supposed to be here today Elias,” he said turning to him.

“I know, but something came up,” he told the other man. “I need to check something on the computer.”

“Elias we all agreed that it was…”

“Too dangerous to use too often,”he finished for him. “I know, but this might be important. I just need to search something.”

“Is this about the commotion that sent the guards out last night?” Elias gave him a quick nod. The other man sighed as he flipped a hidden switch on the wall. “Solar panels have been drinking in the light so there should be plenty of charge.”

“But make it quick,” Elias said as he went to another wall and started removing sections of it. “It shouldn’t take me that long.” Handing one of the sections off Elias looked at what the two of them knew to be a server that were able to salvage off their ship, just so these nut jobs wouldn’t get their hands on it. Lowering a panel, revealing a keyboard Elias waited for the screen to come to life. His compatriot looked through the door making sure nobody was paying undo attention to this particular hut.

“Okay then,” he said as he pulled up the internal search function. He typed two things in. “ Blue police box” and “Alias John Smith”. Instead of search results coming he got a message he wasn’t expecting. He was asked for his code clearance. “Okay then,” he said as he started typing that clearance in.

It took several moments as his clearance was authorized, the information came pouring in. His eyes widened as he quickly skimmed what was in front of him, what there was that wasn’t redacted at any rate, “Holy hell.” His partner, curious at what caused that reaction, walked away from the door. Slightly confused at the many profile pictures circling in and out, of several different people, then he read some of it as well.

“Are you serious?”, he asked. “This is real? He’s actually real?”

“Buddy,” he said as he focused on one particular word, usually a title but here listed under name… Doctor. “I think our chances of surviving this just got a little better.” Elias quickly turned off the computer and quickly started hiding the server.

***
It was around lunch period that Kendrix was able to sneak some, she was hesitant to call the grule they were usually served food but it was all they had to consume on this planet, to sneak some food away. Finn helped her a bit by distracting on of the elders who seemed to have noticed her. “Excuse me brother, but I had a question about something in the text,” she saw Finn guide him away with one hand and discreetly wave her on with the other. Not even thinking twice she walked out the door. Trying her damndest not to be noticed she made her way toward Brother Elias’ hut. He still had to be there, there was no way he could be anywhere else, unless he was able to get back into that box of his.

“Kendrix” she nearly jumped out of her shin when she heard Elias’ voice. But she quickly calmed down once she realized who it was. He sniffed the air then made a face, correctly guessing her intent by saying, “I thought you liked your new friend.”

“It's all we got,” was her answer. “Even he has to eat something.”

“That’s true,” Elias said as he joined her.

After a bit Kendric looked at him. “Are we trusting him too soon? I mean he just showed up, but I want to get out of here so badly I’m starting to think I jumped on his offer to help too quich;y.”

“Doubts are natural,” Elias told her after mulling it over for a moment. “”But if I’m actually right about your friend those doubts may be unfounded.”

Kendrix started feeling nervous, she trusted Elias, but this might be their only chance to leave this hell hole and go home. “Right about what about him?”, she asked.

“”Believe me Kendrix,” he told her, “it’s very good if John Smith is actually who I think he is.”

“A little vague there,” she told him.

“Hey!”, they looked back to see Finn run up to catch them. Both of them stopped to let him. Though he was out of breath he kept up as they continued walking.

“I’ll tell you what Kendrix,” Elias said, ‘you tell me what you know about Mr. Smith and I’ll tell you if they fit my theory of the man.” Finn looked confused seeing how he just missed the entire conversation. Kendrix just felt even more doubt than ever before.

***
Without much else to do the Doctor flipped through the tablet Elias left him, more than a little annoyed that the response times wasn’t just a tad faster as he lipped through the pages as fast as the device would let him. Looking up he spied the clothes that he was wearing and started to reach for them, a little fiddling with his sonic screwdriver should speed things up a bit.

The doors opened and he watched as Elias quickly motioned for Kendrix and Finn into the hut. Once it was closed The Doctor held up the tablet, “This is some very dry reading by the way.”

Taking the tablet back Brother Elias studied the page he was on and raised an eyebrow. “Did you already finish this?”

“A couple of times,” he said getting up to move around. “Just to make sure I was reading things right the first time Definitely written by a bunch of amateurs. There’s no pizazz, no flare. And I’m pretty sure I found at least twelve things that contradicted fifteen other things in there. So that’s a talent.”

“”You can’t be serious,” Finn said with a snort.

And why can’t I?”,” he shot right back.

“That file is at least three terabytes big, literally thousands of pages long. There’s no way you read it all in the time we left, much less multiple times.”

“Just because you have a slow reading speed doesn’t mean everybody else has the same problem.” Turning away from Finn he looked at Kendrix and Elias, “You two look like something interesting happening.”

“About that,” Elias said stepping forward after sharing a look with Kendrix and Finn. “We had an interesting talk on the way here. Oh Kendrix you were going to…”

“Oh,” she said pulling a pouch from her sleeve, “right. We brought you something to eat.” Elias gave her a bowl that she poured the contents into along with a small wooden spoon.

Taking a quick look at the contents, and despite the grumbling of his stomach he made a face, “I really wish you didn’t.” Still that stomach of his wouldn’t stop growling. So, really reluctantly, he took the spoon. “Maybe it’s better than it looks.” Taking a small bite from the spoon he immediately had the urge to spit it out. “No, no it’s not. You lot been living on this slop?”

“Mr. Smith,” Elias said stepping closer. “That conversation we had, they were telling me their interpretation of you.”

“Of me?”, he asked. “Hopefully it was all good.” He offered them a smile that Kendrix returned and eventually Finn as well. Elias, on the other hand was as stoic as when he walked in.” So how did they ‘interpret’ me?”

“Just some things that confirmed some suspicions I had. Especially after I heard some guard talk about a blue police box that appeared in the woods.” Kendrix and Finn both started to say something but the Doctor and Elias both motioned for them to hold off for the moment. Finally changing his expression, to what one might call guarded hope he asked,” You’re the Doctor aren’t you?”

Finn ‘s jaw dropped as he and Kendrix looked at each other. The Doctor on the other hand tilted his head slightly, “You’ve heard of me?”

“Yes I have, I mean everybody I work with has. Wait,” Elias changed his stance to a proper at ease position with his hands clasped behind his back. “Sergeant Micheal Elias, sir. I’m currently assigned to the UNIT star cruiser Lethbridge--Stewart.”

“UNIT?”, the doctor asked. “As in the Unified Intelligence Task force, they’re still around?”

“Yes sir,” Elias answered. “And it is an honor meeting you sir.”

“Sergeant,” he said warmly enough, “I’m not sure what tales you’ve been hearing about me, but let me get one thing perfectly clear. I hate being referred to as ‘sir’. At least in this incarnation I do. It’s just the Doctor, you’ll find I’ll respond more favorably to that.”

“Yes si… I mean Doctor,” Elias said. “Anything myself and the others can do to help, just let me know.”

“Well you can start by relaxing for one,” he said, “you look like you’re about to break something.” Once Elias did that the Doctor looked at the other two. “Any secrets you have that want to come out in the open since that what we’re apparently doing: secret royalty, undercover agent, anything like that?“

They looked at each other before Kendrix shook her head, “No, we're just who we are.”

“Well that’s boring,” he said out loud. Quickly the Doctor backtracked from his statement, “Sorry, that wasn’t fair. Built up the situation in my head there “

“One of those ‘quirks’ you’re still discovering?”, Kendrick asked with a teasing smile.

“Very likely” the Doctor said, “it’s a little early to say. It feels like I’m still evening out a bit.”

“Gotta make those first couple of days with you pretty interesting,” Finn spoke up.

“Your going to have to ask the ones traveling with me,” the Doctor told him. “Say since everything is out in the open now I probably should take a look at that ship, see what can be done.”

“We'll have to be careful,” Elias told them. “The guards will be more alert than usual. We’re going to have to get the Doctor up to speed on the local customs so he doesn’t draw any undo attention.” Holding up the tablet he added, “And he’s showed he’s a quick study “

“I have my moments,” the Doctor piped in.

“I’ll show him the basics,” Finn offered.

“Some of my men are watching the ship,” Elias told them. “I’ll let them know we’re coming. Kendrix,”

“Let me guess,” she said, “keep watch. Somebody has to. Besides, one of us has to make sure Finn showing him the right things.”

“Hey,” Finn protested. Kendrix grinned at him before tapping his arm with a knuckle. “Okay Doctor, let’s start with a basic greeting. Now pay close attention.”

“I will obey,” he said, recalling something he read in the tablet. But while it got a look of approval from the others, it did leave a rather unpleasant taste in his mouth

***
“Where are you going?”, a guard demanded as he approached a small group of the followers were walking in the other direction.. They all stopped as soon as he spoked and approached. “Work schedule, Now!”

“Y…y…yes sir,” the lead one stammered as he reached into a a sleeve of his robe.. “I… i…i…ir’s….”

“I…. i… i…,” the guard mocked him, enjoying the fear that was coming off him in waves. “Brother Daniel huh? An obvious fack.”

“No it’s not!”, one of the other spoke up in defiance. A defiance that quickly died down as soon as he turned his gaze on him..

“Looks like I found me some trouble makers,” he said starting to remove a steel rod from his robe. The small group started to fall back but a quick wave motion caused even more guards to come over and surround them. “Let’s show these slimes what we think about troublemakers boys.”

“What is going on here!”

Who in the…” the guard trailed off as he quickly realized that he just rounded off on Brother Daniel staring him down. “Beothe,” he said, while keeping his grip on the rod. “I found this group with forged orders…”

“Funny I don’t recall getting a summons to verify if those orders were falsified or not,” he said positioning himself between the lead guard in the group. Much to the guards ire but held his tongue. “Brother,” he turned his head slightly to the group that was cornered, “I believe you and the others have a task to complete.”

It took a second for the one the guard originally hassled to catch his meaning. A fact that didn’t escape the guards’ notice. “Of course brother,” he quickly said as the group hastedly went past the guards.

“Those orders were faked,” he growled at who was technically his superior.

“Then you should remember to to check on those suspicions in the future,” he said. Holding up his right hand to about level with bis chest and made a particular motion, “May you be exterminated.”, and walked away himself.

Stewing at the fact Brother Daniel just let them go and basically brushed him off, looked around and saw that others were staring at him. He exploded,” Get moving!” and they quickly scattered. “One of these days Daniel, I'll show you who’s in charge.”

***
As several of those who were watching the spectacle did scatter one group in particular didn’t notice one of their own had started to slow down and look back. “Guys,” Kendrix said as she reversed direction and headed for the one lagging behind. “Doctor?”, she asked.

“”Why would anyone want to be exterminated?”, the Doctor asked. Looking at the others he said, just looking bewildered, “Being exterminated is horrible.”

“It’s just a saying,” Elias said.

“They say being exterminated sends you to paradise,” Finn spoke up.

“I’m not sure how,” Kendrix said. “Mum and da were never big on religious matters.”

“We better get moving,” Elias said, with somr authority. “We got lucky the guards noticed those guys instead of us. Even luckier Brother Daniel was there to defuse the situation for the moment.”

“Brother Daniel is one of the good one,” Finn offered as they continued on.

“Yes, I noticed,” the Doctor said.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you were getting ready to jump right in yourself,” Elias said from the front. “That was a good way to blow our cover.”

“It sort of become my default setting,” the Doctor said,” over the years. It’s not what you call an easily controlled impulse, especially this soon after a regeneration.” Since everything was out in the open now he felt free to speak more freely.

“No offense Doctor,” Elias said,” but learn control over that particular impulse, and quickly. If you want to survive around here.”

“We all had to,” Kendrix admitted Finn just nodded his agreement. “You just got to try to keep your head down and act like you're not seeing anything.”

“I’m not sure I can do that,” the Doctor admitted. “But I’ll try to keep it down.” But the moment he could indulge that particular impulse then he was going to take this sect down.

***
“Hold,” a guard said as Elias and the group neared the yard. Looking straight at Elias he said, “The Doctor flies at midnight.” Behind him Kendrick glanced back at the Doctor and Finn. The latter was obviously confused since this was all new to him. The Doctor just looked on and watched silently.

Not even looking back at them Elias said, “Then he better not crash into the tower of London again.”

“Get going,” the guard said as he moved aside to let them into the yard. “And be careful, there’s been more guards around the past day or so.”

“We’ll keep it in mind,” Elias called back.

Once they were well out of ear shot the Doctor finally spoke up. “Sergeant I realize that was a call sign and that guard was one of your men. But never have I ever crashed into the tower of London. Buzzed it a couple of times, but I never crashed into it.”

“And how many people are going to say it around here?” Elias asked. Then he answered, “Not many.”

“I’m not saying there are,” the Doctor said. “I just hate having my name besmirched like that.”

“According to the stories I’ve heard….”

“Not everything you hear about me is true,” the Doctor said a bit too defiantly.

“But some of it is,”Finn said. Which earned him a nasty look from the Doctor

“There’s our ship,” Kendrix said. The Doctor stopped and pulled back his hood to get a better look at the exterior that was roughly the size of a small office building of a major city.

“Hmm,” he went.

“Why doesn’t that sound good,” Finn said

“Quiet,” Kendrix snapped at him.

“I know this style of vessel,” Elias spoke up. “It’s not made for planetary landings.”

“It doesn’t look like it,” the Doctor went as he stepped a little closer. “I have to say, those massive gaps in the hull don’t look all that promising. You have people on the inside watching it of course.” When Elias nodded the Doctor went, “Hopefully you told them we were coming as well. I’d hate to get shot.” Elias took the lead again as he and the others lowered their hoods as well. So far, at least to the Doctor, this was not looking promising.

“But we can get the transceiver going though right?”, Finn asked.

“I won’t know until I take a look,” he said. “making it sound like there’s still some power is a good sign.” Suddenly the Doctor looked around at the other vessels in the area, all in various state, all looking completely broken down except for this one. “Elias, do any of the other ships around here have any sort of power?”

“Not the ones we checked so far,” was his answer. “We haven’t checked them all but that’s been the case

“Curiouser and curiouser,” the Doctor muttered to himself as they followed Elias to the ship

***
“A group has entered the yard,” a guard reported to Father Drexlin and Brother Daniel among other monks. “Based on what we can tell they're heading toward the ship you ordered to be left alone.”

“We should stop them at once,” the guard Daniel had the incident earlier spoke up.

“As much as I hate to say it,”Daniel said, “but I agree with him.” The guard stood a bit stiffer but started looking a bit smug.

That look changed when Drexlin said, “I don’t think so.” Both men looked shocked at this. “That ship is of no use to them.”

“Yes but if they discover….” Daniel started to say But Drexlin cut him off.

“It doesn’t matter if they discover it or not. They won’t fantom ir’s true purpose.”

“But Father,” the guard began.

“Dismissed!” Drexlin shouted.

Those in the room looked at each other in confusion. Looking calmer than the rest Daniel bowed and said “We will obey.” With a nod at the others they slowly exited the room, Daniel being the last to leave, after giving one last glance toward Drexilin. As he walked away he was soon joined by another who held back and waited for him.

“What is going on with Drexlin?”, he asked in hushed tones. “He’s never acted like this before.”

“He’s feeling the pressure of the situation,” was all Daniel could say as they traveled the corridor.

“But not like this,” the other man argued. “Daniel, we've pulled this scam before but Drexlin never taken it this far before.”

Daniel paused momentarily, thinking back to earlier when Drexil had that headache. “There’s a stress to this one,” hopefully his argument sounded as confident as he tried to make it sound. “More so than any of the others.”

“”But all,” Daniel put a hand on his arm and motioned ahead of them. There, further up the hall was the guard studying them. The other man nodded slightly, understanding the silent message, stay quiet because unwanted ears were everywhere.

“All will be right soon, Good day,” Daniel said as they passed the guard.

“May you be,” he sneered and took a little too much pleasure in saying, “Exterminated.”

“You as well,” Daniel said with a big smile. Knowing doing so got under the other man's skin and knowing the guard wasn’t able to hide that fact fast enough.

***
The Doctor and the others got inside the ship easily enough, the presumably another one of his men came toward them. “Guard patrols have been increasing in the area according to our lookouts. They know we’re coming in here,” she said. “It doesn't look like they know we’re coming to this ship though.”

“We might be spending the night if it gets too crowded out there,” Elias said. “Havd out watchers move so they're closer to the ship. We’ll have to ise the this as a defense point. Make sure they’re armed.”

“Yes sir,” she said with a salute and crisply walked away. But before shooting an uneasy glance the Doctor’s way.

“Your armed?”, the Doctor asked while studying a section of the interior corridor that had wall panels missing.

“We salvaged what we could after we were forced here,” Elias said “this seemed to be the bast place to hide our weapons so they couldn’t find it.” The Doctor simply nodded as he continued studying the wall, particularly a section that had what would be a splendid view of the outside in other circumstances. especially if the direction he was facing wasn’t supposed to be the ship’s interior.

“It’s not looking good is it?”, Kendrix stood next to him and asked. She was so hopeful that he could fix the ship. It looked like it was dawning on her that it wasn’t possible. And he hated to burst that bubble even more. But he had to.

“No it’s not,” he agreed. “I was hoping that at least the interior was more or less in one piece then there was a chance we could have use the bulkheads to keep pressure in the interior of the vessel. But if this ship isn’t capable of planetary landings then planetary take off is definitely out of the question.” She was putting up a brave face but she was obviously upset by the news. “Hey, chin up. In my experience there’s usually more than one way out of situation. Sometimes the other ways aren’t quite as obvious. That makes them all the more delightful once you discover them.”

“Then I guess we better get that radio working,” she said before turning away quickly.

“She’ll get over it,” Elias told him.

Given who the apparent deities of this particular hog wash of a religion were, an old buried hatred started to bubble up that he quickly tried to squash down. “She never should have been in it to begin with. None of you should have.”

Elias just nodded slightly, “The bridge is this way Doctor.”

“I sure didn’t think it was that way,” the Doctor said while pointing at the huge gap as he followed.

***
“Kendrix,” Finn started to say.

“Don’t,” she said sharply, “just don’t.”

“I’ve been saying this ship isn’t going to fly again.”

“I said drop it Finn,” she snapped.

“Okay it’s dropped,”he said backing up. He looked back at Elias then a bit further back at the Doctor, who was examining some sort computer terminal before moving on. “I can’t believe Brother Elias is UNIT, that is absolutely mental. I was going to try and join UNIT before we went out on this ship “

“Well now's your chance,”Kendrix pretty much snapped. “After we get home you can pack up and leave all over again.”

“Oh no,” he quickly responded. “I had enough being on another planet for one lifetime. I’m going to just go home and find a nice quiet job that requires absolutely zero traveling.”

“At least traveling through space,” Kendrix said with a bit of a smirk, somewhat returning to her old self.

“If I can avoid traveling at all I’ll take it,” Finn told her, only partially meaning it.

From behind them the Doctor asked,”Say what is the purpose of this vessel? Obviously it’s a transport. Actually I dare say a colony ship given it’s size.”

“That’s exactly what it is,” Kendrix called back.

“We were chosen it colonize a new planet from Halla colony on Epsilon four “

“You sent out a colony ship from a planet you already had colonized?”, the Doctor asked.

“I think there was talk of preventing overcrowding like Earth use to face,” Kendrix offered.

The Doctor shook his head slightly, “You humans are worse than rabbits sometimes, I swear.”

“What’s a rabbit?”, Finn asked. Then he got confused over the somewhat mortified look the Doctor was giving him. “What?”

Looking like he should step in Elias quickly interjected with an answer for Finn. “An animal commonly found on Earth.” to the Doctor he said he added, “Still commonly found on Earth, the experts wanted to try taming any local wildlife instead of affecting the biodomes any more than necessary.”

“Well that’s comforting,” the Doctor said, visibly relieved, "They're such cute little things I hated to think they went extinct.”

“The bridge is up ahead,” Kendrix called out, then she waved at somebody who was guarding the door who waved back.

“Who’s the new guys,” he said gesturing toward Finn and the Doctor.

“Right Dave,”Kendrix took the lead here, “this is Finn, you’ve seen him around and that’s the…” obviously she wasn’t sure how to proceed here.

“Hello I’m the Doctor,” he said coming forward, and again his hand was reaching for something that wasn’t there. “I really have to find me a hat at some point.”

Elias stepped forward and told them, “This is Dave Newman, he sort of my second in command in all of this. Dave this is the Doctor. As in that Doctor,” he stressed. It took a moment for Dave to understand what he was talking about, eyes going wide and just staring at him

“No way.”

“And this is getting slightly embarrassing,” the Doctor said as he grabbed Finn and moved him between himself and Dave to block the stare.

“Right,” Elias said and opened the door “the transmitter is right through here.” After they passed he told Dave “A little decorum, is that too much to ask?”

On the bridge they saw how messy it was with various panels missing and the exposed wiring. The Doctor looked at the blown out window in front of them “Well,” he said slowly, “at least you should get some nice breezes through from time to time.”

***
“Are they still in there?”, Drexlin asked and was followed by Brother Daniel and some guards. It had been hours since it was reported that a group of their disciples had enter the yard and went into a particular ship.

“Yes they are Father,” one of the guards answered. “With your order I can send a team inside and capture them immediately. Execute them if necessary.”

“No,” Drexlin told him.

“But Father…”, the guard started to say before Drexlin whipped around and came toward the man making him take a step back.

“Are you questioning my order?!”. Drexlin said, his verbal cadence going different than any of them were used tp. Almost robotic in a way. “Disobedience will not be tolerated!”

“Father Drexlin “ Brother Daniel spoke up, becoming the new source of his ire. Daniel didn’t back down, almost getting calmer “I’m sure the guard meant no disrespect, he was just thinking like a guard, keeping the safety of the whole collective safe. He sees a potential threat and wants to eliminate it as soon as possible.”

“No one is to enter the ship,” Drexlin ordered.

“We will obey,” Brother Daniel said for the group., who bowed and let him go on his way. Daniel lingered a moment longer before, watching him enter

Once the door was closed Drexlin leaned his back against it, hand going to a spot on his forehead, the pain up to that point was slowly increasing, only to spike dramatically the moment the guard started questioning his order. Fingers lightly graze a small scar that was there. Once the pain subsided Drexlin stumbled over to his desk. While he held on to it with one hand his other found the eyestalk headpiece he wore during ceremonies, and the pain subsided greatly as he stared into the “eye” of the piece. “Will they be the ones who will let me hear your voice again?”

***
Through the broken windows the stars started to be visible in the darkening skies. From the transceiver the Doctor was doing what he could to help these people get off this planet and back home. “No,” he muttered, “it’s not a power loss. There’s plenty of juice going through the cables.” Making a face he reached over and tapped a screen of a particular gauge. “I think.”

“I think we are spending the night,” Elias told Kendrix, Finn and some of the others. “Patrols have increased right outside the yards border. I don’t think anyone is sneaking out of here. Now we’ve prepared for this moment.”

There was a slight sizzling sound right before the Doctor shouted out,” Ouch!” Shaking a hand he muttered, “Definitely has power,” right before putting his hands back in.

Turning back to the group Elias continued. “We have rations and supplies stocked up for months so we should be good for tonight. Have sleeping arrangements been made?”

“We cleared out some rooms just in case,” one of them said. Probably another one of Elias’ people. “Just down that hall there. We should be able to house a couple per room.”

“What about the sleep quarters?”, Kendrix asked. “I remember them being roomy enough.

“”Yeah,” Finn quickly agreed. “We could fit everybody in there if you want to keep them close.

“I’m sure it is,” Elias told them, “And I’m sure it’s highly defensible. But I’m doubting there’s a built-in escape route,” He said pointing at the broken windows. “If it comes to that. Now I want a guard rotation until morning. Phillips, you and Mayer take the first watch.”

The Doctor stopped what he was doing to look back out at the sars. Elias walked over and joined him. “Say Sergeant, exactly what year is it?

“”3527 Doctor,” he said.

“Hmm,” The Doctor went as he continued to look at the stars. “Take into account galactic drift…,” he mused as he did the calculations in his head. Then an image popped into his head, “Ah, that’s were I am. Strange I didn’t think humans made it this way for at least a couple more centuries.”

“Technically we’re not,” Elias told him. “It’s the main reason why the Lerhbridge-Stewart was deployed near here. Ships like this one was disappearing fairly regularly.”

“Looking back at the transceiver the Doctor commented, “Seeing how sub space transmission aren’t a thing apparently, at least on this vessel, it was probably quite a while before any one noticed it was missing.” Getting up he started poking around at another section of the equipment.”None of the other vessels around here have any power?”

“It was the strangest thing,” somebody said as Kendrix, Finn and the clothes came back in. “This ship being relatively left alone. I was assigned to ship deconstruction. Anything that was brought down was immediately ordered to be torn down for salvage, starting with the ship's energy core.”

“So why wasn’t this one done that way?”, the Doctor asked. “There seems to be an abundance of salvageable material just waiting to be claimed.”

“Maybe they just wanted to tease the rest of us,” Kendrix offered.

“Maybe,” he said, “but the order to not tear the ship down came from Father Drecxin himself. He gave specific orders to leave the ship’s power source alone.”

“Why?”, Finn asked.

“Good question,” the Doctor said. “Since apparently we have the time, I think I should take a look at the engine room. See why it’s so special that you were told to leave it alone.”

“I’m a bit curious about that myself,” Elias said.

“I scoped out the engine room early on,” Kendrix said. “I helped make sure the ship had power before we tried getting a message out, follow me.” The Doctor, Elias and a reluctant Finn followed suite.

***
Following Kendrix through the ship the Doctor looked at what he could with the pace Kendrix and Elias was making them keep. “She must have been something back before all of this,” the Doctor commented after taking a second to gaze at what he assumed was a poster for the exterior. “So why did your family volunteer to start a new colony?”

“My family didn’t,” came a slightly surprising answer.

“No one did,” Finn elaborated. “The colony leaders originally asked for some, when no one did they instituted a lottery system. If your number came up your family was on the ship.”

“Didn’t matter if you wanted to go or not,” Kendrix said, unable to hide the bitterness in her voice. “We were forced to leave our very lives, our friends. And we didn’t even make it to the planet we were supposed to go to. There’s engineering,” she pointed to a closed door. “Unfortunately someone closed this door and we haven’t been able to get it back open.”

“I might be able to help with that,” the Doctor said getting closer to the door. He examined a panel, “It still has power, it probably accidently locked itself. Happens all the time.” Reaching into his robe the Doctor pulled out a metal device bigger around than a large pen and pointed it at the panel, “This should do the trick.” There was an electronic whistling sound that quickly started to sound off. The Doctor looked at the device and slapped it against the palm of his hand. “Why are you going on the fritz?”

“Sonic screwdriver acting up Doctor?”, Elias asked. “Shame, I was hoping to see it in action.”

“Night still young Sergeant,” the Doctor said replacing the screwdriver back into his robe. “Time to do this the old fashion way. Elias, give me a hand with this panel.” It didn’t take no time for the two of them to remove the panel. “Now if I don’t get shocked again,” the Doctor said as he stuck his hands inside the opening and started messing with the interior wires. “”The shin bone connects to the knee bone and…” they looked at the doors as the Doctor pulled away. They remained closed. Making a face the Doctor hit the panel with the back of his fist and the door slowly started to open, “Ah the personal touch, naturally. Of course it was shin bone to foot bone, not the other direction.”

“Doctor?”, Finn asked in confusion.

“The door’s open, that's all that matters,” the Doctor told him. “Tally ho as they used to say.”

Before following him in Elias stood there shaking his head muttering something that sounded like, “The stories didn’t even cover it,”

“You know,” the Doctor said suddenly, “I’m starting to realize it’s going to take me a bit to get used to saying things with this particular accent. Ah there’s the engine core right there, that’s convenient.”

“Doctor,” Elias said, “What are you hoping to find in here?”

“I’ll know it when I see it,” was the answer.

Kendrix went to a monitor and turned it on. “This could be something. We noticed it back when we first searched the engine room, but none of us were trained to understand the readings.” The Doctor and Elias both came over and took a look at the screen.

“Well this is simple enough,” the Doctor said. “It’s just your standard power distribution read out. Basically how much power each section is getting.”

“There’s no power to the sleeping quarters,” Elias said as the Doctor walked away looking around the room. “Makes sense, nobody is using that section.”

“What's that reading right there?”,Kendrix asked pointing at one energy meter that seemed to be taking most of the energy from the core so far. “Is it the bridge?”

“I don’t think so?”, Elias told her. “It’s probably the reason why the core was left untouched. The question is why?”

“A better question,” the Doctor said suddenly, “is where do these cables go.” They went to where he was and found him standing over and staring at a cable..Then they followed it in one direction and saw that it was hooked into the core itself, obviously spliced in recently, more or less. The other way led to a tunnel that wasn’t part of the vessel’s original design. “And I do suspect the answers to both lie that way,” the Doctor said pointing in that direction. “Elias, I think you and I should follow and see where this goes. Kendrix, Finn you two stay here.”

“Now wait a minute,” Kendrix protested. “This is basically our ship. We have a right to know what’s going on.”

“And you will,” Elias told them, “now the Doctor’s right. “You two need to stay here. We have no idea what’s down there, and we can take care of ourselves. And that’ll be easier if we don’t have a couple tag al ongs. We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

“This should be useful,” The Doctor said, taking something off a nearby station. Holding it up he looked at it carefully even pulling out his sonic screwdriver and compared the two, “Yes this should nicely. Come along Sergent, mysteries to be solved are this way.”

“If you don’t hear from us in about a half hour, run back to the others and get them down here,” Elias ordered before he and the Doctor went down the tunnel.

Kendrix stood there with her arms crossed and watches them until they were out of sight. Then she waited five more minutes before saying, “Let’s go.”

Finn stopped her from entering the runnel, “Kendrix, they told us to stay.”

“And I have to know what’s going on, if they targeted us specifically or if it was just bad luck. No more waiting, come on.” She broke his grip and rushed into the tunnel.

“Kendrix!” Finn cakes oit. He stood there looking very conflicted. Finally he chased after her.

***
Fortunately there were some lights further down the tunnel, more than likely were some of the power from the ship core was powering. And so far there hadn’t seemed to be any guards… so far. The lDoctor and Elias still kept their guards up as they continued going down the tunnel. “How often do you do things like this Doctor?”, Elias asked after a bit.

“More times than I care to think about,” He answered. “ Examining the walls he commented, “This tunnel isn’t recent. The engine room doors were probably locked to make sure they weren’t disturbed accidentally.”

“Can you tell which way the tunnel was dug Doctor? I’m thinking this way,” Elias said pointing in the direction they were going. “Based on how the ship looked busted out of instead of in to.

“This end?” More than likely,” the Doctor told him. “But I’d imaging both ends of the tunnel were started at the same time.”

“So they met somewhere in the middle?”, Elias said.

“Well it is the most efficient way,” the Doctor told him. “Granted both teams need the same target otherwise just might miss then things get messy.” Suddenly he stopped, sighed then looked back. “Do you two want to hurry up or are you going to just dilly dally back there?” Elias was confused until he saw saw Kendrix and Finn walk forward, Finn looking apprehensive, Kendrix just looked defiant. Sighing again the Doctor looked up at the ceiling above them, “Why do I keep getting faces nobody wants to listen to?”

“I told you two to stay back there,” Elias snapped.

“And we want to know what’s going on,” Kendrix told them.

“She wanted to know,” Finn meekly said.

“How did you know we were back there?”, Kendrix asked.

“Experience,” the Doctor said drily. “Well you’re here now. You might as well stick around.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea Doctor,” Elias spoke up..

“No it isn’t, but they’re here now. Just make sure you stay behind us”, the Doctor said sternly.

“Experience huh?”, Elias commented as they started walking again.

“Unfortunately. I’ve learned that people tend to do the opposite when I tell them to stay in one place. One of these days I’m going to have to try saying come with me and see what happens.”

“What’s that door?”, Finn asked pointing ahead of them

“The answer obviously,” the Doctor said as they walked forward. Finding a handle Elias slide it open slightly, checking the other side before opening it fully letting more light into the tunnel. “It’s clear.”

“Well this is promising,” The Doctor said as he looked around the newly revealed control room. “Not exactly all that roomy,” he commented as the others came in. “You know, I miss the days people labeled things. Made this all the easier when trying to figure out what things were, Oh, no this is definitely interesting,” he said. Picketing up another bit of small tech that was by a dail that looked important.. Then he spotted what looked like another door and opened it revealing a darker room. But he could see enough to tell that it was much larger than the one they were in. “Does anybody recognize this room?”

Elias and Kendrix came out and looked around. Kendrix looked uncertain as she said, “I’m not sure but I think this might be the antechamber.”

“Antechamber?”,” the Doctor asked.

“”According to rumor,” Elias said as he looked around the room as well, “this is were they translated whatever it was into that document on the tablet I gave you. The so-called Holy text is supposed to be in here.”

“Now that is something I want to take a look at,” the Doctor said.

“They say a Dalek will appear in here if you're alone,” Finn added.

“Finn,” Kendrix chided him, “That’s just a fairy tale they tell the ones who want to believe.”

“I wouldn’t mind seeing that as well,” the Doctor muttered. “But one thing at a time. Finn, do you see anything that look like it might turn on the lights in here?”

“Um,” Finn went, “Maybe. There’s a whole lot of buttons in here. Wait, this might be it.”

After a second the room became brighter giving them a better look at the room. To the Doctor it wasn’t all that impressive looking at all. “I was expecting something a little grandier for something containing these so-called ‘holy text’.”

“Doctor!“, Kendrix cried out causing the Doctor and Elias to whip around. In the center of the room wasn’t a mock up statue but an actual Dalek staring them down.

 

[sc ikaiju]

Lights came on in a darkened room as the Doctor, Kendrix and brother Elias stood there.. Looking around at the very plain looking area the Doctor went, “I was expecting something a little grander for something containing these so called “holy text’.”

“Doctor!”, Kendrix cried out. He and Elias whipped around to find an honest to goodness Dalek staring them down.

“What is…?”, Finn said as he came out of the room. “The stories are true,” he whispered as he slunk back.

“Get back in the room!”, Elias ordered as he pushed him back in and reached for Kendrix. The Doctor stood there a moment before tilting his head slightly before stepping forward. “Doctor!”, he cried out trying to stop the other man.

They all heard him say,”Looks like a Dalek.” He stepped just close enough to give the base a slight kick that caused the others to flinch a bit, “Solid like a Dalek.” He started to walk around the machine and ran a finger over it’s done and stuck it in his mouth, ‘“Doesn’t taste like a Dalek. But more importantly,” he continued while stopping in front of it and leaned down low enough to stare it right in the eyestalk, “why aren’t you acting like a Dalek?”

“How are Daleks supposed to act?”, Finn cautiously asked from back in the doorway.

“We’re all still alive for one,” the Doctor told him, not taking his eyes off this particular Dalek. “And not one ‘exterminate’ since we’ve seen it.” Staring into the eyestalk again he said, “What is wrong with you? Are you sick? If so, good.”

“Ah Doctor,” Elias spoke up, “maybe not stand so close to the creature of mass destruction.”

“Normally I’d agree with you,” the Doctor told him, finally taking his eyes off the Dalek and started looking around the room. “But something is very off here, and I want to figure out what.” He looked closer at the room itself from where he was standing, searching for something. “Elias,” he said focusing on something, “be a good Sergeant and wave your hand in front of that light in particular.”

“This one?” He asked, pointing at one that seemed higher up than the others. Once he got a nod he reached up and waved his hand in front of it.

The Doctor, who didn’t take his eyes off the Dalek, stepped back a bit as the Dalek seemed to dim for a brief moment. “Did anybody else see that?”

“I think I did,” Finn said. “It looked like it flickered for a second.”

“Hmmm,” the Doctor went as he looked back around the room. Then he pointed to an opposing corner of the room at a similarly placed light. “Kendrix, try to see if you can block that light. Elias do the same with that one.”

“You got it Doctor,” Elias answered.

Kendrix responded with, “Give me a moment.” Stretching as far as she could she was able to get a couple of fingers on the light while Elias covered his with his whole hand. Both looked back at the Dalek in the middle of the room. It definitely dimmed this time. The Doctor rapped his knuckles on top of the dome. “What’s going on?”, she asked.

“Still working on it,” he said. “Our not so imaginary friend here is still feeling rather solid. So what is going on?” Suddenly he started waving his arms around the Dalek, like he was feeling for something. Not finding anything he looked frustrated by the way he started scratching his head. Backing up he looked around the room again, muttering, "It's obviously a light construct of some sort but it’s solid. Why is it solid?” Then he got a look on his face, “Hard light hologram. Oh this is absolutely brilliant.”

“A hard light hologram?”, Kendrix asked, looking at him and Elias for an explanation.

The answer came from the Time Lord, “it’s a system that uses a combination of tractor beams, force shield and light projection to make an object appear solid.” The other three couldn’t help but notice he seemed almost giddy over the revelation. “I have to say, I’m going to have to reexamine my opinion on the people in charge around here if they came up with something like this. Finn, there was a large dial in there.”

“I see it,” he called out.

“Twist it a couple of times will you,” the Doctor instructed. “Let us know which way you’re twisting it though. I’m testing out a theory that just came to me.”

“You got it,” he said retreating back into the room. “Twisting it to the left.” A moment later the Dalek’s dome twisted to the left. “Turning it to the right,” he called out the the Dalek looked to the right.

The Doctor clapped his hands, “A remote controlled Dalek hologram. This is absolutely extraordinary..”

“So why create a fake Dalek to begin with?”, Kendrik as she cautiously stepped closer to it. Only to jump back when it started looking at her. “Finn!”

“Sorry,” came from the other room.

“It makes sense in a way,” Elias said as he studied the image closer than Kendrix was. “You build a religion around these things, occasionally you'll want a miracle sighting from somebody not in the higher leadership.”

“Very true, " the Doctor added, “it’s much more believable if someone not in the loop has the vision. But you’re going to need more than an image. Finn, is there any type of microphone in there?”

“No, i don’t think… Wait, I found it. So do you.”

The two smaller bulbs on top of the dome started to flash in beat with the electronic words it spoke, “”Press the button…? Whoa is that me?”

“And miracle complete,” The Doctor said. “Now those holy texts are in here, supposedly. I want to see what they’re working with.”

***
A quick search of the very plain room proved it was just that a very plain room. And one, outside of a couple of doors had absolutely nothing in it. “I’m starting to lower of opinion of the ones in charge again,” The Doctor said after going over the room again. “I mean you go through all that effort to make a holographic Dalek and you can’t even make a prop for some holy text.”

From the hidden control room Elias called to him, “Doctor, I think me and Finn found them in here.”

“Digital,” the Doctor said with a dry tone. “How modern of them.” The Doctor went back into the room while Kendrix hovered at the door. Finn moved aside from the screen he was looking at so the Time Lord could get a closer look. “Say this is rather promising. Good find you two.”

“So what is it?, Elias asked looking over the Doctor’s shoulder.

“Somehow the group in charge translated part of a Dalek database,” he said scrolling through the data. “Rather poorly might I add. Although that would explain the twelve things that contradicted the fifteen others. But they obviously had this for a while. This isn’t something you do over night.’

“So where did they get a hold of a Dalek database?”, Elias asked him. “I mean that's not the type of thing you just find lying around.”

“In this case they might have just have found it lying around,” the Doctor said finding some untranslated text and read through it. “This ship was part of the time war between my people and the Daleks. No matter the war or where things tend to get scattered about. We should be lucky this was all they found.”

While they were talking Finn was going through another computer. “I think I found something, it might have to do with that hologram out there.”

“We'll try it,” Kendrix said turning her attention to the image. Reluctantly Finn did. Then, “Get back in here, it changed shape.” The three of them rushed back out. Where the Dalek was now stood a mechanical humanoid. “What is it?”

“A Cyberman,” Elias told her. “Finn, see if there’s anything else in there.” Finn went back in as the Doctor stepped closer. After a bit the image turned into something else, a smaller humanoid shape whose head was covered fully by a dome of a black helmet.

“A Sontoran,” the Doctor told the group. “Obviously this isn’t the first time this group have founded a religion on a species. Sontarans at least have a code of honor so they make sense, but Cybermen and Daleks that boggles the mind.” The image changed again in front of them was another humanoid. This one in red robes with a high arched collar in the back. Cocking an eyebrow the Doctor said, “Time Lord. Well I’m offended now.”

“Why?,” Kendrix asked him while standing next to him.

“Because it looks nothing like me,” he told her. “It doesn’t look like any version of me ever. That and they got the look so blasted spot on it’s disgusting.”

“You’re mad they didn’t base it on you?” she said in disbelief. She was going to put it down to the idea that his brains might still be a bit scrambled based on how he described the whole changing thing.

“My people are a rather secluded bunch,” he explained. “By contrast I’m all over the place. I’m sure there’s plenty of examples of my former faces out there. This could be anybody.”

“And that sounds like the Doctor I heard about in the stories,” Elias said with a smirk.

“Watch it,” the Doctor told him. “Anything else interesting in there?”

“Not that I’m seeing,” Finn called out from the room.

As Kendrix started looking around the antechamber the Doctor told them, “”Turn this hologram off. I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody noticed this was turned on.”

“In that case,” Elias said, “we might want to leave before anyone who did shows up.”

Kendrix started examining part of the wall. Why was it looking off to her. Getting a little closer she thought she saw… where those scrape marks. “Hey, I think I found something.”

“And I think I just found my weakness,” the Doctor said. “A found something.” He walked over to see what she discovered

“Ah Doctor,” Elias went, “the idea somebody might have discovered the Dalek was turned on.”

“Just a moment Sergeant,” the Doctor said as he helped her move the section of the wall as it slid over revealing a hidden cove. “Now this is interesting,” the Doctor murmured as he reached in and pulled out some sort of helmet. It was sort of squareish with some types of pipes connecting it to the back.

“Think it goes with the Cyberman image we saw,” Elias asked. “It looks ceremonial enough, like that ridiculous eyestalk thing Drexel wears when he preaches.”

“Now that I have to see,” the Doctor quipped while still examining the helmet. “ But no, this has nothing to do with the Cybermen. Not that it would stop a conman from doing so. No this isn’t Cyberman, but….”, he trailed off. Looking inside he saw a series of spikes inside. Carefully he grabbed one and gave it a slight dug. It extended a bit. Keeping a hold he pushed it back in. Turning it around until he was facing the front he just stared at it. “Where have I seen you before?”

“Doctor we better leave,” Elias insisted. “We don’t know how much time we have.”

“Quite right,” the Doctor said replacing the helmet. As he and Kendrix closed the panel he said. “Make sure everything looks like it did, at least as close as possible. Even if they weren’t alerted with the Dalek we don’t want to give away anybody was in here.”

“We already set things back in here,” Elias told him. “We’re just waiting on the two of you.” Pushing Kendrix to the door the Doctor looked back at the panel. That was going to big him to no end, but priorities meant he and the others had to get out of here. But after this was over he was definitely going to figure out what that helmet was.

***
“Anything?”, Brother Daniel asked one of the guards. He and several of the others were in the sensor room just waiting for any type of updates. Well except for Drexlin, he was still in his office preparing his next “sermon” while this was going on. And as he wandered around he wasn’t the only one who was finding this particular bit of behavior a bit strange.

“No Brother Daniel,” the guard said before moving on.

“Why isn’t Drexlin in here?”, one of the others practically demanded. “We have a serious breach of security here. Why isn't he here monitoring the situation? He has before, on situations no where as major as this.”

“I know,” Daniel told him. “And I wish I knew.”

“We need to send men in there.”

“Vrexlin’s order is still in place,” Daniel reminded him.

“If they discover the route to the antechamber….”

“They will not know what it is.” Everyone turned to see Drexlin walk in followed by one of the nastier guards. The one Daniel stopped earlier to be exact. “Even if they figure it out who will believe them?”

“Drexlin,” Daniel said stepping forward despair the warning glare from the guard behind his friend. At least Daniel hoped Drexlin was still his friend, lately it was hard to tell. “There will be some, particularly among those we forced to be here. They will grasp at anything to rally around.”

“And we will put them down when they do,” the guard said. Practically growling the statement while staring right at him.

“Order will be maintained,” Drexlin said, again in that almost mechanical cadence he seemed to be slipping into more and more. What made this time all the more concerning was he was completely calm when it happened. Usually he spoke that way only when he was agitated. “By any means necessary.”

“Drexlin,” the monk who was speaking to Daniel said, making Drexlin almost look offended that he dared speak to him. “We know they will be guarding the entrances they know about into the ship. “The route from the antechamber might be our best chance to catch them off guard.”

Daniel hope started to rise a bit as Drexlin actually appeared to consider this. It was a good plan. The door to engineering was locked from the inside, so the odds of the ones holed up inside discovering from there to the antechamber was low. The guard could easily catch them off guard with an attack from that direction. Even the guard behind Drexlin seemed to be salivating at the idea.

A look that was quickly wiped away with one word from Drexlin, “No.” And he turned and began to walk away.

“Father Drexlin,” Daniel said following at a respectful distance, given how erratic his moods have been lately Daniel figured it would be best to continue the ruse, even in front of the ones who knew better. “It is a sound plan.” Knowing Drexlin well enough to know he was about to whip around and argue the point Daniel thought fast and added, “If they discover the route from the ship’s engine to the antechamber some of them could possibly use it as an escape route. Particularly the leaders. It may be in our best interest to at least post some guards, if not in the tunnel then at least inside the antechamber to catch any who try just that.”

Again Drexlin appeared to be thinking it over. Even his guardian shadow was waiting for his answer. Finally, taking in a deep breath, Drexlin gave his answer, “That would be satisfactory,” his voice was normal but a slight trace of that cadence still remained. And was gone as he turned toward the guard and told him, “I want guards outside the antechamber doors placed there immediately, around the clock watch.”

“I will obey,” he said gruffly.

The monk who stepped up to Drexlin started to speak up but Daniel put a hand on his arm to stop him. “To Drexlin he simply said, “Are there any other orders Father?”

“Continue monitoring the situation,” he said.

“We will obey,” Daniel told him as the two of them left the room.

***
Looking back at the door from the hall Dreclin’s expression darkened slightly. To the guard he said, “That one is getting too bold. Make an example out of him.”

With a glint of sadistic glee in his eyes the guard sneered and went, “I will obey,” and hurried past him. Drexlin looked back at the doors, now was not the time for any type of insubordination. And insubordination must be dealt with, must be exterminated.

***
Through the opening through the ship Kendrix and Finn found the Doctor and Elias sitting on some crates. The Doctor seemed to be fiddling with something. It looked like some of the parts he picked up while they went to the engine room and his sonic screwdriver. Elias was saying, “Appears we know what they were diverging energy to.”

“It seems so,” The Doctor muttered while he kept working on whatever he was doing. Finally he said, “It still leaves on question.”

“What question?”, Kendrix asled as the two of them joined them.

“Do we really want to know?”, Finn asked.

“Of course you do,” the Doctor told him holding up what he was doing. Not to show off but trying to get a better look at what he was doing. Elias reached up and repositionred one of the lights as best as he could. “Thank you Sergeant, that is much better. As I was saying, there is one question remaining. Why this ship?”

“The engine room obviously,” Kendrix said.

“True, but why this particular ship? Look out there,” he gestured toward the opening and into the yard. Several ships could be seen from where they were. The Doctor explained, “Any of the cores on the bigger ships out there could have powered that holographic system. Why this one?”

“Maybe it was closer,” Finn offered.

“That’s a good point,” Elias said. “It would be easier to keep thing unnoticed from the rest of the group.”

“Any other situation,” the Doctor began, “I would agree with you. However the lovely gentleman up that way,” he pointed back toward the direction of the bridge, “mentioned that they were specifically told not to dismantle this ship. Why? What was it about this particular vessel that told the people in charge to not tear it apart.”

“I’m just glad they didn't,” Kendrix mused. “It’s the only thing me and Finn have that connects to home.”

“Maybe,” Finn started while the Doctor went back to what he was doing, “they want to use it as an ark.” The Doctor stopped what he was doing as all three looked at Finn. “Elias said he was out on patrol in this section of space because ships were disappearing.”

“And somebody might stumble across this planet sooner or later,” Kendrix added. Granted, part of her really wanted this ship flying again so she and Finn could go home again despite knowing that it wasn’t going to happen.

“Yeah, keep things mobile,” Finn added.

“It makes some sense,” Elias put in. “But they’re going to run out of room eventually.” He leaned forward as he thought this idea over. “That doesn’t mean they couldn’t go elsewhere. Or still use this planet. This section is still fairly uncharted, it would take years before a survey team potentially located it.”

“That is a possibility,” The Doctor said. There’s plenty of material out there to repair this ship. Maybe modify it for planetary lift off.” Elias looked st him,” “Anyone that can create a hard light hologram system could easily pull that off. Glancing over at Kendrix and Finn he added, “Although that process would take years.”

“And this place might be discovered by then,” Kendrix said.

“Wait a minute,” Finn said, “You’re part of UNIT, shouldn’t they have come searching for you by now?”

“They should have,” Elias told him. “But space is massive when you’re looking for one vessel. And according to the people I’ve gotten to kow since I’ve been here these people are very good at disabling any transponders after they get them dpwn on the ground.”

“Still last known location and all that,” the Doctor said as he suddenly stood up and headed back toward the engine room

Popping a rounded over pit with an emitter on top of that screwdriver. This time he did just examine it as he walked, “Yes, that should do nicely, maybe not as effective as it was before but it should work.”

“Doctor,” Finn called out after him. “Why are we headed back toward the engine room?”

“Just a little back up,” he said as he kept walking. “Elias I’d imagine you have guards posted at the entrance, as well as that hole going through the ship.?

“Already have plans in place,” he said. “Plans I’m going to have to alter since we discovered that tunnel. Right now I’m just trying to figure out where to pull the guards from to guard the engine room doors.”

“You might not have to,” the Doctor sais as he fiddled with something at the bottom of the screwdriver. “Here we are,” The Doctor speed up a bit. “Good news Elias, you said you wanted to see my Screwdriver in action.” Going over to the panel he held the screwdriver in front of it. Placing his thumb on a small ring built onto the shaft he pressed down and a electronic twill filled the air. Once the lights on the panel changed the Doctor let go of the ring and stepped away. “That should do it,” he said as Elias examined the panel.

“You locked it,” he said after a bit.

“And made sure it could only be opened from this side. Not that they won’t be able to open it eventually with the proper tools. But it should buy us some time so maybe just post a watch. W’ll have plenty of warning in case they try to breach this door.”

“I think I can spare a person for a watch,” Elias told him. “Let’s get back to the bridge, maybe figure out what plans they have for this ship if any.”

“After you,” the Doctor told him as they walked away from the door.

***
It was dark out. From the vantage point the bridge gave him the Doctor could see the lights from the village from there. Talking to himself he muttered, “The village is there that means the TARDIS should be that way, generally. That won’t do at all.”

“What won’t do Doctor?,” he looked back to see Elias walk into the bridge, a rifle slung over his shoulder.

“I doubt that robe is regulation,” he quipped. Elias looked down and chuckled slightly in agreement. When he stood next to the Doctor the Time Lord said. “Just thinking out loud. The TARDIS should be done redecorating itself by now, hopefully.”

“Thinking of a plan of escape Doctor?”

“And you’re not?”

“All day,” Elias told him. “And a good one hasn’t come to mind. Based on the last reports before the outside watch came in guard presence outside the yard increased several times. They know we’re here.”

“Honestly I’d be surprised if they didn't,” the Doctor told him. “Tell me something, if we could get the villagers to the TARDIS, how many do you think would actually go inside?”

“How many?”, Elias mused as he looked at the village. “Honestly I don’t know. They’ve been pretty much drilling into people that Time Lords are evil incarnate.”

Sighing the Doctor said, “I gathered as much based on Finn’s reaction when he figured out what I am. Granted I’m hoping the desire to escape would override any fear but I’m doubting it at the moment.”

“Guess you’ll never know until you try,” Elias told him. “If anybody around here can come up with a decent plan to get past the guards.”

“Well with no good plans there’s only one thing we can do,” the Doctor said. When Elias looked at him questionably he gave him a slight smirk. “We start looking back over the bad ones and see what we can work with. Come Sergeant, tell me some of the bad ones, the ones that don’t involve a full frontal assault, and let’s see if we can cobble together a decent one out of them.”

***
Two guards had made their way into the yards. Both of them alert for any sign of the ones holding up inside. Cautiously they made their way deeper into the ship grave yard. All of them very aware of how many places they could get ambushed from. “I told you this was stupid,” one said to the other.

“And we need to know how many we’re dealing with.” The other one argued. “Ain’t you the one always saying we need to take the initiative more. Well we’re doing it.”

“We are two men, alone, against who knows how many. We needed more help.”

“And a large group get noticed,” came the counterpoint. “Besides anybody else would try to take the credit for my idea.”

“For all the…,” the one went in disgust. Then they both stopped when they saw a lone hooded figure slowly walking toward them with a lower head.

“Good day brothers,” the lone figure greeted them as he continued walking forward. “A lovely day for a walk, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Hold”, the lead guard ordered. The figure did as he was told. “What are you doing here?

“Just out for a early morning stroll,” was the infuriating reply. The first guard stormed over and tried to stand over him.

Instead of being intimidated the lone figure innocently asked, “is something wrong brother?”

“Listen you….,” he grabbed the figure by the robe. The next instant the man gave a short attack cry as he brought an arm up, grabbed the guard by the back of the neck and flipped him to the ground. The other guard rushed in but after another cry he was stopped when two fingers were jabbed into his chest, apparently completely frozen in place as the figure kept his fingers in place.

“Anytime Sergeant,” the lone figure cried out. Elias and the others ran out of cover. Some immediately converging on the guard on the ground, tying his limbs together as Elias ran in with a rifle and smashed the butt of it into the back of the head of the guard frozen in place. Pulling his hood back the Doctor looked at the fallen guard then looked at Elias, “That was a bit violent wasn’t it?”

“Had to make sure,”he told the Doctor as he handed the rifle off to some one else. “What was that move?”, he asked holding up two fingers.

“Venusian Aikido,” the Doctor told him. “Still very effective after all this time. I haven’t pulled off that move in a while.”

“The way a head is clear,” somebody else said as they ran up. “Looks like it was just those two,” he gestured to the guards as they were being dragged away.

“This is our chance,” Elias told them. “Sean you and group b stay with the ship. If the Doctor hunch is right there might be other plans for it. We can’t let that happen whatever it is. And it goes without saying….,” he trailed off to look back at where their new captives went.

“They won’t leave our sight Sergeant,” he said before quickly saluting and hurrying off.

Turning to the rest of them Elias said, “Follow me, but keep an eye open for anything.”

“What did I step into?”, Finn whined as the Doctor pulled his hood back up as they went to the border. Once they reached the edge Elias had them stop as he stepped out into the open. Looking around he quickly waved for the rest of them to hurry out and directed them into the woods while staying alert for any signs of trouble. Once all ten people were safely across he entered himself.

“Now what?, one of them asked, obviously nervous about what was happening.

“Now we go a little deeper. My men set up a small secluded camp site not far from here. We can stay there for a bit then some of you can catch your breath,” Elias told them. “While you do that I’m going to sneak back into the village. Don’t worry, Richie here will take care of you and as you saw our new friend here is pretty resourceful so you’ll be safe.”

“Why go back to the village?”, Kendrix asked him. “They’re going to know we’re missing.”

“That’s why I’m going,” Elias told the group. I have to find out exactly how much they know. We have allies in the village. And not all my men are back at the ship. Right now I’m hoping one of them or a combination of them tried to cover our disappearance so some of us can sneak back in. Right now Just one person should be able to do that,”

“And then what?”, the Doctor asked.

“We set up a base under nose,” came the answer. “I’ll head there and get the situation then come back and we’ll go from there.”

“Maybe I should be the one to go,” the Doctor offered. “If they are looking for any of you then the guards might be ecra observant on who’s under the hood. I’m an unknown face so I should be unnoticed for a bit.”

“They’re also looking out for the pilot of that ship,” Kendrix reminded him

“Yeah,” Rinn added, “I doubt they stopped looking for you just because we went into the yard.

“Doctor,”Elias told him, “I’m the only logical choice.”

“Please don’t argue with me about logic,” the Doctor told him. “You’ll lose every time.”

“Fine, I’m pulling rank,” Elias told him. The Dpctor cocked an eyebrow. “Doctor, believe me when I tell you I respect everything you’ve done, everything the stories said you’ve done. But because everybody on that ship,you and everybody else is my responsibility. And that is something bI don’t take lightly.”

“Might I remind you we were there because of me.”

“Four of us were, everybody else was already there. It has to be me, sneaking in and out of places is something I’ve trained for. Besides my man knows me, he doesn’t know you, not even what you look like.” The stood there just staring each other down.

Feeling a sudden slight tug on his sleeve. When he looked he saw Kendrix look at him pleadingly. “Doctor, come on, you know he’s right.”

Still he stood there. Then, slowly, he stepped aside not looking all that pleased with the situation. Elias just nodded before addressing the group, “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Richie keep them safe.”

“Yes sir Sergeant,” he saluted as Elias headed off. “All right you lot, follow me, that camp site’s not far from here.”

***
The first thing you had to learn about infiltrating an area, particularly one you already been established in, was to keep your head down without looking like you were keeping it down. It was one of those things that sounded way easier than what it was. Fortunately the hooded robes helped with that immensely. Now all Elias had to do was acknowledge someone in passing every so often and not draw any undue attention to himself. Again easier said than done, particular with how nasty and paranoid some of the guards around the village were. They would hassle a person anytime they felt like it at times.

“Good day brother,” Elias looked up And saw one of the elder monks come in the opposite direction. This one in particular was usually hanging around Daniel, and definitely not in the know about the group trying to get off planet so his only acknowledgment was a simple head nod as they past each other. Elias didn’t trust saying anything out loud until he found out if the guards knew if anybody was actually missing.

As he turned a corner he heard someone else call out “Elder.” Despite every instinct telling him to keep on moving he stopped and peaked around the corner, he recognized that voice. It was the head guard, the one who was about to administer a group beating to a few of the others before Daniel got involved. His head was screaming leave but his gut was telling him something bad was about to happen.

“Yes guard,” the elder said as he faced the man. Again every instinct was yelling at him, this time to get the Elder out of there but he stood his ground.

“I have a message for Brother Daniel. From Father Drexlin.”

Elias looked around, not another soul in sight outside of a couple of other guard who were hanging back. His gut clenched at the realization. “Read the situation you idiot,” he pleaded under his breath.

But the Elder just stood there, either oblivious or unwilling to believe what Elias was seeing clear as day. “Oh and what is the message?”

The guard said nothing as he came closer. There was a glint of something in his right hand as soon as he got close enough. Elias lowered his head as the Elder’s body reacted to the stab he didn’t see coming. Then the guard repeated it several times before letting the Elder drop, the knife sticking out of his body. “Message delivered,” the guard sneered. Waving the other guards over he said, “Get this garbage out of here. Dump it in the woods, let some mangy mongrel feed on it for all I care. As soon as Father Drexlin gives the okay Daniel is next.”

As the other guards picked up the dead body the head guard looked around for any witnesses. Elias hurriedly ducked back around the corner and into hiding in case they came this way. Waiting a moment, and hearing their footfalls going in the other direction Elias made his way off. It was a good thing he was able to convince the Doctor to stay with the others, he doubted that he could stop the man from getting involved at that point.

Still he made sure he wasn’t being followed as he made his way to the hut and knocked on the door to be let inside. “What the hell is going on?” His man on the inside asked as he checked out the door himself before closing it.

“Does anybody know if people are missing?”, he asked without hesitation.

“A person here and there,” was the response he was dreading and expecting at the same time. “Our people are covering as best we can but we can’t keep it up for long.”

“I need names,” Elias told him. “I need to know who we can sneak back in and who we can’t. It’s getting, I don’t know how it’s getting. I just witnessed the head guard straight up kill one of the Elders.”

“That’s mental,” the other man said. “How are they going to explain his disappearance? This was just given to everybody,” reaching into the robe he handed his tablet to Elias. On the screen was an announcement.

“Emergency meeting,” Elias read out loud. “Spies in our midst, attendance is mandatory.” Handing it back Elias said. “If they acknowledge his death they’ll probably blame these spies. If not then he’s probably on some sort of pilgrimage of some sort.”

“What are the chances they timed the message to cover the murder?”

“I’d say pretty good.” Elias said as the tablet beeped. The guard read and his face slackened a bit. “What is it?”

“They updated the message with the meeting’s location. It’s the spot in the woods we're we set up that safe camp.”

“What?”, Elias ripped the tablet from his hands and read it for himself. That’s were he told the group to go to wait for him. If there was going to be a meeting there then there would be guards. “I have to go, they’re going to make sure the site is going to be secure ahead of time.” Elias left the hut and headed directly for the point he entered the village from. He had to get to the Doctor and the others and warn them

***
“I’m telling you that Venusian Aikido doesn’t work,” the UNIT soldier Elias assigned to guard the group to the safe camp tried to argue with the Doctor. They had reached the camp and were sitting around waiting when the subject came up

Trying hard not to take offense and failing a bit the Doctor shot back, “Obviously it did.” And he gestured back toward the ship junk yard.

“He did take care of those two fairly easily,” Finn put in.

“Yeah,” Kendrix readily agreed. “That one guard looked frozen in place while the Doctor was holding him there. Whatever it was looked pretty effective to me.”

“UNIT has studied this so called technique for decades,” the guard told them. The Doctor actually snorted after he spoke those words. Hearing it the guard leaned in closer to him. “We have studied it, so how come we can’t duplicate it?” He leaned back, looking slightly smug awaiting the response.

Just cocking an eyebrow the Doctor simply said, “You have to learn it from actual Venusians. You can’t just pick it up from watching a video. Even if the person performing the moves is rather good at it.”

“Venus has never supported life,” was the guards only comeback.

Pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing the Doctor went, “Human nativity in thinking they’re the only ones who can name a planet. You lot are so trying sometimes.”

“So how many Venues are out there?”, Kendrix asked.

“In this case at least two,” the Doctor told her. “But off the top of my head,” he trailed off for a bit as he thought about it, “at least four.”

“And those other three support life?”, the guard asked, getting a little snarky.

“Well there is one benefit of having a time machine. By the way the Venus in your system was a rather lovely place a million or so years ago. I always loved to visit during the festive system. “ The guard's jaw just went slack as he sat there staring at the Doctor who started looking a bit smug himself.

“The festive season” Kendrix sat back a bit as she mused the thought over. To Finn she went, “Do you realize how many we missed since we've been here?” Finn reached over and squeezed her shoulder.

“Well if I have my way,“ the Doctor told her, “both of you will be seeing a few more.”

“I’m sorry,” someone else in the group asked, “but did you say time machine?”

“Right,” the Doctor said looking at her, “not everyone is in the know.”

“What’s going on here?, a new voice demanded before anything could be properly explained. The Doctor stood up and stepped toward the newcomer, obviously a guard of some sort stormed into the clearing. “Who said the group of you could be out this way?”

“Brother,” the Doctor said calmly as he kept on approaching with palms up and fully exposed. “We were just communing, hoping to get in touch with our inner Dalek.” The Doctor looked down as the guard grabbed him by the front of the robe. “Well now, that’s just rude.”

“Shut yer trap,” he said. Then the Doctor brought his hand through the grip, grabbed him by the back of the neck and flipped him to the ground. Readjusting his robe he looked at the UNIT soldier, “Obviously it doesn’t work at all,” as some of the other immediately jumped on the fallen guard

“Hey?” Another guard with a club in hand started right before a sizable tre limb smashed him in back of the head. Elias stood there welding the branch huffing and puffing as he looked at the first guard with a confused look.

“That’s a rather nasty habit you have there,” the Doctor told Elias as he came closer to the man. “But a timely one “

“Is there any more?”, Elias asked between breaths

“Sergeant what is it?”, the soldier asked as the others finished tying up the first guard and a couple moved on to the second one.

“We got to move, now,”, Elias told him. “The Elders are going to hold some sort of major function, right in this very spot.”

“Well that’s fortunate,” the Doctor said.

“So we can sneak back into the village?,”Kendrix offered.

“That too I suppose,” the Doctor mused. “Yes that should work nicely. What better way to sneak a large group in than with a crowd.*

“That too?”, Finn asked for the group. “What else is there?”

“Anything else would be too risky,” Elias cut off any response the Doctor has. “We need to get out of here. I saw this one,” he pointed at the guard he knocked out, “installing something in a tree over there. Who knows how many more there are out here.”

“Where?” the Doctor asked looking past Elias and deeper into the woods.

“Doctor,” he began.

“We have to move, but we have to hide these two first,” he gestured to the guards, “Otherwise they’ll be found and tell the others the direction we went. So one way or another we got time.”

“We could just kil…,” the soldier started to say before the Doctor cut him off

“No! We are not doing that.”

“Doctor,” Elias spoke ip, “I just witnessed the head guard just straight up murder one of the elders.” Despite not liking the elders Kendrix gasped at the news like the others.

The Doctor on the other hand, didn’t seem fazed by what was just said, “Which is why we have to be better.”

“Now see here,” one of the others said.

“We have to be better,”he said forcely. “Otherwise what’s the point?””

“What are we going to do with these two then,” the soldier asked. Despite his offence to the suggested action he didn’t come forth with an immediate answer to the problem.

“Even if we did,” Kendrix said right before slashing a finger across her throat, “we’d still have to do something with the bodies.”

Sighing while looking around E;ias went, “Fine, does anyone know any good hiding spots nearby. Because we can’t risk sneaking these you back into the yards.”

“There’s that cave system nearby Sargeant,” the soldier said. “We been keeping some supplies there.”

“There’s a cave system?”, Finn asked looking around at the others. They seemed justas confused at the announcement.

Still looking around for any other guards Elias went, “Fine, we’ll move these two to the caves. I’ll take the Doctor to that device and meet you there right after. You and you go out in front to keep an eye on any guards in order to give the others enough of a warning to stop. Move out.” The UNIT soldiers either grabbed or directed the others to help in moving the guards. Kendrix looked like she was going to go with the two of them but the Doctor indicated that she should go with the others. Elias motioned for the Doctor to follow him, “This way Doctor.”

They traveled a few meters before Elias pointed to a tree in particular. “It’s over there Doctor.” Moving closer to the tree in question the Doctor easily spotted the piece of technology in the natural environment. A cylinder-like device with a glass like cover on one end with an obvious power cable attached to the other. “Oh do I want to follow that.

“What do you think it is Doctor?”, Elias asked trying to get him back on track. Despite really weaning to see where what was connected to the other end of that cable, he forced that particular want down.

“If I had to take a guess,” he said taking a closer look while reaching into his robe, “It might be a holographic projector, similar to the one that produced our friend from yesterday.”

“That’ll produce a hard light hologram?”, Elias asked, sounding unsure as he looked the device over again.

“No,” the Doctor said, sonic screwdriver now in hand. Fiddling with the dial at the bottom he added, “This is just the projector. If I had to hazard a guess a mass miracle sighting might be planned for that meeting.” Holding the screwdriver up to the device he pressed down on the ring causing it to emit that electronic twirl again.

“What are you doing?”, Elias demanded as he snapped his head in every direction. “Somebody could hear that.

“Just getting a scan of the signal,” The Doctor told him. “It might come in handy. If anything I can disrupt whatever they have planned.” Looking at the screwdriver he frowned slightly, “It be more accurate before it went on the fritz but this will have to do for the moment. Maybe I can tweak it once we’re off this planet.”

“Let’s get to the others first,” Elias said as he motioned for the Doctor to follow him again. Unfortunately for the Doctor not in the direction of the other end of that cable.

***
Drexlin sat behind his desk looking at the strange hand held device Daniel and the others put before him. A metal block the size of a book with two sensors on one end and a readout on the front. “And what does this do again?”

Daniel took that as an invitation and took a small step forward. “It’s a bio reader Father. Once it became apparent that strange craft…”

“The blue box,” Drexlin said.

“Yes that one, if you recall when we first discovered it we detected a Galifrian energy signature. Even if the blue box isn’t connected there still might be a Time Lord around.”

“And this will detect the Time Lord?”, Drexlin demanded as he pushed it slightly. An action that caused more than a few that were with Daniel to flinch a bit as it got uncomfortably close to the edge of the desk. Drexlin looked unfazed by the sudden concern as he stared directly at Daniel.

“According to legend the Time Lords have two hearts. Once the energy signature was narrowed down work on this was started immediately. If I may be allowed to demonstrate?”

“Proceed,” Drexlin said with a wave. Touching something on the screen the sensors started lighting up. After a moment Daniel motioned for Drexlin to take a look at the screen. “It says there are six life signs. So what?”

“To be exact Father, it detecting six heartbeats and there are six of us in this room.”

“So this will detect the Time Lord?”, Drexlin said standing up.

“The range is limited but it should give us an idea where he is.”

“The gathering,” Drexlin said. “He will be there spying on us. I know it. Bring the device and walk through the crowd with it.”

“As I said the range is limited,” Drexlin started to say.

“Keep some of the guards close. If the Time Lord runs then he exposes himself as an outsider. All enemies of the Dalek's must be eliminated.”

The others started murmuring to themselves a look from Drexlin quickly put it to an end. Daniel waited a moment before nodding and going “I will obey.”

“Daniel, a moment,” Drexlin said. He stood there as the others left the room and closed the door behind them. Alone they looked at each other for a moment before Drexlin said, “I just wanted to thank you for staying by my side this entire time. I know I’ve been difficult recently but I do appreciate the continued support.”

“”We have known each other for far too long for me to do otherwise. Although I wish you let me in on the end goal here. We gone way past the usual scam we pull.”

“All in good time my friend,” he said as he rose from the desk and walked around to stand in front of him. Grabbing him by the arms he gave him a mile as he said, “Trust me just a little longer it will be glorious.”

“Always my friend,” Daniel said returning the smile . Once Drexlin let him go he left as well. Once alone Drexlin lost the smile as his expression turned sour.

***
“Who is this guy anyway?”, somebody asked as the Doctor and Elias walked into the cavern they had the group hide in. Kendrix watched the two exchange some words with one of the UNIT soldiers as the hushed conversation behind her kept going. “I mean, have any of you seen him before? And who just calls himself ‘the Doctor’ anyway? Why not just tell us his name?””

A person they quickly realized was a person from UNIT spoke up, “”He’s only been known as the Doctor.”

“But why though?”

“”It’s just who he is.”

“He’s a friend,” Kendrix finally spoke up, facing them. “That’s all we need to know.”

“Can we be sure?”

“He said he had a time machine,” someone else added.

“Wh…what about it?”, Finn asked nervously, causing Kendrix to glare at him briefly.

“Who says they have a time machine, like their talking about like the weather? I don’t trust this person, he might be crazy.”

“Crazy like a fox,” the Unit person said. “The Doctor has a history…”

“What if he’s a Time Lord?”, a another one asked. As soon as it was uttered a collective gasp game from most of the others. An action that caused her up roll her eyes. “He talks like he’s an alien of some kind.”

“The elders do say Time Lords are evil.”

“Are we seriously taking these elders' word for something now?!”Finn, of all people, spoke up. “I was right there with you once I figured it out. But I’ve been around him since he’s been here and that man is nothing like the Time Lords they speak about.

“Thank you for that,” the Doctor suddenly called out. When they looked at him he made a circlining gesture about the cavern. “It’s a small space, voices carry further than people think.”

“How do we know you’re not working with these Daleks?”

“”Now you’re just looking for a reason to distrust him,” Kendrix told the person. “He’s here to help, he’s proven that so far, at least to me and Finn.”

Elias walked toward them, “Trust me, me and my men have all heard the stories about the Doctor. And if there is one thing we can bet on is that man hates the Daleks as much as anyone.”

“Hate is such a strong word,” the Doctor said, hanging back a bit. “Accurate, but strong.”

“Any way the Doctor has a plan to get us back inside,” Elias continued. “It’s a good plan, we don’t go back they’ll keep hunting for us, and we can’t hide in here forever, these caves are going to be discovered sooner or later.”

“Which is why I should make myself known at this function,” the Doctor said. Based on Elias pained expression it was obvious this was a conversation they been having since the safe sight. “Everyone is going to be focused on me so they’re not going to notice a few extra people walking into the back and blend in.”

“Doctor theyy’ll kill you if they get the chance,” Kendrix told him. “We all heard Elias say he saw that guard kill an elder. That one in particular won’t even think twice about doing the same to you.”

“I’ve survived actual Daleks,” he argued, “I can outwit a bunch of wanna be worshipers.”

“Doctor we can’t risk it,” Eliass told him flatly.

“You said you’d try to help us out of here,” Finn added, “You can’t do that if they capture you.”

“Your time ship?”, a woman next to him looked at him and ask. “Is it true that it’s bigger than it looks? You can get all of us home?” That question made the entire group look at the Doctor. And he looked back, not having an argument to counter that particular question.

“”Nobody here can fly your ship,” Finn added.

“Doctor, we can't risk you getting caught,” Kendrix joined in.

Realizing he was being outmaneuvered and not liking it one bit the Doctor finally conceded the point, “Fine, I’ll just blend into the background like everybody else.”

“”Don’t worry,” Elias said, “my men will be on the outskirts to keep watch for any surprises on that front. Believe me Doctor you’ll be of a greater help to us on the inside than inside one of their cages. Everybody rest up, that meeting will be here before we know it. Sneaking back in in one large group is doable but won’t be as easy as we’re making it sound. Get ready to move when I give the word.”

“I suggest we gather along the main paths to the meeting,” the Doctor suggested, “We’ll be less likely to be noticed if we move in with the crowd.. As far as my ship is concerned anybody who wants a eide is more than welcome. I’m just informing you now you’ll get home, but it might be the long way around. The ol’ girl has a mind of here own at times. And don’t you add anything,” he said pointing directly at Elias since he had an amused look on his face.

***
“It’s dark out,” the Doctor commented as they finally received word to leave the cavern. “With the holo projector they were putting up it makes some sense.”

“It also makes it easier for us to sneak into the crowd,” Elas told him as he passed.

“That too of course,” The Doctor responded. “But you don’t set up any kind of projector and not plan to use it.”

Beside him Kendrix said, “I’m guessing a mass sighting of one of the, Making quote marks in the air she continued with, “;holy Daleks’.”

“That would be the likeliest outcome,” the Doctor agreed. Then with a mischievous smirk, added, “Which would make all the more entertaining to disrupt it a bit.”

“Doctor,” Elias admonished him, “We’re just sneaking back in. we are not doing anything that ‘s going to draw attention to ourselves.” By the tone of his voice it was obvious he wasn’t going to here any argument on the matter.

Looking dismayed, the Doctor conceded but muttered to himself, “And I thought the Brigadier could be a killjoy.” The group traveled until they could just see the road. Some light by some torches indicated that the villagers were coming. “Well that’s quaint,” the Doctor commented, looking amused. Then he just happened to notice some hooded individuals, based on their positioning, had to be more of Elias’ men. He also noticed the rifles they were carrying at their side. “You’re men are armed.”

“Just a precaution in case things go south,” was the other man’s answer.

“See what I said about the holoprojectors,” the Doctor muytered. Elias heard him anyway since he briefly looked back then shocked his head. He held up a hand as the villagers approached with the elders leading the way. And guards scattered amongst the perimeter. “Well that complicates thighs slightly.”

“We might have to abort,” Elias said.

“Might?”, Finn went. “When are we going to get another chance at this?” Then he noticed the Doctor fiddling with the dail at the end of his sonic screwdriver. “What are you doing?”

When Kendrix and Elias looked at him the Doctor held it up and pointed the emitter to the side of their position “Right now hoping there’s some wildlife on this side,” and he plunged the ring down. Kendrix and Finn both flinched while Elias immediately turned toward the oncoming group. It took several moments for the three to realize the screwdriver wasn’t making the usual noise. Instead several animals rab across the path catching everybody in the group's attention. With no one looking their way Elias took the moment to usher everyone out into the open before any of them noticed.

“No more delays,” one of the elders commanded the group onward. As they did a few more we able to sneak in, staying on te edge of the group. Silently they made the trek, Elias kept his eyes open in case anybody noticed the group got larger by about twenty or so. Fortunately if they did they were apparently friends because nobody was pointing them out. Soon they were in sight of what was their safe camp. Somehow a small platform was erected and Drexlin stood facing the oncoming crowd, the eyestalk headdress already on his head. In Elias’ mind there was a missed opportunity here if they only known about this in advance and the number of guards Drexlin had around him. They cou;d have captured him before the rest had arrived.

Drexlin waited until the crowd was fully in front of him. As the elder broke away he raised his hands and spoke, “My friends,” beside the Doctor Kendrix grunted a bit, “I have called you here not in celebration but in warning. Rumors have run rampant of a strange thing in the woods. I must confirm these rumors. This thing is a ship. A ship of a Time Lord,” he had said the last part extremely sharply, a gasp coming from the group. Elias was right they had been vilifying the Time Lords if he got that reaction, not this his people did anything to keep their name in good graces during the war. “There is a Time Lord among us,” Drexlin continued. “Normally I would ask you to report any stranger you may have seen, but I fear the enemy may have allies here. So we have this,” Drexlin was handed a device and he took a step off the platform and walked into the crowd slowly waving the device around. “Because of the Time Lord’s unique biology this will detect anything with multiple heartbeats.”

The head guard followed Drexlin through the crowd waving the device around. Kendrix, Finn and Elias all tried to look at the Doctor through their raised hood without giving him away. But he just stood there, almost nonchalantly. Slowly Drexlin kept waving the device around before finally stopping, right where Kendrix was then pointed, “That one.”

The guard reacted immediately grabbing the person and quickly pulled back the hood. Underneath was a very shocked and frightened older man. “Drexlin you know me for years,” he pleaded against the guard’s grip. “I’ve been your most loyal follower.

“The Time Lords can change their appearance,” Drexlin said. “Kill him to be sure,” he told the guard. The brute grinned weigh glee as he drew a knife as the other guards kept any protesters back

“You really need,” the Doctor said as he stepped forward,lowering the hood before any of the others could stop him, “to have calibrated a bit better. You were off by just a smidge.”

“Seize him!” Drexlin ordered.

“Seize me?”, the Doctor mocked as came closer without a care in the world. “Why am I going somewhere? Didn’t think I was, well not anytime soon. Although I must say, that headdress, very ridiculous.”

“Now!”, Drexlin called out as several of the guards pulled out some sort of laser rifle and pointed it them directly at the Doctor who didn’t look that bothered despite at how smug Drexlin was looking at the moment.

“Interesting,” The Doctor said, “You fashioned a rifle out of a Darlek arm cannon. Very interesting. I imagine you found those around the same time you lucked into those data logs you turned that bible you been forcing onto everybody here.”

“Those holy texts were given….”

“Data logs,” the Doctor cut him off. “Trust me, Daleks don’t give anything. How long did it take you to translate…? Who am I joking? You probably didn’t translate anything. You just made something up that sounded good. That would explain some of the massive contradictions I spotted going through it earlier.”

“You can not understand the depth of the holy text.”

Practically getting in his face the Doctor told him, “I have read Dalek data logs and honestly they’re dry as hell. If I ever saw a Dalek with any kind of literary skill I’d think I’d faint.”

“Why are you here?”, Drexlin demanded. “Who are you?!”

Walking away he looked around at the crowd that surrounded the two of them. “Well honestly I sort of dropped in unexpectedly. It happens a lot, I’m sort of used to it by now. As to who I am, well,” he turned back to Drexlin,” tell me do these data logs,” Drexlin opened his but the Doctor quickly cut him off by repeating a little more forcibly, “Data logs. Anyway, do these logs mention a Time Lord in particular?”

“They mention no Time Lords by any name,” Drexlin sneered.

“Oh come now there has to be one,” the Doctor insisted. “One that was a thorne in their side for centuries. One who vexed them to no end , before and during the Time War. Especially during the war. The one who came at them with plans that never should have worked but alway did. They one who was so… what’s a good word here… chaotic, yes that’s a good one,. One so chaotic they couldn’t predict him. The one those Daleks ended up calling,” he trailed off as he looked at Drexlin.

He took the bait, almost whispering, “The Oncoming Storm.”

The few who heard him gasped a bit and started murmuring among themselves. Ignoring that the Doctor just looked at Drexlin and smirked before saying, “Hello.”
Backing away he addressed the crowd again with his arms outstretched, “Every religion needs a demon to fear and here I am in the flesh. Feel free to call me the Doctor.” Several guards came forward all carrying that Dalek weapon rifles. “Now there’s the proper welcome I was expecting.”

“You will not disparage the word of the holy and undefeatable Daleks.

A snort escape from the Doctor, not that he tried to stop it, “Mate, all I had to do was connect two wires and we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Well not this exact conversation people like you can always find something to twist into something it’s not. In fact you have, we found your archive. Daleks, Cyberman really?”

“There is no one else like me,” Drexlin told him, sounding offended by that statement.

“I’ve been across this universe more times than I care to think about. There is always someone like you.”

“And it’s your job to stop them?”, Drexlin demanded.

“Admittedly that was the original intention when I started my journey,” the Doctor said “But it sort of ended up being what I was good at.” I think your safety is still on,” he said to one guard in particular, who looked despite himself.

“Why do you gamble with your life like this?”, Dreclin asked him, not looking as fazed as he was a moment ago.

“I’m not the one doing the gambling,” was the answer. “You see gambling implies you don’t know the entire situation. I’m sure you all know Time Lords have more than one life, you do know that right?””, he said to the crowd. When most of them acknowledged this he continued, “I’m the only one here who knows what life I’m on. Now you could guess right and I’m on my last one. One shot and that’s the end of me. Maybe the Daleks will be happy, maybe they’ll kill you last. Maybe they’ll kill you first. Either way you’ll be dead because that’s what Dalek do.

“However,” he went on singling out one guard in particular and stepped closer, “if you’re wrong and i’m forced to regenerate into a new body before I properly break this one in.” Letting out a quick, low whistle he added, “Let’s just say the annoyance level will be off the charts. And that is a Doctor you do not want to face, let me assure you.”

“Target the others,” Drexlin commanded. The Doctor turned his head in all directions as the guards turned those rifles onto the crowd to their shock and horror. Elias pushed both Finn and Kendrix behind him. “Fire on my command.”

Lowering his head the Doctor pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed loudly, “I should have seen that one coming.”

“You see,” Drexlin nearly laughed looking triumpant/ “The Time Lord is not all powerful, he can’t predict everything.”

“”Never said I could. And this was so obvious the saw it coming on the next inhabited planet over,” he said pointing in a general direction. I’m talking about this strange need people seem to have to test me.” There was an edge in the Doctor’s voice that mahe Kendrix and Finn look at each other. Going back to that guard he singled out a bit ago the Doctor continued, “A test everybody fails. You want proof? Watch as I make one of the ‘holy ones’ appear out of thin air.” Pulling out his screwdriver he started twisting the dail again, this time listening to the beeps it was giving off. “I’m assuming those holographic projectors you placed around here are hooked up to you set up behind the wall of that antechamber.” Taking Drexlin silence as confirmation the Doctor held the screwdriver over his head and pressed down the ractivation ring. As it whistled a Dalek appeared suddenly in the middle of the crowd. All but the Doctor, Drexlin, Elias, Kendrix, finn and some of the elders reacted at the sight. Holding the emitter end to his neck he pressed the ring again.

The crowd reacted again as the Dalek spoke, “”Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.”

Grinning to himself the Doctor said, “I am having way too much fun with this.” Then he went to pat the image on top of the dome and his hand went through it. “”I just said they couldn’t make a hard light out here,” he said looking dismayed.

“Is there a point,” Drexlin said, trying to get control of the situation back, “to this charade.”

“Charade, that is rich coming from you,” the Doctor said keeping his attention of his screwdriver as he fiddled with the dial again. “But there is a point, proof that I have access to you 'holy’,” he said in an extremely mocking tone, “databases. Now let’s see what we have on oncoming storm.” The dalek vanished as a a series of reports appeared in the air above them. “Hmm,” the Doctor said not looking impressed at the sight. “I was expecting more. Let’s try the Doctor.” The file images amplified greatly above them, practically filling the space above them. “Now that’s more like it.”

Stepping closer Kendrix looked at the files, like they all did. She was the one who said out loud, “What do they say?”

“The Doctor looked back at her confused. Then he looked at the crowd and the files again. “Right, no one else is connected to the TARDIS telepathic link and don’t have access to the translation matrix. Well I can’t give all present access to the link but maybe I can do something about the translation.” Tweaking something he pressed the ring again and looked at the crowd. Seeing some shocked expression on their faces proverb he did it right. “Now let’s see if we can find a interesting one.”

The files roasted in and out as the Doctor quickly read each one as they passed. “This one looks promising. The Doctor has been captured. Was I? Wait, I do remember that one. Instead of zigging or zagging I zipped.”

“So much for the chaotic oncoming storm,” Drexlin smugly said to the crowd. “Apparently not so unpredictable now are you?”

“As I was saying. I zipped right into their midst. Do you think any one in their right mind would do that on purpose? It’s why the Daleks never considered it a possibility. But don’t take my word for it let’s keep reading, okay here we go, The Doctor has escaped. Danger the Doctor has. Oh it stops there, I wonder why.” Looking around, or making a show of doing so The Doctor reached into the crowd and pulled an annoyed looking Elias right next to him.

“What are you doing?”, Elias said through teeth.

Ignoring his anger the Doctor put an arm around his shoulder. “You look like a man of military bearing. Can you use your expertise to theorize why this log, quite possible a message to the Dalek fleet, just… stopped mid sentence?”

“With all know all the facts,” he grunted before looking up at the file, “a message abruptly ending like that could me just about anything.” The Doctor just made this “hmph” noise while nodding his head.” Then he looked at Elias and raised an eyebrow slightly. Elias looked back and forth between him and the file, seemingly understanding what the Doctor wanted him to see. “The ship was destroyed before it was finished.”

“And you destroyed the ship?”, Drexlin mocked. “How utterly convenient for you.”

“Well I’m here they’re not so,” the Doctor said with a shrug. “That answer should be obvious..” Then they noticed that the crowd started to disperse, almost leaving in droves. “Looks like you lost your flock. No Daleks wouldn’t call a group like that a flock, what would they call it?”

“Stop!” Drexlin said to the fleeing crowd with both arms raised, “Do not believe the heathen. His words are false!. Guards stoop them!” That's when he noticed some of the guards were some of the ones doing the fleeing. Several more people, some with actual military rifles came running in to disarm the ones who stayed. Elias grabbed one from the ground and pointed it right at Drexlin.

“It’s over,” Elisas told him, “we're leaving this planet and going home. Corporal take the Father here and place him in custody.”

“Yes sir.”

“By the way,” the Doctor said to Drexlin and pointed at the eyestalk head dress, "that makes you look absolutely ridiculous.” And he knocked it off his head with a quick flick of his hand. Then the Doctor saw what looked like a scar in the middle of his forehead. For some reason that gave him pause, ignoring what was going on around him.

“Is it over?”, Kendrix asked Elias. “Can we actually go home?”

“If there’s a UNIT ship in range of our transmitter then yes, we can go home. Guard the ones who stayed,” he told his men. “And make sure the head guard is locked up tight. I don’t want that psychopath getting loose.

“Doctor?”, Finn asked. The two of them looked over to see the Doctor still standing there, looking disturbed about something.

“Doctor what did I say about keeping a low profile?”, he said in jest but the Doctor didn’t react to it.

“Doctor what is it?”, Kendrix asked, full of concern.

“I don’t know now,” he finally said. “Something’s not right. Something I missed.” Then his eyes widened, his mind flashed back to that helmet they discovered in the antechamber. Particularly that one spike. “I made a mistake.”

“Doctor?”, Kendrix started before the Doctor spoke over her.

“I should have remembered what that helmet was before now, I went into this not know all the details.” He looked over as the Elders who were captured was being lead away, Drexlin with his heads held high, like he wasn’t actually defeated. “I made a mistake.”

 

[sc ikaiju]

Behind a plain wooden table the Doctor sat alone in a plain room just barely paying attention to the empty chair across from him. Just starting to tap his fingers on the wooden table when a door finally opened. One of the UNIT guards, wearing a uniform that had been stowed away somewhere, stepped aside as on of the elders was matched in by another guard. The Doctor looked at the sleeve of the robe he was still wearing, realizing he really needed to get back into the TARDIS at some point and get some proper clothing. But this was way too important to hold off. He had to know if his suspicion about Drexlin was correct . “Hello,” he said after the guards left, “Daniel was it..”

“Daniel Sp…”, he started.

“Please don’t do,” the Doctor cut him off, “the whole name, rank and serial number nonsense. For one, let's be honest, you don’t have the last two. Second, I’m not officially part of UNIT, at least not officially at the moment. So just consider me a random bystander who wants to have a, hopefully, pleasant conversation.”

“Then I don’t have to talk to you,” Daniel said as he started to stand back up. The Doctor didn’t make a move to stop him.

Still he leaned back a bit in his chair, “Yes, let's pretend that the very nice guards on the other side are not going to stop you from leaving.” Looking a bit defeated and slumped in his chair. Leaning forward a bit he just looked at Daniel. “According to the others I’ve spoken to you are actually the only decent one out of all the elders. And all I want is a couple of questions answered. Very simple wouldn’t you say?”

“You’re just going to ask a couple of questions?”

“That’s right. Well one question truefully, and I really hope you answer it because it is very important that you do.” Not hearing any response the Doctor kept going. “Now let’s be completely honest with each other. This Dalek ‘religion’,” he said while making quote marks with one hand, “it’s fake. I know it’s fake, you know it’s fake. All of the people you trapped on this planet know it’s fake. Even the few who might actually believe in it, deep down they know it’s fake, they’re just that desperate for something to believe in. By the way, shame on you for exploiting that need. Remember we found the database so I know you’ve done this before. You even based one on my people, which reminds me. That avatar looks nothing like me.”

“Is there a question in here somewhere?”, Daniel demanded, maybe with a little too much annoyance given his current situation.

“Right,” the Doctor said, backing up a bit, “sorry got a little off track. We both know this religion is a fake. The question I need you to answer is when did Drexlin start acting like he actually believed it?“ Daniel stared at him, in a way that made the Doctor feel he was on the right track, so he reached down and put the helmet they found hidden in the antechamber on the table, “was it after he put this on?”” Daniel sat there staring at the helmet, like pieces of the puzzle had just fallen into place. “Please, I don’t know if you and Drexlin are friends or not, but if you are you really need to tell me.”

Daniel looked uncomfortable before hesitantly going, “It wasn’t immediately after but he did seem to act differently after a bit. I mean he always kept up with the act but lately, even when it was just us. This thing,” he gestured to the helmet, “we found it when we found a Dalek ship that crashed. Once we found the database was still intact that’s when Drexlin got the idea to do the religion scam with the Daleks as the base of it.” Resting his chin in one hand the Doctor lightly tapped the helmet with the other. “It was going to be a prop,” Daniel told him. like that headdress we came up for him.. He tried it on to see if it would fit.”

Holding up one of the pipes the Doctor looked at him. “And it was still attached to a massive looking machine.” It wasn’t a question, just a statement he was looking to see if it was accurate or not.

“That's how Drexlin is,” Daniel said in a pleading tone. “If an idea comes to him he won’t wait he’ll just do it.”

“Idiot,” the Doctor muttered,none too quietly.

Daniel didn’t seem to notice it. “It took a bit but he got the helmet to fit, He complained about something poking him in the head then the machine came to life and he screamed.”

“How long was the helmet on him?”

“We tried to start getting it off of him as soon as he started screaming. When we finally did he was bleeding in a couple of spots.” The Doctor recalled the slight scar on Drexlin’s forehead. Then slapped the table in frustration. “He was fine right after though,” Daniel continued, “he even joked about it. Then we started setting things up. Drexlin then came up with the text after about a week or so saying he was actually able to translate what he saw. Drexlin has never done that before. We always made something up that sounded good and tweaked it to fit whatever we were using.”

“Thank you for answering my question,” the Doctor told him suddenly standing up and heading for the door.

“Wait,” Daniel cried out, grabbing his arm, a look of desperation on his face, “Drexlin, is he going to be alright? I mean he’s not in danger or anything.”

“”If I’m right,” the Doctor told him, “and I unfortunately think I am, we are well past him maybe being in danger.”

Clutching at him even more Daniel pleaded, “Help him, please. Yes we scammed the vulnerable of their money and valuables but deep down he’s a semi decent person. But please you have to do something..”

“Semi decent,” the Doctor repeated, “You lot were deceiving people who were looking for anything to cling on to.” Looking back at the helmet on the table he went back and retrieved it. Looking at it he went, “Still nobody deserves this. Willing or accidental.” Looking back at Daniel he said, “I’ll do what I can. Hopefully you got this off him fast enough that nothing was implanted too deeply.” Daniel looked like he was in physical pain after hearing that.

“What was implanted?”, he asked softly.

“Nothing good,” the Doctor told him flatley. “But given the probable time period it might already be too late.” Tucking the helmet under an arm he exited the room Leaving Daniel alone fretting over his words.

***
“The holy ones will free me,” Drexlin proclaimed to the person across from him. Without a whole lot of options available Elias had ordered that the colony ship be used as a makeshift prison since it was the most intact. As an added bonus the security functions were still active after a little prodding from the Doctor and his men. Right now he was watching Drexlin being interviewed over a security feed. The fact he wouldn’t shut up about the holy Daleks was quickly making Elias miss the days of tight lipped interrogations. “You heathans will not stand a chance once they arrive and enact their holy initiative and cleanse the galaxy of the non believers.”

Elias looked over as the Doctor came into the room carrying that helmet., followed by Kendrix and Finn and stood next to him after putting it down on a nearby table.

“I heard their holy voice!” Drexlin explained. “I know their divinity to be true!”

“There’s sticking to the act,” Elias said, “but then there’s this, I have never seen anybody that devoted to the charade before. I mean hearing devine voices, come on. He has to know the jig is up.”

“Unfortunately Sergeant,” the Doctor said as he studied the screen, “this is more than what you think it is and he’s not telling any falsehoods.”

“Wait,” Kendrix cut in, “are you saying he actually believes this dribble?”

Looking at him from the side Finn said, “I think he is. And it has to do with that helmet. You said as much.”

“Yes I did and I really wish I was wrong.”

“What happened to him?”, Kendrix went. “You said you didn’t remember what it was soon enough so what is it?”

“And why is he claiming he’s hearing holy voices?”, Elias asked him.

Walking away from the monitor the Doctor looked down at the helmet. “It’s been forever and a day since I’ve seen anything like this. The last time I’ve seen anything similar was during the Time War.” Placing his hands on the table he looked every bit of someone who was feeling the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders. A look he quickly dropped right after he whispered, “Two wires.” Facing the group he started to explain, “I’ll start with those voices. They are only holy in his mind because that’s how his mind interpreted it. And I promise you what he heard was far from holy as you can get.

“The Daleks don’t have a hive mind, but every Dalek has access to a network of information. Everything the Daleks know is on this network. They’re not machines, not completely, but they understand the necessity of efficiency. When they conquer a planet there;s usually some that will join willingly, to save their own hides if nothing else. Now as part of that efficiency in certain one of these particular slaves, let’s not mince words that’s what they are, and connect them to that network. Before it was a helmet. But eventually they upgraded to a device put right about here,” he tapped the center of the forehead.

“And that’s what happened to Drexlin?”, Elias said. “”He got implanted with something that gave him access to this network. Can you get it out of him?”

“”Not by the Daleks, not intentionally,” the Doctor said. “”The elder I talked to said they found a ship and he put this on. There was enough power in the machine that it activated as soon as he put it on his head.”

“Are you seriously trying to excuse what he’s done?”, Kendrix demanded. “After he forced this ship down and tried to make everybody here believers?”

“Drexlin is guilty of a lot of things,” putting a hand on the helmet and telling her, “this is not one of them. All of this, it was already in the works and if we can get that out of him he should pay for every scam he’s ever pulled. But this,” he trailed off as he stared at the helmet, “this did something to him I don’t think you fully understand. Elias, you need to talk to Daniel or any Elder willing to talk, and after everything you’re not going to have an issue finding someone who will. But you need to find out if they forced any other ships down in order to get followers before now.”

“Given how good at it they are at it,” Elias said, “I’m sure they have.”

“Yeah they got this ship down,” Finn added.

“But why wasn’t this ship dismantled like they rest?”, the Doctor asked, this one thing digging in his brain ever since the thought came to him. “If I’m right he’s looking for something. We need to figure out what it is and quickly.”

“I’ll have some men go over this ship. Whatever it is, we'll find it.”

“I don’t suppose he’d say anything,” Finn asked p[ointing at the monitor.

“”Only one way to find out,” the Doctor said. “Besides, I need to check on how deep that implant is.” The Doctor quickly left the room. Elias pointed at one of the other UNIT guards and indicated that they should be following the Doctor. They quickly complied. “Do you mind hurrying up,” the Doctor said from down the hall. “We don’t have all day. Oh, have a medical readout ready. I'll be needing it sooner rather than later.”

***
“Let me go,” Drexlin said to the guard still in the room with him, losing the bravado from moments earlier. “Please, I don't need to be in here. I’m a threat to no one, especially not to you. Look I don’t know the idiot who was in here that just left but you have to be more reasonable than he was.”

“I follow orders sir,” the guard said while trying to be respectful. “And my orders say that you stay in this room until I’m told otherwise.” Drexlin, letting the frustration he was feeling get the better of him started to rise. “I suggest you remain seated sir,” the guard told him, putting a slight warning edge to his voice but still trying to remain respectful.

“My apologies,” Drexlin said with raised arms showing he was surrendering the point. “But perhaps we can make a deal, if you let me go free I can put a good word for you when the Daleks arrive. I am their servant, they will listen to me.”

“”The entire universe knows how the Daleks act. Benevolence isn’t one of them.” Before Drexlin could respond in any way the door opened once again. The guard snapped to attention and saluted the dark haired newcomer. “Sir!”

At the table Drexlin stared for a moment before contorting his features into a sneer, “Time Lord.”

“Doctor will do just fine,” he looked back at the guard who was still saluting him. “Seriously relax,” the Doctor said giving him a half-hearted salute. “You UNIT people always look like something is going to break when you do that. Now I don’t suppose the quote unquote father and myself can have a private conversation?”

“I’m sorry sir, my order say I stay in the room.”

Patting him on the shoulder the Doctor told him, “I thought as much, but it never hurts to ask. Now,” he said while turning toward Drexlin, let’s say you and I have a proper chat? Is this chair taken? I didn’t think so,” Sitting down Drexlin looked even more disgusted. “Let’s talk about…”

“How does it feel Time Lord?”, Drexlin butted in. “How does it feel to know you completely and totally failed?”

“I don’t know,” the Doctor told him, keeping his tone conversational. “But I’ll make sure to let you know if it ever happens. Now about this divine motivation you've been spouting about.”

“You can not understand the holy thoughts that have graced my mind.”

“Oh I understand them all too well. But the human mind does interpret things it doesn’t fully understand in somewhat interesting ways. I don’t believe I've ever seen religious inspiration before.”

“What are you talking about?”, Drexlin demanded.

Leaning forward in his seat and resting his arms on the table the Doctor looked at with an extremely serious look on his face, “What if I told you that voice you experienced wasn’t holy.” Drexlin started to respond but the Doctor kept going, “Or a voice.”

“What are you talking about?”, Drexlin demanded.

“I know about the helmet you put on in that Dalek ship. I know you felt a poking sensation before you screamed out in pain.” The false priest was still fuming but he appeared to be listening, at least for the moment. “That helmet implanted something in your head, you were briefly connected to the Dalek database, that is what you experienced.” And right then, just the way he looked away in total disgust, the Doctor knew he was close to losing him. “You have a piece of Dalek technology growing in your head.” Even faced with the truth he was still not believing him.

Quickly getting to his feet the Doctor walked over to Drexlin's side of the table. He wouldn’t look up at him, not even in defiance. Putting his hands to his mouth the Doctor thought fast, looking for anything that would get his attention, anything that would give him the opening to stop the invasion of this person’s brain. Suddenly he leaned on the table, “The headaches must be terrible.”

That made Drxlin look at him, a hand briefly going to that scar on his forehead. Was he going to listen now? He had to listen, he just had to. “How do you know about them?”, Drexlin whispered.

“You have a piece of tech growing in your head,” the Doctor told calmly. “That process is never painless. Let me help you. I don’t know if I can remove it, but I can turn it off. It’ll stop trying to assimilate your mind and the headaches will stop. Please let me help you.”

With his hand touching his forehead the Doctor was hoping he was getting through to the man. Then he dropped his hand and the look he gave him made the Doctor step away disappointed. “Just the lie I expected to hear from a Time Lord. You will say anything to break my faith in my gods. You will never break my belief.”

As he sharply turned away from him Drexlin didn’t see the Doctor pull his Sonic screwdriver from his sleeve. He only reacted after the Doctor depressed the ring and it made that high pitch electronic twill. Quickly pushing himself away Drexlin looked as angry as the Doctor or the guard had ever seen him. So much so the guard started to come forward until the Doctor held up his other hand. “How dare you!”

“Just a quick scan,” the Doctor said as he studied something on the screwdriver. “If I’m going to help you I need to know how bad it is.”

“You have no right to scan anything on me without my permission.”

“Yes, you do have rights. UNIT people, like our friend over here, have to respect that right given how you’re their prisoner. However since I’m technically part of UNIT, at least this version of the group, I have a bit more leeway in the situation. And if you have any issues with that, take it up with all the people you held against their will. Odds are you might find a sympathetic ear among them somewhere. Mind you those odds aren’t very good, but as I have learned in my life never completely discount anything.”

“Your smugness will be erased in the burning holy fire of the Daleks. And I will be there to witness it and savor every moment of your agony. It can’t be stopped Time Lord, your reckoning is sooner than you think.”

“Sir,” the guard said as the Doctor started to leave, “he did say something before you came in about the Daleks coming. It might be the ravings of a mad man but,,”

“But never discount anything,” the Doctor said. Looking back at a newly defiant Drexlin. Then he exited the room looking disturbed, but he still wasn’t sure what it was. It was this very ship they were on but what about it was bothering him this much? He had to find out, and based on that interaction something was telling him to figure out what that was and soon.

***
“What do you mean you don’t want to leave?”, Kendrix asked in disbelief. A small group had walked into the room. Some of whom were part of the group who was trying to get off this planet to begin with. “Why don’t you want to leave? We've been trying to get out of here for months.”

“I know,” one of them said. “And I said we were thinking about not leaving. We haven’t made up our minds yet, not completely,” he added while looking at the group, a couple who just looked straight ahead. “A lot of us do want to go home, myself included. But despite the circumstances we have built a tidy little community here. There’s a chance we can build something nice here.”

In desperation she looked at Finn, but mostly at Elias, hoping one of them could come up with something that would make them see sense. Eias stepped forward and faced the leader. “I can’t make you change your minds, or force you to leave. But we’re not exactly sure where we are in the galaxy. But based on the readings our ship had before we were forced down this planet isn’t exactly close to any known space lane. You will be at the mercy of anything out with very slim odds at any sort of help to arrive.”

“We’re aware of that,” the leader told him. “And honestly, we've been under that threat ever since we've been here. Admittedly, so far we’ve been lucky and someday I know that luck is going to run out. But we want to give it a shot.”

“All I can do is suggest that you discuss this idea fully before you finally decide,” Elias said after a bit. Kendrix walked away before Finn could stop her.

“We already are, we’ll let you know what we decide and how many,” with that, they slowly exited the room. Before the leader could leave the Doctor came into the room almost running into the man. After some quick apologies from both parties the leader suddenly said, “If only you said that machine pf yours was more reliable,” then he left leaving the Doctor slightly confused before spotting the medical readout he had requested.

“Ah, lovely,” he said retrieving his screwdriver. Starting to connect his screwdriver to the device he looked at Elias as he worked asking, “What was that about?”

“They’re thinking about staying,” Kendrix blurted out, obviously still frustrated about what they just heard.

“Really?”, the Doctor went as he continued working. “I hope they change the name of the place.”

“That’s what you have to say?”, Kendrix said to him.

“Kendrix, it's their choice,” Finn told her. “You had to know not everyone wanted to leave. How many of the others did you and Elias keep in the dark. And probably because you knew somebody might tell the elders.” He looked toward Elias who just nodded in confirmation. All the while the Doctor kept working with the readout. “What are you doing exactly Doctor?”

“Hmm?”, the Doctor said briefly, looking up. “Oh, checking a theory that I really hope Isn’t as bad as I fear.”

“And it has to do with that helmet?”, Finn asked. “That… whatever was implanted in Drexlin’s head?”

“If I’m not wrong,” the Doctor told them. With one last button push the readout came to life as an image of Drexlin’s head appeared floating above it. Punching in another command the images changed so it showed Drexlin skull before fading away to show what the others assumed was his brain. Looking at the foreign matter being highlighted in the brain the Doctor went, “Unfortunately I rarely am.”

“What the devil is that?”, Elias asked as he leaned in closer to look at it.

“What was implanted in Drexlin’s head after he put that helmet on,” the Doctor said. “That connected him to the Dalek database. So far he’s been lucky.” They all looked at him. “Usually there’s a glowing lens that emerges in the middle of the forehead. You can see it here, barely formed. If it was fully exposed then he would be completely under their control. That or waiting for some sort of command since they wouldn’t have known it was activated.”

“And that’s why he’s been forcing ships down?”, Kendrix asked him.

“Doubtful,” Elias answered for him. “This is something they’ve done before. At least some of them, something to add to our line of questioning when we continue our interrogations.”

“Can you get that out of him?”, Kendrix asked the Doctor. “Don’t get me wrong I want this man to pay for everything he’s done but this?”

Studying the image the Doctor looked defeated, “No, it’s too ingrained into his brain. It’s already replaced parts of his brain completely. At the moment the best I could do is deactivate it. And that’s going to be a temporary fix at best.”

“Because it’s Dalek technology,” Kendrix went.

“Exactly,” the Doctor told her, “No point in creating links in slaves if that link can be turned off by the enemy. Outside of this we may have another issue.”

“Now what?”, Elias asked.

“Drexlin suggested that the Daleks may be coming here.”

“Bloody hell,” Elias went. “We don’t have enough men or weaponry for one Dalek. And we’re not going to get that lucky if they are heading this way.”

“How many of those Dalek rifle weapons did the elders have?” Finn asked. Elias pointed at him, face full of approval.

“Jeff, head down to that armory we found and do a count.” As soon as he left he looked at somebody else, “Start asking those elders and guards if there’s any more weapons we haven’t found. Don’t stop until you get an answer. Bring up the idea that the Daleks are coming here and see if that gets anybody talking.”

“Yes sir.”

“Of course,’ the Doctor suddenly went. “There’s no subspace communication on any of these ships. But this one does have a communication array, a rather powerful one I would imagine. Otherwise how else would the original colony know if it actually arrived? And your messages had to be sent back and forth.”

“I sent several back home on the trip. It took forever to get an answer back,” Kendrix said. “But given the growing distance between the ship and colony that was to be expected. Still annoying though.”

“Sure was,” Finn agreed. “Especially if you were looking for sports news.”

“I need to get to the bridge,” the Doctor said, things finally falling into place. Why didn't he see this sooner? “He used the communication array. I know why this ship wasn’t dismantled now, why that one power reading was off the charts. He didn’t send a message to the Daleks, he left a beacon guiding them this way.”

***
A door opened and one of the villagers walked in carrying a tray of food. He looked at the head guard sitting on a bunk just staring at him. Nervously the villiger glanced back at the UNIT guard who followed him in. According to Elias this one straight up murdered one of his own. “Just stay where you are,” the villager squeaked out. “I’m just going to put this down and leave.” Getting as close as he dared he reached out to a wall panel and pressed a button that caused a flat panel to slide out between them. It was meant to be a writing desk but for now it was a makeshift table that he placed the tray on.

“Where are the utensils ?”, the guard demanded. The villager looked down at the empty compartment that usually housed forks, spoons or knives then quickly back at the guard. “How am I supposed to eat this?”

“It’s all finger food,” the guard told him. “No need for anything fancy. We’ll be back for the tray in a half hour or so.” Stepping aside slightly to allow the villager to step back, the guard kept an eye on their prisoner. Until he didn’t when the villager stumped his foot on something. The moment that happened the prisoner reached under the table pulling a makeshift knife he made after scouring the room that he placed there while he was alone. Shooting forward he jammed the homemade weapon into the UNIT guard’s side, pulled it out and did it again repeatedly. Letting the UNIT guard drop he grabbed the villager, threw him onto the bunk and repeatedly stabbed him until he was dead.

Searching the fallen UNIT guard he found a security card. Looking satisfied he cleaned the homemade blade on the dead bodies then tucked his weapon in a hidden pocket he usually stored his blades. Opening the door just enough to make sure there wasn’t another guard on the other side. Then he opened it more and checked the hall, not a soul in sight. He had to move fast before anyone noticed either of these two went missing. Drexlin had to be close by, and once he freed him then both of them could get out of here. And if he just happened to run into Daniel then he would even hesitate, patting the pocket as he started down the hall.

***
“Out of the way!” the Doctor called out as he rushed toward the bridge, Elias, Kendrix and Finn close behind him. “Pardon me,” he said, sidestepping one individual trying to get out of his way. “This is bad, this is very bad,” he uttered when he finally reached the bridge door and passed the guard who was standing in the hall in front of it. Looking around quickly he spotted the communication center. “Don’t let him have erased the logs.”

“Doctor,” Kendrix said by his side as he quickly tapped at the keyboard. “He set a beacon?”

“I believe so,” he answered while keeping his eyes on the screen, his fingers quickly dancing over the keyboard. “A directed beacon, one only an array a ship like this has. He didn’t think to erase the logs, thank goodness. It’ll be the last entry.” Staring to scroll through the log he read each line as quickly as the computer would let him. “You lot sent a lot of messages on the trip.”

“Doctor, just turn the beacon off,” Finn pointed out.

“The Daleks already have the general location of the beacon,” the Doctor told him. “That much power through the communication array would boost the signal to the point that any Dalek ship could pick it up. But where was it directed, we need to know which way they’re coming from.”

“Daniels,” Elias said to one of the others on the bridge, “”Go to that sensor room we discovered and check the surrounding area for any ship in it’s range.” He ran off once Elias was done talking. “Doctor, how long do you think that beacon has been going?”

“How long has this ship been under their control?”, the Doctor told him while still scrolling through the log trying to find the end.

“I knew you were going to say that.”

“Then please don’t waste my time with questions you already know the answer to,” the Doctor told him.

“Doctor…”, Kendrix started before looking at Finn and Elias unsure of what to say.

“Finally,” he said suddenly. Holding a finger to a screen he read the information. “This coordinates, it’s the middle of Dalek space.”

“How close are we?”, Elias asked, trying to calculate exactly how long they might have.

“Not without knowing exactly where we are,” the Doctor told him. “Or knowing when they detected the beacon. Even a boosted radio signal is still going to take a while to travel.”

“Hey, is that your ship?”, Finn asked as he stood by one of the bridge’s ports. The Doctor hurried over, along with the rest of them. The Time Lord looked both stunned and overjoyed at the sight.

“I ordered that it should be brought here,” Elias told the group. “I figured you would be leaving sooner rather than later. Figured I’d save you a trip.”

“Oh I can do better than that,”the Doctor told him as he headed back for the door. “I can tell you exactly how much time we actually have.” The other three were right on his heels.

***
“It was easy to free Drexlin, just a single guard to take care of and leave and they were off. In the hall the lead guard stopped Drexlin the moment he heard movement. He looked as Drexlin stayed back.From where he was he saw down a connecting path to another hallway and saw that UNIT bastard, the two whelps chase after that damnable Time Lord run away from the bridge. But to where, an exit or to engineering? “We need to go another way,” he whispered to Drexlin.

“You are a loyal follow…argh!”, he stumbled back clutching at his head. The guard looked around seeing if anyone heard that outburst.

“Quiet you fool!” he said through his teeth. “You’re going to draw attention!”

“The… pain…the pain…” he grunted. Turning away from him. He had heard the rumors of the headaches Drexlin was supposed to have. No one had ever said they were apparently this bad. “It’s… tooo…..” Suddenly he stopped talking and his arms dropped to his side and he stood there almost completely motionless outside of a slight swaying. The guard looked around for any resistance until he heard Drexlin, “Their voice, I can hear their voice again.”

“Drexlin we need to leave now,” the guard urged him on.

“Of course,” Drexlin said, almost in an eerily way, “Lead the way. I’ll be right behind you.” Grunting in disgust the guard turned and took point, trying to figure out the best way to go. Behind him Drexlin turned around, a look of serenity on his face, and on his forehead a glowing blue lens.

***
Outside the ship the Doctor reached into the collar of his robe as the group approached the TARDIS. Removing a silver chain like necklace attached to a silver half moon shaped key. Reaching the doors he had the key in hand saying, “You better be done doing what you’ve been doing. Ah,” he said spotting the lock back in it’s place,”thank goodness for that.” Turning the key once it was in the lock he pushed the doors open and went inside. Finn hesitated before being pushed in by Kendrix.

“Holy hell,” Elias uttered as the trio stopped right inside the doorway. They looked around the large room in total shock. Even though Finn had snuck a peek when the Doctor first showed up even he was amazed at the sight. Wood covered walls with glowing circular panels covered the hexagonal room. In the center was a six side control console of some sort that was a couple of meters across one point from the other with a glass cylinder in the center of it. On three of the walls were long box-like benches with a leather like cushion on top. Elias took a step down from the raise platform by the door. “I heard the stories but I never… it really is bigger on the inside.”

“Really I didn’t notice,” the Doctor said as he worked one of the control panels. Getting closer the three say that it had the same wood pattern as the walls. “Now to punch in those coordinates into the navigation computer and compare it to where we are now. That should do it,’ he looked at the wall opposite the doors as a panel slide away revealing a monitor. A star map appeared on it. Two color dots appeared on it. “Give me a second,” the Doctor told them right before the dots changed, one blue and the other red. “We’re the blue dot.”

“Which means the red one,” Elias said looking at the monitor, “is where Drexlin aimed the beacon. How far away is it from this planet?”

“Well not to get into specifics,” the Doctor said, doing the calculations in his head. “At top speeds, it would take that colony ship of yours roughly forty years to make the trip. Give or take a few months.”

“Somehow I’m doubting the Daleks have engines the same as our ship,” Kendrix said.

“You would be correct,” he told her. “The Daleks mastered faster than light travel a long time ago. Fortunately radio waves deteriorate over distance no matter how much you boost the signal.” Whatever thought he was going to say was cut off by a beep from the console. Going to another panel he started punching buttons and flipping switches making the image on the monitor change, this one the other three guessed was this solar system. At the edge of the system was a singular dot. “And that is not good.”

“The Daleks?”, Kendrix asked. “Wait, don't answer that.”

“Why are they so far away?”, Elias asked.stepping closer to the monitor.

Finn looked at him in disbelief, “You actually want them closer?”

“The Daleks are capable of a lot of things,” the Doctor told him. “One thing they’re not known for is rushing into the unknown blind. As you can imagine Dalek don’t get a lot of invites. Not exactly known to be partiers after all. Still though they’re curious enough to investigate, but suspicious enough to keep their distance for the moment. More than likely they’re conducting a scan of the system to calculate the potential danger. So we have some time to get the villagers to safety.”

“Is anywhere safe with Daleks around?”, Elias asked him.

“Relative safety,” he amended. “The ships will be the first place they’ll look. How big are those caverns? Will they fit all the villagers?”

“Can the Daleks detect the TARDIS?”, Kendrix asked.

“Eventually,” the Doctor told her, “when they get close enough. Given these readings it’ll be several hours before that ship will be in range. So we have time so we need to decide right now, The caverns or the TARDIS.”

“The caverns would be more defensible,” Finn said.

“We only found the one opening.” Elias told them. “But we didn’t do a complete survey of that system so who knows. It’ll be a tight fit but we can get the villagers in them, especially with me and my men at the entrance.”

Kendrix looked around the room spotting what looked like a set of doors leading deeper into the vessel. What the one villager said about the TARDIS still fresh in her mind. “So it’s decided,” the Doctor told them, “The caverns it is.”

“We better hurry and get them in there,” Elias told them. “It’s going to be chaos Let;s go.” The three of them quickly left but the Doctor started just staring at the console.

Pointing a finger at it with a stern expression he said, “Don’t think I forgot about that talking to I’m going to give you for locking me out. And don’t think mixing the look of the old secondary control room with the main one is going to change my mind.” He looked around the room and smiled slightly, “Although I will admit, it’s a nice touch.” Then he went after the others, closing the door behind him.

***
“This way People!,” UNIT soldiers ordered as they waved the masses toward the caves. “If you heard about the Daleks before this you know stopping to take a break is not an option!” To the side the Doctor and Elias were overseeing some others quickly setting up traps. Looking over at the pits being dug Elias looked at the Doctor.

“This isn’t going to stop them.”

“No, no it won’t,” the Doctor agreed, “but hopefully it’ll slow them down a bit.”

“Sergeant!”, someone cried out, another soldier carrying one of those makeshift Dalek rifles,. “We got a problem, the power output is barely enough to harm anything organic.”

“Damn it,” Elias spat as the Doctor took the rifle and started examining it. “Are all of them like that?”

“We only tested a couple so far but it’s been the same result each time.”

“I think I see the issue,” the Doctor said, fiddling with various parts of the rifle, “The power regulator isn’t in sync with the voltage regulator and focusing lens.”

“Does that mean you can fix it?”< Elias asked him.

“Just did,” the Doctor told him handing the rifle back. “But I can’t guarantee how many shot it’ll have. The construction is a tad on the sloppy side.” He looked up at Elias and already knew the question he was going to ask. “If we weren’t under the near immediate threat of Dalek scouts showing up, then yes I could shore it up rather nicely.”

“A scout force,” one of the villagers figging the pit in front of them said to them. “How bad could that be?” The Doctor and Elias looked at each other. Obviously this one never encountered a Dalek before.

“My good man,” the Doctor said kneeling down a bit, “The only difference between a Dalek scout force and an attack force is there are less numbers. Both are equally deadly.”

“Doctor!”, Kendrix called out, her and fin were both carrying basics full of electronic components. “We grabbed what we could find, is this going to be enough?”

As he went through the baskets the Doctor started making some satisfied sounding grunts, “Yes this should do nicely. You two come with us I have some rifles to tweak while I’m working on this.”

“What is that Doctor?”, Elias asked as the group headed off. “And do you have the time to work on whatever this is while working on the rifles?”

“My good Sergeant, no matter what face I’ve had, the one thing I’ve always been good at was multitasking. As for these trinkets, something similar to the pits, a distraction. Hopefully they’ll draw the Daleks’ attention away from the cave system.”

“Can you do both?”, Finn asked.

“”Of course,” he said looking somewhat hurt that question was asked. “Granted it’ll go faster once I show the other troops how to make those adjustments. Elias do you have a map of the area?”

“Naturally,”

“Good I’ll point out where these distractions should be placed. Kendrix can you and Finn handle that?”

“Of course we can,” she said before Finn could object to the idea.

“Once you plant them head to the cave system as quickly as you can,” the Doctor told them.

“Oh no,” Kendrix told him. “If what I've heard from these UNIT guys is true you've survived the Daleks more than anybody. It’ll probably be safer around you than in those caves.” Elias just shrugged at the Doctor, he was no help there.

“I’ll also be the biggest target,” He told her. “So head to those caves and You'll be safer than being next to me.”

“I’ll take my chances.”

“I remember people listening to me, I really do.”

***
“This way.” the head guard said as he checked the hallway and saw no one in sight. At some point Drexlin had raised the hood of his robe over his head and kept looking at the ground. Why now of all times to put on the act, he had no idea. Still this was their chance to get out of here, but why did this feel off? With all this time basically alone he had time to think things over. And he hadn’t seen anybody shortly after seeing the Time Lord and the others rush down the hall. The ship felt practically empty. Seeing a control panel he had to take a chance.

“What are you doing?”, Drexlin asked.

“I’m checking something,” typing in a few commands he started to pull up the security feed. “Making sure the way to engineering is clear.”

“Ah that’s why we’ve been going the long way to the obvious opening in this vessel’s hull.”

“That way will be too heavily guarded,” he said as he kept his attention on the screen. Just as it happened to say it a camera feed covering that very opening came on the screen. Still not a person in sight. “It has to be a trap. There’s no way they would just leave it wide open like that.”

“”The heathens are distracted,” Dexlin said. “The holy ones are arriving to cleanse this world of their unworthiness.”

“Now is not the time,” he said, whipping around and coming face to face with Drexlin. He was confused by a blue light he was seeing under that hood. Then Drexlin pulled it back and he saw what was causing that light. Drexlin looked as serine as he had ever seen anybody. But something about that device on his head repulsed him. He backed up, leaned into the wall behind him and pulled that makeshift knife out and pointed it at Drexlin.

“Ah,” he said, not even looking at the danger right in front of him, "your true colors have shown at last.”

“Stay back.”

“I should have known you’d do this,” Drexlin said taking a quick step forward, unexpectedly grabbing him by the wrist. The pressure he was feeling was far greater than he thought the person in front of him was capable of. “I knew you were a killer by nature, it’s why I put you into this position to begin with. But like any wild animal you’ll turn on your master eventually.”

“L… Let me go,” he strained as he tried to free himself.

“You are unworthy of their brilliance.” With little effort Drexlin was able to relieve him of the “knife” then shoved it into his heart. The guard clutch at the handle sticking out of his chest before dropping to the floor. Acting like he was completely unaware that he just killed a man he walked on. “I must go to my masters”

***
“This is not good at all,” the Doctor muttered as he went through both baskets of parts. Getting more and more frustrated the more he kept looking. “Everything but a proper frequency modulatot.” Not that far away Some UNIT soldiers were working on the Dalek rifles like he had shown them and having a small pile of finished ones at their feet. On the other side of him and getting more frustrated by the second stood Kendrix. Besides her Finn was seeing the blow up about to happen.

“Ah Doctor,” he said stepping in front of her, “what is it you’re trying to build? Maybe we could get this frequency thing if we know what to look for.”

“No,” he said putting the basket down, “it was going to be a long shot anyway. The Daleks are going to detect the TARDIS. I was hoping if they detected three readings they would split up their forces.”

“Can you do it without this frequency thing?”, Kendrix asked.

“Of course,” he told her. “I could cobble up something with the parts we have here. If we had the time. Which, despite me being who I am, we don’t have. And let’s be honest if they detect more than one TARDIS they won’t split up their landing party, they’re just going to send more. I should have thought of that.”

“You did have a lot on your mind,” she said. “Trying to figure out what’s going on with Drexlin.”

“Getting us free of this supposed church,” Finn added “And not to mention why our ship was left intact.”

“But I know the Daleks,”the Doctor said. “I should know how they act.”

“Doctor we have a problem,” Elias said coming up to them. “Problems actually. The scanners we found have started to pick up the Dalek ship.”

“They must have realized that this wasn’t a trap and sped up,” the Doctor announced as he stood and started off with the three startled by the sudden departure and hurried to follow him. “We may not have hours.” Suddenly he just stopped and turned around. “You said problems, plural. What else is there?”

“Drexlin’s missing. We found the guard, dead, but no sign of him. I spared who I could to search…”

“Call them back,” the Doctor ordered. “With the Daleks this close the implant is probably fully activated. He’s fully under their control at this point.” He started away again saying, “You should have started with that.”

“He’s in a state isn’t he?”, Elias commented before following him. “Get those rifles distributed as soon as possible. We don’t know which direction they’re coming from but I want anyone who can fire one of these things ready to repeal them. Get a couple of them to the cave, we have weapons there but these will be more effective. Move it, double time people.”

***
Outside of the village a lone figure walked with his head held high. The blue light on his forehead glowed brightly as he continued forward. At one point he stopped and looked up at the sky. They were there, he just knew it. Waiting for a sign he waited with baited breath. A hum filled the air and he smiled to himself, they had arrived. Drexlin looked down from the heavens, a look of sheer joy plastered on his face as four Dalek's appeared in front of him. “My masters, I have waited so long…”

One the dome of the lead Dalek two bulbs lit up as it spoke, “Silence!”

“Yes my Lord,” he quickly said looking down at the ground.

“Identify yourself!”

“I am your humble servant.”

“The Dalek's have no servants.”

This statement didn’t dampen Drexlin's euphoric feeling he was currently lost in. “Of course my lords. Do not fear I did not fall for the Time Lord’s tricks.”

“The Time Lord's Are here!”

“Just one,” Drexlin quickly amended. “He calls himself the Doctor…”

“The Doctor is here!”

“I will take you to him so you can smite him any way you wish. I simply wish to serve your greatness.”

“Do you expect a reward?”

“Of course not my Lord, I simply wish to serve in any way I can.”

Behind the lead another one spoke up, “Dalek technology identified. It is an obsolete slave binder. From before the Time War. Current human is unknown to the Daeks.”

“Who are you?” The lead Dalek demanded. “Explain! Explain!”

“I am one who heard your voice after I donned your helm,” Drexlin answered almost immediately. “I have been waiting for you to arrive. I have set this up for you.”

“Human life signs detected,” the second one said “A large gathering due east from this location.”

“They try to hide from you,” Drexlin told them. “They try but they have failed. None shall escape the Daleks.”

The lead Dalek was quiet for a moment before going, “Correct. You will be rewarded.” Drexlin's smile only got bigger as he held out his arms and waited as the lead Dalek aimed it’s weapon at him. “Exterminate!”

***
“Daleks!”, Elias called out. The group immediately ducked down as the Unit soldiers got their weapons up. Fortunately they had some good trigger discipline since they didn’t fire right away. This was good in the Doctor’s estimation because it didn’t give away their position. And right now they were too out in the open. Then they noticed something else, “Wait is that…?”

“That’s Drexlin,” Kendrix said.

“No, no, no,” The Doctor muttered as they watched the scene unfold. Then Drexlin raised his arms. “No,” he said a little louder and started to rush forward only to be stopped by Elias and Finn. “Idiot,” he spat as he could only watch as the Dalek fired. Drexlin didn’t cry out as the destructive beam engulfed the man who dropped to the ground after it faded away.

“More humans detected,” a Dalek announced as four domed heads turned in their direction.

“Exterminate!” another said. Here Elias’ men started to open fire. “The humans have acquired weapons similar to ours.”

“Summon for more troops.”

“We need to leave now,” the Doctor said trying to pull Elias back.”We’re too exposed and they’re calling for more.”

“I agree,” Elias was forced to admit. “We need to fall back.” His men started to move backwards while still firing. “Make sure they don’t get close.”

“Where do we go?”, Finn asked.

“We can’t lead them to the caves,” Kendrix said. A blast close to the group made them move faster.

The Doctor looked around, saw a ship in the distance. “The yard. We’ll have more cover there.”

“It’ll be better than this,” Elias said. “If we can make it. Go for it!” They quickly ran off with the soldiers turning around every so often firing off a shot then kept going. One cried out as he was shot. Finn started to stop and help him.

“Leave him!”, Elias ordered as they kept moving. The Doctor still had to grab Finn by the arm to keep him moving.

Pushing Kendrix forward the Doctor said, “Nobody survives a Dalek blast and they don’t take prisoners unless they feel it’s absolutely necessary.” The entire time the Doctor was trying to figure out where they could hide once they hit the yard. Only one place made any sort of sense, even though if the Dalek ship haven’t detected it by now they soon would. ”Head for the TARDIS. We’ll survive longer in there than any of the other ships.”

***
From the ship now stationed in orbit above the planet a Dalek went to the one who was darker in color than the rest, stationed on a platform so it was slightly higher than the others in the room. “Report.”, the Dalek commanded.

“Potential TARDiS energy signature detected,” the one who came forward answered. “Scans indicate a ninety-five percent possibility that it is the Doctor as reported “

Dome twisting so the eye stalk stared at a nearby screen the commander studied it for a moment. “Have current forces continue chasing current targets. Send additional Dalek units to the life signs detected. If it is the Doctor then he will try and save them. There we will exterminate him.”

“I will obey.”

***
The Doctor ducked slightly as a blast just missed his head as they continued running. “There’s the yard!”, Finn called out as they went faster or tried to. Meanwhile the Doctor noticed something as the group was able to duck behind one of the stranded wrecks.

“Why aren’t they trying to cut us off?”, he wondered out loud.

“And this is bad how?”, Kendrix asked as they started moving again.

“Because they thought of something else,” he said. Getting a look on his face as a realization dawned on him the Doctor quickened his pace. “No, no, no.” Another blast that just missed as Elias pulled him out of the way. “Thanks.”

“No problem Doctor,” he told him as their man turned and returned fire before they started off again. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking on what the Dalek's are doing?”

“I sincerely hope not,” the Doctor went. “There she is.” At a full sprint he ran for the TARDIS. Keeping his head as low as he dated he raised a hand and snapped his fingers and the doors opened on their own. “Get in!” Everybody followed him in. The Unit soldiers who weren’t with the previous time just sort of stopped in the doorway, mouth ajar as they just stared. “Yes bigger on the inside, moving on,” the Doctor said as he hit a switch on the console that closed the doors. Going to another panel he punched a few buttons then looked at the screen on the wall. “More Dalek's detected, their heading for the caverns, damn.”

“What can we do?”, Kendrix asked. “ How do we stop them?”

“How can we stop them?”, Finn shot back. When he looked at Elias he wasn’t coming up with any idea at that particular moment either

“Those caverns are still in the woods,” the Doctor said as he reached into his robes for his sonic screwdriver. “This might just work.” He rushed over to another control panel then removed a section, “Forgive the suddenness of it all but this is an emergency,” he muttered as he started quickly disassembling the screwdriver and working the handle section into the opening.

“What might work?”, Kendrix asked for the group.

“I scanned one of the holo emitters earlier,” he said

“I remember,” Elias said as he watched the Doctor work, still not sure what the man was doing .

“And if you recall that gave me access to their system and technically their database as well.”

“You’re going to distract them with fake images,” Kendrix said getting it. All but the Doctor flinched as the heard the Dalek’s blasts hit the outside of the ship. He hit a switch and the noise changed slightly.

“So who, the Cybermen?”, Finn asked. “Those… what did you call them… Sontarans?”

“What they have on the Time Lords,” Elias guessed. To him, given the little known history of the time war, it made sense.

“Oh, something much better than either of those guesses,” the Doctor told them, a hand lightly patting the console in front of him. “Okay old girl, let’s give the Dalek's a show.”

***

The Dalek traveled toward the caverns they had detected while also keeping those same sensors open for the one humanoid organic that had vexed them for far too long. Out of all of them he was the one that was the biggest danger. “No sign of the Doctor.”, one stated.

“Continue scanning,” the lead ordered. “He will appear the moment the others are endangered.”

“Excuse me,” a voice said. Four sets of eyestalks turned toward the voice. Out of nowhere an old human with slightly long, white receding hair stood there in the trees. Hands clasping the labels of his coat as he stood there with his head held high. “I was looking for some traveling companions of mine. A young man and a couple of young ladies. Have you seen them?””

“Halt,” the lead Dalek said as it turned toward the old human, “Identify yourself. Identify or be exterminated.”

“No I don’t think so,” the old man said as he turned and started walking away.

“Old human,” another Dalek came forward, “matches reports of the first encounter with the Doctor.”

“Really?”, behind them another human with curly brown hair and a long scarf stood there looking at them. “Well isn’t that interesting.”

“Exterminate!”, the human jumped behind another tree. Two of the four flanked the tree but found no sign of the man. “That was the Doctor!”

“Wait until you see my next trick,” another human with close cropped hair and wearing a leather jacket stood there grinning at them before stepping behind yet another tree and disappearing.

“Admit it,” behind them another older human with wild grey hair and wearing a purple suit stood there grinning as well, “You all had this exact nightmare,” And he pulled the same disappearing trick as the others.

“More than one Doctor sighted!!” the lead exclaimed, “Explain! Explain!”

Back in the TARDIS, Kendrix, Finn and Elias watched the Daleks seemingly stop their march toward the cavern. Looking at the Doctor who was doing something with the console Elias went, “They literally stopped when they thought there was more than one of you. They really don’t like you do they?”

“They don’t like me,” the Doctor said without looking up, “I don’t like them. It’s kind of our thing. Really?”, he said looking at something else on the console, a smal;l video screen. Kendrix looked over his shoulder to see a blond man in a cricket outfit displayed. Then he quickly looked up at the glass column in the center of the controls, “All the time I spent in here in that incarnation and you go with an image with the brainy specs? They’re not even needed. Well, if you’re going with that one I might as well give this version of me some love.”

“Catch me if you can,” a blond female taunted before disappearing behind some more foliage.

The lead immediately fired it’s laser as it spotted yet another older human that it recognized from reports from the time war. The beam went through the human as he said in a gravelly voice, “Gallifrey Stands.”

“Scans do not detect any life forms!” the lead Dalek said after it’s beam didn’t have any effect. “The Doctors are not real.” The four Daleks stopped what they were doing and started scanning the area for anything out of place. The lead soon detected something in a tree. “Source of the anomalies detected.”

“It is a holographic projector.”

“Eliminate it!”

“I will obey,” the Dalek quickly aimed and fired. The emitter exploded in a series of sparks as the Daleks continued on their path.

“Continue scanning and eliminate any similar devices!”

“Doctor,” Finn said, “I think they caught on.”

“Now what?”, Elias asked, letting the desperation he was feeling show.

“It wasn’t going to fool them for long,” the Doctor told him as he continued working on the console in front of him.. “It was a delay tactic at best to buy me some time.

“Time to do what?”, Kendrix asked.

“There it is,” the Doctor said looking satisfied. To Kendrix he said, “Time enough to do this.”He reached over and pulled a lever. There was a whining sound that Kendrix and Finn both recognized as something the g;ass column stared moving in an up and down movement.

Kendrix looked at Finn and both of them looked at the Doctor, “Are we leaving?”

“Wait,” the soldier with them started for him, “We still have people down there. We can’t leave!”

“We’re not going far,” the Doctor told them as Elias held his man back. “Once you find out where you’ll probably wish we went further.”

“What’s the play Doctor?”, Elias asked him.

Moving the lever again the whirring stopped and all but the Doctor stumbled from the apparent stop. “Right now hoping a Dalek somewhere hasn't figured out how I blew up that ship and added it to the database.” Flipping the door control the Doctor turned toward the opening doors. He saw a light grey wall with some sort of panel a few feet from the doors, alarms blaring in the air. Looking over his shoulder at the console he said, “You couldn’t have landed a little closer?”

Taking the Dalek weapon from his man Elias followed him out. “Doctor, please tell me we’re not on the Dalek ship.” When the other man didn’t answer, just opening that panel, he got a little more insistent, “Doctor!”

“You said not to tell you. But since you’re here would you be so kind to cover me for a few moments.” Searching his robes he suddenly looked back into the TARDIS. “My trick, right. You might want to make that a few minutes.”

“Doctor,” Elias went again. “We might not have minutes!”

“Guard and let me concentrate,” the Doctor ordered. “Let’s see. “This leads to the Transmat controls and this…. None of them figured it out. Okay this should be relatively easy then.”

“Incoming!” the Unit soldier said from the TARDIS doorway.

“Intruders will be exterminated,” a Dalek said as a squad of them came around a corner. Elias took what cover he could and started firing before the Daleks could get off a bolt.

All the while the Doctor continued to work on what he was doing. “Gotta give the Daleks one thing,” he muttered. “They never discovered creativity.” Pulling out some wires he started rearranging them as quickly as he dared. He flinched as something exploded right over his head. “Would you mind keeping them back a bit?”, he went, not really expecting an answer as he continued working on what he was doing. “Neck bone to head bone and there we go. Get back into the TARDIS!” Elias didn’t need to be told twice as the both of them practically dove for the doorway. The Doctor stuck his head out just long enough to go, “Sorry, must dash,” before ducking back in and closing the doors behind him.

“Let’s go Doctor,” Elias said as he went back to the console, while the Doctor was doing something with it, it wasn’t to get them out of here. And he wasn’t the only one who noticed.

“Doctor?”, Kendrix started to say before he held a finger at her.

“”Come on,” the Doctor said finally looking up, “send it.”

From a speaker somewhere they heard a Dalek say, “The Doctor has invaded the ship. Repeat the Doctor has invaded the ship!”

“There it is,” the Doctor said as he finally hit the dematerization controls and they were on the move. Looking at the screen in the wall The Doctor looked on expectedly. On the screen the Dalek ship was visible then it suddenly exploded.

“What the?”, Elias went as he looked at the Doctor.

Finn looked over at him, “What did you do?”

“I added a timer to the Dalek’s transmat control, set to start after the TARDIS left the ship. After I arrange a little flowback from the central power core.”

“The transmat activated,” Elias said trying to figure it out, “I’m assuming recalling the Daleks planetside.” The Doctor just nodded in response. “And that caused enough feedback to blow up the ship.”

“With the proper finagling of course,” the Doctor added. Seeing something on the console he commented to himself, “Hmm, went forward by a couple of hours somehow. Could have been worse.”

“Then why wait for that transmission?” Finn asked. “Wouldn’t that bring even more Daleks here?”

“The Daleks know I don’t stay in one place for long,” he said. “Generally, of my own choice. Ninety-nine present of the time. By the time they receive that message they’ll calculate that I’ll be long gone. That should buy those on Skarold some time. But you may want to see if any of them changed their mind about leaving. You can use those controls there,” he pointed at a section of the consoles.

“Ah Doctor,” Elias said after staring at it a bit.

“oh yes,” the Doctor uttered as he walked over. “Forgot you were a visitor, so sorry.” touching a few puttond he stepped aside for Elias, “It’s all yours.”

“Sergeant!”, a voice called out. One Elias seemed to recognize.

“I’m here, we’re with the Doctor. We’re on our way back. See if anybody has changed their mind about leaving.”

“Sergeant, we already survived the situation and nobody wants to leave.”

“Still?”, Kendrix went.

“Okay,” Elias said. “We can’t force them if they don’t want to. We’re on our way back so pack up what you can and get ready to move out.”

“Sir, about thar,” that wasn’t the answer Elias was expecting and said as much. “I understand sir but me and the others have been talking. We feel it would be wrong to leave these folks unprotected.”

“Now see here Steve, they made their choice.”

“I’m aware of that sir, but we all made friends here.” Elias looked over at Kendrix and Finn. And he found the one point he really couldn’t argue against, he had made friends here as well outside of these two. “We managed to get into the elders' computers. I’m sending you this planet's coordinates now. We’ll stay until supplies and a way they can defend themselves can arrive. We’ll face any disciplinary measures then.”

Elias hung his head a bit as he leaned on the console. Finally he looked up and said, “Why would they punish you for following my orders? You have no idea how much you guys are going to owe me.”

“Yes sir, Sergeant. We’ll be waiting for those resupplies.”

“I’ll make sure they hasten those shipments,” he said. “Elias out.” Shaking his head he looked over at the Doctor. “So how do we find my ship?”

“I was thinking about that,” the Doctor motioned for him to come over. Once he did the Doctor pointed to two circular panels. “The TARDIS’ telepathic controls. Just place your hands there and think about the Lethbridge-Stewart and it’s general location, the TARDIS will take care of the rest.” Learning down a bit he looked like he was talking directly to the console, “The star ship, not the Brigadier, I don't need the headache of explaining this to him.” To Kendrix and Finn he added, “I care for and respect the man deeply, but he could be dense when he wanted to be. And there are days he really wanted to be.”

***
Materializing in the dead of Space the Tardis hung there in the nothingness. Inside the Doctor worked the controls while looking up at the screen every so often. After a bit he pointed at the monitor, “I think I found her,” they all studied the screen. Not looking satisfied at the image, “Let me increase the magnification just a tad.” Suddenly the image of a proper star ship took up the screen.

“That’s her,” Elias said beaming a bit with some pride.

“She’s a magnificent vessel,” the Doctor commented. “Named after Alister Gordon I assume.”

“Why not Katherine?”, one of the other UNIT soldiers asked.

“I’m so happy she decided to add the Lethbridge back at some point,” the Doctor commented. Getting back to the soldier he said, “I know Kate and she would be honored. But the Brigadier, he would be thrilled being the namesake.” Behind him the console beeped, “Looks like we’re being hailed.”

“Unknown vessel, this is the Lethbridge-Stewart identify yourself,” a voice said.

“Lethbridge-Stewart this is Sergeant Micheal Elias….”

“Elias, hold on. Captain!”

“Elias,” a new voice came on, “where the hell have you been?”

“It’s a long story Captain. I’ll explain everything after the Doctor gets us on board.”

“Doctor? What Doctor?”

“What Doctor,” the Doctor mocked. “We’re in a blue police box outside your ship, what other Doctor can it be.”

“”Wait,” the Captain went, “that Doctor? He’s with you?” As soon as Elias confirmed that it was the Captain immediately went, “Open a hanger bay, we got incoming visitors.”

Something on the console started beeping. Finn looked at it. “Is that an entry beacon?”

“Yes it is,” the Doctor said. “Nice to be welcomed somewhere.”

“Finn, we're a step closer to getting home,” Kendrix said excitedly.

“Taking us in,” the Doctor told them as the TARDIS moved toward the ship. And took the TARDIS in. Quickly locating the source of the beacon a couple of crewmen quickly got out of the way as the TARDIS skidded to a stop.

“Sergeant.” one of those crewmen saluted Elias as soon as he exited the TARDIS with te other UNIT soldiers who were quickly greeted by their mates..

“At ease,” he said returning the salute. The Doctor easily stepped onto the deck without permission with Kendrix and Finn right behind him, the two of them looking around. Soon a set of doors opened and somebody who appeared important made his way toward the group “Captain,” Elias said with a salute.

“You are a sight for sore eyes Elias,” the Captain said as he shocked Elias’ hand. Looking over at the rest of them he went, “I’m guessing one of you is the Doctor.”

“You would guess correctly,” the Doctor said hand going up. Not to salute but to once again reach for a non existent hat. “I have got to fix that.”

“I hope you have a preliminary report ready, like where the rest of your squad is, and who these other two are.” He looked the three over, particularly the robes they were wearing. “I get the feeling it’s going to be an interesting one.”

“Who do we talk to about getting home?”, Kendrix suddenly blurted out.

I’m getting there,” Elias told her. He handed the Captain something, “My men and the story start at these coordinates sir. To be honest, the faster we can get a supply ship there the better.”

Handing those coordinates to an aide the Captain said. “Walk with me Sergeant and give me the basics. You two can talk ro my aide here and we’ll see about getting you both home.” Kendrix nearly jumped for joy, Finn looked on in disbelief.

The Doctor watchet the two of them with a small smile. “If somebody could get me those coordinates I’ll gladly take them there. In the meantime I’m going to find some proper clothes.”

“My name is Kendrix Harlow,” the Doctor heard her say as he entered the TARDIS.

Deep in the ship’s wardrobe the Doctor walked around, having already shed the monk’s robe and donned a dark pair of slacks and a pair of dress shoes as he pulled a navy blue jumper over his head. Putting an arm through a sleeve and then the other he started looking around for some sort of coat. Stopping in front of a multicolored coat he shook his head before spotting a grey business blazer and quickly put it on. “Just the right amount of cuff for this body,” he commented as he studied the length of the sleeves. Going over to a full length mirror against the wall he studied his image for a moment, turning every so often. “Almost, what is it missing?”

Glancing over to the side he spotted a grey hat hanging from a nearby rack. “What is that, a Trilby?” Taking it off it’s beg he held it in both hands before gripping it in one hand and comparing it’s color to the coat’s. It wasn’t an exact match but it was close enough. “Grips rather nicely,” he muttered before placing it on his head Turning his head to the left and right as he looked at his reflection one more time. Placing a finger at the base of the brim he pushed it up ever so slightly. Finally satisfied at his appearance he stuck his hands into the pockets of his pants, yes this was it, this was him now. “Hello Doctor.” Tipping his hat at his reflection he walked away now feeling like himself.

Stepping out of the TARDIS he went, “Nothing like the right set clothes to make a man feel like him…self?” The Doctor was caught off guard by seeing an extremely distraught looking Kendrix sitting on a crate with Finn trying to console her, while looking upset himself. “And I missed something. I hate it when I miss something, what did I miss?” Elias walked over and handed him a tablet. “Oh,” the Doctor said as he read what was before him, “Oh my.”

“It happened about a month after I was forced down. The entire colony is gone, pirate attack. I didn’t know.”

“Of course you didn’t,” the Doctor told him. “You wouldn’t keep something like this from them.” The Doctor looked at his young friends, “All this time they were looking to go home. And there’s no home to go to.”

“And we’re not set up to handle civilians,” Elias reminded him. The Doctor looked at Kendrix and Finn, his hearts breaking for them.

Suddenly he gave the tablet back to Elias and walked forward. “All right you two. We bothered these nice UNIT people long enough. It’s time to go.”

“Doctor,” Elias looked at him, completely shocked at his behavior.

“Where?”, Finn demanded, tears in his eyes. “Where are we going to go? We have nowhere to go now. Unless it’s back to Skarold.”

“Home,” Kendrix suddenly said. Looking up at him, tears still falling down her cheeks, “I want to go home.”

“Kendrix,” Finn said as he put a hand on her shoulder and she quickly pulled away. Getting off the crate she stormed right over to the Doctor and looked him right in the face.

“I have to know. I have to see for myself,” she said, almost pleading with him.

The Doctor looked at her right back. Out of the corner of his eye he say Elias talking with his Captain. Looking over at Finn who was looking conflicted. Looking back at Kendrix he softly said, “Okay. If anyone have those coordinates we’ll be on our way.”

“I got it Doctor,’ Elias said as he jogged over. As he handed another tablet to the Doctor he stepped a little closer. “Doctor would it be all right if me and a couple of the others came along?” Looking at him with a cocked eyebrow the Doctor handed the tablet back. “We just want to pay our respect. The men going had friends and family at the colony and I feel like I need to finish the journey after all of this. We have a transponder to get a ride back, we just need a way there.”

The Doctor looked at him trying to figure out what this angle was going to be. Finally he said, “Fine, a one way trip for you lot, we’ll figure out Kendrix and Finn after we get there.” Stepping aside to let Kendrix and Finn through Elias waved those men forward. A group of five men walked past them and into the TARDIS, all with a full kit and fully armed. The Doctor raised that eyebrow again at Elias, who look apologetic before entering the TARDIS himself. Patting the door frame the Doctor told the TARDIS, “Let’s not have any unexpected stops this time,” before entering the TARDIS. Moments later, amid a grinding,whirring sound it faded away.