Hey guys and girls! Here's an October/Halloween special for the Quake Chronicles. It's a good idea to read Samantha Tyler: 084 first in order to avoid any possible confusion. Another thing, I want to give a special shout out to SaberbladePrime who gave me the idea for this story.
The Doctor glanced over at Samantha as he piloted the TARDIS. She was holding onto the console, a worried look etched on her face. "What's wrong?" he asked wondering if she was having second thoughts about this expedition that she'd been called to 'help' out on. If that was the case, he'd turn around in a heartsbeat. He wasn't going to force her to continue if she was that worried, no matter what this Maxwell guy had said.
"It's Maxwell. The man was just…too vague about what this expedition was on", Samantha replied "and that doesn't sit right with me. Not one bit".
"We can turn around if you want", the Doctor offered "It only takes a moment".
Samantha shook her head "no, I need to see what it's about", she firmly, though the Doctor could detect a hint of uncertainty in her voice "those guys may be looking for something that is incredibly dangerous. If that is the case, then its all the more reason to go".
"Are you absolutely sure?" the Doctor questioned, still fully prepared to take them somewhere…anywhere else.
Samantha nodded "I'm sure Doctor", she replied.
"All right then", the Doctor said. Moments later the TARDIS set down with a thump signalling that they've arrived. Samantha walked down the ramp but didn't open the door straight away. Instead she touched her holster as if to reassure herself that she still had her ICER. The brunette relaxed somewhat when she felt the weapon under her fingers. She then gripped the door handle, pulled open the door and stepped out, the Doctor close behind.
"Where shall we look first?" Samantha asked looking up and down the corridor. It was deserted.
"if there's any information about the expedition, then it'll likely be on a computer. So in answer to your question, somewhere that has a computer", the Doctor replied "an office...control centre...IT department…" Samantha raised an eyebrow at the last one.
"So...which way? Left or right?" she asked.
The Doctor glanced down both ways before deciding on turning left. Samantha followed him. They hadn't been walking long when a very familiar man of Italian descent entered the corridor from one of its off shoots. "I don't believe it", Samantha said thoroughly surprised. Before he Doctor could ask her what was wrong, the man looked at them as her voice caught his attention.
His face broke out in a big grin and walked towards them. When the man was close enough, he hugged Samantha. "Sammy Tyler, you're a sight for sore eyes", he remarked.
"Backatcha Sebastian", Samantha said happily "how have you been?"
"So-so. Been trying to look for a burial chamber of the Teotihuacans", Sebastian replied.
"And have you?" Samantha asked, interested.
"Sadly no", Sebastian sighed "and unfortunately we don't have any money to continue the dig".
"I'm sorry to hear that", Samantha said sympathetically.
"Yeah…well that's why I'm on this so called 'expedition'. I'm being offered enough funds to continue the dig for quite some time", Sebastian said "what about you? What did Wayland Industries offer you?"
"Same as you", Samantha replied "money. But that's not why I'm here. I'm…here to find out what this expedition is. Wayland's flunkie was far too vague for my liking". Sebastian grinned again.
"You haven't changed a bit Sammy. Still one for finding out all the facts", he remarked.
"You know me", Samantha said with a smile of her own. The Doctor watched this interaction. It was clear that they knew each other, hence why the guy was being so friendly. Regardless of this fact, something inside was irritated at how friendly the guy was being towards his companion. The Time Lord cleared his throat to remind Samantha that he was still there. Samantha glanced at him "Oh, Sebastian this is a friend of mine: John Smith. But he mainly goes by the Doctor. Doctor, this is Sebastian De Rosa, an old colleague of mine", the brunette said, introducing both males to each other.
"Nice to meet you", Sebastian said politely and held out his hand. The Doctor shook it, though he used a little more force than was necessary.
"Likewise", the Doctor said and released the guy's hand. He felt a little proud when he was the man wince and rub his hand.
"That's quite a grip you got there", Sebastian remarked.
"I know", the Doctor said. Samantha frowned, did he just some macho handshake thing? She thought. If that was the case, she didn't see any need for it. No real reason why the Doctor would do that to her old friend.
It was a bit tense for a moment or two until a blonde haired woman approached the trio. "Glad I found you Mr De Rosa, Miss Tyler. The meeting as about to start", the woman said, with an Irish accent. She then turned and started back the way they came. Samantha and Sebastian followed after her while the Doctor trailed behind. He was wishing that his companion had decided against coming here.
"You seem to have us at a disadvantage", Sebastian remarked to the blonde woman "You know our names but we don't know yours Miss…"
"Avery. Gwen Avery", the woman supplied.
"What brings you here Gwen?" Samantha asked, interested.
"I'm here with a friend of mine Lex Woods", Gwen replied "we were picked up while climbing part of Mount Everest. What about you two?" she asked Sebastian and Samantha.
"I was in an excavation in Mexico", Sebastian answered.
"I got a phone call while I was staying with the Doctor", Samantha gestured with her head to the Time Lord behind her "and we came straight here".
Gwen led them through the corridors, explaining about who was on the expedition. There were three teams. The Scientists: Lex, Sebastian, Sebastian's right hand man Thomas and Doctor Miller. Gwen informed Samantha that she'd be part of the Scientist Team. The Irish woman then went on to tell them who was in the other two teams; the 'muscle' and the drillers. "I don't know which team you'll be on Doctor…?"
"It's just the Doctor", the Time Lord said "and I'll be on Sam's team". There was no way that he was going to let her be alone on a team with Sebastian.
Gwen led them into the briefing area where all three teams were assembled. "Glad you could join us Miss Tyler…and friend", Maxwell said as they approached the scientist team. He looked around and noted that everyone that was supposed to be there was assembled in the briefing area. "Everybody! Please. Your attention" the lights go out and a projection is displayed on the wall in front of them all "Mr Wayland".
There was a sound of heavy footsteps on metal. Everyone followed the sound to a walkway above them. They watched as a man in his late 40's approached the railing. "Thank you all for coming", he said, his voice echoing thanks to the microphone attached to his jacket "Seven days ago one of my satellites over Antarctica was hunting for mineral deposits when a sudden heat bloom beneath the earth outlined this..." an image appeared on wall. It was of some sort of structure. "The red lines indicate solid walls. Through thermal mapping we've generated a rough three dimensional image of the structure" Sebastian glanced down at his tablet which was displaying the same image that was on the wall.
"No way", Samantha breathed staring at the image over his shoulder.
"It's massive ... Containing hundreds of rooms, all built around a central core", Wayland continued "My experts tell me it's a pyramid. What they can't agree on is who built it and when".
The Doctor watched Samantha and Sebastian stare at the tablet in the latter's hands, both occasionally pointing to the screen. "I'm seeing hints of three different cultures in the structure", Samantha murmured quietly "Aztec, Cambodian and Egyptian. It's an amalgamation of all three cultures".
"Sam…I think I know what it is", Sebastian said equally quietly "I think it's the first pyramid ever built by a master culture which all three derived from".
Samantha gave him a look of disbelief "you really think that's possible?" she asked.
"I do", Sebastian said, a tone of excitement in his voice "Sam, this could be the proof that shows those cultures are connected. This could rewrite history" he gave her a grin which she returned. The Doctor scoffed under his breath. He didn't understand why they were so fascinated by this find, especially Samantha. He had a time machine. He could prove without a shadow of a doubt whether there was a connection between the cultures. Heck, he could take his companion to meet the people of this 'master culture' should they exist.
"I think your experts are right", Sebastian said loudly having just about heard what Wayland had said about it being a blend of all three cultures that himself and Samantha had just been discussing.
"Which one?" Wayland asked.
"All of them", Samantha answered.
"Meaning what exactly?" Lex questioned. Sebastian stood up and walked over to the wall with the projection. He turned back and gestured to Samantha to join him. She did so.
"This pyramid contains features from all three cultures", the Italian archaeologist said "it might be the first pyramid ever built".
"Built by whom?" Doctor Miller asked. Samantha and Sebastian exchanged looks, both barely able to contain their excitement about this discovery.
"By the first civilisation", Samantha answered trying to keep her voice calm and professional. It wouldn't do for her to be jumping up and down like a school girl who'd just been asked out by the boy she'd been crushing on for ages.
"Thank you", Wayland said. Samantha and Sebastian went back to their seats.
"But how can anyone build a pyramid out here?" Miller asked.
"Ancient maps show Antarctica free of ice. It's likely the continent was once habitable", Thomas explained.
"Well I can't tell you who built it but if I could take a sample from it, I could tell you how old it is", Miller suggested to Wayland.
"Well Doctor Miller, I'm offering to put you right next to this thing", Wayland said.
"Uh what caused the heat bloom?" Thomas asked.
"I don't know", Wayland replied. I could find that out with the TARDIS the Doctor thought no need for all these experts to go looking for it. I could figure out what it is, what caused the heat bloom and be back in time for tea.
"Where exactly on the ice is this?" Lex asked.
"Bouvetoya Island. But it's not on the ice. It's two thousand feet under it", Wayland answered. Samantha raised her eyebrows. She wasn't the only one in disbelief, she could see that Gwen's friend Lex was too.
"Mr. Quinn", Maxwell said looking at the leader of the drilling team.
"Mr. Stafford, you're looking at the best drilling team in the world. We'll chew to that depth in seven days", Quinn said confidently, his crew nodding in agreement.
"And add three weeks on top of that to train everyone here", Gwen spoke up.
"We don't have that kind of time Miss Avery", Wayland said "I'm not the only one with a satellite over Antarctica. Others will be here soon".
"Maybe I wasn't being very clear", Gwen said, her Irish accent more pronounced "No one in this room is ready for this trip".
"That's why I invited you here", Wayland said.
"Bouvetoya is one of the most isolated places in the world", Lex informed him "The nearest land is a thousand miles away. There's no help if we run into trouble".
"You're right, it's a no man's land" Wayland walked down the steps "But the train has left the station. I think I speak for everyone aboard this ship – " he nods to the projection on the wall "This is worth the risk".
Lex stood up "Find another guide", she told Wayland before walking out. Gwen got up from her seat and hurried after her friend.
Lex looked up from her packing when her cabin door opened. It was Gwen. "You aren't going to ask me to stay are you?" she asked.
Gwen shook her head "No", she replied "You don't want to go because of the danger, I get it. I'm certainly not going to make you stay. If I have to be honest, I'm kinda glad that you've decided to leave. Not that I don't think you're not capable, you certainly are…"
"You just worry about me", Lex finished giving her friend a small smile.
"I can't help it Lex. This is who I am", Gwen said. Lex zipped up a small bag and put it into her backpack.
"Promise me that you're going to be careful", the American said.
"Come on, Lex. Its me. I'm always careful", Gwen said.
Lex gave her friend a look, clearly saying that she didn't believe her "Gwen, you're more of a daredevil than I am", she stated "just promise that you will be careful. I wasn't joking when I said you'd be cut off from any outside help if you go on that island".
"I know" Gwen stepped forward "Lex, I swear on our friendship, I will be careful".
Lex smiled, glad that the Irish woman had made that promise. Though it gave her a little assurance, it still didn't mean she wasn't going to worry about Gwen. She was being all rights, a bad ass but she wasn't invincible. And she had no idea if Wayland's team of 'muscle' will have Gwen's back when they head out onto the island.
The door to her cabin opened again. This time it was Maxwell. "Spoke with Mr Weyland. Money's been wired to your foundation's account. Chopper's refueling to fly you back home", he informed Lex.
"Who's Lex's replacement?" Gwen asked.
"Gerald Murdoch", Maxwell answered before he turned and walked away. Gwen and Lex exchanged glances before they hurried after the man.
~TARDIS~
The Doctor frowned at the 3D image of the pyramid on the TARDIS scanner. Though Samantha and… the other guy were rather excited over it, the more the stared at the image, the more unsettled he got. He rubbed his face, he needed to talk to Samantha, he needed to tell her this wasn't a good idea. He turned and left the console room, heading for the room the TARDIS had set up so that his companion could train.
The Doctor stopped in the doorway and watched as she beat the life out of the punching bag with a variety of punches and kicks. He'd only seen her train once; right after she'd gotten a call from Ward to say that Coulson had been kidnapped. In fact that was when the TARDIS had created a room so she could prepare for whatever she had to face to get the leader of the small unit back. If he had to be honest there was something about her fighting that he kinda liked. He watched as she kicked the bag violently making it swing off the hook. She walked over, picked the bag up and put it back on the hook. That was when she noticed the Time Lord standing there.
"Oh, didn't know you were there", she said wiping tendrils of hair that had escaped from her ponytail away from her face "what's up?"
"It's the pyramid. I don't think we should go", the Doctor said.
"Why not?" Samantha asked tugging off her gloves.
"The whole thing is making me a little uneasy. Doesn't help where this pyramid is"
Samantha raised her eyebrows "You're uneasy? The guy who faced the Nestene Consciousness…threatened Slitheen and who held a gun on that Dalek… and you're uneasy about a mystery pyramid?"
"Yes, I am", the Doctor said.
"Well…you can stay here if you want. But I'm going", Samantha said "that pyramid may well be the very first one ever. Its too good a chance to pass up".
"Sam what kind of person would I be if I let you go there on your own?" the Doctor asked.
"But I won't be on my own. I have Sebastian. Not to mention the team of security going with us", Samantha reminded him.
"How did you meet the guy anyway?" the Doctor suddenly questioned "I didn't think he was the kind of guy you'd be friends with".
"Doctor there's quite a few things you don't know about me which include who I'm friends with", Samantha said "besides why are you asking about him? Don't tell me your jealous?" Sam asked in a teasing tone.
"No, just wondering how you met that's all," Doctor said looking away avoiding Sam's teasing grin.
"If you must know I met Sebastian on a dig in Montana. We were part of Alan Grant's team in his search for dinosaur bones", Samantha explained "did find a few interesting skeletons including velociraptor. Come to think of it, I wonder what Doctor Grant is doing now?" she wondered aloud "I'll have to give him a ring some time".