Hello, readers. Thanks for checking out this story. It follows a few of my previous ones (Fear Before Courage chapters four and five and Carving Circles). Neither Bill nor Nardole were around for those adventures. The Doctor will provide them (and you) the necessary exposition to catch up, so reading those previous stories isn't necessary to understand this one.
Just Enough Time
Chapter 1: Awakening
"You've been quiet," Bill told Nardole.
"The only thing that would come out of my mouth right now is complaining, and I will keep that to myself," Nardole responded.
"It's just a quick visit someplace," the Doctor assured. "The vault will still be secure when we return."
The trip soon ended and the Doctor looked at a monitor.
"I know where we are," the Doctor announced. "I've been here before."
"Where are we?" Bill asked.
"It's a moon called Irriobi. The Ijora nobles here aren't too kind, but it is a beautiful place."
"Is this where the Young Star is?" Nardole inquired.
"Yes," the Doctor replied as he walked quickly to the door. "I didn't think you were paying attention when I told you about that."
"What's the Young Star?" asked Bill.
"It's a small power source. A long time ago, it was found on the planet Ijorin below. The ones that found it became the technologically-advanced noble class and moved to the moon while the underclass stayed behind. They were oppressed by their dependency on when the nobles felt like sharing that power."
"And since the nobles here aren't too kind, I assume the power wasn't shared often?"
"Often enough that the planet remained dependent on it and not enough that the underclass could develop," the Doctor answered. "Come on. Let me show you two around."
Bill and Nardole both frowned after the Doctor opened the TARDIS doors. In front of the trio were decrepit buildings and a dreary landscape.
"If this is beautiful, what does the planet look like?" Bill asked.
"The moon wasn't like this the last time I was here," the Doctor remarked. He took a scan and ran to the TARDIS console. "This is only about eight centuries after the last time I was here," he said while looking at a monitor.
"A lot can happen in eight hundred years," Nardole commented. He glanced at Bill before looking at the Doctor.
"Well, this wasn't because of me if that's what you're implying," said the Doctor. "I think," he quietly added.
The Doctor led Nardole and Bill out of the TARDIS and looked around.
Many Ijora looked quizzically at the travelers, and Bill and Nardole returned the looks. Some others looked scared. The Ijora resembled humans with light tan skin and beige sclera. Their sullen demeanors were expressed in their faces and postures.
"Are those bodies?" Bill asked, pointing to her left in the distance.
The group approached an assembly of Ijora who were putting individual corpses on pyres. To the left, the Doctor and his companions saw other Ijora digging up graves.
Nardole grimaced at what was happening to the right of the pyres. "They're inhaling the ashes!"
Bill shared Nardole's disgust. "Doctor, what are they doing? And why?"
The Doctor headed to the ashes. "What is happening here?" he asked.
"Nothing," someone responded. "We are getting nothing."
"I knew this wouldn't work," someone else said.
Nardole shrugged and the Doctor and Bill noticed. He proceeded to another part of the area. They all came upon a crowd gathered around in a circle. Several Ijora stood in the middle of the circle, talking. Neither the Doctor nor his companions noticed that one of the Ijora had followed them from the pyres.
"You see how simple and fond I am."
"Be gone. Who hinders you?"
"A foolish heart that I leave here."
"What, with Lysander?"
"With Demetrius."
"Be not afraid. She shall not harm thee."
"No, she shall not, sir, even though you take her heart."
"Oh, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd!"
"This sound like Shakespeare," Bill remarked.
"It's A Midsummer Night's Dream," the Doctor confirmed.
The actors suddenly stopped their performance and looked at the Doctor, Nardole, and Bill. Those in the audience did the same.
"Who are you?" one of the actors demanded.
The Doctor's attention remained on the stage, while Bill and Nardole glanced between the stage, each other, and the Doctor.
"I'm the Doctor. This is Bill and Nardole."
"They are strangers here," said the Ijora from the pyres. "They did not know what we are doing at the fires."
"You aren't prisoners from the planet," someone said. "Are you?"
"They have a ship!" one of the actresses declared. "I see it in two of their minds. Why can't I see yours?" she asked the Doctor.
"We have a way off this moon!" someone realized.
"But to where? We would not be welcome on the planet."
"Look at what they wear. They are from far away."
"Enough!" someone yelled. "Layard, why couldn't you see inside the mind of the gray-haired one?"
"He has strong telepathic abilities, Queen Sterden."
"Can he help you speak to the Young Star?"
"I think we should try," Layard answered.
The Doctor and Nardole tried to interject, but didn't get an opportunity.
"Take him to the Young Star. Layard, tend to this matter. Confine his associates."
The Doctor, Bill, and Nardole all protested futilely as they were separated.
"I need my companions!" the Doctor yelled.
"No, you don't," an Ijora countered. "I see the truth in their minds."
Several Ijora forced the Doctor into a rear section of a large palace.
"What is wrong with the Young Star?" the Doctor asked. "Why do you need my help with it?"
"It has been dormant," Layard replied. "We have reached out to it time and time again, but it will not respond to us. It will not give us any more power."
"But you're still telepathic," said the Doctor.
"Why is that relevant?"
"You Ijora developed telepathic abilities without the Young Star?"
"Some did. Generations ago, our telepathy was only strong enough to sense the Young Star on Ijorin. The Young Star magnified our powers so we could achieve much. Now, our telepathic abilities have become stronger with selective breeding, but we must rely on the Young Star to do what we truly want. Most others have telepathic abilities only because the Young Star gifted them, and they are nearly depleted."
"That's why this moon is in the state it's in," the Doctor concluded. "What have you done so far to make the Young Star active again?"
"We telepaths have spent so long trying to commune with the Young Star. We have dug so deep, but the only things we could hear back are stories."
"I do not believe these stories come from the Young Star," someone commented.
"I do," Layard countered. "That is why we must act out these stories. We must be able to learn something from them. So much of our history is lost. We must learn all we can from our past if we are to reawaken the Young Star and restore our prosperity."
"Is that why you were inhaling the ashes of your ancestors? Did you really expect that to work?"
"We're desperate."
The group reached a room in which the Young Star was set on a pedestal.
"Please, join with us and help us reach the Young Star," Layard implored.
"I want my friends back," the Doctor replied.
"I promise to reunite you with them if you help us," said Layard.
"How do you want to do this?" asked the Doctor with annoyance.
"Let us join hands and concentrate our thoughts on the Young Star."
The Doctor complied. He joined hands with the telepathic Ijora gathered around the Young Star and they mentally reached out. Soon, the Young Star began to glow and levitate.
"It's active again!" an Ijora commented.
"It's you!" the Doctor whispered. "I knew it."
Elsewhere, Bill and Nardole were escorted to another room.
"Where are you from?"
"A planet called Earth," Bill answered. "I don't know where that is in relation to this moon." She looked at Nardole.
Nardole shrugged. "What's your name?"
"I'm Jerrell."
"Nardole."
"Bill."
"How many can fit into your ship?" Jerrell asked.
"I'm . . . not sure," Bill answered.
"Not enough for all of you," said Nardole, leaving Bill to wonder if that was the truth or if Nardole wanted to avoid complications that could delay their return home.
"What's Earth like?" asked Jerrell.
"It's nice," Bill replied. "The Doctor's taken me to so many places, but there's nothing like home."
While Bill talked about Earth, the Doctor and the telepaths focused on the Young Star. The Ijora telepaths stretched out their arms as they took in new power.
"Who are you?" an Ijora asked the Doctor.
"I'm just a wanderer," the Doctor answered.
"Something about you appeals to the Young Star."
"We must take the Young Star to the power stations immediately," said Layard.
Several of the Ijora used their renewed telekinetic abilities to lift the Young Star, the Doctor, and the other Ijora and transported them to a room housing various machines. Some Ijora hooked the Young Star up to a contraption. The room soon glowed as it filled with the Young Star's power.
Several other Ijora rushed into the room, including Queen Sterden.
"It's active?" Sterden asked. "I thought I sensed something."
"Yes."
"I feel my telepathic powers reviving," Sterden commented.
The Young Star suddenly stopped and the room went quiet.
"It's darker now than it was before you charged up the stations," the Doctor noticed.
"It doesn't matter," Layard countered. "Our power has been partially restored."
"My queen, I recommend launching an attack against the planet to show our restored strength."
"Why did the Young Star stop charging?" Sterden asked. "Our machines are capable of more. I am certain of it."
"I don't know," someone answered. "Our diagnostic equipment indicates the machines would've taken more charge."
"This could be a temporary measure," Sterden suggested. "Until we know the Young Star will be consistently reliable again, we will focus on restoring our home. Collect the criminals from the planet and send them back. Then, we will repair our infrastructure."
The Doctor thought he saw amorphous shapes moving in the darkness. He scanned the area.
"We will commune again with the Young Star," said Layard. "This progress has been encouraging. Doctor, I insist you remain to help us."
"I helped you already. Now, I'm leaving with my friends."
"Did you promise that, Layard?" Sterden asked.
"Yes."
"Doctor, leave if you wish. Thank you for helping us, though I would ask that you stay."
The Doctor reunited with Bill and Nardole instead and he took them to the TARDIS.
"Do you know why the Young Star became dormant?" Nardole asked.
"I have a couple ideas."
"Are you really leaving us?" Layard asked as she caught up with the group.
"We're going to the planet below," the Doctor answered. "I want to see what it's like now."
"You're not interested in coming, are you?" Nardole asked.
The Doctor noticed Layard's hesitation as he walked into the TARDIS. "She'll be persecuted down there."
"Is that an invitation?" Layard asked, stepping inside. "It's clear that we need you and I want to convince you to continue helping us. I also heard you say you know why the Young Star is dormant. How do you know that?"
"I'm keeping that knowledge to myself for now," the Doctor said while he set the controls and landed the TARDIS. "There might be a robe or two to your left in that box. Grab one for yourself."
"How does a stranger know so much about the Young Star?" Layard asked.
"What are the criminals that your queen mentioned?" the Doctor asked, ignoring Layard's question.
"The Ijora on the planet send their worst prisoners to Irriobi for life sentences. These prisoners drain our resources even more and frequently attack us."
"How often?" the Doctor asked.
"They do so when they are low on supplies. They spend most of the time in their own neighborhoods."
The group stepped out into a city.
"It looks nice," Bill remarked. "How advanced do you think they are down here?"
"It's probably comparable to where you live, Bill."
"Look at those in the distance," Nardole remarked. "Those are windmills."
"They look old," Bill remarked.
"That's because they aren't in use anymore," the Doctor noticed.
"That's how it started," said Layard. "They developed the means to harness the power of the wind. They built on that technology and developed others. It all started with the wind."
"I guess this was because of me, then," the Doctor commented very quietly while scanning the area. "Well, Donna."
"What are you looking for?" Nardole asked the Doctor.
"There was a darkness on the moon. It didn't come from here. It must be related to the Young Star. I may have to re-think why he went dormant."
"He?" Bill asked.
"The Young Star."
"The Young Star is a he?" asked Bill.
"It's sentient, isn't it?" Layard asked. "Some of us suspected so. That would explain the stories."
"Yeah," the Doctor answered. "Let's go back."
The group returned to the room where the Young Star was first held. Not finding the orb there, they went to the machine room and saw a timid-looking individual standing by the pedestal with the power source.
"Well, Doctor, we've got a terrible mess starting here. Are you back to help clean it up?"