17
SIBLINGS
A piercing female scream rising in pitch echoes through our ears, it is not one scream but a montage of overlapping smaller screams that repeat, merge together, shatter, stretch and die away. There is something desperate yet accusatory about these sounds as they become ever more piercing. Through these sounds comes the voice of a listener, it is Nyssa.
NYSSA
"Stop it, please stop it, I can't stand any more of this, you're hurting me."
The screaming continues dissolving into one voice now, a voice we will come to know as Tarisha who sounds a lot like Nyssa only cooler and harsher.
NYSSA
"Stop, I said stop, leave me alone, it wasn't my fault, I wasn't responsible, please just stop now."
TARISHA
"Murderer, murderer, murderer."
NYSSA
"No it's not true, I'm not a murderer, just leave me alone get out of my head."
TARISHA
"You are a murderer and you must face your responsibilities."
NYSSA
"I'm not, I'm not, don't say that, I didn't want it to happen."
TARISHA
"Yes you did, I know you did, I can see your thoughts now Nyssa; nothing is masked from me; your heart is corrupt."
NYSSA
"That's not true, I wept at your death it hurt me more than anything, I didn't want you to die I'd do anything to change that."
TARISHA
"Anything? Anything? Would you Nyssa, I wonder, would you take your own life in payment, would you kill yourself, can you do it now."
NYSSA
(Now jolted awake with a cry, breaths heavily as she tries to compose herself)
"That was horrible, just awful and so real, so vividly sickeningly real. Tarisha, please forgive me; you have to believe I never meant you any harm. We were young, just children really; stupid and vain."
(The sound of a sheet being pushed back)
"I've overslept, it's time I was in the console room, the Doctor will be wondering what's happened to me. Odd that he hasn't come knocking on my door he usually does, he knocks then he bursts in full of excitement about something or other, a new planet, a star; some problem for us to solve or avoid, a story he wants to tell me or a conundrum for us both to ponder. Now where are my cloth….ah yes here they are."
(The sound of garments being hastily put on)
"Tarisha, I haven't thought about her in years not since, well since I joined the Doctor really and Traken was…no best not to dwell on that, the past is the past. Only in the tardis that's not really true is it, the past is never really over; one can visit it as easily as the future."
(The sound of a door being opened and footsteps leaving the bedroom to move along a corridor).
"I wonder why this memory has surfaced so vividly now, maybe it's our location in the tardis maybe we're near where Traken used to be; it's something to ask the Doctor anyway. I've never told him about Tarisha, I've never told anyone who wasn't there that day; perhaps I should talk about it after all burying things away in your subconscious, traumas and regrets is never healthy; they always come back to haunt you."
(The opening of another door and the louder hum of the console room becomes evident.)
"Doctor, Doctor where are you. That's odd he doesn't seem to be here and he hardly ever leaves the console room during flight….only we aren't in flight, the time rotor isn't moving, it's in the neutral position so we must have materialised. Let's have a look at the location monitor. Hmmm, that's not a planet I've heard of, I wonder why the Doctor's brought us here, assuming he had anything to do with it of course, but if this was a random arrival wouldn't he have come and woken me up, he knows I'm always curious about new locations. Could he have left the tardis and gone outside alone, why would he do that without informing me or leaving a note; should I follow?"
A fizzing, popping sound fills the air ending in a sound like a waterfall.
NYSSA
"Doctor, but I thought….I can see through you, you're a hologram."
DOCTOR
"An inter active etheric program actually, it's a self-learning program I've been experimenting with and can link up with your telepathically."
NYSSA
"Where are you, I mean the real you."
DOCTOR
"Slight problem, I had to pop out; don't worry it's nothing that need to concern you. My etheric self picked up on your distress hence this manifestation, what seems to be the problem?"
NYSSA
"I feel a bit silly now."
DOCTOR
"Nonsense, no problem too small between friends."
NYSSA
"It seems so childish to talk about bad dreams."
DOCTOR
"Is that why you came to find me, must have been some dream."
NYSSA
"A nightmare, it was horrific and made more so because it was about a real event."
DOCTOR
"Yes I can sense your distress from here, look I think the best thing I can do is
Link up with you psychically to glean more information."
NYSSA
"You mean enter my mind?"
DOCTOR
"In a limited sense yes."
NYSSA
"So you'd know all about me, have access to all my memories?"
DOCTOR
"No it doesn't work like that; I'd only have access to what you want me to see; there are limitation protocols that protect us both."
NYSSA
"I'm not sure I like the idea, can't I just explain the problem?"
DOCTOR
"You could but if we have a link I can see and experience this nightmare for myself, even take part in it."
NYSSA
"You can see and feel my nightmare?"
DOCTOR
"It's something I devised to help Tegan once, but it can work just as well with anyone; just think of it as a bonus."
NYSSA
"I'm not sure I approve of the concept, I doubt Tegan would have either."
DOCTOR
"This dream was bad enough to bring you hurrying to the console room looking for me so it must be pretty dreadful; maybe it's more than just a dream."
NYSSA
"More than a dream, yes it was extremely vivid and realistic; almost a sort of…"
DOCTOR
"Telepathic contact?"
NYSSA
"It could have been except, but she's dead she'd been dead for a long time and I don't believe in ghosts."
DOCTOR
"Then maybe we need to delve deeper into this mystery, a link would allow us to do that and it would only be short-term."
NYSSA
"Yes I see the logic of your argument and maybe the benefits do out weigh privacy issues. How would we proceed with this link?"
DOCTOR
"Go to terminal five, third drawer down, you'll find a small metallic disk like a button…yes that's it, just attach the disk to the back of your neck."
NYSSA
"The disk is warm it makes my skin tingle, will there be any side-effects Doctor?"
DOCTOR
"I shouldn't think so beyond the confines of the dream, it all depends how strong this telepathic invader is and what he or she wants. Now just sit down and try to relax, I just have to align our brain waves and inject some artron energy reserves; yes that's it now I'm going to begin the linking process. You should experience a very mild headache and some dizziness but don't panic, both will pass."
We hear a confused jumble of Doctor and Nyssa sounds, words, sighs, the calling of each other's names.
NYSSA
"I can see you in my mind's eye; you're actually inside my head its amazing."
DOCTOR
"Yes it is rather unusual isn't it, my word it's very spacious in here not like a human mind at all, I like the way you've redecorated."
NYSSA
"Doctor, boundaries remember."
"DOCTOR
"Yes I'm sorry, best to focus on the business at hand but I must admit I love this Traken architecture, art and music it's almost like being back there."
NYSSA
"I think of home a lot, less than I once did but it's never far from the surface."
DOCTOR
"Yes I know what you mean, the tug of the familiar; ah what's that sound it's like a…"
The initial splintered scream begins low at first then gathering momentum until it becomes ear-splitting.
NYSSA
"Oh it hurts I can't stand it."
DOCTOR
"Focus on my voice Nyssa and together we'll soften the sound block it out, create a telepathic barrier."
NYSSA
"I can't do it my head's going to burst."
DOCTOR
"Yes you can, with my help we can contain it, isolate it in a pocket of your mind where it can't do as much damage."
The scream weakens, gets louder then begins to tone down by degrees to a bearable cadence.
NYSSA
"That's better, oh that's much better Doctor it's not anywhere near as awful."
DOCTOR
"Well it's not a normal memory that much is clear, nor is it a dream as such; far too vivid and potent."
NYSSA
"But it must be, she's dead."
DOCTOR
"Tarisha, yes I'm seeing an image of her now; she's not all that different from you in fact…oh I see I didn't realise."
NYSSA
"She's my sister, or she was."
DOCTOR
"Yes indeed, your twin sister in fact and like you quite brilliant, dual top of every class - Nyssa and Tarisha, the envy of Traken Academy; the two most brilliant students in its history."
NYSSA
"Everything was easy for us history, maths, literature; we were expected to have brilliant academic careers which was why we applied for the fellowship."
DOCTOR
"Which only one of you could have a single post very prestigious."
NYSSA
"Awarded once in every ten cycles to the most outstanding student."
DOCTOR
"Only you couldn't be separated in terms of ability you were equals."
NYSSA
"Yes so we decided to take matters into our own hands; to resolve the issue once and for all."
DOCTOR
"This bit isn't too clear in your thoughts, what did you do; was it some kind of test or game….no a duel."
NYSSA
"A very special kind of duel, the most dangerous sort permitted in our culture."
A rushing, crackling sound rises in pitch until climaxing with a series of loud cracks, it is the opening of a deeper psychic link and permits Tarisha to communicate directly.
TARISHA
"Such a soft, intellectual and pacifist culture where personal well being was highly valued, nobody was to be harmed or placed under stress; everything was soft and easy."
DOCTOR
"I take it you didn't approve, whoever you are."
TARISHA
"You know who I am, Nyssa has told you."
DOCTOR
"I know who she thinks you are, who you claim to be; even who you sound like but there's a bit of problem with that concept."
NYSSA
"You're dead Tarisha; you died a long time ago in my arms."
DOCTOR
"Are you claiming to be speaking to us from the afterlife, is that what you want us to believe?"
TARISGA
"I am not dead Doctor but very much alive."
DOCTOR
"Not according to your sister or the archives in the great hall of Traken; are they both wrong?"
NYSSA
"No that would be impossible, I went to your funeral Tarisha; I tended your grave, my sister is dead."
TARISHA
"I am not dead sister you can hear me, feel me, and sense me."
DOCTOR
"We can both hear, feel and sense someone another mind, a consciousness claiming to be Tarisha."
TARISHA
"It is not a claim but a fact, scan me if you have any doubts I will permit it, go on both of you."
NYSSA
"All right why not."
DOCTOR
"No I don't think so"
NYSSA
"Why not Doctor, what better way is there to verify the contact."
DOCTOR
"By strengthening the psychic link we would enable this being greater access to your mind, I'm not sure that's such a good idea."
NYSSA
"It would establish the truth."
DOCTOR
"Perhaps there's another way, my tardis has telepathic circuits that I can link up to especially in this state; it might be more prudent to let the old girl scan this alien mind to see what she makes of it."
TARISHA
"No, I will not allow that."
DOCTOR
"Why not, if you're genuinely Tarisha of Traken the tardis will be able to confirm it if you aren't that to will be evident."
TARISHA
"I will link only with my sister, ours is a private, special bond."
NYSSA
"She has a point Doctor; such contacts are sacred on our world."
DOCTOR
"Yes but we aren't on your world, it no longer exists and I'm not convinced this really is your sister, alive or otherwise. How would she find you in the tardis in the vortex?"
TARISHA
"He does not understand the power of our sibling connection does he Nyssa, but then why should he as an alien?"
NYSSA
"She has a point Doctor."
DOCTOR
"I still think a greater psychic link would be dangerous, Tarisha is blocking part of her mind from us I'd like to know why; maybe it contains her true identity."
TARISHA
"You wore our mother's blue gown that final day Nyssa and I chose scarlet, we both had on tiaras made of Keldronite – the symbol for wisdom on our world. The garden was filled with the scent of wild carinias and pepudae, the song of Traken love birds. Do you remember what you said to me before the duel began, I do I recall your words perfectly, you said – whatever the outcome we would always be special to each other."
NYSSA
"That's true I did say that, everything you describe is correct."
DOCTOR
"Scanned memories Nyssa, this being could have been trawling through your mind for some time."
TARISHA
"You broke your left wrist falling from a Pedua horse when you were seven years old, our parents never let you ride one again and I never did. The two of us ran away from home when we were ten, we built a raft of timber and crossed the Ashan river alone something even grown men fear to do in winter."
DOCTOR
"She's playing mind games Nyssa, don't listen to this, let the tardis do a thorough scan."
NYSSA
"No Doctor you're wrong this time."
DOCTOR
"If I am the tardis will confirm it and I'll apologize, but I don't think I am."
TARISHA
"Open yourself to me Nyssa as I open myself to you, let us touch on a deeper level and then you will know."
NYSSA
"Yes I will."
DOCTOR
"No Nyssa, don't do this."
NYSSA
"Don't you understand Doctor if there's even the remotest chance she's my sister I have to try this."
DOCTOR
"You're putting both our minds at risk."
TARISHA
"There is no risk I am telling the truth, open to me now, that's it just a little more, come to me Nyssa come closer and closer."
NYSSA
"I will I am, yes I can see you now, Doctor it is Tarisha it is my sister and she's alive."
DOCTOR
"I wonder."
TARISHA
"Thank you Nyssa for trusting me, I've waited for you for such a long time."
Nyssa utters a piercing scream of terror, over it we hear her sister laughing in triumph, surrounding them both is a rushing, roaring sound like electronic static that rises in pitch and finally concludes abruptly.
DOCTOR
"Nyssa, Nyssa are you all right, speak to me say something please."
TARISHA
"She is perfectly fine Doctor."
DOCTOR
"I want to speak to her not you, Nyssa."
TARISHA
"Nyssa and I are one now we speak with the same voice; we are the same mind with the same thoughts."
DOCTOR
"You mean you've taken her over, absorbed her in some way like a psychic vampire."
TARISHA
"I had no idea a time lord could be so emotional so melodramatic."
DOCTOR
"Release her at once."
TARISHA
"She doesn't want to be released we are sisters, we have so much catching up to do."
DOCTOR
"Oh please spare me the little homilies, we both know you aren't Nyssa's sister – she's dead so you're somebody or something else."
TARISHA
"You don't know anything Doctor."
DOCTOR
"I know you're some kind of telepathic chameleon, a mental parasite who pretends to be other people."
TARISHA
"An unflattering assessment Doctor."
DOCTOR
"But accurate I'm sure, you exploit grief, loss and desperation and you sensed both in Nyssa's mind which was why you were drawn to her; she was at a low ebb and thus vulnerable."
TARISHA
"Assuming that is true why doesn't she now pull away from me, reject me and fight back?"
DOCTOR
"Because you have her just where you want her, she'd totally under your sway."
TARISHA
"In that case there's nothing you can do about it is there, you might as well get used to it and withdraw."
DOCTOR
"Unfortunately it's not that simple, this is my tardis and you're now physically inside it, you can use Nyssa's body to attack me and to interfere with the ship."
TARISHA
"Yes I can and since you are not actually physically present in the tardis you can't stop me, can you?"
DOCTOR
"I wouldn't say that."
TARISHA
"What can you do you're just a hologram, a phantom, you're in the same mind as me and I'm now stronger."
DOCTOR
"Is that what you believe, you don't know much about time lord's do you or how advanced their holographics can be."
TARISHA
"Go on then impress me, do something try to resist, eject me or bypass me to reach Nyssa. You can't, can you Doctor; you can't do anything at all."
(We hear footsteps, the stretch of fabric, Nyssa is clearly moving about)
"Ah to be physical again to move to feel to touch."
(The sound of controls being tweaked can be heard).
"Yes this is remarkable your tardis and Nyssa already understands so much about it and what she lacks I'm sure you can fill in Doctor."
DOCTOR
"I can't let you hijack the tardis, or Nyssa either for that matter."
TARISHA
"How will you prevent it, a mere hologram?"
DOCTOR
"Well let me see now, how about this."
(With a cry Nyssa sits down on the floor)
TARISHA
"No, you cannot wrest control of her from me."
DOCTOR
"Not so cocky now are we Tarisha, or whatever your real name is. Care to tell me – no, all right then I'll just have to eject you like an unwanted squatter."
TARISHA
"It is you who will be ejected Doctor, you cannot defeat the combined strength of two wills."
DOCTOR
"I don't believe Nyssa wants to help you anymore, not now she understands just how hostile and toxic you are."
TARISHA
"Oh but she does and she is, goodbye time lord."
We hear a cry from the Doctor and a rushing, burbling sound then the cry cuts out sharply.
TARISHA
"He's gone I've…we've done it Nyssa, thank you now we are free to do whatever we want. Back on our feet I think, that's better, a little stretch of the legs and arms. Hmm how joyous. Now up to the central console, terminal four; yes these are the right switches."
(We hear buttons being pressed and a dial turned)
"Preparing to dematerialise, all safe guards off, force field on and we're ready to go, all I have to do is hit this switch….wait what's this, I can't move my hand, why can't I move my hand? I can't use my other hand either it refuses to respond but it can't, it's my hand."
NYSSA
"No Tarisha, actually it's my hand and I've no wish to take off and strand the Doctor here, instead I'm going to open the tardis doors and let him back in."
TARISHA
"No you can't, I won't you, stop Nyssa."
The sound of the tardis doors humming open and that of shoes entering.
NYSSA
"Doctor."
DOCTOR
"Hello again Nyssa, thank you for letting me back into my ship."
NYSSA
"Tarisha's still inside my head, I've been fighting her as much as I can but she's….she's so strong and….I can't maintain control."
DOCTOR
"I understand just sit down over here and try to relax."
NYSSA
"What are you attaching to my wrist?"
DOCTOR
"I'm wiring you up to the….well I suppose you'd call it the brain of the tardis."
NYSSA
"But Tarisha…."
DOCTOR
"You need some help removing her and I think the old girl would be more use to you at this stage than a holographic version of me."
TARISHA
"Hardly Doctor, I'm too strong for anyone or anything here."
DOCTOR
"Back again and so soon."
TARISHA
"Back to stay and this time I will not lose control, remove this item from my wrist."
DOCTOR
"Remove it yourself, if you can."
TARISHA
"I advise you to cooperate Doctor, I still have Nyssa's psyche in here and I can alter the metabolism of her body in any way I like, can you feel her heartbeat racing, her temperature rising to dangerous levels as I pump toxic hormones into them."
DOCTOR
"Just like any other criminal, you've taken her hostage; how predictable."
TARISHA
Her brain is beginning to swell and several vital blood vessels are now under pressure."
DOCTOR
"Damage Nyssa and you weaken your own position."
TARISHA
"Remove the link to the tardis, do it NOW!"
DOCTOR
"All right you win, I'm unclasping the band now restore her system to normal please."
TARISHA
"Just in time Doctor, you almost lost her that time; make sure there isn't any further need to cause distress to this body."
DOCTOR
"You really are quite ruthless aren't you, you'd damage or even kill Nyssa just to spite me; what kind of creature are you?"
TARISHA
"It's time the tardis left this planet, do the honours will you."
DOCTOR
"You're in a bit of hurry aren't you, why is there something here you don't like something inimical to you, or someone perhaps another mind equal or superior to your own?"
TARISHA
"No more verbal sparring, take off at once or Nyssa will suffer."
DOCTOR
"Nyssa's already suffering and all because of you, could you perhaps be native to this world only I understand the beings here all have advanced telepathic powers; maybe you're one of them some sort of renegade or outcast."
TARISHA
"You're forcing me to hurt Nyssa again, this time I won't stop until…"
DOCTOR
"A deviant possibly, a sick mind that was quarantined to protect others but somehow you were able to reach out into the tardis."
We hear a roaring sound low but growing in strength, it is penetrating the tardis and soon we can make out that it is a chorus of voices all chanting "no, stop this, aberration."
TARISHA
"We must dematerialise at once, do it Doctor, obey me."
DOCTOR
"Oh yes I see now, you're a psychic aberration a diseased mind in need of treatment, highly talented but unbalanced. You were being treated but somehow you managed to escape by forging a link to Nyssa."
The alien voices swell in pitch, "Aberration detected, focus all of you, focus on her now."
TARISHA
(Screams in fear and pain)
"No I won't go back, I won't and you can't make me."
DOCTOR
"Help them Nyssa, resist, add your will to theirs; I'll do what I can at this end. There that's the tardis link up restored now all I have to do is…there that's it."
NYSSA
"Get out get out, get out of my mind, leave me I command you."
TARISHA
"No I won't, nobody can defeat me my mind is too strong, too…..too…."
DOCTOR
"Help Nyssa please, you must remove the aberration or it will destroy her."
NYSSA
"Doctor, I feel as though my mind is being shredded, she's too strong."
DOCTOR
"All right, there is more thing we can try. I'm linking myself up to the tardis which means it; you and I will be joined. Risky, but I can't see any other way."
NYSSA
"What if she's too strong for all of us?"
DOCTOR
"I seriously doubt that but…ah yes there you are, and there's your sister. Hmm she seems different from last time, darker, older, the features have blurred and run a bit she no longer resembles you but the people native to this planet. Tarisha, can you hear me?"
TARISHA
"You are a fool to take me on again Doctor, have I not proved that my psyche is the stronger?"
DOCTOR
"I can't just abandon Nyssa, nor am I willing to take you off this planet; you belong here your sickness must be contained."
TARISHA
"Sickness, is it a sickness to be superior, to rebel, didn't you once."
DOCTOR
"Not by harming others by sucking the goodness out of their minds. You see Nyssa, Tarisha here led a kind of cult and the thing it worshipped was her cleverness, her ability to invade and exploit other minds; a sort of psychic rape really and she was very good at it, still is based on what we've experienced but it has to end and it will – right now!"
TARISHA
"What can you do that my own people couldn't; they are superior telepaths to you Doctor."
DOCTOR
"Granted but not to the tardis, when her mind joins with that of mine and Nyssa it will create an irresistible force. Ah, can't you feel it already building in pitch that humming sound that light and just in the background that discordant groaning, wheezing chorus?"
NYSSA
"Like dematerialisation."
DOCTOR
"Precisely and look there's an outline forming around Tarisha a sort of blue oblong cocoon."
TARISHA
"You cannot dematerialise me Doctor I will not be contained or dismissed quite so easily, see the cocoon bursts."
NYSSA
"Oh no she's free again."
DOCTOR
"Is she, are you sure, infinite dimensions Nyssa. See the roundels in the air, the shadow of a console why there's even the hint of a hat stand."
NYSSA
"It's the console room and it's congealing around her."
TARISHA
"Illusion Doctor just a mind game."
DOCTOR
"Oh not quite not this time, you're trapped inside a pocket an aspect of the tardis and it's suppressing your psychic powers. Pull free now Nyssa, come on you can do it, pull free before the envelope seals."
TARISHA
"No Nyssa don't abandon me you can't do it, I'm your sister we are kith and kin."
NYSSA
"I have no kith, no kin, they all died with Traken and you Tarisha died long before any of them, you aren't my sister you just imitated her for a time, played a part and manipulated my guilty conscience but you won't do it any more, I won't let you."
With a drawn out scream Tarisha disappears drowned out by the tardis dematerialisation sound.
DOCTOR
"It's over, she's gone and you're free of her, the tardis is taking her back to her cell on the planet, her own people can deal with her now."
NYSSA
"I feel sad, even disconsolate, in a funny kind of way I miss her or rather what she represented."
DOCTOR
"Yes I know it isn't easy to let go of the past, we all have longings, regrets, things left undone."
NYSSA
"Even you?"
DOCTOR
"Especially me. Come on, let's get away from here there's no more we can do and I think we could both do with a bit of a rest."
Neil Davies 2010