DOCTOR WHO DAY 3
OUTBREAK Part One
Ring around the rosies,A pocket full of posies,
Ashes, ashes! We all fall down.
The Doctor looked around at his surroundings.
"What am I doing back on Kreone?" The Doctor demanded to know. "I already solved this planets problem."
"Not entirely Doctor." Star said. "Since you used a short-cut to solve the problem, it has since reversed itself."
"So what am I suppose to do today?" The Doctor asked.
"Today you will find an antidote for the outbreak of plague Doctor. It has already claimed 300 lives." The Red Guardian said speaking through Star. "I'm sure creating a cure will be no problem for you but you will find many obstacles in your way."
"Such as?" The Doctor asked.
"Never you mind Doctor." The Red Guardian snapped. "You are starting to fall back into your old destructive patterns. I suggest you start learning a little humility. The life you save could be," The Red Guardian left that sentence hanging.
"My own perhaps?" The Doctor said in a mocking voice.
"I see you have a ways to go Doctor." The Red Guardian said. "We were wise to chose the lessons we have. You have two hours to complete your mission. Now behold your companion for this mission Doctor."
The Doctor turned and there standing before him was none other then Dr Harry Sullivan.
"Oh I say. What sort of place is this?" Harry asked as he looked around.
"Harry Sullivan!" The Doctor called out. "Look at you. You barely look a day older then the day I left you back on Earth. Welcome to Kreone. Come along. We have two hours to come up with an antidote to stop a plague. Follow me and try not to get lost."
Harry looked a bit miffed.
"Look I say old chap, I have no idea who you are but I was told The Doctor had need to my assistance . Now if you don't mind, I'll be off to find him."
The Doctor stopped and walked over to Harry.
"I am the Doctor." The Doctor said. "Surely the Brigadier or Sarah Jane mentioned regeneration?" The Doctor cheerfully asked.
"Well yes, they did, but surely that," Harry began when he stopped suddenly. "Hold on. How on earth do you know those people? I know I've never seen you before and I don't believe that nonsense about regurgitating or some nonsense like that."
"It's called regenerating and it's not nonsense." The Doctor said correcting him. "It's a process a Time Lord goes through when our body is worn out or injured. Now come on. Over 300 people have already died. Now unless you want another 300 to die I suggest you come on." The Doctor insisted as he started walking towards the city.
Harry did follow the Doctor but he still had trouble believing this was the same Doctor he traveled with all those years ago. Star followed silently behind.
"Your the same Doctor who tricked me into the Tardis?" Harry demanded.
The Doctor chuckled as he recollected that time.
"Oh yes, I did rather, didn't I?" The Doctor laughed as he said this. "Well you were the one who insisted that it was all an illusion."
"Well yes, but," Harry began when he suddenly stopped. "Hold on. How on earth did you know that? " Harry demanded. "Only The Doctor and Sarah Jane were present."
"Yes Harry." The Doctor agreed. "Only Sarah Jane and I were present when I tricked you into stepping inside of my Tardis."
As they walked along Harry began testing The Doctor to see if he really was the one and only Doctor.
"Well then you remember what happened to one of my shoes on board the ark?" Harry asked.
"Burned to a crisp." The Doctor answered.
"That's right." Harry said in amazement. "Oh wait, here's a tricky one who did we encounter when we beamed down to the Earth?"
"A Sontaran by the name of Styre." The Doctor answered with a grim look on his face. "Seem to recall he almost killed Sarah."
"That's right as well." Harry said growing ever more perplexed. "Okay we were intercepted by The Time Lords and sent to what planet for what purpose?"
"Skaro and I was suppose to either find a weakness in the Daleks or prevent them from being created altogether." The Doctor answered as he his face grew ever dim. "I failed on both counts."
"Well I wouldn't have said," Harry stopped. "Okay this is the clincher. Only the Doctor would know what he said to me when I almost accidentally released him from a bomb vest that would have detonated had a chap named Lester not stopped me. What did he say to me?"
The Doctor stopped in his tracks turned around and looked intently at Harry for a moment. Then suddenly he looked up at the sky.
"Harry Sullivan is an imbecile!" The Doctor shouted skyward.
"Oh my!" Harry exclaimed. "You Are The Doctor! But you're completely changed. Oh my goodness. My head hurts. Looks as though I owe The Brigadier and Sarah Jane an apology when I get back."
"Indeed you do." The Doctor agreed. "Now if we can get going. A city of over 40,000 people could die if we don't stop reminiscing and start working towards the cure."
"Righty-O then." Harry said as he noticed Star for the first time. "And who is this lovely young lady?"
"That's no lady, that's a Star." The Doctor quipped.
"Doctor?" Star warned him good naturally. "Don't make me fry your hair."
The Doctor chuckled.
"What?" Harry asked puzzled. "Oh you don't mean. I mean it's not possible. She couldn't possibly be a," Harry stammered.
"A massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity." The Doctor finished for him. "She is indeed. And she has also proved to be a good friend."
"Oh my." Harry said eying her warily.
"No need to be afraid Harry Sullivan." Star reassured him. "Only if someone attacks me or someone helpless will I turn up the heat."
.
As the Doctor attempts to enter the city he and Harry look around in horror at the sight they beheld.
"What is that foul stench?" Harry asked. "It's like a strong perfume mixed with the smell of garbage."
"'The plague raged to such a degree that the living were scarce able to bury the dead.." The Doctor quoted. "That is the smell of death." The Doctor said grimly.
"This is terrible." Harry said. "Doctor we have to do something."
"And do something we shall." The Doctor said. "Providing we can find a lab and a wasps' stinger to analyze. Wish I knew where Professor Sage was at."
"Professor Sage was arrested three months ago." Star answered. "The city officials were infuriated that the force-field you built took up so much energy from the rest of the city."
"From where?" The Doctor demanded. "Hospitals? Schools? Nursing Homes?"
"Some Schools and Hospitals but what upset them the most was lack of light and air-conditioning, it interfered with their computers," Star said.
"Your joking!" Harry exclaimed. "Surely protecting people takes a higher priority then their pleasure."
"Welcome to the world of reality Harry." The Doctor said bluntly. "Where the people have become so narcissistic that they don't think about the consequences of their behavior until it's too late."
"Actually that does sound familiar." Harry said upon reflection. "Some people on Earth seem to becoming more and more selfish all the time. Pretty soon no one will work and they will all become dependent and lazy."
"They will be led around like mindless sheep." Star said. "Believing everything they read or hear. Abandoning reason and pride for mere, things."
"Doesn't say much for the people of my planet." Harry sighed.
"Don't worry." Star assured him. "Later on the people will wise up and start demanding to know the truth and will once again want to work and do things for themselves so they can once again have self-respect."
"Well that's certainly a relief." Harry said cheering up a little. "But hold on. I thought revealing future events was forbidden."
"Sometimes there are exceptions." Star said cryptically.
"No time to bother with that now." The Doctor interrupted. "We have to find Professor Sage. And the best place to start would be the local jail. Which would be," The Doctor looked around. "Star?"
"Stop being so lazy Doctor." Star said.
"Very well." The Doctor got the hint.
They cautiously made their way down the street. The Doctor noted that some people were peering out of their windows at them.
"Poor people." The Doctor remarked. "They are frightened of us."
"Fear has been known as a catalyst for attacking innocent strangers." Harry reminded him.
"I do recall Harry." The Doctor replied.
Harry thought he saw something down an alley.
"Doctor!" Harry shouted. "Down there."
Harry pointed down the alley way.
The Doctor, Star and Harry headed down the alley.
As they approached what appeared to be a Human Woman she started groaning.
The Doctor and the others started running. When they reached her The Doctor and Harry started examining her.
"Oh Doctor!" Harry exclaimed. "She's been stung over a dozen times. We need to get her to a hospital."
"Very well." The Doctor said. "On the count of three, we'll lift. One, two, Three."
They lifted her and carried her to the street. They looked around and had no idea where the hospital was. Before they started calling out for help Star interjected.
"Down 5 blocks and then 3 blocks to the right." Star said.
The Doctor and Harry looked at her.
I can't help you find the antidote or escape from any harm Doctor, but there is nothing that will make me stand by and watch an innocent person die." Star said.
"Thank you." The Doctor said as he and Harry immediately started heading towards the hospital.
As they reached the hospital they are met with suspicious stares from the Hospital staff. They carry the woman inside and try to find the place overrun with patients lying out in the hallway.
"This is terrible!" Harry exclaimed. "What kind of Hospital leaves patients out in the hallway!
"Harry calm yourself." The Doctor quietly warned him. "In case you've forgotten we're here to find a cure."
They made their way down the corridor of the Hospital. Harry's heart felt heavy as he saw men, women and children covered almost head to toe with sting marks.
"Has no one thought to remove the stingers?" Harry asked pragmatically.
"Of course they removed," The Doctor began when he realized Harry was right. "Are you kidding me?"
They came to a small section of the hallway and they gently laid the woman on the floor.
"That's basic treatment 101." The Doctor said dumbfounded.
"Your just now beginning to see the magnitude of this problem Doctor." Star said.
"How could they not know how to properly treat insect stings?" Harry demanded to know.
"They've never been stung before." Star said. "These insects are from another planet."
"So how did they come to be here?" Harry asked.
"That's not important now." Star responded. "What's important is making your way to a lab and get busy making the antidote."
"We best hurry." The Doctor said. "I don't know why but I have a feeling that time is rapidly running out for these people."
With that ominous statement the 3 of them hurried along the corridor. The Doctor and Harry looked for a sign. They finally found one. The Doctor quickly scanned it and discovered a lab on the 14th floor of the building.
"It'll probably be closely guarded." The Doctor warned. "And since Star here says she can't help me, we've got to be extra careful."
"Why can't she help?" Harry asked.
The Doctor gave him one of his exasperated don't ask me any questions look so Harry dropped the matter for the moment.
They made their way into the lab and the Doctor and Harry began looking through trays and and in drawers and they couldn't find any sign of any antidote or even notes about making one.
"What kind of hospital is this?" Harry asked again.
"One that needs an antidote and fast." The Doctor surmised.
The Doctor Started forcing open cabinets and lockers looking for specific chemicals.
"Here we are!" The Doctor said happily. "With this we can make a sort of synthetic epinephrine treatment."
"Synthesized?" Harry repeated in surprise.
"Yes, Epinephrine may be synthesized by the reaction of catechol (1) with chloroacetyl chloride (2), followed by the reaction with methylamine to give the ketone (4), which is reduced to the desired hydroxy compound (5). The racemic mixture may be separated using tartaric acid." The Doctor said crossly. "Now come on and help."
"They have the necessary chemicals and yet did nothing?" Harry asked incredulously.
"Well, they didn't have us around to help." The Doctor boasted.
"Just when I thought your head couldn't get any bigger?" Star commented.
"It is the truth." The Doctor said unrepentantly.
"In your mind perhaps." Star shot back.
"Hey, never mind all this, we have to find a cure. People are dying." Harry reminded The Doctor and Star.
The Doctor somewhat shamefacedly said "You're right Harry." Much to Harry's astonishment. Noting the look on Harry's face the Doctor added. "There's a first time for everything."
"Indeed." Harry said rolling up his shirt sleeves as he and The Doctor spent the next hour creating a cure.
.
An hour later the Doctor held up a vial. "Here's the first of the cure." He said.
Harry grimaced. "That's not a lot. Why is the process so slow? This wouldn't take half the time back on Earth." Harry lamented.
"That's because they are not as advanced in some areas of medical science as Earth is. Whereas their computer technology is centuries ahead. Strange that." The Doctor mused out-loud.
Star said nothing during this exchange. She stood at the window silently gazing out.
"Right! Let's keep going. I have a feeling we need to make the entire thing ourselves because if my hunch is correct, and it usually is. The leaders will be none too pleased that we've managed to create a cure when they were unable to."
"Unable or unwilling?" Harry asked sarcastically just as the door swung open.
In walked a gray haired 53 year old man. The same one that had Professor Sage arrested followed by two guards.
"What are you doing in this laboratory?" The Gray Haired Man demanded. He spotted the vial near the Doctor's hand as he tried to hide it. "What is that?!" He fairly screeched. "Are you trying to poison us?!"
"Hardly poison." Harry spoke up. "It's the cu," Harry began when the Doctor interrupted.
"It's a curious thing that there is so much technology here in this lab and yet hardly any of it is being deployed to fight this outbreak." The Doctor said mildly but the look in The Doctor's eyes was one of anger.
"What are you suggesting sir?" The Man with the gray hair demanded.
"Oh nothing, except we've found all of the makings of a synthetic cure for this plague and I find it hard to believe that none of your scientists couldn't find the cure on their own." The Doctor said accusingly.
"You would accuse us of willfully keeping a cure from our people?!" The Gray haired man demanded.
"It wouldn't be the first time that government officials withheld medicine in order to thin the population or to exert a sort of power over them." The Doctor said.
"You go too far stranger!" The Man with the Gray Hair yelled.
"Doctor, why don't you," Harry began when he saw the look of exasperation on The Doctor's face.
"So you're the infamous Doctor who helped Professor Sage hook up that illegal force-field." He said.
"Infamous?" The Doctor mused. "Been awhile since I've been called that."
"Doctor would you kindly focus?" Star asked speaking for the first time in almost an hour. "I'm sure Governor Tao here has something urgent to tell you."
"Governor?" The Doctor's eyebrows shot up. "You're working awfully close to this problem aren't you? Unless of course you know you can't be hurt because you already have a,"
"Guards!" Governor Tao screamed. "You are to execute The Doctor and his two companions immediately!"
Harry looked nervously at The Doctor.
"Well, Doctor?" Harry inquired. "How do we get out of this one?" As the guards raised their weapons.
"Your guess is as good as mine." The Doctor replied.
end part one