The Mines of Telleron

Part One

By the Sacramento River Mark Redman was panning for gold in the water. His hands were freezing as he kept up hope he would see that certain shine he had heard so much about. While he was chilled to the bone his partner, Cole Bradley was fixing supper by the fire. Mark had never liked Bradley but came with him to California anyway. The promise of wealth was too great for a man of Mark's stature to pass up. The only reason he wanted money was to provide for his wife and daughter back in New York. The journey had taken them close to a year and he wasn't about to go home empty handed. He believed the Cole only wanted the power that came with wealth. Through the time they had spent together Mark knew Bradley could be very selfish. He filled his pan once more with gravel and slightly submerged it under the water. Staring down at river he thought he could see his wife's face. Then he saw something shine in the dimming sunlight. Filled with excitement he picked himself up and starting running towards Bradley.

"We've struck gold!" Redman yelled as he tripped over himself. Falling to the ground the water in his pan hit the fire almost diminishing it. Bradley shot him a cold look.

"You must be the most incompetent man I have ever met. I should have never let you come with me." Bradley said as he began to eat.

"It's going to take us an eternity to find a fortune of gold like this." Mark commented.

"Yes I'm afraid for once you're right. Tomorrow we head into the mines." Bradley came to a decision.

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The Doctor paced back and forth inside the Tardis console room. Peri was in the dressing room changing her clothes. He was delighted at the silence in the room. As much as he liked his companion she could be difficult, especially for his thought process. Returning to the console room Peri stared at the Doctor. He glanced up at her for a second and continued pacing.

"So what do you think if I should even bother asking?" Peri questioned the Doctor referring to her outfit. She was dressed in a blue pant suit that fit her figure just right.

"Well it's more then you usually wear." The Doctor joked.

"Its better that tacky coat you where." Peri said as the Doctor continued to pace.

"Tacky? Tacky? My dear once you've seen the fashion on Gallifrey you would think my coat was the pinnacle of style." The Doctor shot back as he kept on pacing.

"Doctor, just what are you doing? His companion asked.

"I'm thinking about our new destination."

"Which is?" Peri wondered.

"I'm not sure yet."

"We could always go to…." Peri began before she was cut off.

"We could go see The Rings of Centauri, The Volcanoes of Dulkis; actually that's probably not the best idea." The Doctor thought aloud.

"Or New York." Peri said cheerfully.

"New York?" The Doctor wondered why she wanted to go there of all places.

"In case you forgot that's where I lived until I came along with you. It's been awhile since I've seen my Mother." Peri tried to make the Doctor feel guilty.

"There's nothing to see there. Skyscrapers and subways, crowded streets, dark alleys. Why I've been to more exuberant places than that. The disappointed Doctor said as he input the coordinates.

The cylinder in the middle of the Tardis console began to move up and down. The Doctor smiled as the familiar sound of his ship dematerializing filled his ears. Within seconds they had come to a stop.

"So Doctor how long have I been gone?" Peri asked.

"Exactly Four months, Two weeks and Three days." He responded.

"My Mother has probably gotten married again by now." Peri chuckled as the Doctor opened the doors.

Peri stepped out first followed by the Doctor. Expecting to see a bustling city they instead saw a small town with an empty dirt road going through the middle of it.

"This isn't New York." Peri was irritated.

"Well, Obviously. That's odd I was certain I entered the coordinates correctly." The Doctor said stepping back into the Tardis.

While checking the coordinates Peri walked in.

"You've done it again Doctor."

"It's not me Peri, it's the Tardis. It wants us here for some reason, almost as if it senses danger here."

"Speaking of here, exactly where are we?" Peri began to pace.

"Sacramento or what will be Sacramento. The year is 1849, a good year, I believe I have the wine." The Doctor

"What about New York?"

The Doctor ignored her comment as he was lost in thought.

"Doctor!!!"

"Sorry Peri, I was just thinking. Its 1849, that town out there should be bustling with miners instead it looks more like a ghost town. Something's going on here." The Doctor said working it out.

"Must we get involved?" Peri argued as they both left the Tardis.

"Involved? It's the start of the Californian Gold Rush and it's obvious to me and the Tardis that something is wrong. So yes we must get involved." The Doctor raised his voice as they continued down the dirt road.

"So if there is something wrong, where do we start? I don't see anyone around at all." Peri asked as they passed by a tavern.

"Well we could always start with a drink." The Doctor said as he entered the bar.

"Doctor? How could you drink at a time like this?" Peri whined as she followed him into the bar.

The Doctor was standing still staring at a man who was sitting at the bar. Peri approached him waiting for an explanation.

"Peri, do you know who that man is over at the bar?"

"Should I?"

"I'd say. That is a Mr. John A. Sutter. Not only was he a smart business man he also discovered the first remnants of gold not to far from here. It's a rather sad story actually, he tried to keep the discovery quiet but soon word got out. He was ruined and died a bitter and broken man." The Doctor explained before moving closer to the man.

"That's horrible." Peri said.

"You know I had big ideas for this land. I was going to call it Suttersville. My son wants to name it Sacramento, such a horrible name." Mr. Sutter expressed to the bartender.

"Oh I don't know, I think it has a nice ring to it." The Doctor said sitting beside Sutter.

"Think what you want, it doesn't matter now. All my workers are gone I'm out of business. They've all gone to the mines." Sutter said taking another drink.

"Speaking of the mines, where is everyone? They can't all be at the mines right now." The Doctor questioned.

"Everyone who has gone to the mines has disappeared." The Bartender spoke up.

"Utter nonsense." Sutter rebutted.

"Tell that to William." The Bartender told Sutter.

"William?" The Doctor wondered who he could be.

"That man over there sitting in the corner. He's been like that for days ever since he came back from mining." The Bartender explained.

The Doctor and Peri walked over to William who was sitting on the floor rocking himself back and forth.

"Hello there, William is it?" The Doctor asked getting no response.

"Tell me what did you see in the mines?"

"The mines? You can't go there, no one should go there." William said incoherently.

"Yes of course but what did you see?"

"A horror. A terrifying beast. They are going to kill us all. Do you hear me we're all dead men!" William yelled jumping to his feet and running out of the tavern.

The Doctor was in an instant pursuit while his companion struggle to keep up. They ran down the dusty road out of the small town. The Doctor began to sweat realizing at the same moment he needed to be in better shape. Reaching the river in between them and the mine the Doctor looked around for William.

"He was so fast." Peri stated.

"Yes, his fear propelled him. Something or someone terrified that man to his very core." The Doctor said still searching for the young man.

"Doctor, there's a man down by the river maybe he saw William pass through here." Peri surmised as they both approached the man from behind.

"Excuse me, sir?" Peri politely said to the stranger.

"You haven't seen a man around five feet with brown hair come this way have you?" The Doctor asked.

"Why Doctor, how good to see you again." The Master said turning to face his enemy.