Author's Note: This story features the 3rd Doctor and Jo. Later chapters will be told from the points of view of the Doctor and one of my own characters, Ryn, who is introduced here. I do not own the Doctor, Jo, UNIT or any other parts of the Doctor Who legend. Please read and review.
Dead and Alive
(Part One)Jo leaned back in her chair as she sipped contentedly from her glass of arash juice. Eating and drinking on alien planets was always a curious experience and Jo was generally content to let the Doctor be her guide through the multitude of unfamiliar menu listings. As well as having an instinct for what appealed to Jo's taste buds, the Doctor knew which items were compatible with her human physiology. He'd come good again; the arash juice was sweet and aromatic and tasted rather like mango with perhaps a touch of something similar to ginger.
On the opposite side of the table, the Doctor was people watching. His own glass of fronch (a rather heady cider-like concoction) was almost untouched. He had chosen this bar for the atmosphere rather than the refreshments - it was said to be the most fashionable drinking establishment on the whole of Belanth and was frequented by many celebrities, politicians and other leading opinion formers of the planet. Every time that the door opened the Doctor would swing around to see if anyone famous had just entered. Jo knew that the Doctor was not the kind of person to be unduly swayed or impressed by celebrity in its own right but that many of the leading lights of Belanth were likely to be personal friends of his. Wherever the TARDIS landed it seemed that the Doctor knew someone of influence. Well that was only natural considering how many hundreds of years he had spent exploring the known universe. Since the Time Lords had lifted his exile, the Doctor's thirst for adventure had only grown. He was enjoying life like never before and it was a joy to share in his adventures.
"Have you spotted anyone you know yet Doctor?"
Jo cast her eyes around the bar; it was still early evening and she guessed that things might liven up later but for now there were probably no more than a couple of dozen Belanthis enjoying social drinks and finger food. The Belanthis were sweet-looking people thought Jo. They rather put her in mind of the satyrs of Greek mythology (only fully clothed of course). They were jolly by nature and all of the Belanthis whom she'd met so far had proven themselves to be highly talkative and very welcoming of strangers. Jo and the Doctor were the only off-worlders in the room but were not attracting a disproportionate amount of attention as the planet was used to receiving visitors.
The Doctor shook his head in reply. "No, not yet Jo. There are one or two people here who I know by reputation though."
Then Ryn walked into the bar.
The elderly Belanthi's eyes fixed upon the Doctor straight away and he limped eagerly over to the Time Lord's side.
"Doctor! Oh, I can scarcely believe it's you. And you've hardly changed a day. So what brings you here? Has your exile been revoked? Oh I do hope so. I'm so happy for you!"
The words cascaded out of Ryn's mouth like a avalanche with each question or statement following the previous in such rapid succession that the Doctor had no chance to reply to any of them. The Doctor was on his feet too by this time and extending his hand in greeting.
"Ryn old chap! How delightful to see you. Oh, I'm forgetting my manners, this is Miss. Josephine Grant. Please, won't you join us for a drink?"
Ryn smiled gratefully and eased his weary old bones into the empty chair between the two travellers. As soon as he'd made himself comfortable he offered Jo his hand. Shaking hands wasn't a natural part of the culture of Belanth but Ryn was very well versed in the social niceties of alien cultures, and Earth culture especially so.
"Miss Grant, I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance. Allow me to present myself. I'm Ryn Triyh, the Doctor and I are old friends. Though judging by how little the Doctor has changed I assume that far more time has passed for me than for him."
Jo couldn't help but smile at the formality of Ryn's greeting.
"It's Jo, please just call me Jo."
While Ryn and Jo were exchanging pleasantries the Doctor had been over to the bar to buy a large fronch for Ryn. Now returned, he put the glass down on the table and settled back into the conversation.
"So what are you doing these days Ryn? You must be enjoying your retirement?"
Ryn gave the throaty little chuckle so typical of his species.
"You know me better than that Doctor, I don't know the meaning of the word retirement. No, I'm lecturing at the local university now as a visiting Professor of Business Ethics."
It was the Doctor's turn to chuckle.
"Business Ethics? Oh my dear fellow, you really have come a long way haven't you?"
Jo was intrigued by the exchange. There was clearly a very interesting history between the two men. There was much mutual respect evident but Jo was getting the distinct feeling that this had not always been the case.
"So how did you two boys first meet?"
"Ah," said Ryn, "Now that's quite a tale. The truth of the matter is that I got myself into a bit of mess some decades ago with a business that I used to own, and the Doctor came to my rescue."
"Yes Jo, Ryn was quite the old rogue in his younger days. It was quite early on in my exile that our paths crossed. Have you ever read the UNIT files on the Athwell incident?"
Jo shook her head. The Doctor continued.
"Ah, well the Brigadier is bound to have filed that one away under Top Secret. Quite how he managed to keep the case so hushed up I'll never know."
Jo raised her eyebrows at him questioningly. Sometimes the Doctor could be deliberately obtuse. The Doctor acknowledged her look and held up his hands in surrender.
"OK, we'll tell you about it," the Doctor exchanged glances with Ryn who indicated his assent with a brief nod. "After you Ryn?"
Ryn took surprisingly large swig of his fronch and shook his head.
"No, you start Doctor. I'll jump in when this stuff has loosened up my memories a bit."
The Doctor smiled indulgently at the Belanthi. At that rate of drinking it could hardly be very long before Ryn wouldn't be able to resist joining in. Alcohol had a curious effect on the Belanthi body - it stimulated the mind without intoxicating. The Doctor took a brief sip from his own glass, cleared his throat, and began to tell his story…
(TO BE CONTINUED)
