In a clean, white room an adolescent boy sat at a metal table eating a very large, generously packed sandwich. He took a tremendous bite and chewed hungrily as two young women entered the room.
"Adric! You're going to choke if you eat like that," admonished the short-haired woman.
"Growing boys," said the woman with longer, curly hair; with a shake of her head she smiled warmly at him.
The taller woman took two cans from a cabinet on the wall and held them out. "What do you think, Nyssa? Tomato or split pea?"
"Tomato," replied Nyssa.
"Since you're already making it," said Adric, his mouth still quite full of sandwich, "can you make some extra for me?"
The women looked at him and shook their heads.
"Really, Tegan," he mumbled around the bread, "can you just add a little more?"
"Only a little?" Tegan teased.
Adric shrugged and returned to his sandwich. Tegan took spoons and napkins from a drawer and turned to set them on the table as Nyssa bent to retrieve bowls from a cupboard beneath the countertop. When Tegan looked up, she saw that Adric was staring open-mouthed straight ahead. She followed his gaze and scowled. She thought immediately of reproaching the boy, but it really was not her place to scold him for staring at Nyssa's behind. Instead she rattled the spoons against the table top.
Adric blinked and returned to his sandwich.
"I'll be right back," Tegan said, quickly leaving the small kitchen.
She walked down the hallway to the console room, where she found the Doctor working with his sonic screwdriver on the surface of the control panel. As she stepped inside, a small piece of metal clattered to the floor. He bent to retrieve it, muttering, "That won't be easy to replace."
"Doctor!" Tegan said firmly.
He looked up at her somewhat absently. "Yes, Tegan?"
"You need to have a talk with Adric."
The Doctor set the wayward piece back on the console and squinted down at a small screw next to it. "I'm rather busy at the moment. Surely whatever it is can wait a while—"
"No," stated Tegan, "it really can't."
"Hmm." The Doctor was clearly focused on the console.
"Doctor!" Tegan crossed her arms over her chest.
Her tone captured his attention, and he glanced up. "What?"
"You need to talk with Adric, and you need to do it soon."
"I'm sure that you and Nyssa can handle whatever it is."
"No, not this particular subject."
With a sigh the Doctor set the screwdriver on the console. "And what subject might that be?"
"Adric is growing up. He needs someone to talk to him about it."
"Surely he's aware of the changes that maturity brings—"
"Maybe. But he needs to discuss how to deal with those changes." Tegan lowered her arms then recrossed them. "Just now," she said, "I caught him staring at Nyssa, and not in a very polite way."
"What do you mean?" The Doctor's expression showed that he was oblivious to her concerns.
"He was staring at Nyssa's... behind."
The Doctor straightened slightly. "Her— oh, I see."
"So you have to talk with him. Explain to him that it's not all right to ogle Nyssa."
"You seem to have a good idea of what to say to him. Perhaps you should speak with him—"
Tegan shook her head. "No, Doctor. He needs to discuss this with another male. Ideally he should have had this talk with his father or an uncle, but since that's not possible, you're the closest thing he has."
"And what would you have me say to him?" The Doctor's fingers had inched back toward the small metal switch on the console.
"Explain what's happening to him, and see what questions he has. I'm sure he'll have quite a few. And be certain he knows how to deal with the feelings he's having."
"If I agree to speak with him, will you allow me to return to work? This really is quite important."
"You promise you'll talk to him soon?" Tegan's tone was resolute.
The Doctor nodded, already holding the screwdriver and bending over the console. By the time Tegan left the room, his thoughts had returned fully to the task at hand, his conversation with her entirely forgotten.
----------
Several hours later, the Doctor called his young companions to join him in the console room. They gathered beside him as he pointed to a bright yellow switch on the control panel.
"I've made a significant improvement," he said, clearly pleased with himself. "This switch will engage a voice-activated control program. Depress it twice and it will program the TARDIS's coordinates for wherever and whenever you state. This will avoid any future misguided attempts to move the TARDIS without knowing precise coordinates." He gave Tegan a brief, reproving look.
Tegan winced, recalling her recent efforts to escape from the Urbankan ship. She knew that the Doctor had not entirely forgiven her for attempting to use the TARDIS to flee.
Nyssa exclaimed, "That's wonderful, Doctor! How does it work?"
The Doctor smiled at his Traken companion. "I've wired and programmed the computer to convert vocal signals to digital commands. I'm still working on creating a database capable of identifying the precise coordinates for any possible destination, but I've temporarily programmed in several dozen already. Now, this is very important." He looked directly at each of the three young people before him. "Do not press this switch unless you absolutely must. If it is depressed accidentally, the program will set the coordinates for any place or time that is mentioned, even in conversation. This is why it must be pressed twice in order to activate the system. And it is to be used only in emergencies."
All three listeners nodded. Nyssa was already peering underneath the console. "Which wires did you change?" she asked.
The Doctor leaned forward and pointed beneath the console. Nyssa bent so that she could see the location he indicated.
Tegan's eyes were drawn to Adric, who stood agape, gaze fixed once again on Nyssa's posterior. The young Australian touched the Doctor's shoulder. He looked up at her; she tilted her head toward Adric.
The Doctor cleared his throat. "Adric," he said, "I wonder if you wouldn't mind solving some equations for me." He hastily scribbled several rows of numbers and symbols across a small pad of paper.
Adric's attention was immediately drawn to the Doctor. He nodded, saying, "Of course!"
The Doctor handed him the pad. "Work these carefully; take your time. And I'll also need the book on object-oriented programming from the library. I believe it is in the far left corner, on the second shelf. Remember, there's no rush on the equations."
Adric hurried away as Tegan was overcome with a small coughing fit.
Nyssa stood upright to look at her with concern. "Are you all right?" she asked.
"Water," Tegan choked out, gesturing toward the door. Nyssa hastened away.
The Doctor gave Tegan a curious look; her coughing ceased the moment Nyssa was out the door. She placed her hands on her hips.
"Did you see him?" she asked somewhat accusatorily.
The Doctor nodded. "Yes."
"But you haven't spoken with him yet, have you?"
"I've been rather busy—"
Tegan shook her head. "But you see now that it's important. He can't go around staring like that."
"I'm addressing the problem at this moment." In response to Tegan's questioning look, he added, "I've sent him to the section of the library in which he'll find several excellent and informative texts on human development He'll see these, I'm sure, and know that there is a source available to answer his questions."
"That's not what he needs."
"I'm sure it will be sufficient."
"No, Doctor, it won't. He needs to talk to you."
Nyssa returned with a glass of water, which she handed to Tegan.
"Are you all right? What happened?" Nyssa asked.
"Just something in my throat." She took a sip of the water then shot the Doctor a rather severe glance. "Don't wait too long," she said, walking out of the room.
Nyssa appeared perplexed. "What did she mean?"
The Doctor waved a hand dismissively in the air. "Nothing, Nyssa. Nothing at all."
----------
Adric sat in the library with his legs stretched in front of him. Several books lay on the floor, and one was open in his lap.
The Doctor watched the boy for a moment before he stepped fully inside the large room and spoke. "It looks as though you've found something interesting," he commented.
Adric looked up, appearing momentarily startled. "Oh. Yes, I have."
The Doctor leaned casually against the wall. "Oh?"
Adric pointed to the book he read. "I never knew this before. I mean I was aware of the general concept, but this is really surprising."
The Doctor smiled. "And what is that?"
"This is about the history of mathematics on Earth. Did you know that Pythagoras proved his theorem without the use of numbers? They hadn't been invented yet. He used pebbles laid out on each side of the triangle—"
"Yes," interjected the Doctor, "I was aware of that. Didn't you find any other books of interest?"
"Are there other mathematics texts you think I should read?"
The Doctor exhaled. "I'm sure there are. But aren't there any other topics in which you're interested or about which you're curious?"
Adric thought for a moment. "No, not really."
The Doctor ran his fingers over a row of books then looked pointedly at the boy. "Adric," he said, "how would you like to help me with a rather intriguing project?"
"Really? I'd love to! What is it?"
"You found the information about Pythagoras interesting. Coincidentally, it is vaguely related to what I have in mind. There is a planet called Anahsti which has ruins with characters carved into them. These characters have been studied by archaeologists, anthropologists, and historians several times, but no one can figure out what they signify. I think that the characters may lend themselves to an analysis much like Pythagoras used; they may reveal information from their patterns, rather than from some language which they may or may not represent."
"And you want me to help figure them out?"
"I can't think of anyone more qualified."
Adric beamed. "When will we go?"
The Doctor turned to leave. "We'll arrive within the hour."
Adric hurried down the hallway toward the room that Nyssa and Tegan shared. He burst through the door to find Nyssa reading and Tegan polishing her nails. They looked up at his intrusion.
"Adric!" Tegan scolded. "You can't just come barging in here! One of us might have been changing."
Adric's cheeks flushed slightly and his eyes darted to Nyssa. "Sorry. But has the Doctor told you where we're going?"
Both young women shook their heads.
"We're going to explore some ruins on Anahsti, and I'm going to try to analyze some mysterious characters."
"And exactly when are we doing this?" asked Tegan.
"The Doctor says we'll arrive within the hour. Isn't it exciting?" Adric bounded away.
Tegan blew on her nails somewhat fiercely then stood to walk out of the room. She strode quickly to the console room.
"Doctor!"
The Time Lord stood at the console, punching in coordinates.
"You still haven't talked to him, have you?"
He looked up at her. "No, but I've found an excellent project to occupy his mind—just the sort of thing to keep his thoughts focused."
"Oh, right, by traipsing around on Anozzi—"
"It's Anahsti, and there is important work to do there."
Tegan stepped forward. She narrowed her eyes. "You're afraid to talk to him, aren't you? I can't believe that the Time Lord who can face the Master, and horrid green frogmen, and lord only knows what other unspeakable creatures, can't figure out how to have a simple discussion with a teenage boy—"
The Doctor's expression had darkened as she spoke. He raised a hand and pointed a finger at her. "Tegan, you've insisted that I deal with this situation. I am doing that in the way I feel is best." His voice was rough with indignation.
He clenched his fist, then lowered his hand as he took a breath. He forced his temper to recede. "You don't know what I'm planning," he continued. "Once we're at the ruins, I'll take him aside and speak with him privately. I believe that he'll feel somewhat self-conscious, given the content of the conversation, and I think it would be better if didn't have to run into Nyssa in the hallway here immediately after we've spoken. Studying the ruins will give him a chance to do productive work, which will leave him feeling self-confident and mature."
Tegan contemplated the Time Lord's face for a moment. He seemed sincere enough. "All right," she acquiesced, "but don't wait too long."
She turned to leave but paused. "By the way, what will Nyssa and I do while you're studying the ruins?"
"Oh, I have important jobs planned for both of you. Now go and get Nyssa and Adric. We'll arrive any moment."
----------
The first sensation that the four travelers experienced when they stepped out of the TARDIS was intense heat. Tegan felt as though she had walked into an oven.
"Cripes. It's really hot here," she said.
"Yes," the Doctor agreed. "But there is little humidity." He was already removing his jacket; he stepped back inside the TARDIS.
Tegan shrugged out of her jacket as well. As she did so, her blouse pulled slightly. When she looked up, she found Adric's gaze fixed on her chest. She turned away quickly and entered the TARDIS. The Doctor had hung his coat on the hatrack and was folding his sweater neatly.
"Doctor," Tegan said with some exasperation, "now Adric's staring at me, and I don't want to tell you where."
The Doctor set his sweater on the console. "I'll speak with him later today." He picked up a satchel that lay near the door and stepped outside.
Tegan hung her jacket next to his and followed him back out into the heat. Adric and Nyssa were surveying the land, and Tegan joined them in their efforts. They stood in a low valley; mesas rose up steeply on all sides, surrounding them in a rocky ring.
"Where are the ruins?" asked Adric.
The Doctor pointed toward one of the mesas. "The best-preserved ones should be over there."
Tegan was already fanning herself with her hand. "That's at least three kilometers from here! Surely you could have landed the TARDIS a bit closer."
"No," said the Doctor, "I couldn't. The ruins are quite delicate; the vibration caused by the TARDIS could be damaging to them." He had already begun walking. "Come on."
Adric walked next to the Doctor, several paces ahead of the young women. After perhaps fifteen minutes, the Doctor stopped and bent to reach into his bag. Nyssa wiped a hand across her forehead then touched the small fastenings on her velvet shirt.
"What are you doing?" Tegan asked her friend.
"It's too warm for this," she replied.
"You're taking it off?" Tegan's voice had dropped to a loud whisper. "You can't do that!" She glanced up at Adric, whose back was turned to them.
"Why not?" Nyssa opened her shirt and pulled at one of the sleeves.
"You can't run about undressed—"
Nyssa shook her head as she removed her shirt. Tegan saw that beneath it she wore a simple, beige camisole. "I'm not entirely undressed," she said, "and there's no one around to care even it I were."
"There's Adric and the Doctor—"
Nyssa smiled. "I can't imagine that they'll notice."
"I imagine that at least one of them will."
Nyssa looked at Tegan with some confusion. Before she could ask for clarification, however, the Doctor stepped toward them holding out two small containers. Adric already had one in his hand.
"This is a beverage that will keep you hydrated," the Doctor said. "It is quite concentrated, so you only need a few sips each hour. There should be enough in each flask to last you through tomorrow."
"Until tomorrow?" Tegan asked. "You mean we're going to spend the night out here?"
"Not exactly. We'll stay at the ruins," said the Doctor.
"You mean like camping?" inquired Tegan.
"Rather, yes," answered the Time Lord.
"I don't know what you do on Gallifrey," Tegan said, "but where I come from camping requires supplies, like sleeping bags and food."
The Doctor held up the satchel. "I've taken care of that." He passed the flasks to the young women.
Nyssa and Tegan took the containers. Tegan was suddenly dreadfully thirsty; she took a generous swallow from the bottle. The liquid was rather thick and had a slightly citrus flavor, but it was not unpleasant.
"Tegan," the Doctor chided, "that's enough. Remember, this has to last for two days."
Tegan lowered the bottle with some chagrin.
"Didn't you bring any for yourself?" asked Nyssa.
"I have an extra bottle in my bag," the Doctor responded, "but most likely I won't need it. Come on; we've still got a long jaunt ahead of us."
He turned and began to walk, but Adric stood still, his eyes focused on Nyssa. She was occupied in tying her shirt around her waist and did not notice his intent gaze.
The Doctor, however, looked back and said, "Come along, Adric! I want you to tell me the results of those equations that I gave you."
The boy blinked as though awakened from a dream. "Oh. Yes, Doctor." He spun around and joined the Time Lord.
As the small party walked on, they noticed unusual plants and small animals in their wake. The Doctor identified several types of cactus and other plants requiring minimal water. He explained that the local flora had the capacity to store water within their tissues for long periods of time, absorbing it from rare rains. The animals, too, had adapted to the arid environment. They were most active during the night when temperatures were cooler. They knew which plants contained water and how to eat those portions with the richest flesh.
The inhabitants of the ruins had been similarly skilled in identifying plants containing moisture. Their store of knowledge about medicinal uses of the plants had been impressive, too. The Doctor pointed out several plants that he recognized as similar to commonly known botanicals containing healing properties.
Nyssa was particularly interested in the small reptiles that occasionally scurried across the land. All were auburn or cinnamon brown, blending in well with their surroundings. She and the Doctor discussed environmental adaptation for some time as Tegan fell slightly behind the group. She could feel the hot air pressing against her skin. She had rolled up her sleeves and unbuttoned her blouse as far as she deemed decent, but she was still unbearably warm. She drank from her flask often, feeling momentarily refreshed with each sip.
After more than an hour of walking, the mesas loomed up before the group; they stood at the base of the tallest one. It was at least fifty feet high. In the early afternoon sunlight it appeared various shades of red, ranging from deep rose to sienna. Tegan shielded her eyes with her hand and peered upward. She could see small holes all in a row about halfway up the mesa.
"Are those caves?" she asked, taking another drink from her flask.
"Actually," said the Doctor, "they're dwellings."
Tegan studied the mesa for a moment then said, "I've seen something like this in photos. Some of the Indians in the American Southwest lived in dwellings like these in cliffs. There was a group, I think, that the archaeologists thought was quite advanced but then vanished without a trace five or six hundred years ago."
"You're right, Tegan," the Doctor said with some surprise.
She shrugged. "I've always liked a good mystery."
"And a mystery it is," confirmed the Doctor. "The group to which you refer was called the Anasazi. As you said, Tegan, they lived in the southwestern portion of America in cliff dwellings quite similar to these."
"That's odd," interjected Tegan. "These look an awful lot like the pictures I've seen."
The Doctor nodded. "And that may not be a coincidence. Explorers are often drawn to settle in places that resemble their homes. The Spaniards, for example, settled in Mexico and California in North America, which are quite similar in climate and geography to Spain. This portion of the planet is remarkably similar to the American Southwest. Remember, too, that we are on Anahsti. The name Anasazi differs from Anahsti by only a few phonemes. It takes only a basic understanding of linguistics to see that these words may be related. A word's pronunciation may change with new speakers who have difference linguistic patterns, much as Hellene became Greece, but fundamental sounds remain as the speakers adapt the word into their own speech standards."
"Doctor," said Tegan, "are you telling us that people from here may have come to Earth and settled as what we know as the Anasazi?"
"It is a distinct possibility," he answered, "and one that has been suggested more than once by researchers. The characters that we will see in the dwellings may hold the key to this."
Nyssa said, "But surely the people who dwelt here didn't possess the technology to build ships capable of travel through space."
"No, they didn't," confirmed the Doctor. "And that is part of the mystery. How could they have gotten to Earth, and possibly to several other planets on which similar remains have been found?" He gazed upward at the high ledge by the dwellings. "The answers, I think, lie up there."
"Are there stairs somewhere?" asked Adric.
The Doctor shook his head. "No. The inhabitants lowered ladders for access to the ground."
"So did the Anasazi," said Tegan. "I remember reading that they would pull the ladders up into the dwellings whenever enemies approached. The enemies couldn't get up to them, so they were protected from nearly everyone."
"I don't see any ladders," Adric said.
The Doctor had reached into his bag and withdrawn a large bundle of heavy rope. "No, not anymore. Fortunately I've brought my own." He set the bundle on the ground and took another sturdy rope with a heavy three-pronged hook at the end from the satchel. He tossed the hook upward, requiring several tries before it snagged in a crevice. He gave the rope a solid tug then secured the ladder under his arm and began to climb.
"I'll lower the ladder once I reach the ledge," he said, clambering quickly up the rocky wall.
After several minutes, the rope ladder unrolled down the rock face. "Adric," the Doctor called down, "you come up first."
The boy eagerly clasped one of the rungs and began climbing. When he had reached the ledge, he and the Doctor peered over.
"Go ahead," Tegan said to Nyssa. The young Traken ascended the ladder easily.
When Nyssa's form had disappeared over the ledge, Tegan started to climb. When she was about half-way up, she felt her shoe begin to slip off of her foot as she placed it on one of the rungs. She reached down with her right hand to adjust the shoe; her left fingers slipped from the rope. With a gasp, she clutched for the rung nearest her with both hands, scraping her left palm against the scabrous rock. Her heart was racing in the few seconds required for her to wrap all ten fingers tightly around the rung. She glanced down; the ground appeared very far away.
Tegan closed her eyes for a moment. She had never been afraid of heights; she would never had considered an airline career if she had been. But now she felt fear grip at her. The ground was very hard and awfully far down.
"Tegan!" Nyssa called down. "Are you all right?"
Tegan looked up to see Nyssa's face hovering above the ledge. She took a breath and continued climbing, calling up, "I'm fine. I just had to keep my shoe from falling."
She continued climbing, but her pace had slowed, and she clasped each rung firmly with both hands. When she finally placed her fingers on the ledge, she realized that her legs were shaking. She saw Nyssa take one wrist and the Doctor take the other; they pulled her up to solid ground. As soon as she stood on the ledge, the Doctor hurried to the nearest dwelling, anxious to view the characters.
Tegan tried to steady her legs; her palms were wet with sweat and covered in dirt from the ledge. She wiped them across her skirt.
"Tegan!" said Nyssa. "You're hurt." She was staring at Tegan's skirt.
Tegan saw a streak of blood across the lavender fabric. She turned over her hands, remembering then that she had raked her palm against the rough stone.
"It's just a scrape," she said. Her left palm had several scratches across it; one was deep and still oozed blood.
"Doctor!" called Nyssa toward the dwelling. "Come out here! Tegan's been hurt."
Tegan lowered her hands. "Really, Nyssa, it's nothing."
The Doctor stepped quickly out of the dwelling, his eyes sweeping over Tegan. He noted the blood on her skirt. "What happened?" he asked.
"I just scraped my hand on the rock. I'm fine." Tegan felt embarrassed that she had performed so poorly in this simple climbing task that the others had accomplished with ease.
She moved her hand toward her hip, but Nyssa pointed at it. The Doctor took Tegan's wrist and lifted her hand. He studied the small injury for a moment. Tegan expected that he would admonish her about lack of caution or carelessness, but instead he said, "I should have warned you about how sharp the rocks are." He touched the top of the deepest cut, saying, "You've gotten some dirt in here. Come inside and rinse it off; there's running water."
She and Nyssa followed him into the dwelling. It was dim inside, but as Tegan's eyes adjusted she saw that the home was well-preserved, although somewhat dusty. The walls were smooth; elaborate carvings decorated the ceilings and upper portions of the walls. The rock had been shaped to form benches against one of the walls, and toward the back of the room she saw a long counter, also carved from the stone, with a basin cut into it. A small spout jutted from the wall above the basin, and a gentle stream of water trickled out of it.
The Doctor gestured to the basin. "The inhabitants were able to access streams within the rock so that each dwelling had running water."
"Very impressive," said Tegan, walking to the basin and holding her hand beneath the little stream of water. It seemed to sting for a brief moment, but then she felt a coolness wash over her palm. She watched the water, tinged red with her blood, fall into the basin. There was a hole at the bottom, but the water was absorbed into the stone immediately before it ran down to the drain. Tegan blinked in surprise.
The Doctor was already speaking to Nyssa and Adric. He had taken a small box from his bag and handed it to Nyssa. "I want you to do an analysis of the rock," he was saying. "Previous researchers have noted some unusual composition features, but I could find no specific information about the anomalies."
Nyssa took the kit as he held out a pad and several pencils to Adric. "You and I," he said, "will work in one of the other dwellings that is noted to have the most abundant carvings."
Tegan joined them, and the Doctor gave her a large pad of blank paper and two mechanical pencils. "You'll sketch the characters in here, as accurately as you possibly can," he instructed.
"Which ones?" asked Tegan.
"All of them. Come along, Adric,"
"All of them?" Tegan looked around at the countless characters adorning the ceiling and walls. "There must be thousands!"
"Then you had better get started, hadn't you?" responded the Doctor as he and Adric exited the dwelling.
With a sigh, Tegan settled on one of the benches and began to draw.
----------
The Doctor and Adric had gone to a large chamber about one hundred yards away from the dwelling where Nyssa and Tegan worked. Along the way they had made brief explorations of several other dwellings. Each contained a large room with benches, and counter, and a basin. The Doctor surmised that this space had been used as a combination living room, kitchen, and dining area. Behind this room lay two, three, or four small rooms that likely served as sleeping quarters. Between these was a room with a water spout and a large tub cut into the stone floor; this had almost certainly been used as a bathroom.
Each dwelling had its own entrance; they passed more than a dozen as they made their way to the great chamber. It seemed to be in the center of the community. The Doctor and Adric estimated that at least fifty homes lay on either side of it. The ledge cut into the mesa stretched for over a kilometer, wrapping around toward the sides of the great rock formation.
The young man and the Time Lord worked steadily and with deep concentration for several hours. Adric sat on one of the stone benches, studying and copying various characters that covered the ceiling and most of the walls of the great room. This chamber contained many more characters than the other dwellings had. Adric was not sure where to begin in his analysis; for some time his eyes roved over the expanse of walls and ceiling, trying to absorb any general patterns or repetitions in design. After a time he began making notes, studying the pad on his lap carefully.
The Doctor had occupied himself in similar pursuits. At the moment he scrutinized a corner with perhaps three dozen carvings. The characters were primarily round, with a slight indentation in the center. Some were shaped much like the letter C in various orientations and widths. Gently curved lines appeared both within the circles and above them.
"Adric," he said, "how many distinct characters have you noted?"
Adric looked up. "More than fifty. Actually, each one seems slightly different."
"Yes. To represent a complex language, which surely this society possessed, there would be a finite set of characters. I don't believe that this is linguistic."
"No?" Adric had returned his attention to the pad.
"No. So that means that these must represent something else."
"Mmm," Adric acknowledged with little comprehension.
The Doctor watched the boy for a minute. Adric was obviously deep in thought, and he was clearly enjoying this challenging project. The Doctor glanced toward the large doorway and noticed that the light had changed. The sun was lowering in the sky. Evening was approaching rapidly, and he had not yet initiated the needed conversation with Adric.
He moved casually toward the lad then sat beside him.
"What do you think this room was used for?" he asked, sweeping a hand through the air.
Adric glanced up briefly. "Dunno. Maybe meetings." He lowered his head again.
"Hmm. I think you're right; there aren't any bathrooms or sleeping rooms attached. And this vessel," he pointed to a large, rounded basin in the center of the room, "may have been used for fires or possibly for some sort of offering." Adric did not acknowledge the comments, so the Doctor said, "Adric, stop your work for a moment, please."
Adric looked up. "Why?"
"I thought we might talk for a few minutes about these dwellings and the inhabitants."
Adric shrugged. "If you like, but I think I'm close to finding a repetitive pattern in these characters."
"Really?" the Doctor asked with interest.
The boy nodded.
"Wonderful work! But right now I want to discuss the people who lived here and their lifestyle. We can see from the dwellings that several people lived together—this was most likely the reason for the several bedrooms. I would guess that this was a fairly traditional society in which each family lived as a separate unit."
"I suppose so," Adric acknowledged with little regard. His fingers tapped the pad.
"A family," continued the Doctor, "would have been comprised of a man and a woman and their children."
Adric nodded briefly.
"At some point, probably during later adolescence, a young man and woman would likely form some sort of commitment, possibly through marriage, and become a couple who would later have children." He watched Adric, who showed little emotion.
The Doctor went on, "This reminds me, Adric, that you are at an age when you are experiencing many changes—"
Adric blinked. "Changes?"
"Yes, the changes that come with maturity—"
"Oh, yes. I know what you're talking about."
"You do?"
Adric nodded with some enthusiasm. "My mind is developing and expanding. I can understand concepts and logical relationships much better than I could a year or two ago."
"Yes. You have made the transition from concrete to abstract thought. But that's not really what I want to discuss."
"What is it, then?"
The Doctor's gaze wandered toward the doorway; he forced himself to look back at Adric. "At this age, it is not only your mind that is changing. You are developing emotionally and physically too—"
Adric took the pad in hand again and looked down. "I know that. I know what changes are happening."
"Of course you do. But do you have any questions about them?"
Adric stared at the paper. "No."
"Are you certain? You may be feeling things that are new or uncomfortable—"
"No, I'm not."
"You're not?"
It was now Adric who turned his eyes toward the doorway. "I mean I know what's going on. It's all just part of growing up."
"Yes, it is." The Doctor tried to smile. "But there is another piece to maturity that you need to understand. There is a... propriety, a set of standards if you will, to which a mature adult male must subscribe."
Adric appeared puzzled. "I don't know what you mean."
"Quite simply, Adric, you mustn't go about staring at young women—"
Adric sat up very straight. "What?"
"It is impolite to stare at Nyssa or Tegan—"
"I haven't!" Adric stood and walked toward the door.
"Adric," the Doctor said, standing too, "you have. It was Tegan who brought it to my attention."
"Tegan?" Adric felt his face grow hot.
"Yes. She noticed that you were looking at Nyssa rather... familiarly."
"I... I...," Adric stammered.
The Doctor placed a tentative hand on Adric's shoulder. The boy stepped away.
"There's no need to feel embarrassed," the Doctor said.
"I'm not!"
"Hmm. You're quite flushed at the moment, and I'm rather certain that you don't have a fever."
Adric leaned against the wall. "They must think me a stupid fool," he muttered miserably.
"What? No, I'm sure that's not the case. I don't think that Nyssa was even aware of it. Anyway, it's nothing to dwell upon. We've only got an hour or so of natural light left; let's continue working for a while longer."
The Doctor returned to the wall he had been studying, confident that the discussion had been successful. Adric knew now what the standards of politeness were, and surely there would be no further concern.
Adric retreated to the bench and took the pad in his hand. His cheeks still felt warm, and his concentration had vanished completely.
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When the interior of the chamber was too dim for further study, the Doctor ushered Adric outside into the twilight. They walked with little conversation toward the dwelling where Nyssa and Tegan worked. The Doctor's thoughts were focused upon the ruins; each home he passed ignited a new question in his mind.
Adric was still preoccupied with the Doctor's recent words. As they neared their destination, he stopped walking. He stepped inside a doorway, saying, "I'm going to stay in here tonight. I want to think about the characters by myself for a while."
"Aren't you hungry?" asked the Doctor.
Adric shook his head. "No, not really."
"That's a first."
Adric shrugged and disappeared into the home.
The Doctor continued ahead. After a few minutes he saw Nyssa and Tegan sitting on the ledge in front of the dwelling.
"Surely you haven't completed your work?" he asked.
They looked up at him. "No," replied Tegan, "it got too dark to see clearly."
"Where's Adric?" asked Nyssa.
"He's back there, still working on the characters." The Doctor pointed behind him.
"Doctor," said Tegan, "earlier today you said you'd brought some food. Isn't it about time for supper?"
"Indeed it is." He entered the dwelling and emerged a moment later with four small bars wrapped in gold foil. He handed one to Nyssa and one to Tegan.
Tegan turned the bar over in her hand. "It's not filet mignon," she said with some disappointment. The day's exertions had left her famished.
"No," responded the Doctor, "but it has all of the nutrients and calories of a well-balanced meal, and it is much easier to carry."
Tegan unwrapped the bar and took a small bite. Its taste was unusual but not unpleasing. She ate it quickly then took a swig from her flask.
"Have you finished your analysis?" the Doctor was asking Nyssa.
"Almost," she answered. "I'm going to perform one more test this evening. I'll let you know what I've found in the morning."
"And how are your sketches coming along?" he asked Tegan.
"I've copied one wall so far." She flexed her fingers.
The Doctor nodded. "Good. I'm going to take Adric something to eat. I'll spend the night with him in the dwelling down there." He reached inside the doorway and brought out a thin roll of fabric, about three feet wide. "I believe, Tegan, that you would consider this a sleeping bag. I've left one for you and one for Nyssa just inside. Good night."
As he turned to walk away, Tegan stood. "Doctor!"
He paused. Her voice contained the demanding tone that instantly caused him to bristle. "Yes, Tegan? What is it?"
"Did you talk to him?" she asked more softly.
He nodded.
"And how did it go?"
"Fine, Tegan, absolutely fine. I'll see you in the morning."
After he had taken several dozen steps, Nyssa said, "Is there something wrong? What were you and the Doctor talking about?"
"Nothing at all, Nyssa. Everything's fine now."
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Adric had slept fitfully, odd snippets of dreams storming through his mind then waking him with a jolt. He sat up for the sixth time; he felt strange, tingly sensations throughout his body. With a jerk, he realized that he had been dreaming of Nyssa.
The Doctor's words ran through his head: It was Tegan who brought it to my attention... she noticed that you were looking at Nyssa... rather familiarly.
Adric's face felt hot again. He looked around; the Doctor was nowhere in sight. He stood then, fully awake, his thoughts racing. Tegan had seen him looking at Nyssa. Surely Nyssa had noticed it, too. He had made an idiot of himself.
Looking outside, he saw that the sky was deep gray; morning was less than an hour away. He would soon have to face Nyssa and Tegan, who would surely think him an ogling fool. After less than a minute of thought, Adric took his pad and pencil and wrote a hasty note. He tore off the sheet and left it on the bedroll the Doctor had given him.
He began to walk along the narrow ledge, toward the rope ladder that still hung down the rocky face of the mesa. He had to move carefully; it was difficult to see in the dim light. He kept one hand against the wall to guide himself. After some time he saw the edge of the ladder; the white rope was visible against the dark stone.
Adric was only a few feet from the ladder when he heard a noise from inside the dwelling where Nyssa and Tegan slept. He froze and listened. Tegan was speaking. She and Nyssa must have awakened already. He could not make out Tegan's words, but she sounded angry. They must be discussing him. His cheeks burned, and his palms grew damp; he turned and hurried back along the ledge the way he had come.
Adric had walked less than ten yards when his foot slipped on a small rock on the path. He felt himself falling forward; his chest hit the hard stone with some force, and his feet slid backward across the smooth surface. With surprise, he felt his legs dangling over the rim of the ledge. His body continued to slide over the path. His fingers clawed at the air, finally hooking over the small edging that lined the pathway.
Adric hung over the edge, his feet dangling as he kicked at the rock, trying desperately to find a crack or crevice in which to wedge a toe. His fingers strained against the narrow rim, quickly growing numb with the pressure exerted on them. He was about to call for help when he felt his foot land on a small protrusion. With considerable relief he placed his other foot on the slight ledge and stretched upward to grasp the rim more securely.
Carefully he pulled his body up, bracing himself by pressing his feet against the rock wall. After some time he flung his arms onto the ledge, leaning forward to pull himself up fully. Finally he took a solid breath as he set his right foot on the path. He swung his left foot up, but it slipped against a smooth patch of stone. His body slid back almost instantly, and he plummeted from the ledge.
Adric cried out, grasping at rushing air. For a split second he felt his body hit something pliable, and he reached for it, but whatever it was lay many feet above him. He curled into a ball just before he slammed into the hard earth at the base of the mesa.
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The Doctor had wandered back to the large chamber once Adric had fallen asleep. He wanted to see the characters in the moonlight; perhaps this change in lighting would reveal some new interpretation to him. He had studied the carvings for some time when he heard a noise. It sounded like a cry. He stepped out onto the path and listened.
In the distance he could hear the plangent howl of wild dogs. No doubt they hunted for their meager prey during the nighttime. The Doctor returned to the dwelling to consider the characters once again.
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