Chapter One
"Who are you? What do you want from me?"
I peer into the semi-darkness, trying to find my captor. I just woke up. Somebody came from behind, put a rag over my mouth and the next thing I knew, I blacked out.
We landed on a planet called Winter. The Doctor said the natives, all refugees from an Earth-like planet, called it that because it snowed here all year long, except for two months in the summer. During this short respite from the ice and snow, the people gathered together to have a communal bazaar where they would sell goods, gossip and perhaps find a mate. Even though we landed during the warm months, it was still very chilly and there was about a foot of snow on the ground. Still, that wasn't enough to dampen the mood. Everyone was enjoying themselves and I also got into the spirit of things, walking along behind the Doctor, stopping at the booths and occasionally buying trinkets with my credit stick.
Eventually, the Doctor found a booth that sold various gadgets and gizmos that only he would be interested in and struck up a conversation with the proprietor, a stocky fellow with a face like a koala bear. The koala bear was named Uris, and he and the Doctor chatted. At first, I tried to follow along and join in, but they started talking about some machine I'd never heard of that Uris had invented and after a few minutes of listening to them spouting out technical mumbo-jumbo, I got a headache and decided to do a bit more browsing, biding my time until the Doctor was finished.
That was a huge mistake.
You see, while I was wandering around looking at necklaces, and rings, and little plastic figurines, I was being followed. Although I didn't know it at the time, someone had it in for me and when I got far enough away from the Doctor, they made their move and snatched me from the crowd.
So, here I am, tied to some kind of metal table with an IV sticking into my right arm. From what I can tell, the walls of the room are made of metal, so either I've been taken to a house, or I'm on someone's spaceship. The walls are bare and windowless, the only sound is a soft rumbling that I figure is coming from an air conditioner. The reason I think it's an air conditioner is because I can feel cold air coming down on me and now I'm freezing. I turn and look up at the IV bag, but all I can see is a clear liquid, which means there could be anything inside. I notice that it's not dripping into my arm and that makes me feel a bit better. But, I have a feeling whatever it is, it isn't going to make me feel all warm and cozy inside when it goes into my arm.
I yell at the darkness, demanding to see the face of my abductor, but there is no response. I look around me, trying to figure out if there is some kind of camera in the ceiling or walls, but I see nothing out of the ordinary. Course, that means there couldn't be one hidden somewhere. In my experience traveling with the Doctor, I've learned not to rule out anything.
As I lie here, I think about the Doctor and wonder if he knows I'm missing now. Surely, he finished his conversation and realized I'm not around. Has my captor said anything to him? You know, the old, I'm holding your companion captive, Doctor, and you will do as I say or she dies speech that all these nutters like to say. It amazes me how arrogant most of these idiots are. I grew up watching sci-fi movies at the cinema and on the telly, and I always thought the villain's speeches were so overblown and lame. But, actually, they really do talk like that in real life. I guess it's their need to boast and make themselves seem superior to someone like the Doctor that causes them to act cheesy. Their way of talking would be funny, if these people didn't mean me and the Doctor real harm.
The minutes stretch on and I wait for something to happen. Just when I thought I've been abandoned, the door opens and a man steps inside. He is tall and lithe. His face is cat-like, but the texture of his skin is more like a lizard. His flesh is yellow with brown spots, kinda like a leopard. He is wearing a skin-tight lavender bodysuit with a crescent moon badge on the right side of it. When he blinks his cat-like eyes, I can see a second eyelid underneath the lids. So, except for the smooth skin, this thing is like a giant walking cat. We stare at one another, size each other up, and then the cat alien walks over and looks down at me with complete unconcern. I ask him what I am doing here and he just smirks while he runs his finger down my cheek. I wince when I feel the claw going down my skin. I ask once more, who he is and he tells me he is an old friend of the Doctor. Somehow, I don't quite buy that and judging from the way he chuckles, I can tell he is anything but. When I tell him that, he grins.
"Very perceptive," he says. "Yes, it's true. The Doctor isn't my friend and he never will be. We crossed paths a long time ago, back when the Time Lord was a different man. The only reason I know its him is I have spies scattered across the galaxy who keep tabs on him when he's in this vicinity. Apparently, you both visited a planet near here, so they were able to get a good look at him and report back to me. After that, I kept my eyes open, hoping that you would come back, and lo and behold, you did. How lucky for me."
He leans in and I grimace when I smell his foul breath.
"And…how very unlucky for you," he whispers.
My heart begins to pound. Stuttering, I tell him in no uncertain terms what will happen to him if he harms me and what the Doctor will do to him if I end up dead. He seems amused by that and tells me that the Doctor won't lift a finger against him as long as he has me here. I tell him he doesn't know the Doctor and what he can do to him.
"I know him well enough," he says. "I know he has an emotional attachment to the people he travels with and he would rather die than see them come to harm. That IV bag contains a powerful poison that will kill you within minutes. I haven't started it yet, because I'm going to give the Time Lord a chance to surrender himself to me, peacefully. Of course, if he chooses to make trouble…"
He runs his finger down my cheek.
"Well, that would be bad news for you, pretty one."
My heart feels like it is going to burst out of my chest. I try to keep calm, do what the Doctor does, and look unconcerned, but I'm not very good at hiding the fear. I know he can see it on my face because he leans in to me.
"Don't worry, my dear, your Doctor won't let you die. Besides, it's not you I'm interested in, it's him. As long as he cooperates, you will leave this room alive."
"What about the Doctor?"
An evil smile forms on his face that fills me with dread.
"Well, I'm afraid the Doctor won't get off as easily as you will."
He laughs under his breath and my spine turns to ice. I don't know who this man is or why he wants to harm the Doctor, but I no longer care about myself.
In my mind, only the Doctor matters and I hope with all my heart that he will be all right.
The man leans back up and stares at me quietly for a moment. Then, with a smile, he turns, exits the room and I am left alone to wonder, and worry, and fear.