Chapter Three
It took the Doctor four hours to walk to Stargate and he winced in anticipation of Donna's reaction when he returned. The effects of a black hole through an open Stargate meant she had probably only taken a step or two towards the TARDIS in all that time. However after he disengaged the active Stargate time would return to normal. And he would have to make the return journey knowing she was would getting more and more angry and worried about him.
The effect of the time disruption made the Doctor's skin itch and his head ache but the name of his race wasn't just a title; - for a Time Lord, time was far from relative, while everyone slowed down his pace was constant.
He had passed several villages and smiled at some of the positions people were 'frozen' in – one man was literally caught with his trousers down. In the village closest to the Stargate a little boy was standing in the path of a charging bull! The Doctor picked him up (ignoring the agonizing bite of temporal differential) and carried him three steps closer to the anguished statues of his parents.
When he finally arrived at the wormhole he sighed; just outside the event horizon of the wormhole a man was stuck mid-air and moving millimetre by millimetre away from the wormhole. The Doctor recognised the mans outfit,
"Of all the irresponsible, self-absorbed, superior, rash but … admittedly brilliant thing to do!" the Doctor ranted to himself while trying to remember which setting on his sonic screwdriver would disrupt the connection between the black hole and worm hole.
"Oh I know fifty-five!" he pointed his device into the Stargate, held the larger human and braced himself; as the connection was broken: the Stargate closed, time speeded back to its normal flow and the Doctor broke the humans fall.
The large man was wearing an Earth 20th century G-Suit military uniform and immediately stood up, looking back at the now silent Stargate. He gazed at it for several long (but still normal sized) seconds before looking all around him. Satisfied there was no black hole and no explosion he looked around for SG-10 but only found the Doctor who had gotten to his feet and was reminiscing over the DHD.
"Oh I haven't seen one of these in ages – brilliant design although I still think my suggestion of a solar-energy-accumulation-relief-valve would have solved a few issues . . . issues like the gate remaining active using the energy from a black hole!" the Doctors babbling switched to a sharp accusation,
"I … what … who the hell are you?"
"I'm the Doctor and if I wasn't here you'd still be dying and so would the three million intelligent life forms that inhabit this planet. Did the clever person who set that explosion think for even a minute about the planet the gate would jump too?" the greying man stared at him emotionless for a long pause and then looked around – as if looking for someone else he might be speaking too. When he didn't see anyone he asked,
"What on God's green Earth just happened?"
"You came through the Stargate, a few minutes before an explosion; a very deliberate and focused explosion, which would have disconnected the Earth's Stargate from a black hole. Am I right so far?" the Doctor asked with a blank expression,
"How do you know that?" suspicion glared back,
"I'm clever; now, you obviously fell or were pulled into the Stargate just before the explosion which split the wormhole – half bounced to a safe Stargate and the half you were travelling in – the one the black hole was linked to travelled here. The question I asked was did whoever set the explosion consider the planet they would be dooming by saving their own?" another long pause followed before the Earth-man worked through the accusation and found a logical answer,
"There wasn't time for that!"
"Nonsense! That close to a black hole all you've got is time. Unless you're able to negate the time distortion like me!"
"One minute I was setting the self-destruct and the next hanging over the weirdest shit I ever did see with a pretty bomb! Now who did you say you were again?"
"I'm the Doctor and you are rather far from home – tell me what year was it on Earth when you left?"
"1999."
"Very far! Why don't you fill me in on the details while we walk? You can start with your name?"
The silver haired man was confused, lost and feeling sick (a combination of another near-death experience and travel through the Stargate) and really wished he had a weapon,
"We are not walking anywhere. I am going back through that thing and if you can counter the effects of a black hole YOU are coming with me!"
"I'm sorry but your home isn't through there, not anymore. Come with me and I can help you." Confused and not used to being disobeyed the army man frowned,
"What are you talking about?"
"You were stuck in that wormhole for years, decades, centuries actually. The people here haven't been able to use the gate in over 200 years . . ."
"What!" the Colonel reaction with typical human disbelief but with added military focused anger.
"The year is not 1999 any more." The Doctor explained calmly. The stranger visibly fought to remain calm,
"Why should I believe you?" he said taking a threatening stance towards the Doctor,
"Listen I can help you but not through there. Come with me," the Doctor put his hands out in a pacifying gesture. Not one to trust easily, he felt strangely assured by the Doctor's presence which made him more edgy.
"I promise I can get you back to Earth!" the sharp human noticed the careful way the Doctor said that,
"It's been over 200 years!" he suddenly repeated the Doctors words from earlier and his face dropped. Staring at the Stargate he lost all hope.
"My family will all be dead. I have nothing to go home to!" he sat down. As far as the Doctor could see he planned to stay there until he died – not fighting against all odds the way humans usually did. The Doctor came and crouched by his side,
"That's that then you don't want to go back start a new life? See what Earth is like in the twenty-third century?" he asked
"I have no life, not without my wife, my children."
"Just like that?"
"My kids have so much life to experience and my wife, so strong and beautiful. The thought of never seeing them again . . ." there was so much helplessness the Doctor couldn't keep silent any longer,
"I might be able to help . . ."
"Can you take me home to them?" re-emerging hope filled the Colonel's eyes,
"Not right after you left . . . there are so many set events in the SGC: one of the reasons I've never visited … that and all those guns," the Doctor eyed the military man, searching for his weapon, relaxing when he didn't see one.
"When?" the man felt like he was on a hook – suspended above a boiling pit strangely he thought he might be getting used to that,
"Two years," the Doctor said firmly,
"Well two years, three weeks and four … no five hours!"
"Two years!" the man had a far-away look on his face,
"Come on, it's a long walk back to my ship," 'and my friend who might just kill me' the Doctor added to himself – five hours alone in the TARDIS … Donna would definitely be mad.
"What do you know about the SGC?" the human asked suddenly as he finally started to follow the Doctor.
"Enough to know it's somewhere I would really rather avoid."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I like the spirit behind the initial exploration – the adventure and desire to learn but that's the human race – always meddling in things you shouldn't. Gets you into all sorts of trouble. And it's never long before it's all about just taking what you want!"
"That is NOT what the SGC is about! The people in charge are the most selfless people I've ever met and they've saved the world more times than I can count!"
"Like when they sent that black hole here?" the Doctor's tone was stern and unforgiving and the man reacted loudly,
"That was an accident!"
The pair stopped their argument as they were greeted by happy villagers,
"Welcome to Han-Tessa I am Zol-terra, this is my wife Danesha,"
"Pleased to meet you I'm the Doctor," the Doctor finally found out the name of the man he'd been arguing with,
"Colonel Frank Cromwell,"
"Please stay for drinks – we are celebrating – our god Ra smiled upon us today and saved the life of my youngest son!" the Colonel snorted and the Doctor hurriedly spoke,
"How fortunate – however we are just passing through on our way to meet my friend – enjoy you're drinking," the Doctor speeded up past the small group of huts keeping his eyes forward on the horizon only pausing to smile at the small boy he had saved. When they were out of ear shot Frank asked with disapproval,
"Why didn't you tell them Ra is dead?"
"People don't take kindly to being told their god is dead – I've been there before. They'll figure it all out in a few hundred years. I might come back and see them then!" the Doctor grinned,
"Who are you?"
"I'm the Doctor,"
"Doctor who?
"Just the Doctor – why does everyone need more than that?"
"If I'm going to trust you to get me home I need to know more than just a job title!"
"It's not a job title that's my name!"
"You look human but clearly you're not: you know about the Gou'ald are you a Tok'Ra?" Frank didn't know much about the Stargate mission but he had heard about their new 'allies'. The Doctor laughed and said,
"No,"
"I've never been through the gate before, never even seen an alien except … help me out?" Frank seemed to want to talk and trust his guide but his covert training made openly talking about the SGC difficult,
"I'm the last of my kind," the Doctor said quickly and quietly,
"I'm sorry I couldn't even imagine . . ." Frank spoke slowly aware of how absolutely feeble his words must sound – the prospect of losing two years of his families lives was horrifying enough . . . to lose everyone – everything! How did he carry on?
They walked in silence for a while. The path was wide and deserted, flat and rather boring. Frank would never have guessed he was not on Earth – the trees, bushes and flowers growing by the side were so similar to those found in his home land. In fact the longer they travelled the more he began to have doubts; maybe he had been drugged and this was an attempt to get him to reveal something or he'd hit his head and this was a coma-induced wacky dream . . .
"So do you really have a friend waiting for you?" he asked, digging for information,
"Yes and if we don't get back in the next four hours – my ship is programmed to take her home – leaving us stranded here." Frank frowned – that didn't sound very sensible,
"Why is it going to do that?"
"It's a safety control I added to make sure my friend is never stuck if something happened to me." Frank nodded in understanding then asked,
"She an alien too?"
"No human, from your time actually – she travels with me." Like many the Colonel read more into their relationship and found the idea … unsettling. The Doctor, oblivious to his thinking, continued to describe his friend,
"Got an awfully loud shout which you'll no doubt hear when we arrive – she's going to be annoyed with me. I sent her back to the TARDIS, that's my ship, the TARDIS. Time slowed for her so I couldn't bring her with me: will she accept that? No of course not!" Frank had decided to roll with whatever happened – not completely convinced it was real,
"She'll be worried about you; my Rachel is the same,"
"I can take care of myself – I have for centuries!" the Doctor ignored the comparison of Donna to Frank's wife and pouted – he actually pouted and it was all Frank could do not to laugh – the Doctor suddenly looked like one skinny oversized kid! Wait a minute . . . centuries?
"Centuries?" he asked,
"Rather long-lived – my people." There was a hint of pain and disapproval in the Doctor's words – and almost a desire for death. Frank choose his next words carefully,
"Increasing the lifespan of humanity is a priority on Earth."
"Yes and its currently causing no end of economic, environmental and social problems." The Doctor said rather thoughtlessly, then perhaps picking up on Frank's line of thinking switched to a more cheerful topic,
"So Frank, tell me how you came to be hurling out a worm hole, millions of light years from home, having never been through the Stargate before?"
"That's all classified,"
"I have clearance," the Doctor grinned cheekily and showed Frank his psychic paper,
"See!"
"This calls you General John Smith!"
"Then that's who I am,"
"Alien trickery?" Frank asked trying to work it out,
"I prefer to think of it as my way of making people feel at ease,"
"I'll not betray my country … my planet … if this is even real!"
"Oh relax I'm not asking you too – I know all the Stargate program remember. I was asking about you, we've a long walk ahead of us – we might as well talk about something … wait what do you mean if this is real?"
"I'm not convinced we're not on Earth, or that I'm awake?"
"You're asking me whether you're conscious or not?" the Doctor was laughing at him,
"No,"
"Well I assure you anyway – You Are Awake and You Are on an Alien Planet – locals call it Blen-dell means Fair Home in their language, sweet don't you think? So much better than just a description like Earth . . ." the Doctor trailed off,
"There is something I do need to speak to you about . . ." Frank's weary tone had the Doctor pausing,
"Really?"
"If this is real and I am really stuck on an alien planet hundreds of years in the future . . ." he paused as if unable to believe he had actually said all that,
"If that's all true when you take me home could you . . ." Frank was interrupted,
"No, no, no I cannot take you back to before you left!"
"Is that possible?" he hadn't even considered that idea,
"NO!"
"You wanna let me finish then?"
"Yes? Sorry I'm a little more rude than usual this time around" the Doctors tone was interested but only slightly contrite and Frank thought he might be pushing it – but he didn't have a choice,
"The SGC connected to that planet because we … I mean they have a team stuck on it . . ." Frank didn't need to continue,
"You want me to land on a planet about to be swallowed by a black hole?"
"You said they don't affect you!"
"No I said I can negate their affects it's very unpleasant and anyway that's me – not my ship!"
"Doctor there are four people stuck on that planet is there nothing you can't do?"
"Oh she is really gonna hate me for this . . ." the Doctor said shutting his eyes,
"Your friend?" Frank asked surprised,
"My ship – she doesn't like black holes: they give her indigestion!"
"How can a ship have . . . never mind – you can save them?" Frank was leaning towards all this being a dream,
"Yes although there will be consequences!" Ok well that was more like real life,
"What do you mean?"
"Five lifelines – the effect of five people being added to established events. Two years will be too soon! Depending on who these four are it could be ten or twenty years before I can take you all home!"
Frank didn't react but merely asked,
"Why?" in a level-tone,
"Some events in the past can be changed a little, some are fixed points – if one of these people would interfere with a fixed point I have to take you past it."
"Could you drop me off first?" again his question was calm,
"My ship is old – I'll only be able to make such a specific journey once. And she'll need time to recover the black hole." The Doctor's tone was apologetic but firm.
"How long?"
"A couple of week's maybe a month depends how long we're there,"
"Where will we be while … she recovers?"
"In my ship."
Frank looked around the landscape thinking. The Doctor was waiting – for what Frank didn't know. It wasn't even a choice – four lives or twenty years with his family . . . was it? How could he enjoy them knowing what they cost? He had barely coped with knowing what had happened to Jack. The Doctor was still looking at him. Frank wanted to rant and rave and rage against the injustice of it. But then maybe it wasn't an injustice – maybe this was his punishment for leaving Jack. Why SG-10 had to suffer for that Frank didn't know.
"Why are you looking at me like that, there's no decision to make is there?" the Doctor smiled and looked relieved as if Frank had just proven the worth of humanity once and for all,
"No but I wasn't sure you would agree," he said seriously,
"A test?" Frank questioned with a sneer,
"If you like," the Doctor said carelessly, smiling in the sunshine. Although he didn't show it, he was fairly worried about flying the TARDIS into another black hole.
"And I passed?" Frank asked angrily,
"Yes," the Doctor remained indifferent to Frank's anger,
"What if I said I was just agreeing because I still think this is all just a dream?" Frank mocked unconsciously echoing Jack's sentiments whenever SG-1 encountered superior acting aliens,
"I don't think you do,"
Frank felt his anger melt – the Doctor was right … again.
"I don't know who they are." Frank said a few minutes later,
"I'm sorry?"
"The team stuck on that planet."
"Why's that?"
"I never met them – I was only drifted in to the SGC to help with … help with the bomb," Frank paused waiting for the condemnation but this time he remained silent.
"I only know the leader, Henry Boyd, because Jack told me about him." Frank looked ashamed,
"Now you'll be the one to bring them home,"
"How's it going to work, the rescue? I mean I saw the screen – they are right under the black hole won't they be moving at a different speed to you? How will you get them on board?"
"I'll extend her shields around them then you can talk them in – quickly – and we can leave again. She won't like it but she'll manage."
"Sounds easy to me. I guess I have no choice but to trust you." Frank glanced in the direction of the Stargate – it was now an hours' walk away and he still didn't know how to use it or even how to dial Earths' address,
"You'll take us to Earth in your ship right?" the Doctor looked unhappy at the prospect but replied,
"Of course I wouldn't leave a job half done – besides you'd never back yourselves after how ever long it takes . . ." the Doctor winched at his bad explanation.
"How will you find where SG-10 are?"
"I'll hack into the SGC computers and see which planet they gated to," the Doctor said with a mischievous smile – Frank blustered in shock,
"But … you can't … what?"
"Oh relax I'm way ahead of you in the technology department – wait until you see my ship!" the Doctor boasted and Frank decided he would just have to accept this – for now.
WC 3375