Sam and Clara were led at gunpoint through the streets of the city, and into what looked like some sort of town hall. It was certainly the largest and most official looking building they'd seen on the way over, and while it may have been grand and ornate at some point, someone had really let the place go. Peeling paint, a few boarded up windows, and what looked a bit like mold growing up the side, all made the place look abandoned, even with all the people bustling in and out.
Once inside, Sam and Clara were led down a few hallways, and were eventually forced to enter a large office room.
"Don't try anything," one of the guards growled, raising his weapon threateningly.
Sam wondered briefly why it seemed that everyone on a far off planet in the future spoke perfectly accented modern English, but a new voice cut across his chain of thought.
"I'm sure neither of them would be so foolish." The man who spoke was an old, with greying hair and a calm demeanor. In contrast to the guards' utilitarian uniforms, this man wore long, flowing robes. Much like the town hall itself, his robes looked to have once been very elegant, but now were shabby and well worn. The man calmly took a seat behind his desk, observing the prisoners coolly, but not cruelly. He continued speaking, again addressing the guard. "I suppose you believe these two to be responsible for this morning's attack?"
The guard faltered a bit at the unexpected question, but nodded. "Yes, sir. They were found near the site of the explosion, fleeing the scene."
The man rolled his eyes. "As I understand it, a bomb had just gone off. Wouldn't it have been more suspicious if they hadn't been fleeing?"
The guard was silent, embarrassed, but the man gave him a gentle smile.
"I suppose with their unusual dress, they were simply the only people who stood out," the man continued. "But that's not because they were responsible for the attacks. Quite clearly, they're off-worlders."
The guard looked up, shocked this time. "B-but—That's impossible!"
The man's expression turned serious. "Evidently not. You can go ahead and remove the handcuffs, by the way. It appears this has all been a misunderstanding."
The guard released Clara and Sam, and the two hesitantly turned to go.
"Hold on," the man called out. "I'd like you two to stay, if it's all the same. Visitors are very rare here, and I'd love for an opportunity to talk."
"We'd love to," said Sam. "But we kinda got separated from a couple of our friends, and we really need to get back to them."
The two turned to leave again, but the guard moved to stand in their way.
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist," the man said. "Don't worry about your friends, there aren't any reports of fatalities or serious injuries, so for the time being, they should be fine. Why don't you two take a seat?"
Not liking the way this conversation was going, but with little other choice, Sam and Clara obediently sat down across from the man.
"Now," he said. "We'll start with introductions. My name is Emersani, and I am the governor of this settlement."
"Uh," said Sam looking to Clara for support. She gave a small smile and nodded. "I'm Sam. Sam Winchester, and this is Clara…"
"Oswald," she finished for him. "Clara Oswald."
"And you two are truly off-worlders?" Emersani checked with them.
Clara let out a nervous laugh. "Are we that obvious?"
Emersani chuckled. "Your dress sense is rather unusual. It's true that many of the rebels have strange dressing habits, but I've never seen clothing such as yours."
"Well, I've never been big into fashion anyways," Sam said, taking Clara's lead.
"Fortunately, that is not the topic I wish to discuss with you," Emersani continued. "What I truly want to know is how exactly you came to be here in the first place."
Sam looked to Clara who, despite looking just as nervous as he felt, quickly began speaking.
"You obviously know about people from other worlds. And I saw a spaceship on the way over here, so you've got the technology to travel that distance. So why are you so surprised to see us?"
Emersani frowned, leaning back in his chair. "No vessel has been able to arrive on, or leave this settlement for many years now."
"Why not?" Sam asked, suddenly intrigued.
"I am as ignorant to the cause as you are," Emersani regarded them suspiciously. "Or seem to be. At any rate, every time a vessel nears a certain altitude above this planet, it is unable to continue further."
"So, what? They hit a kind of wall, like a force field or something?" Clara asked.
"Not quite," Emersani replied. "It's more as if they are…willed to the ground. Or away from it, if it's attempting to land here."
"So that means you guys are all cut off down here. You're on your own," Sam realized.
"Quite unfortunately," Emersani agreed. "Settlers came to this planet for the vast mineral resources not far from its surface. However, as you might have observed, the settlement is very arid. It's difficult to grow much of anything here, and for much of our history, we have depended on supplies from the Empire." Emersani leaned forward again, this time with an intensity in his eyes. "So you understand why I'm so interested in you two. You must have found a way past…whatever it is that's containing us. I must know how this happened so that other vessels may do the same. So please tell me, how did you manage to land here?"
Sam and Clara exchanged glances.
"It's a bit complicated," Clara began slowly. "The TA—the ship we came here on, it's not exactly the kind of ship you're used to. It more…teleports than flies places. And actually, the Doctor is the only one who can- erm, operate it."
"And this Doctor," Emersani continued. "He is…?"
"He's one of our friends," Sam answered. "One we got separated from."
"I see. And he's the only one with the knowledge on how to leave?" Emersani asked, more dejectedly this time.
Sam and Clara nodded, and Emersani leaned back in his chair again.
"Very well," he said. "We'll just have to do our best to find him. What did you say his name was?"
"He'll answer to 'Doctor'," Clara said with a hint of a smile.
"And do you have any idea where this… Doctor might have gone?" Emersani asked a bit more urgently.
"Um, you know what?" Sam began. "I think I did see him run down one of the back alleys. He was kind of getting pushed around by this group…of….people." Sam's eyes went wide in realization. "Only, they weren't dressed a little weird. And they were carrying guns."
"Uh oh," Clara said. "You don't think—"
"They must have been the rebels," Emersani said. "The ones responsible for the attack. This is very, very bad news."
"You don't think they would have hurt him?" Sam asked uncertainly. "Or my brother?"
Emersani looked to him sympathetically. "I'm afraid there is every chance that the Doctor and your brother are dead."
