Berin went on ahead, the Doctor and Camelia following a minute or so after him. They walked fast, ignoring the cameras.
The waiting room was still packed with people in line to be screened. The Doctor paused on the fringe of the crowd. He was afraid that if they got lost in the thick of the mob it would be easier for an assailant to slip in and stun them up close.
"Alright," he mused aloud, "so you say this chancellor of yours admitted his son for treatment in suspended animation. . . How did that happen? Did they send him to the hospital the day of? How long can someone live with rhixis in their body?"
"A few weeks at most."
"So how long can they keep someone frozen like that?"
"Mmm, I'm not sure. I know you can survive in one of those life support units for almost a month without food or water, but I don't know if it's the same with rhixis."
"But Berin said Barkhoff had taken over the hospital for years—ever since his first son died."
"Well, that makes sense, he might have set all this up as preparation in case the same thing happened to Grady."
"I suppose so." But he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something he was missing. "When exactly did they change the laws about travel off-planet? Was it before or after Barkhoff's first son died? . . . Camelia? Camelia, are you listening?"
Camelia's eyes were fixed on a point across the room, high enough she had to lift her chin to get a proper view.
"Camelia?"
"Hm? What?" She didn't turn her head.
"What are you looking at?" He squinted. She might be staring at any one of several people, all standing together in line. What was she after?
"Tell you what," she said, still staring, "why don't you, ah, hold that thought—I'll be right back." She went ahead before he had a chance to stop her.
He hung back uncomfortably and watched as Camelia made her way to the edge of the crowd. She said something he couldn't make out to a tall blond, and when he answered said, "You seem familiar . . . have I seen you around before?" He said something back. "No, I think . . . Do you ever go to Club Gaia?" The man presumably said yes. "Oh, wow! Yeah! You always have a friend, but you never go upstairs, right? . . ."
The Doctor waited a while longer, shifting fitfully from one foot to the other. Surely Camelia had good reason for this delay.
". . . Mine's Camelia. Nice to meet you. . . So, you need to get out of town, or are you just trying to get stamped as soon as you can so you won't have to worry about it? . . ."
The Doctor glanced at a nearby clock. Two minutes.
". . . It's a long-distance relationship, then, or does your girlfriend not like clubs? . . . Oh! okay, no girlfriend . . . So what is it that keeps you coming back? . . ."
He couldn't take it anymore. He crossed the room to confront Camelia.
"Ahh, yes, excuse me," he interrupted, "do you mind if I borrow her for a moment? Just a quick word."
"Of course," said the man politely.
Camelia's eyes flashed, though her tone remained pleasant. "Um, actually, can it wait?"
"Only be a minute."
"Well, Liam may be through the gate in a minute."
"Please." He was firm.
Camelia deliberated for a second, then let out something between a sigh and a snarl while the blond wasn't looking. "Fine. Wait for me, Liam?"
"Alright."
She followed the Doctor several steps outside the crowd and hissed, "What?"
"What are you doing?"
"Seizing the moment."
"Do you even know that man?"
"I was about to!"
"What does this have to do with our problem?"
"It has nothing to do with our problem! Is that so bad?"
"We have work to do!"
"Yes—which we will get to, all in good time. As it turns out, I could break out with rhixis at any moment; so if you don't mind, I'd like to take some time out in the interim to make the most of my immediate future."
"You could be helping me figure out a way to stop this madness, and instead you're . . . throwing yourself at men you've never met before!"
"Hey!" Now she looked truly nasty. She narrowed her eyes and bristled like a cornered animal. "Who do you think you are? All you've done is look down on me—and everyone else, for that matter—since reading that report, just because you don't like how we live our lives. I don't see how it's any of your business—or what gives you the right to be so high and mighty."
"When it gets in the way of saving a planet, it becomes my business."
"Even so—You've been like this the whole way, it's like you think you're superior to everyone and every rule for who knows what reason. I don't know if you really want to help or if you've got ulterior motivations: I don't even know who you are." She paused, waiting for him to argue. When he didn't she went on. "Alright, just tell me this: Why didn't you know about rhixis before? Even the Hecatians know about it, even if they don't contract it."
"Who told you that?"
"Braden did."
"Ahh." He sighed. ". . . Alright, yes, you're right, I'm not like you. I'm not human; I'm a Time Lord."
She screwed her face. "That a sort of cult?"
"Wha—No, it's extraterrestrial!"
At first she couldn't understand what he was saying.
Then she stopped. Her stomach went cold. ". . . You're an alien?"
"Yeah."
She took a step back. Her eyes ran up and down his body in confusion. Her breathing quickened. "A real alien?"
"Yes."
"But . . . but you seem human!"
"Not quite." He took her hand and gently guided it to his chest—thump!-thump, thump!-thump, went the heart—and then down to the right half of his rib cage. Thump! thump. Thump! thump.
She pulled her hand away, gasping. "No! . . . No, really, though?"
"Really."
"But this is the way you really look, you're not . . . faking it or something?"
"No, this is me."
She took a deep breath, and laughed softly. "I don't suppose you give a wit about catching rhixis, then, huh?"
"No, actually; the DNA is compatible. I'm as much in danger as anyone else."
"Then why are you here?"
"Well! . . . Partly because I left my ship on Hecate, if I'm honest," he admitted. "But mostly because . . . well, I suppose . . ." He shrugged rather lamely. ". . . because you need help."
For a moment Camelia couldn't find anything to say. She just stood, dumbfounded, trying to think. ". . . And you came here by yourself?"
"Yup. Travel alone."
"Small ship?"
"Mm . . . No, not exactly . . ."
"And you, what, just came here for laughs?"
He smiled. "Something like that."
"This happen a lot? I mean, are there a lot of other aliens walking around?"
"Not to my knowledge."
She studied his face. Somehow, she was able to smile. "I think I'd like to see your ship."
"Maybe. When this is all over."
"Right." She nodded. "I don't suppose you'll let me sort out some personal human business first?" she asked, indicating the blond in line. He answered with a sharp look that made her sigh. "Fine. Whatever. I'll probably break out and infect him anyway. Oh, hey!" she yelped. Her key was buzzing; she gave it a tap.
Berin's voice: "Where are you two?"
