Author's note: a big thank you to Son of Whitebeard and Brownbug for reviewing the previous chapter.
Chapter 3
The Doctor and Lisa were once more sat before a fearsome leader in a large cavern surrounded by other members of the tribe. The difference was that Kayvon was not interested in eating them like Broxa had been and they were not tied up. Kayvon was carefully examining each object that had been obtained from their persons, currently he was assessing the value of a yo-yo that had been in the Doctor's pocket.
"It was used in the grand championships of 1965," the Doctor said proudly.
"Yeah, it didn't win though," Lisa pointed out.
"I wasn't actually there to win, was I," the Doctor sniffed. "If I had been trying I would have done."
"Junk," Kayvon said before the Doctor could launch into yet another long speech. He tossed it back to him. "Completely worthless. This on the other hand is more promising." He stared intently at a bracelet that had been on Lisa's wrist.
"Which one is it?" Lisa asked, still being half blind from lack of glasses.
"The thin metal circle with no jewels or any fancy patterns," the Doctor replied.
"Aww, I liked that one," she moaned.
"What mineral is it?" Kayvon asked.
"Silver," Lisa said reluctantly.
"You mean it is pointless and expensive?" the Doctor queried. "You've really outdone yourself this time."
"At least I have stuff that they want," she countered. "What have they taken from you and not given back in disgust."
"The TARDIS key," he responded. "Though they technically took that from the Mayor of the cannibals."
He looked over to see Broxa still tied up and gagged in the corner. At least she wasn't being abused anymore. Kayvon decided that the bracelet was worth selling and threw it into a sack by his side. All around him other men and woman were also sorting through the loot they had obtained, throwing stuff that was deemed of worth into sacks and all the unsellable junk onto a pile near the Doctor. He retrieved his yo-yo, a couple of board markers and some of Lisa's rings which hadn't been deemed of value. He also found a pair of old spectacles; Lisa tired them on but found they were completely the wrong prescription so they were discarded once more.
"How blind are you without your glasses," Kayvon asked conversationally.
"From where I am standing you look exactly like any other person," she explained. "I can tell that someone is sitting on that chair but for all I know you could be a very ugly woman with horrid warts, I've only got the Doctor's word that you are a young handsome man."
"He's a doctor?" Kayvon asked in interest.
"Of sorts," she agreed. "He is never very specific in which area he specialises. If he does have a specific area of expertise, as far as I can tell he is an expert on everything."
"Surprised he isn't at Goldbridge," Kayvon commented. "You must be from a very rich tribe to have a personal doctor that follows you round."
"Oh it's not all fun and games," she assured him. "I don't suppose you know what it's like having a constant companion that you have to keep a close eye on."
"Have you met Eemon?" he indicated the footpad that was once again moving over to torment Broxa. "Leave her alone!" Kayvon shouted. Eemon turned round pretending that he had never intended to do anything. "Nice enough lad, but goes too far with certain things."
He picked up a ring that was attached to a chain. "Now this looks promising," he smiled, showing yellow and brown teeth. "Looks like two bands of silver intertwined and is that an emerald."
It took Lisa a second to realise which ring he was talking about. "No not that one!" she screamed and lunged for it. Kayvon stood up and easily brushed her aside. Undeterred she jumped up and began flailing her arms in an attempt to claw back her precious ring. Kayvon managed to stand his ground until several footpads came over and wrestled her to the ground. "Not that one," she pleaded, "take the others for all I care, just let me keep that one."
"What is so special about this ring?" Kayvon wondered.
Lisa broke free of her captors and made another lunge at him. Unfortunately she was swiftly caught once more and knocked to the ground. The footpad responsible swiftly kicked her in the stomach. She gave a yelp and braced herself when she noticed him readying another kick.
"Eemon no!" Kayvon shouted. Eemon stopped just in time and stared at his leader in confusion. "You always go too far!" Kayvon said angrily.
"She was attacking you!" Eemon exclaimed, not understanding Kayvon's anger.
The Doctor came over and helped her to her feet. "I am beginning to understand why the cannibals fear you so much," the Doctor said coldly, Kayvon found himself unable to meet his gaze.
"The cannibals are murderers!" Eemon exclaimed.
"At least they are honest about what they are," the Doctor observed. "You cause as much death and misery as they do, and pretend you do not know."
"Please," Lisa croaked. "It's all I have left of him."
"I think it would be better if you allowed yourself to forget," the Doctor said comfortingly. "We should get out of their hair." He slowly led her towards the back of the cave.
Kayvon stared after them guiltily, were they really no better than the cannibals when it came down to it? Eemon snatched the ring from him. He gave a whoop of joy. "We've hit the jackpot! Look at that emerald!"
"Could be fake," Kayvon said uncertainly.
"We can't possibly pass up an opportunity like this," Eemon said as if he were mad. "This could be enough!" he tossed the ring into the sack. "We will be able to go Goldbridge soon," he smiled at Kayvon and Kayvon found that he couldn't not smile at this prospect. It was heartening to realise that they were so near to their goal.
The Doctor sat down beside Broxa with Lisa on his other side. He leaned over and removed her gag so he could speak with her. "I assume you realised that we are not of this world," the Doctor said, "and that the key is useless without me to pilot the ship."
"We are not stupid," Broxa responded. "Well some of us are. I am curious, why don't you just tell them you are from another world."
"And have them insist on me taking them on a journey through space?"
"Isn't that what you planned with us?" Broxa asked in confusion.
"Life and death situation," the Doctor shrugged. "I would prefer to get away on our own and leave nature to take its course."
"I don't follow."
"Your planet is dying," the Doctor explained, "there is nothing I can do to prevent your extinction. And taking you elsewhere will not help in any way. You have been living a desperate life so long it would almost certainly be more damaging for the environment which I move you to. Your champions even declared their intentions of sucking planets dry of their food stock. Perhaps this was how the great vampires came into being." He halted in his nonstop chatter with a nasty aftershock. He wriggled about spat out the golden energy that formed at his mouth. Then he began to scream in pain whilst clutching his crotch.
"What is it?" Lisa asked in concern. Broxa also stared at him in concern, unsure what was happening to him.
The Doctor ignored them and gently massaged the area. "Oh cosmological space dust!" he moaned in pain. "I thought the arms were bad."
"What's happened Doctor!" Lisa said firmly.
"They've enlarged," the Doctor said through gritted teeth.
"What have?"
The Doctor pointed at his crotch. "My arrgh!" he groaned in pain once more.
Suddenly Lisa realised what he was referring to. Being a woman she did not have the relevant organs that were causing him grief and did not fully comprehend how much grief they could give their owner, but she had heard it was incredibly painful so was sympathetic. "Recent regeneration hasn't finished," she explained to a bemused Broxa.
"What's up with him?" a footpad pointed an accusing finger. "He hasn't got some sort of disease has he?"
"Maybe he has plague!"
"He has plague?"
In under a minute the footpads were suddenly in hysterics and the Doctor was being dragged about like ragdoll while they suggested ways to remove the non-existent plague from their community. Lisa tried to help him but that just lead to accusations that she had plague too. Eventually their saviour came in the unlikeliest of places.
"They're from another planet!" Broxa shouted. "His body is undergoing some sort of change, I don't think it is anything that we can catch."
The footpads seemed to calm down. They gently lowered the Doctor to the ground but kept their distance afterwards.
"You're from another planet?" Eemon questioned.
"They are," Broxa answered defiantly. "They have two hearts."
"I'm not listening to you!" he exclaimed. "You're a cannibal!"
"Yes and if they weren't aliens they would have been dead before you turned up," Broxa countered.
Eemon eyed her suspiciously before leaning down and putting his head against Lisa's chest. "No I only hear one," he said.
The Doctor coughed. "She is not the same species as me, I'm the one with two hearts."
"So what does that mean? You will happily murder us but you turn your nose up at the prospect of alien meat!" Eemon exclaimed.
"Actually the prospect of eating them was very appealing," Broxa responded. "His brain would have given me so much knowledge," she added dreamily.
"Why wouldn't you kill them?" he snarled. "Tell me!"
"Knowledge is power," she said simply, smiling at him. "You smell very good."
In fit of rage Eemon threw her to the ground and brought his leg back to kick her. Before he could do so something collided with the side of his head which knocked him to the floor as well. The Doctor loomed over him.
"Oh sorry," he said holding out his hand to help him up, "just stretching my arms a bit, accidently caught you there." as he helped him up he added. "Though I may not pretend it's an accident next time."
"Right I'm heading down to the broker's den," Kayvon stepped forwards and put a stop to any more potential arguments. "Doctor would you like to come with me?"
"Wouldn't that be jolly," the Doctor said cheerfully. "Let's all go down and watch our stuff get sold onto a pawn broker, fun for all the family. Is it just for me or does Lisa get an opportunity to experience this delight?"
"Oh yes, she had better come too," Kayvon agreed, then he turned to Lisa. "Unless you would rather stay here."
"I'm not staying here," she said pointedly. "Not if he's going with you."
"Hold on!" Eemon butted in. "You are going to go off into the caves with two outsiders, on your own?"
"Don't worry, Eemon. I'll look after them if you want," Broxa said from the ground somewhere.
Several miles away stood the city of Goldbridge. A mighty citadel that had somehow survived the death of the planet. Inside the population was thriving, there were no footpads or cannibals, just normal people going about their everyday lives. Which involved the doctors and scientists working frantically, and all normal people remaining frozen in suspended animation to await the day when the scientists had completed their work.
Deep in the bowels of the city each man, woman and child stood in a separate chamber staring unblinkingly into space. Most people would have found this creepy, but not Dross Mavver. The head scientist found solace in this place; comfort upon seeing those that he was protecting still safe. He marched down towards the very end where his most important (the richest) customer resided. He was only wearing a t-shirt, which seemed madness in this extreme cold, but that was fine; no one at Goldbridge could feel any extreme temperature anymore. Even with his immunity to the cold his breathe was clearly visible in front of him. He finally came to a stop.
"We will soon be ready prime minister," he said to figure frozen within the chamber. "The success with the rats has proven that. In your absence I have to assume that you will accept this course of action, there is not much else we can do. The planet is beyond redemption, there is no appropriate planet near enough to evacuate to, and no one who can aid us. This is the only solution!" he pleaded as if to convince the figure frozen in ice.
"I knew I would find you here." Dross whipped his head round to see who had invaded in his private walk.
"What can I do for you general?" he asked upon composing himself.
"I thought I would receive the status report from you personally," the general responded. "I hear that you are ready to enact a complete conversion."
"That is correct," Dross nodded. "It will only be a test run of course."
"Of course," the general agreed.
"And I will only do on someone who has not had any implants already," the scientist continued.
"So you are going to break one of them out of suspended animation?" the general asked regarding the many bodies frozen before him. "Who?"
"None of them."
The general's head whipped round so fast that it caused him pain. "Why not?" he asked incredulously. "They put themselves here in wait for a solution and you have one."
"Not really, I don't know that it will be successful," Dross responded.
"Risks have to be taken," the general sniffed. "You are a scientist, I thought that was part of your motto."
"I will not risk their lives," Dross replied. "They paid to be safe until a solution could become available and I do not intend to break that contract."
The general seemed to get angry now. "It's alright for you, tinkering away with your little toys, looking at all the fascinating ways that you can manipulate our bodies!" he shouted, boots clunking on the floor as he stepped towards him. "But the rest of us are just growing older wondering when it will all end," he grew calmer suddenly. "I spoke to Dr. Keller. He estimates no longer than two months."
"Everyone dies eventually," Dross said sympathetically.
"I'm 37, and that is a huge achievement in itself, we used to live into our 80s!" he exclaimed. "And you should be able to put a stop to that."
"Quadaff," Dross said softly, "I want nothing more than to put a stop to that, but I am not betraying their trust."
"Well I think you have to," general Quadaff said.
"You mustn't forget that we are not alone on this planet," Dross said. "There are plenty of people living outside the safety of Goldbridge."
"You want to give this gift to a cannibal!" Quadaff exclaimed. "Have you completely lost it?"
"To be fair, I don't think they will want to eat us afterwards," Dross stated. "But actually they are not the only ones out there. I trust you have heard of the footpad tribes?"
"The ones murdering others for their material wealth?"
Dross nodded. "They are all trying to get the funds to get a place in here," he gestured at the room they were standing in. "I assume they would jump at the chance to have this instead for a diminished price."
"We must alert the brokers then," Quadaff said with a smile. He turned and began striding back towards the entrance, clunking with every step.
"Liking the new legs?" Dross asked, following him.
"They are a brilliant piece of work," he complimented. "Almost like the real thing yet so much better."
They laughed and chatted as they exited the room, the footsteps of the general's cybernetic legs echoing as they went.
"Now I can understand how come people like Broxa can appear," the Doctor said as they travelled. "Food supplies grow short, starvation kicks in, someone suggests that maybe if one of us dies the others can live. And before you know it you have entire societies killing one another to eat them and survive. But I am not sure I understand how the tribes of footpads appear, why aren't you so desperate for food like your cannibal friends and what is so important about these material needs?"
Kayvon smiled at this statement. "We have access to a food source that means we do not have to resort to cannibalism," he explained. "There is a fungus that grows in the heart of caves that does not require the light of the sun to survive. We survive by eating this mushroom."
"Nice of you to share it with us," Broxa commented.
"There is not an unlimited supply," Kayvon responded, "we look after ourselves, like you do. You are right in your other supposition, Doctor, it doesn't make much sense for us to be interested in material wealth. But we realise that the mushrooms will not last forever, we know that the situation we are in will not just sort itself out. By gaining material wealth we can buy our way to Goldbridge."
"Why? What happens at Goldbridge?"
"That is where they are working to sort everything out," Eemon answered. "With enough money we can become part of the future they are building, rather than being left behind like you." He directed this last comment at Broxa.
"All roads lead to Goldbridge apparently," the Doctor commented. "How do you know it won't just lead to a dead end."
"I don't follow you," Kayvon said.
"Goldbridge will have suffered from the same disaster as the rest of you," the Doctor explained. "Who's to say that it won't just be a ruin filled with cannibals like Broxa, no offence Mrs. Mayor."
"None taken Doctor."
"The broker is in regular correspondence with Goldbridge," Kayvon replied. "He tells us all the news from Goldbridge, it isn't just a legend, he keeps hold of our accounts and will get us a transport to Goldbridge when we have enough. I have seen the transport and I very much doubt that he would be tricking us into parting with our cash if there was nothing to spend it on."
"Fair enough," the Doctor nodded. "Do you know what will happen to you there or are you going in blind praying that the broker doesn't transform you into Cybermen as soon as you walk past a screen."
"Cybermen?" Lisa queried.
"Old nemesis," the Doctor responded, "I'll tell you about them later, I'm on a roll here. You don't know what happens, do you? You are just rushing in blindly, full of hope... Although hope is a very good emotion. Hope drives many things."
"We will get frozen until a solution arrives," Eemon explained.
"Ok," the Doctor nodded at this explanation. "Fair enough."
The twisting maze of tunnels finally opened up into a large chamber. On one wall there was an opening in which a man was clearly visible. He dressed in the scruffy clothes that were customary of all those living in the caves i.e. almost modern day Earth but hadn't been washed or changed for a long time. He his dark hair was long and straggly and fell down the sides of his face like rat's tails; he was in bad need of a shave. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly as he noticed the party entering.
"Kayvon," he said.
"Hello Olljo," Kayvon nodded in greeting. "I have some more things for you to evaluate."
"Well I didn't think you came over for the conversation," Olljo shrugged, eying up the Doctor, Lisa and Broxa. "Who are your friends?"
"They are prisoners," Eemon said. "Refugees from other tribes." This was the pre-arranged lie.
"Why is she tied up?" Olljo pointed at Broxa.
"It isn't really fair is it," Broxa agreed. "If anything I am less dangerous than the Doctor but he has the most freedom."
"Shut up!" Eemon whacked her on the back of the head. "She is a cannibal, they aren't," he explained simply.
"A doctor of what exactly?" Olljo asked the Doctor.
"Oh many things, knees, elbows, hearts, lungs, psychiatry, most forms of medicine really; I don't do eyes or teeth. I am also a Doctor of archaeology, zoology, engineering, physics, chemistry, maths, history, art, history of art, the ancient art of the Aboriginals, combined honours, football, cricket, hide and seek, Herbology, Quidditch, cookery, trans-dimensional space travel, vortex studies, dancing bear taming, accountancy, Latin, film and media; the list goes on but I'm not sure you would be interested," he explained proudly, only coming to a halt after a warning glance from his companions.
"Surprised you aren't at Goldbridge."
"If I had a penny for every time I've heard that," the Doctor muttered.
"I have brought another selection of bounty for you," Kayvon said producing the sack of valuables. "I hope that it will raise our account sufficiently to take us to Goldbridge."
"I'll be the judge of that," the broker said gruffly. He slowly began to empty the contents of the sack to examine each item.
It was a long and boring process for those not really involved. Broxa and Lisa sat down by one of the walls while Eemon loomed over them; Broxa smiled back at him innocently whilst secretly doing something with her wrists behind her back. Kayvon paced up and down, occasionally replying to questions that Olljo sent his way. The Doctor stood right on the counter 'being helpful'.
"It's very clever," he enthused. "All you do is pull down on this tiny lever, the clasp opens and you can attach and detach the necklace chain." He demonstrated this a couple of times by putting it around his neck, then asked Olljo to do it as he found he couldn't do it when it was behind his neck.
Olljo was not particularly impressed by the attempts to impress him. "Just stand over there with your friends!"
"I was only trying to help," the Doctor muttered as he slunk over to where Lisa was sitting.
"Has he come to the ring yet?" she asked as he approached.
"I would be more concerned about the key personally," the Doctor replied.
Olljo picked up another item out of the sack and looked at it closely. It was the ring in question. "Kayvon where did you find this?"
Kayvon stopped his pacing and made his way over to the counter. "Lisa had it," he indicated to where the girl was sitting. "I thought it looked valuable when I first laid eyes on it."
"I have never seen anything like it," Olljo's eyes lit up as he said this. "A beautiful piece of work, two twisted bands of silver if I am not mistaken, possibly white gold. I can't place the stone, though."
"Is it not an emerald?" Kayvon said in shock. He looked over at Lisa to see her crestfallen face, there was almost certainly no way she would get it back now.
"No the structure is too complicated," the broker removed the microscope from his eye. "Certainly a rare mineral. It almost seems alive."
The Doctor's ears pricked up, that can't be right, he thought, I deactivated it. He watched as the broker stroked the stone a couple of times, never once taking his eyes off it. The Doctor jumped up but before he could shout his warning Olljo had already slipped the ring onto his ring finger; he gave off a stifled shriek that didn't go unnoticed by Eemon, Lisa or Broxa. The change was instantaneous. The gem on the ring flashed so briefly that only the Doctor noticed it. Olljo shuddered slightly and then began to stare out into open space, twisting his hair around his fingers and smiling eerily.
"We reckon that it would probably be enough to get us a place in the Goldbridge freezer," Kayvon carried on oblivious to what had just happened. "What do you th... what are you doing?"
Olljo didn't seem to notice him. "He's so wonderful," he said in a strange adoring voice.
"You what?" Kayvon raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Aren't you going to evaluate that ring."
"How can I work," the broker said in desperation, "when he is not here."
"Who?" Eemon asked, as equally baffled as Kayvon was.
"Harry of course," Olljo replied.
Lisa gasped and shared a horrified look with the Doctor; that was exactly what he hoped would not be said. "Why don't you take the ring off," he suggested calmly.
Olljo stared directly at him with hatred in his eyes. "Doctor who?" he demanded. The Doctor said nothing. "Doctor who?" the broker said even louder this time.
The Doctor remained as impassive as ever. "Just the Doctor," he responded. "Now why don't you..."
"Then it is you!" Olljo accused. "You may have changed your face, but I can tell it is you!"
"Nice to see I have a fan," the Doctor said cheerfully.
"I am no fan of yours," Olljo snarled. "But I could hardly forget the man who murdered the man I love!"
"Doctor what is he talking about?" Kayvon asked.
"It's the ring," the Doctor responded. "We need to get it off him."
Olljo was having none of that and punched Kayvon aside as he leaped over the desk. "I have found you at last! And now I am going to avenge him!" he charged at the Doctor and proceeded to strangle him with his bare hands. The Doctor tried to fight him off but found him too strong, the ring seemed to be empowering him in some way. He was aware of screaming around him as the world started to go black and the lack of oxygen slowly drained the last of his dwindling strength. It seemed that Harry was going to have his revenge after all.
Author's note: I dedicate this chapter to Brownbug, whose constant questions and suppositions about Lisa's ring inspired me to write the final scene of the chapter. Please review to let me know what you think.