Chapter 14

Kendra sat by the well contemplating on what to do next. She was frustrated with the Elders. To her, all they wanted to do was to sit in their dark chambers and chat instead of taking action. Well, if they wouldn't, then she would. But how?

Her mind wandered back towards the stranger she had seen in the corridor. Something about him called to her to trust him. Maybe he was key to all this. Maybe he could end all this mess and help her people get back to how they used to be.

But she had to figure out how to talk to him...maybe there was a way through the barrier somehow? She had always heard rumours that there were gaps but where?

Suddenly, there was a sudden russle of clothing behind her. She quickly spun herself round and saw her mother standing there looking at her. Maybe her mother would know of some gaps, she thought.

"Mum! Don't do that!" cried Kendra, settling back, giving off the idea she had been scared.

"Sorry," replied her mother, as she walked towards Kendra and sat down next to her, settling her back against the well's wall, "what are you up to?, her mother asked, turning towards her.

"Nothing," replied Kendra, not really looking at her mother.

"So what was all that hurried running in aid of earlier?" asked her mother.

"Nothing, I just...just..." started Kendra

"Just what?" asked her mother

"Just forgot that I was meeting Janea. I was in the tunnels playing and totally forgot about Janea," replied Kendra, hoping deep down that her mother would buy it.

"Right, but wasn't Janea in the tunnels too?" asked her mother

"No," replied Kendra, quickly

There was silence between them for a few moments.

"You really shouldn't go in there, its not safe," remarked her mother

"Go where?" asked Kendra

"The tunnels. They're dangerous even with the barrier," replied her mother

There was another silence.

"Mum, you know the rumours..." started Kendra

"What rumours?"

"Rumours about gaps in the barrier," replied Kendra

"Yes, but thats all they are," replied her mother

"I know but what if they are true. Have you heard anywhere where there is a gap in the barrier?" asked Kendra

"Why do you want to know?" asked her mother

"There was a couple of girls in the tunnels that said they have heard of a gap. Is it true?"

Her mother was silent for a moment. Kendra sensed she knew something.

"Mother? Is it true?"

After a few more moments her mother spoke in a whisper.

"Yes, its true,"

"Really, where?" asked Kendra

Her mother drew a deep breathe.

"I shouldn't really be telling you this but its in the western tunnel. it leads to the main entrance of the old building,"

"How big is it?"

"Its big enough for an adult to slide through but I don't know if its been closed up already or not. It was a few years since I last saw it," replied her mother, but before Kendra could say anything her mother continued talking, "just promise me, Kendra, you aren't going to try find it because its too dangerous to go through it and into the older building,"

"I promise, I won't," replied Kendra but she was already thinking up a plan to get to the western tunnel.

The Doctor continued to work on the portals. He hoped that Jack had more luck than he was having. It had been a while since he had seen the Dama after their stand off earlier. Well, it couldn't have gone very far. It had too much at stake, but so

Suddenly, his sonic bleeped, bringing him out of his riverie. He held it up to his face, his glassed already perched on his nose, and twiddled a few knobs and dials. The message was temporally sent to the screen in front of him. Jack had sent a message.

Instead of a normal message, it was a bunch of mathamatics, which on closer inspection was information on shield harmonics. It looked like Jack had sent it to the TARDIS, who had translated it. An interesting fact had come across. The telemetry showed that the ship was using a cloaking device and by the size of it, it was an extremely massive beast. Alot bigger than any Dalek ship he had ever been on...but was that a good thing.

He had to get back to the TARDIS, to run tests on the information and gain the bigger picture. The interesting fact now was the DAMA wasn't alone and there was now a possibility of where Jenny had been taken so at least he didn't have to worry so much about that...well for now at least. He sent a message back to Jack via the TARDIS and hoped that he wouldn't get himself and Jenny killed...more so Jenny.

But for the present, he had to understand what was going on with the planet...that again needed the TARDIS. Another bleep pierced the air and he noted that Jack sent through more information, regarding the complex itself. It looked like the eastern half was covered with a barrier. Possibly the same barrier he had encountered earlier. But who had erected it and what was it protecting. The people of this planet maybe? He had to get to the bottom of it but with his jailer around that would be hard to do.

He looked up to find see the DAMA had disappeared. It wasn't standing near the door. The Doctor moved into the corridor and looked around him. There was nothing there except flickering lights and the darkness.

"Everything ok, Doctor?" a voice asked gruffly behind him. The Doctor jumped, his two hearts beating ten to a dozen. He span around and saw the Dama commander standing behind him, next to the dark corner.

"You almost gave me a double heart attack. What were you doing standing in the corner?" replied the Doctor, clutching his chest, even though his hearts had already returned to their normal pace.

"I was watching you work. Is there a problem, Doctor?" it explained, walking a further few steps towards the Doctor.

"Yes, in fact there is. I need to go back to my ship,"

"What for?" it asked, in a monotoned voice

"To run tests to see the bigger picture," replied the Doctor, already stepping back towards the hallway.

"No, you have to run the tests here," it instantly replied.

"But I can't, you see. Most of these computers are damaged. So I have to go to my ship to see if they can be fixed,"

"Don't trick me, Doctor. You have already seen what happens when you do that," it said, coldly

"I'm not...I have to go and if you kill me then you have no one to fix them for you,"

"Very well...you can go only if I go with you,"

"I can't do that either, as my ship only allows one person on board and only my species...and thats just me," replied the Doctor, hoping the creature would buy it.

"Then how did your companions come with you?" replied the Dama,

"Stowaways..I guess." replied the Doctor, "anyway must dash, have computers to sort out...no time..."

The Dama, drew out his gun and aimed it at the Doctor. The Doctor stopped in his tracks.

"Look, there is no need for that," exclaimed the Doctor, in return he aimed the sonic.

"No tricks, you come with me or stay here and die."

"Ok, Ok, fine, you can come," sighed the Doctor, as he turned and walked out the door and down the hall. How was he going to get out of this one.