It was like being on trial. That is how Martha felt and not in any modern court but in a makeshift judiciary in front of a lynch mob. She was sitting on a chair in the front of the lecture hall. In the rows of chairs she could see soldiers, many of them who had not been directly involved, but were there to get answers. She saw some who had been injured but discharged as outpatients. She could see people she knew were supportive but she cowed also see people who she did not fully trust in terms of their motive. It was too early for a session like this but Major Proctor would not be swayed from it. They did not have the answers to many of the questions that would be asked and she did not think it was fair that the families of those seriously injured would be there. It was still too soon.
Martha saw Luke Wilson's wife sitting in the second row. She had someone with her. She was clutching their hand but it did not look like she could have stopped crying. Martha had no idea what to say to her. What was she going to say? That she was sorry? That he was a friend and she was going to miss him both professionally and personally and that his sense of humour was ludicrous but he was a fabulous medic and she could have really done with him helping them out rather than being in the morgue. Martha had seen Luke's body. She prayed his wife never would. The way his skull had been ripped open from beneath his chin and through his throat so his brain had exploded through his crown? No amount of makeup would make him suitable for viewing.
Martha felt unwelcome tears prick the back of her eyes as she looked out on a sea of turmoil. It was not just too early for them, but it was too early for her too. It was too early for them to spend so much time away from those injured and in need of care. Maybe her current patient was the doctor, but he needed her to be there with him too, not to be in a lecture theatre for a briefing she feared was going to be more an interrogation. There had been no formal meeting of the senior staff to determine the security rating of the surrounding information. What was going to be deemed classified and what information could be released? The room had security officials in there and they had members of the public in there too.
"Are you sure this is wise?" Martha asked Major Proctor as he took a seat beside her. "Have you thought his through properly? There are people out there that lost loved ones only yesterday and we don't have the answers to their questions yet," Martha commented at a reduced voice.
"We can let them know what we can and we can use their questions to inform our investigation."
"What can we tell them?" Martha checked. "What has been classified?" Martha asked him and she saw a momentary flash of uncertainty in his expression and she knew he didn't have the answers either.
"We can play it by ear," Major Proctor got up from his seat.
"Reconsider this and cancel," Martha advised. It would be bad to cancel but it would be better than it being a complete farce.
"It is too late for that." Major Proctor advised. He went and approached a microphone that had been placed at a lectern. There were some media officers in there recording the briefing for viewing by members of UNIT who had not been there. "Ladies and Gentlemen. I'd like to thank you all for coming. As you are all aware there was an incident that occurred in the hospital area of this base yesterday that resulted in the loss of lives and injury to several of our members. I am sure there are many questions. This gathering is the first of several briefs that will take place over the coming weeks and months as investigations are completed. I am sure you can appreciate that the incident only happened a day ago so we are still processing much of the information we have. We may not be able to answer all of your questions, but we will do our best to answer what we can and to seek answers for what we can't. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and we will do our best to allay your fears and concerns," Major Proctor advised. "So, in order to ensure that we can move swiftly, let's open the floor straight away to your questions."
There was an immediate uproar in the theatre as everyone called out their questions at the same time. Martha sighed. The Major had effectively thrown them all, including himself, to the wolves.
"Let's have some order, shall we?" Major Proctor raised his hands until they had all quietened down. "Let's have a hand raised and we will see here we go from there," Major Proctor commented. About fifty hands were raised. They were going to be there for hours and Martha really wanted to get back to her patients.
"Major, how about we discuss what we know first. That may answer some of the questions people have and bring an order to proceedings?" Martha suggested.
"Very good," Major Proctor looked at her and then addressed the crowd. "I'd like to call Doctor Jones, Medical Director, to come and first explain where we are with what happened." He advised them. Martha realised she was staring at him open mouthed and she shut her mouth so quickly that it actually jarred her teeth.
"I don't believe anything outside of medical confidence can be deemed considered classified at this point," Martha advised. She reluctantly got up and went to the lectern. She used this hall to deliver first aid and medical lectures to the new recruits when they came in, but this felt much more intimidating. "Good afternoon," Martha stood up. "There are some things we do know and many that we still do now. It remains extremely early in our processes of investigation and we are unlikely to be able to answer many of the in depth questions. The full investigation ill begin once we have fully dealt with the results of the incident such as those needing continuing critical medical care. I will begin by providing a factual narrative of the events as we understand them," Martha suggested.
"On Wednesday morning in the early hours local time a spacecraft crashed landed in the Andes in South America. UNIT responded from the Peruvian office and investigated the crash site. A single individual alien subject of an unknown origin was found in the wreckage. It appeared to be held in an enclosure and it was believed to have been killed in the crash. As there was no other evidence of a ship's crew it as imperative that answers were sought about the origin of the craft and the whereabouts of the potential crew as soon as possible. The Peruvian office is a field office and is not fully equipped so the unidentified subject was forwarded to this base for examination and autopsy. The autopsy was commenced on Friday morning, but it was delayed due to a medical emergency. The autopsy was then recommenced on Saturday morning, yesterday, at first thing. Unfortunately it was discovered that while the specimen had not shown any signs of life at all it was not dead but in some kind of state of dormancy. It awoke during the autopsy and proved to be incredibly hostile.
"The subject attacked immediately. It killed the two medics carrying out the autopsy and then then it broke through the secure line of the autopsy lab and began to attack and to kill the soldiers sent to stop it. It was identified as a species known as a Harlequin Ghost. It is not a species that we have encountered at UNIT before. The Harlequin had an injury to its head received in the crash. An instruction was given to use that as a mark for our defence and for gun fire to be concentrated at the site of the wound. It seemed to work and the Harlequin retreated into the extraction ducts. This enabled us to retrieve the injured from the area where the battle had taken place. This entire event was taking place within the base hospital so our medical response was hindered due to a need to reorganise and to form a field medical section in our quarantine area.
"The Harlequin then came down into the East Wing where we had set up our field operation and our hold. It killed three more people. Two of them were people who had already been injured and the medic tending to them. It then came back down into an adjacent room. It was tackled and a liquid nitrogen was used to contain it. It was killed and secured in the morgue. It has been confirmed dead and the incident crisis point was over enabling us to treat the wounded and unfortunately account for those who had been killed. There remain several persons in our hospital that are receiving ongoing treatment for injuries that range in severity. That is essentially where we are at the moment and what we know of what happened. Individual accounts are still being compiled so our narrative is generic and general."
"Okay, thank you, Doctor Jones." Major Proctor invited her to sit back down with a sweep of her arm. "Those of you who still have questions please raise your hands." Major Proctor commented. Martha sighed. It looked like there were even more hands raised. "Okay, Lieutenant Kirk. What is your question?" Major Proctor zoned into a UNIT member with his hand raised.
"Why weren't we able to track the hostile utilising our scanners. It surprised people when it came down into the East Wing. We were unable to track it with the state of the art equipment we have. Is that a flaw in our defences?"
"Um?" Major Proctor didn't know. He cast a glance towards some of the security officers in the room but they shrugged slightly.
"If I may?" Martha offered. "It has a reflective exoskeleton that deflects incident radiations. It is a species known as a Harlequin Ghost. That is nothing to do with its death defying actions, but that it does not show up on standard scans. The video footage that we do have available only shows it as an area of static so there are no clear recorded images of it. That is why it is called a ghost. It cannot be scanned due to the reflective nature of the exoskeleton. There is nothing wrong with the scanners. It is just the nature of the subject."
"Does that answer your question?" Major Proctor asked.
"Further analysis will be conducted on the exoskeleton when we are able to," Martha added.
"When will that be?"
"When we are not battling to save the living in between briefings and sessional meetings," Martha commented, not fully hiding her frustration at being there and not in the hospital.
"Arthur, what is your question?" Major Proctor invited a second question.
"Is it true it caused all the damage, injuries, and deaths with its bare hands? I heard that it did but I find that hard to believe."
"Again we believe that is due to the exoskeleton. It gave the creature a tremendous strength. It did not utilise any tools or weapons as far as we are aware, but we still have to collate all first-hand experiences in order to confirm that." It was Martha who answered the question as Major Proctor looked on blankly. He'd been sipping cocktails at the wave pool in the middle of the Mediterranean while this had been going on.
"Niall Moore was killed by a gunshot wound." Someone shouted out from the back of the theatre but it was unclear who it was. They'd have to track back on the video footage to find out. "Was that friendly fire?" the question came from another area of the theatre but again was not known.
"The Harlequin was found to be impervious to gunfire. There were several injuries and two deaths that were due to ricochets. Again we're still trying to ascertain exactly what happened in each individual case, but there is no indication that there was any direct friendly fire only ricochet. Ince we have completed a full investigation more will be known, but is unlikely due to direct fire." Martha answered the question as Major Proctor stood at the lectern.
"How was the Harlequin Identified? It's not on any of the UNIT files." Another question was called out. Major Proctor just looked straight at Martha expecting her to answer it.
"It has not been encountered by UNIT before but we were lucky enough to have a visiting expert on site who was able to assist in that matter and to provide critical information on how to contain and how to defeat the Harlequin," Martha advised.
"Who is that?" Someone else called out.
"That information is currently classified," Martha advised without hesitation.
"What do you mean classified?" Someone called.
"Who is it?"
"How can it be classified?" the questions came from other areas of the theatre and sounded somewhat disgruntled.
"What happened to Blue Rigsby?"
"Is it true the ghost is a weapon?"
"How do you know it is dead and not dormant again?"
"Okay, okay," Major Proctor banged his gavel on the lectern as if he were some kind of judge or auctioneer. "I heard is the ghost a weapon and how do we know it is dead there?" he commented and looked at Martha. She raised her eyebrows at him wondering when he was going to answer any of the questions being put to them.
"You want me to answer them as well?" Martha asked him.
"If you would be so kind."
"It is true that the ghost is a genetically modified being that has been deigned to be the front line of an invasion force, but that is not what happened here. The craft it was being transported on crashed in the Andes and it was transported here by UNIT. It is not an invasion, just a horrible accidental number of circumstances and events. In regards to the second question we know that is dead because it is no longer a sensor ghost and it no longer reflects incident energies."
"Who created it as a weapon?"
"I don't have that information."
"So how do you know more aren't coming?"
"Because crash landing a spaceship is not the way an invasion would start," Martha offered. "The ghost is no longer a threat to UNIT or to the Earth."
"But the ghost is not the only alien on base is it?"
"Is that true?" someone called out. "Is there another one? Is there another alien?"
"Another alien?"
"It's being kept in the hospital," another voice called out. Martha tried to seek out where it had come from but she couldn't. She wasn't sure she recognised the speaker either. It wasn't someone she spoke to regularly or she'd have recognised the voice.
"Is there? Is there another alien?"
"That information is classified," Martha insisted.
"A dead alien was brought onto our base and ravaged us and you have got another alien in your hospital and you are treating it haven't you?" someone else challenged. It was not the same person who had questioned earlier. A murmur of discontent spread through the crowd. No one liked the idea of their being an alien there after what had happened with the Harlequin. How would they know it was safe?
"There are no other Harlequin Ghosts on base and the one that caused the incident is dead and no longer a threat."
"But there is another alien isn't there? There is another creature here that is not of Earth and you're expecting everyone just to believe that after all the deaths at the hands of alien creatures that it is safe and it is not a risk to us. How can you say that after what has just happened?"
"Um, Doctor Jones?" Major Proctor looked at her. He was a bit of a loss as to what to say. There was definitely a growing unease amongst the people in the briefing. Emotions were running high and it looked like it was being hijacked.
"Is there another alien on base or not?!" the question was shouted from the back of the hall.
"Are we safe?"
"Is it an invasion?"
"We have a right to know. This is our base and our lives and our planet!"
Martha got up from her seat and went to stand in the middle of the stage. "Would you just listen to yourselves? There is no threat to UNIT based on any of the people here."
"But is there another alien?"
"Answer the question?! Why won't you answer? There is isn't there?"
"There is no need to panic," Major Proctor commented, but that just sparked everyone off again. He turned and looked to Martha. "You need to tell them."
"And what happened to patient confidentiality?" Martha asked him quietly. "This is improper and it is out of order."
"They think there is another alien and that we are hiding that fact," Major Proctor advised. "You don't have to tell them what is wrong with him, just tell them he is here and then they'll know it's nothing to be worried about. If you don't tell them then I will. He's a UNIT scientific advisor so it's just a case of saying he is back on site."
"You're forcing my hand and I will be logging my objection," Martha advised. Major Proctor just nodded. "There is a man here at the moment who is receiving treatment. He is chief scientific advisor for UNIT and he is certainly not an alien creature or a hostile threat. In fact he is perhaps the opposite, but at the moment he is a man who is injured and who is receiving treatment."
"An alien?"
"He is not of Earth, but he has a long association with UNIT and he has saved all of your lives a hundred times. Most recently those of your privy to security updates will know he saved us from a swarm of metal eating, wormhole creating, aerial stingrays," Martha advised.
"The Doctor?!" There was a squeak from the back of the hall and Martha looked up to the back. "That! That's the Doctor that is!"
"Doctor Taylor," Martha acknowledged. "Yes, you're right, it is the Doctor. He is here and he is currently receiving treatment."
"That is what we're led to believe. It just happens that he turns up at the same time as this Harlequin Ghost. Now we're expected to believe that is just a coincidence?"
"I'd say it really wasn't just a coincidence at all, Andy," Martha picked him out with her gaze having pinpointed him and figured out who was central to it all. "I'd say it was perhaps our only saving grace since it was the Doctor who identified the ghost, told us how to fight it, and how to contain it. If the Doctor had not been here we may all be dead and the Harlequin could have got out and of UNIT and onto the street. It wasn't a coincidence the Doctor is here but it was a stroke of luck," Martha advised.
"Yeah, or he sent it," Andy advised.
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Is it ridiculous? I read the report on the bus. He just happened to be on it and it gets sucked through a wormhole? He probably created it so he could save it. You hear about it all the time. People setting fires and stuff so they can save people and be a hero."
"Yes, you do hear about it. That is generally so they can take the credit and be a public hero," Martha agreed. "The Doctor is not taking credit. In fact he runs away as quickly as possible just in case there is any paperwork to be done!"
"I can vouch for that, Doctor Jones," Captain Mugumbo announced and stood up in the crowd. "If the Doctor is here then I think we are safer than we would be if he was not. I only hope he is not receiving treatment for anything too serious?"
"He's not going to be injured seriously! He brought the ghost here!" Andy announced.
"Will you just listen to yourself?" Martha checked. "I don't know who you are trying to impress. You're not gaining any credibility with your bigotry. The Doctor did not arrive at the same time as the ghost. He arrived after the Harlequin had been delivered here. It was his arrival that halted the initial autopsy. He is receiving treatment. The Harlequin was sent to us by the Peruvian office. In fact it was sent here by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Are you suggesting that Sir Alistair is in collusion with the Doctor in sending a creature here that could have killed all of us and getting the Doctor to seriously injure himself so he can be a patient and solve the issue at the same time?" Martha asked Andy seriously.
"He's probably not that seriously injured. He's probably faking it just to get in here," Andy challenged. "So come on, what is wrong with him?"
"I am not in a position to discuss the medical details of any of my patients."
"Well, isn't that convenient," Andy sneered. There were some mutterings through the crowd. Some of the people were obviously getting annoyed with Andy, but Martha was worried that there were a few nodding heads. She leant down to the media officer and asked him to make sure that there was plenty of footage of who was nodding so they could root out any issues later.
"You may not be, but I am," Major Proctor stated.
"Major?"
"I am not bound by the realms of doctor patient confidentiality. I am not having this briefing railroaded. It should be a sensitive session in dealing with a horrible incident. I have gained access to the medical files for briefing purposes."
"Major, please?" Martha frowned. "He needs his privacy."
"We need to put an end to this now," Major Proctor insisted as he accessed the information on file.
"I agree, but not like this!" Martha complained, but he wasn't going to stop. He went to the lectern. "What you're doing is wrong," Martha advised him.
"Your objections are noted, again."
Major Proctor went into his tablet and found the Doctor's medical record. He then found the photographic evidence of the Doctor's leg that had been taken in the TARDIS in order to determine the best way of treating him. "I should think that anyone with a squeamish disposition should look away from the screen," Major Proctor announced. He then put the image up on the screen. There were groans and gasps and sighs throughout. "That is what the Doctor's leg looked like when he arrived here on Friday. I think we can comfortably say that this is a serious injury that requires treatment. Now, this man," Major Proctor pointed toward Andy, "would have you believe that he is somehow implicated with the Harlequin. Yet, we are UNIT and the Doctor is a member of our staff. Regardless of what you think of him, you cannot believe that to be true, and, despite having an injury as severe and frankly as grotesque as this he still managed to assist us. He is our chief scientific advisor afterall and he did his duty, now we must all continue to do ours," Major Proctor announced. "Corporal Sveltz, would you be kind enough to escort Lieutenant Johns to the brig?"
"What?!" Andy stood up. "You can't arrest me for voicing an opinion!"
"No, I can't, however, we do have a leak that provided information to the press. Not only did that leak express a similar view but they used the same phraseology. I suggest you make your way to the security detail and do not embarrass or implicate yourself further."
"Can you take that down?" Martha indicated to the picture of the Doctor's leg that remained on the screen at the front of the theatre.
"Yes, sorry. I just wanted to make a point."
"I think you made it," Martha stated. "So much for keeping his presence here quiet and his injury private."
"I think we were beyond that. It was the best option to calm it down."
"And, what about what is best for him?" Martha asked the Major. "Does that ever factor into any of your decisions?"
"Doctor Jones, Ma'am?" Malcolm Taylor raised his hand. Martha sighed. "Was that image really of the Doctor's leg?"
"Unfortunately, yes it was."
"Is he going to be okay?"
"We're not here to discuss the Doctor and his current health, but to discuss the events that happened on Saturday."
"But the Doctor was involved in that."
"Many people were involved in that."
"But it is the Doctor."
"Yes, it is, and the last thing he is going to want is for everyone to be knowing his business."
"We have a right to know if he is alright."
"A right?" Martha asked. "What right do you have? He has a right to privacy and to be able to trust a degree of confidentiality concerning his medical files. He has a right to receive appropriate treatment and to be treated fairly. He has the same rights as every single person in here. He does not belong to UNIT. You do not own him and have rights to him. You have no more right to know what is private to him as to any other patient. You're not demanding to know about anyone else or claiming to have a right over any other person. What about Colonel Mace? Do you think I should put images of his injuries up there on the screen and allow you to tell me you have rights to know over his right to privacy? All the patients are receiving appropriate treatments and we are doing all we can for all of them. None of them need to be inundated with visitors. I am sure you mean well, but it will not help anyone. The Doctor is going to be here for some time. I am sure that once he is more recovered that he will be willing to get involved, but in the meantime he is injured and sick and needs peace and time to recover and to heal."
"Does anyone else have any questions?" Major Proctor asked.
"That are not related to the Doctor or his health," Martha added.
"How long is Colonel Mace going to be out of action?" One of the young privates asked. They always seemed to struggle when they had to report to Major Proctor and it had only ever been for an afternoon or so while Colonel Mace took a break.
"Again, I cannot discuss medical details," Martha advised. "But, Major Proctor has been given command for an initial six week period."
"Six weeks?!"
"An initial six weeks," Major Proctor announced. He seemed to relish the groan of collective grumblings that hummed around the theatre.
"I have a question," a woman's voice trembled as she raised her hand. Martha looked up to see that it was Ester: Luke Wilson's wife. "Did my Luke suffer?" she asked and the bickering and argument erupting around the room died down as she brought them back to the reality of what had happened.
"No," Martha assured her. "I am so sorry, I'm going to miss Luke very much. He didn't suffer at all. He would not have known anything about what happened, it was too quick for him to process. We have established that Luke was the first victim of the attack and he was killed immediately and instantly," Martha explained. "We can talk more at a more appropriate time if you wish?"
"Thank you," Ester acknowledged and nodded. She then turned into the man with her as he wrapped his arm around her as she started to sob again. The room had been sobered by a reminder of the reality of why they had been called there. People had died. Their peers, their colleagues, their friends, and their family.
"Are there any more questions?" Major Proctor asked but everyone had been stunned to a silence. "Then you are all dismissed," Major Proctor announced. He turned and looked at Martha. "That didn't go too badly did it? I though it went rather well, don't you?"
"Well?! It was a catalogue of disasters from the start, and, how dare you use the Doctor to distract from your incompetence! You really have no comprehension of what you have done have you?" Martha asked when Captain Proctor looked genuinely surprised by her reaction. "Get out of my way. I need to get back to work and try to salvage some of the issues you have caused before they become too difficult to manage."
"What issues?" Major Proctor did not understand.
"Doctor Jones?" A voice she recognised called out. Martha tried to ignore it and walk on. "Doctor Jones?" It was repeated. "Please Ma'am, wait a moment? Doctor Jones? I need a word!" Doctor Malcolm Taylor came running down through the theatre from where he had been positioned near the back. He was pushing his glasses back to the bridge of his nose with one hand while trying to stop his lab coat from flapping with the other in a highly awkward descent. Martha waited because if she didn't she feared he'd end up going head first down the rest of the stairs and then she'd have to be treating him at the same time as treating the Doctor and that would have been beyond exhausting. "Doctor Jones?!"
"Malcolm," Martha turned to face him. "What can I do for you?"
"The Doctor!" Malcolm announced as if it was entirely obvious. "Is he? Is he? Is…"
"Spit it out Doctor Taylor," Captain Mugumbo advised as she also approached Martha there were several other UNIT soldiers waiting as if to pounce on her before she got a chance to leave.
"Is he going to die?" Dr Taylor asked.
"Not if I can help it," Martha advised.
"That does not sound like the answer of a doctor treating a broken leg, albeit one which appears very significantly damaged," Captain Mugumbo commented though it was a question and not a statement.
"I will not get drawn into this discussion. Now if you will excuse me? I do have patients that I need to get back to."
"Can I come and see him?" Doctor Taylor asked.
"No, you cannot."
"But, I'm… I'm his new best friend. He said so."
"Malcolm, no," Martha insisted firmly. "If you are his friend then you need to appreciate that he is unwell and he is injured and he needs time to rest and to recover and you will do everything that you can to protect his privacy."
"Return to your post please, Doctor Taylor," Captain Mugumbo instructed. The scientist shuffled and huffed and made as if he was going to say something else but then he bowed his head and stalked off muttering to himself about being friends and wanting visits from his friends. "You said he is unwell and injured?"
"I am not discussing it with you either, Erisa," Martha told her.
"No, but, if there is anything I can do for him or for any of the other patients, for the Colonel, then please, let me know."
"Can you put a leash on Major Proctor?" Martha asked with a tired smile when they heard him barking an order at someone in the corridor.
"Unfortunately no," Captain Mugumbo smiled. "Except wish the Colonel a speedy recovery. Six weeks you said?"
"As a minimum. It is likely to be twice as long, but I don't think many of the youngsters would be able to deal with that if they knew," Martha commented. "Now, I really must return."
"Remember, Martha, I am here if you need me."
"I will."
"Andy, give my regards to the Doctor."
"I will do that as well, but it is going to make him feel very uncomfortable to know he is the centre of attention. He has a hard road to go to recovery. I don't want him to feel pressurised or he may want to leave before he is ready. If you can do anything then I am worried that Lieutenant John may have some kind of following," Martha commented.
"I will look into it and do my best to protect him from too much attention whether that be positive or not."
"Thank you Erisa."
"You're welcome."
