27. The Silurian Petard.
1. Stopped in the Time Vortex.
The Tardis is on a scrap yard lorry on its way to the crusher when the Doctor arrives back at his Tardis. The Doctor rushes to move the Tardis; just to be away from the crusher, but the Tardis stays in the Time Vortex. It stops grinding and appears to be happy, but the Doctor isn't so sure (ref. 26). "It's ominous when it does that," he says. "I wonder what will happen next?" ...
The Tardis starts to tilt gradually.
"It's never done that before," the Doctor says quizzically.
Slowly and gradually the Tardis tilts. Crystelle and the Doctor reach for a handrail.
"You head for the corridor before we can't get there any more," the Doctor says. "And get some ropes, we might need them."
"But what's happening, Doctor?"
"I don't know... yet."
Crystelle had met the Doctor when she had comforted the Doctor one day when he had thought he had lost his companion at the time. Then she had gone on to be a second companion for a while…
The Doctor stays at the Tardis Console, clinging on. Crystelle finds a rope in a room in the Excursion Kit section of the Tardis and throws one end to the Doctor. He secures it and throws the other end to thread around a handrail above him. He makes himself a makeshift bosun's chair with the rope so that he can access the Tardis Console.
The Console monitor screen shows what's happening outside. Two beavers can be seen on the monitor on the water surface in the Time Vortex. They can be heard, too!
"What do you make of that blue box?" the one beaver says.
"Never seen the like. Do you think it's responsible for our dam collapse?" the second beaver says.
"Wouldn't be surprised." The first beaver approaches the Tardis with bared teeth. A scraping noise ensues. "Nope, can't get a grip."
"Let me try." The second beaver tries. More scraping noises are heard. "Too hard, that's what it is."
"Doctor," Crystelle says. "Those beavers seem quite big. And I didn't know beavers could talk."
"Neither did I," replied the Doctor. "Not here, anyway. There's something suspicious going on here."
"How come they're talking English, then?" Crystelle asks.
"That's just the Tardis translating," the Doctor laughs.
"Doctor, they seem to be unsure what to make of things," Crystelle says.
"Yes, like they've just wandered in," the Doctor agrees.
"Through an open door?" Crystelle asks.
"Or an open rift," the Doctor says.
"But a rift breaking into the Time Vortex?" Crystelle says, surprised. "I've never heard of that before!"
The water is visibly deeper as the beavers swim away.
How did the beavers get there? What is special about them? How are they able to talk?
The Silurian.
"What's that creature?" Crystelle points to the Console monitor. She is fascinated, but finds the creature's face ugly, maybe purely because she hasn't seen one before.
"It's a Silurian," the Doctor says cautiously.
They continue to watch.
The bipod approaches and assesses the Tardis. "Well, what have we here?"
"We must go out to meet him," the Doctor says. "He is likely to hold the key to the thing that brought us here."
Crystelle doesn't like the look of him. "I'm scared."
"So am I," the Doctor says.
Crystelle looks at the Doctor "Wow, I thought you were never scared."
"Just a bit does you the world of good," the Doctor says. "It gets your adrenaline going; and sharpens your reflexes. Being scared is nothing to be worried about. It's what you do with it that matters."
The Doctor picks up a bag of something from the Tardis Console and pockets it. "Head for the door."
Crystelle abseils down towards the Tardis door. The Doctor lowers his bosun's chair to near the Tardis door and leaps out.
"How are we going to open the door?" Crystelle asks.
"Well, we must start by not standing on it!" the Doctor suggests.
"Oh, sorry," Crystelle says. .
"Must we go out there?" Crystelle asks.
"Yes we must, we do need to talk to him," the Doctor says.
"Is it a trap for us?" Crystelle asks, suddenly cringing.
"We just don't know," the Doctor says. "I've never come across anything like this in the Time Vortex before, so we'll just have to risk it." He notices her reluctance, but important things must be done, so he carries on.
The Doctor reaches into his pocket and gives Crystelle a spherical object. Crystelle just holds it, unsure what it is or what to do with it.
The Doctor pulls the door open. The colourful Time Vortex which usually flies past is still, semi-transparent and wobbly, seen through water.
Water wells up slightly into the Tardis.
The Doctor steps down completely into the water, bobs back up and tells Crystelle to follow.
"But I won't be able to breathe underwater," Crystelle objects.
"Well, suck that sweet I gave you." The Doctor disappears into the water.
Crystelle looks at the spherical object, pops it into her mouth and must follow. She looks at her neat, dry outfit and sighs. "Here goes!" .
What dangers will they face?
What will the sweet do?
Will the sweet provide oxygen?
Will the sweet activate in time?