Chapter 3

Ace was asleep, still fully clothed, on her bed. The lights were out. In her sleep, she heard the Doctor's voice – "Proceeding with departure. Level one precautions remain in effect." Suddenly, Ace sat up, eyes open, blinking in the dark. "I did miss something." She got up and quickly left the room.

Nita was walking somberly along the corridor towards the console room. She was uncomfortable with the prospect of flying the TARDIS without the Doctor. She was trying to control her feelings. The Doctor was her best friend, and was soon to be her husband. She was determined to honour the Doctor's memory by attempting to pilot the TARDIS as well as he did. She was determined to be okay.

She arrived in the console room. Ace was already there.

"Okay, TARDIS, now replay shuttle audio transmission… time index zero-four-two-three… the Doctor's second trip…"

They listened to the Doctor's recorded voice: "Proceeding with departure. Level one precautions remain in effect. Shuttle has cleared Jovis cargo bay."

Nita was puzzled at what Ace was going for… "It sounds the same as the first trip…"

"Exactly the same. That's protocol. And that's the Doctor. Following protocol to the letter. TARDIS, replay shuttle audio transmission, time index zero-four-three-nine… Third and final trip."

"Loading is complete. I am proceeding with departure. Level one precautions remain in effect."

Silence.

"That's it. The last communication."

"He didn't report when the shuttle had cleared the cargo bay of the Jovis."

"Of course, there really wasn't any reason for him to make voice contact. He knew we'd be monitoring his position… and any other pilot might not bother. But the Professor… not following standard procedures?"

"What do you think it means?"

"I'm not sure, Nita. I suppose he could've been too busy… maybe he saw something was wrong…"

"Without communicating it? That doesn't sound like the Doctor either."

Ace acknowledged. "Which means maybe something was wrong with him. But there's no other indication of that. In anything he said or did during the mission. None. I'd sure like to talk to the last people who saw him alive."

The Doctor was now wearing the clothes that Fajo provided. He reacted as he heard the door begin to slide open, along with laughter and voices…

"Did I mention that I've added a Veltan sex idol to my collection… I have four of them."

A well-tailored man entered. "With the pearls intact?"

Fajo scoffed. "The pearls were added by the robot agents to increase the value. Veltans would never dishonour their gods with garish jewelry."

Toff grunted… at just about the same time as he saw the Doctor… who was not looking at them… standing across the room rather stiffly by a wall.

"What… is that?" He glanced at Fajo. "Something new? And you didn't tell me…"

Fajo supressed his glee, and moved toward the Doctor… "Doctor, I'm delighted to see you have dressed for the occasion. Say hello to my very good friend Palor Toff…"

The Doctor did not respond or even move a muscle. His eyes were frozen open. Varria reacted, what was he doing? Fajo had the barest first sign of irritation in his eyes… "Come now, don't be shy… as if you could be shy…"

Nothing from the Doctor.

"A mannequin of some sort?"

"He's not a mannequin. He is the Doctor… formerly Time Lord of the planet Gallifrey. Emmisary of planet Earth."

"He doesn't look particularly alive right now…"

"I fear he's playing a little game with us…"

"Well, someone certainly has played a game on you, Fajo."

"I assure you he is the real thing. Tell him, Varria."

Varria could not help but be impressed with the Doctor's passive resistance. She covered. "He is a time lord. A most unusual one."

"Perhaps he is tired. Did he come with a guarantee? I hope."

"I am not amused, Doctor. I demand you behave normally. Dammit, I know you can hear me!"

As he got too close in his anger, the aura was briefly activated and from the impact, the Doctor tipped over and fell stiffly to the floor.

"He falls well."

"I apologize for this."

"Don't be silly, my friend. I'm having a delightful visit." He took Varria's arm and moved toward the door. "Come along, Varria. You're much more fun to play with than Fajo's new toy."

Fajo leaned down to the Doctor. "You will regret it."

They left… and the door slid shut… and the Doctor rose an eyebrow.

"Entering the Beta Agni system, Ace. Exiting the vortex."

"Nita, a class two probe has been loaded with the hytritium compound and is ready to launch."

"Ok. Approaching Beta Agni Two. Going into a close orbit. Doctor, shall we scan the…"

A hush fell over the room.

"I'm sorry. I'll scan the colony's subsurface water. Scanning… Tricyanate contamination is confirmed. Levels approaching forty-two parts per million. Area affected – thirty square kilometres. Source – highest concentration is eight kilometres west of the colony. I'll adjust the target coordinates."

"Nita, based on these figures, the eighty kilos of hytritium we have should be enough to neutralize the contamination."

"We're approaching the target co-ordinates. Launch probe."

The hytritium probe was jettisoned from the TARDIS like a torpedo. It arced to the surface and was lost in the clouds.

Nita checked her console. "Probe on target. Hytritium entering water table… disbursement slightly faster than expected." She frowned. "Something unusual. I'm getting concentrated tricyanite readings of seventy grams per cubic centimetre at the source coordinates. Much higher than would normally occur."

"Any theories, Nita?"

"Possibly the result of seismic activity."

"TARDIS, report on geologic instability on Beta Agni Two." Ace read out the answer that flashed on her screen. "No significant geological activity has been recorded on Beta Agni Two since the settlement of the Human colony. Another theory, Nita?"

Nita shook her head.

"Nita, perhaps we should go down and have a closer look."

"Ok." She set the coordinates for the planet's surface and dematerialized.

Fajo entered his den, seething. The Doctor was standing, saw that Fajo was alone, and resumed his normal behaviour.

"Our relationship is about to change."

"You may expect me to use every means at my disposal to resist your wishes."

"No, from now on, you will comply. You will not argue. You will begin by sitting in your chair."

The Doctor did not move.

"Sit!"

"I do not intend to sit in the chair."

"You will. You don't believe it yet. But you will."

He went to a wall safe with a combination lock… and opened it… he took out a nasty looking hand weapon which looked like a disruptor.

"Have you ever seen one of these, Doctor?"

"I don't recognize it."

"I'm not surprised. This is the prototype of the Varon-T disruptor."

"The Varon-T disruptor is banned by Earth."

"Yes. Only five were ever manufactured. I own four. I sleep with one under my pillow. I sleep very well knowing it's there."

"It's a most lethal weapon."

"Oh, it's much more than lethal, Doctor. It's vicious. It tears a body from the inside out, quite slowly by phaser standards, a tortuous, painful death. I've always wanted to try it."

"I am prepared to die. However, I doubt very much that you would kill me since you assign so much value to possessing me."

"That goes without saying." He walked to the com panel. "Please. Come in."

The door opened and Varria entered, awaiting her orders.

"Sit down, my dear. Right here on the sofa."

She did.

"How long have you been with me, Varria?"

"Fourteen years."

"Fourteen wonderful years. She was barely an adult when I found her. Idealistic. Naïve. Full of dreams. And I made all her dreams come true. Didn't I? At a slight cost of course. She had to lose all those pesky ideals. But then maybe that was what made these years so wonderful, watching her lose them one by one until none were left."

She stared at Fajo. Why was he doing this?

"I'm going to miss you."

He raised the disruptor and aimed it at her. Fear filled her face.

The Doctor reacted. "Fajo…"

Fajo turned to see – the Doctor for the first time was sitting in his chair. Fajo dropped his aim. He gave the Doctor a pleased look.