Chapter 2

The Doctor and Carolyn entered the TARDIS galley. "It's beyond words, everything I've ever dreamed about," Carolyn gushed. "When I was a child, my parents would take me to the planetarium, and we would sit in the dark and it was as if I was on a spaceship on my way to another world, to meet people from other planets."

"Now that you're about to travel beyond your own solar system, you will meet a great many more people from other planets, Carolyn," the Doctor replied. "The Time Lords prefer to make first contact like this, rather than a random confrontation in deep space."

"A part of me still expects the lights to come up as the program ends."

They sat at a table looking down at the planet, through a window provided by the TARDIS for Carolyn's benefit.

"How did you know about me?"

This became a little more touchy and the Doctor was well experienced in breaking the ground. "We try to learn as much as possible about a planet before first contact." The Doctor smiled. "One of the things we do is monitor broadcast signals. We listen to your journalism, your music, your humour, try to better understand you as a people."

"I hate to think how you would judge us based on our popular music and entertainment."

"To be sure, we get an incomplete picture from long distance, that's why we also do on-surface reconnaissance."

Carolyn did not react negatively to this and was yet to grasp the hard realities of what lay ahead. She was enchanted by the moment, her reaction was almost like she'd just been let in on a wonderful secret. "You've had people on our planet?"

"For several years," the Doctor revealed. "We've found that the most hazardous aspect of this kind of mission is a lack of sufficient information."

"You don't have to explain. I understand. But not everyone on my planet would. They'd think you were trying to infiltrate our society."

"We do have a complication here, Carolyn. One of our people is missing. My wife, Nita. She was on the surface to coordinate the final details with our observation team when she disappeared. Our people have made inquiries, but we have not been able to locate her. If there's any way you can help…"

"Of course. Where was Nita's last known location?"

"The capital city. She was there under the name of Livas Jawala, a tourist from the Marta community."

Carolyn acknowledged. "We've got to find her before someone realizes what she really is. If this gets out prematurely, it will seriously complicate matters." And now she began to take stock of what was forthcoming. "Introducing you to this world will not be an easy matter."

"It never is."

"You must already know that my people are in a transitory stage, an old staid culture has been pulled into the future by Chancellor Coe, but it is not easy to discard deep-rooted beliefs. Our entire ideology is based on the assumption that the Malcorian is the supreme lifeform and that our world is the centre of the universe. Your arrival will change our entire understanding of life. Some will not want it to change."

"What about Coe?"

"Coe will be open-minded. But cautious. I strongly suggest that you do not discuss your surveillance teams with him, not right away at least."

"But, with the disappearance of my Nita, wouldn't it be prudent…"

"Doctor, you must trust me on this. It you tell the Chancellor about your Nita, it would undermine everything you hope to accomplish here. Coe would assign Ensign, the Minister of Security, to find her. Ensign has his own political agenda. He will perceive you as the greatest threat my people have ever known. And he will not hesitate to use Nita to prove he is correct."

At the medical facility, Hearn entered to see the hallway was full of doctors and nurses and medical personnel talking in hushed voices.

"It doesn't make sense that she's the only one, think about it," Anderson said to a pretty nurse.

As Hearn passed people he caught snatches of conversations. As they saw him, they stopped talking and got back to work.

"From another planet, hudreds of them… invasion from space… Somebody said she's not bad looking… what if that's just a disguise… meat-eaters… I've heard she can see through walls… thousands of them…"

Hearn's face grew more and more concerned as he walked. He came to Sacha. "I thought I said this was to be kept a secret."

"You know Anderson…"

Hearn nodded, and sighed. "Well, it's getting out of control. I don't know what else she is, but she's still a patient in this medical facility and we have a responsibility for her care and recovery. Remind them of that, will you?"

Sacha acknowledged. "Hearn, you're not going to be able to contain this much longer."

Hearn sighed. "I know."

"If people get scared enough, anything could happen."

He considered this seriously, sighed, turned and walked on.

Hearn entered Nita's room. Nita was awake.

"Miss Jawala, we have been unable to confirm anything you told us. No physician named Smith is on file, not on this planet. Your address in Marta is an eating establishment. The cook has never heard of Livas Jawala."

"There's obviously been some misunderstanding."

"There's a growing number of people on the other side of that door who believe you are not one of us."

"Not one of you?"

"That you're from another planet."

Nita looked at him incredulously.

"Are you, Miss Jawala?"

Nita laughed. "Do you realize what you're saying?"

"I know how it sounds. And I am not anxious to make a fool of myself. Miss Jawala, this new era of space flight, it does fire the imagination. People see unidentified vessels in the sky that turn out to be weather balloons."

"It is far more likely that I'm a weather balloon than an alien."

Hearn shrugged, suggesting another possibility. "Our medical journals have documented several cases of genetic mutation in recent history. Some unusual physical disfigurations have occurred."

"I guess I'm another case for the medical journals then."

"Perhaps. But you, Miss Jawala, are hiding something. Unless you tell me the truth about yourself, this rumour will persist and grow and could even become dangerous. Most especially to you."

He left, leaving Nita concerned.

Coe was at his desk studying documents, stamping a few.

A male voice came over the intercom. "The delegate from the Central Province at four-point-three… the conference with capitol journalists is at six-point-one… and Minister Seymour of the Space Bureau would like to introduce you to someone…"

Coe frowned. "Call her back and see if the Vice-Chancellor will do."

"They're out here waiting to see you, sir."

"All right. Send them in."

The door opened and Carolyn entered with the Doctor. He rose, and put on his best political smile. "Always time to meet your friends, Carolyn."

"Chancellor, please sit down. You may want to clear your afternoon schedule for this."

Coe sat and glanced curiously at the Doctor.