Part Two: The Storm Within
"I'm the Doctor, and these are my companions, Tegan, Adric and … Nyssa?" His tone rose in concern when he looked at the brown-haired Trakenite. Her face was pale, twisted in pain; her eyes were closed tightly and she swayed back and forth like she was about to faint. Concerned, he forgot about the newcomers and wrapped his arm around Nyssa's slender waist before she could fall. She sagged against him, her fingernails digging into his arm.
"Make…make the pain…go away."
"Doctor, what's wrong with her?" Adric demanded, his face full of concern for his friend.
Ignoring the question, the Doctor gave Nyssa a thorough once-over but could find no obvious reason for her distress. He looked to the newcomers. "I'm sorry, it appears my young friend has taken ill. Is there somewhere we can take her so she can lie down."
The three men exchanged a look that suggested to Tegan that they knew what was going on. There was an excited energy about them that she couldn't explain. She was about to call them on it when Gorek stepped forward. "Of course. If the young lady can walk, follow us. The guest quarters are on Level 6."
The Doctor urged Nyssa forward but she resisted his efforts. The overwhelming pain in her head left her brain incapable of producing even the simplest commands. With a frown, he swept her up in his arms and followed the three Elders to a central lift. Tegan and Adric trailed worriedly behind them.
Carrying Nyssa's lightweight form was no problem for the Doctor. His mind was running through possible reasons for her distress but he kept coming up empty. The only possible solution that made even the remotest sense was that maybe some unknown creature hidden in the sand had bitten her. But determining that would have to wait until they reached the guest quarters.
Suddenly her fingernails dug into his arm even more tightly causing him to wince. What hurt even more though were the animal-like guttural whimpers of pain that Nyssa began to make. He held her tighter against his chest, hoping it would bring her at least some reassurance or comfort. "Please hurry," he begged their hosts. "I do believe she's getting worse."
Tegan shot Adric a worried frown. It didn't appear that Barel, Gorek or Thomes were even listening to them. They appeared to be too caught up whispering amongst themselves to have even heard the Doctor's plea. Adric nodded to her, indicating that he had seen it as well. He was about to say something when the lift doors opened and they stepped out.
"Bring her in here. Would you like for us to send one of our medical specialists to examine her? Although you did say you were a doctor."
"Unfortunately, I'm not a medical doctor. I would appreciate having one of your specialists look at her."
The three robed men left as the Doctor led the way into the room, carefully settling Nyssa on a small cot. The young girl curled up in the fetal position clutching her head with hands. The Doctor knelt next to her. "Nyssa, can you hear me?"
"Pain, such pain."
"Were you bitten in the sand storm? Is that what's causing your pain?"
But Nyssa couldn't respond. She was still conscious but all she could do as she lay there writing in pain was repeat the same three words. Frowning, the Doctor raised the right leg of her maroon velvet trouser but saw no signs of a bite. He did the same thing with her left leg and her arms. He checked every exposed part of her skin but for the sake of her dignity, he went no further. He rose.
Tegan sat on the bed beside her and gently stroked her back hoping to provide comfort. "Doctor, what's wrong with her?"
"Could this be linked to what happened to her after we left the Monarch's ship? I thought the 48 hours of D sleep was supposed to cure that." Adric suggested.
"It did. This is something different. I've never seen anything like it before. Hopefully their specialist can help her. It's bizarre though. Usually when a person is in as much pain as Nyssa obviously is, the body shuts down. It renders the person unconscious as an escape to the pain."
"Doctor, are you sure we can trust these people? We don't know anything about them."
The Time Lord sighed. "What choice do we have, Tegan? I don't know what's wrong with her, let alone how to cure her."
"Can you knock her out?" Adric asked. Tegan glared at him for making such a suggestion but he shrugged. "I'd rather her be knocked out and not suffering from that pain. Wouldn't you?"
Tegan had to admit he had a point. She hated seeing her friend like this. "Can you, Doctor?"
"Not without knowing what is causing this. I don't want to do more harm than good. I know it is difficult seeing her in this much agony. However, we can all agree that Nyssa is strong. She will be all right."
Neither Adric nor Tegan commented on the fact that he seemed to be trying to convince himself of that more than them. The door slid open and Tegan stood up in surprise. The man who entered could only be compared to Adonis. He had white blonde hair, muscular build and eyes ice blue. He was wearing the same color as the Elders but he was dressed in a tunic and trousers.
"I am Sarif. I was told someone was ill."
The Doctor stuck out his hand to be shaken and quickly introduced Adric and Tegan. He couldn't help but notice that Sarif held Tegan's gaze for longer than a minute before allowing himself to be directed to Nyssa.
The poor young woman was one convulsive shudder and her cries had once again returned to painful animal-like groans. He frowned but made no move to go to her. He looked at the others. "She is a child."
Tegan couldn't keep her eyes off the medic. "Can you help her?"
He refused to come any closer almost as if he was scared of Nyssa. "When did this start?"
"She's getting worse but it started right after we left the storm." Adric supplied.
"Not quite," reminded the Doctor. "She was fine in the foyer. Remember, she recovered faster from the storm than either of you. It was only after we entered the main structure that she seemed to take ill. I've never seen anything like this before. Have you?"
"She is only a child." Sarif repeated. He frowned but Tegan wasn't quite sure what had upset him.
"She may be the youngest of everyone in the room." Adric supplied, slightly annoyed on his friend's behalf and half afraid he'd be the next to receive the label of being a child. "But she's not a child."
Sarif blushed. "I mean no offense. I've just never seen this in one so young, let alone an off-worlder."
"So you know what's wrong with her." Tegan smiled, relieved that help would soon be forthcoming for Nyssa.
"This cannot be. I'm sorry, I must consult with the Elders before I confirm my diagnosis. Please excuse me."
Moving swiftly, Adric blocked the exit. "Wait, you have to do something to ease her pain at least. What kind of medic are you?"
"I'm sorry." Sarif apologized again. Once again, he fixed his gaze on Tegan as if he were apologizing just to her. "If I'm right and I pray that I'm not, your friend will find little relief. Excuse me, I must hurry." Without another word he pushed past Adric and left.
Both Tegan and Adric looked to the Doctor for advice. Saying nothing to either of them, he knelt beside Nyssa's bed. The young woman's hands were grasping at her hair as if she could pull it out. Gently he disentangled the brown tendrils of hair from her fingers and held her hands tightly.
"Oh, Nyssa, what have I done to you?"
Her eyes fluttered and her face twisted with more pain. "Doctor? Help me."
Leaning over he gave her forehead a comforting kiss. Then he stood up. "I'm going to go see what I can find out. I want the two of you to stay here; keep an eye on Nyssa. I'll be back as soon as I can."
For once, neither Tegan nor Adric argued. They couldn't leave their friend to suffer alone. It looked as if the Doctor himself was reluctant to leave Nyssa even in their care as he left the room. The minutes after he left seemed to stretch but suddenly Nyssa became still.
Tegan looked down half hoping that unconsciousness had finally relieved Nyssa of her suffering. But the girl's eyes were opened. Her breath came in swallow pants. Though her brown eyes were focused right on Tegan, the Australian wasn't sure Nyssa was actually seeing her.
"Nyssa?"
The young woman bolted upright and grabbed Tegan in a tight hug. Her body was shaking. "Oh, mother. I knew you would come back."
"I'm the Doctor, and these are my companions, Tegan, Adric and … Nyssa?" His tone rose in concern when he looked at the brown-haired Trakenite. Her face was pale, twisted in pain; her eyes were closed tightly and she swayed back and forth like she was about to faint. Concerned, he forgot about the newcomers and wrapped his arm around Nyssa's slender waist before she could fall. She sagged against him, her fingernails digging into his arm.
"Make…make the pain…go away."
"Doctor, what's wrong with her?" Adric demanded, his face full of concern for his friend.
Ignoring the question, the Doctor gave Nyssa a thorough once-over but could find no obvious reason for her distress. He looked to the newcomers. "I'm sorry, it appears my young friend has taken ill. Is there somewhere we can take her so she can lie down."
The three men exchanged a look that suggested to Tegan that they knew what was going on. There was an excited energy about them that she couldn't explain. She was about to call them on it when Gorek stepped forward. "Of course. If the young lady can walk, follow us. The guest quarters are on Level 6."
The Doctor urged Nyssa forward but she resisted his efforts. The overwhelming pain in her head left her brain incapable of producing even the simplest commands. With a frown, he swept her up in his arms and followed the three Elders to a central lift. Tegan and Adric trailed worriedly behind them.
Carrying Nyssa's lightweight form was no problem for the Doctor. His mind was running through possible reasons for her distress but he kept coming up empty. The only possible solution that made even the remotest sense was that maybe some unknown creature hidden in the sand had bitten her. But determining that would have to wait until they reached the guest quarters.
Suddenly her fingernails dug into his arm even more tightly causing him to wince. What hurt even more though were the animal-like guttural whimpers of pain that Nyssa began to make. He held her tighter against his chest, hoping it would bring her at least some reassurance or comfort. "Please hurry," he begged their hosts. "I do believe she's getting worse."
Tegan shot Adric a worried frown. It didn't appear that Barel, Gorek or Thomes were even listening to them. They appeared to be too caught up whispering amongst themselves to have even heard the Doctor's plea. Adric nodded to her, indicating that he had seen it as well. He was about to say something when the lift doors opened and they stepped out.
"Bring her in here. Would you like for us to send one of our medical specialists to examine her? Although you did say you were a doctor."
"Unfortunately, I'm not a medical doctor. I would appreciate having one of your specialists look at her."
The three robed men left as the Doctor led the way into the room, carefully settling Nyssa on a small cot. The young girl curled up in the fetal position clutching her head with hands. The Doctor knelt next to her. "Nyssa, can you hear me?"
"Pain, such pain."
"Were you bitten in the sand storm? Is that what's causing your pain?"
But Nyssa couldn't respond. She was still conscious but all she could do as she lay there writing in pain was repeat the same three words. Frowning, the Doctor raised the right leg of her maroon velvet trouser but saw no signs of a bite. He did the same thing with her left leg and her arms. He checked every exposed part of her skin but for the sake of her dignity, he went no further. He rose.
Tegan sat on the bed beside her and gently stroked her back hoping to provide comfort. "Doctor, what's wrong with her?"
"Could this be linked to what happened to her after we left the Monarch's ship? I thought the 48 hours of D sleep was supposed to cure that." Adric suggested.
"It did. This is something different. I've never seen anything like it before. Hopefully their specialist can help her. It's bizarre though. Usually when a person is in as much pain as Nyssa obviously is, the body shuts down. It renders the person unconscious as an escape to the pain."
"Doctor, are you sure we can trust these people? We don't know anything about them."
The Time Lord sighed. "What choice do we have, Tegan? I don't know what's wrong with her, let alone how to cure her."
"Can you knock her out?" Adric asked. Tegan glared at him for making such a suggestion but he shrugged. "I'd rather her be knocked out and not suffering from that pain. Wouldn't you?"
Tegan had to admit he had a point. She hated seeing her friend like this. "Can you, Doctor?"
"Not without knowing what is causing this. I don't want to do more harm than good. I know it is difficult seeing her in this much agony. However, we can all agree that Nyssa is strong. She will be all right."
Neither Adric nor Tegan commented on the fact that he seemed to be trying to convince himself of that more than them. The door slid open and Tegan stood up in surprise. The man who entered could only be compared to Adonis. He had white blonde hair, muscular build and eyes ice blue. He was wearing the same color as the Elders but he was dressed in a tunic and trousers.
"I am Sarif. I was told someone was ill."
The Doctor stuck out his hand to be shaken and quickly introduced Adric and Tegan. He couldn't help but notice that Sarif held Tegan's gaze for longer than a minute before allowing himself to be directed to Nyssa.
The poor young woman was one convulsive shudder and her cries had once again returned to painful animal-like groans. He frowned but made no move to go to her. He looked at the others. "She is a child."
Tegan couldn't keep her eyes off the medic. "Can you help her?"
He refused to come any closer almost as if he was scared of Nyssa. "When did this start?"
"She's getting worse but it started right after we left the storm." Adric supplied.
"Not quite," reminded the Doctor. "She was fine in the foyer. Remember, she recovered faster from the storm than either of you. It was only after we entered the main structure that she seemed to take ill. I've never seen anything like this before. Have you?"
"She is only a child." Sarif repeated. He frowned but Tegan wasn't quite sure what had upset him.
"She may be the youngest of everyone in the room." Adric supplied, slightly annoyed on his friend's behalf and half afraid he'd be the next to receive the label of being a child. "But she's not a child."
Sarif blushed. "I mean no offense. I've just never seen this in one so young, let alone an off-worlder."
"So you know what's wrong with her." Tegan smiled, relieved that help would soon be forthcoming for Nyssa.
"This cannot be. I'm sorry, I must consult with the Elders before I confirm my diagnosis. Please excuse me."
Moving swiftly, Adric blocked the exit. "Wait, you have to do something to ease her pain at least. What kind of medic are you?"
"I'm sorry." Sarif apologized again. Once again, he fixed his gaze on Tegan as if he were apologizing just to her. "If I'm right and I pray that I'm not, your friend will find little relief. Excuse me, I must hurry." Without another word he pushed past Adric and left.
Both Tegan and Adric looked to the Doctor for advice. Saying nothing to either of them, he knelt beside Nyssa's bed. The young woman's hands were grasping at her hair as if she could pull it out. Gently he disentangled the brown tendrils of hair from her fingers and held her hands tightly.
"Oh, Nyssa, what have I done to you?"
Her eyes fluttered and her face twisted with more pain. "Doctor? Help me."
Leaning over he gave her forehead a comforting kiss. Then he stood up. "I'm going to go see what I can find out. I want the two of you to stay here; keep an eye on Nyssa. I'll be back as soon as I can."
For once, neither Tegan nor Adric argued. They couldn't leave their friend to suffer alone. It looked as if the Doctor himself was reluctant to leave Nyssa even in their care as he left the room. The minutes after he left seemed to stretch but suddenly Nyssa became still.
Tegan looked down half hoping that unconsciousness had finally relieved Nyssa of her suffering. But the girl's eyes were opened. Her breath came in swallow pants. Though her brown eyes were focused right on Tegan, the Australian wasn't sure Nyssa was actually seeing her.
"Nyssa?"
The young woman bolted upright and grabbed Tegan in a tight hug. Her body was shaking. "Oh, mother. I knew you would come back."
