The Call Of Balkisia

Chapter 5

"Doctor, how is Nyssa?" Sarif asked as the Doctor entered the lab. His expression was guilty and full of remorse.

"Resting comfortably at last thanks to your cordial. Sarif, tell me about Nyssa's illness. Tegan tells me there is no cure. Is that true?"

Sarif hung his head. "Doctor, what I am about to tell you, Barel doesn't want you to know. I am betraying my people and possibly sentencing them to death by saying anything. But Nyssa is too young and innocent to be sacrificed for us."

The Doctor frowned. "Sacrificed?"

"If Nyssa stays, then she'll be sacrificed to Balkisia, an energy- drainer responsible for the storm. I do not know what will happen to her but you and your friends will never see her again. Please, Doctor, as soon as you and the others are rested, take Nyssa and leave the dome. Battling the Winds will be fierce and difficult but if you want your friend to survive, return from where you came and leave this planet."

"What will happen if we do that? You said that telling me this may mean sentencing your people to death."

"Balkisia will either choose someone new or the Life will be destroyed by the Winds."

Sarif walked across the room and pulled out four bundles of clothing.  He handed them to the Doctor.  "This suits will offer you and your friends some protection from the winds.  Please, Doctor, I know you have no reason to trust me and I'm asking you to take a big risk by taking your young friends back out into the winds but it's the only chance you have to save Nyssa."

The Doctor accepted the bundles and nodded.  "As soon as Nyssa awakens I'll take them all back to our ships.  Then I will come back and see what I can do to help your people."

"NO!"  Sarif shook his head emphatically.  "You can do neither.  Nyssa will not wake up in time.  In a couple of days, Nyssa will appear to die.  At that point she may as well be.  Balkisia will have gained too much of a hold on her for her to be saved.  You must leave here before that happens.  And once you leave the dome with your friends, you must stay gone.  If you return, you will be in danger.  I have no way of knowing what Balkisia will do if Nyssa is not sacrificed to him but I do know that I cannot stand by and let a young child be his next victim.  You and your friends are not of our world and should not have to suffer as we suffer."

 "But it might not be necessary for you to suffer at all, not if I can help.  If I can get my friends back to the TARDIS, Nyssa should be safe from whatever influence Balkisia is having on her.  I can help you find a way to prevent others from going through what Nyssa is going through."

"I can't ask you…"

The Doctor smiled, the expression making him look more boyish than usual.  "You didn't.  I volunteered.  Thank you for explaining the urgency to me.  I will go and wake up Adric and Tegan and get them and Nyssa to safety immediately before our absence could be noted."

Sarif nodded, relieved.  "I'll go with you.  You will need my help getting out the dome unnoticed."

It took the two men no time at all to go back to the guest quarters.  Opening the door, the Doctor looked first to Nyssa's bed.   His eyes widened as he noticed that it was empty.  Quickly he shook Adric and Tegan awake.  "Where's Nyssa?"

Rubbing her eyes, Tegan sat up.  "She's asleep isn't she?  I didn't hear her wake up."

The Doctor turned to Sarif.  "I thought you said she wouldn't wake up for a couple of days."

Sarif paled.  "This can't be.  I simply don't understand how this could be moving so fast."

The Doctor began to pace.  "Sarif, this is extremely important.  How does Balkisia choose his victims?"

Sarif frowned.  "Please, Doctor, we do not look at the Chosen One as a victim.  Yes, he or she is sacrificed to Balkisia but when one of the Life is chosen, it is looked upon as a blessing.  Usually the Chosen One has lived a long and productive live and is ready to join those that have left the Life already.  It is usually one who is mourning the loss of one who has already left the way.  It does seem that the more someone is mourning, the quicker the reaction but Nyssa is so young; I don't understand."

Tegan and Adric exchanged looks before Tegan turned to the Doctor.  "Doctor, do you think…"

"Yes, I do.  Sarif, Nyssa may be young but she has already suffered more loss than anyone should have to face.  If Balkisia feeds off grief then he's probably having a feast off Nyssa.  Please, where would he take her?  How can we save her?"

"Balkisia didn't take her anywhere.  He called her and she is going to him.  I'm sorry, at this point, I don't think she can be saved."

Tegan grasped Adric's arm.  "No!  There must be a way.  Please, Sarif, you must help us."

"No one has ever survived being chosen.  From what I know, they wouldn't want to be saved even if they could be." 

The Doctor stopped mid-pace.  "We'll save her, even if she doesn't want to be saved.  Please take us to her."

*************

Nyssa stepped blindly toward the green force field.  Voices on top of voices were calling out to her mind but she felt no pain this time.  Instead it was as if the voices were now beckoning her to join them, to end her suffering.  One voice stood out above the rest.  It's warm familiarity was leading her inextricably toward something that intuitively told her was her doom.  

Nyssa, come to me.  I'm waiting for you.

"I'm coming, Father."  She muttered almost inaudibly. 

Just as she stepped through the force field, the Doctor ran around the corner with Sarif, Tegan and Adric right behind him.  As he saw the brown –haired Trakenite disappear through the green field, the Doctor reached out to her unsuccessfully.   "Nyssa, NO!!!"