"Well.sometimes the best way to find out where someone has taken someone or
something is to figure out why."
"Sounds roundabout to me," Tegan answered her Doctor.
The Time Lord was seated in front of a row of computers. With a flourish that she had grown to know well, he cracked his fingers and tested the keys. "You see, Tegan. Motive can tell more about a person than a personality scan ever could. Actions seem, like time lines, to follow logical, straightforward paths. If you can find any point on that line, you can work forwards or backwards, but most of the time, you will never leave that line."
"Sounds like a trip around the Milky Way in that crate of yours," she answered, drawing up a chair of her own.
He frowned, but pulled out his glasses. As they settled on his nose, he leaned forward to tap a sequence. As his older self bounded through the door in a whirl of green velvet, the computer emitted a low electronic whine. "Good Rassilon, old man, what are you doing over there? The computer IS innocent, you know. And I have never known a computer to give out information after it was tortured."
Tegan stifled a smile and leaned back in the chair to watch the slightly older man approach. His brown curls bounced about his head and face with abandon. When he became aware that her eyes were on him, he slowed. He can't meet my eyes Tegan thought and frowned. "That is unusual," she said.
"Yes, it is, isn't it," the fifth Doctor answered, leaning forward to press another couple of buttons. "In the twenty-second century, Terran communications in space were as fast as from one side of the planet to the other. I wonder why it is taking so long."
The eighth Doctor approached the blond, younger man and leaned over the back of the chair. "Well."
"Give it time."
"We don't have time."
"And you know something more than you are saying," the fifth Doctor answered and then glanced up at himself.
"No." the eighth Doctor said, "I'm just ahead of you in the thought process. Must have been the knock to the head. I did, however, get information from the mothers. Something that is rather useful."
"Such as?" the younger Doctor inquired, staring up at his other persona.
The Eighth Doctor smiled and even Tegan was swayed by his charm. She wondered what this new man was like and remembered her own Doctor when he had gone through his 'change of life'. The one she traveled with had become her best friend and her protector as much as she was his. In her heart of hearts, she admitted that her Doctor was gentle and handsome enough to be attractive, but this Doctor.this new one.was full of vibrancy and life. It made him almost an irresistible force. With a hand agile with life, he produced a small tape recorder from his inside breast pocket.
"You should listen to this," he said, his voice quiet, but forceful. "It will clarify quite a lot of issues."
Tegan shook her head. "It is obvious that you know what is on there; why don't you just tell us?"
"Tegan. Tegan, Tegan, Tegan." The older Doctor sighed, finally turning his full gaze on her. "You have not changed in the least. There is a reason I am asking you to listen to the tape."
"He supposes that you and I will catch something that he didn't, Tegan," the fifth Doctor confided, leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "Although why a persona of mine would suppose that is beyond me.I must be learning humility."
"Time is running short," the Eighth Doctor stated. "Ego has no place when there is a time limit."
The fifth Doctor smiled, reaching up to whip his glasses off of his face. "Ah.I see. Well.put it on."
Tegan sighed and sat down next to her Doctor. The other persona balanced his hip against the computer bank and pressed the play button.
Tape begins: (rustling in the background. Muffled voices and a bang, a grunt and a mumbled: Excuse me.)
Doctor: (clearing of throat): What did you recognize of the attackers?
Woman: (voice muffled and then clear, angry): What are you doing here? (Voice muffled, apparently turned away from the microphone): What is he doing here?
Doctor: I am here to help you.
Woman: (Gasps and then voice clear, breathing deeply): You did not take the children.
Doctor: No, no, no. No, I didn't. (Louder): But I cannot do anything to help retrieve your children if you do not answer the question.
Woman: They are dead, aren't they?
Doctor: (heavy sigh): No. Now, listen to me, please. (Voice gentled): Where there is life, there is always hope. They have no reason to kill the children immediately. If they had, they would have done so here. No. There is another reason why they took the children. You must help me to find out what it is.
Woman: (deep breath): I don't know who took them.
Doctor: That is all right. We can figure it out together.I am sorry, I have been exceedingly rude. I am known as the Doctor.and you are?
Woman: Gradia.
Doctor: What a truly elegant name. Now.Gradia.you must help me to figure out who these people are that have taken your daughter. I'll tell you what I remember and you add to that.all right? Good. Now.I remember four adults: three men and one woman. They carried guns. They wore peculiar uniforms that looked centuries out of date.
Woman: (sniffling): Yes.they were blue and they wore a small decal on their shoulders.a cross.
Doctor: A cross? Hmm.now that is interesting. I'd missed that. What..could you describe it? Was it similar to a Christian cross?
Woman: (muffled as through a piece of cloth): As like.that as not. The only reason I remember it is.the outline was of crimson flames. It was.
Doctor: (excited, hurried): Strange? Very like an enigma, I suppose. Triggered somethin in your memory, I don't doubt. Did they say anything?
Gradia: Yes.
Doctor: Well?
Gradia: When they were carrying Douglas out the door, I asked why. They answered Genesis.
Doctor: Genesis.
Gradia: That's right.
Doctor: (deep breath) I see.
Gradia: Does that help?
Doctor: More than you know, fair Gradia. Thank you for your help.
Gradia: Will you find them?
Doctor: With a little research and some help..yes, yes I do believe it is possible. Jelly baby?
The Doctor leaned forward, a long arm clad in green velvet reached out and turned off the tape. Tegan lifted an eyebrow but both men turned to contemplate her and then each other. "Well?" the eighth Doctor pressed.
The fifth sighed. "I know the Christian bible."
"As do I, but that will have no bearing if we don't know the place that the scriptures have taken in twenty-second century Earth," the eighth supplied.
Tegan watched as her Doctor rubbed his neck. "Crimson flames around the Christian cross and the book of Genesis.interesting."
"I agree."
"Do you? Christian's are the minority on Earth in this century."
Tegan shrugged, attempting to remain in the conversation. "So what.the religion has failed?"
"No. Far from it, Tegan. Think. What happens when something is an underdog?"
She turned to the strange Doctor and tilted her head to the side. "Everyone always cheers them on."
"Very true," the eighth answered. "But that is what happens externally to the underdog. It is rather stirring, but it is what happens internally that counts more." He leaned closer, his shoulder against hers, his curls brushing the side of her face. "When something becomes oppressed, it gathers strength.its like carbon on your planet.if put under enough stress it comes out to a diamond. Faith is strong on Earth now. People are roused, driven from within."
"What he means, Tegan," the fifth Doctor nudged her with his arm. ".is that there are sects of faith driven people on Earth that are almost blinded with fervor and might do things that are rather wrong, but those undertaking them might feel divinely led to accomplish them."
"So." the eighth Doctor nodded over Tegan's head to the fifth. "It remains that we just need to figure out which sect is responsible."
"And by doing that we can hazard a very educated idea of where they might be hiding the children."
"Because if we know who they are, we might know what they are going to do, and if we know that, we will be able to find where they are holding the children, because they might have special needs."
"You take my breath away, Tegan," the fifth Doctor answered, smiling.
Tegan's smile was wide, but she sobered quickly. "But wouldn't they still be on the station?"
"More than likely, Tegan. But it is a large station and we are running on limited time. It is also a possibility that they might have been removed from the station entirely." The eighth held up a finger. "Right. So.what we need to do.is mount a search on the intranet and communication lines."
The fifth put his glasses back on his nose and nodded. He stretched his fingers. "Well.at least we do have a starting point. It should make this exercise a little easier. And I do so miss computer work."
Tegan turned to face the screens as the Doctor on the other side of her tossed back his head with a snort. "Do you? Tedious business, but I suppose there is nothing for it. Tegan, dear, if you would, please boot up a computer on either side of your Doctor there and me. And do stand back."
"Of all the."
"We will need the room," the fifth Doctor supplied, making peace. "These clumsy machines will run slower than we will, I dare say. Having two a piece might speed up the search."
Tegan did as bidden and stood back, her arms crossed over her chest. "At least I can see that your humility is still in tact."
**
"Sounds roundabout to me," Tegan answered her Doctor.
The Time Lord was seated in front of a row of computers. With a flourish that she had grown to know well, he cracked his fingers and tested the keys. "You see, Tegan. Motive can tell more about a person than a personality scan ever could. Actions seem, like time lines, to follow logical, straightforward paths. If you can find any point on that line, you can work forwards or backwards, but most of the time, you will never leave that line."
"Sounds like a trip around the Milky Way in that crate of yours," she answered, drawing up a chair of her own.
He frowned, but pulled out his glasses. As they settled on his nose, he leaned forward to tap a sequence. As his older self bounded through the door in a whirl of green velvet, the computer emitted a low electronic whine. "Good Rassilon, old man, what are you doing over there? The computer IS innocent, you know. And I have never known a computer to give out information after it was tortured."
Tegan stifled a smile and leaned back in the chair to watch the slightly older man approach. His brown curls bounced about his head and face with abandon. When he became aware that her eyes were on him, he slowed. He can't meet my eyes Tegan thought and frowned. "That is unusual," she said.
"Yes, it is, isn't it," the fifth Doctor answered, leaning forward to press another couple of buttons. "In the twenty-second century, Terran communications in space were as fast as from one side of the planet to the other. I wonder why it is taking so long."
The eighth Doctor approached the blond, younger man and leaned over the back of the chair. "Well."
"Give it time."
"We don't have time."
"And you know something more than you are saying," the fifth Doctor answered and then glanced up at himself.
"No." the eighth Doctor said, "I'm just ahead of you in the thought process. Must have been the knock to the head. I did, however, get information from the mothers. Something that is rather useful."
"Such as?" the younger Doctor inquired, staring up at his other persona.
The Eighth Doctor smiled and even Tegan was swayed by his charm. She wondered what this new man was like and remembered her own Doctor when he had gone through his 'change of life'. The one she traveled with had become her best friend and her protector as much as she was his. In her heart of hearts, she admitted that her Doctor was gentle and handsome enough to be attractive, but this Doctor.this new one.was full of vibrancy and life. It made him almost an irresistible force. With a hand agile with life, he produced a small tape recorder from his inside breast pocket.
"You should listen to this," he said, his voice quiet, but forceful. "It will clarify quite a lot of issues."
Tegan shook her head. "It is obvious that you know what is on there; why don't you just tell us?"
"Tegan. Tegan, Tegan, Tegan." The older Doctor sighed, finally turning his full gaze on her. "You have not changed in the least. There is a reason I am asking you to listen to the tape."
"He supposes that you and I will catch something that he didn't, Tegan," the fifth Doctor confided, leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "Although why a persona of mine would suppose that is beyond me.I must be learning humility."
"Time is running short," the Eighth Doctor stated. "Ego has no place when there is a time limit."
The fifth Doctor smiled, reaching up to whip his glasses off of his face. "Ah.I see. Well.put it on."
Tegan sighed and sat down next to her Doctor. The other persona balanced his hip against the computer bank and pressed the play button.
Tape begins: (rustling in the background. Muffled voices and a bang, a grunt and a mumbled: Excuse me.)
Doctor: (clearing of throat): What did you recognize of the attackers?
Woman: (voice muffled and then clear, angry): What are you doing here? (Voice muffled, apparently turned away from the microphone): What is he doing here?
Doctor: I am here to help you.
Woman: (Gasps and then voice clear, breathing deeply): You did not take the children.
Doctor: No, no, no. No, I didn't. (Louder): But I cannot do anything to help retrieve your children if you do not answer the question.
Woman: They are dead, aren't they?
Doctor: (heavy sigh): No. Now, listen to me, please. (Voice gentled): Where there is life, there is always hope. They have no reason to kill the children immediately. If they had, they would have done so here. No. There is another reason why they took the children. You must help me to find out what it is.
Woman: (deep breath): I don't know who took them.
Doctor: That is all right. We can figure it out together.I am sorry, I have been exceedingly rude. I am known as the Doctor.and you are?
Woman: Gradia.
Doctor: What a truly elegant name. Now.Gradia.you must help me to figure out who these people are that have taken your daughter. I'll tell you what I remember and you add to that.all right? Good. Now.I remember four adults: three men and one woman. They carried guns. They wore peculiar uniforms that looked centuries out of date.
Woman: (sniffling): Yes.they were blue and they wore a small decal on their shoulders.a cross.
Doctor: A cross? Hmm.now that is interesting. I'd missed that. What..could you describe it? Was it similar to a Christian cross?
Woman: (muffled as through a piece of cloth): As like.that as not. The only reason I remember it is.the outline was of crimson flames. It was.
Doctor: (excited, hurried): Strange? Very like an enigma, I suppose. Triggered somethin in your memory, I don't doubt. Did they say anything?
Gradia: Yes.
Doctor: Well?
Gradia: When they were carrying Douglas out the door, I asked why. They answered Genesis.
Doctor: Genesis.
Gradia: That's right.
Doctor: (deep breath) I see.
Gradia: Does that help?
Doctor: More than you know, fair Gradia. Thank you for your help.
Gradia: Will you find them?
Doctor: With a little research and some help..yes, yes I do believe it is possible. Jelly baby?
The Doctor leaned forward, a long arm clad in green velvet reached out and turned off the tape. Tegan lifted an eyebrow but both men turned to contemplate her and then each other. "Well?" the eighth Doctor pressed.
The fifth sighed. "I know the Christian bible."
"As do I, but that will have no bearing if we don't know the place that the scriptures have taken in twenty-second century Earth," the eighth supplied.
Tegan watched as her Doctor rubbed his neck. "Crimson flames around the Christian cross and the book of Genesis.interesting."
"I agree."
"Do you? Christian's are the minority on Earth in this century."
Tegan shrugged, attempting to remain in the conversation. "So what.the religion has failed?"
"No. Far from it, Tegan. Think. What happens when something is an underdog?"
She turned to the strange Doctor and tilted her head to the side. "Everyone always cheers them on."
"Very true," the eighth answered. "But that is what happens externally to the underdog. It is rather stirring, but it is what happens internally that counts more." He leaned closer, his shoulder against hers, his curls brushing the side of her face. "When something becomes oppressed, it gathers strength.its like carbon on your planet.if put under enough stress it comes out to a diamond. Faith is strong on Earth now. People are roused, driven from within."
"What he means, Tegan," the fifth Doctor nudged her with his arm. ".is that there are sects of faith driven people on Earth that are almost blinded with fervor and might do things that are rather wrong, but those undertaking them might feel divinely led to accomplish them."
"So." the eighth Doctor nodded over Tegan's head to the fifth. "It remains that we just need to figure out which sect is responsible."
"And by doing that we can hazard a very educated idea of where they might be hiding the children."
"Because if we know who they are, we might know what they are going to do, and if we know that, we will be able to find where they are holding the children, because they might have special needs."
"You take my breath away, Tegan," the fifth Doctor answered, smiling.
Tegan's smile was wide, but she sobered quickly. "But wouldn't they still be on the station?"
"More than likely, Tegan. But it is a large station and we are running on limited time. It is also a possibility that they might have been removed from the station entirely." The eighth held up a finger. "Right. So.what we need to do.is mount a search on the intranet and communication lines."
The fifth put his glasses back on his nose and nodded. He stretched his fingers. "Well.at least we do have a starting point. It should make this exercise a little easier. And I do so miss computer work."
Tegan turned to face the screens as the Doctor on the other side of her tossed back his head with a snort. "Do you? Tedious business, but I suppose there is nothing for it. Tegan, dear, if you would, please boot up a computer on either side of your Doctor there and me. And do stand back."
"Of all the."
"We will need the room," the fifth Doctor supplied, making peace. "These clumsy machines will run slower than we will, I dare say. Having two a piece might speed up the search."
Tegan did as bidden and stood back, her arms crossed over her chest. "At least I can see that your humility is still in tact."
**