Authors notes: I took a bit of artistic license with Greek myths and throwing around a few names. I do apologize. I know it really doesn't fit anything, but I had to come up with something.

**

The vehicle slowed and Tegan could see they were approaching a train. It was moving impossibly fast, but the vehicle had no problem in matching its pace. Within moments, they were docked on its side and Illiana powered down.

With a flick of her wrist, she had a roof extend over and around the car and the wind that had been crashing in around them ceased.

The Doctor blinked and sighed. "Yes, wellwe could have driven here with that protection already up."

"I've never controlled this type of transport before," she returned with a sigh.

"Be thankful, Doc," Tegan admonished. "She got us here in one piece." She intercepted the Doctor's gaze and lowered her eyes to see that her dress top was listing very low on her chest. He cleared his throat and she blushed, angry with him for making her feel uneasy, and adjusted the top higher. She tried desperately to change the subject as a blush spread up his neck to his face. "Where are we anyway? And why was that man in my head?"

Illiana glanced back at the Doctor. "We're on a train heading into the pampas, Tegan," she responded. "You, Doctor, have questions of me, I think."

"Quite," he rumbled. "But I do think it can wait until we're inside."

"I shall pay passage for the four of us," she replied. Victor opened his door and a mirroring one opened on the train skeleton. Tegan glanced ahead of them to the head of the train, seeing something large and sleek sliding above a track. She knew it was run on repulsion; she didn't need the Doctor to tell her that. The night had crept up upon them in full force as they had traveled. The scenery was the gray of black lit with stars overhead.

"Where are we and where are we going?" she asked quietly, to herself more than anyone else. When the Doctor gave her a glance, she asked more loudly: "And who are they?"

"Joiba, if my instincts are correct, Tegan," he replied and nodded toward the door. She followed him as he crawled through the vehicle to the door. She followed, careful not to kneel on her skirt and have it fall away.

"That's quite a lot of information you just gave me, Doc," she responded, sarcasm dripping off her tongue. "I don't think I can handle that much at once."

"Must we fight?" he complained as he neared the entrance to the train. Then he sighed and continued. "Joiba are a very old race, Tegan. One of the First Ones, ancient races that survived the transmission of the last Universe into this one. There's only a few of them but they are exceedingly intelligent, live by no particular moral code as they think they are older than morals and cause havoc."

"Waitthey survived the Big Bang?" Tegan asked as she joined him at the door.

"Well, yes, Tegan. Actually quite a few races survived that. Granted they were the most advanced and in most cases the most militaristic of the races, but yes, several did."

"There's been other Universes?"

"Do keep up, Tegan. Didn't I just say there were? You're missing the point entirely."

"No, I'm not," she shot back. "We've got a race here that is incredibly old and that you say isn't very impressed with morals of any sort. But why would he be in my head?"

The Doctor blew out a breath and crawled into train, reaching back to pull her in behind him. "Illiana says that he knows I can do something to his plans and therefore found a weak link."

"Thanks a lot."

He rolled his eyes as he looped his hands on her waist. "A human's mind is less complicated to manipulate than a Time Lord's, Tegan. I wasn't insulting you."

She frowned and held onto his shoulders as he helped her down. "But what could his plans be?" she asked. The Doctor's hands tightened and she felt his cool skin burn against her warmer body.

"Yes, well, Teganif I knew thatwe wouldn't be having this discussion now, would we?" he gave her a smile and lowered her slowly to the ground. "I rather think we'll need to find that out quickly, though. I don't think it'll involve anything like what we usually deal with. As I said, they don't work by a moral code, but likewise they often view this Universe as transient; Joiba seem not to have a taste for galactic conquest. No, I think this is more of a game to your friend and I'm an unwanted playing piece. Either that or it is rather personal to him and he's rather adamant about getting his way."

"Then why the worry? I mean other than helping Illiana. If she's Joiba too, and they don't work by a moral code"

"Yes I do rather see your point, Tegan. If they don't work by a moral code then how can I know if I'm on the right side? You're being used as an expendable piece as well and I would really rather they wouldn't. And I would like to see what is going onI might be able to help."

She gave him a smile. "Your curiosity sometimes."

He lifted and eyebrow patted her waist and turned. "Let's catch up our host, shall we? Maybe we can persuade her to answer some of the questions."

**

"I suppose you want to know who I am," Illiana said quietly. They were in a small cabin with two bench seats. Tegan looked around distastefully. It was all right by any measure, but she had noticed in her travels with the Doctor that the future rarely changed anything least of all interior design. The benches were the same as the type that had inhabited trains in her time. With a sigh at the sight of yet another fact that burst her dreams of the future, she shook her head. She smiled at Illiana and sank into the bench as the beauty waved her to take.

The Doctor sank into the seat next to her and leaned forward, supporting his elbows on his knees. "Yes, well, Illianayou can start by telling me if I'm correct in my guess at you being a member of the Joiba race."

"You are very correct, Doctor," Illiana replied, holding out her arm to her son. "I would have thought you wouldn't need to ask me to confirm that."

"He's all for someone confirming he's got it right just so he can tell if one of us has it wrong," Tegan offered helpfully, fielding a glare from the Doctor as her due. "So you're a Joiba?"

The woman's nod was firm. "Yes, and despite the Doctor thinking I work by no moral code, he's wrong. I simply want to weather this Universe and its ages to go on to the next expansion."

"So you're an Eternal?" Tegan asked, earnestly.

"Tegan," the Doctor said quietly. "Eternals exist outside of time. Illiana and Victor exist in time. They are very different beasts, you see. Which Joiba are you?" he asked, changing the topic quickly. Tegan sighed and sat back against the seat bench with an agitated sigh.

Illiana smiled tightly and then glanced down at Victor. "I'm known by the name of Castrellia on Gallifrey, Doctor. On Earth, I've been known as Lilith or Aphrodite."

"Hmm," the Doctor replied. "And Victor here is known as Eros?"

"Humans have such interesting notions of what constitutes god-like qualities," she laughed.

"And of course, it suits your purpose and your ego," the Doctor stated with a smile. "And the man that is after Tegan."

Illiana cradled her son's head. "It is he who walks in darkness, Doctor."

The Doctor lifted his head and rubbed at his lips with his fingers. "Haldian?"

"Who's that when he's at home?" Tegan asked, laying her hand on his arm. "Doc, you looked shocked."

Illiana responded by nodding to Tegan. "Haldian was known as great harbinger of evil on Gallifrey."

"He's known as Ares on Earth, Tegan," the Doctor explained.

"The God of War?"

"Yes, wellthe God of Mindless War if you will, Tegan. He's the god of bloodlust and he's the father of VictorEros here," the Doctor smiled at the boy. Then he gave Tegan a look. "But what is his plan, Illiana?"

"He has no plans per se for this planet, Doctor. He wants Victor back to follow his example. He loves to create havoc and pain and misdirection. He experiments with minds and drugs here and now. It is a game to him mostly and will be very upset if his game is taken from him."

The Doctor blew out a breath. "You Joibawhen will you ever learn that games you play on an individual level have far reaching problems for the rest of the galaxy." He squinted at Illiana. "Do I have your word that you are only trying to pass the age here?"

"I am goddess of Love," the woman replied. "I am the first woman. I will rely on those facts to state my purpose to you."

"But his pursuit of youhis presence here with his mental powers will reek havoc on the surrounding humans."

"And Gallifreyans, Doctor," Illiana clarified. "You forget our power over your kind as well."

"You've ruined his self view now," Tegan stated with a smile.

"Do be quiet, Tegan," the Doctor admonished. "You said only a few places were safe from him"

"I have a ship of sorts, Doctor. I do leave this planet occasionally. I simply return here when I long for it. As you, this is one of my favorite planets." She smiled lovingly at Tegan. "And one of my favorite races."

The Doctor nodded. "You'll leave."

"If I can reach my ship, yes. I would offer up protection for Tegan until he finds some other pass-time or he deems you not a threat to his happiness. It's the least I can do for the help you'll give me."

With a sigh, he gave another nod. Tegan frowned and leaned into her friend, talking under her breath. "But if he has power over you"

"The best thing to do in those cases is to be as unpredictable as possible," he responded with a smile. "If I don't know what I'm doing, how could they possibly know what I'll do?

She lifted an eyebrow and muttered a 'yeah' under her breath with a grimace on her face. At his surprised look, she shrugged, the movement made comical by her slender naked shoulders rising and falling as if she was laughing. "How is that different from normal?"

He glared and turned his attention back to Illiana. "And if, by some unseen force, we are barred from your ship?"

"Then I would lead you to a temple to the northwest of here. It is hidden in the jungle"

The Doctor nodded. "I know the one you speak of. It's a Mayan temple, yes?" He glanced out the window and sighed. "At the speed we're traveling I would say we would be in the mesoamerica-"

Tegan sat back against the bench and listened to the Doctor ramble on about the Mayans and Mesoamerica and Belize and Panama. She was tired, so very tired from many things and this just seemed to be more troublesome than dangerous. With exhausted eyes, she watched as the Doctor lifted his hand to trace the shape of a temple in the air. His fingers, slender, artistic, beautiful fingers, mesmerized her as he tried to show the outline of the pyramid. And his voice, his voice was calmer, easier, and more familiar than the voice that had sounded in her head just hours before. It soothed her. She wanted to sleep. When she half-closed her eyes, she could see a faint outline of white light about Illiana and Victor. As she watched the Doctor, she noticed a similar outline about himonly it was a warmer, more gold colored aura.

She yawned and moved closer to the Time Lord, resting against the bench back with her eyes listing shut. The glow about him flared and she edged to the light, resting her cheek on the cool of his shirt. She still didn't understand his methods nor did she agree with them; she didn't want to know how or why he was willing to throw his morals to the side; she didn't know if her friendship with him would ever be the same. But they were on a train racing away from the TARDIS, away from Turlough, away from Carnival and into the night with someone who may or may not have been a god to humans and although it wasn't as horrible or as upsetting as other things had been in the past, he still was the only familiar thing for her to hold to.

He shifted and she felt his arm lift and fall across her shoulders, but didn't open her eyes. If she opened her eyes, the situation would change. The glow would be gone. She wanted the glow. It soothed her. It was almost as if it was the Doctor undisturbed by lifebut she smiled. The thought was outrageous. She didn't believe in all that new age mumbo-jumbo.

Illiana's lilting voice answered the Doctor and she felt the answer to her question rumble through her cheek. She was lying in sunshine, warmed on a beach. It was summer. Light was all around. And then

Then

A cloud passed over the sun.

And the cloud didn't move. She could still feel the residual warmth on her skin, against her cheek, but the cloud was letting a cool breeze blow over her. Her eyes squeezed as she tried to place the feeling. Ice crept into her mind.

"Oh no," she moaned, as her eyes snapped open. Illiana was gasping in the seat across from her. The Doctor gripped her shoulder to keep her from rocketing out of the seat to fall on her knees by Illiana. "No, he's here."

Illiana swallowed hard and nodded. Her skin had dulled to a gray in fear. "Yeshe's on the train. He's searching, reaching out with his mind."

"Shield yours," the Doctor barked. "He's followed us much like a homing beacon." He stood and moved to the door of the cabin, frowning. "Shield your mind, Illiana."

"He'll sense Tegan's. He's had a taste of hers," Illiana breathed.

The Doctor grunted and turned. Tegan tried to give him a smile. "I don't understand what the whole problem is. I know I can't stand him in my brain and don't want him there, but is it"

"He'll reek havoc, Tegan. He'll plow through the Earth uprooting whole civilizations to take back what he thinks is his," the Doctor explained quickly. "He doesn't see civilization as valid; he doesn't care."

"The best way to handle him is to have me leave here. The best way is to take Victor and leave the Earth. He'll follow me. He'll have no reason to remain here."

The Doctor gave a harsh chuckle. "He's well known for his temper, Illiana, in any society."

She nodded. "But he's also known for his single-mindedness. He wants me; he wants Victor. All I need do is reach that temple site in modern Belize" she took a deep breath and looked in pain. "I can shield my mind, but Tegan can't shield hers. He has changed her brain chemistry. I can heal that."

Almost in pain, the Doctor nodded. "I felt that when I searched her mind. He has altered it. What incredible power"

"Typical of you," Tegan growled, rubbing at her temples. "Someone completely redecorates my mind and you admire the engineering"

The Doctor shook his head. "It is incredible, Tegan. Completely making your mind work in a different manner simply by invading it for a moment is incredible-"

"Doctor!" she exclaimed. "It's my mind."

"Quite right," he growled in return. Tegan opened her mouth to yell back at him when she felt a wash of cold flush her mind. She winced and her head fell to her palms.

"He's getting nearer," she moaned.

Illiana stood, shaking her head. "We have to leave here now. Tegan-"

"We'll have to separate from you" the Doctor barked, turning to help Tegan to her feet.

"You'll have to get to my"

"We'll be there; you'll have to do what you can for her mind," the Doctor responded. "Run, Illiana. Take your vehicle. We'll find our own way."

Tegan barely had time to understand what was happening when the Doctor reached down and cupped her elbows, pulling her to stand. She felt another wave of ice form in her mind, this time accompanied by pain and she stumbled into his chest. "Doc?" she weakly called him. Where was his warmth? His light?

"Go!" the Doctor encouraged Illiana, holding his companion. "I'll take care of Tegan. Her mind and mine might be somewhat confusing to him. Go!"

Illiana gave a wide grimace, gathered her son to her and ran from the cabin back the way they had come. Tegan watched her go; her sight hazy with pain. With shaky hands, she put her arms around his waist, and pressed her cheek against his chest. "The TARDIS?" she croaked.

"We can't, Tegan," the Doctor said, gently as he edged out the door and glanced down the skinny corridor. "You need Illiana's help. I can't undo what has been done to you, Tegan. He's fused your sensory input channels into something quite different than what should be there. You're sensing more than you should. Feeling more than you should" his voice drifted off. "Can you sense him nearby?"

She nodded, and began to gasp. "Very near. Doctor"

"Then we need to steer him in a different direction that Illiana went while keeping you away from him, physically. Come on" he whispered and then pulled Tegan along the corridor after him. She drug her feet, blinding clinging to his side as he slipped down one corridor and into another car. "We've got to give her some time. Just some little time, Tegan. Hold on."

"And how will you get us out of here towherever we have to go" she hissed, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Have faith, Miss Tegan," he stated good-naturedly. The squeeze of his hand as it cupped her hip was a more physical show of his support and protection.

"I can barely think" she whispered.

"We should be quick, then," he muttered. He took a deep breath and opened another door, leading her down yet another corridor. They only made it two steps inside the new car when the shadow in Tegan's mind coalesced into a large, hulk of a human being. She winced and turned her face into the Doctor clinging to the bright gold that surrounded him and the coolness of his body. She saw the ebony aura about 'him' clearly. It was so encompassing that the sheer oily black that permeated the air around him blotted out even his rich dark blue clothing. "Horrible" she breathed.

The Doctor tightened his arm, holding her to his side. "Ah, well" he said, his voice taking on his normal polite tone. "I see that you've found us."

"Of course I have, Doctor or shall I say"

Tegan started at the long string of syllables that fell from the 'dark man's' lips. It was musical. What was that, she thought.

"Yes, you see, Time Lord, I know you. Just as you know me," the being stated quietly. He reached out his hand and Tegan felt cold brush her cheek although his hand was feet from her. "As I know this lovely human's mind."

The Doctor gave a sharp inhale and narrowed his eyes. "You've changed her."

"I've enhanced her, Time Lord. Humans are such a lovely malleable species. "She should thank me."

"You had no right!" the Doctor shot back. "Altering a human's mind will alter her ability to handle her environment, to interact, to think, to dreamand why did you"

The 'dark man' lifted an eyebrow and fixed the Doctor with a stare. "To understand her, I had to have her mind talk my language. She sees things on a different level now. But that is secondary to my purpose in doing it, Doctor. I want IllianaI want my wife. When I felt your presence, I knew that she would find you as well, appeal to you, and appeal for your help to hide away my son and her. And I knew you would help. You can't do anything but help those in need, can you? Your friend, I know what she means to you"

"She's a friend," the Doctor nearly shouted.

"Even if you don't know what she is to you, DoctorI still do. Only I can undo what is in her mind. And I will only do that after Illiana is brought to me"

Tegan shook her head forcefully. "No," she breathed. "Not blackmail."

"Ahyes, brave. You think that of her as well" the dark man stated. "Now, Doctortell me where Illiana is."

"Can't penetrate a Gallifreyan mind as easy, can you?" the Doctor said, almost gleefully. "To be quite honest, I don't know where Illiana is, Ares. I may call you that, mightn't I?"

"But you know where she is going," he rumbled, heavily.

"No, not really," the Doctor replied. Tegan shivered as ice pressed into her mind more. She felt the Doctor start to push her behind him and shook her head.

Ares frowned and waved his hand dismissively. With a grin, he centered his eyes on the Doctor and winked. Tegan stumbled backwards as the Doctor crumpled to his knees. Within seconds, she was on the floor next to him, her arms around him, blinded by anger and fear. Her friend had his hands on his head and his eyes were squeezed shut in pain. "What have you done to him?"

"Why, my dear, the exact same thing I did to you," the dark man answered. Tegan couldn't, wouldn't, refer to him as a god by any stretch. She felt the Doctor shiver and she reared her head, her eyes narrowed.

"Leave him be!"

"Ahthat's very touching, love," he whispered. "Doctor? Will you tell me where my wife has gone? She has my son. I do believe I have a right to know."

The Doctor grit his teeth and shook his head. "She has a right not to be found," he croaked.

"What I have done will cause you pain more than it did your friend, Doctor."

Tegan frowned and rose to her feet, dragging the Doctor up with her. She pulled the Doctor backward down the corridor, the pain less in her own mind. She could tell it was transferred to the Doctor. She fell against the wall, weak. Glancing to the side, she saw a door similar to the one that they had stumbled in from the car, vehiclewhatever it had been.

"I think you should tell me, Doctor. Unlike your companion, if I don't reverse what has occurred, it will cause permanent damage."

"Hold on," Tegan whispered and reached for the door release mechanism. It fell open and she pulled the Doctor's larger bulk toward the door. He blinked, realizing there was a presentation of an escape in front of him. He looped his hand around Tegan's waist and hefted her off the ground. There was barely twenty feet between them and the dark man. He pushed Tegan into the connection tube and levered himself up, grimacing in pain.

"I wish you hadn't done that," came the menacing reply. Tegan tumbled into the cab of another vehicle. She glanced around at the instrumentation in a state of confusion. She found something like a key just as there was a loud sound like a pulse of energy and the Doctor fell into the cab along side her.

"Drive," he gasped.

"I don't know how," she shot back, nearly waving her hands in agitation.

"Key, turn. Connection, sever," he moaned, reaching over with shaking hands to push the connection knob. She felt the vehicle float free, held in the gravity bubble of the train. "Turn the key, Tegan and driveit's mostly like your" he groaned.

She flicked the key into the on position and grabbed the wheel as the car swung free. There was a pedal of sorts and she stepped on it, twisting the wheel as the same time. The vehicle plowed away from the train and slowed immediately. She fought to control it.

"A little help would be good," she complained, glancing over at the Doctor.

He lay back against the seat, holding his shoulder. She could see the burn, the dark black burn across his shirt. It covered most of the shoulder and part of his back. He tried to give a weak smile. "If I could, TeganI would give you as much help as I could, but"

"You've been shot?!" she exclaimed. "Hell's Teeth, Doc"

He hissed a breath through his teeth and shook his head. "Drive, Teganjust get us away from that traingo north east. Yes, I was shot. Apparently" he swallowed, trying to smile. "Apparently, our friend there had a terrible temper and didn't mind lowering himself to primitive pain devices"

Tegan nearly wept and turned her attention back to the steering column. She lifted a hand to brush tears away as the vehicle rocketed away into the night; away from what little civilization the train had presented.