Morning came early, it seemed: much to early to suit Tegan. She groaned when her eyes opened, and groaned again, louder, when she couldn't fall back asleep.

"You're making some very interesting sounds," the Doctor murmured from beside her.

"It's called my I hate morning sounds," she responded, giving up on trying to find her dreams again and turning to face him instead. She figured he'd been awake for a while. It was still dark in their cell, but her eyes had adjusted now, and she could faintly make out that he was on his back. And though she couldn't see his features well, she suspected his blue eyes were as calm and reflective as always. For a moment Tegan had a vivid flashback to his previous incarnation. Now there was a man who wouldn't have just been lying calmly about. The old Doctor would've been pacing and rambling, or rambling and pacing as the case might have been. This Doctor was a bird of a very different color.

"It isn't morning yet," he said matter-of-factly.

"How do you know?"

He shrugged. "I don't, really. But since we're still in the dark, I'd say it's a reasonable assumption."

She grinned. "Be careful with assumptions, Doc. They-"

"Make an ass out of you and me," he replied dryly. "Yes, Tegan, I am aware of that Human saying. But I'm not human, and I am usually correct in my assumptions."

"If you say so."

"How often have I been wrong?"

"Depends on the subject."

"Are we going to start arguing again so soon? I thought perhaps we could take the day off," he said teasingly.

She chuckled. "Tell you what, Doc: I'll give it a try. No promises, though."

"We'll start small and work our way up."

The light suddenly flicked on, causing the Doctor to squint and Tegan to groan and cover her eyes. "And I was just getting used to the dark."

"If we don't get out of here by nighttime, you can get used to it again," he answered. His comment made her uncover her eyes and stare at him. "What're you saying, Doctor? That we're going to be stuck here for a bit? Not my idea of a vacation, you know!"

"Or mine, Tegan," he countered. "I hope to get us out of here today, yes. But that depends on my being able to sabotage these collars as well as our finding a way out."

She sighed. "True enough. I want out of here something fierce, but not if we're going to get badly injured in the process. It might not be a big deal for you, what with all your lives-"

"Tegan," he said sternly.

"-But this is the only body I get and I'd like to keep it alive and well for as long as possible," she finished.

His expression was tinged with hurt. "I have always done my best to see that you aren't harmed, Tegan. I don't intend to stop that now."

"I didn't say that. Cripes, Doc, I know how protective you are. But not everything is under your control."

"Isn't it?" he replied. "How disappointing!"

She grinned, but didn't have a chance to reply before the door was unlocked and Halda and three others stepped in, the same ones from the previous day. "Come," Halda said without preamble. "You will start to learn the way."

The Doctor and Tegan slid off the bed and walked over to their keepers. Halda stepped close to Tegan, who struggled not to recoil from her nearness. She leaned in and sniffed at Tegan, then moved back and shook her head. "No mate."

"Of course he is," Tegan said quickly, nervously.

Halda shook her head again. "I mean, you two. No mate last night."

It took Tegan a few seconds to understand. When she did she blushed to the roots of her hair. Beside her the Doctor looked a bit askance himself. "How did you know we didn't. mate?" He asked, curious.

Halda waved a hand a Tegan. "Her smell. No different."

The Doctor's eyes widened at this. He wanted to ask more questions, but Halda gave them a push towards the door. "No questions. Time to go. Soon you meet others, eat, bathe. Now you be quiet, or you will get punished." She ran her hand down the stick on her hip and gave the Doctor a meaningful glance.

He nodded. "All right, all right."

They were ushered into a long corridor with gray stone walls. As they walked Tegan tried to memorize the pattern of twists and turns, but finally had to give up. There were too many for her to remember accurately later. Besides, the Doctor would have no problems recalling it later. They passed other humanoids like their captors, but no other prisoners. Tegan suddenly realized that they didn't even know what their jailers were called.

Oh, well, she thought. I'm sure all will be made clear when we're taught "the way."

After walking for what seemed like forever to Tegan the group approached a door at the end of a hall. It was a large metal door made entirely out of bars, with two guards standing outside it. Inside Tegan could see a huge room filled with about a dozen members of different species. She found herself being scrutinized by numerous eyes and tried not to let it unnerve her. She, too, was curious.

One of the guards saluted Halda as she approached. "The new ones?"

"Yes. Start them here for the next few days. Then we can decide what their lifetask will be."

Tegan swallowed hard, glancing at the Doctor. He didn't appear to have taken to the unfamiliar term any more than she had. She forced herself to stay calm as the door was opened and they were ushered inside. They stood just inside the door as it was closed, both of them at a loss as to what would happen next.

"New ones," Halda called in a harsh voice to the group. "Teach them."

One being, which Tegan couldn't decide as being male or female, nodded its square shaped bronze head. "We will."

Their escorts departed, and all that remained were the two guarding the door.

The Doctor walked up to the being who'd answered Halda. "Hello, I'm the Doctor."

It nodded. " Hello, Doctor. I'm Lils."

"This is Tegan," the Doctor continued, gently pulling Tegan to his side.

Another one of them came forward, of the same species, and Tegan still had no clue who was what, or if it even mattered. "This is Rina."

The Doctor nodded. "Hello, Rina." His eyes narrowed for a few seconds as he thought. "Alderons, aren't you?"

"Yes," Rina replied. "And you are humans."

"Well Tegan is, and I'm. a little different," the Doctor said with a smile. "But enough about me: perhaps you could explain all of this to us?"