Gorrob's house was dark and still. The Doctor crept quietly around the building, listening for any signs of movement or stirring from within, but he heard nothing. Possibly Gorrob slept soundly, or perhaps he had remained at the public house for the night. The Doctor looked through the cracks in the walls, but he could see little. Scanning the area carefully, he walked with muted steps toward the door.
He hoped that the door was not barred from within, although he doubted that these villagers would feel a need for protection; they did not appear to have any enemies. He gave the door a slight push, and it swung inward an inch or so with a creak. The Doctor grasped the edge of the door to prevent further sounds. He stood immobile, listening again for any noises inside. After several minutes, he moved the door gradually, slowly, and soundlessly until there was a space wide enough to permit his entry.
Once inside, he looked around, squinting in the darkness in attempt to make out his surroundings. He saw a faint glow and realized that there were a few embers still smoldering in the fireplace. He padded toward it and felt about until his hand touched a piece of wood. He set this on the ashes and waited for it to ignite. Once it did, the room was lit sufficiently for him to see a table with a bench, a rough shelf with a few jugs and iron pots upon it, and a stack of logs by the fireplace. There was little else in the room, save several spears resting against the wall by the door.
He saw an open doorway to his left; he assumed that this lead to the room where Gorrob slept. On the other hand, it might be the place in which the ore was stored. However, he did not see any other doorways or areas where a quantity of rock could be left. Moving as silently as he could, he walked toward the doorway and peered inside.
The firelight provided little illumination, but he could see an outline that appeared to be a bed, and he heard deep, slumbering breathing. A sour smell of alcohol wrinkled his nose. Gorrob was likely asleep for the entire night. The Doctor stood for some time then withdrew his flashlight. Holding his hand over the lens and pointing it toward the ground, he switched on the light. Gorrob's breathing did not change, so the Doctor moved the light around the floor of the room.
The corners were empty, as was the perimeter near the walls. Shaking his head, the Doctor shifted the beam toward the bed. Like the bed on which he had lain Tegan, Gorrob's was a heavy piece of skin stretched over four posts. It sat up several feet off of the floor. As the light swept under the bed, the Doctor caught his breath. Beneath Gorrob lay a substantial quantity of ore. It looked as though the entire wagonload had been put under his bed.
The Doctor switched off the light and knelt, then crept forward on his hands and knees. He was only a foot from the bed when a noise from outside startled him. He heard angry shouting, but he could not make out the words. He froze for a moment then began to stand. However, pounding on the outer door of the house changed his plans.
As Gorrob sat up in his bed and blinked, the Doctor flattened his body against the floor and rolled under the bed. There was little space, and the rocks pressed into his back, but he remained silent.
"Gorrob!" a voice bellowed in between the pounding blows at the door.
The Doctor heard Gorrob move; he hoped that he was far enough under the bed to prevent the man from stepping on him.
"What?" Gorrob shouted.
The outer door was pushed open and banged against the wall. "She's gone," a voice slurred. The Doctor recognized it as Vandak. He sounded quite inebriated, and judging from the noises in the adjacent room, the Time Lord guessed that the man was stumbling.
Gorrob stood; his feet missed the Doctor by inches. "What're you talking about?" he grumbled, his voice still thick with sleep.
Vandak stormed into the room; his huge silhouette was visible in the doorway. "The woman-- the one I want. She's gone."
"Dock Turr took her to the back," Gorrob said sleepily.
"Yeah, I know. But I got tired of waiting, an' I went to get her. She's gone, and he is, too."
Gorrob seemed to consider this information for several seconds. The Doctor did not dare draw a breath; he only hoped that neither man would light a candle and glance downward. Finally Gorrob spoke.
"Do you think he took her?"
Vandak growled, "Yeah. But she's mine-- I'm gonna have her. He can't take her away."
"Where'd they go?" Gorrob asked.
Vandak shook his huge head. "I dunno. But I knew we couldn't trust Dock Turr. You shouldn't have brought him here."
"He saved our animal--"
"We'll get more-- they're comin' for the rocks, and they'll bring another one. They promised. You were stupid to bring him here. You should've killed him when you found him."
The Doctor tried to roll back further beneath the bed, but the rocks prevented any significant movement.
"He can't have got too far," Gorrob said, "especially if he had her with him."
Gorrob reached toward the bed. The Doctor raised his hands to his face to block the blow that he felt certain was impending. However, the Aseylian leader merely dragged a cape from the bed and wrapped it around his shoulders.
"C'mon," he said brusquely, striding through the doorway, "we'll find them."
"You kill him-- I'm taking her." Vandak stormed off behind Gorrob.
The Doctor slid out from under the bed the moment he heard the door slam shut. He gathered a dozen or so large pieces of ore and wrapped them in an animal skin, then he hurried to the door. He listened to determine the direction in which the men were heading; their voices trailed off toward the building where he thought Tegan and the other women had been kept. Fortunately the stable lay in the opposite direction. He slipped out of the door and sprinted toward his friend.
---------------
Tegan had found the strange animal oddly comforting in the darkness of the stable. It stood patiently near the bench where she sat. Its body radiated heat, which prevented her from shivering in the pre-dawn chill. The animal, despite its grotesque appearance, seemed quite placid.
Tegan had felt apprehensive in the moments after the Doctor had left her. She had rarely felt so vulnerable. If anyone were to come into the stable, she had no weapon or other means of protection. She saw a large wooden pitchfork near the stall where she sat; she reached for it and ran her fingers over the prongs. They were dull, and the implement was made of a surprisingly light wood. With a sigh she dropped the pitchfork to the ground next to her feet.
A slight rustling from across the stable caused her to draw in a sharp breath. After a moment she realized that it was only the other animal shifting in its stall. Still, she murmured, "Come on, Doctor. Hurry up."
A short while later, Tegan heard voices. She could not make out the words, but someone was shouting angrily. Her heart began to pound; at least one man was awake and moving about the village. He might come to the stable for the animals. She stood abruptly, crying out softly at the pain this sudden motion brought to her ribs. One of the animals snorted, and Tegan jumped at the noise.
She looked around, her eyes straining against the darkness. She took a few steps toward the door, but she wondered where she could hide if she left the stable. She didn't dare go inside any of the buildings, and there did not seem to be any other structures in which she could conceal herself. Grabbing the pitchfork, she retreated to the back of the stable, crouching at the edge of one of the stalls.
When she heard hurried footsteps approaching the building, she clutched her flimsy weapon in shaking hands. Someone entered the stable, feet crunching over the dried hay on the ground. The Doctor's step was light; Tegan was certain that she would recognize it. The person walking around only feet away from her trod heavily. As the footsteps grew nearer, she shrank back in terror.
In a moment the man was directly in front of her. She did not breathe. When the figure bent toward her, she thrust the pitchfork at him.
"Ow! Really, Tegan, that's no way to greet a friend!" The Doctor's voice was perhaps the best thing she had ever heard.
"Doctor!" she exclaimed, dropping the pitchfork. "I didn't think it was you. You sounded so heavy."
"Yes. That would be the sack of molybdenite that I've brought with me."
She struggled to stand. His hands grasped her arms gently yet securely, and he lifted her upward. When she was fully upright, the Doctor released her. However, Tegan's legs seemed to turn to liquid beneath her, and she began to sink down.
She felt the Doctor slip his arm around her shoulders to provide her with some support until she steadied herself.
"Tegan," he said softly, "you're shaking."
"It's--" her teeth were chattering, "it's cold-- in here."
He wrapped both arms around her and drew her into his chest. "It's all right," he said simply.
She leaned against him quietly for perhaps half a minute until she heard shouting again.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Can you walk now?"
She nodded and backed away from him slightly. Her legs felt more solid, and she no longer trembled.
"Good," he said. "I'm afraid that we haven't much time. It seems that Vandak and Gorrob are searching for us as we speak."
"They found out that we left the public house?"
"Yes."
"How?"
The Doctor hesitated. "It's not important, Tegan."
"Cripes," she said flatly. "He came for me, didn't he?"
"It doesn't matter now. The important thing is that we have the molybdenite we need, so we can leave and return to the TARDIS."
"But they're looking for us--"
"They're across the village right now, and it's still dark out. We can climb over the wall directly behind us and slip away without being seen."
"Doctor, the wall is over two meters high. I don't think I can get over it." The effort required to stand had left her ribs throbbing.
"You may not have to climb over it," he responded.
"Why not? Are you going to toss me over like a giant cricket ball?" she asked dryly.
"Tegan, you overestimate my throwing skills. No, I believe that we can enlist our friend here to assist us." The Doctor gestured toward the alien animal.
The shouting seemed louder; the men were getting closer.
"Come along," the Doctor said. Tegan was not sure whether he spoke to her or to the animal.
He led the creature from its stall and out the door. Tegan followed behind, somewhat surprised that this beast was so docile. It walked next to the Doctor like a massive canine companion. Across the village, Tegan saw lights, and the angry voices had not diminished.
The Doctor took the animal behind the stable and led it to the wall. He stopped and placed his hands on its face. He seemed to look at it quite intently for several seconds. Then, to Tegan's surprise, it bent its legs and sank down on its knees in front of her.
"There you are," the Doctor said. "He will gladly lift you up to the top of the wall."
"How did you do that?" Tegan asked, still somewhat astonished.
"I'll explain later." He was already guiding her toward the creature. "Now, when you get to the top of the wall, just sit there until I join you. I'll help you get down on the other side."
Tegan had begun to lift her leg over the animal's neck when she heard the scream. She froze. It was followed by several furious shouts. The voice was so loud that Tegan could make out the words "tell me" and "where is she?" A second scream, definitely female, brought tears to Tegan's eyes.
She stepped away from the animal and toward the Doctor. "Someone's being hurt," she said anxiously.
The Doctor had turned to the direction from which the noises came. He did not respond to her.
"Doctor!" she said again, reaching for his shoulder.
When he turned his head to her, she saw abject sorrow in his eyes.
"What is it?" she asked. "What do you know?"
He spoke slowly; his voice was husky. "It's Elara. Vandak believes that she knows where you are."
"Are you sure?"
He nodded. "My hearing is more acute than yours."
Tegan's hands had clenched into fists. "Doctor," she said firmly, "interference with a culture is one thing. Saving a person who's being hurt because of us is something else completely."
"Yes," he said sadly, "I'm afraid that this time you are entirely correct."
A third scream caused the Doctor to wince visibly.
"What are we waiting for?" Tegan asked. "We have to help her-- and we have to do it now. My God, Doctor, he could kill her."
He remained still, listening for several seconds before speaking. Tegan could still hear the shouting, but she could not make out the words.
Finally, the Doctor said, "Vandak has left her. She told him that you and I were in the stable. Come-- now."
He took her hand and pulled her aside, then he nodded to the animal. It rose to its full height and lumbered toward the Doctor. He touched its forehead; it turned and began walking away.
"I've sent him to the stable to create a distraction. He'll give us a few minutes in which to get away."
"But what about Elara?" Tegan cried. "We can't just leave her here."
The Doctor was already moving with swift steps, clasping Tegan's wrist in one hand and the pack of ore in the other. The village was still dusky, but she could make out the shapes of the houses more clearly. Dawn was less than thirty minutes away.
"We're going to get her, right?" Tegan asked with growing insistence.
"He's gotten the information he wanted."
"But he could come back-- especially when he finds out that we aren't in the stable. We have to get her."
The Doctor looked back at Tegan. Her face was set in determination, and she kept up with his fast past fearlessly. He knew that each step jarred her ribs, but she seemed momentarily unaware.
"Other men could still be with her," the Doctor said. "There could be a great danger for you--"
"Not as much as for her." The Doctor heard no trace of the fear that had trembled in her voice a few minutes ago. Anger had overtaken her apprehension.
They walked quickly between several houses. A few lights were visible now between cracks in the walls, no doubt due to Vandak's commotion. Doors remained closed, however. As they neared the house where Elara had been, they heard a crash from some distance away.
"And that will be our diversion," the Doctor commented with a slight smile. "Our new friend has managed to knock down a wall or two, I think. Back here, Tegan!"
He stepped fluidly behind the nearest house as several doors opened and a few men came out of their homes. Shouting could be heard from the stable.
The Doctor and Tegan screened themselves in the dark shadow of the building as two men hurried past them. They recognized one as the villager who had taken Elara for the night. They waited for a few moments then ran toward the building which likely housed Elara. The door was open, and they stepped inside. The Doctor set his pack aside as Tegan began to search the dim house.
In a corner near the fireplace she glimpsed a figure crumpled on the ground. "Doctor!" she called, sinking to her knees. She touched the woman's hair; her fingers felt wet.
The Time Lord knelt beside Elara, feeling for a pulse in her wrist.
"That bastard killed her, didn't he?" Tegan asked as hot tears welled in her eyes.
"Sshh," the Doctor responded, bending his head to Elara's chest. "No, she's still alive."
"We have to get her out of here."
Tegan reached for Elara's shoulders, but the Doctor said, "Don't move her yet. You could exacerbate her injuries."
She could see him moving in the gray light, running his hands over the young woman. After a minute or two, he said, "Her shoulder is dislocated, and there is a large swelling above her ear-- she may have a concussion."
"But we can move her?"
"Yes." The Doctor lifted Elara into his arms. "See if you can find some water."
Tegan squinted around the room. Near the door she saw several bags hanging from a peg. She grabbed two of them and hung them around her neck. "Okay," she acknowledged.
"Come on," the Doctor said, already walking toward the door.
Once outside, they rushed toward the gate. They could hear a considerable commotion from the other side of the village; apparently the animal had drawn most of the inhabitants' attention.
"The gate, Tegan," the Doctor urged.
Tegan lifted the heavy bar and swung the gate open, but the Doctor stopped suddenly. "The ore!" he said. "I left it in the house."
"I'll get it." Tegan whirled back, running to the house then dragging the heavy pack behind her as she stumbled back to the gate. The exhaustion and pain which had plagued her earlier were forgotten in her fervor to take Elara away from harm and leave the confines of the village.
The Doctor had stepped through the gate by the time she returned. "Shut it behind us," he said. Tegan obeyed, pulling the heavy wood forward. The bar slipped back into place with a thud.
"Maybe they won't realize that we came out this way," she said, but her voice was nearly drowned out by the howling wind. Once away from the shelter of the walls, the wind assaulted them with its full force.
Tegan hauled the pack toward the Doctor. He stood with Elara in his arms, watching his friend as she struggled forward with the burden.
"Can you manage it?" he shouted to her.
He saw her nod.
"The TARDIS is too far from here; we'll never make it there," he said as she neared him.
"We can't stay out here!" Tegan wailed.
"The caves," he said suddenly. "They're about two kilometers away. Can you make it that far? You'll have to hold the bag up; if you drag it there will be a trail."
Again Tegan nodded. He saw the strength of her resolve in the firm tilt of her chin.
"Put some of the ore into my pockets," he told her. "You can't carry that the entire way."
She removed several pieces of ore and placed them in his coat pockets. She saw his legs shift then straighten. She lifted the pack; it was cumbrous, but she held it with both hands to distribute the weight better.
"Let's go," she said.
They began walking, their pace rapid at first but quickly slowing as each dealt with the weight they carried. Tegan tried to keep the bag in front of her, but several times it swung into her legs, slamming against her shins with considerable force. Twice she stumbled and nearly fell to the ground.
After thirty minutes she was operating on instinct alone. Her entire body felt numb, and her mind focused singularly upon taking just one more step and then another. The Doctor glanced at her often; he could see that she was thoroughly drained, but he knew that stopping was not an option. The caves loomed ahead in clear view.
"It's not much farther," he called to her several times, yet even his strong constitution was beginning to tire from the weight he bore and the force of the wind. He was truly surprised that Tegan remained on her feet; he expected her to collapse at any moment. Human resolve, he considered, could accomplish amazing things.
When the Doctor and Tegan finally stood before the opening to a cave, she appeared unaware that they had reached their destination. Her expression was blank, and her arms appeared locked at a ninety degree angle.
"We're here," the Doctor told her. "Come inside."
He ducked into the tunnel before him then walked several yards until he reached a relatively spacious cavern. He set Elara on the ground.
"All right, Tegan," he said, "you can rest now."
There was no response to his comment. He turned to look around the cavern; Tegan was nowhere in sight.
He hurried back to the cave entrance. She stood there with the pack still dangling from her hands.
"Come on," the Doctor said, taking the pack from her.
"No," she murmured, "I have to hold it until we get there."
"We've arrived." He placed his hand on her back and ushered her forward into the cave.
Once in the cavern, he said, "We'll be safe in here for a while."
Tegan blinked at him several times. "Where are we?" she asked in a languid voice.
"We're in one of the caves. Sit down and rest."
Tegan scowled and looked around. The cave's interior was dim, but several holes in the ceiling permitted some weak early morning light to enter.
"Where's Elara?" Tegan asked, stepping forward.
"She's right over there," the Doctor told her.
"Is she all right?" Tegan stumbled toward the other woman.
Elara lay on the floor. Even in the vague light Tegan could see that she was badly hurt. Her forehead was covered in dried blood, and the side of her face was swollen and bruised. Her arm hung at an odd angle by her side. She was still unconscious.
Tegan dropped to her knees and placed her hand on Elara's cheek. "This happened because of us." She looked up at the Doctor. "You have to help her."
He joined Tegan kneeling next to the injured woman, saying, "I'll do everything that I can." He took the flashlight from his pocket and shone it on Elara's face as he lifted each of her eyelids.
"What's wrong?" Tegan asked, her voice rising.
The Doctor glanced up at his companion. "She's all right, Tegan. There's no sign of concussion."
"So she'll wake up soon?"
The Doctor nodded. "It shouldn't be too much longer." He left the light on and allowed it to reflect off of one of the walls.
Tegan touched the blood on Elara's temple. "We have to clean this up--"
She reached for one of the containers that still hung around her neck and pulled out the stopper. She tilted the bag, and amber liquid fell across her hand.
"Damn it! It's alcohol!" she cried. She fumbled with the second container. Her fingers seemed unwilling to obey her wishes.
The Doctor pulled the container up and over her head then opened it. "This one is water."
Tegan snatched the pouch back from him and poured a small stream over Elara's forehead. Her hand shook, splashing water on the ground.
The Doctor took her hand in his. "Let me take care of this."
"But her arm--"
"A simple dislocation. I'll return the bone to the socket. If she keeps the arm immobile and free from pressure she'll be fine."
"She'll need a sling, right? What can we use? I can take these off--" Tegan's words came out rapidly; she was barely intelligible.
She began to lift her sweater, but the Doctor said, "No, you still need those bandages."
"My tights-- she can use my tights." Now Tegan stood and fumbled with her skirt. Her fingers still refused to cooperate.
"Tegan, sit down, please," the Doctor said, keeping his voice as even as possible.
Elara moaned, and her eyelids fluttered. The Time Lord bent over her. "It's all right," he told her softly, "you're safe."
The Aseylian moaned again, twisting her shoulder and reaching for it with her other hand.
"What's the matter?" Tegan asked anxiously.
"She's regaining consciousness. Her shoulder is going to be extremely painful until the humerus is back in place. I'd better do this now."
Bracing Elara's torso with his knee, he quickly pulled her arm toward his own body. She gasped and jerked, then her eyes closed and she lay still.
The Doctor moved his hand over her shoulder, nodding briefly, then rested his fingers against her wrist. "The circulation appears normal," he said.
Tegan did not respond to his comment. He looked up. His companion sat on the floor with her head against the wall. Like Elara, her eyes were shut. Her tights were twisted slightly around her knees; she had managed to remove them that far before foundering to the ground. The Doctor could see that her chest rose and fell slowly. She had collapsed into sleep.
He used the water and a splash of the alcohol to clean the gash on the side of Elara's head. There was little he could do for the bruises on her cheek. He unwrapped the ore from the skin which had held it then tucked the pelt around Elara. There was nothing else to use for a sling; actually, Tegan's tights would work well. The Doctor moved toward her and pulled the pliable fabric down over her knees and slipped the leggings off of her feet.
"Oh Tegan," he muttered as her legs were exposed to him. Her shins had several large welts on them. He surmised that the pack she carried had swung back against her. When he touched one of the lumps, he found her skin cold. He moved his hands down to her feet; they were absolutely icy, and the soles were cut and bruised deeply.
The Doctor rubbed her feet vigorously between his hands to warm them. He chastised himself for failing to provide her with some sort of footwear to protect her from the frozen ground. Surely he could have found Elara's boots. Tegan did not stir during his ministrations; exhaustion had enveloped her in a deep slumber.
After some time, her skin felt warmer, and the Doctor turned his attention to her hands. They had been exposed to the cold and wind, too. Her fingers were cool, but there were no early signs of frostbite. Despite this, he moved his palms over her hands several times. Satisfied that her extremities were in no danger, he washed the blood from her feet. She roused slightly, but she did not wake. When he had finished, he shifted the cape so that it covered the front of her body, tucking it securely around her feet.
He used the tights to fashion a sling for Elara's arm. Once he had fastened it around her shoulder, he arranged the pelt over her again and sat back against the wall. He, too, was exhausted, but he did not require sleep. He allowed his head to rest against the rock; however, his eyes remained open, watching the two women lying prone before him.