Elara began to wake sometime later. She opened her eyes and looked around in confusion. The Doctor moved to her side, saying, "It's all right."

Her eyes, large and perplexed, met his briefly, then she looked away in fear. "Where am I?" she whispered.

"You're in a cave, some distance from your village."

She did not look at him again; she was obviously frightened by the Doctor.

"Elara," he said, "you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm not like the men in your village; I won't hurt you. You may speak to me as you would to a woman."

She seemed to consider this for several seconds, then she asked tentatively, "How did I get here?" Her eyes searched the room for familiar faces. However, from her position on the floor she could see little.

"Tegan and I brought you."

"Why?" She struggled to sit, wincing at the pain this caused her shoulder. She looked down at the make-shift sling.

"We were afraid that Vandak would hurt you further," the Doctor told her. He helped her to sit more comfortably against the wall.

She bent her head and rubbed at her temple with her fingers without responding. She touched her swollen cheek then her arm in the sling.

"Your shoulder was dislocated," the Doctor explained. "It should be fine in a week or so, though you'll still have some pain. The less you move it, the better."

"Did Tegan put this on me?" Elara glanced down again at the sling.

"No, I did."

Elara looked at the Doctor full in the face for the first time. "You tended me?"

He nodded and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Men don't help women. A man has never cared for a woman who's been hurt." Elara's voice was incredulous.

The Doctor thought for a moment before he spoke. "I'm from a different place with different ideas."

Elara said shyly, "Thank you for helping me, but you shouldn't have taken me away from the village."

"We didn't feel that we had a choice. You seemed to be in great danger."

Elara did not acknowledge this comment directly. Instead, she looked around the cavern. Her eyes rested on Tegan. "Is she hurt?" she asked.

"She'll be all right," the Doctor responded. "She's very tired."

Elara nodded and continued her perusal of the cave. When she saw the small pile of ore near the entrance to the cavern, she gasped.

The Doctor followed her gaze. "What's the matter, Elara?"

"Did you bring that here?" Her voice was tremulous.

"Yes."

"You took it from Gorrob?"

The Doctor nodded.

"You shouldn't have done that." Elara closed her eyes and raised shaking hands to her face.

The Doctor said, "We need it very badly. We can't leave Aseyla without it."

"He'll come for it," she whispered. "He'll think I helped you to take it, and he'll punish me."

"I won't allow that to happen."

Elara shook her head but did not speak.

"I think you'd better tell me about the ore. What does Gorrob do with it? Why is it so valuable to him?"

Elara was clearly afraid. "I can't talk about it."

"Yes, you can." He put a hand on her uninjured shoulder, keeping his voice gentle. "I can help you and keep you safe, but you must tell me what you know."

"It's forbidden--"

"In your village, yes. But not here."

Still, she did not speak. Finally, the Doctor said, "Elara, I can take you somewhere else. You don't need to return to your village."

She uncovered her face and looked at him. "Where would I go?"

"There are other villages on the planet, aren't there?"

"Yes," she said slowly, "but they're far away."

"I can help you get to one of them."

"It's a long way, and the journey is very difficult--"

"I have a way of traveling that will make it easy. Would you like to go?"

Elara hesitated; to the Doctor it seemed that she had never considered this possibility before. Finally, she said, "I've met a few women from far away. Our men found them and brought them to the village."

"And what did they tell you about their villages?"

"That they were warmer, and there were more plants-- and there was enough food."

"Does that sound like a better life than yours?"

Elara nodded, the realization that a happier existence could await her gradually taking hold.

"I think so, too," said the Doctor.

Tegan muttered something, drawing their attention to her. She still rested against the wall; however, the cloak had slipped from her shoulders and now lay near her waist. Her eyes were closed, but her brow furrowed in discomfort.

The Doctor went to her and moved the cape back up. Elara could not hear what he said to his companion, but his words were soft and seemed soothing. She saw him rest his hand gently on her cheek and brush a strand of hair away from her forehead.

When he returned to Elara, she had an astonished expression on her face. "You act like a woman with her," she said.

The Doctor smiled. "As I told you, my ideas are different from yours. Now, please, you must tell me what you know about the ore. I give you my word that I won't allow any harm to come to you because of it."

Elara swallowed and coughed. The Doctor offered her the water container, from which she took a few small sips. When she spoke finally, her voice quavered.

"The men dig the ore out of these caves," she said.

"Yes, I gathered that. But what use is it to them?"

"The last five winters have been very difficult," she began, apparently shifting to a different topic. "It was colder than before, and the winters were long. There was a very short spring and summer, then the winter began again. We had very few crops-- the fields we had always used wouldn't grow any more. The men had to gather all of the wild plants and grasses that they could to feed our animals, but it wasn't enough. Most of the animals died. We were hungry, too. Some of the men went to other villages far away to try to get food, and they brought back a little, but it wasn't enough, either. It was a very hard time for everyone."

"I can imagine," the Doctor said sympathetically. If only he could teach them basic agricultural principles such as crop rotation... "Please, continue."

"At the beginning of this winter, the men were out hunting. They met two strangers-- two men who were from a very different place. They didn't look like us, or even like you and Tegan."

"What did they look like?" the Doctor inquired.

Elara shook her head. "I don't know. I didn't see them. I only heard some of the men talking about them and saying how strange they were. They had an animal with them-- the one in the stable with the strange nose. They were looking for rocks-- a certain kind of rocks."

"Molybdenite," the Doctor said.

Elara glanced at him; the term seemed familiar to her. "Our men knew where to find the rocks, and they made an agreement with the strangers that they would take them to the rocks and remove them if they would leave the animal for us."

The Doctor nodded in understanding. "And now your men continue to mine the ore, which they will exchange for more animals."

"Yes. The strangers promised food, too."

"Do you know what the strangers use the ore for?"

"No."

"Do you know when they're returning for the ore that Gorrob has?"

Elara hesitated. "Soon, I think."

"Why is the ore hidden? It seems that your village is well aware of it."

"Sometimes we have visitors, like you. Gorrob thinks that others may want the ore; it could be used to trade for things they need. But we have to get more animals or we'll starve. And the ore that you saw-- that you took-- is the last of it."

With some surprise, the Doctor asked, "Have your men mined all of it?"

"Yes."

"But where is the rest?"

"The strangers have already taken it."

"And they've left you nothing in return?"

"They've let us keep the animal, and they gave the men some grain and grass for it."

The Doctor considered this information for several seconds, then said, "Elara, please try to think carefully. Have you ever heard the men say what the strangers use the ore for?"

"No."

"Are you certain? It's very important. I know that you've been with different men and in different houses during recent weeks; surely you've heard something."

"We're not supposed to listen to their talk."

"But you're an intelligent woman; I think that sometimes you do listen."

"Intelligent?" Elara asked.

"Yes," responded the Doctor, "you're very intelligent. You have a good mind; try to recall anything that they've said."

Timidly and with some chagrin, Elara said, "A few days ago Vandak told Gorrob that the strangers would be pleased with the ore. They'd have just enough for their weapon, and maybe they'd give us something more than another animal and some food."

The Doctor tapped his chin with a finger. "Hmm, I was afraid of that."

"Afraid?" Elara asked.

"But it's nothing for you to worry about," he added reassuringly.

"There's one more thing," she said with some hesitation. "Vandak asked Gorrob if he knew what ammor-- ammor-docks-light-- I can't remember the word-- but if he knew what it was."

The Doctor sat up very straight. "Ammordoxillite?"

She sighed and rubbed her arm. "Yes, I think that was it. He overheard the strangers talking about it. He thought the weapon had something to do with getting it, but he didn't know what."

The Doctor's voice was overly calm as he said, "You've been very helpful, Elara. Why don't you rest some more?"

She settled back against the wall, but she watched the Doctor for some time. Finally, she said, "They will come after the ore. They have to have all of it."

"Every bit?"

She nodded. "The strangers expect it. Gorrob said that they need it all."

"Well," the Doctor said, "I'm afraid we can't give it back."

"They won't think twice about killing you for it."

"Then we shall have to be certain that they don't find us." He looked around the cavern, then withdrew his flashlight and shone it across the ceiling and walls. "We should be safe here for a while longer. The chances of their coming to this set of caves are quite slim; I should think the probability is less than ten percent, given the dozen or so other rock groupings in range of your village."

"I don't understand. What is probability?" Elara asked drowsily.

"As our friend Tegan would say, 'maths', but you needn't worry about it."

Elara's eyes closed; her efforts had left her ready for sleep.

"Elara," the Doctor said, "please tell me one more thing."

She looked at him sleepily. "Yes?"

"How many cartloads of ore have the men brought to the village in all?"

"This last one was the tenth."

"Thank you."

The Doctor stood and continued his examination of the cave walls in the beam of light. He touched various clusters of minerals, tapping at some with the end of the flashlight. After a time he dropped to his knees and ran his hand along the cave floor.

"Oh dear!" he said as he rested his fingers on a small vein of iridescent material that ran through the rock.

"Doctor?" Tegan's sleepy voice beckoned him.

He turned toward her; her eyes were open.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

He stood and walked back to her. "How are you feeling?" he inquired.

"Like I walked two kilometers through the Arctic with no shoes on, carrying fifty kilograms of rocks," she answered. "How's Elara?"

"I think she'll be fine. She was awake a short while ago, and we had an interesting conversation."

Tegan's eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't like the way you said 'interesting', and I really didn't like the way you said 'oh dear.' Somehow I don't think it was a term of affection."

The Doctor sat next to her, leaning against the wall. His gaze wandered to the ceiling.

"Come on, out with it!" Tegan said with some impatience.

"I've found out why the Aseylians collected the molybdenite. They've already traded most of it to some alien visitors for our friend from the stable. They plan to exchange the rest for another animal."

"That doesn't sound so bad."

"On the surface it appears to benefit the Aseylians. However, we must question why these visitors want the molybdenite."

"You said it has a lot of uses--"

"Yes, it does. However, Elara recalled that Vandak mentioned a particular word: ammordoxillite, which he must have heard from the visitors."

"It sounds like either an antibiotic or a mineral," said Tegan.

"The latter, and a very valuable one at that. It can be used to generate mass quantities of energy. It is extremely rare; to the best of my knowledge it has been found on only three planets in any of the known galaxies."

"And this is one of them, right?"

"When Elara mentioned the word, I didn't think so. There is no reference to Aseyla as a source of ammordoxillite in any geological text I've seen. However, just a moment ago I found a vein of what appears to be precisely that element running along the floor of this cave. The greatest stores of the mineral most likely lie beneath the crust, within the planet's mantle." He patted the ground with his hand.

Tegan sighed. "Doctor, I'm too tired to put all of this together. Just tell me what's going on."

"I believe that these visitors have discovered the ammordoxillite here. Recall that the animal in the stable is likely from one of the Pnoruelean planets; these have few mineral resources, most certainly no ammordoxillite. Indeed, the Pnoruelean planets have exhausted most of their own natural resources, although the inhabitants are quite technologically advanced. Sadly, despite their intelligence, they failed to consider the idea of conservation. They are now struggling economically, so a find like ammordoxillite would be, quite literally, a gold mine for them."

"So they want the ammordoxillite. Why take the molybdenite, then?"

"Think, Tegan. Remember that molybdenite is extremely resistant to heat; for this reason it is often used in the construction of missiles and other weapons. I believe that the Pnorueleans are planning to use the molybdenite to create weapons, which they will then use to blast away the surface of this planet in order to access the ammordoxillite in the mantle."

Tegan's eyes widened in understanding. "They're getting the Aseylians to mine ore that will be used to destroy them!"

"Precisely. Now we must find a way to stop them."

----------------

The Doctor had refused Tegan's many questions for some time. Finally he had shushed her, insisting that he needed quiet in which to think. Mildly miffed, she sat silently for several minutes. Finally, the Doctor spoke.

"I know what we have to do," he announced.

"It's about time," Tegan responded. "What's the plan?"

"Elara told me that the villagers have mined ten cartloads of ore. The Pnorueleans have already taken nine of these loads. This means that they have ninety percent of the ore that they need. From conversations that Elara heard, it seems that the Pnorueleans require every bit of molybdenite for their weapon. I imagine that they designed the weapon with the specific amount of the element in mind. So, if we can prevent them from obtaining this last load, they will be unable to complete their weapon."

"First," Tegan said, "I don't see how we can stop them from getting the ore. And even if we could, won't they just find molybdenite somewhere else and finish the weapon later?"

The Doctor considered Tegan's comments. "We may have to take all of the ore with us and leave the planet with it."

"Right," Tegan retorted. "We'll just ask Gorrob nicely."

"Once he understands the danger involved, he may be willing to give us the ore voluntarily."

Tegan shook her head. "He doesn't strike me as the reasonable type. And there's still the problem of the aliens getting ore from somewhere else."

"That is a good point," the Doctor said. "However, finding another source will take the Pnorueleans some time. I may be able to speak with the Pnoruelean confederacy and convince them to stop this group's efforts. I have a feeling that we are dealing with the inhabitants of only one of the planets; the others may be more rational."

"You said back at the stable that you knew a little about this group. Do you think they can be convinced?"

"I'm not certain. There area four planets in the group; two are relatively peaceful and two are not. I suspect that we are dealing with one of the latter."

Tegan looked at Elara, who still slept. "Doctor," she said, "isn't what you're planning the ultimate in interference?"

The Doctor appeared surprised by her question. "This is an entirely different matter than attempting to improve the Aseylian society. This is a question of mass murder-- of the extinction of an entire planet's population. There is no comparison."

"No, of course not. I guess I hadn't thought of it like that."

She expected a captious lecture from the Doctor. Instead, he spoke softly. "You might like to know that I've offered to take Elara to another village, on the other side of the planet, where she can have a better life."

"Really, Doctor? You'd do that for her?"

"Yes, gladly. It won't affect the culture, but it will give her another chance. Do you see the difference?"

Tegan nodded. "Yes, I think so."

The Doctor stood and extended his hand to her. "If you can manage it, we should get to the TARDIS as soon as possible."

Tegan took his hand. "But I thought you were going to talk to Gorrob?"

He pulled her up slowly. She clenched her teeth as every muscle in her body resisted painfully.

"We'll take the TARDIS back to the village," the Doctor said. "It will be easier to load the ore directly into it."

"But I thought-- cripes!" Tegan bent and wrapped her arm around her ribs. She sucked in a breath.

"What's wrong?" the Doctor asked with concern.

"Just my ribs. They're a bit sore."

"Only a bit, Tegan?"

The Doctor slid a hand under her sweater to feel the bandage. It had slipped downward, and the knot dug into one of the injured ribs.

Tegan did not answer him. He adjusted the bandage carefully, then asked, "Is that better?"

"Some. Thanks."

The Doctor looked at her as she stood before him. Her face, clothes, and legs were smudged with dirt, and her eyes were dark with pain and fatigue. He did not recall ever seeing her so pale. She shifted from one foot to the other, trying to find a spot that was not tender.

"You need something to protect your feet," he said.

"I won't argue with that."

As he turned toward Elara, Tegan said, "I was going to say-- a minute ago-- that I thought you didn't want the Aseylians to see the TARDIS."

The Doctor had taken the pelt from Elara and now held it up in his hands. "This should do," he said absently, then, looking back at Tegan, added, "They've already seen the Pnorueleans; they're aware that other planets and life forms exist. There isn't the same need for secrecy as there was before."

"Can the TARDIS make it to the village?" asked Tegan.

"I hope so, although it will be a rough journey. There's not time to extract the molybdenum and prepare the lubricant."

The Doctor now bent before several rocks that jutted out sharply from the wall. He rubbed the pelt against them repeatedly until the skin had worn, then he ripped the piece of hide in half. He returned to Tegan and knelt in front of her.

"Not as fashionable as your own boots," he commented, "but these will do in a pinch. In fact, they're probably much warmer." He wrapped one piece of the pelt around her foot and calf and secured it with some twine that he produced from his pocket. He clothed her other foot in the same manner.

"Now," he said standing, "we'll need to rouse Elara."

"Is she strong enough to make it to the TARDIS?" asked Tegan.

"Yes. But she'll need a wrap and something for her feet, too."

Tegan grasped the edge of the cloak. "Can you rip this in two?" She lifted the cape, noticing for the first time that it was partially lined with a coarse, dark gray fabric that felt something like heavy linen. "Or you could use the lining," she said.

The Doctor took the cloak from Tegan and removed the lining, then he secured the outer part around her waist with the ties. He worked for several minutes to tear two small pieces from the bottom of the liner. When he had finished, he woke Elara and fashioned footgear for her similar to Tegan's. He gave her the rest of the fabric, saying, "This should provide you some protection from the cold."

Tegan had stepped toward them. "You can have this one; it's warmer," she offered, reaching for the fastenings on her cloak.

The Doctor looked at his friend; his expression, she thought, was odd. "No, Tegan," he said, "you need to keep that."

Something in the tone of his voice prevented her from arguing.

A few minutes later, the three walked toward the entrance of the cave, Tegan limping considerably. The Doctor led them, pausing at the opening to look out over the wind-blown landscape. He turned abruptly and stood before the women.

"I'm afraid," he said, "that I have overestimated my probabilities today."

Over his shoulder, Tegan and Elara could see a band of men approaching rapidly on foot, each carrying a club or a spear. Vandak and Gorrob marched along at the front of the group.

Elara backed away. Tegan leaned heavily into the wall.

"Rabbits," she groaned.