A smoky, sweet smell drifted around Adric, gently awakening him from a deep slumber. He opened his eyes expecting the see the white interior of the TARDIS. Instead he found that he lay on a low mattress in one of the cliff dwellings. The red stone walls assured him of his location. The Doctor must have brought him into one of the homes.
His eyes wandered downward, and he saw that thick cloths lay on his right arm and leg. These were soaked in saffron liquid, and they felt heavy. His limbs still ached, but the intense pain had diminished. His head, however, continued to throb.
When he heard footsteps approaching the open doorway, he exhaled a breath of relief. The Doctor, Nyssa, or Tegan would soon be at his side. He scowled slightly, though, as he recalled how he had offended the young women. He was not sure that he was ready to face either of them. He closed his eyes.
Someone moved to his side then lay a soft hand upon his cheek. He heard a voice, but he could not comprehend the words. Curious, he opened his eyes. A young woman sat next to him. Dark, glossy hair hung over her shoulders, and her skin was the color of copper. She continued to speak to him with gentle utterances, but he did not understand her.
"Where's the Doctor?" he asked.
The woman looked at him sympathetically and smiled, responding in more incomprehensible words.
"The Doctor," Adric repeated, "and Nyssa and Tegan. Where are they?"
The woman shook her head and rested her hand against his shoulder.
Adric asked once again, "Please, get the Doctor. The—Doctor." His voice rose in his efforts to be understood. He lifted his head, but the woman pressed her hand against his forehead to restrain him.
"No," he said, nearly shouting now, "you have to find them. The Doctor. Nyssa. Tegan."
The woman called out toward the doorway, and in a moment two other women entered. One held a clay cup; both spoke quickly to his caretaker.
Adric's agitation was increasing. He tried to sit, but a wave of pain washed over his leg and arm. Two of the women lay their arms across his chest, while the third held the cup to his lips.
"No," he pleaded, "I don't want it! Just get the Doctor!"
He felt liquid splash into his mouth as he spoke. He tried to resist swallowing, but he began to choke. He swallowed, finally; a bitter taste filled his mouth.
The women were all speaking now. Their words seemed to swirl around Adric. His mind was rapidly clouding, but a sudden thought struck him. He must be too far from the TARDIS for the translation circuit to function. This explained his inability to communicate with the women.
His eyes shot open as he realized that somehow he had gone a great distance from the place where he and his companions had landed. His sense of panic swelled, but only briefly. Within a few more seconds he had drifted into a deep sleep.
----------
Nyssa stood motionless, staring at the indentation in the rock face. The Doctor, his task completed, walked toward her.
"Why aren't you with Tegan?" he asked.
Nyssa's head turned very slowly toward him as she pointed at the mesa. "She's gone."
The Doctor's eyes darted to the hollow then back to Nyssa. "Where did she go?"
"I don't know. I just stepped away to get this water, and when I turned back around she was gone."
The Doctor was already searching the area with his eyes. "She can't have gone far. It's unlikely that she even regained consciousness. Did you see anything?"
"I..." Nyssa paused. "There was a sort of gray haze in the indentation, just for a second."
The Doctor placed his hands on her shoulders and bent to look closely at her. "Has the heat affected you, too?"
Nyssa shook her head. "I'm fine. I've been drinking steadily all day."
He touched her cheek. "Your temperature appears normal."
"It is. I don't think I was imagining things, but maybe it was just a shadow."
The Doctor straightened. "Come on. She must be nearby. Tegan!"
They began searching for the second of their missing friends.
----------
Tegan felt cool and warm at the same time. She opened her eyes to find that her back rested against a smooth rock wall, while her legs were stretched out before her on sun-drenched stone. She lay in a small indentation; her head and shoulders were shaded by the narrow overhang above her.
She looked down and was somewhat shocked to see that she wore only her bra; something damp was draped over her shoulders. She still wore her skirt, but another wet cloth covered her lap. Quickly she crossed her arms over her chest, looking about in embarrassment. However, as her eyes swept the expanse before her she realized that she was alone. She sat at the base of a great mesa, and other mesas towered up in the distance, deep red against the lavender sky.
She blinked and looked at the sky again. It was indeed a pale shade of purple. As she continued to study her surroundings, she saw that the stone was a richer hue than that of the mesa where she had slept. There were more plants here, too; bright yellow flowers grew in large clumps all around her. She wondered how she had gotten to this place. Perhaps she was on the other side of the mesa.
Removing the cloth from her shoulders and laying it on the warm stone, she tried to recall the day. She had been walking in the hot sun with Nyssa and the Doctor; they were searching for Adric. She had been so tired and terribly thirsty. She remembered seeing the desert and stumbling forward, but she could bring forth few other memories.
She moved the wet fabric off of her lap and realized that it was Nyssa's shirt. The other garment was her own blouse. She saw that a flask lay on her leg. She took a drink, then she knew what had happened. She had become ill from the heat. She remembered the first aid lessons from her stewardess training; a person suffering from heat exhaustion should have cool, wet cloths placed around his or her body. She must have been overcome by the heat.
Tegan took another sip from the flask, careful not to drink too quickly. She felt weak and exhausted, but she was coherent, and she was not terribly warm any more. The air was cooler here, wherever that might be. Perhaps it was later in the day. But that still did not explain where Nyssa and the Doctor were. She called out their names, but her voice disappeared over the flat land.
She sat for some time, trying to regain her strength. After perhaps an hour she took her blouse from the rock; it was nearly dry. As she pulled it forward, it snagged on the rough surface of the stone. She lifted the garment carefully, avoiding a potential large tear in favor of a small rip. With a sigh she donned the blouse.
A tiny piece of fabric remained on the rock. Tegan squinted at it. It was beige; her blouse was lavender. She plucked the bit from the stone and studied it. There was something familiar about the color and texture.
"Adric!" she said aloud. She was suddenly quite sure that the fabric came from his shirt. She looked around, calling his name. There was no response, but as her eyes ran back over the stone, she saw large drops of dried blood.
Tegan stood; her legs felt a bit wobbly, but she was driven by the need to find her companions. She began to search the ground for any clues, and immediately she saw footprints. There were several sets, and more blood was visible on the dry, sandy soil.
Tegan took another drink then began walking forward, following the footprints in the hope that they would lead to her friends.
----------
The Doctor and Nyssa had searched perhaps a quarter mile on either side of the indentation in the rock, as well as the area before it. There was no sign of Tegan. They returned to the hollow and knelt before it. The Doctor ran his hand along the back wall.
"Perhaps this leads to a tunnel or a cave," he said, searching about carefully.
Nyssa ran a hand over the smooth stone. "It's definitely man-made."
"There might be some sort of trigger mechanism along here." He prodded about with his fingers.
"Doctor," said Nyssa, "did you notice these characters carved into the side?" She pointed at three rows of simple figures near the bottom of the indentation.
"Interesting," he responded, bending to study the area more closely. "This confirms that the inhabitants created this shelter, but I'm not sure why. And without understanding the meaning of the characters, we cannot determine their significance here."
Nyssa had leaned forward, too. Both she and the Doctor were well within the small confines of the hollow when they heard a sharp click behind them.
A deep voice instructed, "Turn around with your hands where I can see them."
The Doctor and Nyssa slowly turned to face the man who stood before them with a rifle aimed directly at the Time Lord's chest.
----------
Tegan had followed the footprints for some time. She could see now that they led in a straight line toward the base of a mesa that lay slightly to the right of the one under which she had awakened. She judged the distance to be less than two kilometers, but her rate of movement was slow. Despite her efforts to conserve the liquid, she found that the container was nearly empty.
Perhaps there would be water at the mesa toward which she headed. Certainly people lived there; the footprints she followed appeared human. The promise of water, and the hope of finding Adric, kept her pace steady.
As she walked, Tegan examined the landscape and plants. They were definitely different than those she had seen with her companions. The stone here was a deeper color, and more flora could be seen, although the environment was still primarily desert. Then there was the lavender sky: She was not sure of the significance of this.
After a time, Tegan forced herself to focus her thoughts on Adric. She had a vague sense of knowing that he had fallen and must be badly hurt. Had Nyssa told her that? She could not recall.
She continued walking, now able to discern the dwellings in the cliffs high above her. She was tiring, though. She drank the last of the liquid then permitted herself to sit beneath the shade of a tree with odd, prickly branches. She leaned against the trunk. The sun was so bright, and her eyes were tired. She closed them for just a moment of relief. The warmth and her exhaustion immediately lulled her to sleep.
----------
"What are you doing here?" The barrel of the rifle moved from the Doctor to Nyssa as its bearer questioned them.
"We're doing some research in the ruins," the Doctor answered reasonably.
"Research? Lemme see your permit." The rifle jerked back to point at the Doctor.
"Permit?" the Time Lord repeated. He patted at his pants pockets. "I don't seem to have it with me at the moment."
The rifle jabbed the air in front of the Doctor. "Then show me your landing stamp."
Nyssa and the Doctor exchanged a look. "I'm afraid that we don't have one," he answered.
"No landing stamp?" The man's eyes narrowed in suspicion, and he pulled back the hammer on the gun. "Then how the hell did you get here? Everyone gets a stamp when they land at the port."
"We landed in the desert, over there," said the Doctor, lifting his hand to gesture across the land. The rifle, however, was thrust forward toward his chest again, so he kept his hand at his side. "We were not aware that we needed a permit to land. I can assure you, however, that we're just here to study the carvings—"
"That's enough!" The stranger poked the Doctor in the ribs with the rifle, eliciting a small grunt from the Time Lord.
"Come on," the man said officiously.
"Where are you taking us?" asked Nyssa.
"And on whose authority?" added the Doctor.
The man reached into his pocket and withdrew a silver badge. He held it toward them. "Sergeant Modory, Ministry of Environmental Preservation."
They noticed now that he wore a drab gray uniform with forest green stripes down the legs and over the shoulders. A patch bearing a logo similar to that on his badge adorned his chest.
"Come on," he said again, nudging at Nyssa with the gun.
"But we need to find our friends—" she protested.
Modory reached out a hand to shove her forward; she stumbled and fell to her knees. The Doctor helped her up, saying, "There's no need for this kind of treatment. We won't harm you, and we're entirely unarmed. As my companion said, two of our colleagues have been lost. One is badly injured, and the other is ill. Have you seen either a boy or a young woman?"
"Keep quiet," Modory ordered, poking at the Doctor's back with the rifle, "and hold out your hands."
He snapped handcuffs around the Doctor's and Nyssa's wrists, then instructed, "Go."
They walked a few paces ahead of him for several minutes before the Doctor spoke again. "We really must find our companions as soon as possible. They're in great danger—"
"Serves them right for coming here. That's why no one's gotten a permit in over fifty years," said Modory.
"Fifty years?" echoed the Doctor.
"I told you to be quiet, and I mean it." Modory's tone brooked no argument.
"But where are we going?" asked Nyssa, less familiar with the inferential aspects of human speech than her companion.
"To my base. Now keep your mouth shut!"
The Doctor looked at Nyssa and murmured, "Keep quiet for now."
She understood and walked in silence.
----------
Tegan was drawn out of her slumber by voices. She awoke nearly instantly, quickly recalling that she was in a strange and possibly dangerous place. Late afternoon sunlight streamed over the land, and for a moment she could not see clearly in the brightness. She blinked and lifted a hand to shield her eyes.
Four men stood before her. They wore simple breeches made of softened animal hides; beaded necklaces hung over their bare chests. Each man's hair was long and glossy black, and their skin was coppery, nearly shimmering in the light. Each held a long spear, all four of which were pointed at Tegan.
She began to stand, but the men spoke sharply to her. Their words, however, were unintelligible. Tegan shook her head and said, "I don't understand."
One of the men gestured with his spear; she understood that he wanted her to rise. She obeyed, and two of the men moved behind her, giving her a slight push with their hands to encourage her to walk forward. She saw that they were leading her to the base of the mesa.
"Do you know Adric?" she asked, hoping they might recognize the name, but they shook their heads somewhat sternly and prodded her forward.
They walked quietly, Tegan unsure what else to say since she did not speak their language. While the men did not treat her roughly, their spear points remained close to her back, so she felt a distinct sense of threat. As they approached the long ladder that led up to the dwellings, she saw that their community was similar to the one where she had slept the previous night. She felt a small thrill of fascination in seeing the living version of the ruins; she smiled ruefully, thinking that the Doctor's notions were beginning to influence her.
Two of the men climbed the ladder deftly while the others remained at the base of the mesa, urging Tegan upward with words and gestures. She placed her foot on a low rung; the ladder felt quite sturdy, fortunately. She climbed upward.
When she reached the wide ledge at the top of the ladder, she stood looking around. Rows of open doorways lined the mesa as far as she could see in either direction. The exterior walls of the homes were constructed of red earthen bricks; interior walls appeared to utilize the natural stone. Clay pots holding bright flowers adorned the pathway, and people walked along carrying baskets and jugs. Tegan thought that this lofty village was quite lovely.
She had little time for admiration, however. Soon she was taken by the arm and led along the pathway to a large dwelling about twenty yards from the ladder. She entered to find a well-furnished living and dining area complete with a wooden table and benches, a counter carved into the stone with a variety of vegetables laid out upon it, and several long seats padded with animal skins against the walls. More flowers and small desert plants sat on the surfaces in beautifully painted pots.
One of the men remained with Tegan while another left. He returned soon with a much older fellow whose demeanor immediately struck Tegan as regal. The man was tall and stood very straight. His long hair hung in two braids over his broad shoulders, and at least a dozen brightly beaded necklaces covered his chest. He positioned himself before Tegan and spoke to her firmly. Something in his manner reminded her a bit of the Doctor.
"I'm sorry. I don't understand," she said.
He seemed to repeat himself, scowling slightly at her inability to comprehend. She sensed from his inflection that he was questioning her.
"I don't understand," she repeated, then added, "but maybe you can recognize the name Adric?"
He fixed his gaze on her and shook his head.
"Adric? No? How about the Doctor or Nyssa?"
He turned to one of the other men and spoke to him. He hurried away. Tegan and her inquisitor stood silently for some time until a young woman entered the home. The man nodded at Tegan and touched his chin then tilted his hand outward. Somehow she understood that he wanted her to repeat herself.
"Do you know the Doctor or Nyssa?" she asked slowly.
The woman seemed to lean in for a moment, then she whispered to the man, who stepped aside. The woman took Tegan's arm very gently and led her outside and down the path. They walked some distance then entered another dwelling, somewhat smaller than the one in which she had just been. The woman ushered Tegan through a doorway then backed away.
Tegan gasped. Adric lay on a thick mattress on the floor. His right arm and leg were covered in heavy cloths, and a deep, long gash was visible across his forehead. Immediately she knelt beside him and said his name. His eyes were closed, and he did not respond.
"Oh Adric," she said, "what have they done to you?"
She touched his cheek; his skin was warm and slightly flushed. She thought that he had a mild fever. Gingerly she lifted the cloth from his arm and then the one from his leg. Both limbs were badly swollen.
She found a blanket against the wall and rolled it lengthwise; she recalled from her first aid training that broken limbs should be elevated. Carefully she lifted his arm and leg onto the roll. Adric stirred with a slight moan and opened his eyes.
"Adric!" Tegan rested her hand on his shoulder. "I'm so glad to see you."
"Tegan?" His voice was hoarse. "What are you doing here?"
She smiled sadly. "I could ask you the same question."
He shook his head slightly. "I don't know."
"You've been hurt," she said. "Are you in pain?"
Adric lifted his head to look down at his injured arm and leg. "Some. Can you tell how bad it is?"
"I think your arm and leg are broken, and you've hit your head."
He closed his eyes. "I fell."
"Where?"
"Where we were working."
"When did this happen?"
He opened his eyes again. "I'm not sure. It was the night we arrived."
"I think that was yesterday. But you left a note saying you were going back to the TARDIS. What happened?"
Adric's reasons for parting from his friends returned to him, leaving his cheeks burning. He did not answer her question; he turned his head to look away. "Where are the Doctor and Nyssa?"
"I don't know. I'm not even sure how I got here, and I don't really even know where we are. But Adric, how did you fall?"
He closed his eyes once again. "I'm tired, Tegan."
She could see the distress that creased his young brow. "Then sleep. I'll be right here."
"No, you don't have to stay."
He felt her hand grasp his. "I want to."
"Please, Tegan, I just want to be alone right now."
"All right," she said slowly. "But I'm going to wait just outside. Try to get some sleep." She stood and walked out of the room.
----------
Sergeant Modory prodded his captives forward, rounding the north edge of the mesa and heading out into the desert, in the opposite direction from their landing spot. The Doctor and Nyssa had walked some distance when they saw a small building in the middle of the desolate landscape.
"Is that where we're going?" asked the Doctor, turning his head slightly to address Modory.
"Yeah," was the gruff reply. "I'll radio the base in the city."
"How far away is that?" the Doctor inquired.
"Sixty kilometers."
"Do you work alone out here?"
Modory snorted. "Yeah. But finding the two of you will put a stop to that. Catching unlicensed trespassers should get me a promotion and a position in town."
"Really," said the Doctor, "we didn't know we were trespassing—"
"No more talking! Just walk." The gun dug into the Doctor's back momentarily.
As they neared the building, they could see that it was a simple stone structure with a heavy metal door in the front. Modory unlocked this with a large key then ordered Nyssa and the Doctor inside. In the back corner they saw a cell.
"In there," the sergeant instructed, the rifle once again serving as an indicator of his wishes.
The Doctor and Nyssa moved toward the cell. "There's no need to lock us in here," said the Time Lord.
"Huh!" Modory opened the door then removed the handcuffs from his prisonsers. "Get in."
The Doctor and Nyssa stepped forward.
"Truly," said Nyssa, "we didn't mean to break the law—"
"Well you did, didn't you? And don't go thinking that you can sue our government because something happened to your friends. You went there at your own risk."
The Doctor stood just inside the cell; Nyssa was by his side. "Why would we sue your government?" he asked.
"It's been done before. People go out there and get lost, and somehow we're supposed to be responsible for it. But you're trespassers. You won't have any rights."
"So other people have gotten lost at the ruins?" asked Nyssa, placing a hand on the side of the door.
"Look, missy, I've had enough conversation for today. I have to call headquarters. Keep quiet."
"But if others have become lost—" Nyssa began; however, Modory turned and slammed the door shut. Nyssa yelped in pain as the heavy portal hit her hand, still resting against the frame.
Modory spun around to stare at the young Traken. She had blanched and was blinking back tears as she pulled her hand back to cradle against her chest.
"That was entirely uncalled for!" the Doctor reproved angrily.
Modory shrugged. "Just keep her quiet while I'm on the radio." He stalked away as Nyssa sank onto the single bench at the back of the cell.
----------
Tegan sat at the table near the entrance to the dwelling. The woman who had brought her to this home had offered her food and drink as soon as she left Adric's side. The cool water was wonderful, and a deep pink, sweet yet tart juice was also given to her. The woman set a plate of cooked vegetables resembling squash before her, too.
Tegan ate hungrily and consumed an entire pitcher of water in a few minute's time. The woman smiled at her and refilled the pitcher from a large jug near the door. Tegan realized that these homes did not have running water. This was one difference between them and the ones in which she had sketched. The larger difference was the absence of elaborate carvings here. A few simple characters adorned the walls, but the rich, complex designs found in the other dwellings were absent. To Tegan it seemed as if someone had made a very half-hearted attempt to place a handful of characters about the room, but they lacked any beauty or depth.
After some time, her hostess prepared a large bowl at the counter then carried into Adric's room. Tegan followed, anxious to be sure the boy was treated well. The woman set the bowl on the floor and removed the cloth from Adric's arm. She soaked it in the bowl then replaced it.
Adric's eyes were open, but when he saw Tegan he closed them. This action was not lost on her, although she did not apprehend its significance. Perhaps he was simply in too much pain to acknowledge her. He appeared to be in good hands, however, so Tegan returned to the table and sat. Now that she had been sustained with food and drink, her mind felt much clearer. She was able to consider her situation fully.
Adric was badly hurt; she knew that for a certainty. It would be best, of course, to get him to the TARDIS and the Doctor, but she doubted that he could travel in his condition, at least not for some time. Thus, her best recourse was to bring the Doctor here, but she still did not know where she was. She could see that daylight was waning; darkness would set in soon. She knew that she needed to return to the area from which she had come; perhaps her friends were just on the other side of that mesa. Regardless, in the morning she would have to walk back and try to find the Doctor and Nyssa.
Her mind was clear, but Tegan's body was tired. She felt her eyelids drooping and her head falling forward. When she was helped upward then led to a soft pallet on the floor, she did not protest. She would need a good rest for the difficult task tomorrow.
----------
The Doctor sat next to Nyssa on the bench. She still clasped her wrist, fingers on the injured hand slightly open.
"May I see it?" the Doctor asked gently, reaching for her arm.
A bit of color had returned to Nyssa's cheeks, but she was still pale. The Doctor could see that she had managed to calm herself considerably. She relinquished her hand to him. He ran his fingers softly over the delicate bones and moved her fingers and thumb.
"There's nothing broken," he reassured her.
She nodded in relief.
"The third and fourth metacarpal are badly bruised, though," he added. "You're going to have some swelling and pain for several days."
"I'll be all right," Nyssa said.
"Of course."
The Doctor gave her a brief smile then shifted his gaze to Modory, who stood at the desk in the center of the building. He held a microphone in one hand and pressed an earpiece against his temple with the other.
"... two trespassers," he was saying, his voice loud and self-important. "Yeah, I caught them at the ruins. No permit, not even a landing stamp. Threatening?" He glanced at his captives. "Yeah, they could be. But I've got them locked up." His listened for several seconds, nodding then scowling. "But they don't have a permit! No ID either. They could be up to anything... Uh huh. Right. Understood. Out."
Modory gave the power switch on the radio a vicious flick and ripped off the headpiece, flinging it to the desk.
The Doctor stood and walked to the cell door. "Is there a problem, Sergeant?" he asked amiably.
Modory spun around. "That's none of your concern."
"Actually, I believe that it is. It concerns Nyssa and me quite directly."
Modory glared at the Doctor, then his eyes moved to Nyssa. She still sat on the bench holding her hand against her chest. Ignoring the Doctor's comment, he said gruffly, "You two better settle in. You're going to be here for a while."
"For how long?" asked the Time Lord.
Modory scowled. "Until my supervisor can get someone out here to take you to town."
"And when might that be?"
"Maybe tomorrow night or the day after."
"Ah," said the Doctor, "then we are not a priority. I see."
Modory scowled more deeply. "The Ministry's very busy right now. They'll come for you when they can."
"So, it seems that we don't present quite the threat that you thought."
Modory glowered at the Doctor. "They'll be grateful to me once they've seen you. You're trespassers, two-fold, and that's not taken lightly here."
"Oh no," said the Doctor, raising an eyebrow, "I can see that. Sending someone to get us in a day or two shows just how serious it is."
"Enough!" Modory yelled. "You just be quiet. Her too."
The Doctor nodded. "All right. Just one last thing. We could use some water. It was a long walk here, and we're not accustomed to this heat."
Modory's eyes narrowed, but he turned toward a small spigot on the wall and poured a stream of water into a large mug. He handed this to the Doctor through the bars.
"Thank you," said the Doctor, wrapping his fingers around the cup. "Ah, it's quite cool." He stepped to the back of the cell and offered the mug to Nyssa. She took several sips.
The Doctor did not drink any, but he removed a handkerchief from his pocket and dipped it into the water. "This should help with the swelling," he said, laying the small cloth over her injured hand.
"Thank you." Nyssa looked out toward the desk where Modory sat making a pretense of shuffling through a stack of yellowed papers. "Doctor," she said softly, "how are we going to get out of here? We have to get back to the mesa and find Tegan and Adric."
The Time Lord nodded. "We will. I have a plan."
Nyssa leaned forward and whispered, "Yes? What is it?"
With a smile, the Doctor sat down next to her, saying, "Just wait. It will all become clear soon."
----------
Despite her fatigue, Tegan slept fitfully. She awoke after about an hour in some confusion. Looking about, she recalled where she was. The house was quiet, and she heard little noise from the rest of the village. There was a small glow of light from the entrance of the dwelling; Tegan thought that it was made by a candle.
A movement in the entryway caught her attention briefly. She watched for a minute then saw that a man stood just outside the door. He held a spear. He paced to the side then returned to the center of the doorway. Tegan had a distinct feeling that he was guarding the house. She recalled hearing wild dogs during the night at the other mesa; she wondered if some animal posed a threat here. Or perhaps there was another sort of human enemy. A small shiver ran through her, thinking of the long walk she had made across the desert, completely unprotected. In the morning she would have to take this same walk.
She heard a noise from the room where Adric lay. She thought that he had moaned. Tegan sat, preparing to go to her companion to offer some comfort. As she stood, she noticed another motion at the exterior door. The man had stepped inside partially, and he was watching her.
She shook her head and gestured toward the room. The guard did not respond to her; he crossed his arms over his chest, the spear gripped in his right hand. She noticed that his position blocked the door nearly completely. If he were trying to keep something out, surely he would want to keep his eyes fixed outside. With a knot forming in her stomach, Tegan began to wonder if he were trying to keep something, or someone, inside. If that were the case, she had a fairly solid idea of who that someone was.
Feeling somewhat like a prisoner, Tegan walked softly toward Adric's room. She did not look back at the guard. She found Adric asleep. A cup lay next to the bed. She sniffed it then wrinkled her nose. There was an acrid smell that made her eyes water slightly. The mere fumes sent a small wave of dizziness through her.
"Adric," she said, shaking his uninjured arm gently. He did not stir. She repeated his name but received no response. She could see that he was breathing slowly. She rested her hand against his chest. She felt his heart beating, but it too seemed sluggish.
Tegan glanced back at the cup. Adric had been drugged. Fighting back her immediate response of anger, she remembered that he was badly hurt. Perhaps the drug had been given as a palliative measure. Still, he seemed too deeply asleep for her liking. She determined that she would instruct him to avoid any medicines in the morning.
Tegan found herself beginning to doze at Adric's side. She pulled herself upward and returned to the pallet she had been given. The guard stepped back outside when she lay down, but he was quite obviously watching her.
Wondering what sort of threat she could possibly pose, her thoughts grew hazy and sleep washed over her.
----------
Modory gave up his useless paper shuffling after a few minutes. He stood and looked out the single window in the building. The sun was lowering, sending a golden shaft of light through the small pane of glass; dust motes danced in the beam. The sergeant ambled toward the door.
"Sergeant," the Doctor called from the cell. "Are you going outside?"
Modory spun around. "Why? You think you can escape while I'm gone? That lock's solid iron. You're not going anywhere." Absently he patted at his hip pocket, where he had dropped the key after locking the cell door.
"I wouldn't dream of trying to break out," the Doctor said innocuously. "I was hoping, though, that you could bring me something from outside."
"Oh, and what would that be? A large rock maybe?"
"Nothing of the kind. I simply need a few small flowers."
"Flowers? Feeling a need to brighten up the cell, are you?" Modory scoffed.
"Hmm, it could use a bit of cheer. But I was planning to use the flowers to make a dressing for Nyssa's hand."
Modory scowled again. "Is it broken?"
"No, but the bones are bruised. This particular flower has anti-inflammatory properties; an infusion made with it would relieve her pain considerably."
Modory looked again at Nyssa. She still held her hand gingerly. With a slightly softer tone of voice, the sergeant said, "What's this flower look like?"
The Doctor replied, "It grows on a gray stalk, and the petals are bright yellow. Several flowers grow on each stem. I noticed quite a few as we were walking here. They shouldn't be difficult to find."
"How many do you need?"
"Four or five stalks should be sufficient."
Modory nodded curtly then walked through the door.
The Doctor continued to look out into the room. Nyssa said, "Can you get the lock open?"
He turned his head toward her. "No. If I still had the sonic screwdriver perhaps I could... We'll need to get Modory's key."
"How can we do that?"
The Doctor smiled cryptically. "The process has already begun."
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