Tegan and the Doctor had walked through the dark woods for several hours. The Australian was exhausted. She stumbled more and more often as the night wore on. Her head still ached, and she felt on edge continuously, waiting for the whispers to begin, nearly jumping with each small sound the woods produced.
The Doctor plowed ahead, offering occasional verbal encouragement to her but appearing oblivious to her fatigue and anxiety. A few audible and dramatic sighs from her had elicited no response from him, so now she simply walked in silence, still poised tensely on the edge of sensation.
After some time the Doctor turned to his companion and asked, "Do you hear anything?"
She shook her head. "No."
He frowned. "Where have those soldiers gone? We've kept up a good, steady pace. They can't be too far ahead of us. They appeared to be going in the direction of the Briars' camp. You haven't sensed anything?"
"I'd tell you if I had," Tegan replied tiredly.
"Perhaps they veered off to the north," he mused. "A surprise attack could come from any direction…"
"Maybe I can't hear them anymore. Maybe I'm just too tired."
The Doctor looked at her pointedly. She was clearly exhausted; her skin was sallow, and he could see a faint layer of perspiration on her cheeks and forehead despite the chill of the night air. There was a vague look of pain in her eyes, as well. As if to confirm this observation, Tegan rubbed her hand across the back of her neck.
"Does you head still hurt?" he asked.
She nodded. He placed his hand at the base of her skull. He could feel the rigidity of her muscles beneath his fingers. He massaged her neck gently with his thumb, asking, "Better?" after half a minute or so.
"A little," she admitted.
"Good. Now I want you to concentrate. Can you hear anything?"
Tegan closed her eyes as he continued to rub softly at her nape and scalp. The movement of his fingers was soothing and somehow calmed her considerably. She could hear a light brushing sound as his thumb moved in small circles over her skin. The sound seemed to grow louder, and she wondered if he had changed his motions. Suddenly Tegan's neck stiffened. The noise had shifted and become a harsh whisper. Audible words hovered at the edge of her consciousness.
"Tegan?" asked the Doctor, sensing the change in her posture.
"I hear something," she muttered.
He made a comment about concentrating, but the sharp whispers occluded his words. The voices were louder and stronger than she had ever heard them. She could sense that many people's thoughts were bombarding her. Disparate words seemed to rush toward her discordantly. She heard names, expletives, snatches of phrases—an infinite number of utterances blending together. Then the images flashed before her: faces, forest, houses, blood.
Tegan sank to her knees. Words and images were swirling about her, ceaselessly in confusion, a cacophony within her mind. Yet one tiny fragment seemed to catch her attention momentarily. For just a second she heard "Doctor" and "TARDIS", and her own face floated before her. She gasped.
"Tegan!" Her name was spoken urgently; the sound was different from the other voices she heard. Somehow she managed to shift her attention and pull away from the frenetic words and images.
The Doctor was kneeling next to her clasping her cheeks in his hands. He said her name again.
"Doctor?" she asked, unsure at first whether his face before her was real.
"Yes, Tegan, I'm right here. You must focus on me now."
She blinked, forcing herself to attend to her companion. Through sheer force of will, she pulled her attention from the noisy mire and locked her gaze on the Doctor.
"I heard your name, and I saw my face," she murmured.
The Doctor nodded in immediate understanding. "Turlough must be nearby."
"But Doctor," Tegan said, "there were so many other voices and images. I couldn't make any sense of them. They all just ran together—"
"Yes? There must be a large group of people in the area. Could you tell if they were soldiers or civilians?"
Tegan thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. I heard a lot of names, and cursing, and I saw faces and blood."
"That sounds like soldiers' thoughts."
"I guess." Tegan squinted as the images and words crept back toward her. She shook her head as if this motion could delay the onslaught.
"Try to stay with me," the Doctor said.
His words barely registered with her. "I don't think I can," she lamented as the voices enveloped her once again.
----------
Turlough's hopes of slipping away from the camp had nearly disappeared. He sat surrounded by Rundly's men, who watched him warily. A few of the soldiers had begun to doze, but most remained alert, obviously excited about the impending battle. They talked about their strategies, their prowess as soldiers, and the certainty of a victory over the Briars.
The discussion grew in intensity, and Turlough noticed that his companions' attention had shifted to the battle talk. For a few moments no one was watching him directly. He glanced toward the edge of the woods, a mere five meters to his left. The glow of the firelight extended only to the circumference of the circle where he sat. If he could just move away into the darkness, he might have a chance to run into the woods.
He leaned casually to the side, placing his hand next to his thigh. No one noticed this small movement, so he stretched his hand out further, pulling his legs slowly back, inching toward the dimness. He shifted again, and his arm, head, and shoulders were covered in shadow. He glanced back at the men. Still no one appeared to watch him directly. Turlough swung his legs around quickly and began to stand.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Rundly's angry voice rose over the soldiers' discussion.
Turlough considered briefly sprinting into the trees. However, Rundly was storming toward him, covering the distance between them ludicrously fast. Turlough seemed reduced to slow-motion, and his feet tangled into each other. He stumbled to his knees.
Rundly grabbed Turlough's hair and pulled him up, jerking his head back painfully. "I asked where you're going," the soldier snarled.
"To relieve myself," Turlough said, forcing his voice to sound nonchalant. "Surely I'm permitted to do that?"
"Not by yourself you aren't," Rundly said roughly. "For all I know you're planning to go to the Briars' camp and warn them."
"Now why would I do that?" Turlough asked ingenuously.
Rundly's eyes narrowed. "Don't test my patience, boy." He clapped his hand over the sword at his side. "It's already running thin."
Turlough shrugged and turned back toward the soldiers, but Rundly slammed a hand against his chest. "Aren't you forgetting something?" he snapped.
"What?"
"Why you came out here."
"Oh, right." Turlough turned and took a step, but Rundly restrained him again.
"I told you, you don't go alone."
"You're going to watch me?"
Rundly grunted in assent.
"Thanks anyway," Turlough said, "but I think I can wait."
"I'll bet you can," Rundly scoffed. He gave Turlough another hard shove back toward the soldiers, then pushed him to the ground. "Don't get up again," he warned, then he turned to his men and issued a stern directive about watching Turlough.
Now many eyes were upon Turlough, and he noticed that several soldiers had withdrawn their knives and daggers. Fear began to gnaw at his stomach as thoughts of the morning's activities raced through his mind. He would be in the midst of a massive battle, and he would have no choice except to fight.
His eyes darted around the camp then toward the edge of the forest. Turlough raised his knees and hugged them, lowering his head as he murmured, "Doctor, where are you?"
----------
Tegan was lost in the words and images that enveloped her. She felt as though she stood in the center of a tempest, assailed by the thoughts of others swirling, rushing, and darting past her. Somehow she had managed to find the eye of the storm, where she could stand somewhat safely while the voices and visions swept all around her.
After a time, she found that she could listen to a single voice long enough to hear a thought, and she could watch a fleeting image and slow it so that she was able to see a face or a battle clearly for several seconds. She caught glimpses of the lives of many people—wives, children, parents, weddings, fights, lovemaking, meals. Scenes of war constantly intruded into these more mundane events, and Tegan felt herself flinch repeatedly at the wanton carnage that she saw. Thankfully, she was able to focus upon other images quickly, so she was not subjected to battle scenes continuously.
Amid the voices she heard the word "TARDIS" again, and she focused upon it, honing in on the sound.
"Doctor, where are you?" She felt herself twitch in surprise as she recognized Turlough's voice. She continued listening, and images crept toward her, too. She saw the Doctor's face again and the TARDIS. The boys' school in England where Turlough had met them also seemed to materialize before her for an instant. The image shifted abruptly, twisting to several men lying bloodied upon the ground. She saw a sword slash upward then blood dotting the fingers on a pale hand. She heard the name Rundly and caught a flash of a large fire with men sitting around it. "Briars… morning surprise attack… impossible to get away."
Tegan tried to inch closer to Turlough's thoughts. She pushed the others away and reached toward his alone. She sensed her mind narrowing, focusing more intently. If she could just hear more about the attack, she might gain some useful information—
"Tegan!" The voice echoing through her head was not Turlough's anymore.
"No," she murmured, "I have to listen to him."
"Listen to me, Tegan. You have to concentrate on me," the Doctor adjured.
Tegan felt as though she were crawling through a tunnel of muddied images and muffled words. She had to pull herself nearly bodily back to the floor of the forest, where she was huddled against the Time Lord. He was shaking her shoulders and touching at her face. She tried to push his hands away.
"Can you hear me?" he was asking.
She nodded and leaned away from him to rest her aching head in her hands. "I heard Turlough this time," she said without looking up. "I could tell it was him, and I listened."
"You were able to focus on one person. That's very good, Tegan. It means that you're gaining some control over your abilities. What was he thinking of?"
"You, and the TARDIS, and school. He's been in a battle, too."
"Is he all right?"
She shrugged. "I'm not sure. I saw some blood that I think was on his hand."
The Doctor frowned. "Was there anything else?"
Tegan found that her recollection of Turlough's and the others' thoughts was ephemeral. She struggled to recall the last words she had heard. "There was something about an attack… on the Briars, I think. He wants to get away, but he can't."
"Can you recall anything else?"
Tegan shut her eyes, but immediately images began slipping toward her. She sighed and looked up at the Doctor. "They won't leave me alone," she said softly.
"I know," her companion confirmed. "Now that you've gained access to this ability, it has grown quickly. You need to work to keep your mind occupied with other things when you don't need to use your skill."
"And just how am I supposed to do that?" Tegan asked. "They just come at me—"
"That is not entirely true. I've noticed that the perceptions appeared to be triggered by subtle sounds from the environment. When you and I are talking, you don't hear the voices or see the images as readily. So we shall simply have to keep up a conversation until you need to listen to the voices again."
"Oh, tremendous," she muttered, "non-stop conversation. Not that I don't like to talk—I guess I can go on sometimes, but I'm not really in the mood right now. Anyway, what's so interesting that it's going to keep us talking?"
"Why Tegan," the Doctor said, standing and taking her hand to help her rise, "there are infinite topics that we can discuss: literature, geography, linguistics, culture, physics, biochemistry—"
"How about fashion or music?" she retorted. "Trust me, my mind is wandering already at the thought of a discussion of physics or linguistics."
"We can talk about whatever you like," he said with a small smile. "But before we do, I want you to try to remember anything else you got from Turlough."
Tegan touched the embroidery on her sleeve to keep her attention away from the images at the edge of her consciousness. In the moonlight she could see that the pattern consisted of vines with clusters of berries. The vines reminded her of thorns, which sparked a faint memory. "The surprise attack on the Briars," she said slowly, "is going to be first thing in the morning. And Doctor," she added, taking a breath, "there were a lot of soldiers with him—and I mean a lot."
"Then he's definitely with the Kingsmen, just as we thought," said the Doctor, taking Tegan's arm to urge her forward. "We must find the Briars' camp before daylight and warn them. We could be their only chance. Now," he said, lightening his tone, "let's talk about music. Do you prefer Chopin or Schubert?"
"Actually," she replied, "I really prefer Adam and the Ants or Ultravox, and I just recently heard this great band called Depeche Mode…"
She elucidated the Doctor about the finer points of punk and new wave as they walked through the darkness.
----------
Tegan had tried to concentrate on her impromptu lecture. She found some small, perverse pleasure in watching the Doctor's expression as she described the music she listened to on London radio. However, after less than thirty minutes, she found that voices and images surrounded her. Nearly all of her focus and mental efforts were needed simply to keep walking. She ceased speaking.
"Tegan?" the Doctor asked after a few seconds of silence from his companion.
He turned to look at her. She had balled her hands into fists, and she was squinting as if trying to see something indefinable in the dim light. Her body was growing rigid as if she were trying to resist some tangible object nearing her.
"I can't keep them away anymore," she mumbled, already outwardly dazed.
"We must be very near to them," the Doctor responded.
Tegan did not appear to hear him. He guided her toward a bushy tree and eased her to the ground, settling her back against the trunk and arranging several branches so that they covered her partially. Then he walked quickly ahead, listening carefully for any signs of a large group nearby.
Soon he saw the glow of a fire. His acute ears discerned a multitude of voices, although he could not distinguish their words. He crept closer, keeping behind bushes and trees as much as possible, realizing that his pale clothing might be visible in the moonlight.
As he neared the camp, the Doctor could make out a considerable group of men; he estimated close to three hundred. He did not know how many soldiers were at the Briars' camp, but this force was clearly a strong one. He could see various weapons glinting in the firelight. He tried to look among the group for any signs of Turlough, but there were too many people and insufficient light to identify the Trion lad.
He did not know how much further the Briars' camp was, either. He knew that it was at the base of three mountains, but in the darkness he could not tell how far those mountains were. Perhaps he could find some indication of the camp by ascending a hill for a better view. Quietly he climbed up a rocky rise, remaining low to avoid being seen. At the top he paused to look out over the land. In the distance he saw a faint glow. Scanning to his left, another small light caught his eye. Still a third was visible to the far right. He made a quick mental calculation and determined that the lights to his left and right were closer than the one that lay nearly straight ahead. With a sinking feeling, he realized that the Kingsmen likely had two other large encampments, all of which would attack the Briars in the morning. The third light was probably from the Briars' base camp. This he estimated to be some four kilometers away.
The Time Lord hurried back to Tegan. He found her huddled beneath the tree, hugging her knees to her chest. Her eyes were focused inwardly, and the words he spoke to her did not appear to register. Given the number of men nearby, he was not surprised by her unresponsiveness. He knew that she was enmeshed in the thoughts of nearly three hundred individuals.
Taking Tegan's arm, the Doctor pulled her gently to her feet and led her beside him as he began walking rapidly toward the furthest light. She appeared oblivious to their movement and to his efforts to speak to her. After a time, he simply focused on moving her forward, trying not to consider the possibility that he might be unable to draw her back to her own thoughts and mind.
----------
Turlough was exhausted, but he did not try to sleep. His thoughts raced, desperately considering options for escape. He was thoroughly surrounded, so slipping away was impossible. Could he somehow elude the men once they began to march in the morning? If the entire group was marching together, he might be able to lose himself in the shuffle. But he doubted that Rundly would permit him out of his sight.
So the next best plan would be to wait until the fighting began then flee the moment Rundly's back was turned. He wished he knew more about the battle plan. Perhaps he could formulate his own strategy if he knew what the Kingsmen's tactics were.
The soldiers had been talking about various topics as the night wore on. He had heard little concrete discussion about specifics of the morning's fight, however. Rundly had spent most of the night near the fire, conferring with several dozen other men. Turlough assumed that they were discussing the battle plan, but he had no way of hearing their words.
After some time, Turlough coughed loudly. The other men ignored him, so he coughed again then croaked out, "Pardon me, but can I get some water?"
He began to stand, but Dran pushed him down. "You're not moving," he said. "I'll get it."
Turlough nodded with a small, self-satisfied smile as the soldier approached the fire. Several buckets of water and large pots of stew had been set near the firepit. As Dran scooped out a cupful of water, Turlough saw him pause to listen to the conversation around him. Humans, the Trion native thought, had an innate curiosity that was really quite predictable.
When Dran returned, he handed the cup to Turlough then turned to his companions. In an excited whisper, he said, "We leave at first light. The Briars' camp is an hour's walk. There are two other groups of Kingsmen who're joining us there, one attacking from the south and another from the northwest—there'll be nearly a thousand of us in all. The scouts say there are only a few hundred Briars—"
Turlough had leaned in slightly to hear the conversation better, but when one of the men turned to stare at him he drank the water and bowed his head. The remainder of Dran's words were mere whispers that he could not discern fully. But he had heard enough. His stomach tightened as he realized that the Kingsmen were planning a monumental slaughter.
----------
As the night faded into pre-dawn gray, the mountain range loomed ahead, rugged and sharp against the pale sky. Just as the map indicated, the Doctor saw that there were three mountains. At the base of the middle one lights flickered.
When they passed near one of the Kingsmen's camps, the Doctor had found that he had to support Tegan fully in order to propel her forward. She had slumped against him, glassy-eyed, bent under the burden she carried in her mind. Yet as they moved past the camp then further away, she had become slightly more alert. Now she walked beside him, although he still kept his arm around her waist. Her eyes were clearer, and when he spoke her name, she blinked at him.
"Tegan?" he repeated. "Come on, Tegan! Listen to me now."
She blinked again, and he could see the tremendous effort she required to shift her attention outward to him.
"Doctor?" she rasped, foundering toward the ground.
He tightened his grip and drew her slightly toward him for additional support. "That's it," he said, "look at me and listen to my voice."
Her gaze moved to his face. He quickly locked his eyes on hers, using all of his skill to draw her fully out of her subconscious and into the reality of the cool night. He felt her shiver.
"Are they gone?" she asked in a small voice.
"We've moved far enough away that their thoughts should be fainter now. But we're approaching the Briars' camp, and there will be many people there, too. Before we get any closer, I want you to tell me what you heard. Was anyone thinking about the battle?"
Tegan shook her head. "There were so many words and images… I'm not sure."
"Try to concentrate."
She closed her eyes then said slowly, "I could hear Turlough. I was able to understand some of his thoughts, but the others kept butting in. He's scared—he wants to get away. The battle… he's afraid because it's going to be a slaughter."
"A slaughter?" asked the Doctor in alarm.
Tegan nodded. "That's what he thinks. The others were thinking about it, too. There's a big group of Kingsmen, much bigger than the Briars." She closed her eyes, trying to recall the words she had heard. "Nearly… a thousand. Coming from the south… and northwest."
"All right. We have to reach the Briars before the Kingsmen do."
The Doctor began walking, but Tegan balked. "What can we do?"
"We can warn them of the attack. If they're prepared, they may not suffer as many losses. Or they may choose to move further away, or even to surrender."
Tegan bit her lip. Her face reflected pain. "I want to stay here," she said somberly.
The Doctor turned back to her. "What?"
"I want to stay here. I don't want to go the Briars' camp."
"Tegan, you can't remain out here alone—"
"And I can't face another large group of people. Doctor, you don't know what it was like before. I had to see all of their thoughts—thoughts of battles, killing, swords. It was awful, and it just kept coming at me, slamming against me. For a while I was able to step back, to let it all just swirl around me, but this last time I couldn't get away from it. I thought I'd be there—in their thoughts—forever. I just can't do it again."
The Doctor saw that her eyes were bright with tears. He placed his hand on her shoulder, saying, "But you did come back to reality, to me. You were able to bring yourself back. And in the process you gained valuable information that will help the Briars. I can't leave you here; it's not safe. The Kingsmen will be coming through here in a matter of hours."
Tegan wiped a hand across her cheek; tears had begun to glisten against her skin. "I'm really scared, Doctor."
He smiled sadly and brushed his thumb over the trail of tears. "I know that, but I also know that you can do this. Brave heart, Tegan."
"And if it's too much? If I can't come back?" she asked in a shaking voice.
"I promise you that I will get you back. There are ways."
Tegan arched an eyebrow at him. "What sort of ways?" she asked dubiously.
"You needn't worry about that now. I told you before that I would keep you safe, and I intend to keep that promise. Do you trust me?"
Tegan hesitated longer than he would have liked, but finally she replied, "Yes."
"Good. Now come on. We haven't any time to waste."
They began to walk briskly, Tegan trying to quell her fear of the next encounter with a large group, as the Doctor considered seriously his options for helping his companion from the maze of thoughts in which he feared she would soon be trapped.
----------
As the mountains gained shape against the steel grey sky, the Doctor could see the Briars' camp. A large fire shone in the center of the compound, surrounded by tents and smaller fires with men huddled around them.
Tegan had begun to sense the Briars' thoughts well before the camp came into sight. Now she had slipped again into the stupor that accompanied the onslaught of voices and images in her mind. The Doctor did not attempt to draw her back to full consciousness. Instead, he focused his attentions on reaching the camp, leading her along silently at his side.
As he approached the perimeter of the encampment, a sentry stepped forward, wielding a sword. "Stop," he ordered, his eyes running over the two intruders with some surprise. "What do you want?" he asked.
The Doctor steadied Tegan, who was beginning to slump, then responded, "I have important information for your leader."
The sentry's eyes narrowed. "What sort of information?"
"Information from one of your companions who was badly injured."
The guard considered this for a moment, then he fixed his gaze on Tegan. "Is she hurt?" he asked.
"She's… very tired," the Time Lord said. "We've traveled a great distance to bring this message to your camp. Please, will you take me to your commander?"
The sentry nodded, keeping his hand on the sword. He moved around behind the Doctor and Tegan, saying, "Walk toward the large tent." He remained behind them as the Doctor led Tegan forward.
The soldiers in the camp were just beginning to stir in the grey light. The visitors passed dozens of men sleeping or resting on the ground or in small, makeshift tents. Some of the men were injured, and most appeared exhausted or mildly ill. The Doctor could see that these men's battles had taken their toll. This group was ill-prepared for a major attack.
The guard stopped when they reached the largest tent. He called to a soldier nearby, telling him to watch the intruders carefully while he ducked into the tent. After a minute, he emerged and gestured for the Doctor and Tegan to enter.
The Doctor pulled Tegan through the flap of material that served as the entrance to the tent. Inside stood a tall man with sable hair and striking green eyes that sparkled with intelligence and curiosity in the light of the lantern he had just lit. He wore a rich, brown jerkin with a rose embroidered on the breast.
"My sentry says that you have information for me," the man said summarily.
The Doctor nodded and reached for the parchment in his jacket pocket. "Yes. We encountered a Briar soldier some distance from here. He was mortally wounded, but before he died he gave this to me." The Doctor held out the parchment. "He asked that I find your base camp and give you this to warn you of a surprise attack planned by the Kingsmen."
The man took the parchment and studied it briefly, then he looked back at the Doctor. "This is from the leader of the western camp." He touched a small monogram at the top of the parchment. "You say you got this from a soldier?"
The Doctor nodded. "Yes. We found him in the woods, near the rose bush."
"That is very far from here. You came all this way to bring this to me?"
The Doctor smiled wanly. "We did."
"You are Briars?"
"No," said the Doctor, "we are simply visitors here."
"Visitors, and you traveled such a distance to deliver a message from a man you didn't even know?"
The Doctor shrugged. "It seemed rather important."
"It is. Thank you. I'm Lord Pannon, commander of the Briars." He extended his hand.
The Doctor shook it warmly, but his expression reflected surprise. "You're out here with your troops?"
Lord Pannon nodded gravely. "I would not ask them to fight while I remain in safety."
The Time Lord nodded in admiration. "I am called the Doctor," he said. "This is Tegan."
Tegan was slouched at his side, held up only by the strength of his arm around her.
Lord Pannon stepped forward to look more closely at the young woman. "Is she ill?" he asked with concern.
"She is exhausted."
The commander gestured toward a neat stack of furs and blankets at the side of the tent. "She is welcome to rest here."
With a nod of gratitude, the Doctor settled Tegan onto the soft bedding. Her expression was eloquent of psychological and physical pain, yet her eyes were blank. The Doctor knew that she had slipped deeply into the morass of images and words from the soldiers who lay only a stone's throw away. Their proximity was intensifying the strength of their thoughts. Tegan's heartbeat was rapid, and her skin had grown cold. The Doctor pulled a thick blanket over her.
"She does not look well," Pannon commented, watching his guests.
"Yes," replied the Doctor. "I'm afraid that our journey has been a difficult one for her."
"Would you like me to summon my apothecary?"
The Doctor considered this for a moment. "Yes, thank you. Could you ask him to bring something to help her sleep?"
Lord Pannon stepped outside then returned quickly. "The sentry will fetch him."
"Thank you." The Doctor stood. "Lord Pannon, I have more information about the Kingsmen's attack. It will be soon, and it will be massive. They have nearly one thousand soldiers, and they plan to begin marching just before dawn—about now, I should think. Three groups will attack, one from the south and one from the northwest. I am not sure from which direction the other group will come, but they are camped less than four kilometers east of here."
Lord Pannon was visibly alarmed by this information. "If that is true, they 'll be here in less than two hours." He turned to the Doctor with a suspicious scowl. "How do you know this? It isn't written on the parchment."
"No, but we have passed the Kingsmen's camps, and Tegan… overheard some of their conversation."
"Are you certain about this?"
The Doctor nodded solemnly. "Yes."
Lord Pannon clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace the length of the tent. "I must discuss this with the others… They will outnumber us, three to one, and my men are already tired and wounded. Even if we anticipate the attack, their sheer force puts the battle on their side."
The tent flap was swept aside as a small, wiry man stepped in. He carried several vials in his hands, and his wide belt had clusters of herbs hanging from it.
"Ah, Narreck, she needs your help," Lord Pannon said absently, cocking his head toward Tegan. "Excuse me," he continued, "but I must speak with the troop leaders." He slipped out through the flap.
Narreck stepped toward Tegan, but the Doctor moved in front of him. He was reluctant to explain the reason for Tegan's condition, fearing that information obtained through telepathy would be received dubiously at best. He knew it was critical that Lord Pannon believe him about the impending attack.
"Thank you for coming," said the Doctor amiably. "My companion is suffering from nervous exhaustion from our long and difficult journey. She needs something to induce a deep sleep."
"I've brought several tinctures," said Narreck, holding up the vials, "but I shall need to examine her to determine which is best."
The Doctor smiled affably. "That won't be necessary. She is under my care."
"You are an apothecary?"
The Time Lord looked away briefly. "You might say that." He returned his gaze to Narreck. "However, I'm afraid that I haven't any of my things with me, but I can assure you that all Tegan needs is a strong somnorific."
Narreck glanced at Tegan then back at the Doctor, hesitating briefly. "All right," he said, finally. He held up one of the vials. "This will place her in a deep, restful sleep."
The Doctor took the container and removed the small cork. He sniffed the contents. "Ah, a tincture of winthania somnifera and adoxaceae."
In response to Narreck's inquisitive look, he added, "Winter cherry and muskroot."
Narreck nodded. "Yes. Those are the primary components."
"This will do nicely."
The Doctor bent to Tegan, lifting her head and holding the vial to her lips. "I think a few drops only, just to allow her to sleep for an hour or so."
He hoped that slipping into a heavy slumber would free Tegan's mind from the thoughts of others, and permit her to obtain some much-needed rest to ameloriate the growing physical effects accompanying her mental experiences. He poured a small amount of the tincture into her mouth then returned her head to the cushion of blankets.
As he stood, Lord Pannon entered the tent, clearly troubled. "Narreck," he said, "one of the soldiers from Luresta has a fever, and his wound has worsened."
Narreck nodded. "I'll see to him."
"The men will stand and fight," the commander said, "but so many are injured. My advisors are considering strategies—we do have the advantage of anticipating the attack—but our losses will be heavy."
Narreck had walked back to the tent flap, but he paused and turned back. "Sir," he said to the Doctor, "I'll need that vial."
"Ah, yes, of course," said the Doctor, holding out the small bottle. As Narreck reached for it, however, the Time Lord pulled back his hand. "I wonder," he murmured, lifting up the bottle to study it.
"Sir," Narreck repeated, "please. I need to see to the injured man."
"Oh, sorry." The Doctor returned the vial to the apothecary's eager hand. "But you've given me an idea." With a broad smile, he turned to Lord Pannon. "Your men may not have to fight all of the Kingsmen."
"What do you mean?" asked Lord Pannon.
As rosy dawn rays spread over the camp, the Doctor explained his plan to the commander.