After six uncomfortable hours of sleep the prisoners were ordered into the grinding tunnels, a series of newly formed drill sights where the reluctant workers would release veins of a compressed waxy brown substance from the tunnel walls. Telk worked side by side with the Doctor, explaining the task at hand, letting him know which areas were safe to move about in and which were not. The Doctor said little in return. Eventually Telk too became quiet. The guards watched the Doctor closely, many were placing wagers on how long he would last. Telk couldn't tell if the Doctor actually heard their talk, he seemed intensely focused on the work, only his eyes indicated that his mind was elsewhere. Finally the guards ushered the prisoners into the main cavern once more. They were ordered to sit. The guard in charge of their group handed Telk a small sack. Then the guards began to leave the caverns, their movement slowed at the exits as they filed from the immense cave.

"What's happening now?" the Doctor finally spoke.

Telk was startled by his voice "The guards eat topside" he said "they keep watch on the exits, anyone who leaves is fair game for target practice."

"I see." said the Doctor, and he lapsed back into silence once more.

Telk reached into the sack and began to distribute it's contents to his fellow slaves. He handed the Doctor three flat, wafer-like cakes. The Doctor accepted them but simply stared at them, turning them over and over in his hands.

"I'm sorry about your friend" said Telk.

The Doctor stopped toying with the food and handed it back to Telk "It doesn't matter now" he said softly. He turned to look at the young Antazi. "How long have you been a prisoner here?" he asked.

"One turn," Telk answered "but there are those of us who have been here since Malik came to power."

"And what horrible crime have you committed that they keep you here?"

Telk hung his head in shame "I wanted to see the Toroth city," he answered quietly, then he looked up at the Doctor "but I never went" he insisted "my friends and I had made plans but..."

"You were discovered and then delivered to this wonderful place." the Doctor finished for him.

Telk nodded. The Doctor sighed and leaned heavily against the cavern wall, only to feel the movement of something shifting behind his back. He turned to find a row of sacks lined up along the wall. He opened the top of the nearest one and peered inside. It was filled to the top with a rough white crystalline substance.

"Sea salt?"

"We use that to make the soft rock." Telk replied.

"How?"

"With the fuel that we mine from the tunnels, I tried to tell you this earlier..."

The Doctor suddenly sat up. "This soft rock" he said slowly "is it to be used in Malik's weapon?"

"It is essential, though just how I do not know."

"And where is it made?" he asked, the life seemed to be returning to him as he spoke.

Telk hesitated "At the lightning ring... but we are not permitted to witness it"

The Doctor grabbed Telk's shoulders "Do you know where it is? Can you take me there?" His eyes were cold and determined, Telk was almost frightened by him.

"Yes... yes of course."

"Then do it." said the Doctor as he stood up "Now while the guards are gone. How long do we have?"

Telk considered this "I think more than enough time to be there and back before the guards return."

"Good, take me there now."

Telk turned to look at his fellow prisoners. Those few who had been close enough to hear the conversation continued eating as though they had not. Telk stood slowly. The other prisoners made no response. Telk knew then that they would not give him away. "Follow me" he said, and he led the Doctor out of the cavern.

Alison opened her eyes. She found herself lying on a bed in a large room with warm, caramel coloured walls. A fireplace crackled steadily along the far wall. She sat up abruptly, and immediately her head began to throb.

"Oh!" she gasped and placed a hand on the back of her head.

"You're awake!" spoke a voice from behind her.

Alison turned. Standing behind the headboard was an immense black bird. Her jaw dropped open. Then images from the night before came flickering back to her mind, the cold hard ground beneath her, a large scavenger bird circling in the sky. Without knowing exactly why, she laughed. "I thought I'd dreamed you." she said.

The bird smiled, or at least it looked like it might be a smile to Alison, the skin around it's eyes had wrinkled slightly. "Oh, it was no dream" the bird responded in a voice that was unmistakably male "in fact, had you been out there much longer..." The bird stepped around the bed. He was black from top to bottom, even his beak and feet were a solid black. He tipped his head as he scrutinized her. "But you seem well now. I could not be certain when I first brought you in. I know so little of human anatomy." He extended his right wing to her. On it's uppermost curve three dark, finger-like projections reached out. "My name is Brinbek" his voice had a note of pride in it "second son of the Toroth sovereign" he concluded as though it were a matter of course.

Alison took his "hand" and shook it with uncertainty. "Alison Cheney." she responded. "You know about humans?"

"Of course." Brinbek answered. "All this..." he waved his wing in a grandiose sweep "was a gift from them."

Alison looked in the direction he had indicated. Stacks of books lined the wall to her left, some reaching from floor to ceiling. "These are from earth?"

Brinbeck nodded "And these" he touched a wing tip to a small metal stand at the right of her bed. Alison leaned forward and lifted the stand from the floor. It was rectangular in shape, it's surface studded with small silver pegs. She pressed a finger to one of the pegs a found that it slid easily from the surrounding framework. She pulled it out and examined it closely. It was a solid tube approximately the size of a pencil, it's surface glistened in the soft light of the room. "Storage spikes" said Brinbek with admiration. He took the spike from her hand and inserted it in a small opening in the top of the stand. A holographic image of earth's solar system flickered to life above it.

"It's like an encyclopedia." said Alison.

"Indeed," answered Brinbek "but this must seem very old to you." he took the stand from her and removed the spike, the holographic image vanished. He placed the stand back on the floor. "I saw your ship as it arrived in the clearing... it did not land, but appeared as from the air itself."

"The Tardis!" Alison leapt from the bed and the throbbing in her head increased "I've got to find the Doctor" she said as she gripped the bedpost for balance.

"You did not come alone?"

"No, there was a man with me..." she looked up at Brinbek "you mean you didn't see him out there?"

He shook his head "Only you."

"They must have taken him back to the village."

"The Antazi" said Brinbek, and his voice seemed to come from deep in his throat "I should have known... your head injury, they use such weapons to reach us in flight.

"I have to get back to the Tardis" Alison said weakly. She released the bedpost and took a step forward. The pain in her head became almost unbearable. Her knees buckled and she began to fall forward, but was caught by a strong feathered wing.

"You've been in the cold to long." Brinbeck guided her back to the bed. Alison reluctantly laid back down. Only when she was still did the pain seem to lessen. "I may know little of human anatomy" he continued "but you obviously need rest."

"But the Doctor" Alison pleaded softly.

"My people will search for him from the sky." Brinbek answered. He drew the bedcover over Alison as her eyelids began to droop closed. He continued to watch her until he was certain that she had fallen asleep. Then he turned and walked toward the bedroom door. When he reached it, he looked back at her once more. "I only hope he still lives." Then he left her to her slumber.