Turlough lay on the bed with his eyes closed; despite his best intentions to remain awake, he had dozed for some time. He woke with a start, immediately reaching for the crystal in his pocket. He had forgotten, however, that his hands were bandaged. He fumbled at the pocket, and the crystal tumbled to the floor with a small thud. Quickly he looked toward the door then bent to retrieve the object. Had it been glowing? Was that what had awakened him?
"Turlough?" Nyssa stepped into the room. "Are you all right? I thought I heard something fall."
The Trion was kneeling on the floor, attempting to grasp the crystal with the heels of his hands. His back was toward Nyssa, and he hunched over further to push the irreplaceable object under the bed.
"I'm fine," he said over his shoulder. "I was just—trying to remove my shoes." He turned toward her and held up his hands. "It's a bit hard right now."
Nyssa nodded sympathetically as he stood. "Sit down, and I'll help you," she said.
He sat back on the mattress as she knelt to untie and remove his shoes. "How do your hands feel?" she asked, beginning to push the shoes under the bed.
"Don't!" he blurted out; the shoes were only a few centimeters away from the crystal.
She looked up at him with alarm. "I'm sorry. What?"
"Just leave them," he said, forcing his voice to sound casual. "I can't get to them very easily if you push them under the bed."
"Oh, of course." She pulled the shoes out further then stood. She seemed to watch him critically for a moment until he turned his face away. "Are you all right?" she asked.
"What do you mean?"
"You seem—I just wondered if you were in pain. I can get you something for the discomfort if you like."
"No, I'm fine," he lied. His hands were, in fact, throbbing. The effects of the antiseptic spray had worn off some time ago. "I really just want to rest, if you don't mind."
"I'm sure that's best. But you should have some more water first." She had brought him a large glass earlier. It sat on the nightstand, half-empty. She picked it up and held it to his lips, placing a gentle hand behind his head as he drank.
"Thanks," he muttered as she lowered the glass. "You've been very kind."
"It's the least I can do," she said, then, voice lowering, she added, "especially considering what you did for Tegan."
Turlough stared at her in alarm for a split second, his mouth agape. "I didn't—" he stammered.
She rested her hand lightly on his shoulder. "You were badly burned because you tried to save her. Tegan was my friend. She once told me that I was like a sister to her, and I think that I felt the same way about her. I just—I want you to know that I appreciate what you did."
Turlough swallowed hard. "It… was nothing."
She smiled sadly, blinking back tears, then she turned to walk toward the door. "Call me if you need anything at all," she said.
"All right." He was surprised by the huskiness of his own voice.
As soon as he heard the click of her heels fade in the hallway, he fell to his knees to pull the crystal from under the bed. He set it on the mattress and pressed his wrists against it. "I've done what you wanted," he hissed. "Now you have to keep your promise. Get me out of here and take me home."
The crystal sat dully on the bed.
When Tegan opened her eyes, she found that she lay near the wall on one of the cots. The mattress was obviously not goose down, but it was softer than the floor had been. There was a pillow under her head and another under her leg, propping up her injured knee. A blanket had been tucked lightly around her. Turning her head, she saw that the Doctor sat on a stool at one of the counters, peering into a microscope. Tentatively she began to sit up.
The Doctor turned to look at her then stood to move to her side in a few long strides. "Steady, Tegan. Don't try to move too quickly."
"I'm all right," she said.
He cupped his hand under her chin and tilted her head up so that he could study her face for a moment. "Hmm. Your color has improved." His fingers moved up to rest against her cheek. "And your temperature is close to normal."
"Close to normal?" she repeated. "Wasn't it normal before?"
He dropped his hand and sat on the edge of the mattress. "I'm afraid that the web in which you were encased did not have entirely positive effects on you. While it did save your life, it seems that it contained slightly toxic properties as well—"
"Slightly toxic?" Tegan asked with some alarm. "It poisoned me?"
"Yes. I believed it entered your bloodstream through your eyes, or it may have been absorbed through the skin, though I had quite a bit on my hands and I have not been affected. Of course, my biochemistry is different from yours… I'm still trying to analyze precisely what the fibers are made of. The equipment here is lacking, to say the least—"
"Is it going to kill me?"
"Kill you?" The Doctor appeared mildly surprised by her question. "No, I don't think so. You'll be all right. As far as I can tell, the effects were only temporary. You've improved considerably over the last hour."
"How long was I out?"
"About three hours."
"Three hours? Why didn't you take me back to the TARDIS?"
The Doctor's eyes wandered to the door. "I considered it. However, travelling on foot is rather dangerous at the moment."
Tegan nodded. "You said there was going to be a geologic event. Are you worried about the geysers?"
"Yes, they do present a significant danger. They are erupting with considerable frequency and unpredictability. It would be difficult to avoid them."
"So we're just going to wait here?"
"For the moment, yes. We should be safe enough inside; I cannot imagine that the researchers would erect this structure on top of a geyser. The priority now is removing all traces of this," he touched a bit of the web clinging to her hair, "from your body so that no more of the toxins enter your system."
"I won't argue with that plan—it feels horrible. Is there a shower?"
"Yes, over there." The Doctor nodded toward a curtained niche. "However, water alone will not remove the web. Remember, the web protected you from the water from the geyser."
"So what can I use?"
"That is what I've been trying to determine." He stood and returned to the microscope. "The fibers appear to contain a high concentration of lipids, which is why they are so resistant to water."
Tegan tugged at a clump of web in her bangs. "I guess shampoo wouldn't do the trick," she said with a sigh.
"Shampoo?" The Doctor stood quickly and hurried to the curtained area. After a few moments he returned to the work bench with a bottle in his hand. He poured a small amount of the milky liquid onto a slide then pushed it under the microscope's lens. "Why didn't I think of that? It's so simple, really."
"What are you doing?" asked Tegan.
"Watching the shampoo dissolve the fibers. It's the alcohol in the shampoo, actually. It acts as a solvent on the lipids and helps to break down the proteins, too."
Tegan swung her legs over the edge of the bed, wincing at the pain this motion caused her knee. "So all I have to do is wash my hair?"
The Doctor turned to look at her. "Yes—and you'll need to shampoo your entire body as well."
She began to rise, trying to balance on her left leg, but she found that the room seemed to rock slightly beneath her. "Is there another earthquake?" she asked, gripping the edge of the bed.
The Doctor came toward her quickly. "No, Tegan. You're still experiencing some vertigo, apparently. We need to remove the web immediately."
"Too right." She began to stand again, but he placed his hands on her shoulders to hold her back gently.
"Wait until I've started the shower, then I'll help you over to it."
He walked toward the curtain and pulled it back. Tegan saw a small bathroom with a diminutive sink, toilet, and shower head. A second curtain could be pulled around the shower to prevent the rest of the area from getting wet. The Doctor turned the faucet and a small spray of water shot from the shower head. He held a hand under it for several seconds then turned back to her.
"I'm afraid that you won't have any hot water," he said.
"I'll make do," she replied.
He returned to the cot and helped her to stand then hobble toward the shower. She still felt vaguely dizzy, but she placed a hand against the wall to steady herself.
"Can you undress by yourself?" he asked rather hesitantly, already reaching for the outer curtain.
She arched an eyebrow at him. "I'm sure I can manage."
He handed her the bottle of shampoo then pulled the curtain. "I'm going to wait here in case you become dizzy again or need any help."
"I'll be fine," she said firmly, though she felt her cheeks growing warm. It would be just her luck to pass out in the shower… Carefully she removed her clothes and stepped under the stream of cool water.
Turlough was restless. His hands were throbbing, and he checked the crystal tucked beneath his pillow frequently. It remained slightly cloudy without even the faintest glow. Finally he stood, managing to fumble the crystal into his pocket, then walked down the hall. "Nyssa?" he called.
"I'm in the console room," she replied, her voice echoing slightly in the long corridor. "I'll be there in a minute."
"No," he called back, "I'll come to you."
He found her standing before the view screen, watching the expanse of caldera before them. Her eyes moved quickly from one side to the other. When she saw him enter the room, she turned partially toward him.
"How are you feeling?" she asked kindly.
He shrugged. "All right, I suppose, all things considered."
She nodded then returned her gaze to the screen. "The geyser activity has increased significantly," she said. "The TARDIS is registering intensifying seismic activity, too."
"That means that there's going to be a volcanic eruption soon, doesn't it?"
"It seems very likely." Nyssa turned completely so that she faced Turlough. He could see that her eyes were red, and she appeared pale. "He should have been back by now," she said softly.
"The Doctor?"
"Yes. It should be less than an hour's walk to the station, and not much more back here, even carrying Tegan." She paused to swallow and blink several times. "He's been gone nearly four hours. Something must have happened."
"Nyssa," Turlough said, working to adjust his voice to a convincing yet sympathetic tone, "that's why he said not to come after him. He knew it was dangerous out there, that going back for her was risky. He told us to leave if the conditions got any worse. That's what we need to do."
Nyssa looked at the screen again. "I can't just leave him here."
"You must. That's what he wanted—he wants."
Nyssa drew a deep breath then walked to the console. She placed her fingers lightly on the keys.
"Where are we going?" Turlough asked.
"We're going to find the Doctor."
Turlough took a step forward. "Nyssa, we can't!"
"We have to. He would do the same for us—he did it for Tegan." She bent her head and punched at several keys.
Turlough reached for her arm, resting his bandaged hand against it. "This isn't what he wanted. I haven't known you or him for very long, but I do know that he expects us to do as he says. He doesn't want us to endanger ourselves or the TARDIS."
Nyssa pulled her arm back and straightened; at her full height, Turlough still towered over her. With a small frown, she said, "You don't know him very well at all." She tapped at several more keys.
"Nyssa, wait!" Turlough realized that his voice sounded desperate now. She looked up at him with some surprise. Eyes darting quickly to the keyboard, he held up his hands. "Before we go, could you find something for me for the pain? If we're going, I want to help you search for him, but I really need something for my hands."
Nyssa's finger hovered over the final key. When she looked up at him, he saw sympathy in her expression.
"It really hurts," he said again, plaintively this time. "I'm not really thinking straight. Please, can you help me?"
She nodded. "Of course. Why don't you go and lie down? I'll bring some pain relievers to you."
"No," he said quickly, "I'll wait here. There's no need to waste any more time than we have to. Could you bring me my shoes, too?"
She hurried out the door. Turlough stood quite still for a few seconds, then he placed his right hand on the edge of the console, pressing hard to move the bandage away from his fingertips. He grunted in pain and bit his lip, but in a minute his fingers were exposed. With one quick glance at the door, he crouched and began pulling wires from beneath the console.
Tegan was shivering nearly uncontrollably by the time she had finished her shower. As she turned off the water, she realized that she had not brought a towel into the niche. "Doctor!" she called through chattering teeth, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.
He responded immediately. True to this word, he must have remained only a few steps away while she showered. "What is it, Tegan? Are you dizzy?"
"N—no," she spluttered, "I—ju—just need something to dry off with."
She heard the outer curtain slide open. "I've left you something on the sink," the Doctor said.
Tegan stuck her head out through the curtain and saw a folded sheet on the sink. She grabbed it and wrapped it around herself completely. She stood for a minute, balanced still on one leg, then she permitted herself to lean against the sink as a small ripple of dizziness swept over her. When her vision had cleared, she looked at the hook on the wall where she had left her clothes. They were gone.
"Doctor!" she cried.
This time he stuck his head inside the curtain, alarmed by her tone. "What's the matter?" he asked, trying to look at her yet avert his gaze simultaneously.
"Where are my clothes?" she stammered.
"Oh," he replied, relaxing somewhat as he noticed that she was quite securely wrapped in the sheet. "You can't put them on again until I've gotten all of the fibers out of them. There's a chance that re-exposure could introduce further toxin into your system."
"What—what am I supposed to wear until then?" She could not stop shaking, and her teeth seemed to possess a will of their own.
"I'll find you something." Now he watched her with concern, permitting his eyes to rest on her completely. "You're awfully pale, Tegan, and you look as though you're bordering on hypothermia."
"The—wa-water—was freezing."
He nodded then stepped toward her to wrap his arm about her shoulders. "Come back to the bed. I have something for you."
She began to take a step, but her feet seemed to become twisted in the sheet, and she faltered. The Doctor scooped her up in his arms and carried her the few meters across the room to the cot. She was too cold to protest. He set her on the mattress and pulled the blanket up over her shoulders then removed the pillow case and began rubbing her hair with it. "It looks as though you managed to remove all of the web," he commented, lifting a few strands to examine them.
She had clenched her teeth in an effort to inhibit their chattering. She merely nodded in acknowledgement, pulling at the blanket with her nearly numb fingers.
"You should get this wet sheet away from your skin," he said, touching the upper edge of it near her neck. "It's only going to chill you further." He turned and walked toward the far counter, where he busied himself for a minute. "Have you removed the sheet yet?" he asked without turning around.
Tegan shrugged out of the blanket and quickly unwrapped the sheet, tugging the blanket back around herself as she allowed the sheet to drop to the floor. "Yes," she finally replied.
The Doctor allowed her another minute then returned to her. She was surprised to see that he held a large mug in his hand. A bit of steam rose from the rim. He held the mug out toward her, saying, "The researchers left behind a functioning propane hotplate and some tea. I don't think it's Darjeeling, but it smells palatable, and it will help to warm you. It will also assist in flushing any remaining toxins from your system."
Tegan took the mug with a small huff. "Cripes, Doctor, you make it sound so unappetizing."
He crossed his arms over his chest. "Just drink it, Tegan."
She complied, and she had to admit that the hot liquid felt wonderful as its warmth spread through her. Her teeth finally stilled, and she found that she had stopped shivering. When she had nearly emptied the cup, she leaned back against the wall. It seemed to vibrate slightly. She thought at first that another earthquake was beginning, or that she was growing dizzy, but after a moment she realized that the wall alone was shaking, and the motion was nearly imperceptible. There was a low noise—almost a light scratching—brushing against the wall, too.
"Do you hear that?" asked Tegan, sitting up and placing her hand on the wall.
The Doctor had filled a large pan with water and was now squirting shampoo into it. He plunged her clothes into the soapy water. "Yes, in fact I do."
"What is it?"
He dismissed the question with a shake of his head. "A good soaking in this should remove the fibers from your clothing."
"What are you doing?" asked Tegan. "We don't have time for laundry! Now that I've gotten the web off of me, we can go."
"I'm afraid that leaving now would be rather inadvisable," he said with a glance at the door.
"Look, I know there's a danger of a geyser erupting, but if what you said about a geologic event is true—"
"Which it is," he interjected.
"Then we have to get away from here. I'm fine for travelling now—I just need something to wear."
The Doctor reached for an item that lay on the counter then held it up. Tegan saw that it was a jumpsuit. "I found this in one of the drawers," he said, gesturing toward a small dresser near the bed. He brought the garment to her then walked purposefully back toward the counter to turn away.
Tegan unzipped the jumpsuit then stuck her left leg into it. The fabric was surprisingly soft, which was something of a relief to her, as her skin felt subtly irritated from the web. She attempted to thrust her right leg into the suit, but she gasped in pain as her knee was jarred.
"Watch your knee," the Doctor advised rather belatedly. His suggestion was met with a grunt. After a few minutes, he heard the zipper closing, and he turned half-way to assure himself that Tegan had finished dressing. She stood balanced on one leg rolling up the arms of the garment, which hung down several inches below her fingertips. The legs were long too, pooling around her ankles, and she lowered herself back to the mattress to bend toward them. This elicited another unintended gasp from her.
The Doctor hurried to the bed, saying, "Let me do that." He knelt before her and quickly folded the left pants leg back. His fingers brushed against her ankle; her skin still felt cool. He completed the right leg then reached up to feel her knee. She bit her lip to avoid crying out.
"It's continued to swell," he told her, "most likely from your standing in the shower." He lifted her foot and swung her leg up onto the bed, resting her knee upon the pillow. A small tremor shook the floor, and he struggled to keep his balance.
"That was definitely an earthquake," said Tegan. "Doctor, we have to get out of here."
"You're going to have considerable difficulty travelling with your knee in this condition. Even with my help, it would be slow going." He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small paper packet. "I found this in the first aid kit. Its primary ingredient is acetophenetidin—similar to the main ingredient in some of your Earth pain relievers." He tore open the packet. "These should provide some relief from the pain, and they may decrease the swelling somewhat, too."
Tegan held out her hand for the two small tablets then swallowed them with a final sip of tea. "I don't think we should wait for these to kick in. Just find me something to use as a crutch and we can head back to the TARDIS."
The Doctor's eyes wandered to the door again, and Tegan noticed for the first time that a chair was solidly propped up beneath the handle.
"What's that for?" she asked, then before he could respond, she pressed her hand against the wall. The vibration was still present, and the faint scratching sound had not diminished. "Wait a minute! There's something outside, isn't there? That's why we haven't left yet. If you'd wanted to, you could have carried me back to the TARDIS while I was unconscious, but you kept me here. Doctor, what's out there?"
He thrust his hands into his pockets and took a step back. "When I removed you from the vent, from the web, it seems that it disturbed the insects—"
"They came after you?" Tegan asked with sudden comprehension.
He nodded. "Yes, quite a few of them. They followed me here."
"And they've been outside since then? Why didn't you tell me?"
"They haven't been out there the entire time. Shortly after I brought you here they left. A geyser erupted nearby and sprayed them with water. Apparently without their webs the water presents a discomfort, possibly a danger, to them. They returned shortly after you fainted."
"Cripes, Doctor! You could have told me!"
"I suppose. But it was a moot point, really. I could not take you back to the TARDIS while they were out there, and my priority was to find a way to remove the fibers from your body, which we were able to accomplish in here."
"Okay, fine. But what are we going to do now? We can't just sit here waiting for a volcano to erupt in our faces and spill lava all over us—"
"Actually, it is not the lava that presents the danger. It is the pyroclastic flow that precipitates it—"
"Look, Doctor, I don't really care what it is. I just know that we have to get back to the TARDIS and leave this planet as soon as possible. So how do we do that?"
"I have been thinking about that for several hours."
"And you've come up with a plan, right?"
The Time Lord sighed. "Actually, Tegan, I haven't. But I'm sure I'll think of something."
"You'd better." Tegan pointed up toward the lone skylight. "I think the insects are on the roof now, and that plastic doesn't look very sturdy to me."
