Chapter Eight

Kidnapped

At the other end of the spatial rift, Turlough's Doctor was slowly recovering from his journey through the inter-dimensional fissure. The alien power used to find and bring him there had completely thrown off his temporal stability. Normally, he would have been able to overcome this, but things had been further complicated by the unnatural bend in his time stream, wearing down his strength faster than he could compensate.

Opening his eyes slowly, the Doctor found himself surrounded by strange and beautiful col ors that seemed to move and swirl with a life of their own. He watched them groggily for several minutes before realizing he was not dreaming. When he tried to sit up he discovered, with a bit of a shock, that he was suspended on a gigantic spider's web, his hands and feet secured to it with metal clamps. The shock of finding himself in such a position was equaled only by his bewilderment as to how he had gotten there. The web seemed to be made of a heavy rubberized mate rial, yet this did not deter him from making certain there were no giant spiders roaming the area. Once satisfied this was not the case the Doctor gave his bonds a tug, amusing an unseen ob server. A deep, malevolent chuckle suddenly rolled like thunder from around him.

"Have you ever wondered how a fly feels when it's caught in a spider's web, Time Lord?" the disembodied voice asked tauntingly.

"Not really," came the bland reply. "Who are you? Why have you brought me here?"

The laughter that rolled forth was so loud it caused the web to vibrate and hurt the Doctor's ears. "I am the god of this universe," came the grandiose reply.

The captive Time Lord raised his eyebrows. "Are you really? That's very interesting. I don't think I've ever met a genuine god before." The Doctor was rambling, something he often did when he needed time to think. His mind, on the other hand, was racing as hundreds of questions competed for his attention. Keeping his voice light, he asked, "May I ask what I'm to call you? You have a name, I take it?"

"Oh, I have a name. But I shan't tell it to you," came the smug reply.

"Why? Afraid it might give me an advantage?" This question was meant to be disarming, as it was obvious the Doctor was in no way at an advantage. All the same an arrow found its mark. Just as Jason suspected, the self-proclaimed deity was Ormril, an enemy from the Time Lord's future. It was the Doctor's extensive knowledge of Ormril's history that had allowed him to defeat him; so to know his name would give him a distinct advantage.

A red glow suddenly appeared around the Doctor, sending shock waves of pain throughout his entire body. Taken completely off guard he cried out in alarm, struggling in vain against his bonds.

"I fear no one, Time Lord, least of all you!" Ormril thundered, punctuating his declaration by tearing a cry of pain from his prisoner. "I am Lord and Master here. You'd do well to remember that."

His authority thus established, Ormril released the Doctor from his torment. Dazed and bewildered, he sagged back against the web where several disquieting questions won the competition with the other and gained his complete attention. Where am I, exactly? How did I get here? And, come to that, what's become of Turlough? Fearing what he might be told, the Doctor kept these thoughts to him self asking only, "What do you want of me?"

"Only your life, Doctor," the deep voice snarled.

The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief. Finally! An answer I can deal with. "Oh, is that all," he heard himself saying. "I was afraid it might be something important."

"Don't play the fool with me!" Ormril snapped angrily. "I know you place a value on life. Would you so carelessly throw away your own when it could be used to save another?"

Sensing a trap, the Doctor's eyes narrowed. Whatever his capture was after, he seemed willing to do anything to get it. "Are you asking me to bargain with you? My life in exchange for someone else?" he asked in as even a tone as possible.

"I might be…" came the evasive reply. "The question is, would you be willing to do it? For say…the boy who travels with you, perhaps?" The appalled expression this question induced caused Ormril to laugh. "You're a sentimental fool, Doctor. That's your weakness. I, on the other hand, am not burdened by emotional attachments. That is my strength."

"Are you going to kill me or just talk me to death?" the Doctor snapped sarcastically. He knew the moment he had spoken that he'd made a mistake. The red light returned, as did the pain. Helpless in its grasp, he let out a wail of anguish, his body arching like a bow as the intensity of his agony increased.

Ormril watched his prisoner's suffering in sadistic delight before saying suddenly, "No, I won't kill you now. To kill you quickly would be too good a fate for you."

The light vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving the Doctor dazed and exhausted. He hung limply in his bonds inwardly wishing he could just pass out and be spared any further bombastic prattle.

"I have it in my power to keep you conscious until the very instant of your death," Ormril threatened on. "If I had the time, I'd see to it it took millennia. A fitting punishment for your part in my captivity."

This last statement penetrated the Doctor's benumbed brain and he looked up fuzzily. "Your captivity?"

"Never mind," Ormril said quickly. "I must leave you for a time. You'd be wise to take this opportunity to think about what I've said before we continue." The alien colors of the strange universe suddenly swirled, glowing brightly and then fading as Ormril took his leave.

Grateful, the Doctor watched him go, having had quite his fill of his captor's loquaciousness. It took several minutes before he felt alert enough to concentrate his thoughts in any meaningful way. He then tried to remember the chain of events that had led him to this chamber of horrors, but try as he might, he could remember nothing after leaving Tegan on Earth.

Leaning back against the web, the Doctor sighed heavily. It was no use. His memory would yield him nothing. He glanced uneasily around and wondered if it might be too much to hope for that someone would come and rescue him.