Disclaimer: "Doctor Who" and its characters are of course the property of the BBC. I'm just borrowing them.

On a small, mossy plain that stretched between the rocky hills two children played a game of hide-and-seek. The boy tried to suppress a giggle as his companion uncovered her eyes and began scanning the clumps of grey moss and dwarf spruce trees in the immediate vicinity. He lay flat on his belly behind one of the moss clusters. The plant was not quite large enough to obscure him from the girl's view, but his grey clothing helped to camouflage him. He was terribly pleased with his choice of hiding place, and despite his best efforts the wanton giggle escaped his mouth.

The girl turned toward him with her hands upon her hips. A smile was forming on her lips. "I see you!" she exclaimed as she skipped over the moss and around the trees toward him.

He sat up, overcome by a fit of laughter. When she reached him she took his hands and pulled him up. His fine, ash-blond hair seemed to quiver around his face like an electrified corona as his body shook with giggles. The girl's smile broadened, and soon she was laughing, too, the motion creating the same halo effect around her pale face.

"It took you almost a minute," he said when he was finally able to speak.

She narrowed her eyes. "I was just pretending to look for you. I knew where you were all along!" Her voice was slightly husky as she tried to catch her breath.

"No you didn't!"

"Did too!"

The boy frowned in mild disappointment then nodded his head resolutely. He lifted his hands and placed them on her head, fingertips pressing against her temples. He closed his eyes for a moment then smiled and stepped back.

"Ha! You really didn't know!" he said triumphantly, turning to sprint away. "Betcha can't catch me!"

"Hey! I'm gonna tell! You're gonna to be in big trouble—"

"Only if you catch me," he called, bounding further away.

The girl tossed her head, then wiped a hand over her nose before running after her brother, back toward the village nestled in a small vale between the craggy hills.

-----

Carrying a hefty book in his arms, Adric walked down one of the corridors in the TARDIS. His head was bent to study the open pages, and a slight frown creased his young brow. "That just can't be right," he muttered, turning to step into the console room.

Finally he looked up. The Doctor was standing near one of the monitors on the bank of instrumentation surrounding the center rotor.

"Doctor," Adric began, lowing the book to settle it against his hip, "this doesn't make sense."

"Neither does this," the Doctor murmured before glancing up at the Alzarian youth. "What do you have there?"

"The text on subatomic particle application. But if I apply this equation for the rate of decay of tamallium, the solution indicates a negative value—"

The Doctor reached forward to take the book. His eyes moved rapidly over the page. "No, Adric, you've misinterpreted the ionic value. If it's greater than four, the solution must be positive."

Adric read over the numbers and accompanying charts quickly. "Oh—of course! It's got to be at least four point seven two, which makes the solution…" he paused, "fourteen thousand, seven hundred twelve."

The Time Lord smiled. "I'll trust you on that." He gave Adric's gold badge a small tap with his fingertip.

Adric grinned at his friend's approbation. "What do you suggest that I read after I've finished this?"

The Doctor had glanced back at the monitor on the console. "Hmm? Oh, put that down for a minute and have a look at this."

Adric lowered the book and stepped over to the monitor. He saw an array of numbers and symbols that he quickly recognized as abbreviations for at least two dozen elements. "There's a lot of carbon," he commented.

"Yes, and carbon dioxide."

"Which means that whatever this monitor is picking up is living."

"Obviously. And the levels suggest that some of the life forms are humanoid. What makes this interesting is that the planet this is scanning hadn't been settled the last time I passed it."

"And when was that?"

"Oh," the Doctor waved a hand absently, "two or three hundred years ago."

"So someone's colonized it, or set up a research station there. That's not very surprising—"

"No, I suppose not. But this planet is quite remote, and it hasn't got any particular resources that would be of interest to other societies. It's rather curious that anyone would choose to settle here."

"Maybe it's a nice place to live," Adric suggested.

"Not particularly. The atmosphere can sustain animal and human life without difficulty, but as I recall the planet is rather barren and rocky—not an ideal place for settlement."

Adric shrugged. "Perhaps they didn't choose it. There could have been a crash or emergency landing of some sort."

The Doctor nodded. "Possibly." He lowered his head and began punching at keys. "Let's just stop in for a bit and see."

The center rotor began to glow as it groaned upward.

"Run and fetch Nyssa and Tegan," the Time Lord said. "Tell them we'll be landing soon."

-----

By the time Adric, Tegan, and Nyssa entered the console room, the Doctor had opened the door and stepped outside. They joined him in the cool, late-afternoon sun.

"This is nowhere near Heathrow!" Tegan exclaimed as soon as she glimpsed the rocky hills and low-growing plants. "Did you land us on the moors?" She shook her head with a small scowl. "No, these hills are too stony, and it's dry here."

The Doctor shot Adric a glance. "Didn't you tell them where we were going?" he asked.

Adric shook his head. "You just said to tell them we were landing."

"So you weren't even trying to get back to England?" Tegan huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"At the moment, no," the Doctor responded, then added quickly, "but I will return you there—as soon as we've had a look around here, if that is what you want."

Tegan sniffed in reply, purposefully turning away from him. With a sympathetic glance at the Australian, Nyssa said, "Doctor, why have we landed here?"

"Just to take a look. The scanners show humanoid life here. As of two hundred years ago this was an uninhabited planet. I'm curious about the residents." He was looking about as he spoke. Now he pointed to his left. "Over there. I can see a gap between the hills." He took a few steps, but Tegan's loud sigh stopped him.

"You can wait here if you like," he said with a quick look in her direction.

"I'm coming with you," Adric said. "Nyssa?"

Nyssa's eyes moved from Tegan to the Doctor and Adric. "If Tegan wants to remain here, I'll stay."

"Do you want to go with them?" asked Tegan.

Nyssa hesitated for a moment. "I don't mind staying here if that's what you want."

With a shake of her head, Tegan said, "No, Nyssa, it's fine. I'll go."

The Doctor settled his hat on his head and began to walk. "Nothing like a bit of exercise to clear your mind and lift your spirits," he said brightly.

Tegan simply rolled her eyes without saying anything.

------

After walking for half an hour, the visitors found that the hills seemed to stretch endlessly ahead and to all sides.

"We may have to climb over," the Doctor suggested, pausing to examine the local flora that sprouted valiantly up from between the gaps in the rocks.

The Time Lord was bent over a bush. Its branches reached only to his knees, but they spread out nearly a meter on each side. Small clusters of bright pink flowers grew among the dark green foliage. "These should produce berries in about three weeks," he noted to no one in particular.

"There seems an adequate supply of natural resources here to sustain humans indefinitely," Nyssa said. She pointed at several chubby birds that fluttered between the bushes.

"I wonder if they taste like squab?" Tegan mused, beginning to notice her empty stomach. She rubbed at her arms as shadows lengthened over the plain. Mountains surrounded them, now blocking the setting sun.

"More like Bresse hens, I should think," the Doctor said as he straightened. "They're probably not even a delicacy here. They seem rather abundant."

"So this isn't really such a bad place for people to have settled, is it?" Adric inquired.

The Doctor considered this question for a moment. "No, it's not. The flora seem more plentiful than the last time I was here. I don't recall these birds either…"

"Can you really remember your previous trip here in that much detail?" asked Nyssa.

The Doctor frowned slightly. "Perhaps not." Then he brightened and resettled his hat on his head. "Let's try this one." He gestured toward the lowest mound.

"You want us to climb over that pile of rocks?" Tegan asked.

"It's not a pile of rocks, Tegan," the Doctor corrected good-naturedly. "It's an uplifted granitic batholith—"

"That looks like a giant pile of rock," she finished. "No thanks. I didn't change into my mountain-climbing gear." She smoothed her lavender blouse slightly and straightened her jacket. "It looks flatter over there."

"Have a look, then," the Time Lord said, already placing his foot on the edge of the hill. "If you can find a way around this batholith, I'll meet you on the other side. Just be sure to move in this direction." He pointed straight ahead.

Tegan took a few steps then paused. "Who's coming with me?" she asked.

Nyssa turned in her direction, but the Doctor said, "Adric, go with Tegan."

"Why me?" the boy asked. "I want to stay with you—"

"Because," the Doctor replied reasonably, "your attire is better suited to rocky terrain than Nyssa's. You can help Tegan move over the rocks, just as I'll assist Nyssa." He was already holding out his hand to the young Traken woman.

"Fine," Tegan said rather shortly. "Well, come on, then," she urged curtly when she saw that Adric had not moved.

"All right," the Alzarian said, "I'm coming." He scrambled over the stony ground, passing her within a few moments as she struggled to keep up in her high heels.

-----

Nyssa's boots were not ideal for rock-climbing, either, but she found that with some small degree of care she could negotiate the gaps between the granite fairly well. The Doctor tried to keep an eye on her, but he was frequently distracted by the plants and small animals that dwelt among the rocks.

After perhaps thirty minutes they reached the top of the batholith, the Doctor gently pulling Nyssa to the summit by the hand. They stood looking over the land. The sun was lowering, casting shadows across the hills, but in the distance they clearly saw a cluster of buildings.

"That must be the settlement," said the Doctor, "or one of them, at least."

"It's not very big," commented Nyssa. "Do you think there are others here?"

"I'm not sure. Let's find out, hmm?" He took her hand again and began leading her down the hill.

Once they had descended the batholith, the terrain, though still rocky, provided for easier foot travel. After they had walked a short distance, Nyssa asked, "Shouldn't we wait for Tegan and Adric?"

The Doctor looked back in the direction from which they had come. "They should be over there. As soon as they round that hill they'll see the village. I'm sure they'll realize that we've gone there."

"Yes, I suppose so," Nyssa agreed.

As they neared the village, they could see that the buildings were constructed of an odd amalgamation of wood, stone, and pieces of metal. Along the outer perimeter stood smaller buildings, with a dozen or so larger ones in the center. Smoke rose from chimneys in the smaller structures; the Doctor identified these as homes. Most were adorned with plants and stone walkways leading up toward their doors. A stone path wound from the center of the village out to the homes as well.

A few people strolled about between the buildings. From somewhere nearby, they could hear a child laughing.

"It seems a pleasant place," Nyssa commented.

"Yes. It's a bit more rustic than I'd imagined."

"How so?"

"Well, if these people had the technological skills to come here, presumably in a space craft of some sort, I would expect that their architecture would be more advanced than this."

A woman, in her early thirties with straw-colored hair, walked along the path nearest them. She held a basket in her hand, but she was looking beyond the village, away from the Doctor and Nyssa. With a slight frown, she called, "Rannal! Morra! Supper!"

The Doctor smiled then lifted his hand to wave as he hailed her, "Hello!"

She turned toward him. Slowly her hand rose to her mouth as her eyes widened. The basket dropped from her fingers, and she sank to her knees. She seemed to struggle for breath for a moment, then she screamed.

-----

Adric had rounded the batholith easily, leaving Tegan a good five minutes' behind. She struggled to negotiate the stony surface, catching a heel frequently then stopping to extricate herself before moving on. At his last glance, she had been perhaps fifty meters behind him. Ahead he could see a village nestled between the hills.

"Tegan!" he called back. "Hurry up! I've found a village!"

He could not hear her response, if indeed she had responded. He was eager to investigate the new surroundings, but he forced himself to wait for her, idly examining the low-growing plants to pass the time. It was nearly twilight, and shadows covered the ground. Adric squinted slightly in an effort to see more clearly. Something had moved just a few meters to his left.

He turned, craning his neck and listening carefully. "Hello?" he said cautiously.

A nearby bush seemed to rustle slightly. It was not large enough to hide a person, and there had been no signs of large, predatory animals, so Adric decided that whatever was amid the brush presented little threat to him. He took a few steps toward it then increased his pace. He stopped before the bush to peer down into it. Something lay beneath its low branches.

Adric bent down. Abruptly a head popped up from between the leaves. The Alzarian gasped in surprise, falling back onto the ground. He felt a stone dig painfully into his palm and struggled to his feet to avoid any more scrapes. As he stood, a small pair of hands rose from the bush to hover next to the head, followed by thin shoulders and arms.

Adric blinked at the child who stood before him. "Hello," he said again.

The little boy's eyes had widened in fear, but curiosity soon prevailed. He reached out his hand to touch Adric's arm, then quickly pulled his fingers away. He took a step back, gaze fixed upon Adric.

"It's all right," Adric said. "I won't hurt you."

"Who—" began the child hesitantly, "who are you?"

"My name is Adric."

"Where… where did you come from?"

Adric smiled then lifted his hand toward the sky. "Out there."

The child's eyes followed his gesture. "From the heavens?"

"No, not the heavens. From space. But before that from another planet called Alzarius."

"Another planet?" The child's expression showed his utter confusion with this construct.

"Yes. There are lots of other planets out there—"

The child tentatively touched Adric's arm again. "Ad—Adric?"

"Yes, that's right. What's your name?"

The boy lifted his eyes to Adric's face. "Rannal."

"Do you live there, in the village?"

Rannal nodded.

"Adric!" Tegan's voice shot across the small plain. "You could have at least waited—"

He turned to look at her as she stalked toward him. Her expression, barely discernible in the dim light, showed her surprise at seeing the child. She hurried forward. "Who's this?" she asked, her tone softening immediately.

"His name is Rannal," Adric replied. "He lives in the village."

"Hello, Rannal," Tegan said pleasantly. "I'm Tegan."

The boy nodded solemnly, his eyes quickly returning to Adric. "Is she from the heavens, too?"

"No," Adric replied, "she's from Earth. That's another planet."

Rannal turned abruptly and walked to the nearest bush. He bent down. "It's all right," he said. "You can come out now."

He thrust his hand amid the leaves. "Come on, Morra. Don't be scared."

After a moment a small girl emerged from beneath the shrub. She was clearly frightened. Her eyes were large and she appeared pale. Her hands shook.

"They won't hurt you," Rannal assured her. "They came from the sky."

"From the sky?" she repeated. "They're from the heavens?"

He nodded and took her hand to lead her to his new companions. He pointed in turn, saying with budding officiousness, "This is Adric. This is Tegan."

Morra stood shyly behind Rannal, but when Tegan smiled warmly the girl took a hesitant half-step forward. "You don't look like my mommy," she said.

"No?" Tegan bent down to put her face at the child's eye level. "Well, people all look different, don't they? Does your mommy have blonde hair like yours?"

Morra nodded. "I've never seen hair that color before!" She touched a strand near Tegan's ear then withdrew her hand quickly.

"It's all right," Tegan said gently. "You can touch it if you want."

Morra shook her head and retreated behind Rannal again.

"They live in the village, down there," Adric said, nodding toward the lights that had begun to glow from the homes.

"Knowing the Doctor, he's already there," said Tegan, "probably having tea with the mayor."

"Rannal, we'd like to go to your village," Adric said.

The boy grasped Adric's hand and led him forward, saying to Morra, "Wait 'til they see what we found! This is better than any rock we've ever brought back!"

Tegan held out her hand to Morra, and the girl tentatively took it, staring all the while at her auburn hair.