Chapter 5
"Commander Rosen," the voice said.
Rosen looked up from his desk where he'd been examining a report on recent weapons tests; he'd been taken by surprise to find that his superior wanted to speak with him.
"Sir," Rosen said, "What do you want me to do?"
"There is an intruder on board," the voice replied.
"Where are they?" Rosen asked.
"She is in my chamber," the voice replied, "I have made her replacement."
"What do you want me to do with her?" Rosen asked.
"You won't need to scan her mind," the voice said, "Her replacement will tell you everything you'll want to know. The original is unconscious at the moment, keep her that way."
"Why?" Rosen asked.
"She will escape if she wakes," the voice replied.
"How?"
"This is not a normal human we are dealing with Rosen," the voice explained, "Send a group of Security Officers to the area and tell them to put her in the maximum security cell with Victoria Waterfield."
"Yes sir," Rosen replied, and this time the voice remained silent.
The 'replacement' Carol was standing to attention in the dark room, the original lying at her feet.
"You will report to Commander Rosen and answer any questions he asks you," the creature in the object in front of her, the same voice that spoke to Commander Rosen.
"I understand sir," Carol replied, and then she turned round to see the door opening.
Outside four Security Officers where waiting. When Carol's 'replacement' stepped out two of them went in. They came out carrying the original Carol; they'd secured a breathing mask to her face with a small metal box attached to it. The box had a grill like an air vent on it which was being used to take in oxygen. The box was generating a sleeping gas and mixing it with the oxygen, keeping Carol unconscious. One of the Security Officers had gone with the 'replacement' Carol to Commander Rosen's office, the fourth remaining Security Officers gave the other two there orders and the carried Carol down the corridor.
John and Kenny where both sitting at one of the round tables which was now emitting a bright white light, they had their fingers linked together and where trying to contact Carol telepathically, but with no success.
"Carol, come in Carol, can you hear us?" both of them thought, repeating it constantly, then they gave up and the light from the table vanished.
"Any luck?" The Doctor asked.
"None," John replied, "But I felt something that seemed like Carol, but it wasn't."
"Yeah same 'ere," Kenny added.
"Well we had a go at contacting that but got no answer," John continued, "Either it couldn't hear us or was refusing to reply."
"I'm not sure whether or not that wasn't Carol," TIM said, "From you attempts to contact it I found it had the same mental patterns as Carol, but also had something different."
"Well whatever it was I'm going up there to find out what's happened to Carol," John said.
"I wouldn't," TIM said.
"Why not?" John asked.
"We don't want whatever happened to Carol to happen to you," TIM explained.
"Well fair enough TIM but we can't just stay here," John said slightly annoyed.
"We can at least assess the situation," TIM said, and the Lab's screen activated showing the schematic of the space station.
"We lost contact with Carol when she jaunted into this room here," TIM said as a red do appeared in the room behind the red door, "Whatever happened to her probably happened in that room."
"What makes you so sure TIM?" the Doctor asked.
"I get the Watchdog 7 satellite's scanner to penetrate that room," TIM replied.
"Oh," the Doctor said to himself.
"Yes but couldn't she have been found and attacked before she jaunted?" Jamie asked.
"That is a possibility," TIM replied, "But I did feel the jaunt take place."
"Ah but it is still a possibility," Jamie said.
"Yes, she could have attacked when halfway through the jaunt which may have cancelled it," TIM said.
"Yes that could have happened," John said, then a thought struck him, "TIM what's the current life count on the space station?"
"Still only two," TIM replied.
"Can you tell us which part of the station they're on?" John asked.
"Yes I ca...," TIM paused in mid sentence.
"What's wrong TIM?" the Doctor asked.
"I lost contact with the Watchdog 7 satellite," TIM replied, "I think it had been destroyed, I can't monitor the station any more."
The satellite had indeed been destroyed, when Carol's 'replacement' had told Rosen it was there he had ordered the weapon's section to find and destroy it, and they had done.
"Right," Rosen said, "You've told me everything I want to know. Now, I have a task for you."
"I will carry it out sir," Carol said, "Whatever it is."
"Good. I want you to return to your base and bring the other Tomorrow People, along with the Doctor and his TARDIS back here," Rosen said.
"I understand," Carol replied.
Victoria shivered slightly, the cell was very cold, and now they'd brought in anther prisoner with her, Victoria would have been glad of the company if they hadn't been sleeping. She wondered why it was wearing the breathing mask; she thought it might be some piece of advanced technology which kept them alive after they'd had a near fatal accident. Victoria thought she'd better leave it there.
"John, can you hear me?"
"TIM did you hear that?" John asked.
"Yes," TIM replied, sounding relieved, "It's Carol."
"Carol what happened," John asked telepathically.
"I don't know," Carol replied, "I just jaunted into that room and something knocked me out, I don't know what, then I woke up in a prison cell or something, that's where I am now."
"Ok, jaunt back here as soon as possible," John replied.
"I will," Carol replied.
"Glad to hear it," John said out loud, "TIM could you get another satellite into the area?"
"Yes," TIM replied, "But I'll have to keep out of range of the stations scanners; it should be in position in a few minutes."
There was a flash of coloured lights on the jaunting pad and Carol materialised out of them.
"Carol, are you alright?" John asked.
"Yes John I'm fine," Carol replied.
"Good, well what have you found out?"
"Nothing of any use I'm afraid," Carol said, "But I think that…"
"John," TIM interrupted, "I've just got the satellite into position and scanning, there are still two life signs on board."
Everyone in the lab remained in stunned silence for a few seconds, then they all turned to look at Carol.
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