"Doctor!" Tegan's shout stopped the Time Lord in his tracks.
"That doesn't sound good," Turlough said. "I wonder what she's got into now?"
"Come on," the Doctor urged, already hurrying toward the source of the cry.
They found Tegan standing rather nervously in the center of a small group of armed men. She did not appear hurt, but Turlough felt certain that she was not enjoying her introduction to the local inhabitants. The men were lean but muscular. Their skin was well-tanned, and each had sharp gray eyes and long hair in varying shades of strawberry blonde, ranging from nearly pink to light copper.
"Hello," said the Time Lord amiably, slowing as he reached the group and holding up his hands to show that he carried no weapons. "I'm the Doctor."
The men glanced at him but did not respond.
The Doctor stepped a bit closer, watching the men carefully as he did. Their hands tightened on their spears, but they did not move the weapons. Thus encouraged, he extended his own hand toward Tegan and nodded toward her.
Hesitantly she took a few steps, but this movement, in combination with the Doctor's, spurred the men to action. In an instant they had shifted their weapons so that one pointed at Tegan and four sharp tips hovered unnervingly close to Turlough's and the Doctor's chests.
"That's not necessary," said the Doctor calmly. "We don't intend you any harm, and we haven't got any weapons."
The men did not back off, however. They exchanged several glances, then one said, "Come with us." He gestured with his spear, keeping the point only inches from the Doctor's neck.
"If you like," the Time Lord said. "Might I ask that Tegan walk beside me? It is our custom to escort a woman to a new place."
Tegan shot him a look, but her scowl softened when the men nodded and permitted her to move to the Doctor's side. He rested his hand lightly against the small of her back.
"Thanks," she murmured.
He responded with a nod and a small smile that told her not to feel nervous. Indeed, he appeared unruffled, seemingly unperturbed by the spears that continued to hover nearby. She noticed that he was watching the men closely, studying their expressions and gaits with considerable interest.
They walked along in silence, Tegan forcing herself to remain quiet despite her garrulous nature. She had not relaxed completely, but some of the fierce fear that overwhelmed her initially had subsided.
They reached the outskirts of the village within twenty minutes. They were met with stares as they began moving through the community. People were engaged in various activities—weaving, preparing seeds for planting, making pottery, watching small groups of children who sat rather uncomfortably near the huts.
The Doctor continued to look about carefully, taking in their surroundings with an expression that gradually changed from affability to concern.
"What's wrong?" Tegan asked softly, finally unable to resist uttering a few words.
The Doctor shook his head. "Not now, Tegan."
After a few minutes, they were shown to a large hut and told to go inside. "Wait here," one of the men instructed them. They noticed that two others remained stationed just outside the doorway.
Turlough looked at the interior of the structure. "It's well-built," he commented. "They seem to have a basic grasp of engineering and architecture."
"Yes," said the Doctor, running his hand over one of the smooth poles that formed the support system for the hut. "Since becoming successful farmers several dozen generations ago they've had the time to develop their skills in other areas."
"Well bully for them," Tegan said. "But what do they want with us? What's with the spears? You said they were a peaceful society."
"They are," the Doctor responded. "But we're strangers, so it's not unexpected that they should feel wary of us. They haven't tried to harm us. I think they're just being cautious."
"Maybe, but something's bothering you, isn't it?" she asked. "I can tell by your expression."
"Can you?" He ran a hand over his cheek and chin. "Yes, I suppose it's rather obvious."
"Well," she said impatiently, "what is it?"
"Perhaps nothing," the Doctor answered.
"Or perhaps something," she finished. "And if it is, I want to know what you think is going on."
"All in good time, Tegan." With that he turned back toward the door to contemplate the guards again.
They stood stiffly, still gripping their spear handles. Two faced the door and two faced outward. In a minute all four stepped back, and three older men entered the hut, followed closely by the guards.
The Doctor extended his hand immediately. "Pleased to meet you," he said. "I'm the Doctor, and this is Tegan and Turlough." He nodded toward his companions.
All three men nodded gravely. One said, "What do you want here?"
"Oh," said the Doctor, "we're just visiting. We don't plan to stay long."
"Where are you from?"
The Doctor waved his hand in a rather vague motion. "Over there quite a way, beyond the hills."
"You've traveled far."
"You can say that again," Tegan murmured.
"What do you want with us?" asked another of the men.
The Doctor, still smiling, said, "Nothing at all. We apologize if we frightened you in any way. We didn't intend to disturb your village, but these gentlemen," he inclined his head toward the guards, "stumbled upon us and seemed to feel that we should come back here. But I want to assure you that we mean you no harm."
The older men seemed to scrutinize the visitors for several seconds before one of them spoke. "We represent the council of elders. I am Ennen." He turned his head toward the other elders and added, "Yare and Gemal."
All three men bowed their heads slightly in their culture's traditional greeting. The Doctor, Tegan, and Turlough responded in kind. Ennen turned toward the guards and motioned for them to leave then walked to several benches against one wall.
"Please sit," he said.
The Doctor obliged with a polite "thank you," and nodded to Turlough and Tegan to follow. The elders settled on an adjacent bench, still watching their visitors but appearing less suspicious.
"In your travels," began Yare, "what have you seen?"
Tegan opened her mouth to speak, but the Doctor silenced her with a cautioning look. He said, "Just your beautiful lands."
"But what did you see beyond our lands?" asked Ennen.
"Forests, fields, hills," replied the Doctor somewhat ambiguously. "You've never traveled outside of the village?"
"We've been a day's walk over the hills," said Gemal, "but no farther."
The Doctor nodded. "Well, your lands are the most fertile, and your village is by far the loveliest one here."
All three elders nodded, and Ennen said, "Thank you, Doctor. This is a place of peace, and we welcome you."
His words, however, were accompanied by worried glances from the other two elders. These did not escape the Doctor or his companions, but the Time Lord began discussing the crops instead. The men chatted for several minutes until a woman entered the hut.
With a slight, quick bow, she said, "Excuse me, but I must speak with you."
The elders stood. "What is it?" asked Yare.
"It's Cabar," she replied softly, almost as a whisper. "He's getting worse."
The Doctor stood, too. "Forgive me; I don't intend to intrude, but is someone ill?"
"Who's Cabar?" asked Tegan, finally giving in to the gnawing urge to speak.
"Excuse us," Ennen said, executing a cursory bow of his head to the guests. "We have to leave you for a while."
The Doctor reached for the elder's arm. "Wait, please. If Cabar is ill I may be able to help."
All three elders considered this for a moment, then Gemal turned to his peers and spoke. "Perhaps he should see them. It could help."
"Especially if you tell us what's going on," Tegan said.
"Cabar is our shaman," Ennen explained quickly. "When he returned from his morning meditation he was very upset. He said that he needed to speak with the spirits, to find out what they wanted and what magic was needed. He went to the place of dreams in his mind, and he's been unable to speak to anyone, or even to know that others are near, since then."
The Doctor nodded. "You must take us to him. It may be our very presence that's upset him."
As they walked out of the hut, Turlough asked, "What do you mean? How could our arrival here upset the shaman?"
"Some individuals who attain the position of shaman or its equivalent in cultures with a strong belief in magic actually possess some weak psychic abilities," the Doctor said. "These are what seemingly give them their powers. Occasionally they can have an accurate premonition or sense others' thoughts. If the shaman here has some ability, he may simply be reacting to our presence."
"How would he know about it?" asked Tegan. "We only arrived an hour ago, but he's been in a state since early morning."
"Yes," the Doctor acknowledged, "that is rather curious, but he may have sensed our arrival. On the other hand, this may have nothing to do with us at all." This thought seemed to concern the Doctor more than the possibility that their presence had caused the shaman's agitation.
Cabar's large hut was surrounded by many cultivated herbs and flowers. The elders led the visitors inside, where they found a man sitting rigidly in the center of the room, cross-legged with eyes closed. His mouth moved almost spasmodically, uttering incomprehensible syllables, almost like moans. A sheen of perspiration covered his skin.
Yare and Ennen spoke the shaman's name hesitantly, but this caused no response. The Doctor crouched before Cabar to watch him for several seconds before touching his wrist.
"What has he taken?" he asked, already looking at the various cups and bowls that lay about the room. He lifted several to sniff them.
"He drank the dreaming tea," replied Gemal.
"And is he usually in this condition after he drinks the tea?"
"No," Yare answered. "Usually he talks to the spirits for an hour at most then he wakes. He's been with the spirits since early this morning, and we can't wake him."
The Time Lord nodded. "I think he's taken a bit more than usual this time. He should awaken soon. But I wonder what made him put himself into this state. You said he was meditating before he became upset?"
Yare nodded. "Yes. He always goes out to the stream before the sun rises to greet the new day."
"Is the stream far from here?" asked the Doctor.
"No," replied Yare, "it's only about a ten-minute walk."
The Doctor continued to examine the cups and bowls, and without looking up said, "Turlough, take Tegan with you and have a look around the area where Cabar was this morning."
"What are we looking for?" inquired Turlough.
"Oh, anything unusual," the Doctor replied offhandedly. "Anything that seems out of order or that doesn't fit in."
"And what are you going to be doing while we're out there?" asked Tegan.
"I'm going to wait until Cabar wakes then have a talk with him. In the meantime, I want to find out more about the herbs he's used." He looked at Ennen. "Can you show them where he was this morning?"
Ennen nodded and beckoned for Tegan and Turlough to go with him. They left the hut with one final word of advice from the Doctor: "Oh, and Tegan, don't touch anything."
"What, you mean like crystals?" she asked sardonically. "Trust me, I've learned my lesson on that."
They had come so close to finding a vessel. They had begun to enter it, their leader forging ahead with the determination that abject desperation brings. But the atmosphere inside was choking, causing them great pain and interfering severely with their respiration. So, with tremendous disappointment, they had abandoned the ship.
They retreated to the caves where they had dwelt for generations, trying to ignore the dead who lay all around them. The leader remained very near the entrance, though the light and scents heavy in the air caused considerable discomfort. If only there were a way to remove the plants that had taken over the land… to create the barren terrain once again.
This monumental task was beyond their meager capabilities. So they waited once more, hoping beyond hope that another vessel would find them and take them to a place where they could live.
The walk to the stream was a pleasant one. The entire area was picturesque, with shades of flowers that Tegan had never seen before. Small butterflies drifted in the sunny air, alighting on blossoms to drink the sweet-smelling nectar. There was no hint of malevolence that she could sense; everything seemed tranquil.
After Ennen showed them where the stream was, he hurried back to the village, anxious to hear what Cabar would say when he awoke. Tegan and Turlough walked toward the clear water.
"I think he was sitting here," Turlough said, noticing a small indentation in the grass. He moved closer and bent to look at the crushed blades.
Tegan watched the water flowing, impressed by its absolute clarity. Small, silvery fish swam by, and insects resembling dragonflies hovered near the surface. The water looked so cool, and she was feeling a bit warm in the sunshine, so she bent to scoop up some water in her hand. She drank it and was surprised by its natural sweetness.
Turlough was crouched in the grass, trying to see if anything appeared odd, but as far as he could tell the area was safe and calm. When he looked up he saw Tegan lowering her hand; it was dripping, and she was licking her lips.
"What are you doing?" he asked, beginning to stand. "Did you drink from the stream?"
"Yes."
"You shouldn't have done that! We don't know if the water's safe—" As he stood, his foot slid on the slick blades of grass, and he stumbled. He reached out to a nearby rock in an attempt to keep his balance.
"Damn!" he spat out as the rough surface of the volcanic rock scraped his palm.
Tegan walked toward him. "Are you all right?"
He examined his palm for a moment. "Fine."
"Let me see," she said, reaching for his hand. "It's bleeding."
"Just a little. It's only a scrape."
"You should rinse it in the stream—the water's really cool and—"
"It's fine," he said rather curtly, pulling his hand away and dropping it to his side.
Tegan shrugged. "Suit yourself. But there's really nothing wrong with the water. For that matter, I don't see anything wrong out here at all. Let's go back to the village."
"Not a big nature lover, are you?"
"Pretty as it is, I'd rather be among people. Anyway, I want to see what the shaman has to say." She began walking.
Turlough wiped his palm on the inside of his jacket and followed her back through the trees and bushes toward the village.
Shortly after Tegan and Turlough departed with Ennen, Cabar began to regain consciousness. He ceased his murmurings, and his breathing became more even. The Doctor watched him with interest as he slowly awoke.
"He's coming around," the Time Lord commented to the three elders.
"Perhaps you should stand back," suggested Yare, "at least until we've told him about you."
The Doctor nodded and retreated to the far side of the hut while the elders talked softly with their shaman. After a few minutes they beckoned for him to return.
He bowed before the seated man then lowered himself to the ground to sit before Cabar. "It is an honor to meet you," he said.
Cabar bowed his head in return. "Thank you. They tell me that you have recently arrived here."
"Yes. I hope our arrival hasn't caused any anxiety among the people," he said, eager to obtain information but hesitant to plant ideas in the man's mind.
Cabar studied the Doctor's face for a moment. "You are a friend."
"Yes, I am, and I'd like to help you. I understand that you have been in the dream world for a very long time today—that you felt it was important to put yourself there very deeply."
The shaman nodded in acknowledgement.
"Why did you feel you needed to do that?" asked the Doctor. "Did it have something to do with my friends and me arriving here?"
Cabar shook his head slowly. "I'm not sure. As the sun was coming up this morning, I fell into a light sleep, and a dark spirit touched me."
The other elders drew in sharp breaths with this information. "Is it still with you?" asked Yare.
Cabar exhaled slowly. "No. When I left the stream it remained behind. But I wanted to find out why it came to me, what it wanted from our people."
"And was the answer revealed in your dreams?" asked the Doctor.
"No," the shaman replied. "The dreams were strange, mixed up. I must think about them; the spirits were very unclear."
With a slight frown creasing his forehead, the Doctor asked, "Do you believe that your village is being threatened in some way?"
Cabar sighed. "I don't know."
Abruptly the Doctor stood. "Tegan and Turlough are at the stream. If whatever you felt remained there, they could be in danger. Show me where they are." He took Ennen's arm and hurried out of the hut.