The vessel was very large, and they had entered far from the control room. Still, this ship was relatively hospitable to their physiology, and now a new sense of hope surged through them. Only a small fraction of their population had managed to get on board, but at least there was a chance that some of them would make it to a new home now.
They would have to find the control room first, and the passageways were numerous, hundreds and hundreds of them twisting throughout the vessel. The leader paused to consider which way to go.
After some time, the leader could feel the electrical impulses that flowed throughout the ship from the control center. If the group could follow these impulses, they would eventually reach their initial destination. From there they could program the ship to take them somewhere safe, somewhere where they could flourish once again.
Slowly at first, then more quickly as they learned to navigate the passageways, the group began the arduous trek toward the control room, driven on by their anticipation of an end to their suffering and a new life for their brethren soon.
The Doctor met his companions half-way to the stream. They were sauntering along, Tegan a few yards ahead of Turlough, who seemed immersed in thought. Tegan spotted the Time Lord first.
"What are you doing out here?" she asked as she neared him. "I thought you were going to talk to the shaman."
As soon as he reached her, he took her arms lightly in his hands. "Are you all right?"
She blinked at him in surprise. "Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be? Oh, wait a minute, just because I had one bad experience on Deva Loka, you now just automatically assume that I'll get into trouble wherever I go? That's really not fair, Doctor—"
"That is not what I assumed," he cut in. "I was concerned because Cabar said he felt a dark spirit at the stream this morning. Whatever it was, if indeed it was anything, could still be there."
Tegan felt a sudden chill and rubbed her arms with her hands. "What did he mean, 'a dark spirit?'"
"I don't know. Did anything seem odd, or feel out of place to you?"
Tegan shook her head. "No. It was really beautiful, actually, and all I felt there was peace."
Turlough had caught up to them, so the Doctor asked him the same question. He shrugged. "I didn't see anything strange. We found where Cabar must have sat, but there wasn't anything unusual there."
"All right. Still, I'd like to see it for myself. Come on, let's have another look." The Time Lord began walking back in the direction from which his companions had come.
When the reached the stream, he began looking about, touching leaves and bending several times to examine the grass. For several seconds he stood quite still with closed eyes while Tegan sniffed at some flowers and Turlough leaned against a tree, appearing rather bored with the whole expedition.
Finally the Doctor said, "There's no sign of anything unusual here."
"Told you," said Tegan. "It's just a really pretty place."
The Doctor nodded, but something caught his eye. He walked a few paces to one of the large rocks near the indentation on the grass then touched a dark spot with his fingertip. He lifted the finger to study it. "This is blood."
"Turlough cut his hand," Tegan said.
"Yes," the young man confirmed rather chidingly, "because I was trying to stop you from drinking from the stream." He looked at the Doctor. "We don't know if the water's safe."
"It's always best to be cautious," the Time Lord agreed, "but in this case I don't think there's anything to worry about. The streams here provide all the water for the villagers and their animals. They're perfectly safe. Is your hand all right?"
"It was just a scratch; I'm fine," Turlough replied rather tartly.
"Good. Let's get back to the village," the Doctor said. "I want to continue my discussion with Cabar."
"Do you think," began Tegan as they started walking, "that there's really something here?"
"Honestly," the Time Lord replied, "I don't know. Something clearly upset Cabar, enough that he nearly put himself into a coma."
"Why would he do that?" she asked.
"He was obviously rather desperate to find out what he'd sensed at the stream."
"Was he trying to kill himself?" Turlough asked.
"No, I don't think so," answered the Doctor. "He prepares a tea for himself and for others that helps them dream vividly. He believes that in these dreams spirits communicate with the dreamer. This is a common practice among many cultures. They use mild hallucinogens to induce visions."
"You mean like peyote?" inquired Tegan. "I heard about it from friends when I was younger."
"The mescaline derived from peyote is a powerful and often dangerous hallucinogen," the Doctor replied. "The ingredients that Cabar uses appear somewhat milder and probably quite a bit safer. I'll have to ask him to show me exactly what he puts in it—"
"But he O.D.ed on it?" Tegan interjected.
"Very nearly. He seems like a reasonable, prudent fellow from what I've seen and heard, so I believe that something very real has upset him. We just have to figure out what it is."
"Any ideas?" Turlough asked.
"At the moment, no," responded the Doctor. "But I want you two to have a look around the village while I speak with Cabar. See if anyone else has felt or noticed anything strange."
"Aside from us?" Tegan asked with a half-smile.
Turlough snorted. "Speak for yourself."
The villagers proved to be warm hosts who were glad to talk with the visitors. Word of the guests' arrival spread quickly, and as soon as the small party returned to the village they were offered various gifts ranging from pottery to clay animal figurines to bracelets and necklaces delicately woven from plant fibers.
Tegan and Turlough strolled about, chatting with people and finding that, aside from the shaman, no one had experienced anything odd. They were concerned, however, by Cabar's behavior; all reported that he was a steady, stable man and a pillar of the community. A vague apprehension seemed to be growing based upon his feelings.
When Turlough and Tegan returned to the shaman's hut some time later, they found the Doctor and Cabar outside in the herb garden. The two men were conversing intently, studying the plants and discussing their uses. Cabar appeared fully recovered from his earlier physical state, though signs of anxiety were still apparent in his face.
"They've invited us for lunch," Tegan said, walking toward the Doctor.
"Yes? How kind," replied the Doctor rather absently, continuing to examine the leaf he held in his fingers.
"These are your friends?" Cabar asked.
"Hmm? Oh, yes, that's right, you haven't been properly introduced." He finally looked up. "Tegan, Turlough," he said with a quick nod in each one's direction, "this is Shaman Cabar. He's been telling me a great deal about his plants."
Cabar fixed his gaze on Turlough, studying the coppery hair that glinted in the sunlight and the fiercely blue eyes that met his gaze steadily. The Trion lad gave a curt nod and a tight smile as he extended his hand. Cabar took it in his and held it for several seconds.
The shaman's eyes moved to Tegan, and his appraisal of her was no less intense. Tegan began to squirm mentally, but she politely offered him her hand, too. "Pleased to meet you," she said.
He grasped her hand tightly and stared into her eyes until she looked away and took a step back. "I think I'll go and tell them that we'll join them for lunch," she said rather abruptly and turned away.
When she was well away, Cabar said softly, "She has seen the darkness."
"What do you mean?" asked the Doctor.
"Something very dark has touched her, has left a mark on her."
"The Mara?" asked Turlough, but the Doctor shot him a cautioning look.
"I don't know its name, but I can sense that she struggled with it, that its darkness threatened to overtake her."
"Tegan has seen many frightening things," the Doctor said.
Cabar nodded. "Yes. You should try to surround her with goodness, help her to see the sunlight again."
The Doctor considered these words for several seconds before responding in a rather regretful tone, "Thank you. I'll try to keep that in mind."
Turlough's stomach rumbled loudly, and he pressed his hand over it. "Sorry," he muttered.
"Off to lunch then," the Doctor said.
Turlough took a few steps then paused to ask, "Aren't you joining us?"
"Oh, I'll be along soon. I want to hear the rest of the information about this plant." He held up the leaves still gripped in his hand then turned back to Cabar. "Now, tell me more about what you saw in Tegan."
Negotiating the route to the control room proved more difficult than they had thought. The vessel was throbbing with energy, and the pressure in the passageways was great. They felt as though the ship were trying to prevent them from moving easily through it. Still, they struggled ahead, but it was slow going.
They hoped that the ship's energy would diminish soon, or at least that the pressure would change. They passed several structures that could be altered to shut off the pressure, but they knew intuitively that this would affect the ship's functioning, and their journey would end before it had even begun. So they kept moving along, slowly but with great determination.
Their leader tried to reassure them, to tell them that they would find a new home soon. This encouragement helped, and none gave in to the urge to stop, to rest, or to die.
The Doctor failed to make an appearance at lunch, but the meal was sumptuous, with luscious fruits and a light wine, roast fowl, and a wonderfully sweet pudding that nearly sent Tegan into a fit of ecstasy.
"Delicious," she proclaimed after polishing off her third bowl.
She and Turlough sat with the elders and their families, who beamed at her praise. When she had assured them that she could eat no more, and their offerings to Turlough were met with similar responses, they took the guests to a pleasant ramada with low, woven chairs and chaises.
"We rest during the warmest part of the day," Yare's wife told them. "Please make yourselves comfortable."
Tegan and Turlough thanked her then each settled in a chair. The wine had affected both of them somewhat, and both felt sleepy and very full.
"Do you think we should find the Doctor and see if he needs us for anything?" asked Turlough with a yawn
Tegan felt extremely comfortable in her chaise. "I think that would be rude," she said.
"Rude?"
With a grin, she added, "When in Rome…" and closed her eyes.
Turlough smiled and did the same.
"Turlough!"
His name sounded slightly foreign to him in his half-awake state. His thoughts felt fuzzy, and at first he did not recognize the voice. Was he back at school? Was one of those blasted teachers calling on him again?
"Come on, Turlough, time to get up."
He felt someone shaking his shoulder gently and forced his eyes to open. He blinked in the bright light, momentarily blinded until the Doctor moved so that his head blocked out the sun's glare.
He rubbed at his eyes then sat up. A small twinge of pain flickered in his temple, and he recalled that he had drunk several glasses of wine with his lunch. He should have known better…
The Doctor was taking his arm and pulling him up. "Rise and shine!" he said cheerfully.
Turlough stood, his head feeling unpleasantly heavy. He saw that Tegan sat in a nearby chair drinking from a cup. She glanced up at him then pointed at a clay pitcher and empty cup on a small table.
"Have some. It helps," she said.
Turlough poured out some juice and took a few sips. It was cool and did seem to soften the ache in his head a bit.
"I think you should both skip the wine at your next meal," the Doctor advised.
"Now you tell us," grumbled Tegan.
The Doctor ignored her comment and clapped his hands together lightly. "Come on, you two! I have an errand for you."
Tegan rolled her eyes. "What is it?"
"I want you to go to the TARDIS and get a book for me, Tparletalian's Comprehensive Guide to Plants of the Lesser Galaxies. It should be in the library—or the atrium—I can't quite recall where I saw it last."
"And why can't you go?" she asked, draining her cup.
"I want to remain with Cabar. He plans to return to the stream, and I'd like to see what his impressions are. He may be able to sense something that we couldn't. And he seems to like the idea of my company."
"Safety in numbers?" she asked.
"Perhaps. Now get going." He shooed them away.
Tegan and Turlough were both quiet as they walked back to the TARDIS. Neither felt at his or her best. Turlough's head still ached and felt distinctively foggy, and Tegan still felt full and sleepy. They trudged along with little conversation until they reached the police box standing incongruously in the jungle.
They entered and walked through the console room, parting ways when they reached the hall. Tegan planned to check the atrium and Turlough the library for the book.
After a few minutes, the door to the secondary console room opened. Soft footsteps padded toward the control panels in the center of the small chamber, then hesitant fingers tapped at the keys. Soon their speed increased, and the central column rose half-way with a brief glow of light then lowered. A palm hit the console and a brief muttered curse echoed from the walls. The central column poked up again, this time glowing orange and rising to its full height.
Tegan and Turlough each emerged from doorways near the main console room, nearly bumping into each other in the hallway.
"I found it," she said, holding up the text.
Turlough nodded and they entered the console room. They felt the TARDIS shudder, and Tegan's stomach lurched. The pudding, still heavy in her belly, seemed to slosh about, and in an instant she knew that she was going to be sick. She clapped a hand over her mouth and ran for the door. Turlough quickly flipped the switch to open it.
"Tegan?" Turlough asked in some confusion. The time ship shook again, and the wheezing began. Turlough looked back at the console then at the open door. He saw Tegan fall to her knees in the grass and ran out to help her.
As he bent to take her elbow, the TARDIS dematerialised. Tegan vomited and sank to the ground.