Disclaimers:
Lara Croft and Natla © Core Design
Doctor Who (and all related characters and items) © BBC
All other characters (historical ones like the city of Babylon and their famous king) are from real life
Pride of Babylon
By Timon Constantine
Part III
Lara entered into the well-light cavern, a huge golden palace standing before her. She was still trying to figure out how Natla fit into all of this when two skinny monsters appeared from the shadows and grabbed her arms. Her guns fell to the ground and she tried to fight back, but the monsters were way too strong.
"Ah, Lara, how nice of you to join us." Natla said as she walked out from the palace doors.
"Natla! What the hell is going on around here!" Lara demanded.
"Oh, I'd love to chat with you all about my marvelous plan, Lara. But first we need to make sure you won't just up and leave on me." Natla then instructed the monsters to bring Lara into the palace.
"Doctor, I feel as if we are going in circles." Romana complained.
"She is right, Master. We are back at the intersection." K-9 droned out.
"Well, then I suppose we go to the right then." The Doctor muttered.
"Like the décor, Lara?" Natla asked rhetorically, having the monsters sit Lara onto a chair forcefully.
"Did you set all this up just to get back at me?" Lara asked.
"Well, somewhat. More for me, Lara." Natla muttered out, pouring herself some wine.
"What's in it for you?"
"Power."
"Look at that, Doctor!" Romana said as the golden palace came into sight.
"K-9, can your sensory devices detect anything within?" The Doctor asked.
"I am detecting Lara and another life-form. There are other forms within, but they do not indicate any sense of actually living." K-9 answered.
"Like zombies then?" Romana said.
"Basically," The Doctor said, "If we do it just right, we can sneak a peek within via a window. Follow me, silently and closely now."
"So, the Hanging Gardens really have a secret to them?" Lara asked.
"Oh yes, but you'll never see it." Natla said with an evil chuckle.
"Can I at least know how you'll try and kill me?"
"Dear Lara, I'm not going to try and kill you. I'm going to definitely kill you."
"How we going to help, Doctor?" Romana whispered.
"It seems as though this Natla has planned this all the way from Babylonian times. She has had centuries to perfect it." The Doctor whispered.
"Perhaps we can bide our time and save her when Natla isn't around." K-9 offered. The Doctor didn't think Natla would leave Lara alone, but he knew that patience would be the key to helping out.
"You won't get away with this!" Lara shouted. Natla laughed.
"Oh, but I already am! All I need is one more sacrifice and the power of Babylon is mine." Natla said, drinking the last of the wine.
"And you waited until I heard the rumor of the power that would undoubtedly send me looking. You're determined, aren't you?"
"More than you know." Natla snapped her fingers and the monsters grabbed Lara again, "Take her to the sacrificial stone!"
"Alright, stick to the shadows as best you can and follow me." The Doctor whispered, getting ready to follow the monsters.
Natla went to her room and got properly dressed, grabbing the knife specifically used for the sacrifice. Once she killed Lara by stabbing it into her heart, Natla would receive power that defied the gods themselves. And of course, why deep down here, no one could hear Lara scream. Natla would finally win and be rid of Lara forever. When Natla got there, she knew she would savor the moment and kill Lara slowly.
Lara kicked and fought as best she could, but gods, these monsters were strong! They chained her to a big boulder and left. Lara looked around, wondering where the Doctor had gotten off to.
The Doctor, Romana, and K-9 were nearby in the shadows, waiting for the monsters to be out of sight. When they were, the Doctor dashed forward.
"Doctor, there you are!" Lara said in relief.
"We don't have much time. Once I release you, run for it, got it?" The Doctor said briefly, trying to untie the knot.
"Got it, Doctor. I'll keep an eye out for Natla or anything else." Lara said.
The Doctor was nearly done when Lara noticed Natla. The Doctor hid behind the stone and tried working on it from there. Natla approached Lara and began to chant.
"What are we to do, K-9?" Romana asked.
"Master has it well in his hands." K-9 chimed out.
"Isn't there anything we can do?" Romana asked.
"When Master calls, we go." K-9 answered.
The Doctor was in a hurry, but it was hard untying the knots and not be seen simultaneously. Lara tried to act as if she was a goner, which she didn't think was far from the truth anyway.
Natla raised the knife high and shouted out the last word…
To Be Continued…