Armed with a Sonic Screwdriver, a suit tracker, and a sense of smell that made bloodhounds envious, the trio walked along the stretches of roads, seeking a straggler, something pointing them to the hidden Sontaran ship.
Liliana's sure that it's somewhere close, one of the strategies she underwent during her tenure as a soldier was deploying explosives near the battlefields, since Sontaran known to land nearby, in hopes of lodging their ships into the ground.
Of course, Theodore reminded her that they've had time updating their tactics, as he harkened back to his father's travels.
The Sontaran, prideful sort, but their cumbersome nature knew no bound.
These days, it seems as though they've started restructuring that problem, now he's thrown out of the loop, as they're not playing by the same rules as they've done prior.
On his mind, he tried to understand why the Sontaran came back, if what he and his brother done months ago finally spurred them into action.
They went after Shale and Melia. Shale, since she's a Ko'gan, and Melia because their scanners picked up Liliana's DNA on her.
It made no sense why the Sontaran didn't pick up on Dom, they would've known that there's two Ko'gan with their scanners, but Theodore thought over it more, and thinks that the Sontaran thought Shale's easier dealing with than an old Ko'gan.
However, it only raised more questions.
As he thought it over more, wracking his brain as he did, Theodore concluded that there's more to this than they realized.
There's no way they didn't pick up on Dom if they picked up on Shale. They'd know he'd come for his daughter, it's universal.
It'd be stupid if they didn't think about the chances and this led to Theodore wondering if there's potential for traps.
Dawning on him, he realized that it's possible they could've plotted using Melia as bait luring Liliana, too, once they figured out their mistakes.
He relayed his concerns with the two as they're searching for a straggler and it made Dom snort loudly as he uttered a low, "I'd like to see them try!"
Liliana agreed with Theodore's point, the Sontaran won't lay a hand on Melia or Shale, not yet, at least, until they get their hands on their actual targets.
Them.
Noting that the Sontaran didn't actively hunt them after kidnapping Shale and Melia, Liliana said they wouldn't retreat like that, unless they're plotting their next move.
"If they know I'm around, they'd account for it, meaning my suit's useless," Liliana realizes that if they scanned her DNA from Melia, then they'd account for her trying to track them, and change the algorithm in their suits.
It led to them concluding that tracking the Sontaran down wouldn't be easy like they thought and it led Dom into exhaling that he hunted more challenging quarry in his lifetime.
A change of plans, Theodore forwarded this realization to Al, and he concluded Theodore's fears, that the Sontaran they're dealing with aren't the easily fooled types that his father dealt with in his youth.
"I don't like this," Theodore voiced concerns with Al about the Sontaran on Earth, seemingly escaping detection despite having failed hundreds of times before. Somehow thinking ahead when dealing with the Ko'gan.
Al agreed with Theodore's concerns, saying that Sontaran avoided the Ko'gan like the plague after their last skirmish. Losing all thirty of their platoons after only seven hours of war does that. They know just how dangerous Ko'gan were and knew exactly what'll set them off, kidnapping their child's one way of stamping their death certificates.
Seems that these Sontaran knew that and using it to their advantages for whatever purposes it serves.
"Well, I can tell you, they're not invading Earth. Doesn't seem like there's any other ship except the one and there's not enough Sontaran for ground movement," Al waved away chances of the Sontaran moving into initiating war with Earth.
Not enough Sontaran, not enough ships.
Al hasn't narrowed it down, but he concluded there's roughly twenty or so Sontaran, far too little for warring.
"Definitely too little dealing with two grown Ko'gan," Theodore pointed out that not only are they incapable of starting a war, they can't hope dealing with two grown Ko'gan.
Al added that they have thick scales, thicker than anything scientists capable of creating in labs right now, making it difficult to penetrate with weapons. Most anesthesia and tranquilizers risks wearing off quick due to the biology and not only that, they have a habit of sending afflicted Ko'gan into unbridled rage for the duration of the dosage.
It's unwise being in a close room with one under the effects of giggle gas, for example.
"Right, what're they doing, Al, none of this' making any sense," Theodore tried finding a reason for all this and the TARDIS suggested that this wasn't a case of revenge, a hunter wanting to hunt the most dangerous creatures in the solar system, nothing like that.
He likened it to a scientific inquiry.
"Can't exactly speculate," Theodore reminded Al that he couldn't spend time speculating why the Sontaran decided to come down to Earth, but the TARDIS said that at one point, there was a Sontaran scientists attempting at studying an offshoot of UNIT.
Theodore's father made quick work of him, goading him, before sending him to his death off the cliff side into a roaring ravine after the Sontaran attempted to set off a bomb in proximity of the UNIT compound.
"Think about it, Shale and Dom's the last of their kind. It'd be stupid for them to kill both," Al brought up an interesting theory.
They're dealing with scientists.
It'd explain why they're careful about kidnapping Shale and Melia, they didn't want to disturb anything or set off anyone in the crowds, likewise, if they're soldiers, they would've established a neighbourhood about, now.
The more Al went into his theory, he said that he recalled Theodore's father having trouble finding the Sontaran scientists prior, having to lure him out by falsely setting off a node the Sontaran placed somewhere on the planet.
Scientists in Sontaran culture weren't given battle armor or anything of that nature. They're not seen as worthy for the armor and genuinely looked down upon by their society. It's difficult for them getting anything short of congratulations from their superiors. Only way for them gaining recognition's if they bring something to the table, something tangible that their superiors can't overlook.
"The planet your father visited was isolated from the collective minds of the superiors, maybe it's the same here?" Al suggested that the scientists came to Earth since it offered them privacy and breathing room for whatever they're planning.
"What would scientists have to prove coming here?" Theodore raised a question about the working theory and Al responded that it's because of the Ko'gan, maybe the scientists got into their heads that they can do something with them, and get recognition from their superiors.
Al never said they thought ahead, but he said that it makes sense for everything going on, because he couldn't find the ship as easily as he hoped, because it doesn't have a tracker. He couldn't even track a suit, because none of them wore any, the only thing they've got's what Liliana saw them wearing.
"What about Liliana, why would they want her?" Theodore inquired why would scientists go through the effort kidnapping Melia trying to go after Liliana and Al said that there's a possibility that the scientists wanted her tech.
Silurian soldiers have traps on their suits and weapons, in case enemies attempted to use them against their people, and often it resulted in craters.
Maybe, scientists wanted to use Melia in hopes of getting Liliana to turn over her suit. It's rare for a Silurian having a human as a mate, that they probably thought it'd help them.
"Is there any way for us to find the ship or a straggler?" Theodore continued as he searched with Liliana and Dom while going through the London streets.
Al says that he didn't find any nodes on his scanners, but he suggested that Theodore think creatively. If he can't find a Sontaran node, make one, and trick a straggler into coming for it.
"You sure it'd work?" Theodore showed concern that the Sontaran wouldn't simply detonate a hidden bomb on their person, killing them all, and Al assures him that he'll figure something out.
He's got the noggin; Al's got the brawn.
Let's make a lot of steamed Sontaran!
Al said he'll keep trying, but he's sure the Sontaran haven't left the planet.
"If you find their ship, can you hack it?" Theodore asks Al if he's able to hack into the ship and the TARDIS scoffs as he said he's able to hack Theodore's print and make it spew recipes without even plugging it in.
"Good, when you do, I need you to keep an eye on Shale and Melia, understood?" Theodore tells Al what he wanted him to do the moment he finds and hacks the ship.
Al agreed to do it and said he'll report back when he can, but cautioned Theodore.
"You're one of the few one-hit wonders, kid, any lucky Sontaran hoping to make it big's got a big white whale with you," Al warns Theodore the possibility of the Sontaran wanting him because he's part human.
It's rare for Time Lords having humans as partners, more, having children with them. The differences in biology proving difficult, only reason his mother had any chance's because she melded with his father.
For Sontaran hoping to prove themselves, Theodore's a good specimen for whatever they wanted in their scientific inquiries.
While Ko'gan and Silurian would've worked wonders, Theodore's exceptionally rarer than even the Ko'gan.
"Why wouldn't they've gone after the Samito, then?" Theodore brought up the fact that the Ko'gan weren't the only last of their kind and Al said that Sontaran haven't encountered Samito due to them living in the depths of the seas.
They probably would've found out about them, hadn't the monsters of the deep made them reconsider attempting any inquiries.
Oh yes, even Sontaran knew better going into the waters, foolish they may be in their acts, they're smarter than most not sticking their big heads into shallow waters.
"Okay, but they would've found out about the Samito, now, wouldn't they?" Theodore pointed out that they've got Samito walking on land, masquerading as humans, not without the aid of technology, but molding their skins into looking human.
It took time, but Al said there's a possibility of them finding out, but without any prior knowledge, they don't have any idea on dealing with them, and if they're scientists, they wouldn't risk damaging or injuring their inquiries.
"On the off-chance that it's not a scientist team?" Theodore continued going down the long list of possible outcomes of this unplanned adventure and he heard the TARDIS saying that if they're not scientists like he thinks, then they're setting up an area where they'll wait for further orders from their superiors.
If so, within hours of this, they'll see more ships, and more Sontaran.
Though, if they're soldiers, then that increases the risks for Shale and Melia.
Soldiers don't carry interests like the scientists and wouldn't hesitate killing them if they become too much of a problem.
"Just, keep me posted, Al," Theodore tells the TARDIS before it left his mind, allowing him to process everything that he's heard, before relaying the information with Liliana, as she would've known more than him.
"I've never known scientists in the battlefield," Liliana told him she never encountered any Sontaran scientists during her tenure as a soldier. Came as a shock to her that they existed, as she pointed out like Al did, that their people weren't the sort caring about science.
Frowning, Theodore told her that he hoped she'd know something about them, something that would've make it easier to find, and the Silurian responded that she wouldn't know anything that'd help.
As he's walking, Theodore mulled it over before he gotten an idea, and relayed it with Liliana.
"Your suit, we could turn it into a node, lure one of them out," Theodore tells the Silurian as they're standing on the corner of a street.
As she's thinking about it, Liliana heard Dom asking how Theodore's sure the plan would've worked, and Theodore says that it's a good chance that they'll attract a straggler if they think there's a node in distress.
"Think about it, when you were in the jungle, how did you attract a bigger prey?" Theodore explained his plan in a way the Ko'gan would've understood and the Ko'gan responded that when he hunted, he used bait, lured a big prey, used it to lure the bigger prey he wanted.
Speaking up, Liliana says it'll work, she's already aware of the Sontaran schematics, she's capable of turning her suit into a distress node, and Theodore says he'll use his Sonic Screwdriver and amplify the signal.