Chapter 1
The TARDIS and the Terraberserker ship were facing each other in orbit above the planet.
Carolyn and Nita were in the Control Room. Nita tried to call the Doctor on her mobile phone. There was no answer. She turned to Carolyn. "Can we compensate?"
Carolyn looked at the console. "No. The Terraberserkers are projecting a particle sustaining beam into the upper atmosphere. The result is a hyperionization that disrupts virtually all EM and subspace carriers."
Nita thought for a moment. "That means they can't communicate with their man, either. Or transmat anybody through the field."
"That's right. However, they've left sensor frequencies clear."
"So they can read what's going on? What the hell is going on?"
Carolyn shrugged. "A contest, perhaps. Between champions. The Doctor against their captain."
Nita considered this for a moment. "Their captain was armed…"
In the clearing, the Doctor and the captain were still ten metres apart, facing each other.
"Doman and Jalad." The Terraberserker extended the dagger-like weapon he took from his first officer, as if offering it to the Doctor.
"You expect me to fight – is that it? A challenge?"
"Doman and Jalad."
"I don't know who or what Doman and Jalad are. But I didn't come here to start a war." The Doctor made no move to accept the weapon.
Winfield was insistent. ""Doman and Jalad at Tanagra."
"I refuse." The Doctor crossed his arms. The Terraberserker stared for a beat, then tossed the weapon toward the Doctor, landing it a metre away from him.
The Doctor didn't even look at it. "Would you attack an unarmed man, Captain? There's not much of a challenge in that."
The captain watched him for a moment and scowled. The Terraberserker took his own weapon out of its chest sheath and pointed it at the one in front of the Doctor. "Temba. His arms wide."
The Doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry, Captain." The Doctor picked up the weapon and tossed it back in front of the captain.
They stared at each other for a few beats. The Terraberserker looked frustrated. He reached down and picked up the dagger. "Shaka… When the walls fell…" He moved slowly off toward the edge of the clearing, keeping an eye on the Doctor all the way. The Doctor did the same, moving toward the opposite end of the clearing. The Terraberserker now ignored the Doctor completely and started clearing out rocks to form a campground. The Doctor watched for a few beats. Then started to do the same.
In the TARDIS Control Room, Carolyn looked up from the console. Nita was standing behind her, waiting for Carolyn's report.
"The sensors show the Doctor and the Terraberserker in apparent good health, approximately twenty meters from each other."
Nita considered Carolyn's words. There was a beat as she thought for a moment. "Would you please hail the Terraberserker ship."
Carolyn worked the panel. "On screen."
The Terraberserken First Officer appeared on the viewscreen in his chair, surrounded by his senior staff. All were grim-faced.
Nita addressed them. "You are holding our friend. I want him released."
"Doman at Tanagra."
"Your actions can be interpreted as an act of war."
The First Officer addressed his staff. "Kiteo. Her eyes closed." He turned back to Nita. "Chenza at court. The court of silence. Chenza!"
Nita turned to Carolyn. "Is there any way to get through to them?"
"Not without further study."
Nita stared at the viewscreen for a long beat. "Carolyn, please close the channel."
"Gladly." Carolyn touched the console and the viewscreen switched to the image of the Terraberserker ship.
"I would like to try to get hold of a shuttle, take it down to the planet and bring back the Doctor."
"Ok." Carolyn set the coordinates for the nearest space station. "But the Terraberserkers are fully capable of stopping a shuttle."
"I'm aware of that. But disrupting our ability to materialize is one thing. Firing on a shuttle is something else entirely. I'm betting they're not gonna push it that far."
It was nighttime in the clearing. The Doctor was twirling a stick in his hands. A slight tendril of smoke rose off a small pile of straw… The Doctor was working the stick. He quickly dropped it, blew on the straw, adding more material, until he had a small fire going… which quickly sputtered out. The Doctor scowled, and looked over across the clearing.
The Terraberserker was staring back at him, sitting next to a roaring campfire. He smiled at the Doctor's failed attempt. "Shaka. When the walls fell."
The Doctor was not pleased with the situation. "'Shaka' indeed." The Doctor stood, giving up on the fire. "What now, Captain? Will you attack me in my sleep?" The Doctor rubbed his arms against the growing chill. "If I don't freeze to death first…"
"Doman of Kanza. Jalad of the Kituay."
The Doctor thought a moment. "The Doctor of Gallifrey."
The Terraberserker looked at him blankly.
"Of the TARDIS… representing the Galactic Alliance…"
The Doctor's words meant nothing to the Terraberserker. "Kadir beneath Mo Moteh…" The Terraberserker shrugged, turned away, ignoring the Doctor. He added some wood to his fire, then crouched on his haunches like a Bedouin. He took five ornamental objects off of his garments, carefully placing them on the ground. The Terraberserker began a strange ritual, alternately picking up one or more of the objects and dropping them on the ground, touching his forehead after each pattern formed by their fall. His manner was not particularly religious – more like habit or custom done without much thought.
The Doctor watched with curiosity. He rubbed his arms unconsciously against the chill.
The Terraberserker finished his ritual, leaving the objects on the ground. He glanced over at the Doctor – who was walking back and forth, keeping his blood going. The Terraberserker turned from him, laying down in front of the fire. He closed his eyes, attempting to sleep. A couple of beats later, his eyes opened. He rolled over, looked back at the Doctor.
The Doctor wasn't life-threatened by the cold – but he looked increasingly uncomfortable. It was going to be a miserable night.
The Terraberserker sighed – with a hint of guilt. He sat up, poked around the fire until he pulled out a branch burning at one end only. He stood with the flame-tipped wood, and in one smooth motion, hurled it end over end across the clearing – where it landed at the Doctor's feet. "Temba."
The Doctor looked down at the branch, then back up at the Terraberserker, who was watching him. The Doctor picked it up. "Temba? What do you mean? Fire? Temba means fire?"
"Temba. His arms wide."
"Temba is a person? His arms are wide. Because he's holding them apart? In generosity? In giving? In taking?"
Winfield indicated the branch. "Temba. His arms wide."
The Doctor gave up on the specific meaning for now. The gift was progress in any case. "Thank you. Thank you." The Doctor held the branch to his pile of straw and it immediately ignited. He added kindling and branches and quickly had a cheery fire. He looked back toward the Terraberserker. He appeared to be fast asleep. The Doctor watched him for a few moments, thoughtfully.