Thump-thump-thump-thump.
At first, the Doctor thought it was the beating of his hearts that had jolted him out of his dreams of the mountains, sky and halls of his far-off home. But no, he realised with mild concern as he awoke in the control room of the Ship, the thumping sound was coming from outside the doors, and growing more insistent. He was alone in the room, and called out for Dodo. "The child is probably still sleeping," he muttered to himself when she did not appear or respond. He started then at another, harder impact at the door, as though something was attempting to force an entry onto his craft. Crossing to the console, the Doctor flicked the switch that operated the exterior scanner, and looked up at the screen mounted overhead...
OOOOOOOOOOOO
Some minutes earlier...
"Sir, come quick, there's something outside!"
At Joachim's shouted words, Khan Noonien Singh's weathered face shot up from the yellowed pages of Moby Dick. Casting the old book to the hard floor of the Starfleet-issue cargo containment unit that had been his refuge and his prison on Ceti Alpha V for too many wretched years, he rose from where he had been sitting and dashed through the phaser-cut door in the steel wall into the adjoining compartment where Joachim and several more of his people gathered round the small, grill-covered window. "What is it?" he asked, and the small group dutifully stepped back to allow their leader a view.
"There, sir," Joachim said, pointing over Khan's shoulder as his liege peered out into the raging, never-ending sandstorm. A short distance away, just visible through the hurtling clouds of dust that could easily rip chunks of flesh from anyone not wearing protective gear, a large, dark, rectangular object stood in the sand where nothing had stood before. A hundred thoughts raced like lightning through Khan's mind. Whatever it was, it was clearly man-made...and not of this wretched hell of a planet.
He turned to address Joachim and the others. "Ready yourselves," he said. "This is something we must inspect...closer."
OOOOOOOOOOOO
Minutes later...
The Doctor frowned and tutted at what he saw on the scanner. Outside the Ship, a group of figures, their features hidden beneath hoods, masks and thick layers of fabric, were gathered and pressing in close. One was throwing himself shoulder-first against the outer door violently. "Witless oaf!" the Doctor exclaimed in disapproval. "My craft is not to be treated so roughly by the likes of you!"
"Doctor?" a voice uttered somewhat shakily behind him.
The Doctor turned with a "Hmm?" to see Dodo standing in the doorway looking at him through screwed-up eyes, with her hand on her head. "Oh, hello there, Dodo," he said to her. "How are you feeling?"
"Not well," Dodo replied, still clutching her head and wincing slightly in pain as she walked slowly forward. "My head's in agony...I think I've got a migraine."
"Oh, dear, dear me, poor child," the Doctor said sympathetically, putting a comforting arm around his companion's shoulders. "Now why did you come in here then, eh? You should have stayed in bed if you're feeling under the weather."
Dodo shrugged. "I heard you call me, wondered what had happened..." She looked up at the scanner, and asked "What's going on?" The Doctor quickly filled his young friend in on the situation while they watched, via the screen, as one of the figures outside turned to seemingly address another, who quickly left, while the others remained. Dodo shuddered. There was something ominous about the group; they just seemed to project a sense of imminent danger. "Doctor," she said, "I don't like this, and I'm not feeling good anyway. Can't we just go?"
She knew full well how insatiably curious the Doctor was about wherever he found himself, but after a moment, to her surprise, he nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes...Normally I do like to do some exploring first, but...Very well...let's be on our way."
OOOOOOOOOOOO
Khan had been momentarily taken aback when he had approached the object and made out the words 'police public call box' written plainly in English just below the roof of the structure. Unable to make out anything of the interior through the small, dark windows, he had first knocked, and when that also proved fruitless, he began throwing his full weight against the door. With his vast physical strength, one of the gifts of his genetically enhanced nature, Khan had thought it would only take seconds for him to break inside. The door, however, was proving to be surprisingly resistant.
He turned to face one of his people and, shouting to be heard above the storm, ordered him to bring cutting tools. The man had just dutifully departed when he stepped back, eyes widening under his protective face covering, as a strange sound, like nothing he had ever heard before, emanated from the box, loud enough to be heard above the ferocious wind, and the bulb atop it pulsed a bright blue. Then, in front of all of them, it grew transparent, and finally disappeared completely. Khan slowly walked forward and stood in the sand where the structure had just been. A transporter, he thought. That is what it must have been! A space vessel in orbit must have beamed the object down, then taken it back. But WHY? Could it be...has HE finally returned after all these years? Perhaps the object was an automated probe, to spy on us. He would be too afraid to come here in person. But I will have him yet...
For days afterward, Khan and his followers were vigilant, watchful for more visitations. But nothing else was seen, and as time passed, so did their watchfulness. Survival was again their primary concern. Even Khan himself had almost forgotten the incident when, a few years later, as he and his people trooped across the storm-lashed desert back to their pitiful sanctum from a water-gathering trip, he spied two bursts of light some way ahead, which swiftly transformed into two helmeted figures that trudged off in the direction of the cargo carriers...