Chapter 2
Jalem insisted that the Doctor, Susan and Donna met the Atlantean Elders. The Doctor needed little persuasion. Still dripping wet, they followed Jalem out of what looked rather like a park of some sort, and up a long, wide, cobbled road. Except, when Donna looked closer, she saw that it was shells, not stones, on the road.
Everything around them had a blue-ish tinge, and there was water everywhere: it cascaded in waterfalls from the roofs of the small houses, flowed in streams along the street, glistened serenely in pools, and trickled out of statues in fountains. Blue-skinned Atlanteans stopped and stared at the pink-coloured beings walking in their midst. The Doctor grinned and waved enthusiastically, Donna blushed and smiled at their interest, and Susan simply stared back, but in a way that suggested she was examining the area closely. There certainly is a lot to see, thought Donna.
They were led to a huge palace, and Jalem explained that this was a public building, since the last ruler had died with no heir. There were hints of Greece and Ancient Egypt in the architecture, but it was still unlike anything that Donna had ever seen. Over a year ago, she thought, I was going to go to Greece for a honeymoon with a husband. Not much chance of that happening now, of course. But it makes me think; knowing me, I'd have just sat on a beach or in a restaurant. I probably wouldn't even have thought of going to see some ruins. It was moments like this that made her realise just how much the Doctor had changed not only her life, but her as well.
Two guards stood outside a huge open doorway, which led to a large hall. The inside had been shaped to look like the inside of an enormous shell, and even more pools and waterfalls glistened on the walls and the floor. Seated around the largest of these were three men and two women. All had the same blue skin and white hair as Jalem, and Donna suspected their eyes would be just as green. They rose to greet the threesome.
"Welcome to Atlantis," said the one in the centre, a youngish looking man.
"Thank you," replied the Doctor with another grin, and held out his hand. The Atlantean looked at it oddly then turned to Donna and Susan, who was trying to suppress a smirk.
"May I ask your names?"
"My name is Susan Campbell," said the still-wet Susan. "This is my grandfather, the Doctor, and our friend, Donna Noble. And you are…?"
"I am Heram, this is Jerom, Ylea, Sani and Forem. What are you?"
"We're Time Travellers," said the Doctor.
"That doesn't explain your strange colouring," said the older woman, Ylea, with a stern expression. Uh oh, thought Donna. This one could make things a little difficult. And, of course, the Doctor's gonna try and charm her too.
"I'm human, " began Donna, but was interrupted by an outraged hiss. A young woman rushed at her.
Quick as a flash, the guards grabbed her and held her down. Jalem to her side.
"Kaelah!"
The Doctor followed him and knelt down by the thrashing girl. He pressed the back of her neck, and she went limp.
"Just like a Vulcan!" muttered Donna.
"Nice enough guys, if a bit formal and distant," said the Doctor. "Now then," he went on, turning back to face the girl. Jalem was crouching beside her now, holding her webbed hand in his, staring at her with a worried expression.
"What did you do to her?" he asked, fear in his voice.
"Calmed her down, that's all. What did you say her name was?"
"Kaelah," he replied.
"Okay then… hello Kaelah…" the Doctor reached out for Kaelah's temples and closed his eyes.
"What's he doing?" whispered Donna.
"Looking into her mind, I think," replied Susan. She turned to her companion. "Wonder what she's got against humans, then."
"They abandoned us," said a deep voice behind them.
They turned to see the oldest member of the council, Jerom.
"Excuse me?"
"When Atlantis sank, the humans left us to our fate. We were once like you" –he pointed at Susan and Donna- "but we were forced to… adapt."
"There was no way the humans could have saved you," Susan pointed out. "They had no way of reaching you." Jerom shook his head.
"You came here."
"Our technology's rather more advanced than the humans' back then. Besides, I'm not exactly human."
"Not human?"
"Half-human. My father was a Time Lord, like the Doctor."
Timelord!
Everyone spun round to find the source of the voice, but no one could find the speaker.
On the floor, the Doctor had finished his mind reading, or whatever he'd been doing, and was helping Kaelah to sit up. Jalem still held her hand, and was rubbing her back gently. She looked confused.
"Whuh… what happened?"
"You tried to attack our guests," said Ylea, rather coldly, Donna thought.
"I did?" Kaelah looked shocked now. "The last thing I remember, I was in the gardens-"
"I was there fifteen minutes ago," interrupted Jalem, helping her to her feet. "I didn't see you."
The younger woman, Sani, looked at her, concerned. "Get some rest," she said softly. Kaelah nodded, and allowed Jalem to lead her away.
The Doctor clapped his hands together and winked at his companions.
"I smell something fishy."