Chapter 2: Perception Filters
After a few hours of what seemed like aimless wandering, Jeong Jeong was starting to feel exhausted. The sun, normally his source of energy, had beat down brutally on them the entire time, draining Jeong Jeong's internal water and caloric reserves. The fugitive hadn't had a chance to eat or drink anything all day, and it was starting to show. He placed a shaky hand on his growling stomach and sent yet another glare in the Doctor's direction. Why hadn't they stayed with the Doctor's ship? Why hadn't he at least stayed with the ship while the Doctor meandered off on his fool's errand?
The Doctor seemed to be unaffected by the heat, despite the heavy, colorful coat he wore that extended to his calves. He had spent the last hour or so following a reading on a bizarre hand held metal device with dials and switches that Jeong Jeong assumed was some sort of alien compass. The Doctor had produced the large device from one of his coat pockets, proudly proclaiming that they too were bigger on the inside after seeing Jeong Jeong's puzzled expression. The device ticked constantly, with a soft ding every few moments. The machine's whirring and general noisiness was starting to get on Jeong Jeong's frazzled nerves. Despite the firebender's best efforts through years of meditation and regular breathing exercises, he had always had a difficult time keeping his short temper in check, and in his physically and emotionally compromised state, it was all he could do to keep from snatching the strange device out of the Doctor's hands and incinerating it.
"Must your machine make so much noise?!"
The Doctor raised an eyebrow at his traveling companion. "For your information, my 'machine' is doing a series of very complicated calculations. And as it happens to be something I thew together in a pinch one day when I needed a digital theta subwave analyzer, it's not going to be the sleekest design or quietest computer in the world. But it will get us where we need to go if you just give it time to hone in on the energy reading it's picking up."
"Huh?" Jeong Jeong responded. He shook his head, trying to clear some of the dizziness he felt coming on. "I don't care what you call it. I only care that it gets us out of this desert, or at the very least to a source of water and shade before we both die of heat exhaustion!"
"And here I thought you were energized by the sun. That's what I was told by the last firebender I met who didn't want to use me for kindling."
"That may have been the only firebender you met who was not so inclined," Jeong Jeong muttered under his breath.
"Well, if you were so concerned, perhaps you should have stayed in the TARDIS!" the Doctor snapped, obviously having heard Jeong Jeong. "Or better yet, you should have just avoided running into me altogether!"
"Me?! You were the one who appeared literally out of nowhere! I did not have time to avoid you! I was running for my life! I did not ask for you to show up when you did! I could have escaped without your interference! I did not choose to get stuck in the middle of some Agni-forsaken desert with a colorblind madman!"
"Madman? Madman?! I am the picture of mental stability and intelligence beyond anything your world could ever hope to produce!"
"All your intelligence couldn't keep us from ending up out here to become carrion for the local scavengers! I'm doomed to spend my last days waiting to become dinner for a buzzard-wasp! Worse, I am stuck out here with you!"
"Well, I suppose that just makes both of us unfortunate, doesn't it?!"
The two men were in each other's faces, each shouting at the top of his lungs. When the match ended, they stood glaring at one another for several seconds, before Jeong Jeong took a deep breath, smoke emanating from his nostrils on the exhale. He turned away from the Doctor and tried to compose himself.
"Yes, the sun is a firebender's main source of power and energy," Jeong Jeong began. "Yet we are also human. Fire burns even us. I have many scars from sparring and training. The sun does not burn my skin as easily as it does light skinned people who are not firebenders, but if the sun is brutal as it is here in this desert, it begins to drain me of energy just as it does any other man. And as a firebender, I require more water and food to deal with these conditions than other people might. My inner fire burns more calories than those without it. That is why you do not find too many fat firebenders."
The Doctor was silent a moment. Finally he said, "You make a great deal of sense. Nonetheless, I believe we should continue forward. I'm picking up energy readings that indicate a human establishment about a kilometer from here. I'm sure they'll have food and water aplenty there. Come on, then."
"Your gadget can detect that?" Jeong Jeong said.
"To an extent. To be honest, I have no way of knowing whether we'll actually find people there or not. But if people were there at one time, it was not without reason. Even if it's just a way station, it should have water access at the very least."
Jeong Jeong frowned, not exactly encouraged by the news. Still, it was better than nothing. Jeong Jeong didn't like the idea of walking several hours back to the TARDIS if help was potentially so close.
The two men trudged on. A kilometer was farther than Jeong Jeong thought it had a right be, even in desert conditions. But after another half hour, the Doctor pointed out a tower of what was clearly a manmade structure. Jeong Jeong's face brightened a bit with hope. The men picked up their pace a bit, and soon enough the whole structure came into view. It was large and appeared to be well-kept. But what really excited the two was a herd of camelephants and a small fleet of what Jeong Jeong told the Doctor were called sand boats, piloted by earthbenders who specialized in manipulating the desert's loose sands.
Jeong Jeong's stride lengthened significantly, and soon he was well ahead of the Doctor, eager to seek the help of these sandbenders. Water was what he required the most, and hopefully the sandbenders would be willing to spare some. As he approached the building, a flash of red on one of the pack animals caught his eye, causing him to stop dead in his tracks.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" the Doctor said as he caught up. "We won't find water or Zeiton by standing out here in the sun, you know."
Jeong Jeong shook his head and pointed at one of the camelephants. "We have a problem. They are Fire Nation."
"And you aren't?" the Doctor replied. "I thought all firebenders originate in the Fire Nation. They should be your comrades, your countrymen."
"I suppose you thought the men chasing me this morning were waterbenders?" Jeong Jeong snapped.
"Well, every nation has its marauders and delinquents. I assumed the band we met this morning were among them. Every culture has their outcasts."
"And I'm one of them," Jeong Jeong said, avoiding the Doctor's gaze.
"Oh," the Doctor said quietly. "I see. You're a fugitive."
"I deserted the Fire Nation navy," Jeong Jeong explained. "So far I have escaped capture, but if I am caught, I will be executed as a traitor. The Fire Nation does not suffer deserters to live. But if it comes to it, I would much rather die than spend my life causing nothing but fear and destruction in the world." He held up a clenched fist. "This power has caused nothing but pain and misery for so many people. It only destroys. It tore my family apart. It is a curse."
"Now, I wouldn't go so far as to call it that," the Doctor said, flashing a comforting smile at the other man. "What was it that young firebender I met a few centuries back said? 'Fire is life.' Apparently he knew better than anyone. He had the ability to manipulate more than one element."
Jeong Jeong gave him a skeptical look. "You met the avatar? But...that would have been at least a hundred years ago!"
"Time traveler, remember? Not to mention my race is very long lived. I'm nearly 900 years old. At least, I think I am. It's hard to recall anymore."
Jeong Jeong stared a moment, then blinked. "Well, you're looking good for your age, I suppose."
"Thank you," the Doctor said with a chuckle. "I personally think this is the best I've looked in ages."
"Of course," Jeong Jeong said sarcastically, casting a skeptical glance over the Doctor's outfit.
"Anyway, the point is that being able to naturally manipulate matter in one of its four lowest states is an incredible ability. It's innate, and it's not something I think anyone should be ashamed of. Bending, as you call it, is a tool, not a curse. It's such an important aspect of your world that once in a generation an individual is born who can manipulate not just fire, but air, water and earth. That's why I come back to this planet once in a while. These elementals fascinate me. All of them, not just the ones who can only 'bend' solid, liquid or gaseous matter."
Jeong Jeong gave the Doctor an appreciative smile, then frowned again. "You would not say that if you knew what this war had done to the world. This war that my people started."
"War happens all over the universe. Why should your planet be an exception? The important thing is that people like you stand up for what's right. People like you put their foot down and say, 'Stop! No more.' That takes a great deal of courage, and as long as there is someone in this world who has that courage, there's always hope for peace."
"Encouraging words, Doctor, but they do nothing for our current situation."
"On that note, just how well known is your face in the Fire Nation? They might not recognize you."
"I was an admiral."
"Oh," the Doctor said with a sigh. "Yes, that could be problematic. I see now why your 'friends' were so eager to catch up with you today."
"So what do we do, then?" Jeong Jeong asked, his gaze drifting over the animals and ships before settling on the ornate and isolated building.
"Well, we need water," the Doctor said. "I'm feeling a bit thirsty myself. And peckish, too. Besides, the closer we get the stronger these readings get." He tapped the device in his hand, which had begun to ding steadily. The dinging stopped, much to Jeong Jeong's relief. "I believe we're closer to those Zeiton crystals than I'd believed we would be in this desert. If you can obscure your face somewhat, we may be able to slip in unnoticed."
"Me, perhaps, but you stick out like a sore thumb," Jeong Jeong said. "I at least am wearing the colors of earth. You look like a bag of cinnamon apple candies."
"Which means they'll pay more attention to me, then, meaning you have little to worry about."
Jeong Jeong shrugged. If he had to be honest with himself, he preferred this option. At the worst, they could always steal a camelephant and a water skin and flee back to the TARDIS. "Very well," he said, starting to undo some of the bindings on his arms. He used the bindings and some loose cloth of his outer tunic to fashion himself a sort of turban that covered his hair, mouth and nose. He regretted not having a feasible way to hide the scar that stretched across his right eye. It was one of his most defining features, and was typically exaggerated on his wanted posters. Once his "disguise" was assembled, he turned to the Doctor and gestured that the other man lead.
As they approached the doors of the massive building, Jeong Jeong noted that it seemed to be in the absolute middle of nowhere. There were no roads leading up to it, and judging from the supplies he saw on the sand boats and pack animals, it was several days' journey from any sort of civilization to this isolated mansion.
The Doctor halted at the door, produced something from his pocket and began fiddling with it. After several moments, he handed a necklace with an unusual metal pendant to Jeong Jeong. The ex-admiral took the object, giving the Doctor a questioning look.
"Put it on and tuck it into your clothes," the Doctor instructed. "When we get inside, you'll be inconspicuous, so long as you don't try to draw attention to yourself."
"What is the pendant? Some sort of magical device meant to cast a protective spell over the wearer?"
"I suppose you could call it something like that," the Doctor said, placing an identical pendant around his own neck and tucking it underneath his shirt collar. "It's a key to the TARDIS. I've installed a microchip on it that produces a perception filter. Now, it doesn't make you invisible. Just unnoticeable. The TARDIS produces a perception filter around itself each time it materializes. I've simply extended that protection to each of us using the keys. It can be broken if you draw too much attention to yourself, but you really have to be trying in order for that to happen. Or you have to meet someone who's not fooled by perception filters. Like a Time Lord or someone specially trained in the use of psychic technology."
"I have a hard time believing anything can make you unnoticeable," Jeong Jeong muttered as he complied with the Doctor's instructions, tucking the pendant beneath his tunic.
"I think you'll find I can be quite inconspicuous when I want to be," the Doctor said as he pushed the door to the building open and stepped inside. "Come on, then. Onward and upward. And out of the hot sun!"
Once inside with the doors shut, Jeong Jeong found himself almost blind for several moments as his eyes adjusted to the much dimmer lighting. Once he could see again, he took stock of his surroundings. They were in a massive hallway lined with three stories of bookshelves. The interior of the building was lit partially by windows in the clerestory, and predominately by strange, glowing crystals mounted on the walls like green torches. It was these that had the Doctor particularly excited.
"They put Zeiton to practical use here!" the Time Lord exclaimed, holding up his now very excited and noisy tracking device in the direction of the nearest crystal torch.
Jeong Jeong gave a somewhat disbelieving look toward the glowing green rock. "That's Zeiton?"
"That is Zeiton," the Doctor affirmed. "Now, I wonder who the proprietor of this library is? I'm sure he or she must have a few crystals he might be willing to spare."
"That would be me," a gravely voice said from above them. An enormous black owl swooped down and landed before the two men, glancing over them skeptically. "And who has come seeking the great library of Wan Shi Tong, he who knows 10,000 things?"
Jeong Jeong's eyes widened. The bird before him clearly originated from the spirit world, meaning this was a library to be held in highest reverence. He bowed slightly before the owl, glancing for a moment at the Doctor, expecting him to do the same. But the yellow-haired stranger simply regarded the great raptor with a look of indifference.
"10,000 things, eh?" the Doctor said. "Not very impressive, considering the average 20-year-old human knows 20,000 words."
Wan Shi Tong bristled. "Do not disrespect me, little man. I am the keeper of the spirit library, and you are an intruder on my home. Further, you seek to take from it without any intention to add to it. In order to peruse these shelves, you must contribute some knowledge to be archived among them. Yet you come only to admire the lighting and destroy the fixtures."
"Not at all," the Doctor assured the owl. "From what I gather, these crystals are too small and put out too little power to be of much use to me. They might be useful for a while, but I need a source I can mine on my own. So I will require the knowledge within your library. I assume you know the source of these crystals?"
"Of course I do. My Knowledge Seekers cross the globe searching for new knowledge to add to my library. They brought the crystals to me." The bird gestured to what appeared to be large foxes wandering the halls, placing books in their shelves. "But as I said before, to peruse my collection, you must first add to it. You and your companion. I would prefer your contribution take the form of a book or scroll. It is much easier to index that way."
"Oh, um..." the Doctor mumbled, patting the sides of his coat before reaching into a pocked in the lining. He produced a worn, leather-bound book and held it out to be inspected by the owl. "This is my 500 Year Diary. I'm a...historian. I think that after reading this, you'll be able to call yourself 'He who knows 500,000 things.'"
Wan Shi Tong gave the Doctor a somewhat skeptical look. "Very well, it does sound intriguing. It is adequate." He swept a wing over the book, and in an instant it was gone. "And what of your companion?"
Jeong Jeong looked up in surprise at the bird, then nervously over to the Doctor, then back to the owl. He fished a scroll out of his tunic and held it out. "I have a firebending scroll. I acquired it through trade." He kept his expression stoic, hoping the owl wouldn't see through his lie. The scroll was something he'd written himself in order to train other firebenders. Most of the moves depicted on it were of his own invention. It was the one memento he kept of his years as an admiral, and besides a pendant he kept on his person at all times, the only reminder of his life before becoming a fugitive.
"Excellent!" Wan Shi Tong said. He swept his wing over the scroll, causing it to vanish. "Very well, you may both explore the library. Please be observant of my rules. Be respectful of other readers. You are not the only two here today, oddly enough. And above all, you are not to use the knowledge you may gain here to cause destruction or bring pain to others."
"We wouldn't dream of it," the Doctor assured the bird.
"Absolutely not!" Jeong Jeong added. "I have already seen too much destruction in my life. I wish to rebuild what has been destroyed."
"A worthwhile ambition," Wan Shi Tong said with a nod. "Enjoy the library." With that, the bird took off and disappeared into the shadows of the enormous archive.
"Well, that was interesting," the Doctor said after the owl had gone.
"Now I know you are not from here," Jeong Jeong said. "You know nothing of the spirits."
"And that was a spirit, eh?"
"Yes, and as such he has a great amount of power. He can do us great harm if we anger him. That he is a spirit is probably why he noticed me immediately, unless your 'perception filter' does not actually work."
"The perception filter works just fine," the Doctor said defensively. "Whatever that bird is, spirit or not, it's obviously a creature not influenced by perception fields."
"You do not believe Wan Shi Tong is a spirit?"
The Doctor waved him off. "I've seen plenty of things in my lifetime that are certainly strange, mysterious, even surreal. But even the most convincing apparitions turn out to be tricks of technology or alien life forms with unusual psionic abilities. My own people can project their thoughts into the mind of another Time Lord over great distances in time and space, if they put their minds together, literally. Even humans can produce such projections using technology or, in your case, manipulation of matter. Your pyrokinesis is not so different from phenomena you might attribute to spirits, if you really think about it."
"Sshhh!" Jeong Jeong hissed. "I do not want anyone who might be here thinking I am something other than a desert guide!"
The Doctor held out his hands, gesturing around himself. "There is no one immediately within earshot. Even if they were, our perception filters are working, and anyone who might be listening will feel inclined to tune us out as unwanted background noise."
"Let us just find the information you need and be done with this place," Jeong Jeong grumbled.
"Yes, let's. And I think we would be better off starting with an examination of these crystals. Then we can ask our furry and, according to the owl, sapient librarian friends where we might find books detailing the mining of Zeiton."
Jeong Jeong shrugged. "I will start looking in the wing opposite us. It appears to be where information on the Earth Kingdom is kept. If there is Zeiton to be mined nearby, information about it will be in an Earth Kingdom survey."
Their plans set, the two men commenced their search. The Doctor began examining one of the crystal light fixtures while Jeong Jeong crossed the lobby to begin browsing.