Chapter 2
The TARDIS materialized out of the time vortex on 5 April, 2334, near Pen Haxico 2. The planet was partially covered by huge dark clounds of dust – the atmospheric devastation caused by the asteroid impact.
In a city with eerie dark clouds above, it was snowing heavily. Meteorologist Stefan Gierasch's large cluttered office had been temporarily transformed into a crisis center. Numerous scientists moved from one set of monitors to another. The Doctor and Michelle were beside Gierasch. The snow could be seen through windows. The Doctor pointed to a map on a monitor.
"We've located three underground pockets of carbon dioxide…here, here and here. Our drilling lasers can release enough of the gas to form an envelope which would temporarily hold in the heat from the sun."
Gierasch laughed at the irony. "We spend years, decades trying to avoid anything that would lead to a greenhouse effect and here we are about to create one on purpose."
"Less than twenty percent of your normal sunlight is getting through that dust, Doctor. If we can hold enough heat in with the CO2, it should give the planet time to mend itself."
A worried female scientist approached. "Doctor Gierasch."
Gierasch saw her expression. "What now?"
"New Sydney is reporting a cloud depth of twelve kilometers. Two rivers, tropical rivers, are beginning to freeze."
Gierasch turned to the Doctor. "We better get started before there's nothing left to mend."
Frewer entered the TARDIS galley holding a small pile of rectangular chips and looked around gleefully. He saw Nita and Carolyn at the table and headed over to join them.
"Look who's here," said Nita quietly. "I hate questionnaires."
"Professor, please come join us," said Carolyn with enthusiasm. She was quite taken with Frewer.
Frewer went to sit next to Nita, but thought better of it and sat near Carolyn. "I hope I'm not intruding."
"Not at all. You're the topic of conversation."
Frewer shuffled through the chips, found the two appropriate ones, and distributed them to those present. "As I promised, here are your assignments. I'm sure they'll be painless. Please try to complete them by tomorrow."
"Tomorrow!" cried Nita, peeved. She tried to cool it but she felt put-upon. "Ahem, no problem, Professor."
Frewer looked from face to face, fascinated. He smiled. "You're both very calm."
Nita was puzzled. "Do we have reason not to be?"
"History always records where people were, what they were doing, when important events took place. But it rarely remembers their activities – say, a week before, or a day, or even an hour."
"Are you suggesting an important event is imminent?"
"I didn't say that, did I? Please, go on doing what you were doing, pretend I'm not here."
They were both a bit uncomfortable, unable to 'go on doing what they were doing.'
"How come there's not record of other future historians travelling back to witness 'important events?'"
"We're obviously very careful. Matter of fact, a colleague and I recently paid a call on a twenty-second century vessel."
Carolyn was fascinated. "They hadn't even perfected quarantine fields by then. You must have seen surgical masks and gloves."
"Isn't it fascinating how everyone has different interests when it comes to history, different perspectives on progress." Frewer opened a small finger ring, looked inside, smiled, and closed it."
"Mind if I ask what that is?"
"Just checking the time. No problem."
Nita got a bit frustrated. "Is something supposed to be happening here?"
Frewer waved his hand, dismissing the question. "No, no, nothing." He changed the subject. "What about you, Nita? What do you see as the most important example of progress over the last two hundred years?"
Nita paused. "I suppose the warp coil. Before he had warp drive, Humans were confined to a single sector of the galaxy."
"Spoken like the consummate explorer." Frewer looked around the room, as if he were waiting for something to happen.
"What's going on? You waiting for someone?" Nita abruptly had a thought. "Stasers!"
Frewer looked at Nita. "Beg your pardon?"
"There were no stasers in the 22nd century." Nita sat back.
"Ah, you see, Carolyn? Our Earthling friend is a perfect example of what I was trying to tell you. She views history through the eyes of a native of the 20th century. Her interest lies in the difference of things like weapons over the centuries. How delightfully primitive."
Michelle and an engineer were at the TARDIS console.
"As soon as we imput this atmospheric date from Gierasch, the computer should tell us how many holes we'll have to punch." She handed a chip to the engineer, who nodded and left as the Doctor entered. "Ah, Doctor. Good."
"What have you learned about the tectonic stability around the drilling sites?"
Frewer entered, unnoticed.
"Couldn't be better. Our scans were all clear and Gierasch says there hasn't been so much as a quiver in over a century."
"Ah, just the two I'm looking for. I've brought the forms I'd like you to complete." Frewer handed Michelle and the Doctor a chip each. "It shouldn't take more than a couple of hours."
"We're kind of busy here, Professor. Tomorrow might be better." She turned to the Doctor, as she pointed to a monitor. "We've got about twenty-three thousand thermal simulations. You think you could check them through for anomalies?"
"Certainly." The Doctor stood at the monitor and began to punch keys as the numbers scrolled by at a great speed.
"Is that as fast as he can go?"
"Not fast enough for you, Professor?"
"There's very little known about the Doctor's efficiency, almost nothing about this part of the mission. It's a topic of great conjecture."
The Doctor finished his task. "Two hundred and nine anomalies all within acceptable parameters."
"Thanks, Doctor." She turned to Frewer. "You've come to witness this mission, that's it, isn't it?"
Frewer checked his ring. "It would be best if you just thought of me as a fly on the wall, and went about your business."
The Doctor turned away from the computer. "I will return the answered questions to you as soon as possible, sir."
"The Doctor… at Pen Haxico 2!"
Michelle didn't have time for this, she headed to another terminal. "If you'll excuse me."
Frewer followed.
"A fly on the wall, eh?"
Frewer picked up a small tablet and innocently dropped it into his pocket. He followed Michelle to another terminal. "A fly on the wall."
Michelle rejoined the Doctor at the console.
"The computer has configured the drilling pattern and specified depths."
"We've got what we need. I'm ready to materialize on the surface."
"We'll notify Doctor Gierasch. Good luck, Michelle."
"Gentlemen."
Michelle left. Frewer looked as though the curtain is about to go up. "Who said these moments were any less exciting when you know the outcome?"
The Doctor was puzzled. "I know of no one who said that, Professor."
On Pen Haxico 2 the dark clouds had worsened. It was still snowing. Michelle and Doctor Gierasch were at a large bank of monitoring equipment. The shrouded sky was visible through windows. The snow continued. Michelle pointed to a diagram.
"The TARDIS will monitor the CO2 concentration at six different altitudes. If all goes well, it won't take more than twenty bore sites."
"Let's hope all goes well."
Michelle hit her speed dial. "Nita. How are you doing?"
"We're ready when you are, Michelle."
"All we need's an open channel with the Doctor."
Nita began to pace. "I'm opening the channel and preparing to fire at target one. The computer has locked in laser depth calculations. Doctor?"
"Ready."
"Fire."
The beam left the TARDIS and bored into tundra. It was still snowing. The beam stopped and was immediately followed by another, which hit a distance away.
The Doctor was at the console. "Target one is emitting two thousand cubic meters per second. Target two, one thousand six hundred."
"Surface wind patterns over targets are stable."
"You picking up anything at altitude, Doctor?"
"CO2 concentrations remain unchanged at upper elevations."
It was snowing. In the distance, a hole was being drilled by the laser. Then another. It ended and then a third hit.
In the TARDIS Control Room Nita continued to pace.
Frewer entered. "Have I missed much?" He walked up to the console.
"Target fourteen complete. Doctor?"
"No change."
Nita turned, and noticed Frewer at the console. She was not pleased, but continued monitoring the situation at hand. "Winds, Michelle?"
"Holding steady."
An alarm was heard.
"The computer has stopped the drilling. You should be getting something, Doctor."
A beep was heard from his console. The Doctor was pleased. "Elevated CO2 levels at twenty kilometers."
"Now you're talking. And we've got some new temperatures coming in."
In the science lab, Gierasch was excited, reading his monitor. "All thermal monitoring stations are reporting no further temperature drops."
Michelle was equally excited. "Correction, Doctor. Two equatorial stations are showing slight increases."
Gierasch saw it was working and turned to Michelle. "Thank you. Thank you all. You've given us what we need, time."
In the TARDIS Control Room, Frewer was still at the console.
"Glad we could help, Doctor. The TARDIS will remain in orbit and continue to monitor your progress. Doctor out."
Frewer quoted historically: "You've given us what we need, time."
"Nita, return to a synchronous orbit."
"Ok."
"Very clever, Doctor. And, well done. We've always known how you did it, but to experience the moment, to witness the nuances, it's indescribable."
The Doctor reacted. Frewer leaned back and smiled.
