"Here we are," announced the Doctor. "Castle Gracht."
Leela stared at the monitor, which showed a cave.
"Doesn't look like much of a castle," commented Tupper.
"That's because we are under it." The Doctor tapped several buttons on the console. "We used these tunnels to sneak Prince Reynart – or rather, his android version - into the throne room for his coronation, which should be going on right now."
"That means there will likely be many people in the castle," Iniya pointed out. "Shouldn't we arrive at a time when there is less activity?"
"On the contrary, Detective. Most of the people in Castle Gracht will be at the coronation. So this is the perfect time to slip in and get the piece to the Key to Time."
"Unless the Daleks are already here," said Leela.
The Doctor didn't answer her. Instead, he gazed at some of the screens on the TARDIS console. "No sign of any Daleks or tachyon particles in the vicinity of the castle. It looks like we beat them here."
The doors swung open. Leela hefted her shield and took point.
"Keep A lookout for any of Count Grendel's guards," the Doctor warned as he headed for the doors.
Tupper gripped his submachine gun tighter. "What do they look like?"
"Gray uniforms with red trim and silver, beaked helmets."
"What about their weaponry?" asked Leela.
"Crossbows that fire electric bolts and rapiers that emit an electric discharge."
Leela glanced at her shield. It should be able to fend off attacks from such weapons.
"Doesn't sound like these dummies should be any problem." Tupper grinned
"If at all possible, I'd like to avoid a confrontation with the Count's guards. We need to limit our impact on the timeline as much as possible."
Leela flicked on the flashlight protruding next to the laser's barrel. She swept the beam left, then right. "Clear."
The four proceeded through the tunnel. Leela stayed alert, playing the flashlight over some of the more shadowy parts of the cave. She also tried to listen over the footfalls of her companions for any sounds that might indicate a threat. She heard none.
"I take it you have a plan to get the piece, Doctor?" she asked, all her focus still ahead of her.
"The piece is in the workshop of Madame Lamia, the Count's surgeon and engineer. Second floor of the castle. We retrieve it, then take it back to the TARDIS . . . my other self's TARDIS." The Doctor looked down in thought for a moment. "Of course, we'd have to find some way to let my other self know the piece is on board his TARDIS, otherwise he and Romana could spend ages going through this castle looking for it." He snapped his fingers. "Of course. K9. He should be out and about now. We can give him the message."
Leela grinned, glad to hear the Doctor – her Doctor – had built another K9 to keep him company after she left.
Her eyes drifted to the craggy, uneven roof of the tunnel. She imagined the castle above her. Somewhere up there was her Doctor. She wished she could see him again, let him know she was doing well, that she had a wonderful family, even served alongside Andred in the Chancellery Guard. And, of course, she wanted to know he was fine.
Unfortunately, she could not do that. The Doctor wanted as little interaction with the people on Tara as possible.
They made their way out of the tunnels and up to the second floor. They had to hide in an alcove as two of Count Grendel's guards passed by. Once the pair was out of sight, the Doctor led them to a wooden door. Leela, Tupper, and Iniya scanned the corridor as he ran the sonic screwdriver over the door. He then stared at the device.
"We're in luck. Madame Lamia is the only one in there." He looked around at the others. "Set your weapons to stun. It should be no problem to storm in, take the piece, then depart."
Leela nodded, flicking the switch on her laser shield to the stun setting.
"Ready?" asked the Doctor.
After the others nodded, he aimed the sonic screwdriver at the doorknob. It clicked and the door swung open. Before them was a room with electronic equipment and tables with androids in various states of assembly. Leela winced, having a flashback to the sand planet where she and her Doctor had to save the crew of a mining ship from killer robots. Or as she called them, "Creepy mechanical men," who were immune to her knife.
A thin woman with done up black hair and a flowing white dress spun to face them. Madame Lamia, she figured. Her eyes bulged. She opened her mouth. "Gu -"
"I'd shut that trap if I were you, dollface." Tupper jabbed his Thompson at her. "Unless you wanna get pumped full'a lead . . . I mean, plasma."
Lamia's mouth hung open, but she didn't utter a word.
The Doctor stepped toward her. "We're here for the stone. Where is it?"
"What . . . what stone?" Lamia's voice trembled.
"You know what we're talking about." Leela thrust the laser shield forward. "Now tell us where it is. We shall not ask again."
Lamia drew a staggered breath, her eyes unblinking. She certainly appeared in fear for her life. Not that they had any intention of killing her.
Lamia, of course, did not know that.
The Taran engineer said nothing. Leela nearly threatened her again when the other woman's eyes flickered toward the table.
The Doctor followed her gaze. He gave a slight grunt and stepped over to the table. He moved aside a few pieces of equipment, then snatched up an angular block of clear stone.
So that's the Key to Time. Leela tilted her head. It looked rather beautiful, more beautiful than any precious gemstone she had ever seen. She found it hard to believe something that looked like an expensive decoration had the power to change the course of the universe.
She fought off a shudder when she imagined the kind of changes the Daleks wanted to make.
"Well I'll be damned." Tupper beamed. "Everything went according to plan. How often does that happen?"
"Eighteen percent of the time," Iniya responded. "Granted, that figure is based solely on the Doctor's missions since he recruited me."
"Iniya. Secure her." The Doctor nodded to Lamia. "By the time Count Grendel or his guards find her, we'll be far from this castle."
"Yes, Doctor." She reached into her equipment belt for her handcuffs.
Leela's gaze shifted from Lamia to the Doctor. She suppressed a frown. Her Doctor would have had some funny response to the 23rd Century detective's comment. This Doctor, however . . . he seemed to possess no humor. Everything about him seemed grim. Yes, she knew what was at stake in this Time War. All of creation.
Still, even in the darkest of time, her Doctor kept his sense of humor. His jokes reassured her that all was not lost, that while there was life, there was hope.
She wondered if this War Doctor would ever make any sort of joke.
She wondered when should would stop comparing the two Doctors and just accept this one for who he was.
"Please put your hands on top of your head." Iniya approached Lamia. "Do not make any sudden movements. Fully cooperate and you will not be -"
The door opened.
Leela swung around. Two of Grendel's guards marched in, grasping the arms of a slender red-headed woman with a smooth, regal face. She wore a purple outfit that seemed half-dress, half-waistcoat, topped off by a purple hat.
The guards jerked in surprise.
"What? Who -"
A stun beam streaked from Leela's laser shield. It struck the guard in the chest. He stumbled backwards and collapsed.
Tupper stunned the second guard.
"Dammit!" The Doctor blurted.
Another thing Leela couldn't get used to. Her Doctor never used foul language.
"Who are you?" The redhead demanded. "What are you doing with the . . . my stone."
"It's not a stone, Romana," said the Doctor. "It's a segment of the Key to Time."
So that's Romana. She did have a rather haughty air about her that quite a few Time Lords back on Gallifrey had. Leela wondered how well she could handle herself in times of danger.
Romana gawked at the Doctor. "How do you know who I am? How do you know about the Key -"
"Because I'm the Doctor," he cut her off. "A future incarnation of the one in this timeline. And right now we don't have time for any more explanations. We need to get this piece back to the TARDIS before more of Count Grendel's guards arrive. Or worse, the Daleks."
"Daleks?" The surprise drained from Romana's face. It stiffened into a mask of seriousness mixed with fear. "The Daleks are after the Key to Time?"
"Yes. Now we need to move. Iniya." The Doctor turned to her. "Bring Madame Lamia with us. She might make a useful hostage."
"A hostage?" Iniya's tone was flat as ever. Her eyes, however, betrayed her loathing at the idea.
"I don't have time for your moral outrage as a police officer," the Doctor snapped. "If we run into more of Grenel's guards, I'd prefer to threaten our way out than blast our way out. Grendel has a fondness for this woman. His guards won't let any harm come to her. Now bring her."
Iniya's eyes narrowed. "Yes, Doctor," she muttered.
Leela watched the detective grasp Lamia arm and urge her forward. She understood the Doctor's logic in taking Lamia hostage, but wondered if that was something her Doctor would have done.
The Doctor leaned out the doorway, looked left, then right. "All clear. Move."
The group hurried into the hallway and down the corridor.
"Are you really the Doctor?" Romana looked at him.
"Fred."
Leela's face scrunched. What sort of answer was that?
Romana slowed. "Fred? That was one of the choices you had for what to call me."
"Yes, because by the time I shouted, 'Romanadvoratrelundar,' you might be dead. Now, are you convinced I am the Doctor?"
Lips tightened, Romana held him in her gaze for a few moments. "I imagine you are. But what are you doing here. Don't you know the sort of affect you could have on the timeline?"
"We already got that talkin' to, ma'am," said Tupper. "Not that it did us much good."
The Doctor glared at the American, then turned back to Romana. "If those guards had waited another minute or two before they brought you in, this wouldn't be a problem. Now, however, we -"
Four guards rounded the corner, halting when they saw them.
"Intruders!" one guard shouted. He raised his crossbow. So did the others.
"Stop!" The Doctor raised a hand and stepped to the side. He stabbed his hand at Lamia. "You see who we have with us. Madame Lamia. I doubt Count Grendel will be happy if anything happens to her. So if you want to make sure no harm comes to her, you'll let us leave unmolested."
The guards looked at one another, appearing unsure.
Leela opened her mouth to make another threat when she heard something, a muffled, electronic whistle. Many of them. It appeared to come from outside. Could it be those electronic crossbows?
"Any'a you hear that?" Tupper gazed at the ceiling, then the wall to his left.
Another sound filtered through the castle. A sharp, evil buzzing. Leela's chest tightened. Even as faint as it was, she recognized it.
"Oh no." Romana stared at the wall, mouth agape. Leela assumed she, too, recognized that sound.
A crash like a hundred drums rocked the castle. The walls down the hall exploded. The concussion knocked Leela and the others off her feet. Clouds of dust filled the corridor.
Coughing, she sat up, painful hammers battering her back and legs. She spat out the stale, grimy taste of dust from her mouth.
"Aw hell," uttered Tupper.
She followed the American's gaze and tensed.
Two Daleks rolled out of the ruins of Madame Lamia's workshop.
TO BE CONTINUED