Chapter 21

Rushing over to the fallen Time Lord, Sam put his fingers to the man's neck and noted a rather strange rhythm. Putting his head to the Gallifreyan's chest, he suddenly straightened up, greatly shocked and confused. "No, that can't be... can it?"

Al queried Sam, "What? What can't be?"

Sam put his head back down on the Doctor's chest, only this time changing positions. Finally, he answered. "He has two hearts!"

Al blinked. "Um... that's not human, Sam."

"No kidding, Al! Why is it so hard for you to accept he's an alien?"

"Because he's thick. Isn't that obvious?" the Doctor stated weakly, startling the Leaper and his Holographic partner by his seemingly miraculous recovery. "Yes, yes, I am opening them. You don't have to shout." Slowly, his eyes opened and he sat up, his face morphing into an oddly peaceful expression with almost angelic qualities. His eyes immediately focused on something just over Sam's shoulder. "Oh, you're beautiful!"

Sam turned his head to see what the Doctor was seeing. Empty air filled his vision... well, that wasn't quite true. The wallpaper and ceiling were in his line of view as well as the top of the mahogany secretary. He didn't think that's what the Gallifreyan was commenting on. He was still concerned about the Time Lord's medical condition and wondered if the alien was hallucinating. "What are you seeing, Doctor?" he asked softly.

Ignoring Sam for the moment, the Time Lord slowly stood, his eyes unwavering. "I believe I may be one of the few beings in this universe who has actually seen you. You are literally indescribable. It's understandable how others have gone mad from looking at your beauty." He shifted his eyes to Sam, finally acknowledging the obviously worried man. "I'm fine. They needed a psychic link to be able to communicate with us directly. And apparently, I have... suitable psychic ability as long as I've ingested aspirin."

"But you said aspirin was toxic to your species."

"It is. Slows down the synapses to the point of falling into what for humans would be most like epileptic seizures, usually followed by coma."

"Excuse me for asking then, Doctor, but why aren't you in a coma?"

The Gallifreyan nodded to the apparition only he could see. "Because of them. In order for me to see them and not go mad, it was necessary for my synapses to be slowed down. See, just the sight of them causes the neural connections in the brain to accelerate out of control. The aspirin balances my encephalon functions, thus preventing the usual side effects." He grinned wryly. "It's a good thing they were insistent in waking me up or I probably would have had a seizure after all. Not exactly what I would consider a pleasant prospect."

Al continued to focus away from whatever the Doctor was seeing. He thought he'd seen a slight movement out of the corner of his eye and now wasn't willing to look in that direction unless lives were at stake. Instead, he chanted a mantra low which he was sure that no corporal inhabitant of the room could hear. "I do believe in spooks. I do believe in spooks. I do. I do. I do."

The Doctor turned his head and frowned at Al with slight disappointment. "I know you're a bit superstitious but must you quote that movie?"

"Well, it's true," Al said defiantly, lifting his head up and then quickly putting it back down again, afraid of what he might see.

Sam looked over to the Doctor, defending Al's aversion. "Al's just not really keen on anything that even appears to be metaphysical. It's always been something he'd rather avoid like the plague. I think the fact he's here, though, shows his commitment to finding a solution."

"There's nothing metaphysical about this, only pure science," the Doctor informed him. "They need a conduit to talk to us and they've chosen me."

"And you're sure you can trust them? I hate to bring this up but you've been acting pretty... bizarre. Right, Al? About the time you said something about their artwork."

Al looked up, carefully focusing his eyes only on Sam. "Yeah. Sort of a cross between mathematical symbols and calligraphy and naval charts. Very avant garde."

The Doctor grinned broadly. "I'll take that as a compliment, Albert. I'm glad you appreciate the aesthetic qualities of the Gallifreyan language. There may be hope for you yet."

The retired admiral's eyes narrowed. "You know, I'm getting rather tired of you incessant insults, you nozzle."

"And there he goes comparing me to Earth plumbing once again." The Gallifreyan turned to Sam, giving him a firm look. "These beings have been in Time Lord legends since the beginning of time itself. We called them the Shanapelhenolehii, the Lords of Light and Darkness. According to an old Gallifreyan nursery rhyme, if your hearts were pure, they would bestow great gifts upon you."

"Sort of like Santa Claus?" Sam asked.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "More like the Oracle at Delphi, Santa Claus, Aladdin's lamp, and the Devil all mixed together. Thing is, if your hearts weren't pure... it got very very ugly. According to the legend."

"What would happen?"

"Well... the Shannolehii, the Lords of Darkness... would eat your soul. But I think that was more like stories of the Toclophane, your equivalent of the Boogeyman."

Al looked at the paper again. "Doctor... I think they want your attention again..."

The Time Lord glanced in the same direction as Al and nodded. "Right. Here goes, then." He looked to Sam. "Pay attention to anything I may say in the next few minutes as it won't be me; it'll be them." He looked at the apparition. "I'm ready," he told the being as he found a seat. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled and nodded. A moment later, his eyes seemed to change from rich brown to a deep violet.

"You don't have much time," he said, looking directly at Sam.

At the sound of the Doctor's voice, Al couldn't help but raise his head, looking at the Gallifreyan. "Sam..." he started, swallowing slightly. "His eyes..."

Since entering the Accelerator, the leaper had experienced the confusion of people who'd looked into his eyes and saw something different. These people had expected to see the eyes of their friend or loved one and had seen his eyes instead. With the Doctors' sudden change in eye color, he had no doubt that somehow another being had inhabited the Doctor in a similar way. He took a breath, concerned for his new friend and determined that this situation would not damage the Time Lord. He spoke up confidently. "Before we talk, I want your promise you will not harm him."

The Time Lord's lips rose gently, giving the physicist an almost patriarchal smile. "We would never harm our child, he whose hearts are pure." The violet eyes turned towards the older man who was pale and breathing harder than was healthy. "We thank you for your assistance in helping us to contact the Time Lord, brave soldier of the future, but now you should rest."

'But Sam needs..."

His friend looked kindly on him. "Go on, Al. You look like hell. I'll be okay."

"Are you sure? I mean..." He pointed to the Gallifreyan. "His eyes aren't normal. What if it's like that movie? You know... with the red eyes and the pale skin... the one with Chuck Heston?"

"I'm sure, Al. I don't think this is anything like that." When Al started to protest once more, he added, "Please, Al. Go back to the project for now. Please." The older man finally gave into Sam's request. After watching his friend leave, the human turned back to the inhabited Doctor. "Thank you. He's not as young as he used to be."

"He has earned the respite," the beings agreed. "He is indeed a great warrior of excellent caliber."

"That he is," the leaper agreed. He then turned back to what had been said. "You say we don't have much time. You're speaking of the Dragon?"

"Yes," came the firm response. "General Krazan. We can't stop him. We've tried so very hard but he's breaking free."

"The Doctor has told me about his actions. Are you referring to a... a... prison or something? How is he escaping?"

"We have been holding him on behest of his people," the entities confirmed. "However, he is a formidable soldier and a brilliant tactician. He's found a way to shatter the layers between our dimension and yours, thus breaking from the confines we have placed him in. Unfortunately, every time we pull him back, he finds another way to slip between the cracks."

Sam licked his lips. "You're not of our dimension, but Krazan is. Is that why he's able to escape to this world? It's the site of an interdimensional node?"

"Not your world specifically," the form told him. "More like... a gap in the fabric between your universe and ours, located in this structure."

Sam recalled the conversation he'd had with the Doctor about Krazan. He asked, wanting to confirm the Gallifreyan's hypothesis, "Are you keeping him alive to maintain the gene pool?"

The Doctor stiffened slightly. "We Shades do not kill. It is against everything we hold dear. We keep him imprisoned because the Dragons no longer have the resources to imprison their own. We offer our services as caretakers of the mentally ill and criminally insane. Many of us are also skilled scientists," the Shade told him. "Geneticists."

"Shades. That is your name for your people?"

The beings smiled. "It is the best suited word in your language. We are aware of the Time Lords calling us the Shanapelhenolehii, though that particular description isn't quite accurate. Neither is Shades but... it will do."

"I shall use it then." He went on, "And you care for the criminally insane. From what I've heard about Krazan, he'd certainly qualify. But why risk breeding his insanity into the Dragons' DNA?"

The Shades smiled slightly. "As we said, many are skilled geneticists. We can easily identify and eliminate those genetic aspects which are undesirable. We have worked with such races as the Preservers in repopulating near-extinct species. So the Dragons turned to us for help in this field, giving us whatever genetic material they had available. Some were volunteers but many more were the condemned, such as Krazan." He paused. "They are a dying race, Dr. Beckett. There are fewer than a thousand Dragons left in the universe. If it were your own race, would you not use every available resource you had to save your people?"

The human considered the Shades' words. "I suppose I would, based with potential extinction." He paused. "But we're not talking about me. We're talking about Krazan. Can't he be helped? Not all insanity is incurable. Doesn't Krazan deserve being given that chance?"

"Our goal, of course, has always been to rehabilitate our inmates so that they would help their own voluntarily. Krazan, however, is one of the few who cannot be cured of his violent insanity. It was necessary to place him in one of our most secure cells." Seeing Sam still concerned, the violet eyes echoed the sadness in the human's eyes. "There was no other choice."

"And your strongest cell isn't strong enough," Sam deduced from the beings' words.

"Unfortunately, no," the Shades said solemnly. "He found the right auditory frequency to crack the space between the dimensions. He has slipped through partially several times, making the gap larger with each escape attempt. And we have used all of our resources to pull him back. But I'm afraid it isn't enough. If he attempts another escape - and he will - we will not be able to stop him from slipping back into your reality permanently."

Sam asked with trepidation, "How long until he breaks free entirely?"

"It could be at any moment. It's impossible to tell. He could have broken free even as we speak."

Sam's eyes grew wider. "We're not ready."

The Shades smiled slightly. "We trust in our child, the Doctor. The Oncoming Storm. The Ka Faraq Gatri. He will stop Krazan." They raised the Doctor's head confidently. "But we can try one more time to hold him. Hopefully, it will give you enough time to prepare."

"Thank you," Sam breathed. "If time is short, though, let us have the Doctor back. We have much to do."

"Of course," the Shades replied. "Please, do as the Doctor has asked you. Let him know what we've said as he will not remember what has occurred during our conversation." The beings paused for a moment. "Our child has chosen his companions wisely. May you be successful in saving your world, Sam Beckett. With the Time Lord's help, you may prevail." The lanky form of the Gallifreyan slumped forward in his seat, causing Sam to provide physical assistance in preventing him from falling out of it.

"Oh, my head," the Doctor complained, his hand immediately going to the torturous object in question.

"Did they hurt you?" Sam knew the Shades had promised not to but they could have accidentally.

The Doctor didn't answer but rather scrambled to the coffee table in a crab-like manner. Dragging the tray sitting there to the floor, and thus causing its contents to spill, he snatched the ginger beer and downed it before grabbing the package of almonds. Ripping the top off, he poured the nuts into his mouth, barely chewing. Finally, while swallowing, he took the jar of Marmite and yanked the top from it. Digging his hand into the paste, he scooped out a large chunk and threw it in his mouth, again forcing himself to swallow. "I think I'd rather eat Dragon secretion," he complained with a grimace. "Shock me," he ordered.

"What?"

"I need a shock! Shock me!"

Immediately the human put his hand into the Doctor's inside breast pocket and pulled out the sonic screwdriver. Aiming it at the Gallifreyan, he pushed the button.

Instantly, the Doctor jumped in his spot, feeling the molecules of his skin vibrating while, at the same time, a horrendous sound assaulted his ears, forcing him to cover them. "Oi! What did you do that for?"

"You said to shock you. Did I hurt you?" The human physician was worried he'd caused the man harm.

The Gallifreyan groaned, his hands going to his head once again. "Not so loud. No need to shout."

Sam's concern escalated. "I'm not shouting. Your auditory system appears to be hypersensitive."

The Doctor growled once again. "Never try to hold the consciousness of multiple telepathic beings in your mind. And don't take aspirin. And never use the sonic on someone whose hearing is off the scale."

"I didn't know... it was the only thing I could think of short of sticking your finger in a light socket."

"That would have been preferable! As it is, the rest of the process occurred internally and now I have a migraine the size of Wisconsin and one hell of a stomach ache to boot."

"You could have warned me you know. Besides, if you hadn't eaten those things, maybe you wouldn't have had such a reaction."

The Gallifreyan slowly raised himself so that he was leaning against the coffee table before glancing into Sam's eyes. "If I didn't eat all those things, you'd have a very dead Time Lord on your hands." When he saw the human preparing to question that, he quickly added, "But that's not important right now. What happened? I don't remember a thing."

The human, understanding that there wasn't time to get into the Doctor's strange choices of food, complied quickly filling him in on what he had learned. Having the type of memory he had, with both eidetic and auditory recall at a level beyond most humans, he was able to provide the information almost verbatim.

"You're sure they called me their child? How odd."

"Yes. Several times but they didn't explain why and I didn't think to ask. Sorry."

The Doctor considered the strange turn of phrase for a moment before shaking his head. "S'all right. Finding out exactly what is going on with Krazan was far more important."

"Yes, and they say they might only be able to hold him for a short time. He will escape."

"Then we'd better prepare for the worst," the Doctor stated bluntly as popped the last almond in his mouth and washed it down with the last of the ginger beer, putting the empty bottle down on the table beside him. Standing, he held his head for a moment to ward of his still persistent headache. He was extremely glad that the small snack had sufficiently cleansed his system from the remnants of the aspirin.

"Yeah," Sam agreed. Let's get back to the TARDIS. I have a feeling the next time we're here, we'll be facing down Krazan."