The cave was extremely ancient, dating back to long before the coming of the dinosaurs to Siluria. It would have been pitch dark, where it not for the glowing sheen of energy surrounding the weirdly designed machine which stood humming in the centre of the floor. The dazzling light was reflected in the sluggish waters of an underground stream nearby. It also revealed the figure of a man sat with his back against a boulder a few feet from the machine. He was old, nearly bald and with a sickly pallor. Every once in a while he grasped his chest with a shaking hand and gave a cough that echoed through the tunnels.
He was suddenly startled by a different sound: Loose stones shifting and clattering, disturbed by movement. "Who's there?" he hoarsely croaked, searching the shadows. From one of the tunnels appeared the form of the Doctor.
"I tracked the source of the energy here," the Doctor said as he walked slowly forward, his footsteps loud on the cold stone. "Pretty impressive piece of technology you have there," he added while nodding at the glowing contraption, then brought his eyes to bear on the only other occupant of the chamber. "I'd be very interested to know how you came across something so interesting. Not something you invented yourself, is it?"
The old man coughed before replying. "I only know what the alien trader who sold it to me told me, and he wouldn't tell me where he found it. Just what it's capable of. It can accelerate the development of entire species, augment their intelligence, give them whole new abilities! Once I figured out how to operate it, I knew I had to bring it here. The dinosaurs won't be abused and killed for the pleasure of Kovos any longer! From now on the humans will have to respect the great saurians!" He gave a series of harsh coughs and wheezed. "I did what I could, regardless of myself, to bring an end to injustice!"
The Doctor squatted down beside him, a mixed cloud of sorrow, admiration and anger in his face and eyes as he spoke. "You hate the suffering of innocents; I can't fault you for that.. It burns and burns in your heart, torments you until your soul screams 'NO MORE!' and you just have to do something! I know, I feel it too...but I'm afraid you messed up in a big way and, because of your machine, we're all in great danger. It's boosted the dinosaurs' intelligence and abilities, all right...to the extent they're now launching a massive psychic attack against Kovos...against everyone, not just the fighters! Soon the whole human population of the planet could be dead! I hope that's not what you want, because I cannot and will not permit it! I'm sorry; I know you meant well."
Doing his best to ignore the cry of the old man, the Doctor stood, whipped his sonic screwdriver from out of his coat pocket, and aimed it at the dazzling alien machine. The screwdriver trilled and the machine responded with a gurgle, followed by a brief flash as its' circuits blew. The glow flickered and went out. Standing in the now lightless cave, the Doctor fished out and switched on a flashlight and shone it towards the old man. He drew a heavy sigh as he realized the man had ceased to breathe.
OOOOOOOO
"They tell me I'll probably be allowed out tomorrow," Ylsal told the Doctor. "They just have to run a few more tests, just to make sure." She sat up in her hospital bed, the Doctor seated in a chair beside her as warm sunlight from the window washed over them both. "I just hope people have learnt something from all this," she sighed.
"Change for the better seldom happens overnight," the Doctor said. "It's the curse of the visionaries, the outsiders - the real fighters - that they must so often wait so long for justice and wisdom to take hold with the masses. In the meantime they just have to keep striving without becoming so desperate that they try to force change before its time, and forget the bystanders who may get hurt in the process."
"Ylsal?" a new voice said. Ylsal looked up and the Doctor turned round. In the doorway to the room stood a man. As the Doctor looked, he saw the man had the same mismatched eyes as Ylsal.
"Dad..." Ylsal said, suprise and uncertainty written on her face.
"I...I thought I'd see if you were alright," her father said nervously. "I was worried...please...can I come in?"
The Doctor looked from him to Ylsal and, seeing her pained expression, gently grasped her hand. "I have to go now," he said softly to her, "But I'll leave you with one piece of advice: Forgiveness is a powerful thing...and it can be the start of great and wonderful change." And with that, the Doctor stood up and walked out of the room, to let the future take its' course. The TARDIS awaited him...along with new adventures.
OOOOOOOO
On Siluria, the sun rose in the pink sky as the mother triceratops muched walked across the grassy plain, keeping a close eye on its' young. Pterodactyls swooped and cried out overhead. It was a new day...and there were many more to come.