Chapter 3
Nita was the second companion who had fallen into an unexplained coma. The Doctor had examined the Voord and ruled out the possibility that they carried a harmful organism.
The Doctor and Michelle were in the observation lounge.
"I compared Carolyn's brain scan to one I took during her last physical. There is a difference… this time there's a trace of electropathic activity. I found the same pattern in Nita. If I didn't know better, I'd think they had Iresine Syndrome. It's the only medical condition that would produce that pattern."
"What is Iresine Syndrome?"
"A very rare neurological disorder first diagnosed in the twenty-third century. It's characterized by an identical electropathic residue."
"Then why discount the possibility that it's responsible for their comas?"
"Iresine is always accompanied by a severely decreased histamine count. Both Nita and Carolyn show normal levels. I've asked the TARDIS to conduct a shipwide diagnostic for any other agents which could produce that electropathic pattern."
"Carolyn and Nita were in perfect health – until the Voord got here. It would be wise to quarantine the aliens."
"I believe it's premature to take that kind of action. We have no real evidence linking these comas to the Voord. But there is something curious… The electropathic residue I discovered is located in the thalamus. That's the area of the cerebral cortex which involves memory function."
There was a moment as this sunk in.
The Doctor was with Tarlak, Lemon and Brenner in the Voord's quarters.
"I've been accused of putting people to sleep with one too many stories, Doctor… but this is the first time it's been suggested that I might be responsible for someone's coma," said Tarlak lightly, with a defensive undertone.
"I mean no disrespect, sir. But we are faced with an alarming situation…"
"Why do you suspect us, Doctor?"
"Suspect is perhaps too strong a word. I am simply trying to determine what has caused two of my companions to fall into comas."
"You've already examined us… we aren't carrying anything harmful…"
"But in further study of the victims, I noticed some abnormal patterns in the area of the brain which involves memory. In light of your particular telepathic abilities, it does raise the question…"
"Doctor… it's not our wish to obstruct you. What would you like?"
"If I could do further examinations tomorrow… perhaps monitor you during a memory probe…"
There was a silence. Then Tarlak stepped forward. "Scrutiny does not frighten us."
"We will be happy to cooperate, Doctor."
"Thank you. I'll contact you tomorrow morning."
The Doctor turned to exit.
Michelle was sitting on a bio-bed in sickbay, the Doctor was with her.
"You're the only person on board who's undergone a memory probe by the Voord. I'd like to do a neurological work-up… see if I can detect any residual effect."
"I'm happy to help…"
"The TARDIS will monitor your vital signs while I do the scan." The Doctor reached for his sonic screwdriver and began to use it. "Have you had any unusual symptoms since the probe? Headaches? Dizziness?"
"No, nothing like that. It was a wonderful experience…"
The Doctor read the screwdriver. "Electrical activity is normal… CPK levels are normal… the hippocampus is stable… and the thalamus… the thalamus is normal. There's no indication at all of the electropathic residue."
Michelle was bewildered. "Is that good?"
The Doctor smiled reassuringly at her. "You're fine, Michelle. But we're no closer to solving this mystery."
Michelle was back at her monitors. "TARDIS, locate the electropathic pattern described in medical database four-delta-one."
The TARDIS transmitted an image of the electropathic pattern into Michelle's mind.
"Okay, we're gonna track down any possible cause of that brain pattern. First, what are the medical conditions that might account for it?"
The screen on the console displayed "Iresine Syndrome".
"Right. And the Doctor's already eliminated that. How many nonmedical forces or substances might cause the pattern?"
The screen read "There are twenty-two nonmedical agents."
"Okay. And how many of those are present on the TARDIS?"
"None is present on the TARDIS."
"Are the ship's sensors calibrated to detect all those agents?"
"All agents are scanned by the sensors."
"Okay. Let's start with the chemical substances. Name them."
"Ferrazene, hylanatine, dardilion, chrysimite, and manzene."
"Ferrazene has a complex molecular structure… it breaks down into bilenium and tarrisite. Do the sensors scan for those?"
"Ship's sensors scan for both compounds."
"And are they present on the TARDIS?"
"Bilenium and tarrisite are not present."
A pause while Michelle thought harder. "Do any of the substances break down into by-products that are not scanned for?"
"Dardilion contains the byproduct nilizene. Sensors do not routinely scan for that substance."
"Well, this isn't a routine situation. Scan for nilizene."
"There is no nilizene on the TARDIS."
"Why did I know you were going to say that?" She leaned back in her chair… settled in for the long haul. "Okay. Let's move on to nonchemical agents."
The Doctor was working at his monitor in his study. He turned from the monitor, stretching his neck slightly. He was doing some reading on Iresine Syndrome. If a new strain had developed, that might explain the normal histamine count. He'd had no luck so far. He would stick there until he'd exhausted the possibility. He turned back to the monitor.
He suddenly had a flashback, watching a crashing ship on a monitor, his companions Tegan and Nyssa hugging each other and crying.
In the present, the Doctor was jarred by the remembrance, and tried to concentrate on work once more.
Flashback: a freighter plummets through the Earth's atmosphere and explodes. The Doctor turns the scanner off.
"Adric? Doctor! Oh, no."
In the present, the Doctor was sitting upright in his chair, frozen with shock as the overwhelming memory swept over him.
Flashback: A Cyberman who was sent to search the TARDIS enters the control room. The Doctor has his back to it.
"Look out!"
"I must save Adric!"
Nyssa grabs the Cyberleader's weapon and shoots the Cyberman.
"Look!"
"Adric!"
The freighter plummets through the Earth's atmosphere, and explodes.
The flashback jumped back to:
"Please hurry, Doctor. We must get Adric off the freighter."
"The console's damaged."
"We must save Adric! There's so little time!"
The flashback jumped to: a freighter plummets through the Earth's atmosphere and explodes. The Doctor turns the scanner off.
"Adric? Doctor! Oh, no."
Nyssa and Tegan cried on each other's shoulders.
The flashback jumped to: "I must save Adric!"
Nyssa grabs the Cyberleader's weapon and shoots the Cyberman.
"Look!"
"Adric!"
The freighter plummets through the Earth's atmosphere, and explodes.
In the present, the Doctor slumped in his chair, eyes staring, numb with the memory.
Flashback: "I must save Adric!"
Nyssa grabs the Cyberleader's weapon and shoots the Cyberman.
"Look!"
"Adric!"
The Flashback jumped to: "The console's damaged."
The Flashback jumped to: Nyssa and Tegan cried on each other's shoulders.
The flashback jumped to: "We must save Adric! There's so little time!"
The flashback jumped to: The freighter plummets through the Earth's atmosphere, and explodes.
"Look out!"
"I must save Adric!"
Another flashback of Nyssa and the Doctor – only this time it was not Nyssa, it was Lemon, in Nyssa's clothing. "We must save Adric! There's so little time!"
Another flashback: Nyssa and the Doctor. Nyssa spoke – but he heard Lemon's voice. "Look!"
Flashback cuts to: The Doctor and Adric shook hands. "Goodbye Doctor."
"Good luck to you all."
"Goodbye, Tegan. I'll see you soon."
As the Doctor and Tegan were escorted to the cargo hold, they looked back and saw Lemon standing there in Adric's place.
Adric's body exploded.
The Doctor gasped
Lemon stood there.
The Doctor gasped, turned… bumped into –
Lemon in Tegan's clothing, looking sadly at him. The Doctor covered his eyes and gasped in terror.