p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;"A few small frenzied furry creatures were ready to attack, loud chattering and squeaking, but it was the Doctor's clapping that silenced them all./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That was impressive. How did you know?' asked the Doctor./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I've been counting. I thought you couldn't look at us?' said Jane./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I'm not beholden to my biological faults.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" What a pompous way to say he's doing his best to not be bothered by it./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'What counting?' asked the Doctor. 'I'm sure I would have noticed a pattern if I hadn't been so distracted.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane explained their experience of being solid, faded, almost entirely gone, and the time it took for each state to occur./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor nodded and looked away and muttered to himself in thought. When he came to the conclusion he gave a loud sniff, perked his head up and said, 'Yes, quite simple really.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I take it we need to get to the TARDIS to fix it?' asked Flip/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor considered the sonic screwdriver somewhere about his person. Given time he could reasonably adjust it to stabilise the particles. Although, that would probably burn it out. Or at least require a temporal energy backup core. Although, even maybe doing that once could show the people what he could do. Which reminded him./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Your people, do they have a name?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'The Yssimarb.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'It's a word on the shell of their ship,' clarified Flip. /span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor tried to think if Bramissy, or Is Simar-B, or Issi M'Arb, or any other variation meant anything to him. The TARDIS didn't translate it, so it was a proper noun./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Why that name?' asked the Doctor. 'Does this shell not contain other words?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'A few, but we know that they mean: Exhaust, storage, water closet.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Oh,' said Constance, a little scandalised./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Oh,' said Flip, surprised that was still a thing anyone said./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'The shell is from the old world and brought us to the new world that we must fix because the old world sank,' said Jane. 'Supposedly, that's what Brian teaches us. I think environmental collapse and an escape pod which trapped us in mortal bodies.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I can't see any dimensional compression,' said the Doctor. 'But then again, I can barely perceive you.' He looked away in thought, though was doing it to rest his senses from the Yssimarb./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Darren,' said Flip and didn't register that no one responded so continued, 'when you hit Lisa… Would the Doctor trying to fix your situation cause problems?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Claiming to make us more solid? Oh absolutely. We'll have a little schism,' said Jane. 'Brian would never allow it, but not all of us believe becoming non-corporeal will be an ascension. I quite like being solid and the taste of water on my skin. And there is no way Brian will let their little sycophants fall away.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'How many would by choice?' asked the Doctor./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Five.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'How do you reproduce?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Reproduce?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Yes, well, how do you create baby Yssimarb?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'There haven't been any. Why would we need to?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor began to fluster and didn't quite know how to explain this. He felt he should be able to, but something sensible and respectable left over from his last incarnation was far too shy to even be scientific about it./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Why does that matter?' asked Constance, feeling a little useless kneeling on wet grass while Darren tended to Lisa./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Curiosity, that's all,' said the Doctor dismissively, an obvious lie to Constance and Flip, but believable to the others./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'We require three,' said Determined./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'What?' asked the Doctor politely./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'We need a homemaker to carry the child and the hunters and gatherers to give the child to the homemaker.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Things were making a bit more sense to Constance per her earlier conversation./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Fascinating,' said the Doctor. He paced, leaving the little base, but not straying too far./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Doctor, if you can make them solid, can you speed up the fading?' asked Flip./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That would be condemning them to death! Completely erased from the world.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That is the point,' said Jane. 'To transcend the mortal plane.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I will not catalyse the superstitious suppositions of some uncivilised death cult.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Were you not supposed to be leaving?' asked Dark Hide./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Yes,' said the Doctor, reading the room, suspecting that he could better calculate his actions if he met this Brian and the shell (which he also knew was going to the remaining hull of a ship). He began his walk down the hill, Jane accompanied and eventually followed by Flip and Dark Hide./span/span/p
p class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify" /p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;"It began raining, a light drizzle, misty. Jane made grand movements as they walked through it to absorb the water. Dark Hide suffered it and Flip was glad she wore the Wellington boots and coat, even if it wasn't waterproof. Though she expected she could swap something out in the TARDIS, which made her think. They were heading for the TARDIS. The Doctor was leading them to the TARDIS, she wasn't sure whether they knew it or not, but Jane hadn't objected, nor had Dark Hide. Flip suspected neither of them quite knew which way it was back to the Yssimarb, or that it didn't matter because it was the same general direction./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" They came to the TARDIS, a bright and gaudy blue block in the middle of the greenery./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Dark Hide's heckles rose and they began a low hiss./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane wasn't bothered until a deep ringing tolled and the TARDIS began a hushed whirring./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Best you stay back,' said the Doctor, not looking back at Jane. 'She's as sensitive as I am. You don't mind if I just grab an umbrella. Thank you.' It wasn't a question, he was going to do it anyway./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Flip walked in and closed the door behind her./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Won't they think we're trying to escape?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'They have no idea this is a time-space machine, Flip. For all they know we're hiding in a very strange-coloured tree.' Flip looked at the Doctor, he was dry, she noted to ask herself how that happened later./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor strode to the console and pressed a few buttons as Flip took out the rainbow umbrella. She also found a towel hanging on the coat rack. She was certain that it wasn't there when they left. She took the opportunity to dry herself off and was pleased to find that the towel was warm. She felt a little bad for Constance, stuck in the rain./span/span/p
p class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify" /p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;"Constance sat under the waxy leaves of the tree, huddled with the Early Dorom beassi. They sprawled themselves over her lap and nestled into one another for shelter. She tried to ignore the smell and think of them like dogs or puppies. It was very hard to do either./span/span/p
p class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify" /p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;"The Doctor returned to Flip from deep within the TARDIS corridors with a long metal tube, thicker than the sonic screwdriver. He took off his coat, unbuttoned his left sleeve and pressed it into the crook of his left arm. There was a hiss, the Doctor grunted and held it there for a moment before letting go and sighing with relief./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Some nausea relief, like an antihistamine.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That cures your sickness?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Flip, please, no, it merely dampened my sensitivity. I may also not be a little slower than usual.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That'll be nice,' said Flip./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" He glared at her playfully. 'Like right now, I can't think of something scathing.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I will pretend you did.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Thank you. Even so, I might not be able to manage long with many of them there. The sooner I fix it, the better.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Flip looked at the TARDIS console. 'Why not do it now?' Flip expected him to produce a leaf or hair or skin sample he plucked from Darren, Lisa, or Jane, but he didn't have it./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor has considered that as he went in search of the temporal antihistamine, he considered who he had been and who he was. The last one, the boy in cricket whites, would have spoken first, and made peace talks with the knowledge of a backup should it go wrong; scarf and bass Fortissimo would force the peace talks with the hint of what he could threaten; the dandy, the clown, and the self-serious researcher would wait, bide more time, take more samples, make their calculation as precise and accurate as possible./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" None of them had his experience, he didn't need as many variables as a younger him might insist on. After all, hadn't Jane been able to count the fading in and out of their existence./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That is a good question, Flip. I don't have an answer.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor set to the console, he was not a flurry of activity, he was picking his way across the hexagon with particular care. He watched, through the monitor, the fading and flickering of Jane. The fact something as small as the air particles and as big as raindrops didn't bother them when they came back into reality meant something important, possibly a kinetic energy field based on familiarity magnetism./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" It took a few minutes, enough for Flip to dry off a bit in the TARDIS's heat./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Although the TARDIS could do the calculations given time, the Doctor would need some readings from the other Yssimarb to allow the programme to execute perfectly. He would, of course, use his sonic screwdriver to get those readings, but there was something very tactile in having a button to active. With one press of the button, he would solidify the Yssimarb./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'This should do the trick. But I need to be certain they aren't actually returning to the timeline they should belong to.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Flip turned to leave and found a raincoat waiting for her on the TARDIS coat rack. She took off her damp hoodie and hung it up./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Thank you,' she said to the TARDIS./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The two stepped back out again and found Dark Hide sniffing around the ground, like a cat, rubbing their body against it./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'What are you doing?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'It's alive,' said Dark Hide, 'like us.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" "Again, something between," thought Jane, "a tree that made a lot of noise, a strange colour, not quite Early Dorom beassi, not quite Yssimarb." Jane didn't know how to think of it, but mostly they did try, whatever Brian said, to think of it in a more reasonable (to them anyway) explanation. As they walked on, led by Jane, Jane thought about what the blue tree was. It might have been another escape pod that allowed them to escape, the Doctor had the air of something greater and the other two could speak to both peoples. Were they the true higher beings and the Yssimarb just ordinary mortals that travelled? If the Doctor could fix them, surely that meant a greater power than what Jane and Brian could comprehend. And why could the Doctor suddenly walk without unbalancing himself, why could he look at Jane? He went into the tree and became more than he was. All these thoughts, trying to make sense of things, trying to form a narrative that didn't sound outlandish./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane stopped, close enough to feel the other Yssimarb, close enough for them to hear Jane, but not the Doctor. Jane spoke quietly./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'What are you, Doctor? Flip?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Travellers passing through,' said the Doctor./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'We help where we can,' added Flip, 'fight monsters, stop baddies.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Fight monsters? Like them?' asked Jane, indicating Dark Hide./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Monsters like them?' asked Dark Hide, indicating Jane./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Flip tried not to smile, but the Doctor's serious frown made her want to more./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'No. Because they are not monsters. They are people.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane accepted this and walked on with the Doctor while Flip stayed behind with Dark Hide./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'How do you help?' asked Dark Hide./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'However we can,' said Flip./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Is it help to get rid of them for good?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That isn't the only way to stop the fighting,' said Flip./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'How?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Talk.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'What does that do?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'If they find out you can talk, you can talk to them, show them you aren't just animals. They are spiritual people.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'But they hunt us; we hurt them too.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Yeah, but it's like family. You fight, you disagree, but they're still family.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'You suggest we bring them into the tribe? We mate with them.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Well… I dunno, maybe… if you want to. If you can.' Flip was almost certain that the Yssimarb would consider it bestiality./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Ahead, the Doctor and Jane continued their conversation:/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'You say they are people, but we don't know that. We only have your word and we don't know who you are. How can I trust you?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'You have no reason to, I admit that. But I do mean it, I do want peace, I want to fix whatever is wrong with your people.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Do not phrase it like that when we come to Brian. Most of them believe we are like this to ascend.' Jane turned to look at Flip and Dark Hide talking. 'It asked if we were monsters, didn't it?' This wasn't asked with malice, but an uncomfortable realisation./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'The technology that allows us to translate your words phrased it similarly. Although, I don't think they have a concept of monsters, merely predation. Does that bother you? To be thought of as a monster.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane shook their head. 'I am a pariah with my own, I can hardly be surprised to find others see us as monsters. And you are certain it was just a mistranslation?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Why would it matter?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Monster means a myth of people and society. Only animals have predators. It is a pity you couldn't translate for both of us. I think Brian could be convinced if they knew of their intelligence.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Your quantum fluctuations prevent the TARDIS from accessing you. If I stabilised you, I suppose she could.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Given mortal bodies and allow us to commune with the demons. Doctor, this may be a mistake going to Brian. I fear they will see it as a threat.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I've faced cult leaders before.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That's as maybe, but I have only had to obfuscate one and sometimes I don't come out unscathed.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I can be cautious too.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Yes, but you don't need to be. It is said that those who wear bright colours are not afraid of being found.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Who says that?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane thought for a moment. 'I… I don't know. I remember the information. I think from the nursery.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Does anything survive from the nursery that isn't just the shell?' asked the Doctor, slightly desperate for answers to their origin or some sign that he could manipulate their technology to his own end./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I don't know. I don't think so.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor nodded./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane stopped walking and held their arms out to stop everyone else from walking. The wind rustled and the Doctor stood a little straighter. Dark Hide smelled the air. Flip looked all around her, expecting to see the eyes open on a tree bark and have Brian appear./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Instead, the bushes on the ground and branches in the boughs broke apart, unfolding into spindly bodies. They lunged upon the strangers, Dark Hide fled and was not considered important enough to chase./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Hands were laid on the Doctor and Flip, they were holding on, pushing a little. Their owners were waiting for the fade so they could push through and scatter the physical particles to the time winds./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Where are Lisa and Darren?' asked one of the Yssimarb. 'What have you done to them?' The pointed stick, gripped firmly, was pressed into Jane's shoulder, enough to cause them to grimace. It was going to draw phylum/blood, it might just puncture./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That was impressive. How did you know?' asked the Doctor./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I've been counting. I thought you couldn't look at us?' said Jane./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I'm not beholden to my biological faults.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" What a pompous way to say he's doing his best to not be bothered by it./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'What counting?' asked the Doctor. 'I'm sure I would have noticed a pattern if I hadn't been so distracted.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane explained their experience of being solid, faded, almost entirely gone, and the time it took for each state to occur./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor nodded and looked away and muttered to himself in thought. When he came to the conclusion he gave a loud sniff, perked his head up and said, 'Yes, quite simple really.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I take it we need to get to the TARDIS to fix it?' asked Flip/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor considered the sonic screwdriver somewhere about his person. Given time he could reasonably adjust it to stabilise the particles. Although, that would probably burn it out. Or at least require a temporal energy backup core. Although, even maybe doing that once could show the people what he could do. Which reminded him./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Your people, do they have a name?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'The Yssimarb.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'It's a word on the shell of their ship,' clarified Flip. /span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor tried to think if Bramissy, or Is Simar-B, or Issi M'Arb, or any other variation meant anything to him. The TARDIS didn't translate it, so it was a proper noun./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Why that name?' asked the Doctor. 'Does this shell not contain other words?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'A few, but we know that they mean: Exhaust, storage, water closet.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Oh,' said Constance, a little scandalised./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Oh,' said Flip, surprised that was still a thing anyone said./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'The shell is from the old world and brought us to the new world that we must fix because the old world sank,' said Jane. 'Supposedly, that's what Brian teaches us. I think environmental collapse and an escape pod which trapped us in mortal bodies.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I can't see any dimensional compression,' said the Doctor. 'But then again, I can barely perceive you.' He looked away in thought, though was doing it to rest his senses from the Yssimarb./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Darren,' said Flip and didn't register that no one responded so continued, 'when you hit Lisa… Would the Doctor trying to fix your situation cause problems?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Claiming to make us more solid? Oh absolutely. We'll have a little schism,' said Jane. 'Brian would never allow it, but not all of us believe becoming non-corporeal will be an ascension. I quite like being solid and the taste of water on my skin. And there is no way Brian will let their little sycophants fall away.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'How many would by choice?' asked the Doctor./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Five.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'How do you reproduce?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Reproduce?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Yes, well, how do you create baby Yssimarb?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'There haven't been any. Why would we need to?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor began to fluster and didn't quite know how to explain this. He felt he should be able to, but something sensible and respectable left over from his last incarnation was far too shy to even be scientific about it./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Why does that matter?' asked Constance, feeling a little useless kneeling on wet grass while Darren tended to Lisa./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Curiosity, that's all,' said the Doctor dismissively, an obvious lie to Constance and Flip, but believable to the others./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'We require three,' said Determined./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'What?' asked the Doctor politely./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'We need a homemaker to carry the child and the hunters and gatherers to give the child to the homemaker.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Things were making a bit more sense to Constance per her earlier conversation./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Fascinating,' said the Doctor. He paced, leaving the little base, but not straying too far./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Doctor, if you can make them solid, can you speed up the fading?' asked Flip./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That would be condemning them to death! Completely erased from the world.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That is the point,' said Jane. 'To transcend the mortal plane.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I will not catalyse the superstitious suppositions of some uncivilised death cult.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Were you not supposed to be leaving?' asked Dark Hide./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Yes,' said the Doctor, reading the room, suspecting that he could better calculate his actions if he met this Brian and the shell (which he also knew was going to the remaining hull of a ship). He began his walk down the hill, Jane accompanied and eventually followed by Flip and Dark Hide./span/span/p
p class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify" /p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;"It began raining, a light drizzle, misty. Jane made grand movements as they walked through it to absorb the water. Dark Hide suffered it and Flip was glad she wore the Wellington boots and coat, even if it wasn't waterproof. Though she expected she could swap something out in the TARDIS, which made her think. They were heading for the TARDIS. The Doctor was leading them to the TARDIS, she wasn't sure whether they knew it or not, but Jane hadn't objected, nor had Dark Hide. Flip suspected neither of them quite knew which way it was back to the Yssimarb, or that it didn't matter because it was the same general direction./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" They came to the TARDIS, a bright and gaudy blue block in the middle of the greenery./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Dark Hide's heckles rose and they began a low hiss./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane wasn't bothered until a deep ringing tolled and the TARDIS began a hushed whirring./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Best you stay back,' said the Doctor, not looking back at Jane. 'She's as sensitive as I am. You don't mind if I just grab an umbrella. Thank you.' It wasn't a question, he was going to do it anyway./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Flip walked in and closed the door behind her./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Won't they think we're trying to escape?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'They have no idea this is a time-space machine, Flip. For all they know we're hiding in a very strange-coloured tree.' Flip looked at the Doctor, he was dry, she noted to ask herself how that happened later./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor strode to the console and pressed a few buttons as Flip took out the rainbow umbrella. She also found a towel hanging on the coat rack. She was certain that it wasn't there when they left. She took the opportunity to dry herself off and was pleased to find that the towel was warm. She felt a little bad for Constance, stuck in the rain./span/span/p
p class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify" /p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;"Constance sat under the waxy leaves of the tree, huddled with the Early Dorom beassi. They sprawled themselves over her lap and nestled into one another for shelter. She tried to ignore the smell and think of them like dogs or puppies. It was very hard to do either./span/span/p
p class="western" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify" /p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;"The Doctor returned to Flip from deep within the TARDIS corridors with a long metal tube, thicker than the sonic screwdriver. He took off his coat, unbuttoned his left sleeve and pressed it into the crook of his left arm. There was a hiss, the Doctor grunted and held it there for a moment before letting go and sighing with relief./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Some nausea relief, like an antihistamine.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That cures your sickness?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Flip, please, no, it merely dampened my sensitivity. I may also not be a little slower than usual.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That'll be nice,' said Flip./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" He glared at her playfully. 'Like right now, I can't think of something scathing.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I will pretend you did.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Thank you. Even so, I might not be able to manage long with many of them there. The sooner I fix it, the better.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Flip looked at the TARDIS console. 'Why not do it now?' Flip expected him to produce a leaf or hair or skin sample he plucked from Darren, Lisa, or Jane, but he didn't have it./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor has considered that as he went in search of the temporal antihistamine, he considered who he had been and who he was. The last one, the boy in cricket whites, would have spoken first, and made peace talks with the knowledge of a backup should it go wrong; scarf and bass Fortissimo would force the peace talks with the hint of what he could threaten; the dandy, the clown, and the self-serious researcher would wait, bide more time, take more samples, make their calculation as precise and accurate as possible./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" None of them had his experience, he didn't need as many variables as a younger him might insist on. After all, hadn't Jane been able to count the fading in and out of their existence./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That is a good question, Flip. I don't have an answer.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor set to the console, he was not a flurry of activity, he was picking his way across the hexagon with particular care. He watched, through the monitor, the fading and flickering of Jane. The fact something as small as the air particles and as big as raindrops didn't bother them when they came back into reality meant something important, possibly a kinetic energy field based on familiarity magnetism./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" It took a few minutes, enough for Flip to dry off a bit in the TARDIS's heat./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Although the TARDIS could do the calculations given time, the Doctor would need some readings from the other Yssimarb to allow the programme to execute perfectly. He would, of course, use his sonic screwdriver to get those readings, but there was something very tactile in having a button to active. With one press of the button, he would solidify the Yssimarb./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'This should do the trick. But I need to be certain they aren't actually returning to the timeline they should belong to.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Flip turned to leave and found a raincoat waiting for her on the TARDIS coat rack. She took off her damp hoodie and hung it up./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Thank you,' she said to the TARDIS./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The two stepped back out again and found Dark Hide sniffing around the ground, like a cat, rubbing their body against it./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'What are you doing?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'It's alive,' said Dark Hide, 'like us.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" "Again, something between," thought Jane, "a tree that made a lot of noise, a strange colour, not quite Early Dorom beassi, not quite Yssimarb." Jane didn't know how to think of it, but mostly they did try, whatever Brian said, to think of it in a more reasonable (to them anyway) explanation. As they walked on, led by Jane, Jane thought about what the blue tree was. It might have been another escape pod that allowed them to escape, the Doctor had the air of something greater and the other two could speak to both peoples. Were they the true higher beings and the Yssimarb just ordinary mortals that travelled? If the Doctor could fix them, surely that meant a greater power than what Jane and Brian could comprehend. And why could the Doctor suddenly walk without unbalancing himself, why could he look at Jane? He went into the tree and became more than he was. All these thoughts, trying to make sense of things, trying to form a narrative that didn't sound outlandish./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane stopped, close enough to feel the other Yssimarb, close enough for them to hear Jane, but not the Doctor. Jane spoke quietly./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'What are you, Doctor? Flip?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Travellers passing through,' said the Doctor./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'We help where we can,' added Flip, 'fight monsters, stop baddies.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Fight monsters? Like them?' asked Jane, indicating Dark Hide./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Monsters like them?' asked Dark Hide, indicating Jane./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Flip tried not to smile, but the Doctor's serious frown made her want to more./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'No. Because they are not monsters. They are people.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane accepted this and walked on with the Doctor while Flip stayed behind with Dark Hide./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'How do you help?' asked Dark Hide./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'However we can,' said Flip./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Is it help to get rid of them for good?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That isn't the only way to stop the fighting,' said Flip./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'How?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Talk.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'What does that do?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'If they find out you can talk, you can talk to them, show them you aren't just animals. They are spiritual people.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'But they hunt us; we hurt them too.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Yeah, but it's like family. You fight, you disagree, but they're still family.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'You suggest we bring them into the tribe? We mate with them.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Well… I dunno, maybe… if you want to. If you can.' Flip was almost certain that the Yssimarb would consider it bestiality./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Ahead, the Doctor and Jane continued their conversation:/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'You say they are people, but we don't know that. We only have your word and we don't know who you are. How can I trust you?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'You have no reason to, I admit that. But I do mean it, I do want peace, I want to fix whatever is wrong with your people.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Do not phrase it like that when we come to Brian. Most of them believe we are like this to ascend.' Jane turned to look at Flip and Dark Hide talking. 'It asked if we were monsters, didn't it?' This wasn't asked with malice, but an uncomfortable realisation./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'The technology that allows us to translate your words phrased it similarly. Although, I don't think they have a concept of monsters, merely predation. Does that bother you? To be thought of as a monster.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane shook their head. 'I am a pariah with my own, I can hardly be surprised to find others see us as monsters. And you are certain it was just a mistranslation?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Why would it matter?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Monster means a myth of people and society. Only animals have predators. It is a pity you couldn't translate for both of us. I think Brian could be convinced if they knew of their intelligence.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Your quantum fluctuations prevent the TARDIS from accessing you. If I stabilised you, I suppose she could.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Given mortal bodies and allow us to commune with the demons. Doctor, this may be a mistake going to Brian. I fear they will see it as a threat.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I've faced cult leaders before.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'That's as maybe, but I have only had to obfuscate one and sometimes I don't come out unscathed.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I can be cautious too.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Yes, but you don't need to be. It is said that those who wear bright colours are not afraid of being found.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Who says that?'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane thought for a moment. 'I… I don't know. I remember the information. I think from the nursery.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Does anything survive from the nursery that isn't just the shell?' asked the Doctor, slightly desperate for answers to their origin or some sign that he could manipulate their technology to his own end./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'I don't know. I don't think so.'/span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" The Doctor nodded./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Jane stopped walking and held their arms out to stop everyone else from walking. The wind rustled and the Doctor stood a little straighter. Dark Hide smelled the air. Flip looked all around her, expecting to see the eyes open on a tree bark and have Brian appear./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Instead, the bushes on the ground and branches in the boughs broke apart, unfolding into spindly bodies. They lunged upon the strangers, Dark Hide fled and was not considered important enough to chase./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" Hands were laid on the Doctor and Flip, they were holding on, pushing a little. Their owners were waiting for the fade so they could push through and scatter the physical particles to the time winds./span/span/p
p class="western" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;" align="justify"span style="font-size: medium;"span style="font-style: normal;" 'Where are Lisa and Darren?' asked one of the Yssimarb. 'What have you done to them?' The pointed stick, gripped firmly, was pressed into Jane's shoulder, enough to cause them to grimace. It was going to draw phylum/blood, it might just puncture./span/span/p