Riding the Currents--Chapter One

This story is dedicated to Tara Jenkins, who restored my faith and showed me that a good story can be told...

 "Don't look up. If you ever do... your life will be changed forever...."
--Anonymous UFO researcher.

 

It was early in the Earth year 2111, that the first experimental warpships were sent out from Earth as a test bed for the new warp technology. Many ships left Earth, never to return. Some returned, engines burnt out, while others came back empty as if no one had ever been aboard. While most officers were trained in the art of diplomacy, they really had no protocol for first contact experiences. Not that the odds were good for the survival of such a ship, let alone it making first contact. 
Deep Space.
The Experimental Warpship Galaxion.

 The 'Red Alert' sirens were blaring all over the ship. The warp jump was still risky, but many explorers were still willing to take that chance. Captain Darvin was one of them. "The chronoton particle level is too high... back it off! BACK IT OFF!!!" The ensign moved his hand towards the lever. He pulled it back, and the world levelled out into a normal view. The lights on the bridge chose to fail at that very moment and as the red emergency lighting came on, Darvin looked up at the Sci-tech officer. "Did it work?" the Captain asked. "We'll just have to wait and see, Captain,wait and see..." and the ship floated dead in space. 

MIA #10: Riding the Currents
A Sixth Doctor Missing Adventure
set between "Killing Ground" and "Business Unusual"
---------------
Chapter 1: Discoveries and Introductions
by Kris Herzog
The Planet Meridan, as the human cartographers called it, found in the outer arm of Mutter's Spiral, was a small, blue planet. It had oceans, clouds and everything one might expect from that sort of planet. Including life. And one night, a young man named Kan-li was out hunting the Juuma bird, when he saw a bright light out of the corner of his eye. At first, he was frightened by the light, but it soon faded from his sight and later from his mind. Little did he know that the light was a sign of things to come...

 

(all quotes are taken from the Encyclopaedia Galactica, 2874)

 Juuma bird: The Juuma bird is a native species on the planet designated Meridan, (ref#25624) located in the outer arm of Mutter's spiral.

 Its multi-colored feathers are similiar to that found on most tropical birds found on Earth (ref#5882300).

 The export of the Juuma bird is typically to the inner systems. Its meat is most commonly compared to the Earth Chicken (ref#8675309) for flavor and texture. See : Foods, preparation and consumption

 

The TARDIS settled down into a nice, easy flight as the Doctor pulled a switch here and a lever there. Patting the console, he began to sing a tune as he pondered his next destination. He couldn't wander the vortex forever...

 "I think that I could do with a little bit of rest." he paced around the console room for some time. After the 10th repeat of "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" he snapped his fingers and exclaimed "AHA! I know just the place!" His fingers ran quickly over the console and the TARDIS hummed into flight mode. Satisfied of a job well done, he started to walk towards the inner door...

 The TARDIS suddenly rocked violently as something dragged it off course.The Doctor fell to the floor. He crawled towards the console.

 "What?" he flicked switches and read the display after pulling himself up.

 "I'm being pulled off course? What or who would have the pugnacity to do such a thing to me?" He followed the course plot and discovered that it placed him on a small planet called 'Meridan'. "Meridan? Can't say I've ever heard of the place, have yo..." he looked up and saw that no one was in the console room with him. He was so used to have someone there to ask the questions, someone to yell at when they panicked. Someone to - well - act as a catalyst for whatever he wanted to do to help... The Doctor sighed. "Mustn't think about that. I have more important things to worry about." He flicked a switch or two more and the familiar strains of re-materialization echoed throught the empty console room.

 

"Sir!" The Sci-tech caught up to the Captain in the hallway.

 "What is it, Nelson?" the Captain sighed. The last thing he wanted to hear was that it was going to take another three days to bring a warp engine up.

 "There's a small Earthlike planet at the extreme scanner range."

 "Do we have enough fuel and thrusters to get us there and land?"

 "Initial estimates say we do. When we get close enough, a suitable probe can be sent down to survey for a landing site and availability of alternative fuel sources..."

 "Good. Get up to bridge and take us in closer. Let's see what we have to explore here." the Captain smiled. Nelson headed up to the bridge. Not only did the warp drive work, but it took them to a unexplored habitable planet. The colonization board would love this....

 "I think there might just be a bonus in here for us...."

 

Kan-li had forgotten about the light in the sky he had seen nights before. But now, he was out hunting the Juuma bird again, and the howling of a strange animal came across the jungle. It rose up and down, repeating itself over and over till it finally went silent. He ran to the source of the noise. Hiding in the bushes he regarded the strange blue animal with wonder. But what kind of animal is shaped like a box? And more to the point, how would one eat the meat?

 

The Doctor turned on the scanner. Outside lay a dense jungle, the instruments indicated that a major grouping of life-forms lay off about 5 miles to the north. Checking his pockets to make sure he had all the essentials, the Doctor opened the door following the 20 minutes it took for him to put everything back in his jacket. Grabbing a torch, he exited.

 

Kan-li watched for some time, as the blue beast stood still. He decided that now was the moment to attack. He raised his spear,and gave it a mighty heave. At that very same moment, the Doctor stepped out the door and turned on the torch. Kan-li saw the spear narrowly miss the stranger and fly into the blue beast. Eyes wide at the stranger exiting the belly of the beast, and the fact that this second creature made light come out of its hand, fled back to the village.

 "Wait!" cried the Doctor after him.. The Doctor looked down at the spear lying on the floor just inside the door. It was crude and old-fashioned.

 "Hmm. Pre-Iron age, I'd say." he picked it up and examined it. It was black, and was painted with bright, primary colors. It even looked vaguely ceremonial to the Doctor's eye. Closing the TARDIS's doors, he walked off in the general direction that Kan-li had run.

 "I guess I should return this..." he said to himself with a gleam in his eye.

 

(from the Encyclopaedia Galactica)

 Meridans: Natives of the planet Meridan (ref#25624). Discovered by an Earth ship early in 2111. The natives of Meridan (native name unknown at this time), are tall, dark beings averaging around 7 feet tall. They were in a pre-Iron Age state of civilization Thin and lanky, they possessed a head shaped like an ovoid, not unlike the native species of Zeta Reticuli (ref#1970420228830). Their sensory organs are comparable to human standards as well. (See : Earth, Egocentric Beliefs of)

 The Meridan language consists of clicks, clacks, and other such noises, not unlike some primitive languages spoke on Earth. (See: Earth, Languages of) But the similarities end there. The Meridan tongue also includes body movements.

 To an outsider, it would look like a long,drawn out ballet accompanied by an old vinyl record playing right at the very end of the record nearest the label. (See: Supplement #6335254a/j, Earth: 20th Century Inventions of)

 While slow and tedious to outsiders, it was very informative to the natives of Meridan. The more urgent the message, the simpler the motions and sounds.

 

Kan-li came running into the small village clicking and clacking away repeating the same thing over and over.

 *Demon* *Demon*

 He collapsed in the center of the village as the elders came running out, clicking and clacking and popping at each other in worry and excitement. The tribal healer came out and poured a cup of some liquid down Kan-li's mouth. Kan-li roused, slowly stood up, and bowed to the elders.

 *tell us what you have seen* said one elder.

 *A demon of greatness has come from downbelow to bring dispair on us all* he replied.

 *What makes you say that it is a demon* asked the other elder.

 *It came out of a strange creature and light came from its hand* Kan-li reported quickly.

 The leaves began to rustle.

 *Quickly* yelled one elder. *summon the warriors*

 

The ship entered orbit after a short trip. The Sci-tech had all scanners operating on full resolution, and the probe was nearly ready. The Captain nervously paced the bridge.

 "Probe ready now, Captain." came Sci-Tech Nelson's voice over the comm speaker.

 "Good. Launch away."

 "Aye, aye Captain. Probe away." The ship shook a tiny bit as the probe was launched.

 

At the very same time, the Doctor chose to enter the village of the Meridans.

 "Hello, I'm the Doctor and I think this belongs to one of you..." he waved the spear out in front of himself.

 A bright flash overhead signalled the beginning of the entry of the probe into the atmosphere.

 *Look* cried out the second elder, *the demon shows itself*

 The Doctor dropped the spear, and slowly raised his hands. "I don't mean you any harm..." the Meridan warriors began to approach the Doctor from the front.

 *And the demon brings more with it* came a voice from the back of the crowd.

 The probe started it's slow entry into the atmosphere using an aerobraking technique.

 *Warriors* came the cry from the first elder. *kill him*

 The Doctor slowly started to back his way into the forest, turning around only to find a group of warriors pointing the spears at him.

 "Oh dear." he said and promptly raised his hands over his head, placing them on his head.

 TO BE CONTINUED...

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