"--which means that the data map was recorded incorrectly. Oh and of all the times!" the Doctor cursed, thumping the TARDIS console, which responded with a series of beeps and crackles. Indy entered the room in mid speech.

 "--I think that all those--" his voice trailed off as the current surroundings soaked in. "Is there anything **normal** about you guys?" he asked. The Doctor ignored the comment as Marcus joined the group.

 Benny pointed at the TARDIS visual monitor in confusion. "Are you saying the TARDIS databanks didn't have Exxilon recorded properly?"

 The Doctor shook his head irritably. "Well, the thing is...certain chunks of information were damaged from time to time. Either it wasn't entered due to lack of information, or that entire sector has been erased from the memory of the TARDIS completely!"

 Marcus blinked as he stumbled around the console room behind the two. Indy removed his hat and began to ponder what exactly was going on, not for the first time. "So this is your time machine?" he interrupted. The two time travelers were deep in discussion, or what Indy called arguing. He cleared his throat for some attention. Benny and the Doctor removed themselves from the console and met glances directly with Indy and Marcus. They turned to each other.

 "You explain it to them!" they both said simultaneously.

 Indy glanced at the view-screen and trotted over to the Doctor. "Are **all** those planets inhabited?" he asked wide eyed.

 The Doctor sighed. He sometimes wished that humans understood the simple idea of exploiting perceived dimensions and at least one or two basic fundamental facts about time travel. "We don't have time for any of this!" The Doctor cried out.

 "Seems like somebody's a little irritable," Indy spat confronting the Doctor.

 The Doctor responded with equal malice, although looked rather foolish when considering the size ratio of the two. He decided to give in on his own arrogance, just this one time. "Listen to me, Indiana, if we don't find out just exactly what is going on here, we've got no way to stop it. We've got a horde of Osirans out there, just about ready to ravage not only this world, but just about every other world too! So if you could give me, just a little time to gather information--"

 Benny stepped in at this point. "What the Doctor is trying to say is that this machine you're standing in is.. well, not in the best of conditions," she said, ignoring the Doctor's muttered protestations. "From here we can gather and store information, but in this case it appears to have malfunctioned."

 The Doctor shrieked loudly, raced around to the other side of the console, brushing Benny and Indy aside. He twisted some dials and began to punch in various commands, as quickly and eagerly as he possibly could. "I knew it!" he exclaimed. "Because Sutekh appeared inside the TARDIS, which needs enough mental energy as it is. And of course the Osirans were always encouraging sacrifices.." he trailed off as his words became thoughts.

 "Now wait just a minute, are you telling me that the sacrifices have something to do with all this? I mean sacrificing people doesn't actually do anything? Right?" Marcus asked, bearing a rather confused expression. The Doctor's face widened in realization.

 "The TARDIS wasn't able to record all of the information, because the information was being held back from the TARDIS data banks!" he gasped.

 "But how could they do that?" Benny pondered.

 "Sutekh once projected himself into the TARDIS," the Doctor explained patiently. "Now that in itself is near to impossible! I put it down to him being of such extreme and mighty power, but I must have been wrong. The TARDIS must have been affected when it landed on Exxilon and lost all of its power! The TARDIS was vulnerable then, so anything could have decided to.. implant an influence."

 The entire group looked to each other for a plausible explanation, but only found that each of them were as confused as one another. The Doctor continued his thoughts aloud. "That would mean, that near each selected area of Osiran technology, there would be some kind of collective form of energy. A mass consciousness to draw power from, or to channel thoughts and commands through. Rather than send a message all the way from one brain to another- they could rely it through the network of brain patterns already preserved!"

 "You mean from all those sacrifices?" Indy asked. The Doctor nodded. "It seems the rituals that were performed must have in some way preserved the minds themselves." Benny let out a rather loud AAAAH.

 "I think I'm starting to understand," Indy muttered. "But that means that if we can knock out one of those stations where all the minds are being preserved.."

 "Then the Osiran won't have complete power! Not until it's able to gain a full and complete body."

 Benny was the first to break the ear piercing silence with a loud sigh. "But what does this have to do with what's going on out there right now?" she asked. The Doctors face straightened into a look she had started to see all too often. A reflection of the seriousness of the matter.

 "I've been played for a fool Benny. Tossed and turned about in a game of which I didn't even understand the rules. Now I think I'm starting to understand it all. But first we need to set things up. Indy, I need a ball of string and a small but sharp knife. Benny, I need you to take the TARDIS key. And Marcus, you come with me."

 "Why him?" Indy asked.

 The Doctor grinned knowingly. "He's the most important of all. Benny has traveled with me which cancels her out of the picture. Your knowledge of history is far too great. But Marcus holds the key we desire. Not too simple, but not too complex," he said sharply. Marcus gulped rather loudly.

 RETURN NEXT WEEK- FOR THE NEXT THRILLING- INSTALLMENT!

 LEGACY AT LAST!