The Wanderers--Chapter Ten

Doctor Who--The Crossover Internet Adventures
XIA#2-- "The Wanderers"
Chapter Ten-- "Reflections of Things Past"
by Will Howells

 "Daleks!" Zoe squealed. She moved instinctively away from the creature in the office.

 Umbra gave a loud snort. "Don't be afraid, my dear. Well, not of my colleague anyway."

 "What is your name?" Zoe asked the Dalek.

 "I HAVE NO NAME," it replied in mechanical tones.

 So, Zoe thought, it's not one of the humanised Daleks. "Keep behind me, Will. That thing is *evil*."

 Umbra laughed horribly. "Don't be silly! The Dalek is working with me."

 "What did you promise it?"

 "Nothing much. A few million human slaves... In return, the Dalek is providing the necessary technology for me to reach Ramling."

 "THE NEW TESTS ARE COMPLETED."

 Umbra shuddered with apprehension. "And...?"

 "THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL."

 Zoe and Will hugged each other in terror as the deformed creature cackled loudly. "Ramling!" Umbra shouted. "I'm coming to get you!"

 

Pradnn watched the Aanotihf'ew bearing down on the female. He wondered whether the creatures realised that the woman was part of a multi-gendered species. If they had not seen any others, she might be safe.

 The Aanotihf'ew were staring at her, their unblinking eyes taking in her form.

 "They're trying to decide whether she is worth killing," Zzatt told his mate.

 "Set the bomb," Pradnn told him. "I'm going to-"

 "No!" Zzatt hissed. Pradnn ignored her and burst into the group of Aanotihf'ew. Zzatt winced as an Aanotihf'ewite raised a fist towards Pradnn.

 

A large, plane mirror floated into the dining room and along one wall, bobbing gently up and down as if patiently trying to attract attention.

 "Doctor, look," Jamie muttered, pointing at the mirror. Since no-one else was talking, everyone heard him. As Penny and Judy continued to stare into the air, six heads turned towards the mirror. An image began to form.

 "Umbra!" said Ramling, biting his knuckles.

 "Will!" said Professor Robinson.

 "It's Zoe!" said Jamie.

 "And a Dalek," said the Doctor.

 Dr Zachary Smith pelted towards the door; Penny and Judy drew together, blocking his exit.

 "That was foolish," Ramling said, pointing his gun towards the Robinson's stowaway.

 "Look!" cried Don, waving at the screen, "a cliche!"

 Ramling was slightly disoriented for a moment by the sudden commotion from different parts of the room. He felt an impact on his forearm from the Doctor's recorder and automatically dropped the gun. Less than a second later, he was on the cold stone floor under 145 pounds of Scotsman.

 "Thank you," Ramling said. "I needed that." He peered up towards the two Robinson girls. "Penny," he called, "Judy, please kill each other."

 

"You first, boy," Umbra said, pushing him towards the mirror.

 Will tried to ignore the fact that the monstrosity was holding his arm, touching his skin. "Are you sure this is safe?"

 "If I was sure it was safe," Umbra said impatiently, "*I* would be going." He pushed Will roughly towards the mirror and the boy vanished. His reflection remained a moment longer; then it faded away.

 "I hope he's all right," Zoe said quietly.

 "So do I," Umbra said. "I *need* this to work."

 "How will you know?"

 Umbra nodded to the Dalek. It trundled forward into the mirror and disappeared.

 

The Doctor dashed across the room and stood between the two girls as they moved to throttle each other. Professor Robinson was soon at his side, holding the two girls apart.

 "What's he done to them?"

 "Madness," the Doctor explained, "is a very powerful aspect of the human mind. Normally, man leaves the majority of his brain untapped. Insanity opens the doors; it can unlock parts of the psyche that... Well, that even I don't know everything about."

 John grunted as he struggled to keep the girls apart. "More importantly right now," he said, "what can we do?"

 "*You* can keep them from killing each other. *I* shall attempt to break his control. Jamie!"

 "Aye, Doctor," his companion called from atop their fallen enemy.

 "Jamie, you know I don't condone violence, but it would be of great help to me if you could safely render Mr Ramling there unconscious. Do you think you could do that?"

 *Thwack.*

 "Thank you, Jamie."

 

"The Daleks are using you like they used Waterfield and Maxtible. You have to believe me!" Divide and conquer, Zoe told herself.

 Umbra just smiled. "I know that! And the Daleks probably realise I know that."

 "You're going to double cross them?"

 "Before they double cross me." Umbra stroked Zoe's cheek with an emaciated finger. "You're a beautiful young lady."

 "Isn't that dangerous?"

 "What?" Umbra retracted his digit. "I have plans, my dear. I'm no fool." The hangar was empty save for Zoe, the mirror, and Umbra. His voice echoed around it as he stamped his foot and shouted, "Where's that Dalek got to?"

 

Judy's eyes blinked and the Doctor smiled. "Hello," he said.

 She shook her head, confused, and stumbled forward. He caught her and helped her steady herself. "What...?"

 "We were being controlled," her younger sister explained. "The Doctor broke through."

 Judy frowned. "Dr Smith...?"

 The Doctor shook her hand. "I'm generally just called the Doctor. Pleased to meet you." He helped her to the table. "You should probably have a sit down."

 Ramling opened one eye and then the other as the Don sat Judy and Penny together at the other end of the table. The madman began to struggle. "Untie me!" he shouted. "I refuse to be held prisoner by anyone but myself." He moaned a little. "Can I have an aspirin for my head, please?"

 "Aaaargh!"

 Will fell out of the mirror and onto Dr Smith, from whom immediately came a muffled cry which sounded like "Oh, fur brain, fur brain!" . Professor Robinson helped Will to his feet and the Doctor assisted Dr Smith.

 "Will," Professor Robinson said, hugging his son, "what happened? Are you all right"

 "Where's Zoe?" the Doctor asked.

 "I'm fine, dad. Zoe's back on Earth with this horribly disfigured man who seemed to know the Doctor."

 "Earth!" Professor Robinson exclaimed.

 "I'll bet he's not a friend then," Jamie said simultaneously.

 "Oh dear," the Doctor said, surprised. "Who was he?"

 "He says he's called Umbra, but he used to be... Borad of Karfel, or Karfelon. Something like that."

 The Doctor shook his head thoughtfully. "I've heard of the planet Karfel, but I've never been there. How odd. I do hope he's not from my future - that would be messy. I wonder what he was doing on Earth."

 "Trying to find someone called Ramling."

 "Well he's managed it!" Smith told him. "So, you say Earth is on the other side of that tunnel up there?"

 "Yes, but it's 1982 there. The tunnel connects different times as well as different places."

 "Then we can't use it to get home," Professor Robinson said. "We risk causing a temporal paradox."

 "Who cares?" Smith countered. "I'm going."

 "No," Professor Robinson said firmly, "you're not."

 The argument was interrupted by laughter from Ramling. The two groups of travelers gathered around him, save for Smith who began trying to pile up chairs to reach the floating mirror.

 "What is it?" Don asked the madman.

 "You left Earth in 1997, didn't you? I heard you discussing it on your ship."

 "Yes," Don said warily. "So?"

 Ramling giggled. "Well, the Aanotihf'ew will be using the same envelope to reach Earth as little Will there used to get here."

 John Robinson's eyes widened. "Oh no!"

 The Doctor nodded. "Not only will Earth be destroyed, but the Jupiter 2 will never have been built. The consequences could be horrific." He leant forward, his eyes looking into Ramling's. "How do we get aboard the Aanotihf'ewan ship?"

 Ramling grinned and leant closer to the Doctor. "Jeremiah's not telling." He spat in the Doctor's eyes.

 There was a crash. "Aaaargh!"

 The Doctor wiped his eyes, turning, along with the rest of the group, to the source of the noise. A Dalek had fallen from the mirror. It had landed upright, but had knocked Dr Smith's stack of chairs on top of him.

 The Dalek twitched its eyestalk up towards at the mirror. "TEST SUCCESSFUL. MUST RETURN." It hovered up to the gateway and through.

 "What was the point of that?" Don asked.

 "What *was* that?" John asked.

 "That," said the Doctor, " was a Dalek. I suspect it is returning to tell this Umbra chap to come through. I just hope Zoe is all right..." He clapped his hands. "Time to deal with the Aanotihf'ew, I think."

 "But Doctor," Jamie said, "what about the Dalek?"

 The Doctor sighed. "Jamie, I can only do one thing at a time, and at the moment I have to save the planet Earth and the local timeline from destruction. I'll deal with the Dalek in a moment. Now, could I borrow your shoulders please, Major West?"

 

Maureen didn't know what was going on, and consequently was terrified. These slimy, feathered creatures on this ship had first examined and then activated whatever the device was that Ramling had given her and then they had become interested in her. All of a sudden, another creature - an amphibian by the look of it - had appeared and the group had taken a much more hostile attitude. They seemed to be squawking about it at length. Maureen had spotted another one in the shadows. Half the time it watched the Aanotihf'ew with what she assumed was concern; the rest of its time was spent adjusting a large device on the floor beside it.

 A bomb. That was her best guess anyway. In which case, leaving now would be a good idea.

 The Aanotihf'ew began to close in on the alien in the centre of their circle.

 

Zzatt watched the monsters start to hit Pradnn. She set the bomb to go off in one minute. They might die - their race might die - but the bastard monsters would go too.

 

The Doctor adjusted his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the mirror again. It hummed and the mirror fuzzed. A picture began to form -somewhere inside a spacecraft.

 "Maureen!" Professor Robinson shouted.

 "Mum!" cried Judy, Penny, and Will.

 

Someone was shouting her name.

 Maureen spun round and saw a large, friendly face behind her reflection on the viewscreen. She stepped into the screen and landed on top of the face. The tower of people collapsed safely onto the floor.

 

Zzatt saw the woman vanish. There was another way.

 He ran at the Aanotihf'ew, picked Pradnn up, charged at the viewscreen, and vanished.

 

As Don got to his feet, two more bodies landed on him.

 "We have *got* to get that mirror lowered," he said.

 The two newcomers were scaly and green. Everyone backed away. Penny screamed.

 "Where are we?" one asked.

 "What happened?" asked the other.

 "Don't worry," Maureen said. "We're friends."

 "Friends?" Smith cried from the other side of the room. "They're aliens!"

 Maureen shot him a disdainful look.

 "Doctor," Jamie said, "what about the ship?"

 There was a flash of light and the image on the mirror disappeared.

 "Oh dear," the Doctor said, adjusting his screwdriver again, "we seem to have lost contact."

 The two green aliens hugged. "We destroyed them!"

 "They planted a bomb," Maureen explained. "If you'd been a few minutes later..."

 Trying not to think about it, the family Robinson, reunited hugged while the Doctor started a conversation with the green strangers.

 Jamie interrupted, tugging at the Doctor's sleeve. "What about Zoe?"

 "Yes," the Doctor said, "she should be here soon."

 "Doctor," said Ramling. "If you untie me, I'll help you."

 "Don't trust him!" Dr Smith shouted. "He's mad!"

 "But I do trust him," the Doctor insisted. "He's been waiting for Umbra, and now Umbra is coming."

 Ramling grinned. "I've been planning for this."

 

"MISSION SUCCESSFUL," the Dalek reported.

 "Excellent! Was Ramling there?"

 "VISUAL DATA SUGGESTS THAT HE WAS."

 Umbra marched Zoe towards the mirror and the Dalek, holding her firmly by the arm.

 "COMPARISON WITH RECORDS INDICATES THAT THE DOCTOR WAS ALSO PRESENT."

 Umbra spun towards the Dalek. "The Doctor?"

 "THE DOCTOR IS AN ENEMY OF THE DALEKS. HE WILL BE DESTROYED."

 Zoe was now closest to the mirror. She decided this was the right moment to knee Umbra in the groin and dive through when he let go. Her plan worked perfectly.

 Umbra tried to regain his composure despite the pain in his abdomen. He waved the Dalek forward into the mirror and followed.

 

Zoe fell into Jamie's waiting arms. Maureen quickly led the travelers and the aliens to Ramling's mirror-filled control room. One by one they passed through the mirror that Penny and Judy had arrived through.

 "Antacid fermentation complete," the Robot reported when they entered the ship's bridge.

 Don shut down the hyperdrive engines. "Thanks, Robot, but it doesn't look like we're going to need it. The rain has stopped."

 One of the Hdojjwh - Pradnn, the bruised one - nodded. "The Aanotihf'ew are gone. We are safe here now."

 "The ship's going to take some repairing," Professor Robinson said. "And we still need to find some fuel."

 "We'd be happy to lend a hand," the Doctor said with a grin. "Wouldn't we?"

 Jamie and Zoe nodded. "Right now though," Zoe said, "I just want to get some sleep."

 "Me too," said Maureen. "And I'm never using a mirror again."

 

Umbra and attendant Dalek fell through the mirror and landed on the floor. The Dalek landed upright; Umbra had to struggle for a moment to pull himself up.

 "Hello," said Ramling. He was sitting, untied, at the head of the table.

 "Ramling," Umbra said with mock cheer, "I've been looking for you."

 "Really? I've been here." He grinned. "I was mad, you know."

 A thought fired from Ramling's mind, into the systems he had constructed, translating to an electrical pulse, past the safety cutouts, through a small length of circuitry and into the self-destruct program he had created to collapse his dimension in just this eventuality.

 "Bye bye."

 

Epilogue: "Are You Wandering Where I'm Wandering?"

 The Doctor watched the saucer shape of the Jupiter 2 rapidly getting smaller on the TARDIS scanner.

 "Will they be OK, Doctor?"

 "I'm sure they will be fine, Zoe. This isn't a very nice area of the galaxy to be in, but the modifications I've made should help them get out of it more quickly, and at least they know which way Earth is now."

 "Couldn't we have given them a lift, Doctor?" Zoe asked.

 Jamie chuckled. "You think he could get them to Earth any sooner than they can?"

 The Doctor harrumphed, indignant. "I can get to Earth whenever I want!"

 "Oh, aye, and Zzatt and Pradnn are gonna decide they don't want kids."

 "Is that sarcasm, Jamie?" The Doctor started to flick apparently randomly selected switches on the TARDIS console. "Well, I'll show you. Earth it is!"

 The column in the centre of the console began to rise on fall and the TARDIS noisily dematerialised, off on a new adventure elsewhere.

 THE END

 [ Part 9 | Home | Back to the Collaborations | Up to index | View the Credits ]