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Chapter Four As the Doctor, Nick and Kovalis were dragged out of the TARDIS, a sound like a giant clearing his throat filled the night air and suddenly the darkness was sporadically illuminated. The guards, uncertain as to what was going on, cast about for any potential threat. 'That is the sound of your employer deserting you - if you'll forgive the pun,' the Doctor said cheerily, spreading his arms to indicate the dunes. The two Yahanans looked at him. 'So you don't really need to kill us,' added Nick sounding not so chipper. The guards looked at each other. 'You've probably never disobeyed an order from Mr Seth so I can see your predicament, but look!' the Doctor pointed to where the TARDIS had stood. 'Mr Seth has gone. He's never coming back. He doesn't care if you live or die now. I do. I care passionately about life - in all its forms.' 'If you release us, you will be free to go,' Kovalis said. The Doctor saw the Buliseye feeling discretely for his own weapon and knew he had to act fast to avoid bloodshed. 'You do not need to be cold-blooded killers,' said the Doctor calmly. 'You can be anything - botanists; musicians; sweet shop owners; fathers… friends,' the Doctor said. 'Consider the beauty of this world and what your part could play in it and ask yourselves if you really want to pull the trigger and end the lives of three people who bare you no malice and have never harmed you or anyone you know.' The guards hesitantly levelled their weapons. 'There is no need for this!' boomed the Doctor then almost in a whisper - 'Please.' He reached out a hand and gently put it on the nearest gun barrel. The Yahanan guard looked at him but still did not fire. Slowly, the Doctor applied downward pressure on the blaster. 'I do not want to take your weapons. I merely ask for my life and those of my friends.' The tableau moved in slow motion. Four of the protagonists were rooted to the spot, watching the Doctor - marvelling, wondering, deciding whether he was telling the truth or not - but most of all not killing. Finally the guards lowered their guns and looked at each other again, as if awaking to a new dawn. The Doctor smiled. 'Thank you,' he said. 'You are… welcome,' said the nearest guard, an uncertain smile beginning to show on his chocolate-coloured face. 'Can I ask one small favour?' asked the Doctor. Everyone stared at the Time Lord clone in disbelief. 'You may, old one,' said the guard. 'How did you travel here?' 'In a skimmer,' replied the other guard, now eager to show that he, too, had changed. 'Some sort of aircraft,' explained Nick. 'Very fast.' 'My favour is to ask to use your transport.' Before anyone could object the Doctor held up a placating palm and continued. 'We don't mean to strand you here. We have our own transport.' He pointed to the Buliseye vehicle, sitting in the darkness a few metres away. 'It is just that we need to return to the city with all haste and I suspect that you do not. Indeed you may be grateful for the thinking time.' He smiled again. The first guard shrugged his impressive shoulders. 'Very well, old one,' he said. 'Thank you again.' The Doctor turned to Kovalis. 'Give them the keys, Maret and let's find that skimmer.' Kovalis handed over the security card that would start his hover vehicle. 'It's just over the hill,' said Nick. 'C'mon.' He set off at a brisk pace and then stopped, looking at his ankle. 'Bloody hell! The pain's gone.' 'Probably Seth's little restorative,' explained the Doctor as he waved to the fast retreating Buliseye vehicle. 'You are an amazing man, Doctor,' said Kovalis. 'Oh you should see him when he's really on form,' grinned Nick. In one of the many sub-basements of the Summer Palace, Lieutenant Tynx was overseeing the production of a very special clone. All the troopers the cloning tanks had been creating took Sontaris as their blueprint, but their DNA had been altered not only to improve speed, agility and endurance but also to reduce intelligence slightly. They were foot soldiers, after all. Tynx himself was an augmented trooper with increased intelligence as befitted an officer. The clone that was growing to adulthood before the lieutenant's eyes was very different. This one possessed the IQ of a genius as well as vast strength. He was a one-off - a special clone that would be activated only in the event that General Sontaris should die. This clone was the General's ultimate replacement - complete with probic vent (for in the future the new race would have no need for food). Tynx ordered the scientist to halt the growth procedure. All that was needed now was an order from him or Laal and the process would be complete in minutes, ensuring ongoing and strong leadership for the Sontaran race for centuries to come… The TARDIS shook violently as it attempted to find safe passage through the tempest of the liquid time through which it travelled. At the console Seth was sweating as he braced himself against the brass rail with one hand as he piloted the ship with the other. Compared to his TARDIS, this was crude - like being trained to fly a jet and having to make do with a hot air balloon. After years of studying the anomaly using the space-time visualiser, Seth had mapped the safest route through the temporal currents and riptides that had torn his own time ship apart over 35 years ago. He had spent so long analysing the vortex that he knew the correct settings and manoeuvres by hearts. Soon said the quiet but commanding voice in his head. Seth knew the voice was right. Soon he would reach the bubble dimension and summon the Tiger's Eye. Soon he would have the most powerful force with which to arm his… no - the people. He shook his head to concentrate on his difficult task and the voice relented. The crystalline creatures had not killed Alf, but she had been fully expecting it to. In that brief nanosecond she had wished she'd been more open with Nick about her feelings. She did love him - of that she was certain. But death had failed to take her. Instead the gemstones had led her away from the scene of carnage, supporting her on a cushion of electricity. It was no less pleasant an experience for the fact she was not dead. She had no idea how much time had passed, but the creatures' journey had finally come to an end in an area with more bizarre a makeup than anything she had yet witnessed. Ahead of her, vast shards of the bone-like rock jutted from the ground to form a monstrous structure that resembled the bare frame of a tepee. Alf estimated it was about 200 feet high and over 50 feet wide. The current from the creatures baring her fluctuated as if they were excited to be there, but little could have prepared Alf for what lay inside the triangular formation. Passing through one of the many gaps in the ivory surround, Alf saw two pulsating boulders of flesh, each the size of a small car. From these horrendous organs issued what looked like pink and purple hosepipes - again made from the same soft tissue - disappearing from view into the fleshy ground. Alf would have gagged had she not been so fascinated. As she was brought nearer the twin hearts, all twelve of the gemstone creatures gathered round, gently caressing her with delicate fingers of electricity. Slowly, she became aware of a voice - no, voices, plural - in her head. The disparate words being implanted in her mind gradually formed themselves in to a harmonic mantra. Moving food. Soft. Not hard. Not like. But like. 'I'm not moving food!' exclaimed Alf. Not moving food. But not hard. But like. Confusion. 'Well if you wanted explanations, you just had to ask!' She shouted. 'You didn't need to kill!' Kill. Confusion. Feed. 'When you fed on those Yahanans, you killed them. You must understand,' Alf implored her captors. 'Kill? Death? Dying? If you feed on us it's the same thing.' Kill. Death. Dying. Confusion. 'Don't you die?' Die. Moving food confuses. Alf sighed. It was like trying to talk to a toddler or train a pet. Talk. Toddler. Train. Pet… Confusion. 'I think it's going to be some time before we can have a decent conversation,' said Alf. 'Let's start with the basics…
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