Cargo

Episode One
by A Time Gentleman

The setting sun dipped low over the choppy sea. Dark clouds scudded across the sky and the wind began to pick up, moaning eerily through the masts and antennae jutting from the ship, a large weather-beaten cargo vessel that glided slovenly through the warm waters of the Pacific.

A door clanged open in the superstructure and two men bustled out, straining to hold something large contained in a grey burlap sack. They wore white lab coats over sweat-stained t-shirts and denim work trousers. Behind them came three more men in blue militaristic uniforms. Two of them carried pump-action shotguns in addition to holstered pistols. The third was an older but powerfully built man with steel grey hair and a precisely clipped grey moustache. A gold name tag on his tunic read: PIKE. His granite features were set into an impatient frown.

"Hurry up with that. Sedative won't last long."

The two men, grunting and sweating, made their way laboriously to the side railing. The two men with the shotguns looked on pensively, weapons held at the ready. One of the carriers slipped slightly on the deck, causing the other to stagger as he took on more of the weight. Suddenly he yelped:

"Hey! I felt this thing move!"

Pike snapped: "Quickly! Get over the side! Move it!"

The two carriers started to heave it up and over the side, when the sack began to bulge as the thing inside began struggling. One of the carriers yelled out and nearly dropped it to the deck, but the other in desperation managed to heave it on top of the railings.

Suddenly the sack ripped and a long grey claw shot out and took one of the carriers by the throat. His scream of terror was choked off. The other carrier cried out and jumped back, shoving the sack away from him. It slid over the railing towards the water, but it was suspended by the claw clutching at the other man's throat. He was bent double over the railing and holding on for dear life while scrabbling frantically at the claw around his throat, as the weight threatened to drag him into the sea with it.

The rest of the sack began to tear and more grey limbs began to appear 

Pike turned to the guards and snapped an order. "Shoot them."

They didn't hesitate. From almost point blank range they blasted at the thing in the sack and the unfortunate carrier. The impact of the heavy shells smashed him over the side and, with a last choking cry, he and the bundle splashed into the water, which started to bubble and heave.

Pike snapped his fingers. "Grenades."

One of the guards passed him two. He pulled the pins and tossed them into the foaming, churning mass below. There were two explosions, sending up spouts of water mixed with blood and bits of grey matter. He watched until the water subsided then turned away from the railing.

"Sharks will finish the rest. You two, get another one of the prisoners for Dr O'Hara."

The two guards nodded and disappeared back inside the ship. Pike looked down dispassionately at the other carrier lying shivering on the deck.

"You, get back to work."

Then he went back inside the ship. The carrier dragged a hand across his face and got shakily to his feet. He couldn't tear his gaze from that spot in the sea, his mind saying over and over again -

That could have been me. That could have been me  That 

"  Just isn't fair, Tegan. You know the problems I have with TARDIS. We've had this conversation several times in the past. It's just a temporary loss of control. Trust me!" The Doctor gave her a quick grin and patted her shoulders, then brushed past Tegan, to the controls. He flicked a switch, and, when nothing happened, flicked another. The TARDIS juddered violently and he quickly flicked it back. The ship settled down again.

Tegan picked herself up from the floor and tried very hard to contain her temper, but it was getting harder with each passing day. It was always the same, whenever they landed. Either the wrong planet or the wrong period in time. She was beginning to doubt she'd ever see her time again.

"Temporary loss of control! Sometimes I think you're never in control! Did you even know what that switch did?"

"Ahh " said the Doctor sheepishly, and ducked beneath the console. Tegan cried out in frustration, and a girl's voice called out from behind them:

"What's the trouble this time? That was quite a bump just now!"

The inner door had opened and the two other members of the ship's crew, Adric and Nyssa, walked in. Nyssa was rubbing her arm and wincing. Tegan stabbed a finger in the Doctor's direction.

"Don't bother asking him! He's no idea whatsoever!"

Adric wandered over and examined the console. "Sounded like the temporal oscillators again. It wasn't that a bad a bump. You should have been here when we were caught in the Time Winds."

Nyssa came over to join him. "It's all right for you, your bruises heal quicker! Doctor, do you need any help down there?"

Silence for a second, then the Doctor popped up like a jack-in-the-box. He reached across the console and flicked the switch again. This time, there was no violent response. He beamed triumphantly.

"You see?" He stood up and looked sternly at Tegan. "I know exactly what I'm doing. In fact "

The TARDIS suddenly crashed into something, throwing everyone into a struggling, swearing heap. The time rotor ground to a halt. Tegan raised herself up on her elbows and glowered at the Doctor.

"You were saying?"

"Where are we this time?"

Nyssa's voice echoed around the chamber the TARDIS had landed in. The Doctor played his torch around, trying to make out some detail in the gloom. It was a storage bay of some kind, filled with anonymous crates and boxes, some covered with tarpaulins, all securely fastened. Why was there never a light switch around when you needed one, he wondered. He sniffed the air. A hint of salt? And something else 

"Not sure. Listen - do you feel that?"

They all paused and listened. They could feel motion beneath their feet. "A ship?" asked Tegan.

"Space ship?" asked Nyssa.

"No, a sea-ship. You can feel the motion. And smell the air. That's salt."

"Smells like old diesel and garbage to me," Tegan retorted.

The Doctor snapped his fingers. "Diesel - exactly! You might be home after all, Tegan!"

"Yeah, heard that before  knowing our luck, it's probably the 'Titanic'."

The Doctor sighed. "Ye of little faith  Adric, what are you up to?"
The Doctor went over to where the boy was tinkering with a steel door on the far side of the room. It appeared to be locked tight, despite the boy's best efforts. He looked up as the Doctor approached.

"Just wondered what was behind this door."

The Doctor rapped it with his knuckles. No response. "Hmmm  well, perhaps let's see if there's anyone on board before we start breaking into things, eh? Don't want to cause alarm. The TARDIS took a bit of a bump, so we might have to stay here a little while so she can settle down. Wouldn't hurt to find the crew and let them know we're here. Don't want to be accused of being stowaways, do we - Adric?" Adric shrugged. Once a stowaway  the Doctor flicked the torch beam across the room. "Looks like a stairway over there. I don't suppose I could ask any of you to stay in the TARDIS while I  no, didn't think so. Come along then!"

"I wonder what sort of ship it is " Adric murmured. Nyssa called back to him and he moved to follow the others. They picked their way through the crates to the stairs and made their way up.

There was silence for a moment, then the door slid back, and a huge misshapen creature loomed out of the darkness within...

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Episode Two
by esherrouse

The salty smell shot through each of their nostrils as they emerged from the lower deck. Then a cool evening breeze settled in. The Doctor stared heavenward as he seemed to be absorbing the atmosphere.
Not more than two steps behind the Doctor, Tegan came out onto the deck and began, "Home? Well I suppose I am, if I want to go for a swim." She made her way toward the railing at the edge of the ship and looked out. "But then again it looks to be more than a few miles from terra firma."
The Doctor's concentrated look was lost as he looked at Tegan with real concern. He knew she wanted to be home and could tell she was holding in her anger. "Still we've got to make the best of it haven't we?" He offered a smile as his gesture of peace.
Tegan responded, not noticing the smile,"At least I don't get sea-sick." She continued to look out over the ocean.
Nyssa and Adric emerged behind the Doctor discussing something amongst themselves. As they came up beside him, the Doctor looked at each of them as they grew silent awaiting Tegan's explosion. They had seen her temper more than a few times by now.
"Besides, if you were to go for a swim, I would suggest Fiji or some other small island as your final desitination."
"What do you mean?"
"Well it has been a while, but from what I can tell the stars suggest that we are somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere. I would say the South Pacific island area. Not sure exactly where though." The Doctor concluded.
"Really?" Tegan was excited.
"Perhaps this ship is transporting us to this place...Fiji." Nyssa said in an attempt to support the Doctor's theory as well as to comfort Tegan.
"I still don't understand why you want to ho home anyways." Adric began.
The Doctor glanced disprovingly at him.
Adric continued nonetheless,"I mean it is not like this is the most interesting of planets."
"Adric." Nyssa tried to quite him.
"Yes, but it's MY home." Tegan said as she began to head back from the railing.
As she approched a spot light burst on, blinding her. The others turned to look into the light with their eyes shielded.
A voice bellowed,"You will remain where you are!"
A group of blue uniformed men shot out from both sides of the deck. They were all armed with large Shotguns.
"The guards will return you to your quarters."
A guard approached the Doctor, who offered a boyish smile. "Sir, these are not the prisoners."
"What?"
"We sort of just stumbled onto your ship." The Doctor began to explain.
"Shut up!" The Guard raised his weapon to the Doctor's face.
"Bring them to me and have your guards continue the search." The light and the voice then died.
"You heard the Captain." one of the guards said as he shoved the Doctor from behind.
"Hands off." Said Tegan as she noticed one of the guards approaching her. She followed the others.
As they headed toward the upper decks two shots went off below deck.
"What was that?" Adric looked at Nyssa.
"Quiet!" the guard pressed on.

Below deck, several guards were surrounding a large lumbering creature. It was obviously wounded and trapped. One of the guards then fired a net from his gun. The creature was ensnared.
"Hellppp meee..." Stammered the creature as best it could.
"Now!" yelled one of the guards.
The guard who had fired the net onto the creature now flipped a lever on his weapon and a jolt of electricity shot across it. The creature screamed in agony as it fell unconscious.

"Are you trying to tell me you just happened upon my ship in the middle of the South Pacific and we never even noticed your ship on radar much less heard you climb aboard."
"It is a little more complicated than that, Captain." The Doctor attempted to begin.
"Yes. Yes it is" Pike declared as he limped forward. "This is a Calaboose class ship." He declared as he looked at each of them.
"What is that?" Adric inquired.
"A calaboose is a jail. It comes from the Spanish calabozo which means dungeon." The Doctor replied.
"What? This is a floating prison?" Tegan said unbelievingly.
"Exactly" Pike replied. "So what are you doing here?" He gave them each a look of suspicion.
"Just passing through." The Doctor offered rather lightheartedly.
"Perhaps you are attempting to free a prisoner, or you are one of those protestors who think it is cruel to imprison on the sea?" Pike still appeared suspicious.
The door then slid open and a middle aged brunette woman entered wearing a white lab coat.
"Ah, Dr. O'Hara. I am glad you could join us." Pike said sarcastically.
"Sorry, sir. I was just informed of the intruders." She then looked at the Captain and said,"I was just below helping relax one of the new arrivals."
"Relax?" the Doctor interjected.
"Yes. New prisoners tend to find the sea a little too... uneasy for their taste. We have to sedate them so that they can sleep for the first few weeks." She then examined each of them with a scientist's eye.
"How Barbaric..." exclaimed Nyssa.
"So you are protestors!" The Captain declared.
"What part of no don't you understand." Tegan began to fume.
"Tegan." The Doctor calmed her down. "You'll have to forgive my friend. It has been a long time since she has been...well on Terra firma." Nyssa smiled at the Doctor's joke.
"Where is your ship?" Dr O'Hara began.
"That is a bit difficult to explain really."
"Where do you come from?" The captain began again.
"You know without your papers we will need to do a complete physical examination of each of you
to insure that you are clear of all diseases before we return you to the proper authorities when we reach port." Dr. O'Hara looked back at the captain.
"That is true. Prison ships do tend to harbor many diseases for those not immunized against them. I think it would be best of you each let the Dr. here look at you as we return to port."
"What will happen to us there?" Tegan began.
"We will turn you over to the proper authorities and they will investigate why you were tresspassing on a Government calaboose class ship. It is their decision at that point." Dr O'Hara smiled. "Take them to Runkins quarters. He won't be needing them." The captain said to the two guards at the door.
"I will diagnose the girl first. Bring her to the Medi-bay after you take the others to their quarters.
"I can assure you we are each in excellent health, Dr. O'Hara." The Doctor offered.
"That will be for me to determine."
"Take them" Pike commanded.
As they were being escorted out, Dr. O'Hara said, "This is our chance..." She trailed off as they moved away.

As they walked down the corridor, Nyssa looked at Adric and whispered, "They are acting very peculiar."
"Peculiar" Tegan announced out loud."We just crash landed on a caboose ship."
"Calaboose" Adric corrected her.
"Whatever. Either way we are on a prison sip with gun happy guards and you think the ships doctor is peculiar."
"Tegan." The Doctors tone was one of frustration as she stopped.
The lead guard slid open a doorway and then said, "Everyone inside except the girl. The Doctor will begin with you."
"My name is Nyssa. Nyssa of Traken."
"Whatever, lass." He then closed the door and directed her toward the Medibay.
The other guard stayed outside the Quarters as the Doctor slid the door open and smiled. "Ah..just checking." He then slid it back into place.

As Nyssa entered the Medibay, Dr. O'Hara turned around. She had been looking into a microscope at a recent sample.
"Hello." She smiled.
"The Doctor is correct. I am in perfect health."
"Doctor is he? How interesting."
Nyssa then looked down at one of the test tubes on a tray and said, "What sort of sedative are you using on the prisoners?"
"Do you understand medicine?"
"I have studied Chemistry and mastered many of the Bio-sciences."
"Excellent. I was hoping for an intelligent specimen. Unlike your angry friend."
"Tegan? She just wants to go home." Nyssa was looking around at the various equipment and did not notice that the doctor had picked up a needle. "So what do you do here?"
"We are doing experiments on behavior modification with the prisoners."
"But this equipment is more of a geneticists lab than a Psychologists."
"We have a novel approach, you might say. We are attempting to modify the prisoners behavior thought genetic manipulation."
"How facinating." Nyssa was bent over looking at another row of test tubes.
"The only problem is that our genetic manipulation has only worked to a certain level and then the individual specimen's body and personality takes over."
"So instead of you having a Genetically modified prisoner, you are getting prisoners who are modifying their genes?" Nyssa looked up at her with a smile. She then walked over and began looking at the Microscope.
"Precisely. It is an unconrollable manipulation on their part. Their violence and anger and sometimes pure stupidity has resulted in the most unexpected of accidents." She then grew closer to Nyssa, who was still looking into the microscope. "I never knew you would be such an intelligent specimen." From behind her back, she pulled the hyperdermic, and raised it above her head, prepared to plunge it into Nyssa's neck...

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Episode Three
by Iris Wildthyme

The Doctor sat on the bunk and tested the springs with his weight. "Hmmm, not bad  actually, for a prison cell this isn't bad. TV, easy chair, comfy bed, computer terminal  cut above the usual."

Tegan picked up a glossy magazine from the desk, shuddered at what the three people and the dog were doing on the cover and tossed it into the bin.. "I take it we're not in my century then, judging from the technology."

The Doctor considered. "Possibly a little ahead of your time  late 20th, maybe early to mid 21st. Can't see a calender "

"Just as well!" Tegan shot a dirty glance at the magazine in the wastebin.

The door opened and a short scruffy man in a white lab coat entered pushing a trolley with some basic medical equipment on it. A guard stood in the doorway, shotgun slung, arms folded, looking bored. He took a blood pressure cuff from the trolley. He spoke with a pronounced Mersey twang.

"OK, one of yers gimme yer arm."

Adric obliged. The Doctor stood up and came over to the man. "One of the staff?"

The man looked up briefly then back down at his task. "No mate, I'm a trustee. Lampard's the name."

"Obviously not medically qualified, or you'd realise you had that upside down."

"Well blow me, so I 'ave  sorry pal, new at this lark."

"Allow me." The Doctor moved to take over but the guard stepped forward.

"Let him do it."

The Doctor held up his hands. "Certainly. Only trying to "

There was a piercing scream from the corridor. Adric pulled his arm away from Lampard and shouted: "Nyssa! Doctor, that was Nyssa!"

"I know! Excuse me!" Before the guard could even react, the Doctor had shoved past him and ran down the corridor. Tegan and Adric made to follow but the guard pointed his shotgun at them.

"No you don't! Stay here. You, make sure they don't go nowhere."

Lampard shrugged. "Whatever." The guard ran after the Doctor. "I mean, where they gonna go?" he called after him. He shook his head. "I dunno, they're getting real paranoid round here  hey, sorry Miss, but you 'eard what the feller said "

Tegan had started sidling towards the door but Lampard held an arm out.

"I thought you were a prisoner? Don't you want to escape?"

He laughed cynically. "Escape? To where? No lifeboats on this tub, Miss. Youse is here for keeps, if ol' Captain Pike has his way. Not to mention the mad doctor "

The Doctor rushed into the medibay to find Nyssa curled on the floor, clutching at the back of her neck and moaning in pain. Dr O'Hara was bending over her, syringe still in hand. Temporarily forgetting his manners, the Doctor shoved her aside and bent down over his companion.

"Nyssa, Nyssa  what have you done to her?"

O'Hara tossed the empty syringe onto the work top and folded her arms. "Just a little cocktail of my own creation, at the company's expense of course."

"Of course!" The Doctor lifted Nyssa up and carried her over to one of the beds. "A cocktail of what, exactly?"

"Nothing very harmful, I assure you. Just a little something to stimulate her cerebral cortex. Get the synapses firing on full cylinders."

Nyssa had stopped moaning but was shuddering convulsively. Her face was going ash gray. The Doctor placed a hand on her brow. It was cool and clammy. He straightened up, his face a mask of fury.

"May I suggest the next time you want to stimulate someone's cerebral cortex, you try a good book instead! Now, let's reverse whatever it is you've done, hmm?"

O'Hara smirked. "I don't think so, Doctor." She pointed at the guard standing in the doorway. "I think we'll just let nature take its course." She waved the guard in and he grabbed the Doctor's arms. She pressed an intercom switch. "Pike, get in here."

"You don't understand  Nyssa is not of your planet. There are bound to be certain Earth chemicals which will have a very bad effect on her system. Judging from her reaction to your injection, I would say that is most definitely the case!"

O'Hara merely raised an eyebrow. "Not human? Well, that makes it more interesting. But just for your information, what she is doing is a perfectly normal reaction to my little cocktail. Don't fret so!" She patted the Doctor's cheek condescendingly and moved over to the bed.

"But what effect will it have, eh? What about the others you tested it on?"

O'Hara didn't reply. Pike entered the room, taking the scene in in a single cold glance.

"You don't waste any time, Doctor O'Hara. What is he doing in here?"

"He, er, escaped, sir."

"Take him back. And lock the damn door this time."

"Sir."

The guard started to drag the Doctor from the room. He struggled furiously. "You must stop what you're doing! At least let me stay here and help!"

"I don't need anyone's help," O'Hara murmured, slipping on a stethoscope. "Get him out."

Another guard appeared to help drag the Doctor from the room, and he was still shouting as they pulled him down the corridor. It made no impression on O'Hara or Pike.

"She isn't human," murmured O'Hara.

"Really? Interesting."

He leaned forward, fascinated ...

The guards flung the Doctor back into the room. He fell over the trolley and landed in a heap on the floor. Adric and Tegan helped him up. Lampard just sat on the bunk, finishing off a roll-up.

"Doctor, what's going on? Where's Nyssa?"

"They're performing some kind of test on her  I don't like the look of it."

"Test!" Adric exclaimed. "Are they hurting her? Doctor, if they "

"Easy, boy. I don't think they mean to kill her, but "

"You're afraid they might  because she's an alien?"

"Exactly, Tegan." Lampard started chuckling and the Doctor turned to face him. "What do you know about this?"

"Not much, only it's very painful, and has some rather unfortunate side effects, as they say."

"Such as?"

Lampard pulled an exaggerated monster face. "Bleurrgh! Not nice, I'm tellin' youse "

Adric faced the Doctor, jaw set. "Doctor, we have to get Nyssa out of here."

The Doctor nodded. "Absolutely. We'll get her back into the TARDIS into our infirmary. Then we can see what to do next."

"But first we have to get out of here!" Tegan said.

The Doctor looked at Lampard. He sighed and tucked his roll-up behind his ear. "OK, but they'll probably 'ave my guts for garters "

"Comin' out!"

Lampard's voice called from behind the door. One of the two gaurds opened it and glared in suspiciously. Lampard leaned on his trolley. The man and the woman were sat at the table. The boy was lying in the bed 

Or was he? The guard was suspicious. "You, boy! Get up!"

"You called?"

Adric's voice came from below. Adric shot out from the lower shelf of the trolley where he had been crouching and slammed into the guards legs. He crashed to the floor, his head connecting heavily with the metal deck, stunning him. As the other guard moved to intervene the Doctor sprang forward and propelled the trolley at him with all his might, sending the man crashing into the wall. The Doctor finished the winded man off with a clumsy half-remembered Venusian Akido blow.

"So sorry!" he muttered. "Come on!" He lead the charge down the corridor, Adric and Tegan pausing only to snatch up the guard's weapons. Lampard looked at sprawled guards, shook his head and stepped back into the cell, shutting the door after him.

"They won't get far " He sat back on the bunk, pulled his roll-up from his ear, and lit up 

The Doctor paused outside the medibay. No guards - very curious. Probably more inside. Adric and Tegan joined him, and he frowned when he saw what they were carrying.

"I wish you'd left them behind  I loathe guns."

"So do I, especially when they're pointed at me!" retorted Tegan, brandishing her pistol and looking all the world like a female Ned Kelly.

"Just promise you won't use them!" He led them to the door and swung it open. He peered inside and gasped.

"Nyssa?"

The girl was standing in the centre of the medibay. But her skin was a ghostly, translucent white, and she seemed to shimmer in the air in front of them, wraith-like.

"Doctor  help me, please!"

Her voice sounded as if from far, far away. Adric rushed at her, shotgun held across his chest. "Nyssa, Nyssa!" he cried.

A gunshot barked. Adric jerked back, face creased in agony, shotgun clattering to the deck as he clutched at a red stain blossoming on the front of his tunic, and fell to the deck, unmoving. Pike stepped from the shadows, pistol raised. He swung it round to cover the Doctor and Tegan who had rushed forward.

"Adric, no!"

Nyssa knelt down by the body and then looked back at the Captain and said, "He's dead. You killed Adric...."

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Episode Four
by Consumer Info Knows

Lampard heard screams from further down the corridor, and stubbed out his dog end decisively. Too far

The Guard rounded on The Doctor and Tegan. Who wants to be next?

OHara grinned like a lunatic. You cant stop me Doctor. I dont think anyone can now. She looked the Doctor and Tegan up and down. Kill them. Theyre useless to me. She disappeared out the door.

The Guard walked over Adrics body and raised his shotgun.

Suddenly Lampard ran in and looked sadly at Adric, Murderers and rapists is one thing, but im, just a kid. He produced a shotgun and blew off the guards head. You can still save im Doctor, but it might not be worth is while.

Anything. Said the Doctor. Ive seen enough death already without losing another friend.

Lampard sighed. Your friend on the bed over there. Theyve fucked er genetic makeup. Now she starts to mutate, and eventually the old her ll be lost. Evolution apparently.

Tegan ran to Nyssa, who was shivering, and looking pretty ethereal.

Lampard continued. You give the lad a shot and es alive, but ell be like er.

Ill do it. Said the Doctor. Its his only chance.

Lampard passed him a syringe and The Doctor injected Adric. The boy jumped up and began to scream.

The Doctor began to inspect OHaras equipment. There must be a solution herethere must be.

Tegan held Adric to the floor. Hurry Doctor, we dont know how long theyve got.

Suddenly the boat shook violently. Lampard ran to the window. Were bein boarded! By a load of Speedboats

The Doctor glanced out the window, Med Pirates!

Who? asked Tegan

They cruise the seas looking for cargo ships, steal the goods and leave all the crew dead. But what do they want with a prison boat?

I think due to the ways of OHaras experiments this thing dont have Prison Ship written all over it. Lampard voice was raised, betraying his fear for his life. they probly think theres something worth avin ere.

Actually, said the doctor, I think there is

Alarms began to ring through the ship. Guards streamed onto the calabooses deck and a bitter gunfight broke out.

Right, said the Doctor as he slammed his fist off the labs table, OHara is the only one who knows how to undo this, Lampard youre with me, Tegan stay here and watch the others.

They both made noises of protest.

Lampard you think you can handle it if Adric wakes up with a set of tentacles and wonders whats happened to him? Tegans their friend. Theyll listen to her. Lampard nodded grudgingly and the pair left.

Tegan looked on at her friends. What a lovely mess Then she saw the scales on Adrics arm.

OHara was in her quarters speaking into a radio. Ill meet you on deck, Ill be wearing a white lab coat and be unarmed, Then Ill lead you to the cargo.

Suddenly the Doctor and Lampard ran in.

Not you again! Just when I was about to have my moment I find youre not dead! She pulled out a gun. Stay back or I fire, I have work to do.

No, said the Doctor My friends will die if you dont help them

You came to ask for help? Laughed OHara. Im about to make a deal on your friends worth billions and you think Ill help you leave. Are you mad?

There really is no human left in you is there OHara?

Go back to where you came from. You cant stop me. OHara motioned with her gun Go before I kill you all!

On deck Pike watched his men fall. One by one they would collapse and die, as the pirates just kept on coming.

You dont know what you're doing! he yelled, This ship contains forces you cant possibly understand!

Behind him OHara suddenly appeared. Shut up Pike. She grinned as a pirate gunned him down. Now, she addressed the pirates, Who wants to capture an alien mutant hybrid?

Are you sure you know where your going? the Doctor asked Lampard.

I was, but thats the fifth time weve passed that bloody sign. Ships a bleedin maze.

They rounded a corner to be attacked by a Marsh-man.

Oh my! muttered the Doctor, Devolution, not for a moment did I see that happening.

Adric/Marsh-man chased them down a corridor and into a team of pirates led by OHara. Wont you just die? she pulled out a gun.

Ouch groaned Lampard as she shot him.

That wasnt very nice The Doctor looked at the body sadly as a tranquilliser dart hit him in the chest.

Now Doctor, OHara grinned, We have something better than death in store for you. Or a slow one anyway.

As OHara gloated over the Doctor as Adric was stunned, wrapped and dragged away.

The Doctor woke up in a cell. He woke Tegan who had been left on the lower bunk.

Doctor what happened?

They took Adric and Nyssa.

Where are we?

Trapped on the ship, I shudder to think why they left us here

Suddenly an explosion shook the boat.

Theyre destroying the ship! Quick weve got to get to the TARDIS!

Think you can deal with the door Doc? Tegan hopped off the bed.

Its just lucky Im an expert at hiding the sonic screwdriver on my person.

Soon the door jumped open and they made a run for the lower decks. Further explosions shook them on the way. Finally they reached the familiar bay where they had left the ship. Water poured in up to their ankles as they searched the hall.

Blimey

It appears Tegan, that they took the TARDIS."

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Episode Five
by Davros41

Tegan looked about herself glumly. All she could see was unfriendly water and bits of destroyed prison ship. She supposed she should count her blessings that she and The Doctor had made it to the only life raft aboard, reserved for Captain Pike, who hadn't made it.

They had only just made it in time themselves, when they discovered the TARDIS was missing. Now they were truly stranded.

"What are we going to do?" she asked the Time Lord sitting opposite her in the small boat. "We're miles from land, no food, no TARDIS and that vile woman could be doing anything to poor Nyssa and Adric!"

The Doctor pasted on his best boyish grin. "Brave heart, Tegan. Something will turn up."

She scowled. If she heard him say 'Brave heart, Tegan' once more, she would not be held responsible for her actions.

"What's going to turn up here?" she protested, gazing about their surroundings. "We're in the middle of the ocean with no hope of rescue. "What could possibly turn up?"

At that moment, just on the edge of her vision, something broke the surface of the sea. Great, she thought, it's probably a killer shark.

It was the sight of the grin that split The Doctor's face that encouraged her to look.

There, bobbing on the surface about twenty feet away, was the TARDIS.

"They must have just moved it," The Doctor reasoned. Quickly he took off his fawn frock coat and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He looked over at Tegan.

"Well, are you going to help me paddle or aren't you?"

*

Nyssa felt awful. Her head was pounding, she was drenched in perspiration and she felt extremely weak. She couldn't even summon the energy to open her eyes.

But that wasn't such a problem, as she seemed able to see images of her surroundings in her mind.

She was on a hospital trolley being pushed along a metal corridor. Another ship. They had left their original landing site. At least she and Adric had. What had become of The Doctor and Tegan, she had no idea.

Somehow, she could see Adric. Or at least, what he had become. The Marsh-creature he had evolved into was strapped to a stretcher being carried by two large sailors. Another two followed with guns poised and ready.

Bringing up the rear was the nasty doctor, the one who had injected her with whatever and had caused Adric's current predicament.

And she was smiling.

*

"So, how do we find them?" Tegan asked The Doctor.

He held up his hand to stem any more questions, while flicking switches with the other. He completed his task and straightened.

"Well?" Tegan demanded, seeing he was finished.

The Doctor thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his striped trousers. "I've set the TARDIS to look for their individual DNA traces." He frowned. "I just hope O'Hara hasn't changed their genetic makeup too much!"

*

"Welcome aboard, Doctor O'Hara," said the uniformed man in an Eastern European accent. "I hope you had a pleasant journey!"

She smiled at the sarcasm in his voice and decided to play along. "Yes, thank you Captain Bostok, but the service could have been improved."

They shared a chuckle. Then he returned to business. "What have you brought us?"

"Two Humanoids in the early to middle stages of transformation. I've used chemical enhancements on both of them. The girl is a scientist, so I've stimulated her mind. I'm not sure about the boy, his condition was accidental. But he is developing in an interesting way."

"So I hear. My men say they have never seen anything like it."

"The leader of their group said they were aliens."

Bostok raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. My government will find your work fascinating, I'm sure."

"I hope they find it more than fascinating. I hope they give me a fully funded research laboratory."

"They will. You did right, Patricia, choosing the Eastern Alliance."

She softened as he called her by her first name. "I know I did, Yuri," she replied softly before kissing him passionately in the empty corridor.

*

Nyssa was still feeling weak, so she reached out with her mind to explore this new environment.

They were in a laboratory again, this time on another ship. Adric was lying on the table next to hers, sedated. The sterile atmosphere made her nose itch.

There was a guard outside the door. Another at the end of the corridor. Both held guns. Further out, the small crew attended to their duties.

Then she found Doctor O'Hara, in the captains cabin. She was with the Captain. They were together.

Her mind shyed away from what they were actually doing. Nyssa had led a sheltered life on Traken, before its destruction. But a part of her mind knew the information could be useful in the future, possibly to use as a lever.

She tried to stretch her mind to contact The Doctor, or even Tegan, but it was no use. They were either too far away or...

Again her mind rebelled, this time from the thought that they might be dead. The thought of rescue was the only thing keeping her going.

So it was that Nyssa drifted off all too briefly into the haze of sleep.

*

A couple of hours after coming aboard the Eastern Alliance ship, Doctor Patricia O'Hara strode confidently into the medical bay/laboratory where her specimens had been placed.

She walked over to the boy/thing. He/it was still under sedation. O'Hara smiled a cruel smile.

"So, what are you going to do next?" asked Captain Bostok, who had followed her in.

"I want to know more about the creature the boy has transformed into," O'Hara stated.

"Ugly brute," commented Bostok. "The crew were right. What is that?"

"There is only one way to find out." O'Hara smiled again. "I'll do an autopsy."

Bostok frowned. "I thought it was still alive."

"It is. Autopsies are more fun when the subject is alive." A manic gleam flickered in the corner of her eye.

"Some would say you're sick," Bostok told her.

"And what would you say, Yuri?"

He grinned. "Kiss me!"

*

Nyssa was woken from her doze by the drone of voices. They sounded far away, but she realized that they were standing beside her, looking at Adric. It was O'Hara and the Captain.

O'Hara was holding up a sharp surgical knife, the light glinting off it. Suddenly she plunged it down and Adric screamed.

Her enhanced senses could see Doctor O'Hara cutting into the leg of the Marsh creature Adric had become. He was thrashing about in agony, but the restraints were holding him firmly in place.

She knew she had to do something, but she couldn't move a muscle. She felt as if her body was being pinned down by a ton weight.

Then a tiny voice seemed to whisper in her head. It told her that she could stop this. That there was a way. All she had to do was concentrate.

Obeying the voice, Nyssa forced her thoughts into certain patterns. Her new found talents opened up before her and she knew what she had to do.

*

The blood of the creature was all over her hands, but that didn't bother O'Hara. She was enjoying herself. She had sliced open the leg of the mutant boy and next she would move on to the chest.

She felt a slight prickling at the back of her head, like a sixth sense telling her to look behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, all she could see was the girl, pale and unmoving, her eyes tight closed.

Returning to her work, she felt like a headache was coming on. The pressure continued to build. She looked across at Yuri, to see that he was holding his head in his hands.

The pressure was becoming unbearable. O'Hara dropped the knife and stumbled to the door. Yuri was curled up beside it, sobbing quietly.

Out in the corridor sailors and guards were all clutching their heads in obvious agony. One sailor ran past her, screaming.

What was going on? What was causing this? These thoughts sped through Patricia O'Hara's mind as she sank to her knees in the corridor.

A chirp from the console alerted The Doctor. He checked the screen and grinned in triumph.

"Got them! I tried focusing on their brainwave patterns and it worked. I've got Nyssa's, loud and clear."

Then Tegan saw him frown. "What's wrong, Doctor?" she asked.

"Nyssa's brain pattern. It's rather too loud and clear."

"Is that bad?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe we should find out." He reset the controls and the TARDIS was on its way.

*

The emerged from the TARDIS into a scene of devastation. Bodies littered the corridor around them. The Doctor knelt to check the nearest one.

"Dead," he confirmed, not looking directly at Tegan. He stood, moving down the corridor and Tegan followed silently behind.

He stopped beside a doorway and rolled over the body lying on the threshold. It was Doctor O'Hara.

"Is she dead too?" Tegan asked, her voice catching in her throat.

The Doctor nodded. Then a groan from inside the room spurred him into action.

Inside they found their friends. Nyssa was pale and still on a hospital bed, her pulse weak. Adric, still looking more alien than humanoid, was bleeding from a long cut to his left leg. He groaned again.

The Doctor grasped one end of the stretcher Adric was still secured to. Tegan quick grabbed the other end and they took him back to the TARDIS. There, The Doctor ordered her to stay with Adric. Shortly after he came back, carrying Nyssa. He laid her gently on the floor next to Adric then quickly reset the TARDIS controls.

*

Three days later, a Western Confederacy plane spotted the ship drifting into local waters. A team went aboard and found everybody dead. Post mortem examinations showed all the crew had died from brain haemorrhages.

*

Nyssa woke slowly. Her eyes opened to harsh white light and she quickly closed them again. She tried opening them slower and was rewarded with a fuzzy blur. The blur spoke.

"How are you feeling?" said a familiar Australian accent.

"Like I've been asleep for years," Nyssa replied with a yawn. The blur had resolved into Tegan's concerned face. It was joined by The Doctor's.

"You've been out for four days," he told her, his face betraying his worry too. "How much do you remember?"

Nyssa concentrated. "I remember landing on that ship. We were taken prisoner. They wanted to give us all medicals. I went first." She frowned. "Then I can't remember anything?"

The Doctor's face brightened slightly. "Can't you? Oh, well, that's the fickleness of memory for you."

"Where am I? It looks like a hospital."

"It is," The Doctor told her. "It's the Bi-Al Foundation, an advanced medical facility in Human space. There was an accident and the ship sank. You and Adric were injured. We brought you here."

"Adric? How is he?"

"Recovering well, though he can't remember much more than you can. Must have been the knocks on the head you both got." He glanced at Tegan meaningfully.

"Yeah," she said. "You both got a pretty nasty bump." She smiled at her friend.

"I think we should let Nyssa rest now," The Doctor decided.

"But I'm not tired," Nyssa protested, stifling a yawn. She was asleep before they had closed the door.

Out in the corridor, Tegan turned to The Doctor. "Do you think her mind is blocking it all out?" she asked him.

"Possibly," he replied. "Sometimes a massive trauma, like Nyssa and Adric have been through can do that."

"I still can't believe she killed all those people, just by thinking about it." Tegan shuddered.

The Doctor put a consoling arm around his companion. "But it wasn't really Nyssa. It was the powers that O'Hara woke within her mind. Nyssa just focused those powers and directed them against the crew. probably because they were hurting Adric."

"And the powers are really gone now?"

The Doctor nodded. "The effort required must have sapped them. Nyssa will be quite normal after a couple of days rest. As will Adric."

Tegan smiled weakly. "I forgot how quickly he heals. He's eaten three big meals already today." Then her face darkened. "Do you think they'll ever remember what happened?"

The Doctor looked grim. "I sincerely hope not."

The End.

