Shiver me timbers...errr..TARDIS!!!

[The Tenth Doctor]

(okay...I was waiting on Eight since Tyler asked Eight a question)

Deciding that the pirates wouldn't miss a bit of cloth, Tyler lifted it out of the crate and handed it to the Doctor. "Will this work? I......I don't know....maybe we should ask the pirates before using it....but, from the looks of it, it's been in storage for a while. They probably wouldn't mind that it was missing."

Then, remembering what he was going to ask the Doctor earlier, Tyler cleared his throat and then asked, "That map thing....did you see it? It was blank...so why did the pirate go for it? Or was it a joke that I just didn't get?" Tyler looked at him, completely confused.

[The Eighth Doctor]

"Well, we'll use it and ask later." The Doctor busied himself with getting a bit more room for them in the small room. "Here, can you rip it up into long strips? About two inches wide.It appears to be clean anyway. Better than the filthy bits they've been using currently."

he stepped back to survey the room and muttered to himeself as he removed his coat. "I hope the captain has at least the rudimaries of remedies. For antiseptic I supposed we could use the rum which is undoubtably on board in a large quanity. The hot water though, I fear may be dolled out sparingly, depending on how close they are to an island with a fresh source."

He then realized what Tyler had asked him and looked over at him. "Oh, the map? I'm not sure, It looked like plain paper but it seemed to have a certain.....aura about it." He frowned to himself as he ran the memory back in his mind. "I think I've seen something like that before.....I think.......ah......ah!" He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I wish I could remember things like I used to! There was a time when I could remember everything I needed, recite the entire works of Edgar Allen Poe AND all the variations of tea all in one go! But now.........I seem to just grasp the smallest thread and lose it again. Not good, not good at all. Comes with getting on in centuries, I suppose." He hung his coat on a large nail sticking out of the wall then turned to Tyler.

Clapping his hands together he said 'All right now! Shall we see our first patient?"

[The Tenth Doctor]

Tyler nodded at the Doctor, "Yeah....I can rip it into shreds...no problem."

He began to rip the material. As he was doing this, he smiled. "Yeah...I hope we can get some medicines for the people."

Tyler liked this Doctor person. He seemed to be kind and gentle and...interesting. He froze when he heard the Doctor's comment about getting on in centuries. However, he laughed to himself when he realized that the Doctor could not have meant it literally. This must have been a figurative expression for getting old.

Looking at the Doctor carefully, Tyler shrugged, "You're not that old. How old are you, anyway?"

Then he heard the Doctor's next question, "Yeah...sure....we can see our first patient."

He hoped that he wouldn't have any problems with his breathing at all while on board the ship. He knew that it wouldn't be likely that he wouldn't have trouble, but he hoped that if/when he did, that this Doctor person wouldn't notice. As much as he liked the idea of medicine helping other people, he distrusted it when it came to his own body. That, and the fact remained that Tyler's heart was on the wrong side of his chest -- being on the right instead of the left. He'd been somewhat afraid of Doctors, so he'd never done anything about his breathing difficulties.

[The Eighth Doctor]

"How old am I? That, my friend, all depends on just what calendar you are using. By the Chinese calendar I'm merely a few dynasties old, while the Mayan calendar would put me at around several king reigns. But if you used the Zho calendar used by the Dohlends from the Tragar System I'm still just a tot! All in relations, y'see."

Any further explanations was interrupted by Isaac bringing in a small cauldron of water. It was clear it was quite hot from the way he had it wrapped with more cloth and the care he was carrying it. He set it down on the makeshift table. "I talked to th' capn' about ye wantin' some meddications," he said. "I'm not sure but he may come aft wit' it. He keeps the chest in his cabin for safe."

"I certainly hope he will." The Doctor steadied the pot to avoid spilling. "Tyler, I may ask you to do me a great favor in a bit. I hope I can trust you with it but you seem like a trustworthy sort. If we're going to treat these men and their wounds I'm going to need a lot more than hot water, cloth and rum!"

[Dan Swarmy]

Dan watched the pirate captain walking back an fourth in front of him he was every bit of what he had been taught in his home planet, he had always looked up to Blackbeard as a great pirate of earth and here he was meeting him, he almost felt bad that he was going to look for something to plunder, maybe he could stay for a while check around for that time traveler, that he could sware was that odd Doctor chap, he needed to check that man out.

He was about to come back with some remark about being a fast swimmer but decided to say better of it, it was better to let it be it may make it seem even worse and even more like a lie. He just nodded along with what the captain was saying. Once he Had finished he saluted and spoke.
"I understand, so where ya be headin."

[The Eighth Doctor]

"We be sailin' for Port Royal, down Jamaica way." Blackbread growled roughly. "There th' lot of ye can spend yer gold how ye sees fit! Isiah! See to our friend here and show him where he can bunk! Then he needs a job t'keep him out o'mischief!"

Isiah, a wizened sailor that looked like he was around when the first schooner slipped into the waves grinned up at Dan with mostly gum showing. "Aye Cap'n! I be lookin' after this rosy-cheeked lad well enough! Come along, m'friend! Come along! Look sharp now!"

[Dan Swarmy]

Dan Grinned at the idea of going to port royal he remembered landing there sometime in the 19th century yeah don't think the people like him there during that century. He quickly broke out of what he was thinking once again focusing on what was going on, he watched the pirates go about their daily business. Then another pirate spoke to him and he nodded once again
"of we be going then," he waited for the pirate to get going and as they walked on he focused on the pirate studying every single bit of him, anything to plunder that he could sell somewhere else, how easily could he be duped etc.

[The Eighth Doctor]

"Jus' a moment, young lad," Isiah motioned for them to stop. "Since we be havin' a real doctor aboard I wants t'pay him a bit o' a visit. Mayhaps he has something for me 'rumtism'. It does ache fiercely at times, it does!"

The old sailor crept to the door of the cabin and knocked gently, then he opened it and crept in cautiously. Pulling off the dirty stocking that served as a hat he held it in his hands. "Beggin' yer pardon, Doctor, but I was wonderin' if you could see fit t'give me a bit o'something for me aches an' pains? I gots me the rumtism, I does, and sometimes I can't hardly even keep a firm grip on me cutlass! If I drops it in a fight it could be th' ends o'me, it would!"

"Yes, I could see how that would be rather inconvient for you, giving your line of work. Let me see now." The Doctor took the prirate's hands in his own and examined the knarled digits. "Hmm, look at this, Tyler. See? This is the result of months in cold wet weather. What this poor fellow has is Rheumatoid arthritis and an advanced state too. What this is is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints such as these. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development of pannus in the synovium. The pathology of the disease process often leads to the destruction of articular cartilage and ankylosis of the joints as you see here. Hmmmm, I doubt if I have anything here to help you but.....Tyler? Ah, please excuse me a moment, Mr...?"

"Isiah, me name's Isiah, sorr!" Again the old man bowed and scraped, the stocking waving gently in his grasp.

"Pleased to meet you, Isiah. Oh! I didn't see you there! Come on in,...ah...Dan, was it? Just a moment!" The Doctor took Tyler's elbow and led him to one side.

"Tyler, I am about to entrust you with a rather valuable object! Here." he said in a low tone. From the small pocket on his vest the Doctor took out his TARDIS key and its chain. "Now, down in the hold where we first met you will find a large blue box. This is the key to that box. When you open it you will more than likely be very very confused but don't worry. As long as you don't go around touching things you'll be all right. Now on the far wall directly across the door is another door. Go in there and then turn to your left. You will find a large cabinet. In that cabinet is a large leather bag. Could you bring that to me, please? Oh, and lock the door behind you and bring this key back. No use allowing the rats inside!"

He paused a moment before releasing the key onto Tyler's palm, but then he allowed it to fall from his hand and he turned back to his patient.

"Just give me a few moments and I'm sure we can make you a lot more comfortable, Mr Isiah."

"Oh, jes' plain Isiah, sorr! No need to go a-wastin' a Mr. on th' likes o'me!"

[Dan Swarmy]

Putting his hands behind his back he followed the pirate still studying him he quiet liked the stuff he had on he would have to check him when they stopped. He chuckled a little to himself wondering how easy was this going to be and if he could get away with plundering and chilling out a little. He knew it was dangerous to stay in one place for too long Time pirates are generally not liked in time and space.

They had stopped of at where that odd fellow and his companion was that Doctor and Tyler. the Doctor interested him he had no idea why though.
"That be me name ya be the Doctor right, where ya be coming from," at the same time as speaking Dan stood still and concentrated tapping his device that had taken the shape of an eye patch. It whirred up silently and instantly started to analyse the pirate in front of him for importance in time, he stood there for a few seconds watching the doctor with his other eye giving that Tyler something he could not be bothered with right now. The device beeped once more telling him the pirate had some importance so could not be displaced in time, this however did not mean he could not stun the pirate give him a memory wipe or something and take his clothes which according to the device would fetch a nice price on the planet grixls.

However something else another beep drew his attention and the device had wired to the doctor nowt his as interesting, it seemed he was the time traveller he had picked up on the scanner. Now that was all other he spotted a watch he had seen in the pocket of the pirate and took it from the pocket as quick as possible if the pirate noticed he only had to stun him.
(If you don't like that bit just tell me)

[The Tenth Doctor]

Tyler nodded at the Doctor's explanation about his age, although he was still left confused by the man's strange answer. It took some time for him to try to wrap his mind around the issue. He would have to ask the other man again, as the man bringing the water had broken up the conversation.

He thought to himself, "Well, I meant in terms of Earth years....hmmm...I should say by the English way of measuring age. Why couldn't he give me a straight, normal answer."

When the Doctor spoke about entrusting Tyler with something important, he could only nod. No one had given him an important task before. He had to wonder about how important this task would be.

When the pirate had come in and asked the Doctor to help him with his pain, at the Doctor's insistence, Tyler came up beside the Doctor to look at the man's fingers. He observe that they were indeed knarrled. Smiling at the idea of being this man's apprentice Tyler said nothing. He only observed what the Doctor was doing and how he did it. Still fearful of a possible catch, he didn't let himself hope too much in the possibility of a future alongside this Doctor.

Tyler looked at the Doctor with interest when he had said his name in question form, and then he followed the Doctor when he had been led by him to a corner.

Once they were away from the others, Tyler listened intently to the Doctor's words, nodding as the other man had spoken. Tyler glanced at the key that the Doctor had produced, staring at it. A key? But that could only mean that the Doctor had brought something aboard the ship that was locked -- something that the pirates didn't likely know about. Knowing their type, if they knew about something valuable, they would have taken it into their own possession.

Tyler continued to listen, rather confused about the instructions not to touch anything -- and especially the instructions involving doors and cabinets. Assuming that the Doctor wasn't talking about inside his blue box -- but had changed subjects to talking about the level of the ship that Tyler and he had met in, he only nodded. He would figure it out once he got there. However, it did sound like the Doctor was talking about all this being inside the blue box.

Tyler had held out his hand for the offered key, allowing it to fall into the palm of his hand. Speaking out loud, he assured the Doctor, "I'll bring it to you -- the bag...and...." he didn't want to say key out loud in front of the pirate, so he hoped that the Doctor knew what he meant.

The entrusted key in his hand, Tyler made his way out of the room and continued walking in the direction that he and the Doctor had first met. He hoped that no pirate would stop him along the way.

[The Eighth Doctor]

Blackbeard was more than just a little annoyed at the request of his giving up the chest of medicines he had stowed in his cabin. After all, it was a very precious commodity, him having to go through all the trouble of holding about a whole ship filled with wealthy passengers for ransom for it. He had almost hung the first one when the city of Charleston relented and sent the chest over. It wasn't that hard for them to do now, was it? One simple chest of medicines in return for the harbor city's most prominent citizens! (Of course he did relieve those said citizens from their valuables before releasing them, him being a reasonable pirate and all.)

(This is a historic fact. Blackbeard did indeed demand Charleston to fill a chest of medicines in return for those people!)

And now this Doctor wanted it! Well, he did claim to be a doctor and if he helped his crew get into a better shape for fighting it would be well for all of them. A captain did have to keep his crew content as best he could.

With a sigh he heaved it up from the corner and carried it out and towards the bow of the ship. It was rather heavy but he carried it easily and carefully. He heard the bottles inside gently tap each other and softly chime in spite of being wrapped inside wool so he tried not to jostle his burden too much. Not an easy task when walking on a wooden schooner on the high seas!

He had just reached the cabin when the young man whom the Doctor claimed to be his assistant came out. "Avast there!" the pirate growled. "Mind yer step! This be precious cargo here!"

[The Tenth Doctor]

Tyler stopped in his tracks as soon as he heard the captain's voice. He nervously stuff the hand with the key in it into his pocket and deposited the key there. Offering a nod to Blackbeard, he looked at the box that the pirate was carrying. Guessing it to be the medicines that were spoken of earlier, his face brightened at the site.

"Right....the Doctor will be glad to see those, I'm sure."

He hoped that the Captain would pass him by shortly so that he could continue on his way.

[The Eighth Doctor]

The Doctor looked up when the great form of Blackbeard filled the doorway. As soon as he saw the chest he broke into a smile. "Splendid! Splendid! Here, if you'll just set that here, Captain, I can take stock of what we have here."

Blackbeard carefully set the chest on the table and then he stepped back. "Put that to good use, Doctor. It be hard t'come by!" he ordered. He then stood there with crossed arms, curious as to just what was in those bottles and jars.

The Doctor took them out one by one and examined their contents. "All right, what have we here now. Sulpher, uh hmmm......calomel..... mercury! Oh dear, we have to be careful with that one!.....alum...vinegar...ginger? Sounds more like a shopping list......nitre....linseed oil....spermaceti....well,what's this?" He picked up a small wooden box. It was carved with intricate designs and highly polished. "Beautiful! What is kept in here, surgical instruments, I suppose?" After opening it he made a face. "Oh, a bleeding kit. Well, I don't believe we'll be doing much of that here."

Blackbeard couldn't believe his ears. "No bleedin' But what if one o'the crew got the fever??!! Ye gots t'let out the poisons!"

"My dear captain, there are much better ways of dealing with fevers and such without the risk of further weakening the patient! I have no idea how this idea got started but I am not being any party to it!"

The Doctor set the kit aside and continued looking through the assortment. It was sadly lacking in a lot of items that were the basis of simple first aid kits of later times but he knew this was the most complete collection that could be had in this time period. He sighed and shook his head. There was just so much for the human race to learn!

[The Tenth Doctor]

Tyler had not stuck around to see what was in the medicine chest that Blackbeard had just brought. Glad for an excuse to continue on his way, and thankful that Blackbeard was distracted, Tyler made his way along the vessel until he came to the area in which he had first met the Doctor. Having only seen the passage once, Tyler was able to remember the route. Having a good memory about directions had helped him more than once in his lifetime.

Although it hadn't been long since he had been in that particular section of the ship, he had forgotten that it was harder for him to breathe down there for some reason. He often ignored it, as there was nothing that could be done about it, and he wasn't willing to find out if there was really something wrong with him. He just lived with it.

As he retraced his steps i that room, he looked around to look for the blue box that the Doctor had spoken of. Assuming it would be small, he gasped when he saw a rather large blue box. Glancing over his shoulder, he reached into his pocket and took out the key. Turning it and finally pushing the door open, he let out a small cry when he saw the interior of the blue box.

Somehow, although Tyler had no idea how it was possible, it happened to be bigger on the inside. There was a strange looking piece of what looked to be machinery in the middle of the room. "What is this place? And how is this even possible?" Tyler asked himself.

It was at that point that he remembered the Doctor's words about not touching anything and something along the lines of seeing some things that he might not understand. He also realized that the Doctor really had been speaking of a cabinet inside the box. Hunting for it, he remembered the Doctor's directions.

Opening the door to the cabinet, he found the leather bag right where the Doctor had said it would be. Grabbing it, he exited the strange blue box and locked it. Of course he was left with many questions, but he would have to ask the Doctor them later. They had a patient to help, and he didn't want to keep the Doctor waiting on his first assignment.

Besides, he was having a considerably harder time breathing, and he wanted to be back as soon as possible. He preferred standing still to walking around and doing something when he was having one of the difficult breathing times. His breathing problems slowed him down a bit, but he was determined to get back to the Doctor as fast as he could.

He slipped the key back into his pocket and returned to the Doctor. He stopped just outside of the doorway, not wanting to annoy Blackbeard -- if he was even still there.

[Dan Swarmy]

Dan had a plan already formulated in his mind and he quickly slipped out following the other pirate, he quickly changed his time displacer into stun mode and waited until they where safely away from any other pirate, while he enjoyed killing and plundering he was not stupid. As soon-as he was sure there was nothing else around he smiled grinned and then spoke in a more commanding tone,
"Avast ya maybe wantin to turn around," he watched with a smug look on his face as the pirate did giving him just enough time to register what was about to happen he let the shot go.

The good thing about it was that it was actually pretty quiet the only two people that could really hear where Dan and the pirate, also an added bonus the pirate would reammber nothing when he woke up. It took him a while to take the clothes and use one of the gadgets he had to transport them into his ship. Once hiding the body in a nearby cabin he made his way down into another part of the ship and something out of the corner of his eye made him stop. He noticed that person Tyler coming out of the blue box which seemed oddly out of place. Quickly tapping the eye patch he waited and raised his eyes at what he was reading. It was Time lord technology now this would be interesting it confirmed that the Doctor was definitely a time traveler. Formulating a plan he walked the way he saw Tyler go he was ready for a spot of Tyler napping.