Investigation : The Bane

[The First Doctor]

"Me too." she agreed simply, flashing a smile at the sunset.

"I know," he said with a lopsided grin, "That's why I invited you back into the TARDIS, after all that trouble with Irongron and Linx."

The Doctor skidded, and slid, and finally tumbled down the ridge, landing in an undignified heap in the sand. He got to his knees and dusted sand and bits of rock from his clothing and hair, and chuckled as Sarah slid to a stop near him. "Remind me, would you, that I should - just possibly - look before I leap?" A rueful smile. "I don't know that it will honestly do any good, but if you remind me than I might be a little more careful."

Shading his eyes, he looked first at the lab and then at the sphere. "We should probably check that out first," he said, pointing to the sphere. "We already know the Bane are here. I'd like to know who they are."

He rose, and offered Sarah his hand. "Shall we?"

[Sarah Jane]

"That's why I invited you back into the TARDIS, after all that trouble with Irongron and Linx." The Doctor referenced before he had jumped.

"Yeah, I remember that one. Thanks Doctor." She'd said with a fine helping of wry right before she'd jumped after him. It was when they were sitting in the dirt together that she felt at home again. Typical. Perfect.

"Remind you to look before you leap? Why change things now, Doctor? It might slow you down." She teased as they got to their feet. The lab Sphere and the Ship looked too tidy and still to be trouble, but she knew the Sontarans too well for that. The Bane she did not know, and was getting very interested in. 'Genetically engineered fifth column' said much, but not enough.

It took her a full three seconds after the Doctor offered his hand that she took it. This flesh was still a stranger to her. His hand was different, like the rest of him, and exactly the same.
"Lets do it. Boldly in the front door? Or do we sneak in the back?"

[The First Doctor]

"Remind you to look before you leap? Why change things now, Doctor? It might slow you down." She teased as they got to their feet.

"I dunno," he said, looking around. "I've been thinking I should settle down a little, recently. Buy a house, park the TARDIS, spend my days yelling at Cybermen to get off my lawn..."

A laugh. "Of course, I'd be bored out of my skull inside a week, and probably be terrorizing the neighbors within two. Assuming something didn't show up and blow the whole neighborhood apart before then."

"Lets do it. Boldly in the front door? Or do we sneak in the back?"

He walked towards the sphere, long strides eating up ground, not directly answering her question. Occasionally, he would stop for a moment to point out some botanical or geological (and, to tell the truth, they were frequently one and the same) item of interest. Soon, the ship was looming over them like a curving chromium cliff.

"Front door," he finally answered. "Let's stir things up a little."

They rounded the curve of the sphere, coming to a sloping ramp that led from the upper third down to the ground. Two men in uniforms, very human-like except for their blue skin and crimson eyes, leveled rifles at them. "Who goes there?"

The Doctor fished a leather wallet out of his coat. "I'm the Doctor, and this is my assistant, Sarah Jane Smith. And I want to inspect your vessel. Right now."

They blinked in surprise. As they looked at the wallet, their faces contorted from bored hostility to naked fear. "Speaker!," one of them trembled as both snapped to attention, "A thousand apologies. We were not notified of your coming. I will conduct you to the Captain immediately!"

The Doctor looked nonplussed. "That was... unexpected," he muttered to Sarah. "I wonder who they think I am?"

"Please," the guard said, "If you and your concubine will follow me..?"

[Sarah Jane]

Her voice was full of her true affection.
"Doctor, if you ever have to settle down for some reason, you'll be the crankiest old man in the Universe. You better stick to what you know." Walking beside him hand in hand, she hopped and popped him in the back of his thigh with the heel of her opposite side shoe, swinging a leg around behind herself.

"I'm going to like it. I'm going to live in a house with a yard and and get to know Earth. I was so young when I left with you, I never got out on my own. Not out of South Croydon anyway." Now she gave his hand a squeeze. "I wouldn't have missed it, but you're taking me home after this." Would she have felt the same way if her curly haired Doctor had come looking for her? Luckily, she didn't need to guess. Someday she'd cry over that, but it seemed unnecessary while she was actually hurrying along beside him hand in hand.

She was becoming very fond of Zarmina's World. The Doctor showed her impossible simple beauties just getting from the cliff to the Dome. She was most entranced by the bugs that seemed to be made of jewels with tiny clockwork bits inside. One had become caught in her hair on their way and she'd gotten a good look at it. She smiled at him when he chose the front door.

"Doctor, I think you've gotten both a little shorter, and a little bolder. Front door it is."



She'd never seen such a deep shade of blue before in skin. The alien's eyes were the exact same shade of red as the sun, and she wondered if these were the natives of this planet, or just the hired guns. She stood easy and calm as the beings confronted them, fairly unconcerned, for the Doctor was there. As she expected, he had a plan. She got a glance at the paper, and all she saw was a smiley face. Their greeters saw something else and it was getting them in the door. Then she heard the word "concubine" in regards herself and her ears went instantly red hot.

In years past, she'd thrown fits at such things, and more than once had spent her visit on a planet cooling her heels in the local brig until the Doctor could spring her. She would bide her time and find the perfect moment to let these blue men know the error of their ways. For now, she could only take it out on the Doctor, socking him in the arm. She showed him her mad eyes, lashes slightly smoldering if only metaphorically.

"Apparently they think you're a pimp, 'Speaker'. You certainly dress like one." She hissed under her breath.

[The First Doctor]

"Please," the guard said, "If you and your concubine will follow me..?"

Only centuries of practice allowed the Doctor to maintain a straight face. He knew, knew, that if he looked at Sarah right now he would, at best, snicker. And then she would murder him. And so he kept his face carefully neutral.

"Of course," he made a little gesture with his right hand, his voice only slightly strained, "Lead on."

Sarah, who knew him better than the guard, punched him in the arm as soon as the guard's back was turned.

"Apparently they think you're a pimp, 'Speaker'. You certainly dress like one." She hissed under her breath.

"No, Sarah," he whispered back, "I dress like a hooligan. Now, if you'd seen the hat I was wearing in Florence..." He struggled to maintain his composure. "That made me look like a pimp."

They walked the halls of the sphere in silence, the Doctor's keen eyes taking in the details. The ship was designed for functionality above all - redundant air brakes, every door hermetically sealed, emergency lockers, corridors that turned every 15 to 20 meters.

Warship, he thought. Distinctly a warship.

The crew was not monospecies, either. Most of them were humanoid, with an apparent slight majority being blue-skinned like the guard, but it was very much a siple majority. He spotted at least two Alpha Centaurans as well, and one flowing, skittering thing that resembled the offspring of a centipede and a moray eel.

The guard stopped at one of the featureless, hermetically-sealed doors. "Please wait here, sir. I will inform the Captain." He vanished through the door.

The Doctor leaned against a wall and folded his arms. "It'll be interesting to see how this works out," he said. "Something about this ship feels familiar, but I can't quite place it. Distinctly not Sontaran, though." He seemed to be thinking out loud.

"Any ideas?" He lifted an eyebrow, and mischief danced in his eyes. "Concubine." he added with a lopsided grin.

[Sarah Jane]

If it had been anyone besides the Doctor, she would have throttled them then and there. She knew that he understood her mind on such things, so he was simply ribbing her hard. She tried for four different sharp comebacks but was too boiling to think of any. Instead, she simply made inarticulate sounds not unlike and angry cat, her face fierce. She shook a finger up to his grinning face. This impotency amused even herself, and she found her face breaking into a smile even as her eyebrows continued to frown, and her finger to indicate her vexation.
"At some point today, Doctor, you're going to regret that." She warned him.

"I do have ideas." She then said, her eyes suddenly all eager business. "You're the Speaker, Doctor. Maybe that means your a liaison between the ones on the ship, and the ones in the complex, surely they are here for some deal. Who better to make it all come out . . .just right Who better to translate?"

She was certain the folks here were up to no good. She could see it in the harsh lines of their ship that left no scroll or twist for the sake of beauty. The crisp way all the beings were behaving just screamed military of some kind. She'd never seen military of such mixed species before. It had seemed symptomatic of military to be a bit xenophobic. She thought of how the others were careful not to step upon the giant centipede. But then there was the use of the word 'concubine'. A disturbing combination.. She took his leather sleeve in her fist for balance and got up on her toes to whisper in his ear.

"I don't like them."

She settled back on her heels and studied his eyes.

[The First Doctor]

"At some point today, Doctor, you're going to regret that." She warned him.

He threw his head back, laughing so hard he looked like he was going to slide off the wall.

"I do have ideas." She then said, her eyes suddenly all eager business.

The laughter stopped as quickly as it started, and he gave her his attention.

"You're the Speaker, Doctor. Maybe that means your a liaison between the ones on the ship, and the ones in the complex, surely they are here for some deal. Who better to make it all come out . . .just right Who better to translate?"

"I don't like them."

The Doctor thought about that for a second. "That's not a bad thought," he began, "except for one little problem." He held a finger up. "I'm not the Speaker, and there's only so far that psychic paper will get me."

He smiled, and stood away from the wall. "So I've got a better idea. We're inside. Why don't we go have a bit of a look-see, instead of talking to the Captain? Poke around, try to find out who they are and why they're here." A lopsided grin. "You know, rather than hanging around and getting executed as imposters?"

He played eenie-meenie-miney-moe, and his finger pointed the way they'd came. He glared at it for a second, and turned the opposite direction. "See, the important thing is seizing the initiative. Making other people react to your actions..."

They were approaching an intersection in the corridor. From behind, a voice could be heard shouting: "Hey! You two! Halt!" A power beam sizzled into the bulkhead near them.

"On second thought, the most important thing? RUN!"

[Sarah Jane]

It didn't matter whether the Doctor chose her idea or not. She liked it that he listened, the focus on his face. The twinkle in his eyes as his brain worked. Her plan fell apart leaving them executed while the Doctor formed his own.

Sneak around and investigate. They were also quite good at at that.

"Right." She agreed with a wry smile following him, wondering again if he really used coin flipping and eeny, meeny, miny, moe to choose direction or of that was just a flourish to amuse them both.

The sudden guards were not so amused, and a bit trigger happy is well. She was already running, right off his right heel, giving him just enough lead that she doesn't take a wrong turn. At this point in her time traveling career, she is in the best running shape of her life and is glad of it as they pelted away.

"They certainly are reacting to us! Good work, Doctor."

[The First Doctor]

"They certainly are reacting to us! Good work, Doctor."

"Ah, admit it, Sarah!" he laughed, skidding around the corner and sprinting, "You love this part!"

They ducked around a few more corners, taking connecting paths at random. Lights were flashing now, and warning sirens. "We need a control room of some sort," the Doctor remarked, "Let me know if you see anything likely."

Another turn, and three soldiers were right in front of them. The Doctor skidded to a halt as they raised their weapons.

"Right!" the Doctor barked, producing the leather wallet again. "They're right behind us! Hop to it!"

---

The brig was small and uncomfortable, and made smaller and even less comfortable by the Doctor's pacing. He was waving his hands around animatedly as he bemoaned their fate.

"I don't trust psychic paper, Susan. I told her that a dozen times. And so I go and try to use it, when I don't even know who these people are."

Irritated, he threw himself against the wall and slid to the floor. "Remind me of that, would you? Psychic paper is utter rubbish. I should've just... I dunno, offered them a jelly baby or something. It worked in the old days, after all."

He glared at the door, then sighed and looked at Sarah. "So. Worked out an escape plan yet?"

[Sarah Jane]

Sarah Jane sat on the cot, slumping against the wall, glaring at the doctor and kicking sullenly at the floor.

"You never used to depend on gadgets much. Not except the Sonic." She groans, her hands fly up only to land in her lap again as she blows a long stray lock of hair out of her eyes. "Doctor, I do love the running part. I just don't like the getting caught and locked up part." She sat up when he asked for her ideas. She drew up her feet and wrapped her arms around coltish slender legs, her face full of hopeful speculation.

"Well, if they're misogynistic to assume I'm a concubine, they'll also have a special place for females. So I make a big fuss, and get myself away from you, you terrible hooligan-" She is smiling now seeing how well this will work, "They'll underestimate me like I bet they do the rest of the women and it will be easy to break out and come save you. How about that?"

[The First Doctor]

"You never used to depend on gadgets much. Not except the Sonic."

"Ouch," the Doctor winced, then grinned ruefully. "I deserve that, though. I have gotten sloppy, recently."

"Doctor, I do love the running part. I just don't like the getting caught and locked up part."

"Yeah, that part gets old really quick." He looked at the cell door. "We could... nah, wouldn't work. They took the yo-yo as well." He spread his hands, appealing to the heavens. "The yo-yo. Who confiscates a yo-yo? What am I going to do, cat's cradle my way to freedom?"

She sat up when he asked for her ideas. She drew up her feet and wrapped her arms around coltish slender legs, her face full of hopeful speculation.

"Well, if they're misogynistic to assume I'm a concubine, they'll also have a special place for females. So I make a big fuss, and get myself away from you, you terrible hooligan-" She is smiling now seeing how well this will work, "They'll underestimate me like I bet they do the rest of the women and it will be easy to break out and come save you. How about that?"

The Doctor looked skeptical. And then he looked like he was thinking. Then he looked hesitant. And then he appeared to think some more. Then he smiled, showing most of his teeth. "That... that's brilliant! It's also absurdly dangerous, but still brilliant." He chuckled, then started laughing. "Right then, shall we get started?"

[Sarah Jane]

He'd been asking for her opinion more. She wondered if it was because he had changed, grown perhaps in the time intervening. Or maybe he was just testing her some before he left her again. She began to think that her time with the Doctor was going to be very useful when it came to quick thinking for investigative reporting. She smiled at him, a toothy grin.

"Crazy, isn't it? Let's try right now." Her voice got louder. "Because, you know, I'm not staying here another minute." She went from loud to yelling. "In fact, I'm not legally required to be here!" She was getting into it, bright smile turning into a fierce face of argument. "My contract says I don't have to stay! Guard! Guard!" Now she went to the bars and held on, shouting at the top of lungs of considerable power." "Guard! I want someone in authority now." This went on for a little while with no response. Sarah Jane looked at the Doctor with question and challenge in her eyes. She went up to him and grabbed him by the lapels, shaking him painlessly.

"Help! Help! Guard! Help me someone! Heeeeelp! I site Article 6 part B! I'm not supposed to be here!"

There was the sound of a door down the corridor. Sarah Jane started pummeling his elbows with the soft sides of her fists, watching his eyes to see if he gets it.

"Help! He's gone crazy! Let me out!"

[The First Doctor]

"Crazy, isn't it? Let's try right now." Her voice got louder. "Because, you know, I'm not staying here another minute." She went from loud to yelling. "In fact, I'm not legally required to be here!"

The Doctor blinked once, then grinned. "The hell you say," he roared, rising to his feet. "You signed a contract!"

She was getting into it, bright smile turning into a fierce face of argument. "My contract says I don't have to stay! Guard! Guard!" Now she went to the bars and held on, shouting at the top of lungs of considerable power." "Guard! I want someone in authority now." This went on for a little while with no response.

He joined in on the chaos, ranting - and he'd observed some past masters (or, possibly, Masters) of the art - and raving. "You signed that contract, and there ain't no provisions fer getting out of it just 'cause you don't like the accommodations, see! And I brought you along to look decorative, see, not to give me no lip or no backtalk neither, see! So you just sit that cute little butt of your down now, and no lip, or I'll teach you some respect, see!"

Sarah Jane looked at the Doctor with question and challenge in her eyes. She went up to him and grabbed him by the lapels, shaking him painlessly.

"Help! Help! Guard! Help me someone! Heeeeelp! I site Article 6 part B! I'm not supposed to be here!"

He spotted the guards approaching, and thought fast. "Sorry about this," he mouthed.

And then he backhanded her across the mouth. "Listen here, you two-bit slag! I've had all I'm going to take from you!" He pulled off his jacket and made a production out of rolling up the sleeves of his t-shirt. "So I'm gonna have to learn you some respect, now."

There was the sound of a door down the corridor. Sarah Jane started pummeling his elbows with the soft sides of her fists, watching his eyes to see if he gets it.

"Help! He's gone crazy! Let me out!"

The door opened. One of the guards pulled Sarah out, roughly. The other two drew truncheons and entered the cell. "Feisty, ain't ya?" one of them said, slapping the baton against his hand.

The guard that had Sarah looked into the cell, watching the Doctor grin nervously as the other two closed in on him. "Should've put you in a separate cell," he said. "You need any medical attention?"

In the background, the distinctive sounds of a man getting beaten quite professionally could be heard.

[Sarah Jane]

She'd seen the Doctor angry before. This was not it. It was just playing along, of course. She let herself get into the part and barely batted and eyelash when he smacked her.

"I don't have to stay with you if you're incarcerated! It's in my contract you big-"

They came. She was at the bars again citing article and verse, but they simply reached in and hauled her out. It was then that she noticed a slim hot trickle of blood dripping down to her chin.

"No. I'm fine!" She said, quite truthfully, she'd given herself a worse split lip just yawning hard on a dry day. The one who had her arm started to haul her off, not with malice, but with the same sort of perfunctory attention one might give a yowling cat at three in the morning when you put it out.

Then she heard what was happening behind her and stiffened. They were beating her friend. Her belly went cold and her ears went hot. Suddenly each step she took away from him felt like a betrayal. She walked stiff legged with the guard down two long hallways. It was then that she decided she could bare to go no further and collapsed into tears. Truly collapsed, first swaying against the guard and letting gravity pull her down. On the way, her hand found some sort of terrible armament at his hip, she almost took it. But what the hell would she do with it? Regardless of what he might think of her, she groped around at his pants, crying something about how her 'owner' was a beast. There. A hard rod. She pulled it loose, as she went down the rest of the way.

Needless to say, the blue man was momentarily stunned with all her weeping and groping. She sprang up to her feet behind him, took that baton two handed and whacked him hard in the back of the head. Down he went like a ton of bricks.

She is groping him again, trying not to shake in her worry and haste. She was searching for something that could be like keys.

[The First Doctor]

The worst part of a professional beating, the Doctor mused, is the beating itself.

Someone had once tried to convince him that the worst part was the anticipation between the blows. But, as he had become something of an unwilling connoisseur of beatings over the centuries, he found he was forced to disagree. Anticipation doesn't hurt. Batons hurt.

And so, it was with a mixture of surprise and relief that the beating stopped sooner than he had expected. The two guards were veritable virtuosos of violence, and it had seemed that they were just hitting their strides.

He looked up, and saw a grim and terrified Sarah Jane Smith holding a baton in both hands, standing over the unconscious guards. With some effort, he managed to get himself into a sitting position. "That..." he said, sounding ever so slightly strained, "that was unpleasant."

A quick once over. "Nothing broken," he said, as he tried and failed to stand. "I... I think I'll just sit here for another moment." Seeing Sarah tremble, just a little, he tried to smile reassuringly. The effect was probably spoiled by his split lip. "What about you?" he asked. "Are you all right?"