The Dead Planet

Right! Finally finished writing the first part of The Daleks, it's taken a while but I've finally gotten round to it. Wow it's been over 2 years since I updated. I finally got inspired to do some more after starting to read Time's Wordsmith by BigBadWolfTardis because that goes through the Classic episodes. Sometimes I just want someone else to write this... but then I realise that it won't be the story I want, all the ideas of what I want to happen won't happen or happen how I envisioned them. So here it is! The first part of the first ever episode to feature the Daleks! I've also gone back through the pervious chapters and fixed some grammar and spelling (I was rereading them anyway so I might as well fix them a bit).

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Doctor Who

~0~

They went outside, and the door closed behind them.

Unseen, the dial on the radiation counter flickered into life. Like so much of the TARDIS's equipment, it tended to be erratic, and Susan's tap had started it working again. The needle swung slowly across the dial, until it entered the section marked 'Danger'.

~0~

Outside was a forest. The trees and vegetation was bare, much like you would expect in winter. However they looked dead, unlikely to ever bloom or blossom again. Everything was an ashen white, as if someone was looking at everything through an old TV recording, devoid of colour. The air was thick as well, almost like mist but unnatural. With every step they took whatever was under their feet seemed to turn to dust.

Barbara, at the front of the line they had formed, looked around before crossing her arms and shivering. "There must have been a forest fire. Everything's sort of white and ashen."

Ian took some exaggerated steps. "Funny sort of mist," he commented.

The Doctor looked around. "The heat must have been indescribable. Look at this soil here. Look at it." The Doctor bent down to pick some of it up as Susan, Harry and Barbara examined it with him. "It's all turned to sand and ashes." Harry took some into his hand before blowing it away, much like a performing magician would.

"It's like the ashes left after lighting a fire," Harry commented.

"Extraordinary," the Doctor exclaimed. "How can shrubs and trees grow in soil like that, hmm?"

"I don't think they do grow Doctor," Harry replied taking another look around. "I mean look at the trees, I've seen more life in a horror movie graveyard than here."

"Something else that's strange." Ian interrupted, pulling the others attention away from the ground and the dust. "There's quite a breeze blowing."

Everyone stood still for a moment, facing into the wind. It wasn't a soft breeze however it wasn't the harsh wind that you would often get at the seafront in England. The wind was just strong enough to feel against their cheeks and cool their eyes.

"Well?" Susan asked.

Turning back towards the thick tree in front of him, Ian began his explanation. "Well, look at the branches and things."

"They don't seem to be moving," Susan said as she finally caught onto what Ian was trying to say.

"They're not. They're absolutely still." Barbara added.

As the others began to walk off deeper into the forest, Ian grabbed one of the twigs hanging off the tree before him. Grabbing the twig he broke it off easily, dislodging a large cloud of dust that immediately fell to the floor. He made a sound of exclamation before joining the others again. "Like stone," he said, showing the others. "Very brittle stone. It crumbles when you touch it. Look." The 'twig' was then broken up into segments which were past to each of them to examine. Harry immediately dropped his, disliking the disgusting feel the 'twig' gave off.

"It's petrified," the Doctor explained. "How fascinating, a petrified jungle. Hm. Extraordinary. Yes, I must really investigate that. Couldn't have been heat then and age would merely decay." The Doctor looked around him with new curiosity, lightly pursing his lips together.

"When you say petrified I'm guessing to don't mean terrified," Harry said. "More in the sense of looking at Medusa kind of thing?"

"Hmm if you'd like to think of it that way," the Doctor replied vaguely.

"What could have caused it, Grandfather?" Susan asked.

"I don't know, I don't know but I intend to find out." The Doctor replied, frustrated. He began to walk past Susan, striding with a new found purpose.

"Well I'm coming too." Susan said resolutely. Harry quickly grabbed her hand before she could get away from him too quickly.

"And if you're going, I'm going," Harry said, smiling brightly when Susan gave him a glance.

As one the group of three began to walk away, leaving Barbara and Ian together.

~0~

"Ian, where are we?" Barbara asked, looking at Ian imploringly. Ian however was looking off into the distance as if that would give him some clue to the strange situation they had found themselves in.

"I don't know," he answered.

"Well why doesn't he take us back?" Barbara finally asked now that the Doctor had left them.

"I'm not sure that he can," Ian replied distractedly.

"What, ever?" Barbara asked, slightly distraught.

"I hate it as much as you do." Ian said, watching as Barbara walked around him to look off into the same distance that he had been not a second before. "I'm just as afraid. But what can we do?"

"We could at least stay near the ship," Barbara suggested hopefully. Ian gave a small laugh.

"Ships no good without him," Ian shot down. He turned to face the direction the Doctor, Harry and Susan had taken off in. Barbara turned to face Ian hoping that he might have a better suggestion. "We better keep an eye on him. He seems to have the same knack as Harry for getting himself into trouble."

"Do you think there is any danger?" Barbara asked, thinking of the adventure they'd just come from.

"Not necessarily."

"But don't be too complacent," Barbara finished. She took a deep breath to calm her thoughts. "No, you're right I suppose. I just wish-"

"It'll be alright," Ian interjected. He smiled down at her. She looked up slightly before seeming to come to a decision.

"Yes. Well, I suppose we'd better make sure he doesn't fall down and break a leg." Barbara started to head the direction the others had gone. She stopped and turned back to Ian, asking, "Don't you ever think that he deserves something to happen to him?"

Ian gave a slight chuckle and replied with a simple "yes".

~0~

Further on in the forest the trio had made it to a large tree with a spiralling design working its way towards the very top of the trunk. Harry paused for a moment to look closer at the trunk. Hand raised he felt along the tree. The bark was cold, there was absolutely no life left, not that he had expected there to be but he could hope. He turned towards Susan as he felt her slide her hand from his. He stilted his head curiously as she knelt down onto the ground to look at something.

"What you got there Susan?" Harry asked.

"I think it's a flower." Susan replied, brushing her fingertips very gently over the petals of the plant. "Grandfather! Look, a perfect flower. Well, it's even kept some of its colour."

"Yes, very pretty, very pretty. Hm." The Doctor said distractedly. He didn't even bother to turn around to look. Seeing this Harry frowned and settled a comforting arm over Susan's shoulders. He tensed slightly as he heard movement behind them. Susan however turned with a smile.

"Hey, look. Look what I've found," Susan said happily to Ian who was just coming towards them. Susan adjusted here kneeling position so that Ian could crouch down next to here to examine the flower also. Harry, seeing that Susan was being properly watched went to join the Doctor to examine the frozen trees.

"What do you make of it then Doc? Guessing it's not Earth then?" Harry asked the Doctor who was currently looking at the odd shaped leaves.

"Hmmm what?" He said, having paid absolutely no attention to his surroundings.

"One of these days your curiosity is going to get the better of you," Harry muttered to himself. "I was asking if you thought this was Earth," Harry said, gesturing around them.

"Oh I wouldn't expect so no, of course I can't be sure without something more to go on," the Doctor replied. If Harry was being honest the Doctor still didn't look like he was paying all that much attention to the conversation.

"Well, whatever this place is I've got a bad feeling about it," Harry remarked, rubbing his left wrist with his other hand.

"Oh come now my dear boy, there's nothing here to be afraid of, you're probably just tired" the Doctor remarked, turning around to give Harry a reproachful look.

"Well whatever it is my spidey senses are tingling." Almost exactly after he had said this they heard Barbara scream. The Doctor took off in the direction they had just come from. "Oh I hate being right," Harry grumbled before taking off after him.

~0~

"Ian, Ian," Barbara shouted hysterically to Ian who was stood with Susan discussing what to do with crystallized flower they had found.

"Coming, coming," Ian shouted back before hurrying off in the direction of Barbara. In his hurry though he forgot the delicate nature of the flower in his hand and smashed in down into Susan's outstretched hands, breaking it into multiply pieces.

"What is it? What's the matter?" Ian asked coming up behind Barbara and gripping her shoulders. Barbara's only reply was to point in the direction that she was facing. Following her line of sight he saw what seemed to be an animal the size of a small pig. It had four squat legs and a bulbous head with antennae eyes on top. Along its back was a dual line of spines and its whole body was covered in a metallic like substance, giving it an almost unnatural gleam. The fact that it was standing completely immobile made it an even more horrifying sight.

Behind them they could hear Susan, Harry and the Doctor just bursting into the clearing before they too froze. Slowly Ian and Harry inched toward the creature.

"No," Barbara suddenly exclaimed, grabbing Ian before he could get out of her reach and too close to the creature. Ian though just gently removed himself from her grip and kept moving forwards. Harry, seeing no movement form the creature at all, suddenly swiped his directly in front of where the animal seemed to be looking. It did not move at all. Ian chuckled before leaning against the tree next to the creature.

"It's alright. Like everything else in this place," Ian said, tapping the head, "solid stone."

Seeing no danger, the rest of the group moved to gather around the animal. All of them taking the time to examine the creature for themselves. To Harry the creature was like nothing he had ever seen before, both in this universe and his original one. In his opinion the head was entirely too big for its neck to be able to hold it yet it obviously did.

Cautiously taking a few steps, Barbara hovered behind Ian, watching it. "It's hideous," she said, scrutinizing its face. Behind her Susan also stepped forward, and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. The broken flower lay forgotten behind her.

"Yes, it is," Ian agreed. "It's also significant. Nothing on Earth could look like this," he said, gazing off into the distance. Susan came closer and peered around the two at the creature. His words made her look up at Ian sharply.

"It looks like some sculptor's nightmare," Barbara commented, no longer afraid.

"Oh I wouldn't say that Miss," Harry said thoughtfully.

The Doctor moved to stand behind the creature and hovered above it before feeling its back. "Well, it's certainly alien to anything on your planet," he agreed. "But you're wrong about one thing, Chesterfield. This isn't like everything else," he continued, feeling along the frozen creatures scales. "The animal is solidified, certainly, but it's not crumbly stone. It's metal. Yes, it always was," he concluded.

"Even when it was alive?" marvelled Ian. "But that's impossible," he argued.

"Why?" asked the Doctor. "Can't you imagine an animal unless it's flesh, blood, and bone? Hmm? No, I tell you this is an entirely different formation." After examining the creature the Doctor stood back up from being bent over atop it. "I should say originally it was some pliable metal," he continued. Pondering how it lived, he took of his glasses and continued, "held together by a magnetic field, or an inner magnetic field rather, and it may have had the ability to attract its victims towards it, if they were metal, too."

"Must have been pretty hard to kill," Harry remarked.

"Oh I don't know," the Doctor replied, stroking his chin. "If you look at the scale shapes along its stomach I'd say if you hit it from the right angle you could do some serious damage."

Barbara glanced up to the Doctor. "We're not on Earth, then?" she asked quietly.

"No, certainly not," he replied.

Ian looked over to Barbara seeing her wistful expression. She returned his look and smiled sadly.

"Are you sure?" he asked, turning back to the Doctor.

"Oh, certain," the Doctor replied. Stepping back around the creature, leaning on its back in support, the Doctor stood before the rest of the group. "And you needn't look at me like that, young man," he continued. "We started this journey far too hurriedly to make any calculations. You know that as well as I do. However," he continued, "we are alive."

"Hey, Grandfather, look," Susan called out just a few steps away. "The jungle ends over there," she said, gesturing off to one side with a nod of her head. Stepping up to her, the Doctor rested a hand on her shoulder. Scrunching up his face he focused on the distance, considering the break in the jungle. Harry joined them a moment later after giving a discrete scan of the animal when no one was looking. Gently Harry slipped Susan's hand into his and gave a gentle squeeze. She turned to him and gave a slight smile, Harry obviously wasn't the only one affected by this strange world either. The Doctor quietly observed them both out of the corner of his eye.

~0~

Barbara took a couple of steps in their direction but stopped to sit on the stump of a former tree instead. She watched the ground with her steps and once sitting hadn't lifted her head.

"Try not to be too upset," Ian told her, stepping closer.

"I counted so much on just going back to things I recognize and trust," she admitted. "But here there's nothing to rely no, nothing," she continued, looking about them.

"Well," he interrupted her, "there's me." They shared a chuckle and she glanced back to her hands resting on her lap. "Barbara…" he began. He set his heel on the back of the trunk beside her and rested an elbow upon his knee, clasping his hands. "All I ask you to do is believe, really believe, we'll go back. We will, you know," he promised her.

She raised her eyes to meet his. "I wish I was more like you," she told him. "I'm afraid I'm a very unwilling adventurer."

"Well, I'm not exactly revelling in it myself," he countered.

"Grandfather's talking about fixing our position by the stars," Susan said, rushing over to where the two rested. She smiled brightly, glad to be the bearer of good news, and bounced a little where she stood. Ian brought his foot back down and stood up straight.

"Good," he told her. Reaching out, he gave her shoulder a small squeeze and smiled. "Where is he?" he asked.

"Just over there," Susan replied, beaming. She nodded with her head and Ian headed off in the direction she indicted.

"Susan," Barbara addressed her.

"Hmm?" she asked, glancing about them. Susan kept her gaze low, searching for another flower. All around the clearing she gazed, half paying attention.

"Don't you have anything in the ship that records the journeys?" she asked, curious.

"Oh, yes," Susan replied, turning back to face Barbara. "There's a meter fixed to a great big bank of computers," she told her. The girl stood straight and clasped her hands behind her back proudly. "If you feed it with the right information, it can take over the controls of the ship and deliver you to any place you want to go," she continued, stretching her hands out behind her.

Barbara watched the girl. "Then why don't we know where we are?" she asked.

Susan turned once again to face Barbara. She had trouble standing still, too busy wanting to search for another flower, perhaps Harry would help her. "Well, it's a question of the right information, you see," she told her. "I don't say that Grandfather doesn't know how to work the ship, but he's so forgetful, and then he will go off and… Well, he likes to work on his own." She shrugged and went back to looking all around her.

"So I've noticed," Barbara laughed.

"Anyway, he's only got to do some computations back in the ship and we can move on," Susan said, kicking some of the ashen dirt with her toes. She came back to stand next to Barbara once again.

"Well it can't be too soon for me," Barbara told her.

The Doctor walked back to the two of them and looked about them momentarily. "Well, are we ready?" he asked the girls. Coming to a stop between the two of them he gave them each a smile.

"Oh, Doctor, have you worked out yet how all this happened" Barbara asked, returning his smile.

"No, not really, not really," he admitted. Once again he surveyed the trees standing around them. "Whatever it was destroyed everything that was living," he observed. He shook his head sadly. "But the planet is dead, totally dead," he continued, furrowing his brows.

From the distance they could hear Harry's voice call out to them. "Hey guys! Over here! I think Ian and I have found something," they could hear him say. Barbara rose from her seat and they all set off in the direction of the voice.

~0~

Standing next to a rocky cliff face, Ian and Harry were glancing down beyond the edge with interest. Across a mountainous plane lied a large city down below. Beyond it another mountain range lay, but there was no mistaking the large metropolis.

"What is it, Harry?" the Doctor asked, coming to join them by the edge after Barbara and Susan. Barbara stepped up next to Ian and took in the view. "We really must get back to…" the words died as the Doctor looked out over the others at what lay before them. Susan gasped, peering around Barbara's side. "Most fascinating," the Doctor continued, resting a hand on Susan's shoulder who in turn grabbed Harry's arm when it appeared he might go over the edge.

"A city," marvelled Barbara. "A large city!" she exclaimed, grasping at Ian's elbow. Hearing some shuffling behind them, Ian glanced back to see the Doctor put on some strange glasses before returning his gaze to the city below them. They appeared to be a pair of binoculars that were attached to a wire frame similar to glasses.

"Well, Doctor, can you see anything?" he asked. "Any sign of life?"

Through the glasses the Doctor could see in more detail the city below. There were many buildings populating the dense city. A number of them were round, some having pointy bits on their tops, others without. They played on different width on their layers going in and out as they did. To Harry they appeared similar to the cities you could make with building blocks as a child. Nothing about the city was moving. "No, no, no. No sign of life," he told the others, still glancing around. "No, just the buildings," he said. "Magnificent buildings, I..."

"I wouldn't call them magnificent," Harry quietly muttered to himself.

"Oh, let me have a look," Susan begged, interrupting him. Taking off the glasses they were only just away from his face when Susan snatched them up to bring them to hers. She peered around at the buildings, bursting with excitement. "It's fabulous," she gushed. "Here," she nudged Harry, "you have a look."

"Nah, I'm alright Susan besides they wouldn't work very well over my glasses. Why don't you let Barbara have a look," Harry suggested. Barbara jumped slightly at the mention of her name before taking the offered glasses for Susan and putting them on.

Ian shifted closer to the Doctor. "What do you think, Doctor?" he asked.

"I don't know, I don't know," he replied. Once finished with her turn, Barbara quietly handed the glasses to Ian, who gingerly accepted them and held them up for a look. "Whatever it was destroyed the vegetation here certainly hasn't damaged the city," observed the Doctor. "But there's no sign of life. No movement, no light, no…" he paused to sigh. "No, I shall know more about it when I've been down there."

Barbara turned on the Doctor. "Down there?" she asked sharply. "Oh, no. We're going back to the ship," she told him firmly.

"Now don't be ridiculous," he told her. "That city is a magnificent subject for study and I don't intend to leave here until I've thoroughly investigated it," he argued. Their argument had drawn the eyes of Harry, Susan and Ian.

"Well it's too late to talk about it now. It's starting to get dark," interrupted Ian, earning a disappointed look from Harry who really wished it hadn't been noticed. The chance to explore an alien city was just too good of a chance to give up. "We'll discuss it when we get back to the ship," he concluded.

"Yes," admitted Susan with a shrug. "Whatever you decide, it's too late to get down there now," she told her grandfather.

The Doctor let out an aggravated sigh. "Yes, yes, all right," he told them. "But I assure you, I'm determined to study that place," he argued again.

"You can do what you like," Ian proclaimed with a smile. He reached out and took Barbara by her shoulder. "As long as you don't endanger the rest of us," he warned, leading Barbara back towards the trees with Susan following.

"Very well then, I shall look at it myself, alone," the Doctor snapped, not moving from where he looked at the city. He was determined to find out what had caused the end of the life on the planet. Seeing the city in the distance, he hoped that he could find some historical records down there which would reveal the truth.

"Don't worry Doc," Harry said, "I'll go with you."

"Well it's nice to know that some members of this party have a sense of adventure," the Doctor remarked.

The others paused in their journey back before Ian stepped back to stand next to the Doctor and Harry.

"You're the only one who can operate the ship. I'm afraid I can't let you explore the city Doctor," he said. The Doctor looked at him, leaning his head back a little so that he could look down the bridge of his nose at the young man. "Your glasses," Ian offered, holding them up. The Doctor took them primly and tucked them back in his pocket as Ian started back to the girls who were watching the exchange. With one last look back at the city, the Doctor sighed and moved to follow the group. Harry wasn't so quick to follow.

"You would've loved this wouldn't you mum?" Harry whispered to himself.

"Come along Harry!" Ian called back to him.

"Coming"

~0~

Back in the jungle once again, Ian led the group through the trees back towards the ship. "I think this is the way we came," he announced to the others. They moved at a brisk pace save for Susan. While the others moved ahead, she lingered about some of the trees, looking around her. She kept her head low, ever watchful for more flowers amongst the soil. With an excited cry, she crouched down to her knees.

Up ahead the other four hadn't noticed Susan had stopped and continued on without her. Susan carefully plucked the blossom from its stalk and gently balanced the flower between her palms. She smiled brightly at it and rocked up to her knees. Hearing something, she froze up and glanced about her. Quietly standing up, her fear deepened as her breath shortened. Turning this way and that, she tried to pinpoint where the noise was coming from without luck.

"Who's there?!" she cried out, voice shaking with terror. Her shoulders trembled as she continued turning about herself. Thinking she knew what side the sound was coming from, she started backing away from it, paying no mind where she was going. Tense, she continued backing up a few more steps. Suddenly a hand touched her back. With a startled gasp she jumped and tripped as she tried to run away, letting out a scream as she fell.

The others could hear her scream and realized she was not with them. Harry was the first to act, dashing back down the trail with Ian close behind. Susan crashed into Harry not even halfway there, looking back over her shoulder. She let out another scream of fright not recognizing him at first. Looking up she began sobbing and clutched to his clothing.

"All right, Susan," he soothed. "It's all right. You're safe now," he told her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and glaring off into the distance behind her. "Nothing's going to hurt you."

~0~

Within the main room of the TARDIS Barbara was browsing over the different dials and switches on the main console when the Doctor came in from the back. While she didn't know what the dials and switches did, she at least could see where they were located on the main piece and how they looked. Some of them did have labels underneath them, much to her relief. If she were only to learn two dials on the thing that day she would still count it a success. When the Doctor walked in she didn't look up, still studying the console. "Did Susan tell you what frightened her?" she asked.

"Yes, yes," he replied, holding on to his coat's lapels. He came to a stop just next to her at the console, eye brows furrowed in concern. "She's convinced that someone touched her," he said, staring at the console intently. Barbara turned to look at him. "…and I tried to make her see it wasn't possible, but I'm afraid she wouldn't listen to me," he continued. He looked up to Barbara, "I wonder, would you have a talk with her? Harry has tried but I think she is embarrassed to speak with him. Susan obviously looks up to the boy," he said.

"Yes, of course I will talk to Susan," she promised with a smile.

"Yes. You know, sometimes I find the gulf between Susan's age and mine makes difficult understanding between us," he admitted. He rarely debited himself with deficiencies, and found this an awkward thing to confess.

"I'll see what I can do," she interrupted his awkward admission.

He looked up and smiled at her again. "Oh, would you? Thank you, thank you very much. I'd be grateful. He turned to watch her step out of the room into the back hallway he had just emerged from moments ago. Only a few moments after Harry entered the room and the Doctor's eyes immediately zeroed in on him.

"What are your designs on my granddaughter?" the Doctor asked gruffly. Harry turned to the old man completely confused as to what he was talking about.

"What do you mean?" Harry replied.

"Don't think I haven't noticed to smiles, the touching, and the hand holding," The Doctor accused. "Susan is still a young girl and is not ready for that sort of relationship; I will not have you corrupting her!"

Harry laughed which only served to increase the Doctor's frustrations. "Doctor there is no need to get your knickers in a twist. I don't have any 'designs' on Susan," Harry explained, smiling. "We're only friends, best friends even. I don't see her like that."

"Does she know that?" the Doctor asked calmly. Harry's smile dropped.

"Well I would've thought so. I mean she should..." Harry trailed off, a bit lost. "You don't think..?"

"I'd say it would be best to tell her, just in case," the Doctor said comfortingly, placing a hand on the young lads shoulder. Harry sighed and gazed in the direction he knew Susan to be in.

~0~

Susan sat tiredly at a desk, head supported one hand propped up on the table surface and drawing with the other. She didn't hear Barbara come into the room. Barbara came closer and sat on the edge of the desk, looking down at what the girl was doing. In the back corner of the room stood a statue of some sort, modern in shape, not particularly looking like any specific thing.

"Hello," Barbara greeted the girl.

The words made Susan glance up briefly. "Hello," she returned before lowering her head back onto her hand and continuing with her drawing. Her hair was quite frazzled and sticking up in places, but she didn't seem concerned about it in the least. Her concentration stayed with the paper, and she seemed to try and ignore Barbara's presence without being rude.

"What are you doing?" Barbara tried again softly.

"Just drawing," Susan answered, her voice still a bit wobbly from her earlier tears.

"Well, can I see?" asked Barbara with an imploring smile. Silently the girl sat back and dropped her arm from the table, turning away from it. It was a lovely ink sketch with good detailing.

"It's the flower I saw in the jungle," the girl sighed. She looked down defeated.

Barbara asked, "What happened out there?" She kept her voice light and conversational. Eyes still on the paper, Barbara didn't want to pressure Susan or seem to be interrogating the poor dear.

Susan shrugged. "Nothing," she denied weakly.

"Ian said you were terrified," Barbara persisted, making the girl look up at her. Susan glanced up and she met her eyes, only to then look down at the pen she held in her lap. "Well, something must have frightened you," Barbara reasoned.

"It's not that so much," Susan began. "It's-it's just that I'm… I'm fed up that no one believes me," Susan explained with a quiet sob.

"Believes what?" Barbara asked. Susan abruptly stood up and crossed her arms facing away. The girl hunched her back and kept her face down where Barbara couldn't see.

"Oh, I don't know," she cried, turning to lean against the wall beside her.

Barbara leaned closer on the table where she sat. "That there was someone out there and they touched you on the shoulder?" she offered.

"There was someone there," Susan immediately argued.

"But you didn't see who it was?" Barbara asked further, making sure to keep her voice easy.

Pushing off the wall, Susan began pacing about the floor. "No," she admitted. With her head hanging low once again, she walked around behind the table Barbara sat on glumly. Barbara picked up the drawing to look at it once more. Behind Barbara, Susan turned sharply and looked at her. Shaking some, she reached out a hand and touched Barbara's shoulder before quickly pulling away. Turning to see her, Barbara set the sketch back down. "It was like that," Susan said. "A light touch on the shoulder. I couldn't have been mistaken," she said in a long rush.

"Well, I believe you," Barbara assured her. She reached out and touched Susan's arm comfortingly.

Susan smiled gratefully at her. After a moment the smile tightened and she looked away. "But Grandfather says that it's impossible for anyone to live out there," she argued against herself. Stepping out of Barbara's comforting hold, she sniffed and tried to believe the words.

"Oh, Susan," Barbara leaned closer from the table, but the girl didn't turn around. "It isn't that he doesn't believe you. It's just that he finds it difficult to go against his scientific facts," she told her.

"I know," Susan groaned, rolling her eyes in frustration.

Barbara stood up from where she sat and moved to stand next to her. "Oh, look, why don't you just try and forget it for the moment?" she asked. She put her arms around the girl's shoulders in a half hug of comfort.

"For the moment," Susan agreed with a small smile.

~0~

In one of the offshoot hallways from the console room, the Doctor was scribbling down notes while looking at various dials on the wall as Ian watched. Upon the wall sat one screen, about the size of the Doctor's head just before him, completely blank. On both sides of it laid a panel of dials and gauges reading something important. Ian was looking at the different dials curiously one at a time, standing with one fist on his hip.

"What's this one for?" he asked the Doctor, pointing to one of the panels above the screen. The Doctor didn't look up at what he was pointing at and kept taking notes. Ian brought his hand back and scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know how you make sense of any of this," he admitted.

"You're quite right, quite right," the doctor mumbled, not paying any attention.

"Can you find out where we are?" Ian continued following as the Doctor took a few steps to take notes from the next series of dials. The Doctor didn't answer. Ian wasn't even sure the Doctor was listening to anything he said. "Well, Doctor?" he asked in a louder voice.

"Hmm?" the Doctor asked, looking up from his notes to Ian. "Oh," he laughed, as if just then noticing Ian standing there. With a smile, he went back to his little book of notes.

"I was wondering if perhaps…" Ian started.

"My dear boy," the Doctor interrupted, turning around. "These eternal questions of yours… Do I know where we are, I suppose?" he asked, looking up at Ian. Turning back away, he folded closed his pocket notebook.

"Doctor, I don't want to argue with you," Ian started. "We're fellow travellers whether we like it or not. But for heaven's sake, try to see it from our point of view," he begged. The Doctor fidgeted impatiently. "You've uprooted us violently from our own lives, even worse Harry is only a child! What about his parents?" Ian argued.

The Doctor interrupted again, "You pushed your way into the ship, young man," he said, pointing a finger at Ian. Irritated, he turned back away and opened his little notebook once again, determined to continue taking notes.

"All right, I admit it, a small part of the blame is ours," Ian relented, raising his palms in surrender.

The Doctor abruptly stopped and looked up. "Oh, small?" he marvelled, folding his hands before him.

"But naturally we're anxious," Ian continued undeterred. "What are we going to do? Can we live here? What do we eat?" he fired off question after question. "There are millions of questions…"

"A very good idea. I'm hungry. Why don't you try and find Harry and we'll get something to eat" the Doctor interrupted yet again. He raised a hand to silence Ian. The Doctor then moved past Ian and walked off down the corridor, leaving Ian. Ian sighed in frustration before he turned and wondered down a hallway.

~0~

Susan held up a glass of liquid and carefully added a few pink drops from a small glass phial. Behind her, Barbara sat holding her head with her hand, gently rubbing at her forehead. She then started rubbing her head with both hands, not seeming to find any relief. The door could be heard opening, but neither paid attention. Barbara let out a tired breath.

"Oh, ah, what's the matter?" the Doctor asked, coming into the room. He stepped over to Barbara and took her hand, glancing her over in concern. Susan carefully examined the glass of liquid before adding some more drops from the phial. Looking up at him, Barbara ran her other hand back through her hair, gently holding the back of her head in pain.

"Oh," she replied. "I've suddenly got this terrible headache," she told him.

"Oh dear, dear," he consoled, "how irksome for you." Stepping over to Susan he examined the small phial she was emptying into the glass. "Oh, this is good stuff," he announced, "this should cure it." Behind them, Ian moved to stand beside Barbara in concern. "Now not too much, dear, not too much," the Doctor warned Susan.

"No," agreed Susan, looking up from her task. She lowered the phial. The Doctor moved past Susan towards a large machine beside her. "Oh, Grandfather. I'm sorry I was so silly just now," she told him. Ian, Harry and Barbara walked over closer to see what the old man was doing. He started pushing a few buttons on the machine and it let out some loud beeps. He patted Susan's shoulder and went back to pressing buttons. "Here," she held the glass out to Barbara, "try this."

"Thank you," Barbara replied, taking the glass. Tipping her head back, she downed the contents in one go. "Ooh, that's very nice," she told Susan. Mindful of the glass material, she carefully held the cup back to Susan. The girl smiled brightly and took the glass, turning back towards her grandfather. She set the glass on top of the machine he was fiddling with.

"Let's hope it does you some good," Ian said with a smile.

The Doctor, having finished fiddling with the machine, gingerly picked up a small packet from a door on its front. Carefully unwrapping it, he took a bite and smiled. The others watched on, Ian and Barbara curious. Susan glanced at them before looking back at her grandfather. After swallowing the bit, the Doctor noticed all the looks.

"Oh, did you want something to eat?" he asked. Harry laughed, he was almost as bad a host as himself. "What would you like?" he offered.

Barbara thought for a moment before she smiled. "I'd like some bacon and eggs," she said, glancing about her. Susan excitedly snapped her fingers with a flourish and hurried over to the machine.

"All right," agreed Ian, "bacon and eggs."

"And beans, can't forget the beans," Harry added with a wink.

"Bacon, eggs and beans," agreed the Doctor, letting them know it was an option. He moved to shift in front of the machine and the others followed him. Susan stepped over to stand on the other side of the machine. The Doctor gingerly picked up a small packet of paper that was laying on top the machine and started glancing through it. Barbara rested her hand on the side of the machine and rested against it, tired.

From the other side of the machine, Susan called out to them, "This is fully automatic." She beamed, explaining the machine.

"Yes, certainly, certainly," agreed the Doctor not looking up from the leaflet in his hands. "XL over 45 minus G," he read from the paper. He glanced up for a moment to Susan who moved to stand next to him, bouncing some. She reached out and started turning one of the dials, confirming the combination as she went. "W9 plus J62L6 and Q7 over 42F," finished the Doctor, reading from the packet. He watched over as Susan finished dialling it in. Nodding he turned to look at Harry, Ian and Barbara as Susan pushed the larger button in the centre of the machine. Smiling, he put the packet back to rest on top of the machine.

"I hope mine doesn't taste like engine grease," Ian commented, making Barbara laugh.

"Now, now, don't be ridiculous," admonished the Doctor, watching the machine as it let out a whirr.

Barbara leaned to the side some to see Susan. "Shall I get plates and things from somewhere?" she offered.

"No, there's no need to," the girl explained with a smile.

The whirring noise came to an end. The Doctor bent down and opened the small door on the machine once again. The humans watched curiously as he pulled a small tray out from the door. On top of the tray laid two smaller trays, one of which he removed and handed to Susan. "Here we are, then," he told her. He then replaced the lower tray back into the machine, holding the other tray in hand. As he straightened up Susan presented the little tray to Barbara and Ian.

"Eggs, bacon and beans," she presented.

"Thank you," Harry replied. Ian accepted the tray from Susan, and Barbara accepted the other from the Doctor. Sitting in her tray were two small packets wrapped in tin foil, one for Harry and one for her.

Ian picked up his packet and looked at it. "What, this?" he asked, looking at the Doctor. Beside him Barbara and Harry began to open their packets to reveal a small white cube.

"Go on," Susan encouraged, "try it."

The Doctor took out the packet he had been nibbling on earlier and the three of them all unwrapped their food. Ian and Barbara smiled at one another, not sure at all what to expect. At the same time they all tried a bite of their food. Susan eagerly watched them. Biting his own food, the Doctor also watched them amused. "Well?" he asked them. They each took another bit from their food and glanced back at the Doctor.

"Hmm, not bad," admitted Ian, holding up his little cheese-like block of food. The Doctor's brows furrowed slightly. "What do you think, Barbara?" Ian asked.

"I think it's delicious," she replied, looking down at the little packet in wonder.

"Better than my aunts food for sure," Harry remarked. "Even if it does remind me of the food astronauts eat."

Ian shrugged. "My bacon's a big salty," he admitted, taking another bite.

"It shouldn't be," the Doctor piped up. "It's English," he continued tartly, causing the two teachers to burst out in laughter.

"No, seriously," Ian said with a broad smile. "Doctor, this is remarkable," he admitted, coming to stand beside the Doctor. "I mean, one bite and I taste bacon, another and I taste the egg. How do you do it?" he marvelled, holding up the food.

The Doctor took a bite of his own food and shrugged. "Food has component parts, my dear boy," he told Ian. "Flavours are rather like primary colours, you know. You blend two to achieve a third, a fourth, and etc. etc," he said trailing off and taking another bite.

"Really?" Harry asked. "I thought some of what people taste was based on what the smell and taste are too."

"Ahh but only a slight portion of the total taste, just increase the flavour of the rest and it over powers what is missing," the Doctor replied with a cheeky grin.

"Well, I think it's wonderful," Ian said, taking another bite.

Susan glanced up to Barbara curiously. "How's your headache now?" she asked, placing the empty tray to sit upon the top of the machine. She wiped the back of her hand against her forehead, pushing her bangs out of her eyes.

"Oh, it's much better," Barbara assured her. "I don't usually get them at all."

"Oh, Susan, would you like something to eat?" the Doctor asked. He flipped the machine back on and picked up the piece of paper ready to dial anything in. He smiled gently at her.

Susan shook her head. "I was hungry, but I've lost my appetite," she told him. From the other side of the machine Ian finished off his food and was looking curiously at the different buttons and dials on the machine's face. Harry glanced at Susan in concern.

"Oh, child. That's unusual," the Doctor said, moving to stand beside Susan. "I do hope your affects outside the ship hasn't affected you too much?" he asked her worriedly.

"No, I think I'll go to bed now, anyway," she denied with a frown. Looking down she began to move away. Barbara watched with a hand on her hip carefully. Behind them Ian curiously tapped on a few of the dials, trying to figure out how the machine worked. Susan brought her hands up and started worrying them. A few steps away she paused and looked back up to Barbara. "Do you want to know where you can sleep?" she offered.

Barbara moved to walk with the girl. "Oh, yes," she agreed.

A loud, sharp tapping interrupted everyone's movements, startling them all. The Doctor shushed everyone so they could better hear. Ian moved over next to Barbara and rested his hand on her shoulder. "What's that?" he asked the Doctor. The tapping continued.

"The scanner," announced the Doctor. Moving quickly he dashed off to the console room. If they could make it there quickly perhaps they could see what was tapping on the ship. Harry followed quickly behind him with Ian and Barbara following and a much more subdued pace.

Susan froze up and her eyes became distant. "There was somebody there," she growled, before she dashed after the group.

~0~

The group stood tensely around the main console. The tapping had stopped. The Doctor flipped on one of the switches turning on the scanner. Eagerly they all glanced to the screen, which projected the immediate outside view of the ship. On the screen they could see the trees and plants, but nothing else. There was no movement to suggest anything had been there at all. Using one of the dials they switched the view around looking everywhere around the ship, only to find the same.

"Nothing," remarked Ian, "not a thing." He intently watched the screen watching for any movement, but there was none. Just as before, none of the leaves stirred from their branches.

"Something must have made that noise," argued Susan quickly. Stepping away from the console, the Doctor was deep in thought. He brought a hand up to his mouth as he considered everything.

"I've had enough," Barbara said, stepping away. She moved to stand next to the Doctor. "Please," she begged him, "can't we get out of here?"

The Doctor paused but didn't turn to face her. "Ah, but that city," he argued. "I must see that city," he insisted.

"But why?" Barbara interrupted. Her eyebrows furrowed in frustration. Harry continued to stare and the scanner. There had to be something out there to make that noise, it certainly wasn't a tree blowing in the wind.

"I will not be questioned," the Doctor said, turning to face her. He brought his hand down from his face. "Uninvited passengers," he complained as Barbara stepped back to stand on the other side of the console. "I didn't invite them to the ship," he continued to himself. He turned to call over his shoulder to them, "I shall do what I want to do."

Ian approached the Doctor. "Why endanger the rest of us by staying here?" he asked.

"Grandfather, please," Susan spoke up. She was still frightened by everything. The hand out in the forest. The tapping on the ship. Not seeing anything on the scanner. She took a hold of his elbow and started to tear up. "Please," she begged. Harry approached her to put his arm around her shoulder like he would normally before remembering the conversation he had had with the Doctor not too long ago. In the end he just stood behind her.

"It'll be ok Susan, nothing can get you in here," Harry said comfortingly. Susan looked over her shoulder to see him and Harry could see that she was too scared to be reasonable. Harry cursed the Doctor in his mind for putting them (mainly Susan) in this situation.

Relenting with a smile, the Doctor bowed his head. He stepped out of Susan's hold and walked over to the front of the console. There he flipped a switch making the main part of the control panel light up. A familiar sound filled the room and he started flipping a few more switches and pressing buttons silently. Watching the group smile as they looked at the console, he then bent down below the main desk. On the low side of the machine, he opened a small door and reached inside. With a short tug, he pulled something out, examined it and put it back inside the door. Standing up, the others walked over to his side of the console.

"Stone trees are all very well," admitted Barbara, "but the next forest I walk through, I want them all to be made of wood." She rested her hands on the edge of the console and relaxed.

The quiet was interrupted with a strange rumbling from the console. The ship shook, startling the group. Reaching over to press some buttons, the Doctor hunched over the controls.

"What's the matter?" cried Susan.

His face grim, the Doctor watched the controls. "I don't know," he said. "The power take-up was rising normally and…" he trailed off.

"What's wrong?" asked Ian.

"Do you need any help," Harry offered

The Doctor waved the questions off. "Oh, don't distract me, please," he said. He continued watching the different dials and screens on the computer. Behind him everyone hovered, watching but not sure what they could do.

Her head popping up, Susan had an idea. "Shall I trace it on the fault locator, Grandfather?" she asked from across the console.

"Yes," he answered. "I think you'd better, child," he said, not looking up from the console.

Quickly Susan dashed off to the off shoot hallway with the screen and numerous panels of buttons and dials. Skidding to a stop beside one of the panels she glanced at a screen with lines going down. Along the lines there were ups and downs, similar to those of a polygraph machine. "K-7," she called out to her grandfather.

"K-7?" he asked. "Yes, of course," he commented, moving around. "The fluid link. Yes, yes, yes," he chided himself. Crouching back down he pulled open the little door he manipulated earlier. Behind him Susan ran back into the room watching closely. Harry bent over to see what the Doctor was doing. "Yes," the Doctor said, digging around in the panel. "Yes, there we are, you see," he pulled out the little knob he tugged out earlier and held it up to everyone as he stood back up. "The end of its unscrewed itself and the fluid has run out," he explained to them.

"Well, have you got a spare?" Ian asked desperately, looking at the Doctor.

"Oh, no, no need for that," he answered, examining the bit closely. "This is easily repaired," he assured them. "All we have to do is refill it," he said. Everyone let out a breath of relief.

"Ah, what liquid do you need?" Ian asked, relieved beyond measure.

"Mercury," the Doctor quipped.

Smiling Ian laughed. "Ah, Mercury. Can I get some for you?" he offered.

The Doctor shook his head light-heartedly. "No, I'm afraid you can't. We haven't any at all," he replied.

Ian's face fell immediately. "What?" he asked. "Don't you carry a supply?" he demanded, incredulously.

"No," the Doctor answered, "it hasn't been necessary." He continued, "this hasn't happened before."

"But you must have some somewhere, surely," Ian argued.

Thinking quickly the Doctor's eyes flitted side to side for a moment. "Oh, no, no," he said. "We shall have to get some from outside," he said almost innocently.

"But where?" Barbara argued. "There isn't anything outside because…" she trailed off abruptly. Looking at the Doctor with some suspicion she kept quiet.

Ian stepped closer to the Doctor. "Yes," he said. "There's the city," he deadpanned grimly.

Eyes bouncing between everyone the Doctor lit up artificially as if he hadn't thought of it before. "Of course, of course," he said, carefully watching everyone. "We're bound to get some mercury there. Yes, we're bound to," he continued with a chuckle. "Well, I mean, what else can we do, hmm?" he asked. Seeming a little nervous he watched Ian carefully.

"It seems we have no alternative," Ian agreed reluctantly, "we have to go to the city." He then moved over to stand with the others once again.

Turning away from them, the Doctor hid a smile. "At first light, then?" he asked. He let out a chuckle and held up the little knob in his hands smiling broadly at it.

~0~

"Susan?" Harry called out to the girl before she left him in his room. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Of course Harry," Susan replied with a weak smile (the day had been a long one and she was still tired from their pervious 'adventure').

"Can I just say I'm sorry for not believing you about the hand?" he said apologetically. Susan gave a slight laugh before hugging Harry while he sat on his new bed.

"It's alright Harry, also long as you trust me now that's all that matters," Susan said with a smile as she moved to leave the room once again.

"Also Susan..." Harry cut off. It had been a trying day and if the Doctor was right about how Susan felt perhaps now wasn't the time to say anything. "Never mind. Goodnight Susan"

"Goodnight Harry."

~0~

The group watched the scanner screen carefully. Just as it were the other day the trees all stood as they had. Nothing seemed to move out there. There was no movement as far as the scanners could see.

"Well, it's light enough and there doesn't seem to be anything out there," Ian said, turning away from the scanner. "We might as well get started," he told the group, stepping beside the Doctor. The others behind them continued to watch the screen. "And, Doctor," he addressed the old man. "Remember, we're going to this city to find mercury and once we've found it, we're coming straight back here. Is that clear?" he asked. The others turned to watch the exchange with stony faces.

"Oh, quite so, quite so," the Doctor agreed. He gave the little knob a little toss in his hand before he began towards the door.

Outside the ship, they all kept close together. "Well, shall I lead?" offered Ian. Everything around them looked exactly the same. The trees stood as they had on the scanner and not a sound could be hear d around them. Susan was the last one out of the ship, quite reluctant to leave and explore again after the day before. "Look!" Ian exclaimed, finding something on the ground by the ship.

"Don't touch it, it might go off," warned Barbara. Harry knelt down to examine it. "Be careful," she warned him. The object was a small, oval tin canister of some sort. Harry leaned over to see it from all sides. Barbara shifted closer to Susan keeping her from getting too close should anything happen.

"What is it, Harry?" the Doctor asked, bending over behind him to take a look.

Harry continued considering it. "I don't know," he admitted.

Ian held out an arm to the ladies. "Stand back," he warned, "all of you."

Harry picked up a nearby branch and crouched back down a little ways from the canister. He held up his other hand to shield his face as he pushed the stick towards the object. The group shifted slightly farther away towards the ship. Barbara kept a hold of Susan and the Doctor moved to stand before them. Harry prepared to throw up a defensive shield around the others, secret be damned. Carefully, the stick came in contact with the object. Nothing happened. Prodding if further, Harry kept his defences up and he nudged it and then tapped the top of it. "I think it's all right," he finally said. "A metal box," he concluded. Standing back up he tossed aside the stick.

Ian moved closer and picked up the box picked up the object. The others shifted over to examine it as he popped open the lid. "It's a box of glass phials, look," he showed them. He plucked one out and held it up for inspection.

"Hmm, let me see," the Doctor asked, taking it to see it more clearly.

Susan's eyes darkened. "Then there was somebody here last night," she said. "They must've dropped them. I knew I was right," she concluded.

"Yes," Ian admitted. "Sorry, Susan," he apologized for not believing her.

The Doctor handed the phial back to Ian. "Yes," he told the group. "I'd like to run a few tests on those. Susan, would you take these into the ship, please?" he asked. Ian handed the canister to Susan who nodded and she took off to the ship once again. "Oh, and by the way," he called out to the girl. "Did you remember the food supplies?" he asked.

"Yes," she called out from inside the ship. "A day's supplies for four. That's enough, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes, ample, ample," he replied, grasping his lapels again as he looked ahead of them.

Ian looked to him curiously. "I trust we won't be more than a couple of hours?" he asked. Susan then emerged from the ship and closed the door behind her. Ian turned to check on her. "You ready, Susan?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied, making sure the door was locked.

Turning away from the ship, Ian started off to the trees. "All right, then. Off we go," he said, leading the way. The group followed him, glancing about as they went, Harry making sure to stay close to Susan. She'd wondered off once before

~0~

Within the city, they approached a large building. Along its outer walls it had numerous doors, each blocked off with a strange diagonal half-wall on each side. Beside each door was mounted a small circular object. The Doctor had his arm around Susan and they appeared to be slightly winded. Barbara brought up the rear, glancing about as she ran a hand through her head, holding on to the back of her skull for a moment. Harry paused at the corner of the building and looked all around them. There were no steps anywhere, only ramps.

With a sigh of relief the Doctor turned into a small alcove of the building with Susan. "Do you mind if I sit down for a minute?" he asked the others. "I feel a bit exhausted," he admitted. Harry returned to where the Doctor was and with Susan helped him to sit and rest against the building while Ian and Barbara stood looking out around them. Barbara rested a hand against the wall to lean on, her other hand resting on her hip.

"You all right?" Ian called out to the Doctor, watching him sit.

"Oh, yes," the Doctor assured him. "I'm just a bit tired," he said from where he sat. "It's been a long journey and my legs are rather weak," he continued.

Barbara moved over and took his hand comfortingly. "Why don't you rest here?" she offered. "Ian and I will look around and see if we…" she began.

"No, no, no. I want to look around too," he interrupted. "I shall be all right, thank you," he argued.

Ian brought a hand up to his forehead. "I must say, I don't feel too good myself," he said, turning back to the group. Along one of the walls, Barbara examined one of the doorways, feeling around its seams. It had a picture of a large circle in its centre, only there was a triangle cut from its bottom.

"Hey look, its Pac man," Harry said jokingly, pointing at the circle.

"Look," Ian continued, moving to stand closer to them, "why don't we get this over with quickly?" he offered. "Look for instruments, gauges, anything like that," he said, standing beside where the Doctor sat. He stood just before a door with a large circle on it. "Ideally, what we want is a laboratory," he told the group.

While feeling around the frame of the door, Barbara's hand waved before the small circle mounted beside it. The door opened automatically, to her surprise. "Ian," she called out, "look!" She glanced over her shoulder and pointed at the open doorway. Quickly walking over, Ian rested a hand on her shoulder and peered in carefully.

"Why don't we separate and go different ways, then meet back here in, say, ten minutes, all right?" he suggested. Turning his head, he glanced at all the doors around them in the alcove. He and Barbara each glanced down at their watches.

"Fine," she agreed. "I'll go this way," she gestured towards the open door beside her.

"I'll go with her," Harry offered as Susan was obviously going to go with her grandfather and no sense in a group of three.

Ian nodded and they both disappeared into the corridor.

Ian turned to look at the next door. He began feeling about the seams around it. Beside him the Doctor shifted his stance. "Lend me your arm, will you Susan?" he asked. Gingerly she helped her grandfather to his feet and they wandered over to the next door. Ian continued waving his hands around the door before finding the small circular bit just next to it. Looking at it curiously, he tried waving his hand before it. With a mechanical sound, the door opened.

~0~

The corridors were long and misshapen. Instead of straight walls and a straight ceiling, it was littered with archways every few feet where the outside wall angled in and curved uneven above. Harry and Barbara had to duck their heads to make their way through under the arches although Harry was annoyed to note that Barbara had to duck slightly more than him due to his smaller height. The walls all seemed to be made of some sort of metal, and were slightly reflective. Cautiously they made their way down the hall, looking out for anything that might lead anywhere. Behind them a strange looking camera swivelled from where it was mounted on the wall to follow their movements.

~0~

Susan and her grandfather stood before the next doorway. "Let's try this one," Susan suggested. There was a circle adorning this one as well, the bottom left corner cut out like a pie. Immediately noticing the circular module beside the door, Susan waved her hand before it and the door opened. Together with her grandfather just behind her, she stepped in.

Barbara and Harry continued down the corridor, Barbara turning around to make sure she knew where she had come from. After stepping through one of the archways a doorways sealed off the corridor a few arches back unnoticed by either. Turning a corner, they continued and glanced about. Behind them, the last archway sealed off silently, leaving no evidence a doorway was ever there this time though Harry caught a glimpse of the movement in the corner of his eye and became more alert. They found another corner and followed the hallway down further, only to find themselves at a dead end. Hurrying back through the corridor, Barbara glanced down at her watch.

"We better start heading back now," Barbara remarked.

They reached the corridor they had travelled through only to find it sealed off. "I have a bad feeling about this Barbara," Harry said.

Approaching the closed archway, Barbara started waving her hands about its edge, hoping to open it back up. When it did nothing, Harry started knocking on the door, strengthening his hits slightly with a bit of magic but it didn't even dent the material. Knowing it was the way they came, Harry and Barbara shared a glance before darting down the next open archway.

~0~

Ian emerged from his doorway. "Ah, there you are," he greeted the Doctor and Susan. "Any luck?" he asked as the door closed behind him.

"No," sighed Susan, helping support her grandfather as they approached. "You?" she asked.

Ian sighed. "No," he admitted. "No luck," he shook his head. Bringing his wrist up, he looked at the time and frowned. "Barbara ad Harry should be here by now," he noted. Behind him the Doctor leaned against the wall to rest and Susan wiped at her forehead with her sleeve. "Barbara!" Ian called out. He glanced around. "Harry!" he tried again. Hearing no response he looked back down to his watch. "Well give her a couple of minutes more and then if they're not back, we'll have to go and look for them," he decided. Stepping back next to the others he glanced at his doorway.

~0~

Barbara and Harry darted through the hallway before hitting another dead end. Taking a moment Barbara rested against the wall before turning to glance out the hallway behind her. She walked back to the room just before the dead end (harry following behind) and used the wall as support. From the corner of their eyes they spotted movement and Barbara gasped as she saw the archway sealing off. Harry dashed towards it but only managed to reach it just as it closed. He banged on the door in frustration and Barbara let out a quiet sob. Feeling around the edges of the door Harry tried to find and catches that might open it. Barbara tried to run towards the other open end which led to the dead end, only to find it sealed off as well. She banged on that door before the room shook and began to move.

"Don't worry miss, I'm sure everything will turn out fine," Harry tried to reassure her. "It'll be like an episode of Scooby Doo, everything will fix itself in the end."

"An episode of what?" Barbara asked hysterically.

Huh, maybe Scooby Doo isn't out yet. "Never mind," Harry backtracked. " Just stay calm ok?"

From outside the room in the dead-end, it could be seen that the room moved down into the ground like an elevator.

~0~

Outside the building Ian glanced at his watch again. "We've waited long enough for them," he announced. "We must go and find them," he said. Beside him the Doctor nodded tiredly. Ian approached the doorway and waved his arms at it. It opened and he darted inside. The others followed.

~0~

Still trapped in the room, Barbara and Harry could feel the movement had stopped. Barbara kept her back to one of the walls when the archway beside her opened up. Harry glanced out before signalling for Barbara to follow him through. Slowly they crept out, trying to keep their breathing quiet. Barbara used the wall beside her for support. Through the next archway it opened up to another hallway. Glancing down it, Barbara gasped and stumbled back against the wall. Harry turned to see what had frightened her. Some sort of mechanic creature was approaching with a strange plunger coming straight at them.

Seeing the arches on either side of them staring to close off, Harry mentally apologised to Barbara before he made a dash for the one on the right. Before he could make though the gap the creature fired at him with the whisk like device. A brief moment of pain and then he was dead.

Barbara tilted her head back and screamed.

Next time: The Survivors