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Authors: Simon A. Forward
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glimmer in the woman‟s eyes, something passing between them that reminded her of when she had first found herself under the Doctor‟s wing. „Well I wish you luck. Just - well-‟
„Ah, trust me, Lieutenant,‟ he made a shushing gesture, „I never reveal my sources.‟
„I‟ll see you down at the lab. Apparently there‟s some hotel the Captain knows, he‟s going to make the management‟s day by commandeering it as our headquarters.‟
„Really? I hope it‟s a good one. I tend to work very poorly in anything less than three-star accommodation.‟
Hmieleski gave the Doctor a farewell pat on the arm, so Leela prepared to jump in with her first question. But the Doctor snatched up his yo-yo and stood to face Captain Shaw and a small posse of Kristal, and two other soldiers. One was young, like Captain Shaw, but had the stride of a warrior trying to look like a leader, while the other, his skin a blend of earth and charcoal, had command written in his deep serious eyes.
Captain Shaw took charge immediately. „All right, here‟s the news. Joanna, Ben‟s stopping here with you.‟ The boyish-faced officer traded nods with Hmieleski. Then Morgan gestured at the dark man. „Doctor, this is Lieutenant Dermot Beard, he‟ll be riding back with us and my HQ squad.‟
„You mean, you‟re not leaving me Pydych?‟ the woman Joanna asked.
„You might try hiding your disappointment,‟ answered Morgan, and everyone but Leela seemed to be laughing. „Doc, Pydych is a good guy, technical wizard, he‟ll be a ton of help piecing together my aircraft, trust me. Okay, any questions from the civilian quarter?‟
Leela wasn‟t sure whether she counted as the civilian quarter, but she knew she had questions. Because it was first in the queue, she said, „What is happening?‟
Everyone laughed again. But Leela was grateful to see the Doctor first to her defence. „Captain, we really shouldn‟t be unfair on my assistant. The People That Time Forgot, you said - and even I managed to forget about her.‟ He moved to stand beside her. „But she really is an excellent scout, capable of finding any needle in a snowstorm.‟
„Well, that‟s Kristal‟s department. She‟s leading the search.‟
„I am with Kristal,‟ Leela piped up, surprised to find the Doctor encouraging her with a pat.
She felt him leaning close. „Leela,‟ he whispered weightily,
„if you get the chance out there, any chance at all, keep your eyes peeled for the TARDIS, there‟s a good girl.‟
„I will do my best Doctor,‟ she promised.
Morgan Shaw reviewed the decisions just made around him. „Great. That‟s a load off. Now can we please get moving?
And Kristal-‟
„Sir.‟
„You‟d better be damn certain. I don‟t want you coming back with a gaggle of wild geese.‟
Kristal faced him with an iron calm. „Have a little faith.
Captain.‟
A silence settled along the row of vehicles, only to be broken by a cacophony of engine noise as they were fired into life.
„Leela. You‟re with me.‟
And as Leela followed Kristal, she felt her separation from the Doctor keenly.
Amber pressed herself against the tree and waited for the truck to roll by. She was grateful for the chance to rest, although way too excited to really benefit from it. The idea that she might have been spotted only added to the buzz.
She was amazed: you stomp off in a huff one morning and suddenly you‟re into the greatest adventure you ever had.
Hunkering down, she couldn‟t resist a peep around the tree. Her own breath was impossibly loud and fast in her ears, but she watched Makenzie‟s police truck dissolve in the haze like a fizzy tablet in a glass of water. Amber chuckled.
Then she fell back against the tree and let out a massive sigh.
She raised her eyes to the branches overhead, trying to untangle them in her imagination. With its leaves of frost, the tree looked brittle and old. Spooky. She wondered if she could put one of Mom‟s
„Ah, trust me, Lieutenant,‟ he made a shushing gesture, „I never reveal my sources.‟
„I‟ll see you down at the lab. Apparently there‟s some hotel the Captain knows, he‟s going to make the management‟s day by commandeering it as our headquarters.‟
„Really? I hope it‟s a good one. I tend to work very poorly in anything less than three-star accommodation.‟
Hmieleski gave the Doctor a farewell pat on the arm, so Leela prepared to jump in with her first question. But the Doctor snatched up his yo-yo and stood to face Captain Shaw and a small posse of Kristal, and two other soldiers. One was young, like Captain Shaw, but had the stride of a warrior trying to look like a leader, while the other, his skin a blend of earth and charcoal, had command written in his deep serious eyes.
Captain Shaw took charge immediately. „All right, here‟s the news. Joanna, Ben‟s stopping here with you.‟ The boyish-faced officer traded nods with Hmieleski. Then Morgan gestured at the dark man. „Doctor, this is Lieutenant Dermot Beard, he‟ll be riding back with us and my HQ squad.‟
„You mean, you‟re not leaving me Pydych?‟ the woman Joanna asked.
„You might try hiding your disappointment,‟ answered Morgan, and everyone but Leela seemed to be laughing. „Doc, Pydych is a good guy, technical wizard, he‟ll be a ton of help piecing together my aircraft, trust me. Okay, any questions from the civilian quarter?‟
Leela wasn‟t sure whether she counted as the civilian quarter, but she knew she had questions. Because it was first in the queue, she said, „What is happening?‟
Everyone laughed again. But Leela was grateful to see the Doctor first to her defence. „Captain, we really shouldn‟t be unfair on my assistant. The People That Time Forgot, you said - and even I managed to forget about her.‟ He moved to stand beside her. „But she really is an excellent scout, capable of finding any needle in a snowstorm.‟
„Well, that‟s Kristal‟s department. She‟s leading the search.‟
„I am with Kristal,‟ Leela piped up, surprised to find the Doctor encouraging her with a pat.
She felt him leaning close. „Leela,‟ he whispered weightily,
„if you get the chance out there, any chance at all, keep your eyes peeled for the TARDIS, there‟s a good girl.‟
„I will do my best Doctor,‟ she promised.
Morgan Shaw reviewed the decisions just made around him. „Great. That‟s a load off. Now can we please get moving?
And Kristal-‟
„Sir.‟
„You‟d better be damn certain. I don‟t want you coming back with a gaggle of wild geese.‟
Kristal faced him with an iron calm. „Have a little faith.
Captain.‟
A silence settled along the row of vehicles, only to be broken by a cacophony of engine noise as they were fired into life.
„Leela. You‟re with me.‟
And as Leela followed Kristal, she felt her separation from the Doctor keenly.
Amber pressed herself against the tree and waited for the truck to roll by. She was grateful for the chance to rest, although way too excited to really benefit from it. The idea that she might have been spotted only added to the buzz.
She was amazed: you stomp off in a huff one morning and suddenly you‟re into the greatest adventure you ever had.
Hunkering down, she couldn‟t resist a peep around the tree. Her own breath was impossibly loud and fast in her ears, but she watched Makenzie‟s police truck dissolve in the haze like a fizzy tablet in a glass of water. Amber chuckled.
Then she fell back against the tree and let out a massive sigh.
She raised her eyes to the branches overhead, trying to untangle them in her imagination. With its leaves of frost, the tree looked brittle and old. Spooky. She wondered if she could put one of Mom‟s
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