A Timelord Unbound story by Mark Simpson
"Oh, smell that air!" the Doctor announced, throwing his arms wide as he exited the TARDIS. "Nectar, sprinkled with sugar and blended with applegrass." He beamed at Nicola beside him. "Just what the Doctor ordered."
Nicola returned his smile, a little nervously. The Doctor had changed recently, and not just his clothes. He had explained to her afterwards, while choosing his new wardrobe from the vast selection of clothes stored aboard the TARDIS, that every single cell in his body had been shaken up, mixed around and shifted slightly to the left due to the massive trauma his body had received after being stung by a dozen Zygons during their previous adventure. This process was called regeneration and was something his people, the Time Lords, used to extend their already long lives by cheating death.
The Doctor was the last of the Time Lords, the others having perished in a war that he himself had barely survived. Now he was alone in the universe, just him travelling in his wonderfully erratic time/space machine, taking random strangers (usually human, like herself) along for the journey.
They had met when the Doctor had saved her from being eaten by a fierce and deadly creature nicknamed a Weevil in Cardiff. Nicola had been on a brief holiday there, just visiting a cousin, when the beast had attacked her as she took what she had hoped was a short cut to the train station. As the Weevil knocked her to the ground another figure appeared as if from nowhere, a skinny man in a tight blue suit. The man had a metal wand in his hand (she had learned later this was a device he called a sonic screwdriver) which emitted a piercing shriek. The Weevil backed away, shaking its head, straight into the arms of a broad but fit guy in a World War Two pilot's outfit, who sprayed some kind of knockout gas into its face. As the pilot (an American) had dragged the stunned creature away, he had shouted his thanks to the man in the suit. A man he called Doctor.
The Doctor had helped Nicola to her feet, talking at a hundred miles an hour about anything and nothing, it seemed. He had instantly captivated her attention, with his wild brown hair, sparkling eyes and boyish grin. So when he asked her if she would like to take a trip with him, she agreed almost without thinking.
Normally Nicola would have been wary of a strange man, even if he had saved her life from something she was to learn was an alien. But then the Doctor himself was an alien. Maybe that was what put her at ease, some kind of odd seventh sense that this was someone she could trust, that he didn't have just one thing on his mind and that he was interested in just her company.
And so it was that Nicola Halesworth, twenty-seven years old, single and no immediate family, was whisked off into time and space aboard the TARDIS.
That had been, by Nicola's personal time scale, just over a week ago. And now the man she had followed, the man she had trusted on instinct, the man who had saved her life more than just the once now, had gone, replaced by someone with a different face and a radically different dress sense.
Now that face was smiling at her, a face still young looking, still handsome, but not as it was before. The eyes still had the power to mesmerise and twinkle with mischief at the same time, but that was the only real similarity. The wild brown hair had been replaced with straight cut black hair, collar length. The face was less narrow, the nose more aquiline, the mouth smaller. A relative stranger.
The tight suit had gone too, banished back into the wardrobe section from whence it had presumably come once upon a time. Now the Doctor's clothes were more befitting of a Victorian undertaker than a Jarvis Cocker lookalike. A long black frock coat, over a wing collar shirt with dark green cravat and a deep blue paisley waistcoat, with black trousers leading down into black shoes.
"Meloris Aqua," the Doctor told Nicola as he locked the TARDIS door behind them. "The natural springs on this world are reputed to have the finest restorative powers in the entire quadrant. Perfect for healing the scrambled synapses." He tapped the side of his head meaningfully.
"I thought you said you were over your post-regenerative trauma," Nicola commented as she followed the Doctor down the side alley where the TARDIS had arrived and out into a bustling quadrangle. Off in the distance she could see swimming pools, while to the left was a building marked Aqua Therapy.
"I am," he replied, striding confidently forward, towards what Nicola took to be a reception area. "Mostly. A little bit of extra R&R never hurt anybody." He smiled again, that so different but still confidence inspiring smile. "I think we could both do with a little pampering after our recent adventures."
"Can't argue with that," Nicola replied, returning his smile with a grin.
"Hi, I'm Cyndy, how can I help you today?" asked the young blonde woman behind the reception desk.
"We would like to use your excellent facilities," the Doctor told her, turning on his seemingly infinite supply of charm. "What can you recommend?"
"Well, all new customers get a free glass of our Meloris Aqua sparkling mineral water," Cyndy announced, gesturing to a tray of glasses on the counter beside her.
"Nice," Nicola grinned, grabbing two and handing one to the Doctor. She had downed hers before the Time Lord had even sniffed his.
He took a cautious sip. "Lovely," he said with a forced smile. "Now, how about getting the two of us registered? Galactic Express?"
"That'll do nicely," Cyndy confirmed.
***
The Doctor lay on his back in the salt saturated water, eyes closed, thinking how much it reminded him of a similar occasion, during his third incarnation, when he had visited The Dead Sea on a vacation from UNIT. He had needed time away, time to relax, after Jo's wedding to that professor.
A whistle caught his attention, causing him to open one eye.
"Nice shorts," Nicola shouted.
"Get along to your mud bath," he called back with a grin.
"Enjoy."
"I will."
As the two companions parted, little did they know the danger they would soon be plunged into.
***
"Technician Glarr, are we ready to activate?"
"Yes, Miss Slade. All I need is the word from you and these pathetic humanoids will be enslaved to the will of the Mother."
"In that case, you may consider the word given. Let this miserable planet be the first in the to fall to the empire of the Bane!"
"At your command," Glarr replied, pushing home the lever that would give his race mastery over all.
***
It was the quiet that the Doctor noticed first. Not that there had been much noise to disturb his relaxing drift, but the sudden absence of sound filtered through to him after a few seconds. He lifted one eyelid, not expecting there to be any kind of crisis, probably just a lull in activity around the Salt Spa area. What he didn't expect to see were people of various species leaving by whichever was the closest exit, a glazed look on their collective faces.
Paddling to the edge, the Doctor quickly towelled his back dry and set off in pursuit of the steadily marching crowd. It was growing from all directions, people joining silently from any and every room they passed.
As he followed, the Doctor tried to figure out what could be affecting everyone. "Blood control?" he muttered. "No, that wouldn't cross the species divide, unless someone has mastered multiple input. Brain waves? Unlikely." He sighed. "I'll just have to go with the flow until I find out who is behind all this."
The ever-growing throng was passing a door labelled Mud Pools, which opened to admit a number of new members. Among them the Doctor saw Nicola, as docile as the rest of the populace.
He increased his pace until he was alongside her. "Nicola," he hissed. No reply, no twitch, nothing. "Nicola," he repeated, grasping her arm gently. It slipped through his fingers as she continued moving, pulled forward by some unknown force.
The Doctor reached for his inside jacket pocket, then cursed himself for his forgetfulness. All he was wearing was a pair of black swimming trunks. No pockets for his sonic screwdriver. He would just have to do this the old fashioned way.
Moving around in front of Nicola, he matched her pace, walking backwards. Lowering his head slightly, he brought himself to her eye level.
"Nicola Halesworth, look into my eyes. You are being controlled by an outside force. You must fight it, do you hear me? Fight against the control. You must resist. You must resist!"
He was rewarded by slight movement of Nicola's mouth, forming the word 'resist'.
"That's right Nicola. Resist the controlling intelligence. You must break free of it."
"Must break free," Nicola intoned drowsily.
"You must resist," the Doctor insisted.
"Must resist." Her voice was stronger this time, her eyes less glazed.
"You must break free."
"Break free."
"Resist!"
"Resist…"
As the word left her mouth, Nicola's eyes rolled up into her head and her knees collapsed under her. Moving quickly forward, the Doctor caught her limp body, lowering her gently to a sitting position.
The ongoing tide of humanity surged around them, some instinct avoiding them completely as the Doctor slapped Nicola's cheeks lightly, trying to bring her round. When that failed he shook her shoulders.
"Wha..? Let me sleep, its Sunday!" Nicola slurred. Her eyes opened, focusing slowly. "I know you, don't I?"
The Doctor smiled slightly. "And here was me thinking you didn't like this new regeneration of mine."
"Doctor?" Suddenly she sat bolt upright in his arms. "Doctor!"
"That's me," he replied in a calming tone.
"What's going on? Where are all these people going?" She peered around at the crowd, which was starting to thin out.
"Well, you were going with them, until I managed to break the conditioning that had taken root in your mind. Can you remember anything?"
Nicola shook her head as if to clear it. "Last thing I recall is getting ready for a mud bath." Her cheeks coloured as she looked down at the thin swimsuit she was wearing.
"Don't worry, uniform of the day, it seems," he reassured her, glancing down at his own swimming trunks. "So, no other memories."
"No, I don't think so." Light dawned behind her eyes. "Wait! There is something. An urge, fading now but very strong before. An urge to serve the Mother."
"Mother?" the Doctor frowned. "Doesn't tell me much, but it's a start I suppose. Are you up to a walk?"
"Lead on," she told him as he pulled her to her feet.
Together, the Doctor and his companion trailed after the last few of the crowd that were so keen and eager to serve the Mother.
***
"Is coverage complete Glarr?"
"One hundred percent, Miss Slade," Glarr replied confidently. Then he glanced again at the screen before him, tapping a couple of buttons with a tentacle. "Well, ninety nine point nine nine percent, actually."
"What? How many have avoided our control?"
"Just the one individual…no, sorry, two individuals, have shaken off the conditioning."
"You promised me total coverage Glarr!"
Glarr trembled slightly at her harsh tone. "I was predicted by the computer modelling we did, but it is just possible that these two are from a species that is immune, even if only partly, to our influence."
Miss Slade seemed to consider this. "Acceptable. After all, what can two people do to stop our new army. Can you track these two?"
Glarr's tentacles rattled the keyboard before him for a few seconds. "I'm sorry, we can only track the converted."
"No matter. Victory is assured. The Mother will feast and we shall be the ones to provide for her. All hail the Bane Mother!"
"All hail," Glarr repeated with fervour.
***
"Where are we?" Nicola asked.
The Doctor squinted at the sign he could see in the distance. " 'Coming soon to Meloris Aqua, a new Hydro Therapy Garden. Tropic paradise brought to you by the Jabe Foundation, Cheem'. Looks like a building under construction to me."
"And those round things behind it?"
"Water tanks, at a guess," the Doctor responded.
"I assume you'll be wanting to take a closer look," she said.
He grinned. "You read my mind."
The two of them crept forward until they found a side window. The Doctor raised his head cautiously, Nicola just behind him.
A vast open area was filling up with the people from the various spa and pleasure sections, still under the alien control. And off to one side, watching proceedings, was a woman in a dark business suit and an alien.
"Ugh! Squid monster," Nicola said, wrinkling her nose.
"That, my dear Nicola, is a member of the Bane Collective. And unless I miss my guess, the woman beside it is also Bane, but in humanoid form."
"Are their any species in the universe you've never encountered?" Nicola inquired, with just a touch of sarcasm.
The Doctor smiled. "Occasionally even I get taken by surprise."
"So, what do these two Bane want with all those people?"
"I would suggest they want them to feed that." The Doctor pointed upwards through the window and Nicola followed his finger.
High in the rafters of the building was a huge creature, a larger version of the alien at floor level. A single huge eye dominated its body, while long tentacles moved slowly and sluggishly around in the air. Pipes abounded, spraying water constantly across the slick looking skin of the large alien.
"Super squid monster," Nicola commented.
"Bane Mother," the Doctor corrected. "Hence the 'serving the Mother'. These people have been conditioned to go willingly to their deaths. I wonder how they did it."
"Something in the water perhaps," Nicola said flippantly. The Doctor looked at her with an odd expression. "Sorry, just a phrase that came to my mind."
"Nicola, you are brilliant! Of course, the complimentary drink we got when we signed in. A friend of mine on Earth stopped a Bane invasion a few years ago, your time, and the Bane were using a soft drink to ensnare the population. Bubble Shock or something."
"Hey, I remember that. It got withdrawn on health and safety ground."
"The health and safety of the human race," the Doctor declared. "Good thing I only took a sip of mine. Thought there was an odd taste to it."
"So, what do we do?" Nicola asked. "How do we stop this Bane Mother eating all those people?"
For a few seconds the Doctor's brow was creased in concentration as he watched the scene through the window. Then his eyes lit up as an idea occurred.
"Follow me."
Nicola took one last glance through the window, then followed the Doctor's retreating form towards the rear of the building.
***
A short time later, the Doctor and Nicola were walking back around the side of the building, the Time Lord dusting his hands together.
"Let's see what happens next," the Doctor said to his companion.
From a darkened recess in the wall, an undisguised Bane appeared, a formidable looking gun held in one tentacle.
"You are the unconverted. You must come with me."
The Doctor sighed and raised his hands above his head. Nicola followed suit.
"I do so hate these 'take me to your leader' moments," he confessed as they were prodded through a side door into the domain of the Bane Mother.
"Ah, these must be our reluctant guests," said the disguised Bane as the Doctor and Nicola approached her. "So nice of you to join us for the feasting. Well done Glarr." The other Bane bowed as best he could.
"I'm the Doctor and this is my friend Nicola," the Doctor announced, lowering his arms from their surrender position. "I've not had the pleasure."
"I am Miss Slade, head of the Meloris Aqua Corporation and Commander in Chief of the Bane invasion project. And the 'pleasure' shall belong to the Mother when she devours you. In fact, I think the two of you should act as her starter in the feast. After all, docile flesh can be somewhat bland." He eyes took in the vacant crowd not far away.
"But this is inhuman!" Nicola protested.
"So am I my dear," Miss Slade confided. "So am I."
There was a shimmer in the air around her and the business-suited woman was gone, replaced by another six-foot tall squid monster.
As Miss Slade loomed over the Doctor and Nicola, there was a loud groan from above. The tentacles of the Bane Mother were starting the thrash and the huge eye was becoming cloudy.
"Glarr! The Mother is in pain. What is happening?"
The technician Bane rushed over to a bank of equipment and consulted a readout screen. "A foreign chemical has been added to the spray mixture keeping the Mother's skin moist," he shouted back.
"Sodium chloride," the Doctor confirmed. "Good old fashioned salt, in the form of a saline solution." He looked at Nicola as he explained. "Something the Bane and their distant cousins the Gastropods share in common. And intolerance of salt."
"We must stabilise the Mother immediately!" roared Miss Slade, rushing over to help Glarr at the control panel.
As the two Bane worked furiously, the Doctor nudged Nicola and pointed across the room. The other people were starting to come around, dazed and confused by their surroundings.
"Go and help them," the Doctor urged quietly. "Get them outside as quickly as you can."
"What will you be doing?" she asked.
"Keeping those two from discovering my 'sabotage' until its too late."
Nicola nodded and rushed to obey his instruction. The Doctor squared his shoulders and approached the Bane.
"It is too late, you know," he told them. "The Bane Mother is dying from saline poisoning. I hate taking life, but sometimes it is necessary to preserve justice and freedom in the universe. So, you two can escape now and save yourselves, or perish here with the Bane Mother. Your choice."
The two Bane had turned to regard him while he was speaking. After a couple of moments one of them, presumably Miss Slade though it was now impossible to tell them apart, roared and launched itself at the Doctor.
"Wrong choice," he murmured, side stepping neatly while at the same time bringing his linked hands around in a two handed punch to the back of the Bane's head as it charged past him.
The Bane dropped to the floor, momentarily stunned. The Doctor turned to the other Bane, to find himself staring down the barrel of the energy pistol it had threatened him with when he and Nicola had been caught.
"You never learn," the Doctor lamented as he brought one hand down in a Venusian Aikido move that disarmed the Bane, while the other hand caught the gun before it hit the floor. He looked at the weapon for a moment, wrinkling his nose in disgust before flinging it into the far corner of the room.
A shriek from overhead brought everyone's attention back to the Bane Mother. The alien was shrinking in on itself, cracks appearing in its skin. The single eye was now a milky white, unfocused and unseeing.
The Doctor glanced across the room, to see Nicola leading the last of the people to safety. He gave her a small wave, then turned his attention back to the Bane.
Miss Slade and Glarr were now both on the floor, writhing in agony as their telepathic links to the Bane Mother transmitted her pain to them. The Doctor shook his head sadly.
"Once, just once, I wish some egotistical tyrant or alien despot would accept one of my ultimatums and just give up, rather than forcing me to destroy them."
He ran from the building as the Bane Mother finally lost her battle to remain alive, and exploded.
***
"Yuk! You still have a bit of the Mother stuck to your shoulder," Nicola announced.
The Doctor paused part way through putting his shirt on. He craned his neck, to see the blob of matter clinging to his skin.
"Can you get that for me please?"
Screwing up her face in disgust, Nicola removed the offending offal with a handkerchief, which she then threw into a handy recycler. It vanished in a puff of atoms.
"Lucky for us the Bane have no tolerance for salt," Nicola said as the Doctor continued to dress.
"Lucky for us that the new Hydro Therapy Garden contains a salt water spa, and that the Meloris Aqua Corporation had already seen fit to fill the tanks," he corrected. "Plus the easy disconnection device fitted to the pipes was useful."
"Where to next, Doctor?"
The Time Lord mused for a moment as he fastened his black frock coat. "I think we deserve a proper holiday."
"Oh no," Nicola groaned. "This holiday was excitement enough for me. Can't we go somewhere dangerous? It's got to be quieter than Meloris Aqua!"
The Doctor laughed, holding out an arm to Nicola. She looped her own through it and the two friends headed back to the TARDIS, and new adventures.
