Doctor Who Forgotten Suns Chapter Fifteen

“It is a fast-burn energy bar, made from chorpal pods and sugar.” Came a voice from behind him.

Jamie nearly bit the rest of the ration in half! He hadn’t noticed anyone approaching.

“Hey!’ he protested as he swung round on the Oortelian, ‘don’t be sneaking up on a body like that!”

“My apologies, Jamimikron, it was not my intention to startle you. Specialist Palasar requested that I keep you company!”

“Oh aye?’ Jamie jeered skeptically, ‘Come to keep an eye on me, as like as not! Would that no’ be more the lay of the land?” (He was in no mood to be polite after his surprise - he could have choked himself!)

The Oortelian appeared to sense his emotional response somehow. “Truly, Jamimikron, I thought you would hear my approach! I am pleased to keep you company, you are a fascinating creature, and I was glad when Palasar asked me to keep an eye on you… Yes, that is a part of it, I won’t deny it - but I would genuinely like to know more about you. My name is Choltz, Jamimikron, and I am a… a ‘Lassee’? Anyway, I am a female, if you cannot tell.” She seemed to be trying to appear shy and nervous, but for some reason, Jamie did not trust her.

He would have been unable to explain his response if asked, but there it was. He certainly felt no inclination to correct Choltz’ usage of his name. As he looked at her more closely, he noticed that her tongue kept flicking out in an unpleasantly snake-like fashion. Then he spotted something else and took a step back.

“Hey!’ he yelped, pointing at the helmet Choltz was wearing, ‘Is that thing no’ dangerous?”

She seemed confused by his question at first, then slowly raised a hand to pat her headgear. “This?’ The Oortelian woman asked in a puzzled tone. Jamie nodded emphatically. ‘No, Jamimikron, my helmet is not dangerous - at least, I don’t see how it could be…  Oh! It is a little different though. There is a visualiser built into it, so that I can transmit a record back to our ship. Do your people not have such devices?”

“Mebbe,’ Jamie replied slowly, thinking of the Tardis’ scanner, and other magical picture boxes he had seen in his travels with the Doctor, ‘you mean that it’s like a television, or suchlike?”

“Teleh Vizyon?’ Choltz toyed with the word, savoring it with evident enthusiasm. “ Yes! To communicate visual information over distance! I like that, Jamimikron, it is a very elegant way of expressing the process! Perhaps we have more in common than I thought…’ She hesitated for a moment, then asked hopefully, ‘Would you like to see my work? Maybe we could compare our technologies?”

Choltz seemed genuinely keen to build bridges, Jamie thought, beginning to question his initial reaction to her. Perhaps she was just one of those people more comfortable around machines and computers, like… Zoe! What was happening even now to Zoe? Horror gripped him once more, but he forced back his concerns reluctantly; painfully aware that he could go nowhere without the co-operation of these Oortelians. He could not help fretting, but decided to bide his time, and also to give Choltz the benefit of doubt. After all, she hadn’t actually done anything to him - he just felt less comfortable with her than he did with Palasar. (And that lassy had a grip on her that would worry a caber champion!)

When Jamie agreed to listen to Choltz she seemed pleased - at least, she stopped doing that snake thing with her tongue. He warned her that the Doctor was really the one to talk to about technical matters, but Choltz waved it off: apparently she was more interested in showing off her own abilities. “Follow me, Jamimikron!” she said enthusiastically, starting to lead him away from the equipment pile; but almost immediately she stopped short, regarding him thoughtfully. Jamie had no idea what she was about, so he just waited patiently until she appeared to come to a decision.

“Thadokta is very important to you, Jamimikron, is he not?’ He didn’t even get a chance to reply before she was nodding, ‘Yes, I can tell that he is… Look, I’m not promising anything, but it is possible that I could help you to get a message to him…”

“You mean I can talk to the Doctor?” Jamie interrupted excitedly.

The Oortelian female looked down at the hand that he had unconsciously grabbed her arm with. Choltz gently removed it, but did not let go of his hand; instead resuming her walk and guiding him along. “No, Jamimikron, I don’t mean that - sorry.’ She paused to point down at a circular door in the floor. Even to Jamie it looked out of place, like a ball of shot emerging from an infected wound. ‘This is the airlock leading back to our own ship,’ Choltz explained, ‘we had to physically drill through the material of this hull, but not just to gain access.’ Still leading him by the hand, she pulled Jamie towards a group of pipes and boxes just beyond the airlock.

‘It was also necessary to insert feedlines and communications links, before any readings could be taken of this vessel’s interior.’ Choltz elaborated, pointing at the jumbled array. ‘These enabled us to gather a little information before boarding - well, enough to know that it appeared to be safe to do so.’

She paused here, and for the first time Jamie realized just how shaken Choltz had been by everything that had occurred. He waited quietly until she released his hand, to gesture again at the mechanical growths. ‘We, Enteberol and I, did this work. But for some reason the link is only one-way. I am at a loss to explain it…”

“So what were you saying earlier, about a message? Can I talk to the Doctor or not?” Jamie asked, both confused and a little impatient.

Choltz sat down beside a large boxy structure and tapped her helmet. “With this,’ then she tapped the box, ‘and this, you can. It’s a booster relay that increases the amount of data we can send back to our ship. Now, it is possible that Thadokta, if he is with the Clade Commander, has already seen what happened here: as witnessed by those of us issued with visi-coms. What I am suggesting is this: You may not be able to have an actual conversation with your friend - you will hear no reply - but you can tell him what has happened… in your own words. He probably won’t get the message right away, but I am sure that whoever is monitoring my signal’s channel will bring it to the Commander’s attention.”

“Will ye’ no’ be getting into trouble for this?”

“I shouldn’t think so, Jamimikron. The whole purpose of the recordings is to gather information; anything that you can tell Thadokta will, I imagine, be helpful to us in some way - even if it is only as a different interpretation of what has happened so far.”

Jamie considered this for a moment, then nodded his agreement as he looked down at Choltz. “Aye, lassy, that sound’s fair enough… what do I have to do?” She patted the deck before her and indicated that he should sit, then scooted back just a little as he did so.

Adjusting the position of her helmet slightly, Choltz once more indicated the odd protuberance on its side. “Just talk to me as if you were talking to Thadokta, Jamimikron, he will see you through this…”

“Er… you can call me Jamie, if ye’ like, Choltz.” The young Scot offered, as a token gesture of friendship.

The lizard-girl seemed a little thrown by this, and her tongue flicked out a couple of times before she asked. “Do you find ‘Jamimikron’ offensive? Have I been saying your name incorrectly all this time?”

“Och, no! No… It’s just…”

“Then I would prefer to continue addressing you as Jamimikron, if you have no objection. It has a very exotic ring to it… It suits you, and I like saying it. Please, Jamimikron, feel free to begin whenever you wish.”

Jamie was about to give Choltz a big smile at what he had perceived as a compliment, but then he recalled Palasar’s earlier reaction - and her warning.

Instead, he took a few moments to compose himself and arrange his thoughts. When he was sure he had everything straight in his head, he looked directly at Choltz, and began to talk to the Doctor.

“…and so I’m stuck here for now, Doctor. The Oortelians are treating me well, but I’m still very worried about Zoe… Um, I guess that’s about it…” Jamie shrugged helplessly. He was unsure what to do next, having run out of things to say. Choltz was about to speak to him when another voice drew both their attentions.

“I am glad to see that you are getting along so well, but I think we should move further away from the airlock. It is likely to be getting quite busy here soon.” It was Palasar, of course.

Jamie felt relieved to see her, and then surprised at just how comfortable he already felt with this alien girl. She was approaching from behind, and to one side of, Choltz. She made a subtle hand gesture that Jamie was unable to interpret. Choltz immediately turned back to face him, as Palasar looked directly at Jamie and put a finger to her lips. That was much easier to read! Jamie tried not to react as Palasar approached Choltz from behind and, removing the other girl’s helmet, placed it on the ‘booster’ box beside her. “Well come on then.” Palasar commanded as she turned away.

Careful not to look back at the abandoned helmet, Jamie rose and followed Choltz, who was close behind the Specialist. Something odd was going on, but he didn’t have a clue what it was, so he held back his questions. He didn’t want to say anything that might spoil things for Palasar. She led them both past the assembling group of soldiers, until they arrived at the far wall. “Tec-Op Choltz,’ she began abruptly, ‘do you have any implants? Cybernetic augments?”

“No, Specialist, they are unnecessary in my area of expertise!’ She was obviously surprised by the question, and Jamie was a little startled too. He didn’t know what ‘orgments’ were, but any word beginning with ‘Cyber’ was something to be wary of, as far as he was concerned. ‘Some of the higher ranking Mech-Tec’s have implants,’ Choltz continued, ‘so that they can communicate more easily with the engines. My own duties are less elevated, of course. May I ask why? If I can help, I will.”

“It was just a passing thought, Choltz, thank you anyway…’ Palasar ran a hand over her forehead and scalp, as if brushing back imaginary hair. ‘I don’t suppose Mech-Tec Enteberol is of high enough rank to require them either? No, he wouldn’t be… forget I asked. Thank you for looking after Jay-Mee, Choltz, but you are free to leave, if you wish to expedite your own evacuation.” The female Tec looked puzzled now, so Palasar indicated back the way they had come.

Jamie also followed the gesture, to see the First issuing instructions to his troops. There were now four, rather ominous looking, rolled silvery blankets lined alongside the equipment pile. These were apparently being ignored for now, as the first two troopers were entering the airlock. Choltz took in the scene slowly, glanced back at Jamie, and then took a faltering step towards the soldiers.

She hesitated, then turned back. “Specialist Palasar, it looks like this could take a while, I am willing to wait my turn. If it is permitted… I would like to stay with Jamimikron until then.”

Palasar looked from her to Jamie, who nodded his agreement, then she just shrugged and acquiesced. “I certainly have no objection, Tec Choltz. It appears that we will all be leaving anyway, sooner rather than later. First has agreed to listen to a proposal of mine beforehand, so he may ask you to leave - but now that I think on it, perhaps a communications Tec could prove useful.’ She looked across to Jamie, who was looking increasingly unsure of himself. ‘Apologies if I have been ignoring you, Jay-Mee, I am unused to this burden of responsibility. You look like you have questions.”

“Aye! That I do, right enough!’ The young Scot responded with alacrity, ‘The first being - what are these cyber thingies you were talking about?”

“Augments?’ Palasar waited for Jamie’s confirmation, then explained, ‘they are simply implanted technology, devices that some people use to improve their abilities. We have implants that can improve sight and hearing, communicate over distance, and interface with our technology - that sort of thing. Why is it of such interest to you, Jay-Mee?”

“Och weel, it disnae matter really, I suppose. I just don’t like that word, and I’ve seen what can happen when people take things like that too far.’ Jamie scratched his head in concentration, then seemed to recall what he had wanted to ask next. ‘Palasar? You said that you were leaving this big ship? You’ll no’ be takin’ me with ye’, lass… I cannae leave… I have to find Zoe!”

“That was one of the things that I wanted to discuss with you, Jay-Mee,’ Palasar assured him, ‘I too would like to remain aboard and seek out your friend, and the… ‘Big Man’ that carried her off! But I don’t know if First will allow it, or even if it is the right thing to do. He will be joining us shortly, Jay-Mee, then I can explain my idea to both of you. Is that acceptable?”

Jamie grudgingly allowed that he could wait for the arrival of this First chap, trying not to show how much Palasar’s words had invigorated him. Just the fact that she had been considering Zoe’s plight was the most encouragement he had so far received! He glanced back to the continuing activity by the airlock, and saw First himself: he was heading in their direction.

Jamie decided to greet the man with a challenge. Although he recalled the First’s strength well enough, he had never let common sense stop him before, so wasn’t about to start now. “So, you’re the man in charge here, eh?”

As he drew nearer, First gave no indication that he had even heard Jamie. Ignoring him completely, he was instead looking at Choltz, but he spoke to Palasar. “Is there a reason for the presence of this Tec-Op, Specialist?”

Palasar gave the impression that she was surprised that he even needed to ask the question. “Of course, First, she would not be here otherwise! My proposal was mainly based on the desire to establish a viable communication protocol - it seemed sensible to have a qualified advisor on hand.’ Choltz nodded, as if she knew what her Specialist was talking about - and First seemed to find this answer acceptable, so Palasar continued. ‘As I told you earlier, First, my main hope was to reunite Jay-Mee and his friend Zo-Eee, so that they might be able to help us talk to the Ancient. But for this attempt to serve any real purpose, we would also need to maintain a link between our elements on board this ship; and pass any information back to the Flame, so that the Clade Commander can be kept informed.”

“Ah… I begin to understand your thinking, Specialist,’ First nodded to himself slowly, ‘hence the requirement for troopers with… let me guess… audio-implants? Yes?”

“Correct,’ Palasar confirmed, ‘although I am now willing to make the attempt even without that support.”

“Aye! And I’m willing to go with her, if it means helping Zoe!’ Jamie interjected, thoroughly annoyed at being excluded from the discussion. “I ken well enough what yon pilot says, and so will Zoe… and you can hear well enough that I can speak your language!”

Not really understanding everything that Jaymee had just said, First cast an impartial gaze across all three of them. Jamie: defiant. Palasar - nervous, yet hopeful. Choltz - suddenly looking slightly ill, as the implications of this discussion began to sink in. He was about to reply when a loud shout from above distracted them all.

“Q! Fancy meeting you here! Glad to see you looking so well!”