Doctor Who Adventures/Chamber Of Life

Story
Historical accounts are conclusive that an existence of such a machine is impossible. From archives, knowledge and good sense it has been concluded that a machine which could bring those who were dead back to life could never have existed thousands of years ago. The story has its believers but if a machine is still thousands of years away from current technology, then how could it have been made thousands of years in the past?

No evidence has ever been found except eye witness accounts from the eyes of slaves. These are almost invalid due to their incomplete descriptions and these dire descriptions having been written decades after they had seen them by a writer who was looking to make a name for himself.

Despite all this a dedicated group still believed in the existence of such a machine. Even referring to it as a chamber which makes the existence of this miracle machine all the more baffling. This group called ‘Chamber Of Life’ of COL for short have dedicated years to attempting to find the vault.

***

Tetra scrolled through a book. Various maps and pictures of treasure were being displayed as Tetra got up and showed them to the Doctor.

“You sure?” The Doctor asked.

Tetra nodded. The Doctor flicked a few levers and switches and then dematerialized.

“It just sounds so cool,” Tetra explained.

“I don’t doubt it,” the Doctor replied.

“Why are we moving?” Shalek shouted from another room.

Shalek got out of the other room with his sword by his side and his grandest Knight uniform. It was the uniform that he took the most pride in. Although Tetra had ridiculed him many times about working for Castela and being a servant to it.

“Where do you think we’re going? The fancy dress party was last week,” Tetra asked curious to Shalek’s choice of uniform.

“After a while webs start to form and I thought that it would be a good idea to bring it out again. That fancy dress party was rubbish,” Shalek complained.

“As to your seemingly forgotten question. We are off to find a chamber of life which should be an impossibility,” the Doctor smirked “they only say that because I have not tried to find it yet.”

***

In the depths of the planet Olbia One which was named after a scientist named Terry One. Olbia was a random addition that was added to add to the tourist market. It sounded a lot better on the adverts and brochures. Just ask yourself, does Olbia One or One sound cooler? Olbia One is the only correct answer.

<p class="MsoNormal">This is not as relevant to the COL group as to their search for the Chamber of Life. Maps were sprawled over tables and texts that had even a hint as to the whereabouts of the Chamber of Life were displayed on a giant screen.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Within this region there should be some sort of ancient relic that closely resembles the Chamber,” Jack pointed to several X’s he had marked on various maps.

<p class="MsoNormal">“If we find this then we will be millionaires. It will be glorious to get this and then retire,” Pete laid back in his chair.

<p class="MsoNormal">Mugs were constantly being changed as dozens of drinks would be drunken every day. Kate was the one who had to deal with this chore. Over her several weeks she had been observing their research and coming up with theories of her own.

<p class="MsoNormal">“In the Maldives there was a tribe that closely resonated with those slaves that talked of the Chamber. Perhaps we could try to trace their roots,” Kate suggested.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">''Vworp. Vworp. Vworp.''

<p class="MsoNormal">The TARDIS appeared on the edge of the room. The Doctor appeared as he stepped out of it along with two others. Tetra and Shalek went from map to map as they tried to figure out what it all meant, but they could make no sense off it.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Who are you?” Jack asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I’m John Smith, archaeologist,” the Doctor scrambled in his pockets.

<p class="MsoNormal">But the Doctor could not find the psychic paper. Tetra then pulled back a small ribbon around his neck which was an indication that the psychic paper was attached to the ribbon around his neck.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Remember? You wanted to simplify the process,” Tetra reminded the Doctor.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Now I do. I will never be putting around my neck again,” the Doctor vowed.

<p class="MsoNormal">Pete leaned in as the Doctor showed his psychic paper. When he was satisfied he nodded as Jack also took a look. Jack grabbed it off the Doctor and looked at both off it’s sides.

<p class="MsoNormal">“That big blue box just appeared in this room from nowhere and somehow three people came out of it. Shouldn’t that be the first thing that we ask them?” Kate asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I was just getting the important bits out of the way,” Jack pulled a map away from Tetra’s eyesight “we cannot trust anyone.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Normally it is the other way with conspiracy theorists. They shout from the rooftops why their idea is right and ignore anything that may contradict it,” the Doctor pointed out.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Well we are not a conspiracy group so therefore have no conspiracy theorists. We want to find an advanced bit of technology that could change how our planet runs,” Jack explained.

<p class="MsoNormal">“After we find it we will become famous. Get millions off TV interviews and rights to use the Chamber of Life,” Pete rubbed his hands together.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Advanced bit of technology? How about the capsule that they came in that can come from nowhere and I’m sure has more space inside it that it looks like otherwise there would have been groans when you got out off it,” Kate went to the TARDIS as she brushed a hand along it “but it is wooden in feel, very retro.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“This ancient chamber that you have been searching for. Have you made any progress on actually finding it?” Shalek asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Probably not. They cannot go back in time and see the first person who may have operated such a machine,” Tetra dismissed Shalek’s idea.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Well on the Maldives a tribe that are strikingly similar to the slaves that reported on the Chamber of Life could be found,” Kate thought aloud.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Let’s go then,” the Doctor went into the TARDIS.

<p class="MsoNormal">Tetra and Shalek followed as they waited at the doorway. Kate, Jack and Pete looked to one another unsure of what they were expecting.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Come in,” Tetra told them.

<p class="MsoNormal">Kate went straight into the TARDIS as Jack and Pete followed with caution.

<p class="MsoNormal">“It actually is bigger on the inside,” Kate grinned as she walked around the TARDIS.

<p class="MsoNormal">“This is a TARDIS. Time and Relative Dimension in Space. Basically a machine that travels through time and space. Let’s find this tribe that you are desperately searching for,” the Doctor went onto the TARDIS keyboard “any time period for when they occupied this island?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Around 5000 years ago,” Kate estimated.

<p class="MsoNormal">“The specific tribe you are talking about existed 4928 years ago,” Handles interrupted “I will navigate us there as the Doctor does not have the best of track records when it comes to bringing people to the right location.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Who is the Doctor?” Pete asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Me. John Smith but I prefer the Doctor,” the Doctor requested.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I’m Tetra and the guy in fancy dress is Shalek,” Tetra pointed to the Knight.

<p class="MsoNormal">“It is very fancy but most certainly is not a dress,” Shalek rested a hand on the sword by his side.

<p class="MsoNormal">“So you lot can travel through time and space?” Jack asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“They must do if they are boasting such claims. Unless they are about to put on a rubbish stage performance in a theatre and say that they tricked us and it is not actually a time and space machine,” Kate sat on one of the two seats.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Why did you say that as an example?” Tetra asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Because last week it happened,” Kate admitted.

<p class="MsoNormal">“You were really that foolish? Sometimes I think that humankind has reached a new low,” Tetra laughed “was the singing good at least?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Strangling cats could have at least kept a pitch. These lot made todays music stars sound alright,” Kate commented.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Are todays music stars any good?” Shalek asked not understanding what Kate was trying to infer.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Obviously not,” Jack interrupted “do you not understand that sort of conversation?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Let’s move away from this. Shalek will never get his head around it,” the Doctor told them as the TARDIS landed.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Doctor opened both off the TARDIS doors as the group looked over his shoulders. Several dozen huts were outside but on the horizon the Doctor could see a bright light. But it was clear that this was not the sun. Instead it was from a large torch as several hundred soldiers in medieval armour were organized. They resembled the Romans in their design and organisation. As they reached the huts they took several citizens as slaves. The TARDIS was on a hill well away from any impending attacks.

<p class="MsoNormal">“That is how they became slaves. Let’s fast forward to when the texts were written,” the Doctor shut the TARDIS doors.

<p class="MsoNormal">“How much is this thing worth?” Pete asked realizing how valuable the TARDIS must be.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Not for sale. Where do we find the texts? Do you have them?” The Doctor asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“In a museum but we cannot get access to them,” Kate said “they will not let a bunch of strangers have access to such a rare item.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Then we shall retrieve it,” Shalek rose his sword into the air.

<p class="MsoNormal">“It is a museum not a battle arena,” tetra pointed out.

<p class="MsoNormal">“But we thought the battle arena was a museum last time. My library card was not exactly suitable for a sword fight,” Shalek remembered “but I still won. Throw it at their eyes and blind then and then kick them when they are temporarily blind and take one of their swords.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Really? Do you need to continue the boasting?” Tetra asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Of course. Otherwise you will forget just how much of an asset I am to the team,” Shalek put his sword back into the place that it was before.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Straight to the museum then,” Kate advised as the TARDIS dematerialized.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">***

<p class="MsoNormal">The Doctor grabbed the texts from the museum as he put it in front of Handles to read through and investigate.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Anything?” Jack asked “I am sure that they are somewhere in the Sahka lands.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“''By analysing the data that has been given I predict that the Chamber of Life is based in the Sahka lands 4916 years ago. Going off their recollections and the database off the TARDIS'',” Handles stated as the Cyber-head dematerialised the TARDIS.

<p class="MsoNormal">“That Cyber-head is ultra-useful,” Kate observed as she took a closer look at Handles “you must use it all the time.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Not really,” Tetra said “sometimes we forget about his existence. He just stays in the background and helps out when we need to speed up the process.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“I would buy that thing off you,” Pete offered “but not for too much as I would still want to make a profit. Business is business after all.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Why is business so important to you?” The Doctor asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Because money makes the world go round. Also, I basically have nothing and I have a family to feed which is why I am hoping that I can make some money soon,” Pete felt his eyes tear up “I feel like I do not give my family enough. I am not what they deserve.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“That was random. Can we move on from that moment?” Tetra asked as she saw that Pete was getting emotional “before he starts crying would be a great time.”

<p class="MsoNormal">The TARDIS materialized in what is rumoured to be the Chamber of Life. The Doctor steps out of the TARDIS as the other follow. They are in a dark hallway but the walls are entirely white with pulsating purple lights running through them. The Doctor scans the area as lights flash from above and then beam down on them.

<p class="MsoNormal">"TARDIS, can you please go away?” The Doctor asks as the last of the group leaves it.

<p class="MsoNormal">As the TARDIS dematerializes and disappears from view they can view several corpses that rise from the ground. A group of slave’s watch this happening as they see those coming back from the dead.

<p class="MsoNormal">“So we have found it now, what do we do now?” Tetra asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Big reveal?” Jack questioned as the others had dazed looks.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Jack. What are you talking about?” Kate asked him.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Tell them,” a deep voice erupts from the ground.

<p class="MsoNormal">At the end of the Chamber a face appears. A body goes along with it as a tall green alien with spikes on its head walks in.

<p class="MsoNormal">“In the early stages off this test I was tested. However, the results resulted in me being transported to a future time. Impartial memory loss and a few mad people later and I have managed to return to where I had been all these years ago,” Jack sat on a chair which appeared from the sides.

<p class="MsoNormal">“The early stages of the planet One. So easy to use as a testing ground, the Shadow Proclamation would not want us having technology that can bring lifeforms back from the dead,” the green alien rubbed his large hands together “I’m Churka so you can speak to me by my name instead of the green alien.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“In my time the planet is called Olbia One,” Kate told Churka.

<p class="MsoNormal">“That does sound a lot better than One. I may have come to this planet earlier if it had that name instead of the plain One. Olbia One, sounds good and rolls of the tongue,” Churka admired.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Churka, you are breaking the Shadow Proclamation’s rules. Sector 17 Article 202 to be precise,” the Doctor went a few steps towards Churka.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Time Lord. Typical rule abiding citizen. I hear rumours that you lot have returned. Thanks to your sonic screwdriver this machine has been powered back up,” Churka pressed several buttons on the wall “my species will be revived and this time. We will defeat the Time Lords.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“We’ve went forward in time,” the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver picked up.

<p class="MsoNormal">“This is crazy,” Kate chuckled “aliens wanting revenge by killing an ancient race that no longer exists.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“But Kate. I know all your names, Pete, Shalek and Tetra,” Churka pressed several more buttons as the dead who had risen earlier now stood between the Doctor and Churka.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I’m sorry about this. But my disguise just fooled you,” Jack pulled off the Human face that he had been wearing as his alien body showed.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Do you have any relation to the Silurians?” The Doctor asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Those pathetic scavengers. Not at all. Now we are in your time thanks to your sonic screwdriver Doctor we can use the electricity and use it to run the Chamber of Life,” Churka chuckled “Olbia One will be plunged back into the dark ages. The name really does sound more dramatic than One.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“You cannot do that,” Pete shouted as he ran at the risen from the dead beings “my family need it to live.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“I know Pete. You haven’t told the others the truth,” Churka grinned “Pete’s family are being stored in a Gas Chamber and will only be freed if he can pay the bills he has amassed from his gambling days. But if that Gas Chamber turns off before another gas which wakes them up can be added then they will die. Electricity is needed to mix the gas.”

<p class="MsoNormal">The risen dead grabbed Pete and pushed him to the ground. Shalek brought out his sword as he swung it at the risen dead as they collapsed. They began rebuilding instantly.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Nothing can die in this chamber. I can see everything you have ever done and everything you ever will,” Churka’s eyes turned purple as he focussed on the Doctor.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Everything is an impossibility. The Time Lords defeated you because you could not see into them. Your powers are not advanced enough,” the Doctor noticed.

<p class="MsoNormal">“They keep on rising,” Shalek complained.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I will kick them down. You go after that stupid alien,” Tetra shouted.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Me and Pete will help,” Kate suggested as Pete got back up and started kicking down the dead that kept on rising.

<p class="MsoNormal">Shalek swung at Churka but the green alien moved out of the way. It jumped out off it’s chair as did Jack as they avoided Shalek’s swings and then hit the Knight. They knocked Shalek down.

<p class="MsoNormal">“A bit unfair if you know everything that I will do. Where is your honour?” Shalek asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“The Pruricans have none. That is why our species will rule all others, after we bring our ancestors back to life,” Churka said.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Shalek, throw the sword to me,” the Doctor ordered as Shalek threw the sword to the Doctor as he quickly shuffled out of the way “now you will accept being arrested or I will have to kill you. It is a very simple choice between dying and living.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Are you an idiot?” Jack asked as he brought out a gun.

<p class="MsoNormal">Churka did the same as they pointed them towards the Doctor. The Chamber was becoming more and more powerful as it sucked the electricity from Olbia One.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Okay, perhaps I should have seen that coming,” the Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver into the air. The Doctor then pressed down on the button.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Chamber’s lights went off as an alarm was triggered. Churka and Jack ran from the area as the dead bodies fell limply to the ground, no longer able to rise up.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Should we be going after them?” Tetra asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Nah. Let the Shadow Proclamation deal with it. I’ve just sent a signal to them and Churka instantly turned the Chamber off in an attempt to disguise it. Or he will destroy it,” the Doctor said.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Then we better get out of here,” Kate advised as they ran out of the chamber.

<p class="MsoNormal">When they were several hundred metres away from the field which the chamber had appeared in they turned around.

<p class="MsoNormal">“It still hasn’t exploded,” Shalek pointed out.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Chamber then exploded as it went high into the sky. It crashed back with what remained from an explosion becoming rubble. In the distance Churka and Jack ran from the chaos. A ship hovered above them.

<p class="MsoNormal">“It’s the Shadow Proclamation,” Jack observed.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Congratulations. You got an obvious guess correct,” Churka sarcastically rolled his eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal">The beams went over them as they were rose up. The two Pruricans were put into the spaceship, they had been caught.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">***

<p class="MsoNormal">Pete returned to a job as he slowly paid off his bills. Within two years he had managed to pay for his wife and two children to be released. Kate got a job as an archaeologist as she managed to discover several new settlements and landmarks that would become iconic to Olbia One.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Doctor, Tetra and Shalek were in the TARDIS as they discussed their latest adventure.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Do they not know that the Time Lords are back?” Shalek asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“It would seem not,” the Doctor smiled “perhaps it is best that their return has made no difference to the universe. Exactly how I wanted it.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“Surely you would want more Time Lords to be around the universe,” Tetra thought.

<p class="MsoNormal">“For now I don’t mind,” the Doctor admitted “until the universe is in danger then they will not be required. I will make sure that I am always there to save the universe."