by Nick Walters
She was sitting at the top of a shallow slope, gazing out over a complex landscape of gardens that spilled out in a dazzling panorama all around her. From her elevated position, she could see lanes of tall, silvery trees, leading off into the hazy distance like spokes of a giant wheel. Between them, an ordered sequence of fields and flowerbeds stretched towards the horizon. Over all this was sky of such startling blue Peri felt she could almost taste it. Someone had propped her in a sitting position against a tree whose leaves cast dappled shade around her, protecting her from the blazing sun.
Her palms brushed the short, inch-long grass, and she examined it, fascinated. It wasn’t like anything she’d ever seen on Earth or any of the other planets she’d visited so far. It was dark green, almost black, shading to purple at the root, and the blades had square, sheared-off ends as if recently mown.
She turned round, feeling the smooth silver-grey bark of the tree with curious hands. Behind her a whole forest of similar trees crowded the top of the small rise. It wasn’t like any forest Peri had ever seen. The trees were evenly spaced, their thin branches bearing heart-shaped, golden-hued leaves whispering like lovers conversing in secret. It looked way too neat to be natural.
She turned back, eyes exploring the vista more methodically. Was that movement out there, in a garden some miles away? Or were her eyes playing tricks on her? She tried to stand, but a lurching feeling in her stomach forced her on to all fours and she vomited, off-white bile splattering the uniform grass. Muttering apologies to whoever kept this place so trim, she tried to control her retching spasms, her fingers digging with little resistance into the soil. It was soft, dark, gritty, and a rich peaty smell rose to her nostrils. Not natural, then. Cultivated, treated. Like a garden - but what a garden!
As her heavings subsided she tried to remember how she’d got here. Hadn’t she been on the way to look at some alien plant life, with... the Doctor? No. She’d been running away from the Doctor, for some reason. Running away, with...
She felt the gentle pressure of hands on her shoulders, easing her into a sitting position. She wiped the tears from her eyes, focusing on the face that was staring intently into hers.
A tanned face with wide-set brown eyes, under a fringe of glossy brown hair. There was a name attached to that face, she knew, and it suddenly sprang into her mind. The guy she’d temporarily dumped the Doctor for. ‘Athon?’
His eyes narrowed in concern. ‘Are you all right?’
‘Yeah, I’m fine, now.’ She remembered the skyboat, the breathtaking flight over the desert. And more. His hand on her leg. His crude suggestion. And then the attack from out of the blue and the way he’d abandoned her to the hunters.
Galvanised by a sudden surge of anger, she shoved him in the chest, the balls of her fists connecting with the breastbone beneath his tattoo. ‘Get away from me!’
Athon rolled backwards down the slope, arms flailing. ‘Hey!
I’m sorry!’
He made to scramble back up towards her, but Peri set her face into a glaring mask. ‘You left me to die, Athon.’
‘But we’re safe, now,’ he said, spread arms indicating their peaceful surroundings. ‘We’re alive.’ He tried to smile, but the expression froze into a grimace. Clearly he knew what he’d done.
Equally clearly he wanted her forgiveness. Well, he could whistle for it.
‘So we’re safe. I bet you had nothing to do with it,’ she said.
‘Where’s the Doctor?’
‘Not far. Come, I’ll take you.’ He stooped over her, offering his hand, hope gleaming in his dark brown eyes.
‘Just point me in the right direction and get lost,’ said Peri, getting to her feet. Underneath her nausea, a hollow hunger gnawed.
Head hung low, Athon pointed to the forest border to Peri’s left, and then slunk off into the trees.
Trying to ignore the shooting pains in her legs and the throbbing in her head, Peri set off in the direction he’d indicated.
She stopped, and found herself staring at the horizon as if it meant something to her. Then she realised - it was flat. So they couldn’t be on the Eknuri planetoid. She began to remember more, how she’d been fascinated by Athon, thrilled even. She felt disgusted with herself. What had she been thinking? But that was before she’d found out what a creep and a coward he was.
She wished she could remember more, but the period between getting shot and waking up in this fantastic garden had the fleeting quality of a dream. Hadn’t she been taken to some freezing pit, inside a hell of rusted metal and earth?
Whatever, she was free now, someone had saved her - probably the Doctor, she thought with a pang of guilt. Well, he’d be able to explain everything. He usually did. She hurried along the perimeter of the forest, eager to get the apologies and explanations over.
The Doctor was arguing with a tall guy with short silver hair in a crumpled grey and black uniform. Other people stood or sat in the shade of the trees. A tall black-skinned woman, probably an Eknuri, lounged against a tree, her long body the only bit of darkness against the silvery-green forest. The black-haired woman with the staring eyes was sitting cross-legged watching the argument with morose intensity. On the edge of the small group, keeping watch over the vista of gardens, a bulbous, alien-looking gun held at the ready, was another woman, in the same type of uniform as the guy arguing with the Doctor, with the same style I lair only copper-red.
None of them had noticed Peri - all of them except the red-haired woman were intent on the Doctor and the grey-haired soldier. They were shouting, the Doctor sounding frustrated. He pointed at the gun the soldier held loosely between them, then at the panorama of gardens and trees. His meaning was clear: What use are guns in paradise? He’d gone beyond pleading and was , now in full-on exasperation mode. He once told Peri he never got on with soldiers, now she could see why. With his blond hair, youthful looks and bizarre outfit the Doctor must look like the ultimate draft-dodging peacenik.
Peri walked right up to the Doctor and the soldier, ignoring the stares of the others, and tapped the Doctor on the shoulder.
The Doctor broke off from his conversation and turned round, face flushed and frowning. ‘Not now, Aline, can’t you see I’m rather busy?’ As he spoke his face cleared and he broke into a beaming smile. ‘Peri! How are you feeling?’
They hugged each other like old friends - which Peri supposed they were. She could almost feel the glare of the soldier burning into her but she ignored him.
They disengaged. There was a moment of unease.
The soldier looked about to speak again but the Doctor held up a hand. ‘Captain Melrose, will you please give us a moment?’
The soldier looked as if he was about to protest, but he nodded assent, giving Peri a hard stare, and went to confer with comrade.
The Doctor handed her a bar of chocolate and she wolfed it down, not caring where he had got it from.
‘You’ve been unconscious for hours,’ she heard him say.
‘Any side effects?’
The chocolate made her feel a whole lot better, but she was still hungry. ‘Well, I was sick a little back there and I ache all over but apart from that, I’m OK. Look, Doctor, about running off with Athon -’
The Doctor put both hands on her shoulders. ‘Don’t apologise. If anyone’s sorry, it’s me for letting them take you.’
She was about to argue with him, demand the right to apologise, when she saw in his eyes that it didn’t matter. She was forgiven. Obviously things had moved on a whole lot since she’d been captured, and the Doctor had more important things to worry about than their little tiff. She swallowed, still feeling sick. ‘Doctor, what’s happened? How did we get here?’
she frowned. ‘And what did you call me just then?’
‘When?’
‘Just then, when I tapped you on the shoulder.’
‘Ah yes, you haven’t met Aline, have you?’ said the Doctor, indicating the dark-haired woman, who had stood up and approached
them. ‘Aline Vehlmann, renowned xenologist. She’s been very brave - without her help you’d still be on the Valethske ship, wherever it is.’
Aline had watchful brown eyes which looked a little too large for her face, and a pale complexion that looked like it had never seen the sun. She’d tied back her shoulder-length black hair which made her look even more severe.
‘Hi.’ said Peri, shaking her hand. Her fingers were slightly stubby, and there was a resolute set to her jaw. Peri somehow got the feeling that this was a woman who had been to the edge and back.
‘I’m very pleased to meet you.’ said Aline. She had a cultured, know-it-all kind of voice, and a rather haughty smile - and one of Peri’s favourite jackets - but if what the Doctor said was true then Peri was pleased to meet her too.
Something else the Doctor said. Vale something. ‘Who or what are the vale thesk?’
‘Valethske.’ corrected the Doctor.
Aline opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the return of Captain Melrose. ‘Murdering vermin,’ he said. He had a deep, clear voice that sounded used to being obeyed. Officer class to a T.
‘Peri, meet Captain John Melrose,’ said the Doctor. ‘Also Instrumental in our escape from the Valethske ship.’
Melrose smiled. It seemed genuine enough, and he extended a great slab of a hand towards Peri. He had a pink, fleshy face, with a prominent nose and a high forehead. His blue eyes looked raw, bright, as if they’d seen too much. His hair was light grey, cut short but just beginning to grow out. His handshake was predictably harsh and Peri did her best to return it, impatient to get these introductions over and find out just exactly what was going on.
‘And his comrade-in-arms, Lieutenant Lornay Meharg.’
On hearing her name, the small woman turned round and gave them a curt nod. She had a small, heart-shaped face and, even with brutally short red hair, she looked rather elfin to Peri. Like her senior officer, the young soldier’s eyes bore a haunted look.
‘This is Taiana and you already know, Athon, wherever he is,’ said the Doctor, looking round with a baffled expression.
‘Yeah, hi,’ said Peri, waving briefly at Taiana, whose golden eyes burned from the shade of the trees. ‘Look, Doctor, where the hell are we, how did we get here and,’ she had a quick look round for a familiar blue shape, but couldn’t see it anywhere,
‘where’s the TARDIS?’
The Doctor’s face clouded. ‘I think we’d better have a little chat.’
After the Doctor had explained everything - well, everything that he could - Peri stared up at him, amazed at how calm he seemed, seeing like they were probably stranded for ever in this weird well-tended paradise.
‘You did all that just to save me?’
He peered at her quizzically, and then looked away, seemingly embarrassed. ‘Well, it was nothing, really. Just a quick hop in the TARDIS and the usual last-minute dash.’
Peri picked up on the strain in his voice when he mentioned the TARDIS. ‘But the TARDIS...’
‘I shouldn’t worry. The Valethske won’t be able to harm it, and they’re probably in this solar system somewhere, maybe even on this planet.’
Peri shivered. The Doctor’s explanation had filled in the gaps in her memory. She now knew how close to being on the menu she had been. But all the other poor souls on that ship...
‘That isn’t a comforting thought.’
‘Quite,’ said the Doctor.
Something else was bothering Peri. The aching in her bones, the fog in her head, the sickness - she knew the cause of it now, but that was no comfort at all. ‘You say I was on that ship for a hundred years?’ she still couldn’t quite take it in.
This was a different sort of time travel, harsh and disturbing.
The thought of her sleeping body, hurtling across light-years of space year upon year, gave Peri the creeps. What made it even more weird was that It seemed like only yesterday that they’d landed at Athon’s party.
‘Give or take a year or so.’ He peered intently at her face.
‘But don’t worry, you look great for a hundred and nineteen-year-old!’
‘Huh, thanks a lot!’ But she knew that in trying to make light of it, the Doctor was letting her know that she’d come to no harm. And she was safe, for now. Athon had been right.
Impossible to believe there was any danger in this paradise.
They were standing some way from the others, at the edge of the forest. The Doctor had pointed out the dark wedge of the Valethske shuttle in which they’d made their escape, parked in the middle of a field of dry, fallow grass. To prevent its owners tracking it, the Doctor had disabled the flight computer.
That was what the Doctor and Melrose had been arguing about -
who had custody of the shuttle’s control chip. The Doctor had won that one, but had been unable to dissuade Melrose from taking the two Valethske guns they’d found on the shuttle and keeping them to himself. So much for making a peaceful approach to any ETs they might meet on this strange garden-world.
Peri looked at the gardens surrounding their hill. ‘Doesn’t seem real, does it?’
The Doctor smiled his familiar curious half-smile. ‘You’re right, it doesn’t. What makes you say that?’
‘Well, it’s obvious,’ said Peri, indicating the vista of flowerbeds, the impossibly neat forest stretching behind them. ‘It’s all too neat to be natural.’
‘Anything else?’
Peri thought for a second. ‘No insects. No birds, either. An ecosystem of just plants on their own is, well, impossible, isn’t it?’
‘Nothing’s impossible, Peri. Depends on the edaphic and biotic conditions. One thing’s for sure - someone or something tends these gardens. This grass doesn’t cut itself, someone planted those trees in a regular pattern.’
Peri shivered. ‘So where are they?’
‘Questions, questions, and no answers. Come on, let’s get back to the others before Melrose starts shooting at the trees.’
‘Doctor, glad you’re back. Is Miss Brown appraised of the situation?’
‘Yes, I am,’ said Peri.
This didn’t look good. Melrose had everyone standing in a line before him, his lieutenant by his side.
‘As the senior officer here, I am assuming command of this party, which is now under the auspices of the Korsair Military Corps.’
‘Now hold on a minute...’ began the Doctor.
Melrose ignored him. ‘The shuttle we took from the enemy ship is a short-range vessel. It hasn’t got sufficient fuel to make it to any other planet within range, certainly not to the next system. More to the point, any attempts to activate it could attract the attention of the enemy.’ His cold blue eyes took on a new intensity as he warmed to his subject. ‘Our first priority is therefore to establish contact with any indigenous life, obtain their assistance, contact Korsair command, and take out the enemy.’
‘We don’t even know for certain if there is any sentient life on this planet,’ implored the Doctor. ‘And as for contacting Korsair command, I’ve got some rather distressing news for you.’
‘Silence!’ barked Lt Meharg, bringing her stolen weapon to bear on the Doctor, her piercing blue eyes zeroing in on him like weapon sights.
The Doctor backed away, hands raised to ward her off.
‘Now let’s not be too hasty.’
Taiana, Athon and Aline sidled slowly away from the Doctor and Peri.
Lt Meharg advanced towards the Doctor. Melrose looked on, his face impassive.
They’re taking refuge behind what they know, realised Peri. She’d seen the similar looks on the faces of Vietnam vets. The thousand yard stare, the haunted look - whatever these two had been through at the hands of the Valethske, they were now taking it out on them, taking command, while they could. The feeling of power must be exhilarating, almost overpowering.
As if they didn’t have enough problems.
Then Melrose spoke. ‘At ease, Lieutenant.’
Sighs of relief from everyone.
‘Now, where was I?’ muttered Melrose.
‘In the middle of setting out a plan to take on an entire shipload of Valethske.’
The Doctor’s sarcastic tone wasn’t lost on the soldier. ‘Well, what would you suggest?’
The Doctor stepped forwards, eager to take centre stage. ‘I assume democracy existed - exists - on Korsair, so let’s take a vote on it!’
‘I have already stated, this unit is under Korsair command!’
shouted Melrose. His voice lowered to a dangerous growl.
‘Martial law. Doctor.’
The Doctor sighed. ‘Look, is anyone else going along with this? Taiana, Athon - surely you can see the folly in what he’s saying?’
Both Eknuri still looked dazed from their hundred years’
sleep. Athon had a puzzled half-smile on his face, as if still expecting this all to be a joke, and the perpetrator to pop out from behind a tree at any moment.
Taiana’s golden eyes were serious. ‘Yes, in principle,’ she said slowly. ‘There is no need for aggression. But I agree with Captain Melrose’s basic idea. We should try to make contact with the inhabitants of this planet.’
‘Well I don’t agree,’ blurted out Athon. ‘I think we should get back to the shuttle, take our chances. Someone might pick us up.’
‘Yes, the Valethske,’ said Melrose through gritted teeth, narrowing his eyes at Athon. ‘You really are as stupid as you look.’
‘He’s been through rather a lot,’ said the Doctor, voice hard-edged with anger. ‘Leave him alone. It’s only human to panic.’
Melrose came right up to the Doctor. ‘Been through a lot?
I’ve seen my whole squadron killed by the Valethske. Good soldiers, shot down and ripped open before my eyes. They kept me alive for days, teasing me, seeing how many of my troopers they could tear apart before I cracked. I had to listen to their dying screams, Doctor, I had to hear them crying for their mothers, and I had to take it and show nothing. I didn’t crack then and I won’t crack now. And I won’t rest until that ship of hell-hounds is no more than drifting interstellar dust!’ Melrose was shouting now. ‘So what do you suggest we do, Doctor?’