While You Were Out ...

Chapter 8

The Doctor stood a short distance from the TARDIS, gazing in futility at the empty landscape stretched out before him. What happened? He was so sure the device worked and he had been brought to the proper spatial plane. He'd checked and double checked—even triple checked—the readings.

But where were his friends?

Scrubbing his hands across his face, he sighed in frustration. Where would he even begin to search for them?

He suddenly uncovered his face and his eyes widened as an idea struck. The cluster of buildings they'd seen when they'd first landed on this planet —could they have been a scientific outpost? There was a faint possibility. Even if they were merely dwellings, he could still ask anyone living there if they had seen his two friends.

If he didn't perchance end up finding them there himself ...

Feeling a bit more optimistic, he returned to the TARDIS and grabbed a printout of the results from his study of the soil and rocks. Armed with this newfound knowledge, he stepped back outside and in the direction of the buildings, stopping and turning back only to set his homing device for the TARDIS to ensure he wouldn't get lost.

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Returning to the main room of the lab, Leo slowly approached his work space and eased himself back onto his familiar old chair. He opened his ledger to where he had left off earlier, but all the notes and numeric values staring back at him now looked like a jumbled mess. Instead he sat, trying to digest this new revelation.

Make no mistake; he and the other scientists were shocked by the appearance of this couple claiming to be the Galliwups. They'd first assumed them to be imposters and had asked them a series of identifying questions. The two newcomers were equally confused, but Mr. Galliwup was able to prove their identity as he immediately started reciting the key points of his own paper. He'd even gone so far as to list the official terms for the equipment used.

It was now clear the original Galliwups had been the real imposters.

"Did you know ?!" Maura hissed as several of them stepped back and pulled Leo aside.

"Of course I didn't," he replied, trying to keep his voice down so the newcomers wouldn't overhear. "I was as much in the dark as you were!"

"The cheek of those two young people trying to pass themselves off as these expert scientists!" Dr. Edelson added, eyes aglow with fury. "We should confront them first chance we get! When do they arrive? We—"

"No," Leo interrupted, placatingly holding up his hands. "I'll confront them. The rest of you stay with the real Galliwups and get them settled." They gazed skeptically at him, several appearing ready to protest. "Look, I know emotions are running high, but we are scientists; let's think about this rationally. Those other two may be imposters, but they haven't done us any harm."

The group paused, exchanging looks.

"Perhaps," Dr. Ainsley begrudgingly admitted as the others nodded. "But whatever their intentions—however nice they are, they've still betrayed our trust."

"Yes, I know. I agree," Leo returned softly. "But it won't do for us to be confronting them all at once like a lynch party out of the Old West. I'll take care of it and then we can see about arranging a formal questioning. Agreed?"

Dr. Ainsley considered for a moment then nodded his head. He then directed that they—minus Sillsbeck—should return to the actual Galliwups, who seemed anxious to see what they were all working on. Leo overheard Maura suggesting an introduction by way of a short presentation in the smaller media lecture room before he turned and headed out of the room.