The Ice Warrior's Grave

Chapter 7

Location: Earth

"Why would we tell you who we are when we don't know who you are? And a what warrior?" Nathan asked.

"Well no I don't expect you to. I'm the Historian and this is K-9," she replied bending down to pat him on the head. "And that is an Ice Warrior native to the planet Mars."

"Native to the planet Mars! You can't expect us to believe that!? Benjamin exclaimed.

"Well it's true whether you believe it or not. Now who are you?"

"I'm Nathan and that's Benjamin. We are part of an archaeological dig," Nathan replied.

"Are an alien to?" Benjamin asked.

"Yes I am, she replied, "but don't worry I'm not here to harm you."

"What planet do you come from then?" Nathan asked.

"I come from a planet named Gallifrey."

"What are you here to do then?" Benjamin asked.

"I picked up the signal of a crashed Ice Warrior escape capsule so I came down to investigate. Now if you don't mind me asking, have you uncovered anything that looks like a long white box recently?"

"Yeah actually we have. We were just getting the crowbars to open it," Nathan answered.

"You were going to open an escape capsule built to withstand the pressures of space with crowbars!"

"Well we didn't know that it came from space and I'm truthfully still a little doubtful," Nathan answered.

"Humans, you're so hard to convince. I don't how the Doctor manages," the Historian mumbled under her breath. "I'll tell you what, " she said louder, "K-9 and I will follow you to the capsule, open it and then you can choose whether or not to believe us."

"What about the martian?" Benjamin asked.

"For one he's not a martian he's an Ice Warrior, there is a difference. Anyway, there's not much we can do except leave him here."

"Can't we tie him up or something?" Nathan asked.

"Well we could but it wouldn't hold him for long. Our best hope is to do this quickly, find out what they want and either give it to them or send them packing as you humans are so fond of saying."

"That plan has a sixty percent chance of failure," K-9 said.

"Don't tell me the odds K-9. Besides you say that about all of my plans and have any of them ever failed"

"Approximately ninety-five percent of your plans have failed," K-9 replied.

"Well then we'll just hope that this plan falls into the five percent success ratio," the Historian replied cheerily. "Go on and show us the way."

Benjamin and Nathan glanced worriedly at each other before Nathan took the lead, both of them privately wondering what exactly they had gotten themselves into and why couldn't they have just let the escape capsule go. The Historian followed them, humming a little tune along the way.                                                                                                       They soon reached the dig site where the rest of the team was waiting impatiently. They all looked up with joy that quickly turned to surprise at seeing the two strange figures.

As soon as they got close enough Andrew called out, "Who are they and where are the crowbars?"

"We couldn't find them in the tent and she says that she is alien, if you can believe it," Nathan replied.

"Aliens! You can't be serious?" Nancy exclaimed.

"I am in fact deadly serious. If you can just put all doubts aside for now I would like to see the Ice Warrior escape capsule. I heard from these two that you had dug one up," the Historian said to a stunned team.

"A what capsule?" Bill asked.

"She says that's what the white coffin is that we uncovered today," Nathan explained.

"Who are you?" Katy asked the Historian.

"I am the Historian and this is K-9," she replied pointing to him.

"If you are supposedly alien then what planet do you come from?" Katy asked.

"I can guarantee that you've never heard of it, but its name is Gallifrey."

"You're right never heard of it," Nancy said.

"How do we know you are telling the truth?" Matthew asked.

"Look believe it or not but whatever you decide I need to see what is inside the capsule. The Ice Warrior won't be stunned for long and I'm sure he will bring reinforcements with him when he returns.""

"Okay fine, you can see it," Andrew said reluctantly.

"Danger, Mistress Danger," K-9 said.

"What is it K-9? the Historian asked bending down to his level.

"My scanners have detected three life forms moving steadily this way," K-9 replied.

"It must be the Ice Warriors. That was faster then I expected," the Historian said frowning. She turned toward the team, "You have to show me the capsule before they get here."

"It's over here," Katy said motioning for the Historian to follow.

The Historian ran ahead of the team to where the capsule was lying. She reached the site slightly before everyone else and pulled out her sonic screwdriver. Bending down, she started to look around for the capsule's release mechanism. When K-9 had caught up she turned and asked him, "Where is the release mechanism for an Ice Warrior escape capsule normally located?"

"It is usually located underneath a concealed panel in the middle right, Mistress." The Historian found the spot and soniced it with her screwdriver. The whole top of the capsule began to slide away to reveal its contents. There was an Ice Warrior's body and in its hand there was a long, lance-like staff.