The Price of Fame

The Killing Ground Chapter 1

The TARDIS doors opened and three bodies hurtled through them at breakneck speed, skidding to a halt just before they hit the console.

 'Ryan! Doors!' shouted the Doctor, staring wild-eyed at him. 

'OK, OK.' muttered Ryan, rushing to the console and pressing a button. Sure enough, the doors automatically slid back onto each other. 

Meanwhile, Graham, in between bursts of heavy breathing, spluttered, 'Doc, let me get this straight...

''Not now, Graham!' the Doctor exclaimed, dashing around the console, pressing as many buttons as she could reach. Ryan stared at her dancing around, the TARDIS console her maypole. Finally, the TARDIS dematerialised, with that same loud groaning noise. Everyone relaxed.

 'Let me get this straight. The Incas thought...' 

'That I was their sun god Inti, yeah.' the Doctor interrupted. 'Probably to do with the TARDIS. I mean, a blue box that can disappear must seem very godlike to them. That and the hair.

'Ryan nodded. 'Blonde hair. Like the sun.' 

'Right in one, Ryan.' 

Graham continued, 'Right. So what about the sacrifice, then?'

'Yeah, why me?' Ryan added. 

'That's because you're the person who looks the youngest. Incas usually sacrifice children, but we didn't have any, so the logical thing to do was to go for the youngest person available. And if you arrive in the presence of a god...' 

'I'm not the youngest here, though. That's Yaz. She was born a few days after I was. So, why did they pick me and not her?' 

Graham looked around. 'Doc, where is she? 

The Doctor replied, 'I'm sure she's around. Important thing is, don't panic.' She walked around the TARDIS console room, looking in the corners as though Yaz was hiding in a corner ready to jump out at them. When she couldn't find her, the Doctor continued, 'OK, panic.'

'Have we left her behind?' Graham asked, stepping forward. 'Have we?' 

'Uh, I don't really know.' the Doctor stammered, pulling a lever on the TARDIS console. 'Best find her.' 

'It's too late. She's dead meat.' 'And it's all your fault.' Graham said vehemently

.'Not to worry. If we can just go back to a few seconds after we left, we might be able to rescue her. Just trust me.' The Doctor ran around the TARDIS console, pulling levers and pressing buttons which seemed to control the TARDIS' destination. This did nothing to dispell Ryan's worry, however. 

'What if we get there too late?'

'Yeah, the TARDIS isn't exactly what you'd call reliable. What if we arrive too late and she's already dead?'

'Don't distract me, Graham.' was the Doctor's only reply. 

'It'll be on you. Do you want Yaz's death on your conscience, Doctor?' 

'I said, don't distract me, Graham!' the Doctor shouted, but instead of getting on with piloting the TARDIS, she stared at him with barely suppressed anger. Graham had touched a nerve. 

'Ahem.' All three friends spun around. Yasmin was leaning against the TARDIS wall, with an angry look on her face. 'Am I interrupting?' 

The Doctor exhaled. 'False alarm.' 

Ryan hurried towards her, 'You OK?'

'I'm fine. Just been exploring. Did you know there's a swimming pool?'