Just Like Old Times

Chapter 6

Jamie watched Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart pace back and forth near the TARDIS doors. He was obviously impatient to leave. With that organism thing still out there, Jamie didn't think that was such a good idea.

"Doctor, will you open this door?"

"That thing's still prowlin' around out there, ye know," Jamie reminded him.

"Jamie's got a point, Sir," Benton added. Jamie shot a grateful look in his direction.

"Hmm, my little plan seems to have misfired," the Doctor said. "I seem to have accentuated its metabolic rate."

"Eh?"

"Yes, most unfortunate," the Doctor continued fretfully, oblivious to Jamie's confusion. "It shouldn't have happened. Now, what went wrong?"

"Doctor!" the Brigadier shouted. "Will you let me out of this contraption?!"

The Doctor continued to mutter to himself, obviously trying to figure out what was going on with the organism. Suddenly he straightened up, his eyes widening. "Of course, you fool, it's antimatter! It had the opposite effect! I've actually stimulated it!"

"Will you stop nattering and let me out of this madhouse?!!"

"Um, Doctor," Jamie cut in uneasily, gesturing towards the Brigadier whose face was now beet red.

The Doctor finally stopped and gazed at the Brigadier. "There's no point. Now, have you seen my recorder anywhere? It's a little thing about this long with holes in it. I had it when I came in and I put it down somewhere, but I can't find it."

Shutting his eyes, Jamie groaned inwardly. The Brigadier was angry enough as it was. If he didn't end up launching himself at the Doctor and throttling him, he'd be exercising an admirable amount of restraint. Cautiously opening an eye, Jamie found that not to be the case, however.

"I'm sorry, Doctor, but I'm afraid I must insist," he told the Doctor in a calmer voice. "My place is with the men out there, trying to do something about this, well, whatever it is out there, not standing around here messing about looking for some damn fool flute!"

The Doctor sighed. "Brigadier, I cannot open that door without first turning off the force field. And even if I did, you'd never make it across the floor. That thing out there has become a killer." His expression turned remorseful. "It's my fault and I'm sorry."

The Brigadier quirked an eyebrow. "Sorry?" he repeated, his voice rising incredulously.

"All we can do now is think, and I think best to music. Now, where is my recorder? Jamie, be a good lad and help me find it, will you?"

Trying to ignore the Brigadier's near apoplectic expression, Jamie rolled his eyes and sighed, begrudgingly nearing the Doctor and looking around the console for his lost instrument. This was going to take longer than he'd expected.

The Doctor gazed curiously at the corridor he, Jo and Tyler had been escorted into. The walls seemed built very much like those guards, made of bright, reddish balls.

"It looks just like Aladdin's cave," Jo mused.

The Doctor nodded. "Mm. It's the entrance to some sort of palace, I should imagine."

"I wonder who it belongs to?" Tyler asked.

The Doctor had no idea but was certain they'd soon find out.

"I'm not sure I want to know," Jo said grimly.

Tyler nodded. "Yes, whoever brought us here doesn't mean us much good. And I don't fancy hanging around to meet him. I'm going to try and make a break for it." He abruptly stopped, turning to head in the opposite direction.