The Littlest Timelord: Cracks in Time

Chapter 24

The Doctor, Elise, and Nasreen walked down one of the walkways, keeping an eye out for Amy and the others.

"This place is enormous and deserted. The majority of the race are probably still asleep. We need to find Amy", the Doctor said. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver. "Looking for heat signature anomalies".

"But Doctor, how can all this be here?" Nasreen asked, "I mean, these plants".

"Must be getting closer to the center of the city".

They turned down a tunnel.

"You're sure this is the best way to enter?"

"Front door approach. Definitely. Always the best way".

An alarm started to go off. "Hostile life forms detected area seventeen", a computer generated voice announced.

"Apart from the back door approach. That's also good. Sometimes better", the Doctor added.

"Hostile life forms detected area seventeen".

"Doctor", Nasreen said as warriors surrounded them.

The Doctor pushed Elise behind him.

"Hostile life forms detected area seventeen".

The Doctor threw up his hands in surrender. "We're not hostile. We're not armed. We're here in peace".

A warrior stepped forward and sprayed gasses into their faces.

Elise fought to stay conscious and passed out as she felt someone pick her up.

The Doctor cried out in pain as he was being scanned.

"I'm decontaminating now", Malohkeh said turning a key.

"Decontamination? No, no, no!" the Doctor yelled, "No!"

The decontamination hurt even more than the scan.

"It's all right, it won't harm you. I'm only neutralizing all your ape bacteria", Malohkeh told him.

"I'm not an ape. Look at the scans. Two hearts. Totally different. Totally not ape! Remove all human germs, you remove half the things keeping me alive!"

Malohkeh turned off the machine.

"No, complete the process", the other Silurian told him.

"Oh, that's much better, thanks. Not got any celery, have you? No. No, not really the climate. Tomatoes, though. You'd do a roaring trade in those. I'm the Doctor", the Doctor said. He looked over and saw Nasreen right next to him. "Oh, and there's Nasreen. Good".

Nasreen opened her eyes and looked at Malohkeh. "Oh, a green man".

"Hello. Who are you?" the Doctor asked the female Silurian.

"Restac, Military commander", she said.

"Oh dear, really? There's always a military, isn't there?"

"Your weapon was attacking the oxygen pockets above our city", Malohkeh said.

"Oxygen pockets, lovely. Ooo, but not so good with an impending drill. Now it makes sense".

"Where is the rest of your invasion force?" Restac asked.

"Invasion force. Me, Elise, and lovely Nasreen? No. We came for the humans you took and my daughter". The thought of getting Elise back was the only thing keeping him calm. They wouldn't give her back if he lost his temper. "And to offer the safe return of Alaya. Oh wait, you and she, what is it, same genetic source? Of course you're worried, but don't be, she's safe".