DOCUDRAMA

Chapter 11

The place in which the TARDIS had re-materialized was dimly lit and cavernous. Shrugging off his long coat, the Doctor threw it casually across one of the struts in the control room, he opened the door. Purple and yellow tinted lights back lit clouds of steam, which lazily drifted upwards from pipes and vents along the walls. Glancing curiously about him, the Doctor sniffed the air. Then, frowning, he experimentally tapped the floor with his right foot. Instantly, he was down on his knees with his ear to the floor.

"Well," he murmured to himself, "Definitely a space ship." Standing, the Doctor absently tugged on his ear and sighed. "Problem is though, is this the right ship? Or the left ship? Or even even a ship at all? Maybe I'm in one of those ridiculous dream sequences writers use when they can't come up with a good plot idea."

Suddenly, a klaxon sounded. A bright red strobe light began to flash somewhere in the room, while a mechanical woman's voice blasted from an unseen tannoy.

"INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! AUXILARY ENGINE ROOM. COMPARTMENT THREE."

"Halt! Stay where you are!" Shouted a man's voice from the far end of the walkway. "And will somebody turn off that bloody alarm, already?"

"OK." The Doctor shrugged. "Probably not a dream, then."

Turning to run, the Doctor pounded down the aisle way to escape his pursuers. Only to be met by armed guards as he rounded a corner. He skidded to a halt as the four guards aimed their very lethal looking blaster rifles at his chest.

"I'm not armed!" The Doctor quickly informed them, raising his hands and showing the guards that they were empty. "No weapons! See?"

As one, the guards took a menacing step forward. The Doctor heard their rifles click into firing position.

"Oy! No need for that! I'm one of the good guys. Well," he conceded, "unless you're the bad guys." Which I suppose would mean that I should've kept my mouth shut just then."

"Who are you? What are you doing here? And how in the name of all the gods did you manage to get on board this ship, undetected?" Came a stern voice from behind the Doctor.

"I'm the Doctor. I'm looking for my friend. And obviously your ship did detect me, or else I wouldn't be standing here with my hands in the air. That would just be silly, wouldn't it? Though maybe not as silly as doing jazz hands..."

"Silence!" The man shouted. It was Commander Pruda.

Moving from behind the Doctor, Pruda stood in front of his prisoner, eying the Doctor like he was some strange, ugly insect.

"Are we pausing for a moment of prayer? Or did you want me to stop answering your questions?" The Doctor inquired with raised eyebrows.

"I want you to tell me what you're doing here. And you had better start talking, now!" Pruda ordered.

"First you wanted me to be answer questions. Then you told me to shut up. Now you want me to say something. Shall I wait until you make up your mind? The Doctor whinged.

"I said, talk!" Pruda fumed.

"Well, there was this time when I had to deal with a being called the Mara. It had manifested itself in the form of a giant snake..."

Pruda took out his gun, lightly pressing its muzzle against the Doctor's nose. The Doctor swallowed, tentatively finishing his sentence.

"Er—never mind. It was a long tale, anyway."

"If you won't tell me your purpose for being here, then I have no further use for you." Pruda said scornfully.

Stepping away from the Doctor, the commander gestured to the four guards with his free hand.

"Kill this man."

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