Time Again, Goodbye Again

Chapter 13

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Not-Dave chased her.

Almost too far ahead, River aimed her gun at the wall. A new square appeared.

"This way, quickly. Move!" River ordered.

They entered a room with a giant sunlight above them. The sky was orange. Tea hadn't noticed that before.

"Okay, we've got a clear spot. In, in, in! Right in the center. In the middle of the light, quickly. Don't let your shadows cross, Doctor," River said.

The Doctor pointed his sonic at the shadows, "I'm doing it."

"There's no lights here. Sunset's coming. We can't stay long. Have you found a live one?" River asked.

"Maybe. It's getting harder to tell. What's wrong with you?" the Doctor asked.

Tea didn't know if he was talking to her, River, or the shadows. By the looks of it, probably the shadows.

"Tea," the Doctor said.

Tea crouched beside the man.

"I need you to tell me what you saw."

Tea remained quiet.

"Teanna."

"I think it was a computer, Doctor. Some kind of hologram. It's like I was downloaded into a computer," Tea said.

"Is that all you're going to say?" The Doctor asked.

Tea looked at the man, her expression hard. "There's nothing more to say."

"What happened?"

"Nothing bad. I was safe."

"Tell me."

"Don't make me."

They watched as River threw a chicken leg into the shadows. It didn't even hit the ground before it was pearly bone.

"Okay. Okay, we've got a hot one. Watch your feet," River said.

That military training really showed.

"They won't attack until there's enough of them. But they've got our scent now. They're coming," the Doctor said.

"Oh, yeah, who is he? You haven't even told us. You expect us to trust him?" Other Dave asked.

"He's the Doctor," River said.

"And who is the Doctor?" Mr. Lux asked.

"The only story you'll ever tell if you survive him," River said.

The Doctor continued to mess with his sonic, attempting to scan the shadows. His mind wasn't on the task at hand.

Tea gently took the device from him.

The group of archaeologist astronauts murmured to each other on the far end of the light.

A moment later, River wandered over.

"What's wrong with it?" She asked as she saw it in Tea's hand.

"There's a signal coming from somewhere, interfering with it," the Doctor said.

"Then use the red settings," River said.

"It doesn't have a red setting," the Doctor said.

"Well, use the dampers."

"It doesn't have dampers."

"It will do one day."

The Doctor took River's sonic from her. "So, some time in the future, I just give you my screwdriver."