TIME LORDS DON'T CRY

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Turning away from the window, the Doctor sat down on the edge of the coffee table.

“Marie? What about your uncle? He doesn’t seem to be like the others, he’s seems much stronger. You said that he’d thrown you into the well. He didn’t kill you. Now, why would he do that? And, it all took place in broad daylight. What about that, then?”

Marie looked at the Doctor and drew a deep sigh, shaking her head.

“I didn’t tell you everything about Uncle Tobias. Sorry, I guess I just wasn’t thinking.”

The Doctor reached over and touched her hand, silently indicating that he understood. Marie had been through a lot in last few days.

“It’s OK, Marie, it’s fine.” he said softly. “But, I need to tell tell me now, everything you know, no matter how insignificant you think it may be. It could be very important, do you understand?”

Marie nodded and looked into the Doctor’s face.

“Uncle Tobias can come out into the light, but none of the others can. It’s the armor. During the daytime, when he has to come out for some reason, he wears a big suit of metal, like the knights used to wear in the olden days.”

The Doctor drew back, puzzled.

“What? You mean like armor, armor? Like King Arthur and all that?”

Marie nodded, then glanced away.

“You don’t believe me, do you Doctor?”

“What?” he asked, genuinely surprised. “Whatever makes you think that? Of course I believe you. I’m just not sure what species we’re dealing with, here.”

He sat forward grasping his knees, his eyes deep in reflection.

“Hmmm—yeah, the whole armor thing does actually shed a new light on things.” the Doctor murmured.

All at once the front door burst apart.

“I do believe that our guests have arrived. Come on, then.”

Without hesitating, the Doctor leapt up and grabbed Marie by the hand. They both fled into the kitchen. He sat Marie on top of the kitchen table with the stern admonishment to “Wait here!”

Promising to be right back, the Doctor dashed back into the parlor. Grabbing up every lantern, he headed for the fireplace. Just then, the lumberjack and the hunter burst through the parlor door. The Doctor turned to face them.

“Oh, hello!” He said, cheerfully. “Come for a little teatime visit have you?”

Dashing nimbly around the hunter, the Doctor got the last of the lamps, putting them on the fireplace mantel. The logger was reaching out for the Doctor, making a grab for his neck.

The Doctor gracefully side-stepped around the lumberjack, and lined up the lamps and lanterns along the mantel, in front of the large mirror. The hunter made a move to cut off the Doctor’s escape. In a series of quick movements, the Doctor turned up the wicks on each of the lights, causing the room to be bathed in their brilliance.

The hunter and the logger raised their hands in front of their eyes. Giving inhuman shrieks, they both backed out of the room.

“What they need is a really good pair of sunglasses.” The Doctor said aloud. “Glad they don’t have any!”

Back in the kitchen, the Doctor found Marie moving the icebox aside.

“That’s my girl!” He smiled at her.

The Doctor helped Marie move the bulky old wooden box completely off the wooden trap door. Opening it, he saw a rickety set of wooden stairs. Shining his torch down there, the Doctor saw that the stairs led to what appeared to be an old root cellar. Just then, he heard a metallic clanking noise coming from the parlor.

“That’s Uncle Tobias, I presume.” He looked at Marie soberly. “Marie, here’s my torch. Go on down there and be as still as possible. I’ll be down shortly.”

“But where are you going, Doctor?” Marie asked quietly, hesitatnt to be left alone in the dark, spooky tunnel.

“I’m going to find a way to stop them, or at least slow them down considerably.” The Doctor replied, glancing warily at the kitchen door. He looked Marie in the eyes. “Marie, I know I’m asking a lot, but you’re one of the bravest humans I’ve ever met. And, sweetheart, you’re just going to have to trust me, and do as I say, alright? I promise you’ll be OK.”

You’ll be careful, won’t you?” she asked in a small voice, worry creasing her face. The Doctor smiled.

“Of course I’ll be alright. I’m always alright,” he winked “don’t you worry about that. I just want to have a chat with your uncle. I promise I’ll be along directly.” He helped her down the ladder, then leaned down and put a finger to his lips. “Remember Marie, mum’s the word.”

Closing the trap door, the Doctor whirled around as the kitchen door swung open on its hinges, crashing into wall. There framed in the doorway, was a man encased in a rustic black space suit complete with helmet, made up of thin sheets of some kind of shiny metal.

The suit had all the appearance of something some late 19th or early 20th century writer might dream up. The Doctor stepped forward, looking the armored man up and down.

“Well now, you certainly took you own sweet time getting here, didn’t you?”

The being in the suit said nothing. It just stood there, motionless, like he was waiting for something.

“What, you’re going to just stand there? What’s the matter? Oh, let me guess,” the Doctor said sarcastically, “you prefer to beat little girls and kill helpless animals, is that it? Well, Uncle Tobias?” He narrowed his eyes. “But you’re not really Uncle Tobias, are you? Who are you then, what do you want? Come on, spit it out, I haven’t got all night. Places to go, things to do, and all that.”

The thing in the suit spoke, its voice rasping and hollow, but still somewhat human sounding.

“We are the Exogen. We will assimilate you. We will assimilate all life and make it our own.”

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