A TARIDS, a Gateway, a Kiss...

"Actually," said Astra, "that's not quite true. I don't quite know what all the words you're using mean, but you seem to be saying that what transported Fred and I here was random. But it seemed to be a sort of doorway. The skeleton creatures referred to it as a 'gate.' [ref:8896] I would assume that its other end is somewhere close to where we are."

"There are many planets in the universe, Astra," said the Doctor. "And if you are a time traveller, you also have to factor in all the different times. It isn't very easy to pinpoint the exact endpoint of the gate."

Fred's mind reeled at the implications of what the Doctor was saying. But he realized...

"There wouldn't be any planets nearby inhabited by giant flying squirrels, would there?" asked Fred. Everybody looked at him strangely, even Astra.

Except the Doctor. "Actually, yes, there is a planet in the immediate spatial and temporal vicinity that has inhabitants that look a lot like giant flying squirrels. And that would be as good a place to start as any. How did you guess?"

"Just a hunch," responded Fred.

Fredrigo D'Honaire sat down in his chair in the TARDIS bedroom that the Doctor had assigned to him and Astra. "There weren't flying squirrels in your dream by any chance, weren there?" said Astra.

"Indeed there were," said Fredrigo. "They turned into skeleton creatures. So I assumed that the place where the skeleton creatures' gate ended would have giant flying squirrels." [ref: 7149 and 7150]

"Sounds rather strange," said Astra. "But then again, this whole thing has been strange indeed."

"I agree," said Fred. "I feel confused, and a bit alone. What the Doctor said was mind-staggering. I just don't know what to make of all this."

Astra then kissed him lovingly.

Fred was startled, and pleased. It was exactly as in his dream! "Why did you do that?" asked Fred, because he had remembered asking that in the dream.

"You looked like you needed a kiss, you seemed so desolate," said Astra.

Fred decided to tell her. "That's exactly what you said in my dream. You kissed me in my dream." [ref:2129]

Astra smiled. "That was certainly an interesting dream," she said wryly. "Tell me, was the Doctor in it too?"

"Actually, no," responded Fred.

"Interesting," said Astra. "So did whatever gods inspired that dream think that our...relationship...was more important than our teaming up with the Doctor?"

"Maybe," said Fred. "Or maybe they just didn't want to reveal too much too soon. Speaking of dreaming," said Fred, changing the subject, "I'm getting a bit tired. Perhaps we should go to sleep? And we certainly need whatever guidance my dreams would give us."

"Great idea," said Astra. She yawned. They each got into their beds. (The Doctor, with respect for Fredrigo's desire for purity, had given them separate beds.) Fred thought of Astra as he drifted off to sleep.

1. In Fred's dream...
2. Before Fred's Dream...

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