| They all stepped into the blue box. Fred and Astra paused to marvel
at the magic that allowed the odd structure to be so much larger on the
inside than on the outside. Susan moved to the TARDIS console and operated
a mechanism to close the doors behind them. They were immediately confronted
by a dark-haired young woman and a red-haired young man. They looked somewhat
hostile, and Fred and Astra found their hands immediately straying toward
their sword-hilts.
"Who are you?" asked the woman.
"More to the point," said the Doctor, "what are you young people doing
in my TARDIS?"
The woman pointed to a fair-haired man who was lying on the floor looking
distinctly unwell. "It's his TARDIS."
"And who might he be?"
"The Doctor," replied the red-haired man.
"Good grief!" cried the old man and helped the fair-haired one up. There
followed a strange exchange that Fred and Astra could not make heads or
tails of: something about recall signals and regenerations. At last, the
first Doctor said, "This is Susan."
"Yes," smiled the other Doctor. "I know."
"And these are, er, Fred, and, um..."
"Astra," said Astra.
The man smiled at her. It was a kind, reassuring smile, and she found
that her hand had left her sword without her even realizing it. "I knew
an Astra once," he said. "Lovely girl. And a very pretty name, too. I'm
pleased to meet you, Fred and Astra." His forehead suddenly creased. "Although
I would have thought that I should have met you already, if you were with
him." He looked at the first Doctor in puzzlement, but that gentleman was
already addressing himself to the other two "And you two are, er--"
The man introduced himself as Turlough, and the woman as Tegan Jovanka.
"And who might you be?" she asked, a note of suspicion in her voice.
Their Doctor introduced himself, adding that he was "the original."
Fred and Astra didn't understand this, either, or why the others should
seem so concerned by it, but they at least understood the blond Doctor
when he said there was a grave emergency.
Then he sent Tegan and Turlough off to get refreshments. While they
were gone, the two Doctors bent themselves over the contraption in the
middle of the room, completely ignoring Fred and Astra, who were beginning
to wonder just when they had lost control of this quest.
"We are wasting time here, I think" Fred said to her quietly. "Perhaps
we should leave these two to their sorcery, or whatever it is they are
up to and continue on our own."
"Yes," said Astra thougtfully. "We must deliver the message to Rassilon,
and I somehow fear that time may be running out."
Suddenly, both Doctors had whirled around to stare at her.
"Did you say Rassilon?" asked the fifth Doctor.
"You've got a message? For Rassilon?" said the first incredulously.
Astra smiled. Apparently it was their turn to explain...
-
 Meanwhile,
back in the Capital...
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