| At least this time they weren't arriving scattered all over Socorro.
As one TARDIS vanished, another materialized smoothy where it had been.
"Right," said the Doctor, "this one should go much more smoothly now that
we're -- I'm -- better prepared." He stood with his hand on the
door control and smiled at the rest of them. "Who's coming with me this
time?"
As one person, they all stepped forward, even the recently-wounded Ragan.
"Oh, very well." He grinned. "Though it's not really necessary that
we all go." Nobody suddenly volunteered to stay behind, however,
and he merely opened the doors and stepped out, his companions following
him closely.
They all paused outside the TARDIS for a moment and watched the sun
change.
"At least this one's yellow," said Betty. "I hate to think what the
change of spectrum from that blue giant will do to the planet life."
"Yeah, that's kind of been bothering me," said Ragan. "Among other things...
You do realize that that system will have a much shorter lifetime than
Earth's original system, by billions of years? It just doesn't seem right,
somehow."
"Well, let's worry about that later, shall we?" said Inquirer. "One
thing at a time."
The others nodded, and they all moved forward toward the VLA control
room... only to be met by the same hypnotized woman (or at least, this
world's analog of the same woman).
Immediately, spells erupted from the Doctor, Inquirer, and Sigin, silmultaneously
with a hail of modified elfshot from B'ellana and Elrondir! Needless, to
say, the woman fell.
The Doctor looked from the motionless body to the others' faces, his
eyes wide.
"My god!" cried Betty. "You haven't killed her have you?"
-
 The Doctor
didn't answer, but bent down to examine her, his face pale.
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