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'I have no intention of attacking you,' said the Doctor. 'I wish to help you.'

'What do you want to say?'

'First I need information,' said the Doctor. 'I want to know exactly why you have hidden yourselves in this shelter?'

'Quinn asked such questions,' said Okdel. 'It does not help us to provide you with information.'

'It may,' said the Doctor. 'Please tell me what happened?'

Okdel considered. Then he spoke again. 'A small planet, wandering through space, was attracted by the gravity of this planet.

Our scientists said that when it swept by our planet it would cause great waves and winds. All life on the surface might be destroyed.

So, we built these shelters; and, to save bringing food and water, we put ourselves into a form of hibernation. The return of the Earth's atmosphere, which would be drawn from the Earth for a short time, was to activate triggering devices on the surface that would automatically de-hibernate us. But somehow, something went wrong.'

'I think I can guess what it was,' said the Doctor. 'Did your planet have a moon?'

'Moon?' said Okdel, not understanding.

'You have given me the answer,' said the Doctor. 'You see, that little planet you feared didn't sweep by Earth. It went into orbit around it. The atmosphere was never pulled away. It was the return of the atmosphere that was to activate your trigger devices, wasn't it?'

'Yes, its return.'

'How many of these shelters did you build?' asked the Doctor.

'I do not give you information,' said Okdel.

'I can only help if I know everything. How many are there?'

Again Okdel considered. 'Many thousands, all over the world.

When we are ready we shall reactivate the others from this base.'

'That's understandable,' said the Doctor. 'But do you realise this could result in the most terrible war between two intelligent species in which both will be destroyed?'

'There is no alternative,' said Okdel.

'I think there is. In most of the world,' the Doctor said, 'the climate is very different from when it was your planet..

'It remains our planet,' said Okdel.

'Nevertheless, over the last hundred million years or so the climate has changed,' said the Doctor. 'Your people thrive in hot climates, and there are still large areas in the world today very similar to the conditions in which you knew the planet, and these areas are hardly touched by Man. With your technology you could build cities in those parts of the world which Man has ignored.'

'We have cities,' said Okdel, 'great domed cities in valleys waiting for us to return.'

'No,' said the Doctor. 'This must be hard for you to understand, but there is no trace of your civilisation on this planet. The Earth's crust is always moving. You are fortunate that this shelter has not been crushed to pulp by some internal movement of the crust.'

Okdel seemed deeply affected to learn that his civilisation had completely vanished. 'Nothing of us has been found?'

'No,' said the Doctor. 'Only some fairly small versions of your animals—the lizard, the crocodile, and the snake.'

Okdel swayed slightly from one side to another, and from the depth of his throat there came a gentle whining sound. The Doctor thought this must be the reptile man's way of showing grief. Then a single drop of liquid slid from one of Okdel's eyes. The old reptile man was crying.

'I am very sorry,' said the Doctor. 'It must be sad to realise that you are so completely forgotten.'

Okdel stopped swaying. He did nothing to conceal the single tear, which had left a glistening path down the scales of his face.

'These areas of which you speak,' said Okdel at Iast. 'Would your people agree to this?'

'They are not my people,' said the Doctor, 'but I think they might listen to me. First you must release the men who are trapped in the caves. This will help me to convince the humans that you do not intend to harm them.'

'These apes have only shown hostility to us,' said Okdel. 'The other in the cage tried to hurt my friend, Morka.'

'You have only shown hostility to the humans,' said the Doctor,