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She knew he thought her nothing but a tool, a useful diversion that could now be discarded. A freak to be rid of. For a moment she felt guilty at not wanting to tell him about the matter-transmitter terminal she felt sure must exist out there in the desert, even though with more of them searching it would be easier to find. She looked over at the plain at the end of the dusty street, the wide, wide-open area. Easier. Right.

Yast spoke up, nervously. Beads of sweat stood out over his pained face, white despite the great heat. 'We can give Tanhith medical attention if he comes with us. Our ship's on its way. We can get away from here.'

'Away?' Sam looked at him.'Could you take me back to the moonbase?'

Felbaac looked as if he was about to object, but Yast butted in.'We could take you anywhere.'

Felbaac looked at him, then back at Sam.'Yes. You're brave, you could be useful to us.'

Sam's shoulders slumped.'I'm not necessarily on your side, you know. I'm sick of this. Sick of it all.' She realised her eyes were filling with tears but she didn't care now.'If I could trust you to get us off this planet I would happily let you. But you scare me, Felbaac. You don't know what the bloody hell you're doing.'

'Do I not?'

She saw Felbaac's face contort with rage, then he shoved her backwards and she fell heavily against a bruk shelter, banging her already bruised head noisily on the corrugated iron. She vaguely heard Tanhith falling to the ground with a low yelp, and Felbaac's angry voice. 'Help me with him. If they see I've got him back on my side, they'll realise they can trust me again.'

Sam tried to use her elbows to prop herself back up, to call out, to do something. But the sun was so hot and she hurt so much that the temptation to lie there was too great. She found herself sobbing again, but this time no tears would come.

***

'Right!' said the Doctor, putting the pieces in a plastic bag and wrapping the whole lot up in his velvet coat. 'Time for us to move on -'

Suddenly the whole area seemed to fragment and swim around him. This time he recognised it as another time break, and his muscles tensed involuntarily as he wondered if this would be the shift that tore the planet apart.

Things stabilised once more, and suddenly the air was drier and the sun much lower in the sky. Clouds bathed pink and orange in the twilight had gathered menacingly over the horizon, stretching out from an epicentre somewhere in the west.

Nashaad was whimpering in fear, and the Doctor went over to him, looking into his frightened eyes. Softly, he began singing a soothing Venusian lullaby. Nashaad cocked his head, as if listening intently but actually focusing on something far, far away. The noises died down in the back of his throat, and a faint smile twitched on his lips.

Anstaar came over. 'Another time slip?' she began. The Doctor turned to look at her, and an expression of concern flickered across his face before he composed himself and attempted a watery smile.

'What is it?' she asked him.

'Nothing. Nothing at all. Now come on -'

'What is it?' Anstaar suddenly felt very scared. She ran a hand through her hair, but a few strands came out with the sudden movement. She looked at them, and saw they were grey.

She looked at the Doctor, but he couldn't meet her gaze, and turned back to check on Nashaad. She pulled frantically at her hair now, moving it down in front of her eyes. Grey, lank hair. 'No,' she stated simply. Then louder, panic in her voice. 'No! '

The Doctor's face was anguished when he turned back round to her. He reached out and held her by both shoulders. 'It's an effect of the time -'

'I know what it is! ' she bawled, angrily. 'I know!' The Doctor backed away as if stung. Then her anger went and her face crumpled. 'Is it permanent?'

'I-'

'Can it be reversed?'

Her eyes were pleading at him. He looked back down at the ground, his face shadowy in the fading light. 'I just don't know.' He brightened. 'Maybe.

Maybe with the help of the