Doctor Who_ The Twin Dilemma - Eric Saward [6]
These questions remained unanswered largely because Peri hadn't said them out loud. Even if she had the Doctor would not have heard. He was too intent on examining his new face in a mirror. He seemed pleased with it, feeling each feature with the tips of his fingers, like an osteopath gently manipulating a damaged bone.
Satisfied with his new psysiognomy, he pushed past Peri and entered the corridor. Now he required new clothes, garments that would complement his regenerated appearance.
He bounded down the corridor, cautiously followed by Peri. 'You know,' said the Doctor, I was never happy with my last incarnation.'
'Why ever not?'
The Doctor paused outside the door of a room. Beyond was a vast store of clothes he had accumulated over the decades. 'He had a feckless charm,' continued the Doctor, 'that wasn't me.'
'That's absolute rubbish.' Peri was indignant. 'You were almost young. I really liked you. You were sweet.'
The Doctor snarled. 'Sweet!' He threw open the door of the wardrobe and blustered in. That says it all! Sweet... effete, you mean!'
Peri remained in the corridor for a moment. She was fuming. Her major concern now was how she would cope with such an ogre as the new Doctor.
Suddenly there was a cry from the room. It was one of pain and distress, but not that of a mature man, more the sort of indignant rage uttered by a child when it learns the ground is a painful thing to fall on.
Cautiously, Peri peered around the jamb of the door. Huddled in the middle of the room in a foetal position was the Time Lord, wailing in a low, mournful tone: 'Help me. Help me.'
Peri crossed to the Doctor and bent down at his side. The Time Lord's face looked old and tired. His eyes were lifeless and empty.
'I'm sorry, Peri.' The voice sounded exhausted. 'I've been inconsiderate. You must be terrified by what's happened.'
Although appearing to be in enormous pain, the Doctor continued to reassure her that things weren't as bad as they seemed and that he would soon recover. He also tried to explain what had happened to him, but his use of complicated technical terms made it difficult for her to follow or understand.
The Doctor burbled on, talking about many things almost as though he needed simply to chatter. Most of the time he made sense, but occasionally he slipped into gibberish. Peri felt completely helpless. Although the face before her was that of a stranger she could sense that the old Doctor, a man she had grown to love and respect, was, in many ways, still alive.
Peri recalled what had taken place on Androzani Minor, the planet where the Doctor's regeneration had started. How they had both been infected with Spectrox Toxemia and how the Doctor had risked his life to get the antidote, only to find there was enough for one person. This he had given to her without a second thought, then been forced to save his own life by regenerating. All this he had done for her, without pause or hesitation or thought for himself. It seemed that the Doctor would have willingly given up his life, if necessary. Yet, when Peri was called upon to help him, she had panicked, her head filled with thoughts only of her own plight and safety.
Slowly, the Doctor's agitated state receded and he climbed cautiously to his feet. The tattered remains of his coat removed, Peri watched the Time Lord as he inspected a rail of exotic garments. Suddenly she was filled with a feeling of euphoria -
everything would be absolutely fine.
But then how could she have known of the dangers and trouble still to come?
The empty TARDIS console room was silent but for the gentle purr of the oscillating time rotor. Several lights winked and blinked indicating, for once, the satisfactory running of the time-machine.
The room had taken on an air of quiet tranquility.
But this was not to last.
In the corridor outside the shrill voice of Peri was heard. 'You're not serious!'
The door of the console room was thrown open and the Doctor, appearing to have fully recovered, marched in followed by Peri.
The reason for the sudden outburst