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CHAPTER 4

RYT IN THE NICK OF TIME

Before us is a group of 4 jail cells, approximately 7 feet by 8 feet by 7 feet. There are 2 cells on each side of a short walkway, each separated from adjacent cells by a thick wall. They seem to be furnished with a bed, a sink and a toilet. In each corner of the jail is camera, and all around the jail are other devices that seems to be aimed at the walls, ceiling and floor. I look at them but say nothing about them at the moment. We are dragged in and put in separate adjoining cells, the chains and fetters removed, then the doors shut with a clang.

Rusty, grabbing the bars that makeup the doors, calls out, "How long are we to be kept in here?"

"Until we can figure out whether you have compromised the knowledge of our existence or not. As for the Time Lords, we're not sure what to do with them as we are aware of their regeneration ability. And though you're just from Earth, you're associated with them, so you'll just have to share his fate, whatever it may be."

"Gee thanks ever so much," Rusty drawls, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

While they are talking, I examine the devices more closely. "Hmmm...Cameras for surveillance, I see. And is that a Bitarian multi-cellular frequency oscillator?

Suo eye's widen, then looks back at me. "You can tell that just by looking at them?" He looks over at Rusty, who snorts and shrugs.

"Don't ask me. I've been with him for a few months, and I STILL haven't figured him fully out. I don't even know what this...bipartisan...multi-cellular whatchamacallit IS."

"BiTARian...NOT bipartisan, Rusty," I pipe in.

Suo turns his attention back to me with a hint of admiration, and leans against the wall with arms crossed. "Since there's no way of escape, I don't see how knowing the info can hurt. What you call teleportation, we refer to as Phasing. We can become intangible for about 10 minutes. While in Void Space and intangible, near instantaneous movement is possible practically for any distance. The Bitarian multi-cellular frequency oscillator is something we acquired on one of our raids. It interferes with our ability to phase, which prevents us from instantaneous travel. With this being a jail, we can't have our prisoners just vanish. Now if you're finished with your interrogation, I have other matters to attend to. I'll send an attendant along shortly with some food and water in a bit." He turns and walks away.

"Well, I'll have some steak, medium well, with potatoes and green..." My voice trails off as Suo vanishes from sight. "...beans. Well, that was terribly rude. Didn't get the rest of my order...or yours, for that matter of fact. Well, I thought he was rude. Didn't you?"

Rusty examines his cell with his discerning eyes, but nothing seems to catch his attention. There were no windows, not being this far underground. He finally sits down on the bed. "Doctor, how can you be so upbeat in a time like this? We're stuck on a planet in the middle of literally nowhere and in no time and in jail for who knows HOW long."

"Well, when you've lived as long as I have, you learn to take each moment as it comes. Sometimes it's best not to contemplate all the negatives and just think on the positives."

"Annnnnnd...the positives would be...?" He prompted.

"Well, we're still alive. They haven't executed us." I decide not to mention the sonic screwdriver as I realize we're being monitored.

"Yet. That may still happen if they decide we're a threat to the knowledge of their existence."

"But we're still alive for now and we get food and water. I just hope they do make good steaks here. I hate it when they overcook my steak."

"Do you really think we will ever get out of here?"

"Well, I've been in impossible situations before and I'm still here."

While we are still bantering, I look at glance at the cameras and see the red ready light blink off, then a few seconds later blink on...only this time turn blue. Then, a rather rough voice comes through the speaker on the camera. "So, you are the poor suckers that got locked up in here, huh?" a husky disembodied voice asks.

"Poor su... Wait...who said that?" Rusty called out, hesitantly.

"A friend. I've managed to take over the cameras and loop the recorded film for a bit. The guards shouldn't catch on for a while. "Right now, I'm trying to find a way of getting you out. But I can't get in with those oscillators still working."

"Well, I might be able to do something about that," I reply and knowing that our captors won't notice, I pull out my sonic screwdriver from my pocket, aim it at one of the oscillators, push a button, and a hum erupts from it as the tip grows bright green. Nothing happens, though to the device.

"How did they miss that when they frisked you?" Rusty inquires.

"The coat uses Time Lord technology, Rusty. Pockets are bigger on the inside than the outside."

I keep trying different settings until I find the right one and the oscillator sparks and shorts out. Then I aim it toward the others, and each of them give off a rewarding "Spzzzt!" "How's that for irony? My frequency oscillator is oscillating the frequency oscillator."

"What?" The disembodied voice asks.

Rusty rolls his eyes and says, "Just nod and say 'OK'. It's what I usually do when he tells one of his..." here he makes air quotes, "...'jokes'."

As soon as the last oscillator finishes, another Cheshire appears in the space between cells and looks around before spying us. He (at least I assumed it was a male) stands about around 6 ½ feet tall, had a slim, athletic build, and was wearing red shirt, and black pants and sort of a trench coat. He has brown fur with black stripes on his tail and ears, and a serious no-nonsense expression on his face. One thing to distinguish him from the other Cheshires was the shape of his ears, which were curled slightly rather than pointing straight up. We both sat up as his appearance registered on us.

"Ah, are you the one that was talking to us awhile ago?"

"Yes, I am. I'm here to get you out of here."

"Well, thank you. You mind telling us who you are?"

"I'm Ryt. Ryt Sannys, Silencer, first class second tier and I qualify as a Meddler, fourth class seventh tier for the clandestine branch of the military. And you two are?"

"Ah yes. Forgive my manners. I'm Murphy Slaugh, AKA The Doctor. My equine friend here is Rusty Clydesdale."

"Well, Linda told me that two strangers had been incarcerated here, but I didn't believe her at first."

"And this Linda is...your friend? Mate? Companion?"

"She is a computer, actually. L I N D A...stands for Linear Integrated Neural Diode Assimilator."

"You named your computer 'Linda'? What kind of name is that?" I blurt out.

Ryt's eyes narrow to very dangerous slits. "A name I picked out for her. I got it from some science fiction literature. You have a problem with that?" he growled.

I smile innocently. "Oh, no, no. It's a...a very NICE name. I like it. Just doesn't seem to be Cheshirish...or Cheshirese...whatever the adjective is for Cheshires. Seems more Earth-like."

"Earth? You're from Earth?"

Rusty replies, "No, I'M from Earth. He...," points one hoof at me, "...is from Gallifrey."

Ryt looks back and forth at us for a bit. "Well, I have more questions, but right now we need to get you out of these cells and out of the jail. I can help you with the second, but the first may take some time."

"Actually, it won't take any time at all," I say and use the sonic screwdriver on my cell lock and it clicks. I then push the cell door open and it creaks as it swings outward. "Piece of cake." Afterwards I go and do the same to Rusty's cell. "Now that I've done the first part, how do you plan on doing the second?"

"Well, I have a plan that just might work."

Rusty replied, "MIGHT work? You're sounding just like the Doctor."

"Don't listen to Rusty. We're working on his lack of faith in my abilities. What is your plan, Ryt?"

"I've never done this before," Rty explained, "but, I believe if I can hold on to you and phase out, then you should phase with me, then I transport you to my ship on the splintered side of the planet."

"Hmm...sounds feasible to me. Besides, what choice do we have? We're ready when you are."

"Very well then." He grabs each of our arms, concentrates, and as I look around, everything starts to go fuzzy, then fades into darkness, then darkness overtakes both of us and we pass out from the transport.