Free The Eleventh Tiger by David A McIntee Page B

it.’
    ‘With writing in white above the door, and on one panel of the door? With small glass windows?’
    ‘Yes.’ The Doctor looked as surprised as Barbara felt. ‘Have you seen it?’
    ‘My son said he saw it appear out of thin air. I examined it this morning and thought it might belong to the English at Xamian. Do you mean it is yours?’
    ‘Yes, indeed!’
    The Doctor turned back to Barbara. ‘There is a first-aid cabinet in the wall beside the food machine,’ he said. ‘In it are some antibiotic drugs and a machine that looks rather like a solid, wide paintbrush with lights and buttons. This is a kind of bone-regenerator. It will knit broken bones together in a matter of minutes.’
    ‘And we can use these on Ian?’ Relief washed over her, even though the items were still back in the Ship. Just knowing about them was more reassuring than all Kei-Ying’s efforts, though Barbara would never be so insensitive as to say so aloud.
    ‘Yes, my dear, we can. But first I shall need someone to go and fetch them. I would rather not be away from Chesterton in his present condition.’
    ‘I’ll go, of course.’
    ‘I thought you would.’ The Doctor handed her the TARDIS
    key.
    The touch of it felt strange, and Barbara wasn’t sure whether this was because it was the key to something alien, or because she was starting to feel dizzy and sick. If Ian hadn’t needed help, she would have just lain down somewhere and cried herself to sleep. But then, if Ian hadn’t needed help she wouldn’t have been feeling this way in the first place. The key looked like a perfectly ordinary Yale one on the end of a black ribbon.
    The Doctor’s hand closed over Barbara’s with surprising firmness and reassurance. ‘I’m worried about Ian too,’ he said softly. ‘And about you as well. You look as if you could just topple over and pass out at any moment, and that’s not good, now, is it?’
    ‘That sounds very much like how I feel,’ Barbara admitted.
    ‘There’s really nothing to worry about, you know.’ The Doctor smiled kindly and caught her eye. ‘When you bring me that first-aid kit from the TARDIS Ian will be as right as rain, so you can start feeling rather more like your old self, eh?’
    Barbara nodded. Unexpectedly, she did feel better. Her head seemed to be clearer and the nausea in her stomach had gone.
    Kei-Ying had remained calm and impassive throughout the conversation, but now he nodded to himself. ‘My son can guide you. He will also protect you if necessary.’
    ‘Thank you, Master Wong,’ the Doctor said. ‘I’m sure it won’t be necessary, but it is most appreciated.’
    Vicki looked towards the little shrine. ‘Can I go too?’
    The Doctor looked at her quizzically for a moment, then said, ‘Of course, child. Of course. Now let’s get you ready, hmm?’
    ‘I’ll speak to Fei-Hung,’ Kei-Ying told them, and went over to the shrine.
    ‘I’ll collect some fruit and water for the journey,’ Vicki said.
    She too left, and the Doctor and Barbara were alone.
    ‘I’m surprised, Doctor, that you’re allowing Vicki to go. It’s nearly dark, for one thing.’
    The Doctor brushed Barbara’s comment away. ‘It’s only natural that she should want to go. The child is a born explorer, in case you hadn’t noticed. She’ll be keen to see new times and new places.’
    His features softened and, if Barbara wasn’t mistaken, became almost admiring.
    ‘You see something of yourself in that?’ she asked.
    ‘What? Oh, I -’ The Doctor stopped pretending to be surprised. ‘Yes, yes, in many ways I do. And something of Susan too,’ he added sadly.
    Barbara understood what he meant. ‘It’s natural that you’d miss your granddaughter. Anyone would miss a child or grandchild when they leave home at last.’
    It was a judicious turn of phrase, and the Doctor clearly knew this as well as Barbara did. Susan hadn’t exactly left home; rather her home, the TARDIS, had left her.
    ‘Perhaps I