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for the time being. But I know the manuals are thorough in their requirements.'
'At this rate it could be years before the preparations are complete.'
Login laughed. 'Generations, Doctor. We have no illusions about that.'
'Generations?' The Doctor was amazed.
'There is always something to be perfected.' And again he spoke in that way the Doctor had found
characteristic of all starliner citizens, as if reciting a memorised phrase. 'A little patience goes a long
way.'
'And a lot of patience,' the Doctor observed, 'can go absolutely nowhere.'
They walked on, through a number of passageways, remaining silent, until the Doctor found that
they were approaching the boarding area. Login stopped him before they entered, leaned towards
him in a conspiratorial manner. 'Doctor... you spoke of some vehicle you travel in,' he whispered.
'The TARDIS. Yes, I'm feeling rather lost without it.'
'I can help you find it,' Login offered.
The Doctor looked at the man with curiosity. 'You? Why?'
'I have a daughter,' Login answered. 'A daughter I love very much. She's out there on the surface.
Possibly dead, but just as possibly alive. Help me find her, Doctor, and I'll help you find your ship.'
The Doctor considered this for a moment, then nodded. Login grinned and gave him a brief pat on
the back. The two men moved into the boarding area.
The Doctor's jaw tightened as he saw that not only had there been citizens posted to make sure
the starliner doors remained secure this time, but they were headed by Omril, the young man who
had been so sadistically eager to taunt the Marshchild.
Omril and the Doctor looked into each other's eyes for the briefest of moments, and in that time
knew all of their loathing for one another.
Login walked up to the massive boarding door. 'Unseal the entrance,' he commanded.
Omril was obviously shocked by the Decider's order. 'But, Decider...' he stammered.
'The decision is made, Omril.'
'But I thought the decision was to keep the door sealed?'
Login moved towards the young man until their faces were mere inches apart. 'Decisions,' he said
authoritatively, 'can be changed.'
Omril remained undecided, and would not have known what to do had not a further distraction
appeared, in the form of a wheezing, groaning sound that entirely filled the air around them.
The citizens were beginning to panic when they saw the strange blue box gradually fading into
existence in one corner of the chamber. As the object solidified, the wailing groan died away. A
fearful hush fell over them all.
Login failed miserably in his attempts to retain his composure. He looked to the Doctor for some
kind of answer. 'What is it?'
A wide smile stretched the Doctor's face. 'Well done, Romana,' he said quietly, then tapped on the
TARDIS door. 'Romana?'
The door opened. But the head that appeared was not Romana's. The Doctor regarded the short,
beautiful blonde girl with nothing short of total astonishment. 'Who are you?' he wanted to know.
The girl's eyes, worried at first, widened with delight. 'Father!'
The Doctor was taken aback. 'Oh, no,' he said. 'Hardly.'
Keara ran forward, past the Doctor, into the open arms of Login, her father. The Doctor saw the
proud man's eyes were moist.
'Keara,' he said, his voice choked with emotion. 'You're safe!'
The Doctor smiled happily at the reunion, but then his attention was taken by the emergence of
another figure from the TARDIS. He did not know the young man, nor the one who followed him.
'What?' the Doctor stammered, looking Varsh and Tylos up and down. 'Who are you? How do you
do. Just a moment, what is this? Noah's Ark?' And then, at last, a familiar face. 'Adric! Where's
Romana?'
Adric looked totally lost, confused at finding himself in this environment. 'She's not here,' he said.
'Adric, young fellow, you have a remarkable gift - an ability to grasp the patently obvious,' the
Doctor chided. 'Where is she?'
'Back at the cave.'
'What cave?' The Doctor didn't wait for an answer, merely pushed past Adric and into the TARDIS.
His arm emerged again, grabbed Adric and pulled him in. 'Tell me on the way,' the Doctor's voice
said, and then the door slammed closed.
Login released Keara from his embrace and held her at arm's length, a single tear running from one
eye as he looked upon her. 'Keara... I never expected to see you alive. Don't ever leave me again.
Promise.'
'I promise,' Keara vowed. 'I'll always be with you. Always.'
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