The waves pounded on the harsh coastline, huge waves battering the tough cliffs three hundred metres below. Two figures stood beside a huge tethered balloon, one of them studying it closely while the other stood with his arms out stretched, feeling the gusty wind on his face.
Grant looked at the dark brown wicker basket container that was to be his home for the next month or so. "There's no way I'm going in there, its mouldy and it smells." He wrinkled his nose and nipped it for dramatic effect.
"Oh I don't know." The Doctor, a person who at best could be described an unfashionable eccentric intellectual with a very large personality and ego, looked more closely at their carriage. "Well it seems perfectly serviceable to me. This could turn out to be a most enjoyable adventure Grant, plus Yydell has made this trip before so we'll be in safe hands."
"What about the time we were almost torn into tiny shreds of flesh by that Octopod on Fornax IV, when we were just fishing? Or the time you almost got eaten alive by the Snailmen of Usurias when you accidentally mentioned a certain type of popular French soup?" Grant could list a dozen other near fatal experiences that one or both of them had become involved in.
"Grant, you mustn't let a few minor unplesantries upset you so much, or you'll get indigestion again. Think of this as a new and wondrous experience. Besides it's the only way we can reach one of Callisteron's poles at this time of year and I really do need those diamonds to repair the TARDIS." The Doctor rubbed his Siamese cat brooch for good look.
Grant was not very reassured by the Doctor's words but he know his friend well enough to know that he would never put their lives in unnecessary danger. "I still don't see why we can't go by boat. You know where you are on the sea, this thing's at the mercy of the winds. We could end up anywhere, we could end up right back at the TARDIS and that's thousands of miles away."
The Doctor looked up at the balloon as it swayed and billowed in the wind. "I don't think we'll be casting off today anyway, this wind is too strong. We'll find some shelter for the night in a local inn."
Ezikbah Yydell walked over to where his friends Grant and the Doctor were examining his travelling balloon. "Didn't I tell you she was a beauty? The winds should have died down by tomorrow morning."
"Don't say died," Grant complained. "I've got enough fears as it is."
"Don't worry Grant, I've made this journey a dozen times. This is the right time of year to get safely across the Sea of Ice. What's the worst thing that can happen? We plunge to our deaths, we get attacked by Ice Falcons, we fly too high and freeze to death or we get forced down and get eaten by a pack of blood-crazed Yith."
Grant turned away and abandoned his recently consumed meal over the edge of the cliff and down onto the large pointy rocks several hundred metres below.
"Pull yourself together Grant." The Doctor passed his friend a blue and white spotted handkerchief. "It's not like you have a fear of flying." He looked at his green tinged companion. "You do have a fear of flying don't you? You should have told me earlier."
"It's not so bad, I'll be fine as long as we don't hit any turbulence. If we do you'll both get a ringside seat for my Linda Blaire impersonation." Grant stuffed his hands into the warm pockets of his heavy overcoat. "Let's get out of this wind huh? My legs have almost solidified."
"I'm looking forward to a nice warm fire myself," Yydell agreed. "Plus a nice hot bowl of lizard gizzard and snake head stew." He smiled at the Doctor as Grant hurried over to the edge of the cliff again. He saw the Doctor's frown and stopped smiling quite so much. "I couldn't help it Doctor, don't fret though, I'll apologise later to him once he's recovered."
***
The Consortium met inside the thrice-blessed chamber of stars. Each wore heavy green and blue robes that totally obscured their forms so that none of them would know the true identity of their fellow.
"Does the hour approach?" one of them spoke finally.
"Yes, the signs and portents show that even now the Dweller from Beyond is making due haste to pass this way."
"Can this creature be bound to our will?"
"He is the Trickster, the deceiver, we will not so easily catch this one as we may easily hope."
"We must find a way...we must."
***
Yydell opened his eyes to see the Doctor standing over him. "What is it Doctor?" he asked.
"I was just checking on you. The suns been up for almost ten minutes already and you're still sleeping."
Yydell groaned as pain filled his head. "What did I drink last night? It feels like there's a pair of whales inside my skull. Oh, I think I'm going to be sick."
"You just lie there, I'll go and see if Grant's awake too." The Doctor returned twenty minutes later with a very angry and tired companion. "You're not even out of bed yet? Oh I do despair of the younger generations these days."
Yydell tried to pull on his shirt but failed miserably. "Can't you come back when my head explodes Doctor?"
"Why don't I see about some breakfast? Come along Grant, let Yydell recover in his own time."
"I'm going back to bed." Grant headed back to his bedroom.
"Nonsense Grant, a good hearty breakfast is what you need." The Doctor looked at his green tinged friend. "Some crispy bacon, fried sausages, mushrooms, a couple of eggs, some hash browns and lashings of baked beans will soon sort you out." He shook his hand when Grant ran off with his hand over his mouth. "Was it something I said? Oh well never mind, more for me."
***
Grant looked down over the edge of the basket. "Do we really have to go this high up?" he asked. "I have a bit of a problem with heights you know."
"We're only a few hundred feet up Grant," the Doctor informed his travel-sick chum. "We'll need to gain a lot more altitude before we can cross over this vast and boiling sea."
"Two thousand feet at least," Yydell said. "The colder air will make you feel better Grant." He opened the air vent a touch more to make the yellow flames heat up and take on a bluish tinge. "Just relax and enjoy the view, I've done this trip several times before, you'll be quite safe."
Grant sat down inside the basket. "Can't just give me something to make me sleep Doctor? Anything to stop my insides trembling more than you when you see low calorie cakes."
The Doctor ignored Grant and soaked in the view. "Such a pleasing panorama of beauty and magnificent splendour. The rolling green waves, the sharp rocks on to which they crash and the approaching thunderclouds with their grey and purple furies."
"What?" Grant popped his head up over the edge of the basket. "We're going to die aren't we?"
Yydell shook his head. "I have flown through storms before Grant, I will navigate us through the turbulent and unseen winds inside those clouds." By storms he meant a slight gust but there was no point in making everyone else panic was there?
***
Nithiq watched the Doppler radar screen; the balloons progress was taking them directly into a huge bank of storm clouds. This was not good news, but luckily it was only a minor threat. Buttons were pressed on the weather control computer and a safe pocket of air was engineered through the storm clouds.
***
Yydell kept a tight rein on the balloons guide ropes, the narrow gap in between the clouds was a huge relief but also a different sort of burden to shoulder. This may be their only way through the stack of billowing clouds or it may be a dead end that led them into the heart of danger.
Grant looked at the walls of clouds on either side. "Call me suspicious but this doesn't look right to me."
The Doctor nodded slowly. "I wondered when you were going to notice that Grant. Someone or something has created this tunnel through the clouds. I'd like to find out how and why."
"Can't we just be thankful right now that it's here? I certainly am, I don't think I could stand another hour of being tossed about like that."
There was a faint spot of brighter light up ahead and a few minutes later a beam of sunlight broke through the thin mist that lay between the huge storm clouds. "We've made it!" Yydell hugged the Doctor and Grant. "Look, there are a few icebergs."
"So I see," the Doctor stated.
Grant looked down at the bland landscape of frozen water. It shone back very brightly as the ice was very reflective and sent a lot of the suns light and heat back out into space. "Is that a penguin?" He pointed to a small dark dot down below.
"No, there's nothing remotely like a penguin on Callisteron, Grant." The Doctor took a hold of his jacket lapels as he began a long lecture on the polar life forms of their new, if only temporary, home world. "There are creatures here that are beyond the realm of human experience, they transcend the intellect and imagination of man. You will be the first person from Earth to see such beautiful and terrifying creatures. You should embrace this unique opportunity." The Doctor looked down to see that Grant has passed out. "Never mind, I'm sure we can find you a shop that sells postcards or something."
***
Nithiq paced around his small office They were taking too long to arrive at the appointed hour. Logically there was only one thing that he could do but it would mean defying the Consortium to appease the Consortium. He was trapped by his own logic and so he turned to the only person he dare trust with the information: his mate Shothniq.
"A most puzzling problem," Shothniq observed. "Perhaps we should do nothing? What is meant to pass will pass."
"It will not," Nithiq replied. "It cannot pass unless we interfere."
"Then perhaps our hand in this matter is also what is meant to pass? Maybe our service to the history that is to come was always intended?"
"Perhaps, but I cannot presume to include myself in what is to be."
"Then do not accept any part in this matter, let it be just another small mystery that will never be resolved."
"Your wisdom is well received Shothniq." Nithiq pressed a short sequence of keys on his personal computer pad. "It is done, the three travellers will come to us at the appointed hour."
***
Yydell sniffed at the wind. "We're changing course Doctor, there's a fresh wind blowing us from the south. We might make up some lost time."
The Doctor looked towards the north. "I don't like it, don't you get the feeling that our journey here has been too easy, too contrived?"
"We've had good luck Doctor, accept it for what it is. Sometimes you can't find an explanation for these things."
"Can't I?" the Doctor asked. "I wonder what's really going on, I wonder..." Grant stirred and the Doctor knelt down to tend to him. "It's me Grant, the Doctor. Don't try to move, just sip this water." The Doctor held a skin of water to his friend's lips. "Sip it, don't gulp. Yes, that's the way."
"He does not travel at all well in the air." Yydell looked down at Grant. "Perhaps we should return over the ice?"
"No, I don't think so," the Doctor stated. "The cold winds down there would freeze us solid in under an hour. This is the only way and it is rather grand, isn't it? Did I ever tell you about the time I sailed on the R-100 to Canada?"
Yydell loosened up his concentration to listen to the Doctor's words but straight away the balloon spun out of control, something had torn a large hole through one side of the ballon fabric and another on the other side.
"We're going down!" the Doctor shouted. "Do something."
"I can't!" Yydell shouted back. "We've lost all of our lift."
The basket, its contents and the three figures inside of it plunged downwards at terrific velocity, the frozen landscape of ice and snow getting closer and closer all the time.
The Doctor cradled Grant's head in his arm. "I'm sorry I got you into this Grant."
Yydell saw a shadow pass before his eyes and he screamed as they fast approached the ground below.
No one standing on the surface of the frozen white wasteland saw the impact, the fireball or the huge plume of oily black smoke.
