A Change of Scenery
This was NOT the Doctor's idea of a holiday! What had happened to Florana? It had been such a peaceful, idyllic little planet. Not danger. Nothing harmful. The only sentient beings, inasmuch as he was aware, were a race that looked very much like butterflies and their close relations, the dragonflies and moths. They'd never proven hostile before. Certainly not to the point of picking up a harmless visitor without so much as a by-your-leave or pardon-me-could-you-step-this-way.
When he'd seen Tegan being carted off by one of the larger denizens, no matter how beautifully resplendent, the Doctor was quite taken aback.
The last thing he remembered as he chased after Tegan and her unexpected transportation was his ankle being grabbed from behind. He'd glanced back to see the shambling tangle of orange and brown leafy vines that had accosted Tegan earlier.
"Oh no!" he said irritably, annoyed by the delay. "Not YOU again! Now see here! I don't have time to much about with - OOF!!"
He'd seen the thick tentacle-like vine entirely too late. It smacked him resoundingly across the right temple and then, darkness . . .
"Ooooh, my aching head," he murmured as he swam upward toward consciousness. Eyes still closed, he reached up to rub his throbbing temples . . . only to discover that his arm would not respond to his mental command. "Now what?" he said as he opened his eyes.
The Doctor winced at the sudden onslaught of harsh neon lighting directly over his head and turned his head to the side. He was laying prone upon a very cold metal table which was propped up at a 45 degree angle. His arms and ankles were strapped down to the table with belts of woven vines. Rather strong vines, as he soon discovered when he strained against them.
"Oh do stop struggling," said an acidic female voice very close at hand. "You're only wasting valuable time." She walked into his field of vision, a tawny haired woman with cold eyes and an even colder expression.
"The Rani," said the Doctor with disgust and exasperation. "I should have realized you were around when I saw that vine creature on an otherwise unspoiled and ecologically sound planet. Can't say as I'm happy to see you. Sorry."
When he'd seen Tegan being carted off by one of the larger denizens, no matter how beautifully resplendent, the Doctor was quite taken aback.
The last thing he remembered as he chased after Tegan and her unexpected transportation was his ankle being grabbed from behind. He'd glanced back to see the shambling tangle of orange and brown leafy vines that had accosted Tegan earlier.
"Oh no!" he said irritably, annoyed by the delay. "Not YOU again! Now see here! I don't have time to much about with - OOF!!"
He'd seen the thick tentacle-like vine entirely too late. It smacked him resoundingly across the right temple and then, darkness . . .
"Ooooh, my aching head," he murmured as he swam upward toward consciousness. Eyes still closed, he reached up to rub his throbbing temples . . . only to discover that his arm would not respond to his mental command. "Now what?" he said as he opened his eyes.
The Doctor winced at the sudden onslaught of harsh neon lighting directly over his head and turned his head to the side. He was laying prone upon a very cold metal table which was propped up at a 45 degree angle. His arms and ankles were strapped down to the table with belts of woven vines. Rather strong vines, as he soon discovered when he strained against them.
"Oh do stop struggling," said an acidic female voice very close at hand. "You're only wasting valuable time." She walked into his field of vision, a tawny haired woman with cold eyes and an even colder expression.
"The Rani," said the Doctor with disgust and exasperation. "I should have realized you were around when I saw that vine creature on an otherwise unspoiled and ecologically sound planet. Can't say as I'm happy to see you. Sorry."