Post by Ian Chesterton on Oct 9, 2021 11:29:11 GMT
[For River Song ]
Ian was very glad the Trexanians had flight, even if it was rudimentary. He definitely felt blown about by the time he landed. His pilot was determined to stay by the plane, but Ian was fine on his own.
The Trexanians on the other side of the country had been arguing over a historical artefact, the Chalice of Lifeblood, and the Doctor, trying to play peacemaker, had volunteered Ian to get it for them. Which was fine with Ian: apparently getting there involved a flight, a trek that only a true adventurer could undertake, and staying awake through the Door of Slumber and then finally solving the clues on the chalice itself that prevented the adventurer from being killed by the booby traps on it. Which could mean anything, but did mean that Ian much preferred he went than Barbara or Vicki.
The trek, he found, was somewhat swampy. It had been more so, but someone at some time had laid boards over it to form a walkway. The boards were sinking a little, so Ian's shoes got wet, but no more than he would on a rainy day at home.
The Door of Slumber turned out to be a long drop. Which would certainly have not done Ian's bones any good if he hadn't spotted it. Fortunately, it was easy to spot due to the foliage positioned around the hole. And there was a rope ladder to climb down it.
Either the Trexanians stories were more myth than truth or someone had already been here. Either way, Ian was less sure about the outcome of his trip. Which was par for the course and he shouldn't have expected it to be easy.
However, the booby trap could still be real and undiscovered. He stepped slowly and carefully along the tunnel and it was when he came around a corner that he he saw a woman pulling what looked like a chalice from the ground, he shouted a warning and ran to push her hands away.
Which turned out not to be a great idea, as his motion took him to the wall, which immediately wrapped twine around him, making it impossible to move and forcing him to take shallow breaths. He couldn't even see the woman from his position, so had no idea if she was similarly entwined.
"Are you alright?" he managed to get out between pants.