IC-Ep 4-The Familiar Stranger(Salem Shields/Tinker)

[DetectiveSocks]

"Not a problem," As Salem puts away his medical equipment into his now tattered beat up satchel. Looking up at Tinker with serious curiosity instead of just an appreciation of her looks, Salem breaks that awkward tension, "Are you the backup UNIT has sent?"

[Mr. Handy]

"No, but I am with UNIT," she said. "I know this is going to be hard to believe, Dr. Shields, but I'm Raymond MacIntyre."

[DetectiveSocks]

Salem looks puzzled at first, "You must've hit your head pretty hard," as Salem combs through Tinker's hair for any bruises. "What's your name? Do you know where you are?" as Salem tries to assess Tinker's awareness.

[Mr. Handy]

Salem saw no sign of any injuries. Tinker appeared to be in perfect health.

"I just told you my name," she said. "Of course, that's not my real name. I've just used it so long I've gotten used to it. I've had it for more than a century. My real name is Reifendvalkaster, but I usually shorten it to Riefner. Like Story, I am a Time Lord. When we get killed, we have the power to regenerate our bodies, changing our appearance. Only this one went a bit pear-shaped. It's quite rare to change genders."

[DetectiveSocks]

"Just hold that thought there," Salem says, as he has a hard time grasping what Tinker has just said, but this is UNIT after all, the strange and unexplained was what drew Salem to UNIT. Searching around the room, Salem looks for a telephone to touch back with HQ.

[Mr. Handy]

Salem easily found a phone.

"Are you going to place a call in the clear?" asked Tinker as he picked up the receiver. "It seems risky. If I only had the right parts and tools, I could build a scrambler."

[DetectiveSocks]

Salem picks up the phone and dials the number for UNIT HQ, "I think we deserve to catch our breath for a moment," Salem answers Tinker.

[Mr. Handy]

The operator patches Salem's trunk call through to UNIT HQ in London, and soon he is speaking to Brigadier Crichton.

[DetectiveSocks]

"Captain Shields reporting in," Salem gives pause as he looks at Tinker, " be advised, an hour ago Technical Advisor MacIntyre has been killed in the line of duty, engaging the enemy along Dunwich Beach." Salem takes a deep breath, wiping his face with the tattered sleeve of his coat, "Operative Webb is declared M.I.A. as we made hard contact with local enemy populance." Looking around, Salem tries his best to get his bearings, "My location is unknown, no visual on any landmarks. I am with an operative who affiliates herself with UNIT addressing herself as Riefner, over."

[Mr. Handy]

"Understood," said the Brigadier, a hint of sadness in his voice. "I'm unaware of any operative named Reifner. Sounds like a right balls-up. Captain, return to HQ at the earliest opportunity. Do you have anything else to report?"

[DetectiveSocks]

"Have you got in touch from the other team members?" Salem asks.

[Mr. Handy]

"We just heard from some of the others a few minutes ago," said the Brigadier. "Engraham, Novak, and Maddox all made it out and are on their way home."

[DetectiveSocks]

"Good to hear Crichton, so I understand they escorted Dr. Kirby? What is my objective?" As Salem paces back and forth, tethered by the corded phone.

[Mr. Handy]

"That's Brigadier Crichton, if you please," said the Brigadier. "Or sir. When you've got a couple of stars on your shoulders, then you can call me by my surname alone. No, Dr. Kirby was not with them. They didn't know what became of her, as they formed a diversionary group. She and Mrs. Soames are still unaccounted for, but I have hope that they made it out. In any event, your cover is blown. Your objective is to return to HQ for debriefing so we can plan the next step."

[DetectiveSocks]

"Understood sir, Salem sighs in disappointment, "has Soames been in contact recently?"

[Mr. Handy]

"No, Captain," said the Brigadier. "We haven't heard from her yet."

[DetectiveSocks]

"Exfil is the [i[]RAF Halesworth Base[/i] we've arrived this morning?" Salem looks at how Tinker is doing. "Base is up North from the town?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Negative, Captain, we have no aircraft available at this time," replied the Brigadier, which reminded Salem of the fatal crash. "By the time we get one there, you can drive back to HQ in the London area. It'll be quicker in the long run, so do that."

[DetectiveSocks]

"Will comply Brigadier, proceeding to exfiltrate Dunwich and will report status updates when possible," as Salem looks at Tinker and hangs up the phone. "How's your head feeling now?"

[Mr. Handy]

"There's nothing wrong with my head," said Tinker. She patted her face and hair, suddenly alarmed. "Is there? I'm not ugly this time around, am I?" She was of course anything but. "Come on, let's get out of this place." The two of them went back outside and returned to the Model T. They returned up the dirt track to the intersection. High Street ran east, Westleton Road ran west, and the road that had brought them here went northeast around a curve.