Kiss of Life (short story)

Summary
The Doctor and Martha land on the planet Geravalon, where a spaceship is about to crash. They head towards a castle that the ship will probably overshoot and land in the forest behind. Before it crashes, they meet a chameleon, which is startled as the ship crashes. They find the wreckage of an escape pod and a young girl and a man beside it. The man is badly injured and bleeding. The girl is trying to dress the wound. An elderly man appears and confirms that the girl is a servant, and the man is Prince Rodrique, heir to the premiership of the Majullion Confederation. The girl says that her name is Sastra. Martha realises that she is in shock.

The elderly man introduces himself as Padros. In the castle Sastra begins to recover. Rodrique receives medical attention. Sastra tells Martha that there is going to be a celebration for Rodrique tomorrow. Rodrique invites Martha and the Doctor to the celebration. He learns that Sastra saved his life, and invites her too. However, her legs hurt and she worries that she may not be able to attend.

The celebration commences and Sastra attends, dancing with Rodrique. The Doctor has given her painkillers to allow her time at the ball, but they begin to wear off and Sastra flees. The Doctor, Martha and Rodrique follow, only to find her lying in a corridor. Her legs are green and scaled. The Doctor says she is one of the chameleons from the forest. Her body is trying to change back, but does not have enough genetic material to allow her to maintain human form. Rodrique kisses her, transferring genetic information to her body through saliva. The Doctor says that he must kiss her every twenty-four hours to maintain her human form. Martha and he leave.

Characters

 * The Doctor
 * Martha Jones
 * Rodrique
 * Sastra
 * Padros

Continuity
to be added

Timeline

 * This story takes place after DWS: The Iron Circle
 * This story takes place before DWS: Deep Water