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After traveling with the Doctor for this long, Peri was pretty sure that she'd gotten used to the whole being kidnapped thing. But her palms still felt slippery as she tried testing the bounds of the rope.
The Rani was ignoring her as she worked on her experiments, which Peri was fine with. She watched from her chair as the Rani took plants and sprayed them with different liquids. The effects ranged from unnoticeable to causing the plant to double in size.
It was, Peri admitted, interesting. Peri had enjoyed studying alien plant life. There were more than enough books on the TARDIS on the subject. It was nothing that would help her when she got back to Earth, she knew, but she still found it all fascinating. That was why Peri thought she recognized the next plant.
“Wait!” Peri said. “That’s an Eetranium, isn’t it? You can’t spray that with water, it’ll form a corrosive substance.” As much as she disliked the Rani, the woman wasn’t even wearing any eye protection.
“How did you know that, girl?” The Rani asked sharply.
Peri blanched. “I—I’m a botany student.”
The Rani looked at her as if she was seeing her for the first time. Under her gaze, Peri felt some empathy towards the plants under the Rani's microscope.
“Hmm,” the Rani said. “You know, you’re never going to learn anything useful under the Doctor. Not in the realm of science. Would you be interested in a more science focused assistantship… what was your name again?”
“It’s Peri,” she said, glaring, her indignation fueling her confidence. At least the Doctor remembered her name. (Well. Most of the time.) “And I would never work for someone as evil as you!”
“Suit yourself.” The Rani shrugged, then put on a pair of goggles.