Chapter 2: In the Dark
"Who are you?" the Doctor asked.
"What are you?" Layard added.
"The Young Star called me Murphy once. I was the servant of my home. My masters felt the power of the Young Star. They have been searching for another universe to consume and have been trying to hone in on that power. The Young Star was being used in a way that let my masters track him."
"That's why he became dormant?" Layard asked.
"When the Young Star felt you, he thought it was safe," Murphy explained to the Doctor. "He thought you could help contain my home."
"What should we do now?" Layard asked the Young Star.
"His mind is on other matters," said Murphy. "He is doing what he can, but we need help."
"Where are you from? Where is home?" the Doctor asked.
"Home is home. I know no other name for it."
"Well, what does it look like?"
"Darkness," Murphy answered. "Shadows govern it. Reality there bends to their will. Darkness moves as others cry."
"It can't be," the Doctor said. "How many dimensional oscillopolar clefts did you traverse to get here?"
"Eight."
"What's wrong, Doctor?" Bill asked.
"He came from the somber dimension of unrequited shadows."
"Is that bad?" asked Nardole.
"It's very bad. That's why we called it the somber dimension of unrequited shadows. We didn't want children to be scared, so we came up with a long and complicated name so no one would talk about it."
"Well, I'm just going to call it the shadow dimension," noted Bill.
"Yeah, that's what the children did too," the Doctor said quietly.
"Now what?" asked Layard. "Have you come to measure our defenses?"
"I came to warn you," Murphy answered. "I do not agree with my masters."
Several Ijora entered the room, including Sterden.
"What is happening here?" Sterden asked.
"The Young Star has become a signal to shadows that wish to devour our world," Layard explained.
"You cannot use the Young Star anymore," the Doctor cautioned.
"We have power now," Sterden replied. "Once we get the Young Star active again, we'll have enough power to take on any foe."
"No, you won't," the Doctor warned. "I know what could come. You can't take that risk."
"That is not your decision to make," said Sterden.
"This could threaten the entire universe so I do believe it is!" the Doctor snapped back.
"The Young Star is in control," Murphy explained. "He will not become active again for your use."
"Guards, remove all of our guests, except the Doctor," Sterden ordered.
Guards advanced on Murphy, the Doctor, Bill, and Nardole. Murphy extended his arms and telekinetically pushed all the guards down. He then teleported himself, the Young Star, and the three travelers away.
"Find them immediately!" Sterden commanded.
The Doctor and his companions found themselves on Ijorin with Murphy and the Young Star.
"They'll come if they charged their ships," the Doctor warned.
"Can they track the Young Star?" Bill asked.
"Probably, but the Young Star can block himself if he tried. What's happening with your home?" the Doctor asked Murphy. "You said you needed my help with the mess."
"The Young Star is trying to seal the entry, but even his power is limited because of what we did."
"We need my TARDIS. Can you take us back to my ship on Irriobi?"
Murphy teleported the group to the TARDIS, not noticing a ship nearby.
"The Young Star told me what to look for," Murphy explained.
Everyone followed the Doctor into the TARDIS, where he activated several controls.
"The TARDIS located a breach in the universe. That's how the other dimension was able to detect our universe. You. Come here. Give me your hand."
Murphy approached the Doctor with an arm out. The Doctor scanned it and inputted some data into the console.
"You've spent a lot of time in this universe," the Doctor learned.
"Yes, but I am still connected to my home," Murphy replied.
The Doctor continued his work.
"Well?" Nardole asked.
"The TARDIS helped seal the breach, but the seal is weak and it needs time," the Doctor answered. "The Young Star is working on preserving the seal. He'll need to be dormant, or the seal will break."
"I think something is happening back home," said Murphy.
"You should go home if you can do so without affecting the seal," the Doctor told Murphy. "I wouldn't want you stranded here."
"I fear my masters are preparing the invasion. Will you come with me and prevent it? It would be a valuable precaution. We can move through the clefts without giving our position to my masters."
The Doctor, Bill, and Nardole looked at each other with some apprehension.
"We will be small enough that we can traverse the clefts for a short time after the seal is permanent. I will be able to tell when the time is coming."
"How big will the invasion fleet be?" the Doctor asked Murphy.
"Their aim will be to conquer a new dimension and prepare a feast. They will allocate whatever resources they have to succeed."
The Doctor looked at Nardole and Bill. "You and the Young Star will be safe in here. Wait until I get back and don't do anything."
"Goodbye," Murphy simply said before disappearing with the Doctor.
Loud noises outside drew Bill's and Nardole's attention. On a monitor, they saw fighting between two groups of Ijora.
"They're fighting over the Young Star, aren't they?" Nardole asked.
"Look at how one group is dressed," said Bill. "They look like the ones on the planet."
The violence escalated outside as several Ijora became mortally wounded.
"That is not good," Bill said. "We can't just stand here watching them die. Some of them must be the criminals that Layard talked about. This isn't about the Young Star."
"What do you think we can do?" asked Nardole.
"I'm not sure," Bill said as she opened the TARDIS doors. "Shield's up, yeah?"
"Yes."
The criminals and the nobles continued their fighting despite the emergence of Bill and Nardole, until Layard noticed the pair.
"There they are!" Layard yelled. "Give us the Young Star. We need it."
"The Young Star?" a criminal asked. "I've heard about that."
"That could help us get back to the planet. We'd be heroes."
"No, we wouldn't," a third criminal argued. "The Young Star would be rejected there. It's a symbol of oppression."
"Then we'll use it to take over Irriobi. We'll make this here a lovely home for us."
Fighting continued, but some of the nobles and some of the criminals attempted to bash through the TARDIS' force field, with no effect.
Layard enveloped herself in a telekinetic bubble to shield herself and she approached Bill.
"Please, help us," Layard asked. "Our powers are already dwindling and the prisoners are too numerous."
"The Young Star's power isn't going to help you long term," Bill answered.
"You're just going to watch us slaughter each other?"
Bill looked at Nardole.
"I want to help," Bill whispered to Nardole.
"I do, too, but whom?"
Bill thought for several seconds before running into the TARDIS and bringing out the Young Star.
"They won't be able to do anything, anyway, right?" Bill asked Nardole. "Murphy and the Doctor said the Young Star is sentient. He won't let his power be used anymore. If it'll stop the fighting, I think it'll be safe to give it to them."
"Give it to us," Layard commanded.
"No, give it to us," a criminal argued. "They will attempt to use it as an instrument of oppression again."
"Learn your history," Layard snapped. "The planet became independent of us while the Young Star still powered us. It was the Young Star's dormancy that changed our fortunes here. We must restore it to survive."
Jerrell arrived. "My fellow Ijora, commune with me as I commune with those in the palace. What remains of your powers?"
Before anyone else could react, the Ijora nobles combined their powers and pulled Bill and Nardole, with the Young Star, away from the TARDIS and through the force field. Nardole barely reacted in time to close the TARDIS doors. The Ijora nobles then transported themselves and the Doctor's companions to the palace while the criminals pursued on land.
"We're in!" Jerrell yelled.
Thick panels rose up from the ground, isolating the palace in armor. All the Ijora nobles gathered in a room.
"What power remains?" Sterden asked.
"All of our powers have been depleted in this final mission," Layard answered.
"All that is left is in this device," a scientist answered. "That is all."
"What is that?" Bill asked.
"If the Young Star will not commune with us any longer, we will take the power ourselves. We developed this technology when the Young Star first began to dim long ago. With the recent resurgence, we have completed it and will be able to tap into the innate power of the Young Star."
"That could release the shadows," Nardole warned.
"I've already explained to the Doctor that we can face it. He can hide in his ship if he is so concerned."
Bill and Nardole looked at each other. They shrugged as they decided to remain silent.
In the shadow dimension, the Doctor and Murphy arrived at a platform surrounded by amorphous shapes that moved slowly.
"I saw something like this earlier on Irriobi," the Doctor said.
"Those were probably just shadows of these shadows, signs of their impending presence."
"Do they care that I'm here?" the Doctor asked.
"I'm hiding our presence from them."
"Good. What do you need?"
"There are areas of this station that I cannot access. Your sonic technology will help."
"How do you know so much about my capabilities?" the Doctor asked.
"I know what the Young Star knows. I also know that he knows you well."
"Yes, he does. Is he ever going to show his face? I'm interested in speaking to him."
"Perhaps when our missions are complete and the seal is permanently established."
Murphy led the Doctor to a door that the latter was able to open. They walked into a room where several large and metallic rings were situated in a line. The centers of each ring shimmered slightly.
"Are these wormhole generators?"
"My masters plan to use them to enter your universe," Murphy said. He suddenly looked behind him and grabbed the Doctor.
The Doctor turned around and observed two shadows breezing into the room. The Doctor also saw three pill-shaped vehicles.
"Be silent," Murphy whispered. "These two are very observant and troublesome."
The metallic rings began to grow green.
"Are those what I think they are?" the Doctor whispered, referring to the vehicles.
"They are the ships the shadows will use to traverse the dimensional oscillopolar clefts. They will board the ships soon. There must be something happening with the Young Star. Do you see those isodynamic clamps at the bottoms of the ships?"
"I do," the Doctor answered.
"If you can hit the correct frequency with your sonic technology, you will be able to weld the clamps to the ships and prevent launch. I will have to provide a distraction while you do so."
Murphy put his hands on the floor, and eight lines of golden energy shot out from his hands, ran up the walls, and settled on the ceiling. The room illuminated as the lines moved.
The shadows in the room quickly flew to the ceiling and covered the golden lines with their bodies, darkening the room.
The Doctor moved quickly from clamp to clamp as the room became darker. Meanwhile, Murphy directed his telekinetic powers towards the wormhole generators.
The golden lines were finally extinguished just as the Doctor approached the last clamp. The two shadows slowly emerged down to the ground while the Doctor frantically welded the clamp to the ship. Suddenly, the Doctor was telekinetically pulled away and found himself behind a large control panel with Murphy.
"I finished," the Doctor remarked.
"I noticed." Murphy teleported himself and the Doctor to another part of the complex.
"That's a resometric relay," the Doctor realized, looking at a large tower connected to hundreds of cables and lights. A clear orb sat atop the tower.
"The shadows use this to power and maintain their weaponry when they travel," said Murphy. He walked to a control panel and put his hands on it.
The control panel vanished, revealing wires underneath.
"Can your sonic technology realign the pulsory flow here?"
"Done," the Doctor said.
Murphy grabbed the Doctor and teleported to the TARDIS.
"That's all you needed?" the Doctor asked.
"For now," Murphy answered. "Your telepathic abilities may become very useful if they are still able to cross over later."
The Doctor looked around. "I don't suppose my companions followed my instructions and remained in here."
At the royal palace, Bill and Nardole watched Sterden extract power from the Young Star. Golden energy poured out from the orb and into a metallic vase.
After a while, the vase finally filled. Many of the Ijora looked around the area expectantly.
"No problems," Bill noted.
The room began to darken and murmurs spread among the Ijora.
"You spoke too soon," Nardole commented.
Sterden rushed to a pillar and pushed the metallic vase into a small niche.
"Take the power!" Sterden commanded the Ijora. "Defend this palace!"
Shadows started forming among the darkness as the Ijora filled themselves with the Young Star's power. A shadow separated itself from the darkness and flew towards a group of Ijora. The Ijora lashed out with telekinetic blasts, but the shadow moved effortlessly through the bursts and charged into the Ijora.
Screams pierced the air as the Ijora merged with the shadow. Seconds later, skeletons and torn clothes dropped from the shadow onto the ground.
The darkness formed into three more shadows and Bill and Nardole took cover while the Ijora frantically tried to fight off the invaders.
The Doctor and Murphy teleported into the room.
"They made it in," the Doctor said. "What did the Ijora do?"
"They activated the power somehow," Murphy answered. "Our sabotage minimized the number that could travel here. They had to come by themselves."
"Can any more come in?"
"There is something we can try," Murphy answered.
"What do I do?"
"Not you and me; me and the Young Star."
Murphy vanished. The Young Star began to glow and drew power out the vase in the niche and out of the Ijora. The Young Star then took on a different appearance and lashed out against the four shadows, dissipating them. The humanoid form began to dull and a peach tone slowly replaced the golden sheen.
Nardole and Bill joined the Doctor.
"Hello, Doctor."
The Doctor approached the Young Star as it took on a fleshy appearance. "Hello, Rory."