"You are one of the Myrox. You will be destroyed," one of the machines spoke, without a hint of remorse.

Ariana was a Myrox. They wanted to kill her, just like in the stories the elders told.

She couldn't stop the tears from running down her cheeks, no matter how desperately she tried to hold them back.

At the end of each of the soldiers' arms, was a weapon instead of a hand; huge, spiteful energy cannons.

"No!" the Doctor yelled, trying to protect Ariana, "She's just a child, for pity's sake."

"That does not concern us," the soldier replied, in a flat, emotionless voice. "The enemy will be eradicated."

"Have you no compassion?" the Doctor roared, "You're super-intelligent AI's! Is there nothing in those nanochips of yours that cares?"

Ariana was a little terrified by the fire in the Doctor's words. She was just glad that this man didn't hate her. He seemed like he could be very scary.

His piercing eyes locked onto the leader.

"I knew it," he grumbled. "You are just soldiers. Slaves, made for killing."

The soldier who spoke lowered her weapon slightly, in a brief moment of doubt.

Before another word could be spoken, there was a flare, and the soldiers were blasted off their feet.

The Doctor shielded himself and Ariana, but they were both sent plummeting backwards into the dirt.

Before the dust had settled, the Doctor was on his feet again, helping Ariana up.

They didn't have time to flee, as a heavily armoured all-terrain vehicle screeched to a halt in front of them. Its wheels, wider than Ariana was tall, clawed at the earth like an enraged bull.

There were more soldiers inside.

These were humans – not machines. Ariana could tell, because they all looked a little bit different to each other.

The leader, a man with a domed head, and features resembling the gnarled bark of a tree – all covered in scratches and scars – spoke.

"I am Commander Trusk. What just happened? Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"We're nobody important. Just let us go," the Doctor pleaded.

"I'll be the judge of that," Trusk grunted.

He gestured towards two of the soldiers, and they took positions behind the Doctor and Ariana, cutting off their escape.

Instinctively, Ariana grabbed the Doctor's hand, and hers disappeared between his many fingers. She knew he would keep her safe.

"Where is the K unit?" Trusk demanded.

"K unit?" the Doctor queried. "Would that be your missing machine?"

Ariana frowned, and looked around. She counted five of the identical fallen soldiers. But there had been six – the other was nowhere to be seen.

"She's gone," the Doctor informed the scowling commander.

"How is that possible? It had no such orders," Trusk snapped.

"She won't answer to you any more, 'commander'," the Doctor snarled back.

Trusk uttered a guttural noise, like a mutt growling at a particularly unpleasant cat.

"We need to find that AI unit," he barked, throwing orders at the nearest soldiers.

The Doctor turned to Ariana, and winked.

"I'm already on it."