House of Silence Chapter 3: Recruitment
River danced gracefully around the center console of the TARDIS, making her pearl white, silk, evening gown twirl and move in rhythm with her humming and theatrical imitation. The Doctor, from a level down, glanced happily at her, feeling pleased with himself for another perfect adventure with his wife.
"Now that is what I call a honeymoon." River said reminiscing on the memory, seeing the Doctor at a make-shift work table. "And those floating beaches were amazing!" she walked down to the Doctor's level to see what he was doing. "Why didn't we do that the last time we got married?" she teased flirtatiously, rubbing his back with her finger tips and playing with his bowtie with the other hand.
"It was a busy day and you're distracting." He replied giving her a smile and tap on her nose. He then turned his attention back to the table and continued to work on a very small circuit chip in his hand.
Failing at her efforts, she peeked at the array of electrical parts, wires and voltmeters. "What are you working on?" she asked clearly interested in what made him so focused.
The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver at the center console of the TARDIS, grabbing data from her main computer. He then scanned the small chip, sending the program.
"This is a perception filter chip from an old TARDIS key I had. But I had to reprogram it so we can appear human." He explained but stopped, seeing River giving him an insulted look. He quickly reworded his statement. "Less us, less face." He corrected, gesturing himself. "I got the idea from a vampiric fish." He remembered, giggling at himself, and returned to tweak the device.
River smiled at the Doctor and stepped aside to let him work. She loved watching him work and she couldn't help but daydream about the good times with him, making the worse seem to be all worth it. "Wont the Son see right through the perception filter because, you know, he's less human, more us?" River playfully mocked.
"Of course, he would. He's my son." He replied shocked that she didn't know that but quickly regained his thought process and finished the device. "That's why I put it on the highest setting. Not even I could see through it. Now, give me your wedding ring." He demanded clapping his hands together.
River hesitated, drawing her left hand to her chest and protecting the ring on her third finger. "But you just gave it to me." She protested not wanting to give it up.
"Don't worry, I'll give it back." The Doctor assured her, taking off his wedding ring and placing it on the table.
River looked down at her precious band. It was a simple golden hoop, like the Doctor's, but with a small white diamond. A straightforward design but elegant. She made a pouty face and reluctantly removed the ring from her finger, then gently sat it next to the Doctor's. She quickly turned away not wanting to see what the Doctor was going to do with it. She instead walked to the open doors of the TARDIS, which was orbiting a beautiful multi-colored nebula. 'He always knows the best spots in the universe.' She thought. Admiring the scenery, River felt the Doctor wrap his arms around her, lifting her left hand and slipping her wedding ring back onto her finger.
"You added gems." She said impressed, seeing the newly added rose-colored gems on each side of the diamond.
"Perception crystals. Reprogramed and active." He informed her and holding up a Victorian hand mirror to her face, allowing her to take hold of it.
What she saw was shocking and almost unreal. A whole different face. Brown eyes, long black hair, thinner cheeks and slightly darker skin. "It's like I feel the same but not." She described, touching her face, making sure that it was truly her. "Oh, but I love it!" She tilted the mirror slightly and saw a broad faced man with short bleached hair and rich green eyes.
Startled, she quickly turned around to face him but only saw the Doctor. Confused she looked back into the mirror and saw the same stranger. The man gave her a wink, lifted his left hand, and showcased a golden ring with two rose colored crystals.
"OK, that is a bit amazing." She said turning back around facing the Doctor. "Why is it that I can see the less human you without the mirror?" she poked fun.
"Because we're married!" He declared, poking back. "Also, the crystals are cut from the same stone." Giving River a simpler answer. "As long as we are wearing these rings no one will know who we are."
"Ok then. Let's go join the Military." River proclaimed, running up to the center console with enthusiasm and giving the Doctor a pin-up pose.
The Doctor peeks his head out of the TARDIS cautiously and fully disguised. Seeing that it was a utility closet, he let out a childish grin. "OK, we're in." he whispered behind himself. River then followed him also wearing the perception ring disguise. As she stepped out of the TARDIS she felt slightly light headed. A feeling that triggered hidden familiarities.
"Quick thing, the perception crystals need to be recharged every 24 hours. Just a quick pop into the TARDIS should do it. So, don't forget." The Doctor informed her, checking the charge levels of her ring with his sonic. "I'll have to leave my sonic here for now. River?" he asked noticing the distress in her face.
"I'm OK. Needs recharging, got it." She said quickly but couldn't hide the worry.
"Hey, we are going to get him back." He said, gently cupping his hand to her face giving her the strength to move forward. Seeing her bounce back, he went to the closet door, straightened his bowtie, and together they entered Sleepers Maw. The main recruitment center of the Kovarian Chapter.
Upon entering they were surrounded by thousands of newly converted members ready to serve the Church. There were humans and aliens alike, standing in ques, sitting in waiting areas, working at small desks, and preforming physical testing. The Doctor found a window and saw that they were on a gigantic controlled asteroid, and the base itself, a massive hexagon shaped dome, was nicely nestled within it.
The couple got ahold of their bearings and picked a que for registration. As they waited, River spotted someone that made her heart race. "Doctor, look." She said getting the Doctors attention and pointing out the Son.
The Son walked towards them, down the que, and for a brief moment made eye contact with his parents. They held their breath as he passed only to discover that he did not recognize them.
"He's older, Doctor." River stated noticing that the Son was now as tall as the Doctor and more toned than the hologram from the Shadow Proclamation.
"Time lines." The Doctor replied, noticing as well. "They're hard to keep track." The Doctor wasn't worried about the Son's age. He was still very young, in Time Lord years. However, Kovarian's corruption has clearly embed itself deep within him. Are they too late or just in time to see the breaking point? Suppressing a Time Lord has never ended well.
"Next!" called out a male uniformed church member, singling them to come over.
The Doctor leaned onto the table and greeted the member. "Hello. We are married." He told him, thinking that the information was a secret code for, 'we joined your religion.'
"That's nice. Names?" the member replied, not impressed.
"John and Mary Smith." River quickly responded, not letting the Doctor speak and throwing him a warning look.
"Species?" he asked writing down their names on a registration form.
"Human."
"Very good. Do you have your marital certificate?"
The Doctor smiled widely at the member, flattered that he remembered. He quickly rummaged through his inner coat pocket, finding the necessary paperwork.
The Church member took the certificate and stamped it with an official seal, checked a few boxes off on the registration form and had them both sign the bottom. "Welcome to the Church of Silence. Grab a basic training uniform and go change into them. The changing rooms are over to your left." He informed, pointing out the way. "Then make your way to the next station for unit placement. May God be with you. Also, congratulations on your marriage." The member finished making the Doctor give River a cheeky grin.
River rolled her eyes at him and playfully pushed him aside, grabbed them both a vacuum sealed uniform, and moved on.
River and the Doctor together passed all physical and psychological evaluations, along with a very tedious class about biblical teachings and expectations within the Church. Within a few hours of registering, they were accepted and ready for their basic training sessions.
"Did I ever mention that I'm a sucker for a man in uniform?" River flirtatiously asked the Doctor as she flipped through a random magazine she found in the waiting area where they sat.
"Only once, and I'm starting to see the appeal." He flirted back gazing at her uniform, which made her physique quite revealing. "Why is this so easy?" he asked, changing the subject and lifting himself up into a cargo storage container, getting a clearer view of all the people passing by. "I mean, this is the Galactic Army and they just seem to let anyone in."
"Because this is a religion. They want everyone to be a servant of God. To fight the good fight for the faith. Submit yourself to thy lord and one will resist the Devil, making him flee from you." River deviously stated, seeing the Doctor staring at her speechless and with concern. "I read the pamphlet." She added, ending her little mind game on him.
"Attention all recruits from unit 408B, report to station 86 for basic weaponry orientation." Announce the broadcast system throughout the center.
"That's us, Doctor. Let's go." River said jumping up with a sense of spirit and excitement.
"You're enjoying this aren't you?" the Doctor pouted with less enthusiasm.
River laughed, pulling him down from the container. "It reminds me of my youth. Now, come on, we don't want to be late."
"Welcome new recruits to you first class of weaponry training. I am Lieutenant Dimms and I will be your training and briefing Bishop from now on." A woman introduced herself as she marched in front of the organized students and small worktables. She was a classic commander, 5'5'' with an elegant build. Her pale skin and peppered hair were polished and pulled back into a neat bun. Her face was soft, motherlike, but her sharp, grey, eyes gave her a strict overlook. There were around 30 recruits including River and the Doctor. They stood in line, backs straight, and intensely focused. Some eager to get started and some hiding their anxiety. "By the end of the day I will have you fully trained, equipped, and prepared for battle. However, before we start there are a few things I must touch on. First, if you suddenly feel sick or dizzy, don't worry it will pass. It's just the Silents doing their job. Second, if any of your equipment is damaged or have any questions about your equipment you must talk to The Son who is usually at his workshop in the center of the facility. Oh, and here he is, just in time." She noticed as he walked in the station and positioned himself in front of the class.
Crossing his arms, he gazed at the class like a statue waiting for a command. He wore a plated space suit that was smoky black, light, and so sleek you can see the tone of his muscular figure, making him look more like an assassin rather than an over padded foot soldier.
"Class, this is The Son. He is the Prophet of our Shadow Prime Unit. He oversees and executes our most sensitive missions. He is here to pick some new Clerics for his unit, and to demonstrate how to assemble you first weapon." Lt. Dimms told the class and assigned a few recruits to pass out trays of a disassembled M9 Energy Pistol in front of every student. "Do you have any questions before we start?"
A member raised his hand. "Yes? State you name and then ask your question." Lt Dimms called out to the young man.
"Scott Miller. What happened to his old Clerics?" he asked, clearly intimidated by the Son and trying not to make eye contact with him.
"KIA" The Son replied quickly with no emotion. "They couldn't run fast enough."
Another recruit raised her hand and Lt. Dimms nodded towards her, giving her permission. "Patty Wales. How does one get into your unit?" She asked the Son.
"Assemble your gun." The Son answered in the same cold tone.
"Is that it? Must be desperate." Another recruit chuckled making others join in.
The Son glared at the laughing recruit and walked up his tray of gun parts. Within 2 seconds the Son reassembled the broken-down pistol and pointed the fully loaded weapon at the recruit's forehead. Turning his mocking laughter into intangible fear.
"As fast as me." The Son added with an unprincipled grin. As the recruit trembled, the Son dug the barrel of the pistol into his forehead, seemingly enjoying the man's misery.
Seeing no backing down, the Doctor nearly blew is cover, but stopped himself after Lt. Dimms commanded, "That's enough, Son!"
The impact of those words deflated the Son's madness enough that he pulled the pistol away. Keeping his overpowering eyes on the recruit, he disassembled the gun just as fast as he put it together, and dropped the pieces carelessly onto the table. He then removed himself from the class.
Lt. Dimms shook her head in disappointment as the Son left the station, but returned her attention to the recruits. "Once you've assembled your gun, it is yours. Every training session, if completed, you will get a piece of equipment that feeds into your strengths. So, let's get started! As fast as you can. In 3…"
The Doctor and River looked at each other. "Can you?" he whispered quickly.
"2" Lt. Dimms continued to count.
"Yes, can you?" she replied, lifting her hands at a ready position.
"1"
"I hope so." He looked down at the pulled apart pistol.
"GO!" Lt. Dimms shouted and the recruits started franticly assembling the simple energy pistol. However, they were quickly interrupted 2 seconds later. "STOP!" She ordered seeing that 3 people were already done.
Lt. Dimms walked up to the first finished recruit. "Name?" she asked, examining the pistol.
"Sarah Nova." The young female recruit replied, looking quite confident. She stood a few inches shorter than River with long auburn brown hair that was placed into a pony-tail and baby blue eyes.
"Very good, Ms. Nova. You may go to the next station." Lt. Dimms told her and hands her the pistol, then walked to the Doctor and River. She looked at them both and smiled proudly. "Names?"
"John Smith." Said the Doctor.
"Mary Smith." River followed.
"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Please follow Ms. Nova to the next station." She turned to the rest of the class with less fulfillment. "As for the rest of you, break down you weapon and start again!"
After completing all the training and now fully equipped, the Doctor, River and Sarah Nova followed Lt. Dimms to the Son's workshop. No longer wearing a basic training uniform, they now wore a sleek black armored space suits like the Son's, with a fully stocked utilitarian belt and a unique air purification collar. As they approached the workshop the Son took notice and slipped his headphones off his ears, giving Lt. Dimms his full attention.
"These three are your new Clerics. They have passed your tests and are ready for duty. You can give them new sacred names, but I know you won't." She told him and started to hand him their report file, but hesitated and warned, "Try not to get them killed, Son."
Without emotion but understanding her warnings, he placed the headphones back into their proper position, turned his back and started reading the file.
"Is he always this intense?" Sarah asked not sure how to read her new commander.
"Oh, believe me, that is his happy face. I'm sure he will be impressed by your files. Especially yours Mr. Smith. Your intelligence matches his. However, he's not one to play nice on the playground. So, I suggest that you make friends with him. Get him to trust you. And Good Luck." She made her farewell and dismissed them for the day.
River pulled the Doctor aside leaving Sarah at the workshop, making sure that they were away from any ears. "Why are we going this far? Why can't we just grab him and go?" River asked feeling concerned and protective.
"If we just throw him into the Tardis as he is now, he might overpower us. And then what? The Tardis won't be able to defend herself. He will find his way back to Kovarian and then she'll have a Tardis to her disposal," The Doctor explained, glancing back, seeing Sarah already trying to make friends.
Sarah watched the Son as he read the paperwork, while he pored a cup of tea and added 4 tablespoons of sugar.
"Do you want some tea with that sugar?" She poked fun, getting his attention.
"Sarah Nova, right?" he asked as he took a sip of his tea.
"That's right." She replied with a grin, she then quickly took her ear piece and tossed it to him. Catching the device, he gave her a confused look. "It has a blip." She explained.
"A blip?" he asked wanting more information.
"Yep." She answered flirtatiously, sticking to her vague clarification.
As he inspected the ear piece, he noticed River, who had her back towards him. "Hey, you!" he called out, then started to quickly walk towards her.
"Lt. Dimms is right, we have to get him to trust us. We have to be patient." The Doctor consoled, but suddenly became extremely worried seeing the Son coming towards them, looking vexed.
The Son grabbed River, turning her to face him. She stood there speechless and in shock as he examined her. Finding the problem, he pulled out a sonic screwdriver from his belt pocket and detached a small air filter unit from her collar.
"Your air filter is damaged. Come with me." He told her. "And you. I want to check yours as well." He pointed to the Doctor.
They both took a breath of relief and followed the Son back to the workshop.
"Hello again, Sarah." River greeted, not liking the girl or the way she looks at her son.
"Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I'm surprised that you two aren't in a closet somewhere snogging." She mocked, making River clench her jaw and stopping herself from slapping her.
The Son went to the Doctor and detached his air filter with his sonic. The Doctor was surprised to see the device and how easily the Son knew how to use it.
"What is that?" Sarah asked pointing at the sonic as the Son scanned the air filter.
"A sonic screwdriver." The Son answered as he worked, but ignoring her physically.
"Where did you get it?" questioned the Doctor, curious about the Time Lord device.
"A place called Nunya."
"Nunya?"
"Nunya business." The Son finally answered looking up at the Doctor, getting the air filter apart with a good amount of force.
Sarah chuckled at the burn joke and continued to look at the strange devices and gadgets on the worktable. River cleared her throat and changed the subject. "How damaged is it?" she asked seeing if she can get a conversation going.
"Damaged enough for me to see it 20 yards away." He vaguely replied, plugging the air units into a small computer. "Hey, don't touch that!" he yelled at Sarah, who was about to pick up a strange metal egg.
"What is it?" Sarah asked, pulling her hand away, fearing that she almost picked up something deadly.
Suddenly the oval object mechanically transformed into a small metal, spider-like, robot. The robot had four flexible, unsegmented, legs and a bright red reticle eye in the middle of its clam-like body. The Doctor recognized it immediately having encountered those tiny robots before.
"It's for a client." The Son warned as the robot made a metallic hiss at Sarah, making her jump. "The air unit will need a few minutes to calibrate. In the meantime, I'll fix your blip." He mocked, hoping that will deter the annoyance of his new Clerics. However, Sarah pressed on.
"Is the box of apples for a client as well?" she mocked back, seeing the large crate of alluring apples standing out from the other metal storage containers around his messing workshop.
"I like apples." He answered showing a cold shoulder, clearly telling her that he is not interested, and continued to tweak the ear piece.
Sarah dialed up the pressure. "Sure, you do. Aww, look. He puts faces on them." She teased further, tossing a smiley faced apple to River. "Cute apples and over sugared tea. How old are you? 8?" Her taunting finally reached a reaction from her stubborn commander. With a stern expression, the Son walked up close to Sarah, making her think she went too far. However, the Son, unexpectedly, gently placed her ear piece back into her right ear.
"Goodness, are you go to ask me stupid questions all day?" he asked her, giving her a snide grin.
"Does thy Prophet no longer teach his disciples?" She flirted, mimicking his grin.
"Do you hear that?"
"Hear what, Prophet?" still playing her succubus role.
"It's fixed." The Son turned away from her, not buying into her roleplay and returning to his computer. "Unfortunately, your filter chip is fried and needs more work. I should have it fixed before our first mission tomorrow." He told River and reattached the Doctor's filter back onto his suit. "Your is fine."
"Mission? What Mission?" Sarah franticly asked not understanding how she could have missed any meetings.
The Son ignored her question and turned his attention to an approaching church member. "Son, Lady Cassandra O'Brien is here and ready for your presentation on the requested prototype." The member announced. The Son nodded at the member, quickly tapped the spider robot, transforming it back into an egg, grabbing it, and then followed the messenger away from the group.
"Wait! Aren't you going to brief us about the mission?" Sarah call out, worried that she missed something.
The Son looked back, giving her a playful smile and childishly shook his head as he walked away, disappearing in the crowd of people.
"Genius, inventor, and a willful fox." She joked, but suddenly felt the glares from River and the Doctor behind her. She turned her joking towards them. "Oh, don't be such stiffs. Besides, I think our relationship is off to a great start. Smell you later!" She waved, as she also walked away from the couple.
River kept her glare on the girl until she was out of sight. She wasn't sure about Sarah, something was off about her and that made her anxious.
"Don't worry, dear. I'm sure you will get a chance to slap her tomorrow." The Doctor said making River break out of her stance and relax.
She looked down at the happy faced apple that Sarah tossed to her. "Amy use to put faces on her apples. How does Son know how to do that?" she asked the Doctor, keeping her eyes on the crimson fruit.
"Amy's hair. Without proper memory records, the Loom probably didn't know what to do with that information, so it just wove the knowledge into him. Making it an instinct. He probably doesn't even know he's doing it." He theorized, checking his perception ring.
"Does that apply to all memories?" River hesitated to ask, feeling the growing concern in her heart.
"I wouldn't worry about that now. We need to get back to the TARDIS." He warned and encouraged her to hurry as they rushed back to the TARDIS.
"OK, we made it just in time." The Doctor announced jumping out of the TARDIS, playing and twirling his sonic screwdriver between his fingers.
"I can see you missed your sonic." River observed and laid down comfortably on a large king size bed. "I didn't know they gave married members their own private sleeping quarters." She said looking around the room. The area was like a luxury hotel, complete with a sitting area, a kitchen, and a full bath. All fully stocked for everyday living. The style was minimal and modern with a healthy combination of whites and greys. "The walls are even sound proof." She noted, suddenly became infatuated. "Did you plan this in hopes of other expectations, Doctor?" She asked, putting herself in a more flattering position.
The Doctor took her bait and laid down next to her. "Well, it's better than snogging in a closet."
"Oh, but where's the risk in that?" She laughed, reeling him in closer for a kiss.
"You should get some sleep. Big mission day tomorrow!" He exclaimed, separating himself from her and jumping off the bed.
"And you don't?" River protested, feeling rejected.
"I need to increase the charge time on our rings. I have a feeling that we are going to need the extra time." He replied, popping back in the TARDIS. "It won't take long!"
River accepted the excuse and rolled her eyes, "You're always working on something." She said before yawning. She made herself more comfortable and quickly drifted off to sleep.
In the TARDIS, the Doctor set up the rings in a holding tube and started to laser fuse an extra crystal onto them. While waiting, he couldn't help but become curious about the Son. 'So that's how Cassandra got those troublesome robots.' He thought as he remembered that far away day on Platform One. And the sonic screwdriver was not what the Doctor excepted. "How did he get one? Who gave him one?" he asked himself with concern. "He couldn't have built one himself. Could he? That's pretty advanced, even for an adult Time Lord." The Doctor took a deep sigh of defeat. He wasn't going to get any answers in here. "River's asleep, perception rings still fusing. What's the risk, eh?" Deciding, he took his sonic, and left his wedding ring and his wife behind.
With only his sonic screwdriver and his Shadow Prime suit for a disguise, the Doctor strolled down the empty corridor comfortably. Only tensing his body for a moment as he passed a few late-night members, who didn't recognize him or acknowledged him at all.
Finally, he made his way to the last door to the main center. He used his sonic to easily opened it and cautiously entered. The Center was completely devoid of life, making the dome look more massive than before. Through dim lights and in silence, the Doctor started to make his way to the center of the dome where the Son's workshop sat. As he walked, he reviewed the Son's behavior, trying to calculate when in his life they were in. When he was woven, Kovarian didn't have control over the Silents and he is slightly older than the Byzantium footage from the Shadow Proclamation. Also, his sudden outbursts are consistent of an adolescent teen Time Lord. However, it seems that his son can manipulate time somehow, which makes calculating even more difficult. The Doctor needs another aspect of his time line to complete the equation.
The Doctor finally reached the Son's workshop and immediately found the young Time Lord's sonic screwdriver resting on the worktable, along with a cup of tea and a half-eaten apple. The Doctor smiled at the display but regained his focus and started to examine the unique sonic.
The device was short and broad, with a white handle and a copper-based head and footing. The top was flat with changeable relay filters and a small read out screen. The sides were presented with mechanical dials for different settings and strengths for sonic pulses, also the sonic push button was uncommon, it flipped up revealing a sensitive doppler setting. The Doctor was impressed, clearly proud of his son's work with it. He was also quite jealous. After scanning it with his own sonic, the Doctor read its crystalline emitter and got an answer that he was not expecting. "It's based off mine?" he whispered to himself. However, his confusion was turned into concern as he quickly noticed steam in the corner of his eye. The tea was still hot.
Hearing walking and humming, the Doctor quickly ducked behind the worktable and sat against the crate of apples. The Son, with his headphones on his ears and his eyes on some paperwork, didn't noticed the Doctor hiding three feet from him. His humming turned into mimic singing and started bobbing to the beat of the music. However, he instantly knew something was missing. He slipped off his headphones and started searching the area, becoming suspicious.
'No.' the Doctor thought has he looked at the missing sonic in his hand. He then decided to attempt a risky move. Timing the Son's head and body movements, the Doctor, with Time Lord speed and accuracy, gently placed the sonic back onto the table where he found it. Unfortunately, at the same moment, a loud cling sound of metal rang throughout the center, putting the Son on high alert and drawing his weapon.
The Son made his way slowly around the worktable towards where the Doctor was hiding. Nowhere to go, the Doctor accepted that he was going to be caught, but at the very last moment he was saved when the Son said, "Melody?"
The Doctor mouthed, "Melody," to himself in disbelief. He peeked around the crate and saw a little 7-year-old girl standing there, holding a bright red book. The girl wore grey and maroon corduroy overalls with an oversized navy-blue sweater underneath it. She had long, messy, light brown hair that was held back by a white head band. The Doctor could clearly see the combinations of Rory William's facial structure and Amy Pond's wide, Scottish, green eyes within her face. The girl was truly, the missing, Melody Pond.
"Melody, what are you doing here?" the Son asked her, sternly and holstered his weapon.
"You didn't come home." She replied making herself just as serious, but the Son became more severe with her and walked up to her, grabbing her arm tightly.
"Why does that matter? I told you to stay in your room!" he yelled at her, gesturing to the ground in an angry manner.
"I don't want to be in my room!" She yelled back, unbending her stance towards him.
"Then you go to my room! But whatever you do, you do not leave the orphanage. If you leave, the perception bubble that I put around it will no longer hide you. Do you want the Devil to find you?" he angrily questioned her, not letting go of her arm as she tried to pull away.
"You promised!" she shouted.
"Do you want the him to take you away?" the Son continued, ignoring her last statement.
"NO!"
"Then why do you taunt him?"
"I'm not afraid of the Doctor, Sonny!" she answered, finally getting free from his grip. "And even if he comes and takes me away, at least I'll be away from that old, stinky, building. And the Silents, who make me sick. If you were around you would see that." She scolded him, becoming as cross as he was.
"I'm working, Melody." He said still sternly but backing down.
"Yeah, you're always working, you're always breaking promises, and you're always lying!" She stated turning away from him. "You're just like him now. Just like the Doctor, just like the Devil."
The Doctor's hearts sunk into his stomach, making his guilt overpower him, but he wasn't the only one. The Son, too, felt the sting of those words and his face softened into culpability.
"Is that what you think of me?" he asked in shock. "Do you think I like being here?" Melody stood her ground and gave no answer, making the Son finally see his wrong doing. "I'm sorry." He finally said to her, gently and sincere. "I'm sorry I lied. I'm sorry that I'm gone all the time. I'm sorry I can't keep promises and I'm sorry that you have to live like me." the Son fell to his knees and lowered his head in sorrow.
Melody turned to face him. "Can't we just leave?" she asked. The Son sighed, shaking his head and leaning back into a rest position. He knew where this was going. "Can't we go to the place in this book?" She asked, holding the bright red book towards him. "Where the red grass fields meet the snowcapped mountains. And the forests of silver trees, and the glass covered cities." She described, falling into a daydream of wonder.
The Doctor also felt tranced in her description of her vision. Reminding him of his home planet, Gallifrey.
"Melody, that planet is a myth and that's just a book." He told her, lifting himself off the ground and walking back you the worktable.
"Yeah, a book only you can read." She pouted. "Which, by the way, you promised that you would teach me how to read it." She added, turning away, sulking.
"Yeah, I did." The Son agreed softly, raising his sonic into the air and activating it. Suddenly, the dome opened, transforming its exterior into crystal clear glass and allowing the brilliance of space to shine through.
Melody gazed up in amazement at the thousands of stars above them. "Wow. I didn't know this place could do that."
"Yeah, it was an observatory before…" he stopped in mid-sentence giving a hint that it wasn't a good day.
"Before what?" Melody asked glaring at him.
"That doesn't matter." He quickly replied, picking her up and placing her two feet to the right. "Now, stand right there."
"What for?" she asked confused.
"For your first flying lesson." He announced, pointing the sonic at her feet.
"My what?" Melody suddenly was lifted off the ground, almost losing her balance while on the nearly transparent hoverboard. "Sonny!" she shouted for help.
The Son laughed. "What? I did promise. Just relax and stand up." She gained the courage and did what she was told. "OK good. Here we go." He said and gently pushed the board, making Melody glide in mid-air.
"Wait, Sonny! What do I do?" she started to panic.
"Just relax and let your body move it." he assured her. "Good! See you are doing it." And she was, turning the board to the left and to the right, looping back towards the center of the dome. "You're a natural. A little faster now."
She became confident and leaned forward, making the board move faster. However, she leaned too far and she fell forward off the board completely. "Sonny!" she screamed in fear.
Before she fell to the hard floor, the Son caught her. He smiled down at her. "Why do you always give it too much?"
"Shut up." She laughed, pushed him as he let her down to her feet.
"Come on, one story, but I get to pick the book this time." The Son told her, collected his sonic screwdriver and headed away from the workshop.
"Fine. But I'm going to get an apple." She then ran to the crate of apples behind the worktable, but she got startled by the Doctor sitting against it.
The Doctor was a bit shocked but amazed to see her. Melody Pond, the girl who was stolen. The Doctor gave her a smile and made a shush gesture, then tossed an apple at her. Catching the apple, she looked down at it and saw a smiley face carved into it. Melody smiled and looked back up to the stranger but he was no longer there. The Doctor had vanished.
"Come on, Melody!" The Son called out from afar.
"Coming." She called back, and took one final look before leaving with the Son. Back to the Orphanage.
The Doctor waited on the floor for them to be fully out of sight. "OK. Before the Silents, after the Byzantium, after 51st century, 7 years after Demon's Run and before the astronaut suit. So, 52nd century," he continued, calculating quickly in his head, slightly counting with his fingers. "Mid-teens? Yes, no. Younger. No wonder he's stubborn." He concluded, relieved to see that his son was still such a child inside. The Doctor chuckled, but soon realized that he needed to get back to his wife before she wakes. Becoming fearful of his cross wife, he rushes back to the TARDIS.
