Rose ran right into the TARDIS happily, closing the door behind her, ready for anything that the two aliens put in her path. See, this was what she called a good job to do: save the world in new surroundings instead of organizing clothes everyday.

"Right then, Rose Tyler, you tell me," the Doctor tossed a little cube in his hand as he stared intently at her, leaning on the console that could take them to literally anywhere. "Where do you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time, it's your choice. What's it going to be?"

"Forwards," she said the first thing that popped into her mind. It wasn't like she had the entire day to plan out where she wanted to go.

"How far along do you want?" Virgo pressed a button, probably a setting to tune the box to the future.

"100 years."

The Doctor pulled a lever to dematerialize the box, but unlike last time, it was a much smoother and less bumpy ride. It was either because Virgo had set up the TARDIS before the Doctor could pilot it, or because it was a short trip, only 100 years. That's nothing compared to what the old box can do.

He pulled a lever and the TARDIS suddenly shook to a stop, throwing Rose even more into the console from having been holding onto it. "There you go. Step outside those doors, it's the 22nd century."

"You're kidding," Rose widened her eyes and looked between him and the door, unable to believe they actually time travelled instead of moving the box to another location. Oh! That explained it, then. That explains why it was nighttime when they materialized next to the Thames when it was daytime when the body was attacking them. She'd have to really remember that.

"But that's just too short," Virgo grimaced. "You could probably live to see the 22nd century if you try really hard, so I want your first trip to be somewhere you couldn't possibly get to. Shall we go even further?"

"Fine by me," Rose shrugged with a laugh. She didn't really care what point in history they take her to, she just wanted to see if the box really did time travel.

The Doctor pulled a lever and the box travelled through time, but held at it for a lot longer than last time. When he finally let it go, the stop force was a bit stronger, earning a grunt from the human.

"Ten thousand years in the future," he pointed to the doors. "Step outside, it's the year 12005: the New Roman Empire."

"You think you're so impressive," Rose teased him.

"I am so impressive."

"You wish!"

"I don't know about you, but I think that just screams a challenge," Virgo laughed at them. "I say to go even further."

"Right then, you asked for it," the Doctor smirked. "I know exactly where to go. Hold on!" He typed something on a classic typewriter, pressed some more buttons, then pulled the lever, making the TARDIS zoom through the vortex, but staying in the time limit, of course.

"And we're here," Virgo gestured to the doors, unsure of where the Doctor had taken them, so she went over to the monitor to see.

"Where are we?" Rose asked, eager to actually explore. "What's out there?" She ran to the doors when she was sure that the Doctor wasn't going to throw a surprise jump to the future and stepped outside.

The Doctor followed after her just when Virgo snapped her head up with wide eyes. She wanted to go further into the future, wanting to make the human's first trip in the TARDIS as memorable as possible, but to go this far... it'll be memorable, alright, but the bad kind of it. She sighed, knowing that Rose was probably going to be upset by this, so she retrieved her sun hat off the captain's chair and walked over to the door.

They were on some sort of space station or satellite thing. The TARDIS was parked on a deck with stairs going down to the window in front of them, overlooking the Earth and sun, Mercury and Venus nowhere in sight. There were no more tiny satellites orbiting the planet, as they were taken back to it about three hundred years ago, since it's no use to it anymore.

Rose was staring at the planet in awe, unaware of what was about to happen to the sun, the Doctor standing right next to her with arms crossed.

"You lot, you spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids, but you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive," he mused. "This is the year 5./apple/26. Five billion years into your future, and this is the day... Hold on." He glanced at his watch. When he looked up, the sun transformed from a main sequence star to a red giant, quite a beautiful sight, really. "This is the day the sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world."

Rose looked at him with wide eyes, then back at the dying planet, feeling as though someone just took her heart and let it drop off a five story building with no apologies afterward. Virgo, on the other hand, was staying next to the TARDIS, arms crossed and leaning against it.

SCENE BREAK

Outside, a few small spaceships boarded the space station, perfectly safe from the incoming flames with the shields up.

Inside, the trio were walking around the halls, Rose clearly all tensed up, the Doctor as happy as he can be, Virgo looking puzzled at something. She was trying to figure out the man's logic here. When she said go a little further, she literally meant go a little further, not billions of years further! And what made him think that Rose would want to see her own planet dying?! She was going to have to give him a little talk after they get back in the TARDIS.

"Shuttles five and six, now docking," the computer announced throughout the station. "Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation, and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for fifteen thirty-nine, followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite."

"So, when it says guests, does that mean people?" Rose asked, having been paying attention to the announcement.

"Depends what you mean by 'people,'" the Doctor said.

"I mean... people," Rose eyed him oddly. "What do you mean?"

"He means aliens," Virgo told her. "Why would your version of people be here to watch the planet burn?"

"What are they doing aboard this spaceship?" the human swallowed hard. "What's it all for?"

"Space station."

"More like an observation deck," the Doctor commented. "'The great and the good' are gathering to watch the planet burn." He walked over to a panel on the wall to open up the door next to it with his sonic screwdriver.

"What for?" Rose asked as the door slid up to the top, leading to a large room for more observation galleries.

"Fun," Virgo spat out the word with such disgust, becoming she was the first person to enter the room, the door not big enough to let them all pass through.

This room had a much larger window than the other room the TARDIS was in on the wall and on the ceiling, a few display cases of alien artifacts to show off the wealthness of the "people" here. It was pretty much empty, due to the fact that it was meant to be a little gathering room to watch the planet burn.

"And when he said 'the great and the good,' he meant the rich."

"But hold on," Rose looked around the room, relieved that it looked somewhat human architecture. "They did this once on Newsround Extra. The sun expanding, that takes hundreds of years."

"Millions," the Doctor agreed, "but the planet's now property of the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved. See down there?" He pointed to a tiny group of something silver orbiting the dying Earth. "Gravity satellites holding back the sun."

"The planet looks the same as ever," Rose noticed. "I thought the continents shifted and things."

"The Trust shifts them back, though," Virgo said with a soft smile. Humans, they were thick, but they could be brilliant when they wanted to.

"That's a classic Earth," the Doctor agreed. "But now the money's run out, nature takes over."

"How long's it got?" Rose asked them, a little afraid of the answer, to be perfectly honest.

The Doctor glanced at his watch. "About half an hour, then the planet gets roasted."

"Is that why we're here? I mean, is that what you do? Jump in at the last minute and save the Earth?" Virgo's hearts were nearly in the verge of breaking from seeing the hope in the girl's eyes.

"We're not saving it," the Doctor said in a serious tone, getting close to the human's face to make his point. "Time's up." He leaned back to look at the planet, Rose frowning.

"But what about the people?"

"They're all fine," Virgo smiled sadly at her. "Believe me, everyone's off the planet. It's been abandoned for about thirty years now. They've packed their bags and found other homes to live on past the Earth."

Before anyone could say anything else to each other, a blue-skinned alien strode over to them with a clipboard in his hand, looking surprised and angry at the same time. His eyes were like a cat, golden, with a brown robe with un-human-like touches to it. To anyone, he looked like the steward for the space station, but to Rose, he just looked scary and odd.

"Who the hell are you?" the Steward asked with authority in its voice.

"Oh, that's nice, thanks," the Doctor said sarcastically, not liking the tone the Steward was using to them.

"But how did you get in?" the alien looked around, as if his life was over if three people were in a room that they shouldn't be in. "This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked. They're on their way any second now."

"That's us," Virgo gave the Steward the psychic paper. "We're guests. That's our invitation with our plus one, Rose Tyler. I'm Virgo and that's the Doctor. That all right with you?"

"Well, obviously," the Steward said, now a lot calmer as he gave the paper back to Virgo, the Doctor snatching it from her hands once it was placed in them. "Apologies, et cetera. If you're onboard, we'd better start. Enjoy." He walked quickly over to a podium, putting his clipboard down when he got there.

"Why do you keep stealing my psychic paper?" the Doctor shook his head at Virgo, earning a laugh from the said person.

"'Cos it's fun to see your reaction," she countered.

"He's blue," Rose said, her eyes glued to the Steward, watching him set up.

"So?" Virgo furrowed her eyebrows, not seeing the problem. "It's a skin colour. Think what you look like to him."

"Okay," Rose nodded slowly, a good point, actually.

"We have in attendance the Doctor, Virgo, and Rose Tyler," the Steward announced into the microphone. "Thank you. All staff to their positions." A bunch of small blue-skinned aliens ran around the room, getting to their spots. "Hurry now, thank you. Quick as we can. Come along, come along. And now, might I introduce the next honoured guest? Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have Trees, namely, Jabe, Lute, and Coffa."

The door next to the podium rose up to reveal three humanoid aliens in a dress and formal clothing for the males. Their heads were long and pointy, green skin, and witch-like fingers. They entered the room gracefully, like nobles from a fairytale.

"There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace. If you could keep the room circulating, thank you. Next, from the solicitors of Jolco and Jolco, we have the Moxx of Balhoon."

Once again, this was a blue alien, but it wasn't the same species as the Steward and the staff, simply because of the way its body was formed. He was a small guy, sitting on a pod that might as well be a wheelchair in human terms. Its head was bigger than its body, so you could just barely make out that the Moxx was even wearing clothes.

"And next, from Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme." These aliens were simply beings wearing black cloaks with metal fingers, acting very much like robots, but not really. "The inventors of Hypo-slip Travel Systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen. Thank you." Furry reptiles with odd walking postures. "Cal Spark Plug. Mister and Mrs Pakoo. The Ambassadors from the City State of Binding Light..."

SCENE BREAK

After awhile of announcements, the Trees walked up to the trio, one of the males carrying a small box, the other male next to him, while the female appeared to be the one with authority as she was leading the two of them.

"The Gift of Peace," Jabe gave the Doctor a potted plant. "I bring you a cutting of my grandfather."

"Thank you," he handed the pot to Rose. "Yes, gifts." He patted his body for something he could give them. "Er..."

Virgo unclipped her bracelet to take off a bead from it and handed it to Jabe. "I bring you a fake pearl from my bracelet."

"How... thoughtful," Jabe eyed the bead, thinking that it was nothing special, but it'll have to do. She would have much preferred if the man had given her something, but what can you do?

"From the Silver Devastation, the sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe," the Steward was still announcing guests.

The door opened once more to reveal what was literally a giant face stuffed into a tank. His eyes were big with a big nose and big lips, the face very wrinkled with age and time. It barely made it through the door as a couple of people helped Boe to the side of the room.

Meanwhile, the Moxx wheeled over to the trio, its little feet kicking up and down excitedly.

"The Moxx of Balhoon," the Doctor smiled happily, excited to communicate with someone new.

"My felicitations on this historical happenstance," the Moxx said quickly with an odd voice. "I give you the gift of bodily saliva." It proceeded to spit on Rose's face, the girl grimacing and wiping it off with her sleeve.

"Thank you very much," the Doctor laughed as Virgo gave the blue man a fake pearl from her bracelet as 'a gift of peace.' The Moxx then wheeled away from them to give another species the gift of peace, the Adherents taking his place. "Ah! The Adherents of the Repeated Meme."

"I bring you a fake pearl from my bracelet," Virgo held up her hand with the bead on it, but they seemed to ignore it.

"A gift of peace in all good faith," one of the Adherents gave Virgo a gray, metal ball. The Doctor took it and gave it to Rose, as she seemed to be the carrying girl.

"And last, but not least, our very special guest," the Steward announced. "Ladies and gentlemen, and Trees and multiforms, consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the last Human: the Lady Cassandra O'Brien .Delta17."

The doors opened to reveal something not quite as human as everyone believed. There was a skin tank with the brain in some kind of liquid below, and a completely flat face stretched out. On either side of her were two men in hospital clothes, and some kind of gear in their hands.

"Oh, now, don't stare," Cassandra scolded everybody lightly as the men wheeled her forward. "I know, I know, it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away, and look at the difference! Look how thin I am! Thin and dainty. I don't look a day over 2,000. Moisturise me. Moisturise me." One of her attendants used the spray and moisturised her.

"Truly, I am the last human. My father was a Texan, my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth, and were the last to be buried in its soil. I have come to honour them... and say goodbye." A tear rolled down her cheek. "Oh, no tears, no tears." The other attendant dabbed her tear stain away. "I'm sorry. But behold, I bring gifts. From Earth itself: the last remaining ostrich egg." A member of the staff wheeled in the egg inside a display case. "Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fires from its nostrils... or was that my third husband?" Cassandra smirked and waited for laughter, but it never came. "Oh, no. Oh, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines. And here, another rarity."

An old 50s jukebox got wheeled in. "According to the archives, this was called an iPod. It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers. Play on!"

One of the attendants pressed a button, and "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell began to play out. The Doctor bobbed his head along with the music.

"Refreshments will now be served," the Steward announced. "Earth Death in thirty minutes."

Rose just shook her head, all of this being too much for her. She ran out of the room, not caring where, just anywhere where she can just be alone with no aliens. The Doctor and Virgo made a move to follow her, but Jabe intercepted them.

"Doctor?" she was holding some sort of camera, and she must have taken a picture because it made a flashing sound. "Thank you." She let them pass so she could look at the camera to see the results.

"A gift of peace in all good faith," the leader of the Adherent held out another metal ball to the Steward.

"No, you're very kind, but I'm just the Steward," the Steward blinked at him.

"A gift of peace in all good faith," the Adherent repeated in a cold voice.

"Well... yes," the Steward nodded hesitantly and took the ball. "Thank you. Of course."

Meanwhile, Jabe was pretty much arguing with her 'camera.' "Identify species." Chirp. "Please identify species." Chirp. She whacked her hand on it. "Now, stop it. Identify his race. Where's he from?" Multiple chirps. "It's... impossible." She looked at the corridor where the Doctor and Virgo vanished to with wide eyes, before heading off through the entry doors.

No one noticed the metal ball that was placed on the shelf open up, and a metal spider stepped out and scurried away from its nest.

SCENE BREAK

Rose had managed to find an empty room where she could just look out the window and stare at the Earth, probably thinking about something deep, like life and death or what the meaning to life was. Well, the room wasn't totally empty for long when a member of the staff wearing blue overalls and a baseball cap entered the room, seeming hesitant to do so.

"Sorry," she turned her head to the alien. "Am I allowed to be in here?"

The alien frowned and looked around the room, making sure that no one else could hear them. "You have to give us permission to talk," she whispered, her eyes pleading Rose to give her permission.

Rose blinked. Well whose idea what that, going so far as to needing permission to just talk? Now she was almost glad that no humans weren't on the station (excluding Cassandra, but she didn't really look human, did she?); now she could make bad comments to the Doctor about aliens whenever he said something insulting about the human race. Two could play that game.

"Er... you have... permission," Rose said, not knowing if that was how you were supposed to grant it.

The alien beamed, obviously thankful of the gesture. "Thank you. And, no, you're not in the way. Guests are allowed anywhere."

"Okay," Rose nodded awkwardly, the alien taking that opportunity to walk further into the room and crouched in front of a small vent on the wall, low to the floor. She unlocked it with a key and placed the lid to the side. "What's your name?"

"Raffalo," the alien, Raffalo, answered as she worked.

"Raffalo?" the human asked, hoping that she heard that right because that was an odd name to have, but to Raffalo it was probably as common as 'Sally' or 'Tommy.'.

"Yes, miss," Raffalo nodded. "I won't be long. I've just got to carry out some maintenance. There's a tiny, little glitch in the Face of Boe's suite. There must be something blocking the system, he's not getting any hot water."

"So... you're a plumber?"

"That's right, miss."

"They still have plumbers," Rose nearly laughed at how that was still familiar.

"I hope so, else I'm out of a job," Raffalo agreed with a pure laugh, unlike the human.

"Where are you from?"

"Crespallion."

"That's a planet, is it?"

"No," Raffalo put down a tool so she could explain it properly to Rose. "Crespallion's part of the Jaggit Brocade, affiliated to the Scarlet Junction, Convex 57. And where are you from, miss, if you don't mind me asking?"

Rose chose not to question further about the Jaggit thing or 57 Convex... other way around... it was probably common knowledge to everyone here, so she didn't want to sound like an idiot.

"No, not at all," she shook her head. "Er, I don't know. A long way away. I just sort of hitched a lift with these people... I didn't even think about it. I don't even know who they are. They're complete strangers..." Raffalo frowned slightly at the way that Rose was staring into space in shock, before shaking her head a few moments later. "Anyway, don't let me keep you. Good luck with it."

"Thank you, miss," Raffalo thanked. "And er, thank you for the permission. Not many people are that considerate."

"Okay," she nodded. "See you later." Rose left the room, Raffalo turning back to the vent.

"Now then," she lifted her comm. that was sitting by her neck to her mouth. "Control, I'm at junction nineteen, and I think the problem's coming from in here. I'll go inside and have a look."

She scooted back a bit so she could slide into the conduit, but then heard some scurrying from within it. "What's that? Is something in there?"

She watched as a metal spider peered around the corner. "Oh! Who are you, then?" The spider scurried away.

"Hold on! If you're an upgrade, I just need to register you, that's all. Oh, come back." She crawled half of her body inside the conduit before the spider returned. "Ah, there you are. Now, I just need to register your ident." The spider stood in the corner, as another spider appeared alongside it. "Oh, there's two of you. Got yourself a little mate. I think I'd better report this to Control. How many of you are there?" To her horror, a lot more spiders appeared around the corner.

"What are you?" The spiders charged at her, and Raffalo panicked and tried to crawl out, but it was impossible to do it quickly. "Oh, no, no, no!" The spiders dragged poor Raffalo into the conduit...

A/N: Okay, I think I have figured out the scene break situation. It's not pretty, but it works, right? Fingers crossed that it actually shows up on the final version.

Thank you very much for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! I was surprised when I even got one review, and now I've got a favorite and people following the story... it's just a great feeling and it's making me smile so much more through the day :) So, honestly, those are all appreciated :)

Nothing new in this chapter, but in the next one Virgo and the Face of Boe have a little talk with each other, and interesting words are shared, so stick around for that :)