Chapter 4: Helpless

The people advanced forward, right to the edge. Here, to the partial relief of all watching, they stopped.

On rooftops all over the world, billions of people stood in a line. In Paris, crowds had gathered on the Eifel Tower. In San Francisco, they'd massed on the Golden Gate Bridge. In the Arctic circle, groups of Inuit, out of contact with civilisation, were circling around in search of anything that wasn't flat.


"The reports say it's roughly 2 billion people." Said the Major. "That's a third of the world's population."

"Surrender or they will die." Llewellyn repeated. Now they knew what that meant.

"Hold on!" Alex put his finger to his ear. "There's a pattern. It seems to be distinct family groups. Mothers and daughters. Fathers and sons. Brothers and sisters. But not husbands and wives."

"It's Guinevere 1." Said Llewellyn, as though that explained everything. "Do you have medical records for all of your staff?"

"Of course." Said Alex.

As he looked them up, Harriet took the Major aside. "Any word from Torchwood?"

"They say they'll take a while. Bear in mind, they have just lost a third of their staff." He replied.

"But do they have what we need?"

He struggled for a moment. "Yes maam.

"Then tell them to hurry up!"

"Here it is." Llewellyn beckoned them over to his screen, where Sally's medical records were on display. "Sally Jacobs, blood group A positive." He read. "Who else walked out?"

"Luke Parsons." Alex read off the nearest empty desk.

Llewellyn hit some keys. "Luke Parsons, A positive. Who else?"

"Geoffrey Baxter."

"A positive. They're all A positive."

"How many people in the world are A positive?" Said the Major.

"I don't know. But I'm pretty sure it's a third."

"But what's so special about the blood group?"

Llewellyn looked down at his feet. "Nothing. But it's all my fault. Guinevere 1, it's got one of those plaques on it. A message to the stars. You don't expect anything to come of it, but I put on maps, and music, and samples. Wheat seeds, and water... and blood. A positive, from my assistant. The Sycorax have got a sample of A positive blood. And I don't know how, but through it..."

"They control the blood." Harriet finished. "There's only one more thing I can try. Major, with me."


From the balcony of their tower block, Rose and Mickey looked around at the crowds assembled on the surrounding rooftops. "What do we do?" Said Mickey.

"Nothing." Said Rose. "Nothing we can do. There's no-one coming to save us. He's just left us."

"Rose!" Her mum called. "Look at this!"

They returned to the living room, where Jackie beckoned them over to the telly. On screen, Harriet Jones was sat in a panelled room, with union flags on either side and a picture of the queen on the table.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she began sombrely, "if I may take a moment in this difficult hour. This is hardly the queen's speech. I'm afraid that's been cancelled." She turned to the side. "Did we ask about the royal family? Oh." She turned back to her audience. "They're on the roof. But, ladies and gentlemen, this crisis is unique, and I'm afraid to say, it might get much worse. I would ask you all to remain calm. But I have one request. Doctor, if you're out there, we need you. I don't know what to do. If you can hear me, Doctor. If anyone knows the Doctor, if anyone can find him, the situation has never been more desperate. Help us. Please, Doctor. Help us. God help us."

Rose returned to the Doctor's room, where the time lord continued to lie still. Somehow, she'd thought that this latest plea would provide some energy for him to get up and help. But he continued to lie there and do nothing. It was finally enough to make her break down and cry.

"He's gone." She sobbed, as her mother took her in her arms. "The Doctor's left me."

As if to rub salt in the wound, every window and every glass mug in the flat shattered into a million pieces.


The Sycorax had hit the atmosphere faster than they should. A massive sonic boom rippled out in all directions, shattering anything brittle enough it hit. Across the city, the Gherkin appeared to explode like a flowering bud. Everybody around doubled over, clutching their ears. Only those stood on the rooftops remained still.

More and more people were streaming out into the streets to see what was going on. They had a perfect view as a massive silhouette appeared on the clouds, getting bigger and bigger. Finally, the clouds were washed aside and the ship broke through.

Were it not roaring and hovering just above the London Eye, it wouldn't have looked like a ship at all. What it did resemble was a massive flying rocky island. A massive flying rock bearing down on the houses of Parliament.


"Come on." Said Rose. "Help me get him out of here."

"And go where?" Said Mickey.

"The TARDIS."

"What are you planning to do once you get there?" Said Jackie.

"Hide."

"What? You're just gonna run?" Said Jackie. To everyone's surprise, she actually felt appalled by the idea. Just a few months ago, she'd have welcomed the opportunity to get her daughter out of harm's way.

"Well what else can I do?" Cried Rose. "'cos I've been up in space and I've seen all kinds of things. But when I'm stuck at home, I'm useless. Now there's a massive spaceship up there and right now the TARDIS may be the only safe place. So all we can do is run, and hide, and I'm sorry but that's the way it is. So move."


Back in the Tower of London, all eyes turned back to the main screen, where the Sycorax were transmitting a new message. "Sorcorz codgi belidigcor. Bordo belomni." Said their leader.

"Will the leader of this world stand forward." Alex translated.

Harriet did so. "I'm proud to represent this planet."

"Soocol beloxi." Said the leader.

"Come aboard."

Harriet raised both eyebrows. "Well how am I supposed to do that?"

The Sycorax responded by raising his hand and emitting another spell-like glow. Harriet, Alex, Llewellyn and the Major all felt the same glow envelop them.

"What's happening?" Said Llewellyn.

"I believe it's called a teleport." Harriet replied.

UNIT headquarters faded around them, to be replaced with a massive rocky cavern. Had they not known they were inside the spaceship, the would have assumed this was the home of some underground cult. Bare flame torches and cloth banners hung from the walls, along with some dangling cages containing skeletons. Even the controls buttons were largely stone.

The Sycorax chief stepped forward and raised his hands to his face, which he began to lift off.

"It's a helmet!" Gasped Llewellyn. "They may be like us!"

To his disappointment, the face beneath the helmet looked like it would perfectly fit the covering. It was just a lot more fleshy than the mask.

"Shoran val cosh da cosh nectar." Said the leader, hovering his hand over a big red button. They didn't need to ask what it would do.

"You will surrender. Or I will release the final curse." Said Alex. "And your people will... jump."

"Let me speak to him." Said Llewellyn.

The Major grabbed his arm. "Mr Llewellyn, you're a civilian."

"No!" He snatched his arm away. "I sent up the probe, this is my responsibility." He stepped up to the alien. "With respect, sir, the human race is just taking its first steps among the stars. But we are like children compared to you. Children who need help. Children who need compassion. And I beg of you. Please extend that compassion."

The leader tilted his head, then pulled a whip from his side, crackling with electricity. Before Llewellyn had time to respond, he whipped it so that it caught Llewellyn round the neck. He screamed in agony and flashed white hot for a few seconds. Then the light faded and there was nothing left of him but dust, a skeleton, and a wafting smell of charred flesh.

"That man was your prisoner!" Shouted Blake. "Even your species must have articles of war, forbidding..."

The leader whipped the Major too. Within seconds, his boned dropped into a pile alongside the first.

Alex took a step forward, but Harriet held up a hand to stop him. Instead, she took a deep breath, pulled out her ID and stepped forward. "Harriet Jones, Prime Minister."

"Traa. Quaravita quash."

"H-he says. "Yes I know who y-you are."" Stammered Alex, who was having trouble taking his eye off the bones.

"Jaran jal quachie."

"Surrender or they will die."

"And if I do surrender, how will that be better?" Said Harriet.

Alex watched more words appearing on his translator. "One half is sold into slavery or one third dies... Your choice."


Rose and Mickey carried the Doctor through the TARDIS doors between them. Jackie followed behind, with as many food bags as she could carry. The Doctor, Rose had informed her, was surprisingly bad at keeping his kitchen stocked.

"Don't suppose there's any chance you could fly this thing?" Said Mickey.

"None." Said Rose.

"But you did before."

"It's all been wiped from my head, like it's forbidden. I think if I try it again, the whole universe rips in two or something." She wasn't sure how she knew that. It just seemed to have been left behind when the TARDIS energy left her head.

"So we just sit here then." Mickey sighed.

"That's about it!" She threw her arms up. "Sit and hide and wait for the world to end."

"I've got some tea." Jackie poured a cup from a thermos flask.

Rose rolled her eyes. "The solution to everything."

"Now stop your moaning." Said Jackie. "I'll get the rest of the food." She rushed down the ramp and out the door.

"Tea." Mickey chuckled. "Like we're having a picnic while the world comes to an end! Very British."

Rose just slumped against the console. Clearly, she wasn't in a joking mood.

Mickey looked round for something to break the awkward silence. He found the TARDIS scanner. "How's this thing work? If it picks up TV, maybie we can see what's going on. Maybe we've surrendered." He pressed a random collection of buttons and dials around the screen. "How do you turn it on?"

"I don't know, it sort of tunes itself." Rose pressed some buttons herself, to the tune of a series of bleeps and rings from the console.


Those same bleeps and rings could be heard from the Sycorax ship. The leader looked around wildly, shouting to all assembled.

"He says it's foreign machinery." Said Alex. "They're accusing us of hiding machinery. He says bring it on board."


Jackie Tyler made her way back to the TARDIS, her arms laden with several more bags of food. She dropped them to the ground and watched in horror as a blue light enveloped the Police Box. The TARDIS faded to a blue blur, shooting upwards towards the spaceship.


Mickey looked at a collection of circle arrangements, orbiting each other and within themselves on the screen. He pressed another button and 11 of the orbits changed direction, three stopped entirely, and 22 circles moved to a new orbit, with 5 circles dropping off the screen and 7 replacing them.

"Could be a distress signal?" He said, as he poured himself some tea.

"Fat lot of good that is." Said Rose.

"Are you going to be a misery all the time?"

"Er... Yeah."

Mickey laughed. "You should look at it from my point of view. Stuck in here for the rest of my life with your mum's cooking."

It occurred to Rose that her mum had been gone for a while. "Actually, where is she? I'd better help. It might start raining missiles out there."

"Tell her anything from a tin." Mickey said as she made her way down the ramp.

"Tell her yourself." Said Rose.

"I'm not that brave."

"Ya realy think that?" Rose grinned, as she pulled the door open.

No sooner had she stepped outside when a tough hand grabbed her by the arm. "Let go of me!" She whacked at it, but another Sycorax grabbed her other arm.

"Rose!" Shouted Mickey, dropping his tea and running to help. He was amazed to find that the Powell estate he had expected had been replaced by the main hall of the Sycorax ship. For a moment, the aliens were busy with Rose, but they soon came after him.

"Shut the door!" Shouted Rose.

Mickey made a bolt for the TARDIS, but was grabbed just before he could make it. He did, however, get hold of the handle before they dragged him away and yanked the door shut, auto locking to keep those creatures out.

Back on the floor of the TARDIS, the tea flask spilled through the grating. The liquid trickled downwards until it ran over the secondary quantum heat sink. The device sparked and fizzed but there wasn't enough tea to do serious damage. It did boil the tea to vapour, producing a cloud of mist which wafted over the Doctor's unconscious form. He inhaled it through his nostrils and let out another puff of golden light.


Rose and Mickey had quickly stopped struggling as they were led over to another two human figures.

"Rose!" Cried Harriet, hugging the girl. "Is the Doctor with you?"

Rose shook her head. "No. We're on our own."

"Bosh shicrovich. Del bo dath back sacroya." Said the leader. "Quall sobrah, quaventis."

"The yellow girl." Alex read. "She has the clever blue box. Therefore, she speaks for your planet."

"But she can't!" Said Harriet.

"Yeah Ok." Said Rose.

"Don't you dare." Said Mickey.

"Someone's got to be the Doctor."

"But they'll kill you." Said Harriet.

"Never stopped him."

Rose stepped forward and felt every one of the assembled Sycorax turning to stare at her. She gulped. It was one thing running away from hordes of aliens. Attempting to appear strong and awe inspiring to them was another matter entirely. "I, er, I address the Sycorax according to Article Fifteen of the Shadow Proclamation." The leader looked confused. She hoped that article 15 didn't contain traffic regulations or something. She pushed on anyway. "I command you to leave this world with all the authority of... the Slitheen Parliament of Raxacoricofallapatorius, and er, the Gelth Confederacy as er, sanctioned by the Mighty Jagrafess and... oh, the Daleks! Now, leave this planet in peace! In peace."

The assembled Sycorax were silent for a few moments then burst out laughing. "Shoo gun, gun rach thitho!" Chortled their leader.

"You are verry very funny." Said Alex. More words appeared on his screen as the leader kept talking. "And now you're going to die."

"Leave her alone!" Harriet and Mickey rushed forward, but several more guards stepped in to hold them in place. Rose stood her ground, trying her hardest to respond to death threats like the Doctor.

"Shool gash sash vinno?" Said the leader.

"Do you think you are clever?" Said Alex. "With your stolen words."

"Quara fasie! Quasora!"

"We are the Sycorax!"

"Sel velisth servoth!" He spat in her face. Rose's resolve broke and she strained to get away.

"We astride the darkness."

"Belacollot, beldarla."

"Next to us, you are but a wailing child."

"Eeel bel shash val shoth they."

"If you are the best your planet can offer as a champion,"

"then your planet will be gutted."

"Then your planet will be gutted."
"And your people enslaved."

"And your people enslaved." Alex looked up. "Hold on, that's English!"

"He's speaking English!" Cried Harriet.

"You're speaking English." Said Rose.

"Ha! I would never dirty my tongue with your primitive bile!" The leader snarled.

"But that's English." Said Rose. "Can you lot hear English?"

"Yeah, English." Said Mickey.

"Definitely English." Said Alex, who felt he should say something at this point.

The leader was furious. "I speak only Sycoraxix!"

Rose gasped. "Then if I can hear English, that means it's being translated. That means it's working. Which means..." She didn't bother to finish her sentence. She just turned to face the TARDIS. The other three followed suit.

The twin door of the Police Box swung open, to reveal the Doctor standing tall in the doorway. "Did you miss me?"