"So what can we do?" Ianto asked Gren as they walked down another winding corridor to the huge council chamber, which Ianto now realised was directly underneath the mural room.

"Nothing - you saw the prophecy in the mural. Panel one: the aliens declare war, which they did yesterday; panel two: they bombard our city, damaging the dome and we are left struggling to survive; panel three, the doctor arrives and saves us; panel four we have a big party and the rescue ships arrive to take us to our new planet. That is how it's meant to go. You can't change a prophecy."

"So you're just going to let them walk all over you?"

"We don't want to - but we can't survive without the dome and we won't let them enslave us - I'd rather die."

"But you can survive!" said Ianto vehemently, gabbing Gren's shoulders tightly. "You survived crash landing on a desert planet for fuck's sake! I can't believe you're just going to give up. There's always something you can do."

A small tear slipped from Gren's eye as she stared back at him. "The elders say there is nothing we can do now the Doctor isn't here to fulfil the prophecy."

"And you just believe them? Let me guess - Healer Rax is one of these elders is he?"

"Yes" she whimpered

"Well you've already proved yourself better than him once today." He loosened his grip on Gren and gently stroked her shoulders. "I'm sorry - I didn't mean to hurt you, I just can't bear to see you give up - there's always hope, there has to be or there's no point in living"

They hugged gently, Gren still sobbing quietly.

"Wise words indeed stranger"

They jumped apart as Barxico's voice came from the entrance of the council chamber. "I quite agree - never give up. Do you think the same Gren?"

"Yes sir - I believed that even before Ianto said it, but I must follow the elders - they know...I mean you know best". She bowed her head in reverence.

"No need to bow Gren - I am not an elder any more. The others seem to disagree with me on a few matters - they would rather us all gas ourselves than try diplomacy and self defence."

"Oh grandfather!" Gren ran to the old man and hugged him tightly. They stood clinging to each other for what seemed like hours.

"Ianto" said Barxico, finally letting go of Gren "I need you to do me a favour."

"Anything"

"There is a way out. A long time ago, before I was elected to the elder council I was an engineer, assistant to the woman who designed the dome. "He smiled at his granddaughter and put an arm around her shoulders."Gren's grandmother actually, but that's a story for another time, I hope. "

"She built a tunnel going from the kitchen cellar to the desert. Although we have a key to crack the dome when the rescue ships arrive, she wasn't taking any chances. The key could fail or we could need to evacuate before help came. No one knows about this but me and Henit - the old woman who cleans the cellars and one of my oldest friends. Between us, we maintain the escape route."

He smiled sadly. "I am old and frail - if the council follows through with their despicable plan, I charge you with getting Gren outside the dome. There is always a way to survive."

Turning once more to Gren he added "Take care of yourself poppet, I will try my best to join you if things go wrong but I am happy as long as you survive."

Barxico unwrapped his granddaughter from him and put her hands in Ianto.

"I promise to get her out"

"Thank you"

Barxico returned to the council chamber without looking back.