''This idea is bad.'' said Aeryn. ''Very, very, very bad.''
''Oh, don't say that.'' said the Doctor.
The kid smiled.
''I've had to listen to a lot of awful plans,'' said Aeryn. ''and yours Doctor is quite possibly the worst plan I've ever heard in the history of planmaking.''
''So you do have a sense of humour!'' smiled the Doctor.
''I'm not joking.'' said Aeryn.
''Oh.'' said the Doctor, his smile faded away again, and his hopes to impress Aeryn with it.
Aeryn was still angry with the Doctor for not helping her confront Ferril, but somehow that anger faded away as suddenly she found herself quite amused with the fact that she had left the Doctor speechless. It turned out to be quite fun to annoy the Doctor in return, as he can be quite annoying too. With his unsurpassed optimism, huge smile and big feet.
And his blue outfit which just clashed with everything around him: all the colours in this place seemed to reject the blue colour of his striped suit and his purple tie, making the Doctor seem more out of place than before.
''Why can't we just use the bar's radio-system to broadcast the music on?'' asked the kid. ''Wouldn't that be much simpler?''
''Aha!'' said the Doctor pointing at the kid. ''Someone's interested in my awful plan!''
He smiled and kept looking at Aeryn with an annoying grin.
''See? See? I've got someone interested, so clearly my plan isn't that awful as it may sound to you!''
''Fine, Doctor.'' said Aeryn. ''Whatever you say.''
''No,'' said the Doctor. ''It's whatever he said! What did you say again?''
The kid was just going to say it but then the Doctor interrupted him again.
''Oh, I remember...the bar...!''
He immediately switched from a hysterical loud voice to a low, soft mysterious voice.
''That place is probably guarded,'' he went on. ''an impenetrable fortress for those who want to get in uninfected.''
''Which is us.'' said the kid.
''Precisely.'' said the Doctor. ''What is your name again?''
''Diolan.'' said the kid.
''Nice to meet you, Diolan,'' said the Doctor. ''Now...''
''Be quiet!'' someone said. ''Something's coming!''
The Doctor was caught in the middle of a sentence as the lights went out and all sat down in silence in the dark.
Silently the Doctor removed the plank in front of him and slowly moved towards the window to look outside.
''What do you see, Doctor?'' asked Diolan, crouching behind the pink sofa.
The Doctor's gaze lingered on Deborah, seeming to float around in her white gown as she walked around the busy living room not realising the threat that marched outside.
''Doctor?'' asked Diolan again.
For a moment Aeryn thought it was just another march of the infected people the Doctor was seeing, but then the look on the Doctor's face changed radically, until the Doctor was just as pale as the moonlight which shined on his face.
''Doctor?'' asked Aeryn.
''What do you see?'' asked Diolan.
Aeryn stood up and joined the Doctor near the window, curious to see what made the Doctor turn deadly silent.
And there it was.
The infected men and women seemed to carry some kind of large box through the streets. And whenever either moonlight or streetlight fell upon the box it showed a bright blue colour; the same shade of blue the Doctor was wearing.
But what was it about this large, wooden blue box which made the Doctor so afraid?
''What is it, Doctor?'' asked Aeryn.
The Doctor's eyes never once looked away from the box.
''It's my ship.'' said the Doctor. ''He's taken my ship.''
''His ship?'' wondered Aeryn. ''Was that his ship? But how could one possibly travel in such a thing? Such a small craft...''
But somehow the box seemed to fit the Doctor.
The Doctor, and the mysterious aura of weirdness which lingered around him.
''We must talk to Hagros.'' said the Doctor suddenly. ''Now.''
The Doctor explained his plan to Hagros and his men in the darkness, as they waited for the infected people to walk past them, but it took them longer as the Doctor's ship was too heavy to carry around swiftly; it took time to move it around.
Yet none of the infected seemed to be troubled by the weight of the craft, Aeryn noticed.
It was like they were numbed, and they did not feel any pain, or weight, or emotion.
One single mind controlled their actions now: the Viridimon, which the Doctor planned to defeat, simply with music.
''Music?'' said Hagros in great disbelief.
''The Viridimon is a plant-like creature.'' said the Doctor. ''An ancient creature with astonishing mental capabilities. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can penetrate the Viridimon's psychic field. No pulse-fire. No sword. No rock. No water. No fire. But it can be harmed. We must only focus on the Viridimon's senses!''
''So you want to attack the Viridimon's ears with music?'' asked Hagros. ''And what kind of music did you have in mind?''
''Well, I was still choosing between the Arctic Monkeys or Muse, or even the Smiths, but that's not the point.'' said the Doctor, losing his strain of thought for a short time there.
''We have to attack the Viridimon's senses; not those of the infected, that would have no effect. We need to focus on the Viridimon, place radios all around the bar, as close as we can get. And then I tune into the radiostation, choose a specific frequency and play the music. And all we have to do then is bring the volume all the way up. We must make sure the Viridimon is distracted. We must make the Viridimon unable to think. And that's when we can strike.''
The Doctor's determination and strength radiated out of him, as if he had already done this. As if he could see the plan unfold in front of his very eyes.
''That is when his connection to the infected people is severed.'' said the Doctor. ''That is how they can be free again.''
The infected people still pushed and carried the Doctor's box through the wet streets, like slaves carrying a king.
Aeryn wondered why they seemed to treat that box with so much respect. Why they seemed to worship every single inch of the box and would do anything to keep it clean and out of harm's way. And why would they bother anyway to capture the Doctor's ship? Why not her Prowler, which was still standing on the landing deck stationed not far away from them?
''But I can't do this alone.'' said the Doctor. ''I need your help, Hagros.''
KLANG!
Something had fallen. Something fragile, probably glass.
It had come down with an incredible sound as it touched the floor and shattered into many pieces. And the sound seemed to come from above them.
''Those frelling...!'' yelled Ferril as he sprang to his feet and hurried into the hallway and up the stairs.
Rage boiled inside Aeryn as she heard how Ferril violently punished his children for breaking something which was probably very valuable or expensive. Everyone could hear Ferril shout through the very thin floors and walls.
''No...'' said the Doctor slowly, gazing at the door. ''No, no...NO!!''
One insanely loud pound on the barricaded front door seemed to tremble the foundations of the entire building and sent shivers down everyone's spines.
''They know we're here!'' cried Aeryn.
''RUN!'' yelled the Doctor.
But where?
The infected people had lowered the blue box on to the ground and started to make their way to the building. All 50 of them.
''Hagros!'' said the Doctor. ''How do we get out?!''
Everyone started to scream and panick in the darkness as they tried to find a way out. All except for Aeryn who ignored her instincts which told her to grab her weapon and instead she tried to help the Doctor maintain order in the sudden chaos.
And the chaos reached a boiling point as the frightened survivors discovered all entrances and exits were barred and barricaded. They were stuck inside, with no way out.
''Hagros!'' yelled the Doctor.
The Doctor yelled with a fury hidden under his calm voice, which urged Hagros to think. ''Think!'' the Doctor cried.
Aeryn remembered how Hagros said they wouldn't stay here very long. He must have been preparing to leave.
Diolan stood beside Aeryn, not knowing what else to do than to stick with her and the Doctor. Hagros came to his senses.
''We can't use the back door.'' said Hagros. ''They'll have this place surrounded in no time whatsoever.''
''Than think of something we can do!'' yelled Aeryn.
Arms tried to push Aeryn out of their way, looking for a way out.
Aeryn pushed back.
The glass of the windows was breaking and the front door was shaking.
The wooden boards which covered them were easily ripped apart, as if those heavy boards were nothing but a insignificant branch which could be snapped easily.
Arms were reaching out to the people inside, wishing to grab and infect them.
''Hagros!'' yelled the Doctor.
''In here!'' said Hagros, getting down to his knees, pushing away the sofa and pulling away the red carpet under their feet, revealing a heavy wooden hatch right below them.
''Every house has one of these.'' said Hagros, knocking faintly on the hatch with his knuckles. ''Although they don't always know about it. They lead into a system of caverns going deep inside the centre of the asteroid. Our ancestors used to hide there from the Scarrans when they first tried to attack.''
''Well, what are you waiting for?'' said the Doctor. ''Open it!''
''I must warn you Doctor...the caverns are unsafe.'' said Hagros. ''Many fear the caverns for there are many stories about what lies down there, Doctor. Terrible tales of monsters...''
''I doubt that those monsters would be any more frightening than the monsters we are facing right now!!'' said the Doctor. ''We must get all of these people into the hatch, to safety! Come on!''
The Doctor opened the hatch and ordered everyone to get in.
The frightened families ran to enter the hatch.
Aeryn held out her lantern and aimed its light at the cavern below, revealing an ancient ladder carved into the wall of the rock, leading into a seemingly endless darkness below.
A small infected child had managed to break through the glass and climbed through the window, falling upon red carpet with a faint bang.
It crawled up and staggered towards them, wearing a dirty, white nightgown which was too large for the small girl.
''Aeryn!'' cried the Doctor, aiming his sonic screwdriver at the infected child.
It seemed to moan something, something which sounded creepily like ''Doctor''.
The child opened its mouth and sent a fresh spawn flying through the air towards the Doctor.
A woman screamed, cradling her child, trying to protect her from the creature which they thought threatened them, but Hagros's armed men quickly aimed their weapons and fired upon the spawn, who did not have the same psychic protection as the bodies they did and could possess. And they quickly took advantage of that weakness.
''Everybody inside!'' Hagros cried, trying to outyell the deafening noises of chaos and gunshots which were all around them.
The child seemed to roar in rage, and the infected outside did the same; they opened their mouths and unleashed other spawns, dozens of newly grown tentacled, slimy creatures upon the house.
All feared the creatures, except Aeryn who was happy to be able to reach out for her gun again without being disappointed when psychic shielding would prevent her from hitting nothing but air.
The spawn crawled through each and every hole and crack in the walls and windows, crawling on all four sides of the building towards their victims.
Hagros's men emptied their weaponry upon the creatures as the last people fled into the hatch; not all were able to escape as the creatures climbed down their throats.
The Doctor aimed his sonic screwdriver in front of him as a weapon as he escorted Aeryn to the hatch.
''Come on!'' yelled Aeryn as she pulled on the Doctor's coat.
The spawn were defeaten, but some had succeeded in infecting the people inside, who immediately started to rip off the boards which barricaded the front door, letting the multitude of infected people into the house.
''Let's go!'' cried Aeryn.
Hagros's men quickly climbed down the hatch, followed by Aeryn and the Doctor.
Green eyes came closer and closer and arms almost prevented the Doctor from closing the hatch, but in the end it fell shut with a large sigh.
The Doctor immediately aimed his sonic screwdriver at the closed hatch and locked it shut, making the Viridimon's soldiers unable to follow them.
As they wiped the sweat of fear off their faces, they looked down into the darkness of the caverns, slowly placing one foot below the other as they descended down the rocky stairs and finally disappeared into the shadows.
The sounds of the infected attackers faded away.
The stairs seemed to last forever, descending into vast darkness which now was all around them.
The passage-way down was narrow.
Drops of water could be heard faintly in the background, falling on rock. The sound echoed through the caverns.
Aeryn could hear crackling under her, which she presumed to be one of Hagros's men descending the stairs below her.
The temperature seemed to drop drastically as they finally reached solid ground.
''Well, well, well...'' said the Doctor looking around the cavern, placing his hands in his usual position; in the pockets of his large, brown coat.
The smile on the Doctor's face made it seem like nothing had happened at all. Like they were merely preparing a party, instead of running for their lives.
The cavern was immense, it's roof resembled a large, beautiful cathedral. It was ancient: some stalagtites almost reached the floor.
Water dripped from everything and a strange green fungus lingered on every stone, almost emerging from inside the rocks themselves.
''Thank god you're all right, Doctor.'' said Hagros, but his optimistic spirit would soon be lost as he asked his men why only so little of a once large group of ex-law enforcers had made it.
Hagros sighed.
''I expected them to find us sooner or later.'' he said. ''Although I would have preferred later.''
He looked around the cavern, which was lit up by the pale light of several lanterns which were keenly spread throughout the cave.
''But we should be thankful that so much of us have made it still.''
Aeryn glanced around the cave as well, only to say one thing.
''We should leave.'' she said bluntly.
Hagros seemed surprised to hear those words.
The survivors had already settled as best as they could in the uncomfortable cave.
''The Viridimon knows where we are.'' said Aeryn. ''And it won't take long for it to find us if we stay here any longer.''
''I agree.'' said the Doctor with a raspy voice, looking at Aeryn uncomfortably, as if saying she's right was very hard for him to say, before he cleared his throat.
Aeryn could see Hagros glancing for only a second at the stairs they had just descended, half expecting an infected man or woman to appear, gazing at him with its dreadful green eyes.
Hagros picked up his lantern from the rocky, wet floor.
''You're right.'' he finally said.
However, many refused, standing up to their leader Hagros, by merely refusing to stand up.
''Come on, people!'' said Hagros, waving his lantern about and ordering his men to pick up the other lanterns as well.
''We have to leave! It is not safe for us to linger here!''
''Where is it safe for us to linger, huh?'' a feisty, old woman said. ''Where can we hide? Nowhere, that's where!''
Many people nodded in agreement.
''It doesn't matter where we are, they'll find us anyway! So I say we stay!''
''We can't stay!'' said Aeryn, suddenly losing her control.
The survivors all gazed at her in confusion.
''Why?'' the old woman said, standing on the other side of the cavern. ''Because you say so? Oh, no we don't. The time of us listening to Peacekeepers is long gone.''
''I'm no Peacekeeper!'' said Aeryn.
''Do I look like I care?'' the old woman said.
Aeryn reached for her weapon in a split second, but no-one even realised it until the Doctor had put his hands around Aeryn, preventing her from shooting it.
Aeryn's ears popped as she suddenly felt the Doctor's warm hands against her skin once more, reminded of a kiss that saved her life.
''Don't do it, Aeryn.'' whispered the Doctor. ''Lower your arm. Put the gun back in its holster. Let me handle this.''
''Let you handle this?'' said Aeryn.
''Yup.'' said the Doctor.
Now all gazed up at the Doctor, and the old woman sat down, as he was seen stepping on to a stone so that he would tower over them even more.
He looked down on everyone, silencing everyone with his undeniably, strong and intimidating presence.
''Listen to me.'' said the Doctor. ''I know what you are all thinking. You are asking yourself: how many? And how much?
How many had been taken? How many have escaped?
How long will we have to live in these caverns? How long must we run from that monster on the surface?''
Aeryn looked around the cavern, seeing all those frightened faces, looking for hope. Looking for light in the darkness, that would lead them the way to salvation.
Mothers were hugging their children. Husbands were holding their wives. Friends were holding hands. Lovers were comforting each other's sadness.
And everyone was wiping away their tears.
''And I won't lie to you.'' the Doctor went on. ''The situation is bad. Supplies are low, and danger lurks behind every corner. But listen to me, for now I ask of you...'' The Doctor gave room for a dramatic pause as he looked around the cavern. ''Can you feel it?'' he finally asked.
Everyone was confused.
''Hmmm?'' the Doctor asked. ''Can you feel it? The fear that has gripped your hearts and souls? The fear that has frozen you, that has clouded your minds?''
He jumped from the rock he stood on to walk among the survivors. All looked upon him in awe and Aeryn saw Diolan, joining her side, also looking at the radiant Doctor.
''Can you hear it?'' the Doctor said. ''Whispering in your ears, telling you to run, to hide, to...to get to those ships that are still standing untouched on the landing bay not far from here and get the hell out of here! This place is lost isn't it? This asteroid? Your home? Is it not? Lost?! Conquered?! Taken from you?!''
No-one had noticed how the Doctor's voice grew louder and louder until he suddenly spoke like before, calm and wise with a softer volume, but even his whispers would echo through the cavern.
''Fear is so easy.'' said the Doctor. ''Too easy. Give in to fear, and I assure you, you will have lost everything. Your home. Your families. The ones you love. But most importantly...you will have lost hope. And without hope...you are nothing.''
Aeryn's heart skipped a beat, and suddenly it seemed like something was blocking Aeryn's throat, making her unable to breathe.
She hid her broken heart and memories. Not speaking, nor moving, nor blinking as she heard those words. Acting like she heard nothing. But she had.
And no-one knew those words had just pierced Aeryn's heart, as if someone had taken a sword and jabbed it right through her chest.
''But why have hope, when it is so much easier to give in to fear?'' the Doctor asked. ''I can't blame you. For hope is so very hard to find in these dark and gloomy caverns.''
He looked around, as if he examined the place, but Aeryn recognised it as another one of his dramatic pauses.
The Doctor was waiting. Waiting for...
''But what can we do?'' asked a woman, cradling a baby in her hands. She looked at the Doctor with red eyes full of tears.
''We can do nothing.'' the Doctor answered. ''Nothing, but stand up, move on, carry our own weight, make our own decisions and have faith.''
The Doctor smiled as he reached his hand out to the woman, pulling her up from the ground.
''And hope surely follows.'' he added.