A/N The Doctor and Rose uncover the motives behind the retreat, upping the stakes of the situation.

Chapter 10

Afternoon rolled around, and couples were given the option for one-on-one sessions with the two counselors for any specific issues they might like to address privately. In the meantime, everyone else dispersed for a bit of free time to themselves, with suggestive encouragement to perhaps explore some of their newly confessed fantasies. Rose again found herself envious of the other couples. If only she and the Doctor could participate in that activity. But she had to stay focused on the objective here. It was time to do some more exploring and hopefully uncover a few more answers.

With the alien couple otherwise occupied for the time being, the Doctor and Rose took the opportunity to put his new detection device into action. They had picked up the strongest readings of residual warp energy in the lake. They now hoped they had the means to pinpoint the original source.

As the Doctor and Rose headed in the direction of the lake, Rose kept a watchful eye out while the Doctor kept his little dish-like device low profile. The readings on its display panel lit up the closer they drew to the water. As expected, they were on the right track. They reached the broad shore of Lake Windermere and followed the water's edge for a short ways, moving in the direction where the readings grew stronger. As they neared a busy inlet where boats intermittently launched and docked, they passed various vacationers and locals alike out for a day of recreation. With a sharp "ping," the small scanner zeroed in on a large but otherwise harmless looking yacht docked at a pier just up ahead.

"Interesting," the Doctor murmured, gaze flicking between the stately boat and the scanner.

Rose gazed at the device. "Is this the spot?"

"It seems so."

With no one currently about on the pier, they walked on toward the three-decker yacht, the readings narrowing with unmistakable intensity.

Rose crinkled her forehead as she gazed upward at the apparent source. "You think that boat has something to do with the ship we're lookin' for?"

"I think that boat is the ship we're looking for," the Doctor stated.

She squinted up at the stately vessel, with its pristine white hull and triple-tiered decks. It had been in plain sight all along. "So it is disguised."

"In a manner of speaking. I'm not picking up any signs of visual distortion or optical manipulation. This seems to be its true appearance. I think it was designed to look like this."

"An alien spaceship that looks like an Earth yacht?"

The Doctor gave a nod. "Oh, the concept isn't a first. There are quite a few examples of off-world leisure ships built as replicas of Earth models. They attract quite the tourism in certain circles. I'll have to take you on one sometime. Bet there's even a Titanic replica…"

Rose snorted and shook her head. "Now there's a sure recipe for disaster." She looked to the Doctor, noting his intense scrutiny of the vessel.

"No one reported seeing a yacht drop from the sky the night the warp trail was seen," he mused. "And I've just run a positive scan for cloaking technology aboard, so that explains why it wasn't observed landing. As I'd suspected, the ship itself must have been cloaked when it landed so as not to draw attention."

"Well…yeah. That makes sense," Rose agreed. She thought it through and caught on to the reason for his continued puzzled frown. "So why are they letting it be seen now? Why design it to fit in on Earth if they could have just kept it invisible in the first place?"

The Doctor looked at her, a proud smile forming. "Exactly. Always asking the right questions, Rose Tyler."

"Add it to your list of my attributes," she responded with a casual grin, though she always felt undeniably flattered whenever the Doctor complimented her. He didn't just dole out superficial flattery. It truly meant something when it came from him.

"Oh, it already features prominently," he assured her as they walked down the pier, moving closer to the yacht.

A charter company launched from this same area, allowing the vessel to blend in amongst the other luxury ships. Other than nearby boaters cruising past and fishermen along the shore, there was no one from the retreat currently about nor any sign of their alien hosts, who were still back at the main lodge conducting private sessions. Another scan by the Doctor confirmed that the ship in question was currently vacant of life signs.

The Doctor leaned into Rose, voice lowered conspiratorially. "What'd you say we take our infiltration and investigation a step further, eh?"

"By infiltration and investigation you mean sneaking and trespassing, right?" Rose grinned slyly. "Wouldn't be a proper adventure without it."

With paired grins and one last look around to be sure all was still clear, they hurriedly boarded the aft side of the yacht and set foot aboard the teak wood of the lower deck as they slipped inside.

Within the sizable vessel, things appeared ordinary on first glance, if a bit posh. There were three decks total, with tall sliding glass doors interconnecting the interior and exterior spaces throughout. The lower deck consisted of rows of vacant staterooms. They peeked in a few of the unoccupied furnished rooms. Noting nothing seemingly amiss here, they made their way up the slim stairs to the second deck, which housed a plush lounge and stocked galley. So far, this appeared to be an ordinary yacht on the surface. Continuing upward, they arrived at the bridge.

From inside the ship's navigational center, the divergence from an Earth vessel became apparent. This was the control room of an alien ship, with peculiar control panels and display screens technologically advanced from that of twenty-first century Earth. All systems appeared to be powered down, but a quick buzz from the sonic screwdriver brought a large central holographic screen online, casting the pilot's cabin in an otherworldly green glow.

"Not exactly your average yacht, then," Rose stated the obvious, glancing about at various forms of alien tech.

"Not by human standards," the Doctor confirmed.

Rose kept a watch out the surrounding windows for anyone approaching down the pier while the Doctor quickly went about accessing the ship's logs from the activated screen, slipping on his specs for a thorough read.

"So are they still looking for a new planet to call home?" Rose questioned after a minute or so, eager to finally start getting to the bottom of this whole thing. "Are they here studying, planning some sort of settlement on Earth?" The absence of guards or visible weaponry aboard the ship told her that at least they likely weren't planning any sort of hostile takeover, and the Doctor was apparently right about the species being peaceable on the whole.

The Doctor remained focused on the stream of accessed information as he replied, black-rimmed spectacles reflecting the green luminance of the holographic data before him. "Actually, it seems they've settled in nicely on the planet I mentioned they'd colonized thirty years ago. New D'Naria, it's called." He switched from the current readout of data to pull up a 3D view of the planet itself. "It looks like they've already got the beginnings of an impressive homeworld. Like I said, they have quite the ingenuity."

Curious, Rose flicked her gaze away from the outside view and to the map of the burgeoning alien world. "What would they want with Earth, then?"

The Doctor didn't answer right away. Instead, he pulled up additional data and read further, gaze narrowing as pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. "Remember how I said that many didn't survive the original relocation expedition?" he finally spoke.

"Yeah…"

"And their population was already relatively small to begin with. Well, it seems their numbers are quite small now. These projections I've found estimate that their population has declined by a third of what it was just a few generations ago."

"So…what exactly do they want here?" Rose was almost afraid to ask.

There was a lengthy pause as the Doctor dug deeper and uncovered confirmation of their motives. He glanced up at her. "It seems they want additional colonists for New D'Naria. Or more specifically…" The Doctor removed his glasses and let out a long breath.

"More specifically what?" Rose asked, growing anxious.

The Doctor gestured to the screen. "Apparently this is a breeding program."

"A…what?"

"Breeding. A plan to increase the population of their planet through outside means. They've been studying you lot rather extensively, it seems. Language, culture, biology…"

Rose pulled a face in disgust. "So that's why they're interested in human couples? As…as breeding stock for their planet?"

"Exactly." The Doctor turned back to the holographic screen, accessing additional archives. "Their numbers have failed to reach that of their former population, and on the same token so has their society's progress. Though they've made strides, it seems they've not yet reached the level of development they'd once known. So they've initiated a long-term plan to address the issue, expanding their population through outside sources, intent on bringing in additional settlers. Fertile settlers. Records indicate they've even constructed a housing settlement with an integrated translation matrix to ease assimilation into their society. This appears to be a pilot program of sorts."

Rose slowly shook her head. "But…why humans?"

He shrugged. "You're compatible. The indomitable human race – one of the most versatile. As you've already seen, the D'Narians bear a strong resemblance to humans, thanks to those compatible genetics."

She looked the Doctor up and down. "That's true of Time Lords, too, apparently."

His head turned from the screen, shooting her a brief glance. "On the outside perhaps. But humans are compatible with a wide range of species where it counts. Whereas Time Lords are…different."

Rose cleared her throat, hoping to also clear her mind of wayward curiosity over a Time Lord's reproductive differences. "Yeah, okay. So D'Narians and Time Lords wouldn't…mix. But humans are like a…what? Universal type for everyone when it comes to compatibility?"

"Weeell, depends on the species, of course. If a Time Lord were to mate with a human, for instance…" He paused and scratched his neck. "Just…you know…hypothetically speaking."

She sighed impatiently. "Yeah, I get it. So this random Time Lord and human you're talkin' about wouldn't be compatible to reproduce. Is that what you're saying?"

"Not without a bit of genetic tinkering, no. Humans and D'Narians, on the other hand, are an easy match. So it's not surprising they've selected you lot. Plus, humans are fast reproducers. A mere nine months is all it takes, then wham!"

"Wham?"

"New offspring in no time flat. Easy peasy!"

"I bet there're a few women who'd disagree with you on that."

"Point is, many species have much longer gestational periods. If I recall correctly, the full D'Narian reproduction process takes approximately two years."

"Blimey."

"Not unusual. But introducing human DNA into their gene pool would significantly shorten the process in future hybrid generations. In time, their population would not only increase in numbers through human mingling, but their own reproductive cycle would eventually advance. Maybe they should just try looms…," he mused.

Rose puzzled over that odd statement for a moment before focusing back on the immediate matter. A grim conclusion entered Rose's mind as she recalled the vacant rooms aboard this very ship, and the fact that it was now visible, purposely designed to look this way. People would willingly board without suspecting a thing. "Obviously no one here is just gonna volunteer for all this. So they're looking for couples to take, then. Some sort of twisted…Noah project. Complete with an ark," she concluded wryly.

He nodded. "That explains why a cruise on the 'Love Boat' is reserved as the final activity."

She drew her brows together. "It is?"

The Doctor indicated the screen. "According to their itinerary."

The itinerary. Of course they would have an outlined plan. Rose couldn't help but wonder what else was planned for this retreat. Considering she didn't know how much longer the two of them would have to play along with all this until a strategy was formulated to stop it, she wanted to be prepared for what else she might face. "So, what else do they have planned for…activities?"

The Doctor glanced at Rose and swallowed, the momentary weight of his gaze making her stomach flutter nervously. He then turned his eyes back on the screen as he waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, this and that." She rolled her eyes. He was a big help. The Doctor was already focused on further reading, changing the subject. "It seems they've singled out applicants for this very purpose from the start. All of childbearing age, all with an expressed desire for future children, and no precluding medical history."

Rose thought back to her conversation with Madge that first day regarding children, learning many of the other couples had plans to start a family as well. She'd wondered at the time if there was some sort of connection. Now she knew.

"And when hacking into the registry," the Doctor went on, "the TARDIS' systems matched the questionnaire on our application to those that had already been accepted, so we fit right in with what they were looking for. Clever old girl."

"Yeah, remind me to thank her," Rose drawled.

"Indeed."

"I always wanted to be used as bait for alien abductors."

The Doctor shrugged. "Someone had to. Still!" he brightened, as he had a tendency to do in the face of all manner of doom. "This whole setup could be worse, as breeding plans go. At least they're looking for already mated pairs rather than forcing that aspect. And committed pairs, at that. As I said, they place a high regard on true commitment. It makes sense now, all these rituals meant to bring two people closer together."

"All this focus on sex," she muttered.

He cleared his throat. "Well…yes. The biological means to an end."

"Wow. Were all Time Lords such romantics?" Rose teased.

Annoyance flashed on his face. "I think I've proven I can be if the need arises," he refuted.

"Have you?" she questioned (challenged), feigning indifference.

There was a pause. She held her breath for a second or two, then deflated as the Doctor breezed on.

"Anyway, as I was saying, they're interested in finding and/or fashioning 'happy' couples. They want willing reproducers. Much, much simpler that way. Then over time those eventual future children would grow, integrate and co-mingle with the D'Narian population, expanding and progressing the race. It wouldn't be an overnight fix to their decline, but like I said, this is a long-term project, starting with a brand new generation to be bred and born on D'Narian soil. Even if initially human, birthplace is one of the most universal and ancient rites of heritage."

"Okay, yeah. So it seems they've got it all worked out. But…I still don't see how they thought this could actually succeed. Even if they do bring over a boatload of 'mated pairs,' no one's gonna just go along with this – have children in order to populate another world," Rose surmised.

"Ah, but dire circumstances bring people together. It would only be a matter of time. Once taken, the only thing these husbands and wives would have to…cling to, so to speak, would be each other. Historically, births typically skyrocket during times of tribulation."

Rose expelled a breath. "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter whether any of this would work as planned. Obviously it won't since we're here to stop it.

"Oh, but we're not," the Doctor countered. "Not yet, at least."

She stared at him, not comprehending. "What'd you mean? 'Course we are. We have to."

His face grew even more serious. "Rose, these logs indicate that they've done this before."

Her heart dropped. "What?"

"Yes. While this is a pilot program, this isn't a first visit. They've been harvesting from the planet for the past several months, using various identities and locations on Earth so as not to arouse suspicions or be tied to previous abductions."

"So they've already got people?" she cried in outrage. "They've already taken humans?!"

"It appears so. And our best chance of getting to them without incident is to be taken there ourselves, hand delivered right to the heart of their human compound."

She processed that for a moment. Venturing to an alien world and foiling a plot or two was nothing new for them. "Yeah, okay. We can handle that; it's the sort of thing we do. But…we can't just let them take this newest group, too. We have to at least warn the other couples here so they don't just walk into this trap."

The Doctor shook his head. "We can't. That would send everyone running, including the D'Narians. If we do anything that might tip off our would-be captors then we risk our chance of covertly getting to the others to free them with the lowest chance of incident."

"But–"

"Rose, I avoid putting others in a position of danger whenever possible. But sometimes it can't be helped in the face of the greater objective. Once we've gotten in under their radar, I'll do everything in my power to get everyone out. You know that. But the most inconspicuous way to go about this is to infiltrate their planet quietly without raising suspicions, round up the others, and then escape."

"And just how do you plan to make this grand escape?" Rose was suspicious of his planning, because when it came to the Doctor and plans, he rarely had them.

"I'll…figure that out when the time comes," he shrugged.

"Great."

He took a step closer, voice earnest. "I'll not force you to do this, Rose. And if you have a better way…"

She relaxed and shook her head. "I trust you. Even if you don't have it all worked out yet, you will. Makin' it up as you go along…that's sort of your specialty, yeah?"

He beamed back at her. "Our specialty. And this will work. Just you watch."

She blew out a breath. "So in the meantime we have to keep playing 'happy couple' until the end, eh?"

"Until tomorrow," he confirmed. "That's when the little 'cruise' is planned at the end of the retreat." The Doctor tugged at his ear in an uneasy gesture, glancing back over at the holographic screen. "But we might have to be even more…convincing from here on out."

"What'd you mean by that?" Rose questioned, wary.

"Not everyone will be offered the trip, it seems. They're being rather selective about who they'll bring. While accessing their files, I came across a compiled list of those whose relationships are…questionable." He paused and gave Rose a pointed glance.

She narrowed her eyes. "We're on that list, aren't we?"

He nodded once. "Among a few others. It seems we've been labeled as…withholding deeper emotions from each other but still likely to have a healthy…well…physical relationship. So we're still on the list of probable candidates, but they'll be keeping a closer eye during sessions to be sure."

Rose absorbed this information with a wide-range of emotion. On one hand, she was angered that these aliens would think they knew enough about the two of them to question her and the Doctor's relationship and the genuineness of their devotion. On the other hand, it was a depressing blow to realize how accurate they were in their observation of "withholding deeper emotions." Then there was the other portion of the assessment, which gave her definite pause for thought. Apparently there was something observable between them (Chemistry? Attraction? Desire?) that was so blatant it was just naturally assumed they were going at it like rabbits – an assumption that made her temperature rise a degree or two. That was the portion of their relationship the D'Narians didn't question and maintained their status as probable candidates. So whatever she and the Doctor would be expected to participate in from here on out, no matter how up-close or personal, she would have to play along, and convincingly at that.

Rose galvanized her resolve and shook off the tingle of sparks briefly surging down her spine. This wasn't about that. She was going to have to keep reminding herself of the true objective no matter how…distracting this situation became. "Right. Well, I s'pose we'll just have to pull off an award-winning performance from here on out to be sure we get chosen tomorrow."

The Doctor grinned. "That's the spirit!"

Rose found herself grinning back despite – or perhaps because of – the utter madness of the situation. Pretending to be married to an alien in order to get abducted by aliens. Just another day in the life. Sort of.