Alison shivered beneath the table, she'd finally had time to catch her breath and now she simply waited. Outside she could hear Kasin and the other Overseers arguing. The Doctor hadn't said anything about how long she would have to wait, but with the angry crowd out there she wasn't planning to move anytime soon. The tablecloth rustled behind her. She shifted silently and turned to see what was causing it. The fabric lifted and a hand extended itself toward her, reaching as though to help her out. For a moment she waited, then she took the hand and was pulled quickly out from her hiding place and into the Tardis.
"Oh... it's you" she said as the Master helped her into the console room.
"Sorry to disappoint you." he answered.
"Well it's your own fault if you're not received well" she said "you know what they say about first impressions."
"Ah yes, I'm familiar with the Earth expression... you never get a second chance to make them."
"Completely untrue" said the Doctor as he strolled through the door.
"What's going on out there" asked Alison.
"Kasin is slowly winning them over I think, most of them are shell shocked and exhausted so it shouldn't be too difficult." he turned to the Master "That was a very impressive entrance."
"Well I'd been keeping an eye on the both of you" the Master answered "and exactly forty five minutes had passed. After I'd discerned what your plan was, I materialized the Tardis where I believed it would have the most impact... oh and where Miss Cheney could easily get to safety.
"Thank you." Alison said belatedly.
"However there is still one small problem" the Master continued "Even if your Overseer friend convinces the others to leave..."
"...the children" Alison finished his thought "Doctor how are we going to get them out of there"
The Doctor pondered this for a moment. He moved to the console and activated the view screen. Once again they saw the source, only now it glowed a fierce bright white. Before it, standing with their backs to it in a protective circle, stood the children. Their faces were haggard with dark circles under their eyes, their limbs were visibly trembling with fatigue, but their eyes shone back with a vacant stare. Whatever purpose they had in the beginning was now gone, they were simple automatons now.
"It's not going to give them up easily" said the Doctor "it considers them a part of itself, and we have no idea what kind of influence it has over them."
"Or indeed what kind of influence they have over it." said the Master.
"What are you getting at" asked the Doctor.
"Doctor, in each instance where the source has attempted to protect itself, hasn't it responded in much the same way as a child would... with overkill"
"Are you saying that the children are responsible for all of this" Alison asked incredulously.
"No, the source is definitely in control, that much is readily apparent. But it has permanently grafted their personalities unto its own. It may well be influenced by their subconscious impulses, their desires, and of course by the most defining characteristic of children, their greed."
"Greed" asked Alison.
"Of course" the Doctor interjected "an infant screams out when it needs to be fed, it doesn't do it out of malice, it does it to survive."
"And the source responds in like manner" said the Master "however it's caretakers have never told it no."
"And now it's too powerful, and far too dangerous." said the Doctor.
"But how does that help us" Alison interrupted.
"If the children can be given a different, more powerful incentive, something that appeals to their inmost nature..." the Doctor began "it might just be enough to break the connection." He opened the Tardis door and moved toward it. "Let's see how Kasin is getting along shall we? All this speculation will do no good if he can't convince the Overseers to abandon the tower."
-
The Doctor exited the Tardis and stationed himself in front of it. Kasin was still trying to convince his people. The Doctor chose not to interrupt Kasin, knowing full well that one of their own people would have more influence than an outsider. But he decided he should be there to help if the crowd turned ugly.
"How can we leave" asked an Overseer "We have spent our whole lives in service to the source, it contains the memories of our people..."
"But only their memories" Kasin responded "we must ask ourselves, is this what our people would have wanted? The attack on the tower... is this something our ancestors would have done"
"But what can we do" a young Overseer asked "If we try to leave, the children will be sent after us."
"Perhaps I might be of help" the Doctor interrupted "my ship can transport all of you out of the tower instantaneously"
"That is not possible" said one of the crowd.
"Oh no? You saw it arrive didn't you. It can leave in the same fashion."
The crowd murmured with uncertainty as they glanced past the Doctor to the blue box behind him.
"What the visitor says is true" Kasin reassured them "I have traveled in it myself, and despite it's apparent size it can easily carry all of us to safety."
There was a long pause while the group of Overseers deliberated.
"Perhaps we can go with you" one of them finally said "but what about the children."
Kasin looked to the Doctor in uncertainty.
"I will return to the source and release them myself" the Doctor looked out at their doubting faces "I give you my word."
"The word of an outsider" one of them muttered.
Kasin stepped forward. "This man tried to warn us in advance about the source and we did not listen. Could we do any worse if we listen to him now" The crowd went silent, then lowered their heads in acceptance. Kasin turned back to the Doctor "We will leave in your ship... all of us."
"Good" said the Doctor "I promise you Kasin, I'll do all I can to bring your children back to you. After today the source will no longer be a threat."
The Doctor stepped aside and opened the Tardis door for them, one by one the Overseers stepped inside.
-
The Doctor led Alison from the Tardis. He practically had to drag her through a sea of stunned Overseers. As they had entered, each Oversser had stood gazing at the interior of the console room. Kasin spoke with them continuously to keep them calm. With a last request to the Master to return as quickly as possible, the Doctor exited with Alison close behind. They watched as the Tardis dissapeared. Then they waited. They heard no sirens. There were no running footfalls along the corridoors. The tower was steeped in a death-like quiet.
"Interesting" the Doctor finally broke the silence "it knows they've gone, it knows you're still here, and yet it does nothing... how very dissapointing."
"I'm not dissapointed." said Alison.
"Aren't you"
"No."
Then, at ear splitting volume, a voice racked the air.
THE VISITOR ALISON CHENEY MUST BE APPREHENDED, HER PRESENCE IS REQUIRED... THE VISITOR ALISON CHENEY MUST BE APPREHENDED, HER PRESENCE IS REQUIRED... THE VISITOR ALISON CHENEY MUST BE APPREHENDED, HER PRESENCE IS REQUIRED... THE VISITOR ALISON CHENEY MUST BE APPREHENDED, HER PRESENCE IS REQUIRED...
The message repeated itself at ever increasing speed until it became a shrill shreak piercing the air. Alison clamped her hands over her ears to shut out the noise.
"What's it doing" she shouted over the din.
"Having yet another temper tantrum" the Doctor shouted back.
Suddenly the shriek stopped. The silence lasted only a moment, then came the familiar sound of the Tardis rematerializing.
"Right" said the Doctor, he turned to Alison "you get into the Tardis."
"Wait a minute, aren't you coming"
"No, somebody has to distract that thing" Alison opened her mouth to argue but the Doctor stopped her "tell the Master that as soon as the children are a safe distance from the source, he must attempt an instantaneous matter displacement, set coordinates for the center of the source."
"Instantaneous matter displacement" she repeated "but Doctor..."
"There's no time" he called back to her as he ran toward the door "right now the children are safe, but we don't know how long that will last" Then he disappeared from sight.