Chapter 11
Back in the TARDIS the Doctor was finally done connecting the TARDIS with the Valiant. He had explained it to Clara, but she had only understood it once he had started comparing it to a tow rope.
"Are we going to find a planet?" Clara asked, still not entirely convinced.
"Not we. You," the Doctor replied with a wink.
"Me?"
"Yes, you. It is better I don't know where that planet is. If I know, then the Erebos knows. It's safer if you do it," the Doctor explained, taking hold of her hands and leading her to the telepathic interface embedded in the console unit. Clara had used it before, but she still hated how slimy and rubbery it felt. It also stung a little.
"How am I gonna find a planet?" Clara wanted to know.
"Picture it," the Doctor told her, "Picture the ideal planet for your people. What do they need apart from food and water? What do they eat and drink and breathe? What should the weather be like? Imagine all of that and the TARDIS will lead you to the next best thing."
Clara looked at him, finally seeing his old, vigorous self again. The Doctor was practically glowing with energy. And all of that because Clara was showing him that not all was lost just yet, that there was still hope at least for some.
"Okay," she agreed, "I'll try."
Clara closed her eyes. At first she wasn't sure what she should be thinking about. She had seen so many planets while travelling with the Doctor, so many different things that it was hard to pin down what exactly would be the perfect planet to live on. Clara tried to remember her favourite smell from Earth. The salty sea air from her home town, that fresh breeze coming from the ocean. Or that one time she had been on holiday with her parents while still being a child. That mossy, slightly damp smell in the foggy Scottish highlands. Or being in a forest, smelling the earth below her feet where the sun hardly ever reached the ground. They would need trees and fields, large fields with fertile soil. And they would need to build houses, too. But they couldn't live off plants alone. What animals would that planet hold? Clara pictured stags and does and birds when suddenly the TARDIS engines came to life.
"It's working, Clara, keep thinking about it," the Doctor told her.
She kept her eyes closed. An uninhabited planet. Pure and unsoiled, just waiting for the last of the humans to claim as their new home.
The TARDIS materialized and Clara was woken from her thoughts by a loud crash. The Doctor flinched slightly.
"Oh, that was a bit of a rough landing for our friends," he commented.
"Are they okay?" Clara asked immediately.
"Yes, they're fine. Probably just a bit shaken up. Now," the Doctor stepped closer, his voice taking on that curious, mysterious tone, "shall we see what planet you picked?"
He smiled, extending his hand to her. Clara took it reluctantly and they both headed out of the TARDIS doors.
Clara gasped when she stepped outside. She had imagined a beautiful planet, but she hadn't expected to find a paradise like this. They had landed in a large field by a crystal clear river and Clara was immediately overwhelmed by the sound of the wind in the trees of the nearby forest, the chanting birds and the sweet sound of the water.
A few moments later the crew of the Valiant started emerging from the ship, gawking at the sight in front of their eyes. The Doctor took the sonic screwdriver from his pocket and began scanning the area.
"Ozone levels are perfect. The air is clean and breathable for humanoid beings. No intelligent life on the entire planet. Nothing but a few, probably rather odd looking mammals, birds and fish. Earth 2.0," the Doctor announced, "The planet has twin suns, but the seasons should be vaguely the same as on Earth, with slightly longer days."
"I don't know what to say," Kate said, coming to a stop next to them, "It's stunning."
"We're not really calling it Earth 2.0, are we?" Clara found herself asking. If they had a chance of actually naming a planet, it should be something beautiful. Something that did this planet justice.
"Hiraeth," the Doctor said, his eyes fixed on some point far off, "The yearning for a home you can't return to."
Clara looked up at him and found the Doctor sad again. Hiraeth was what he was feeling about Gallifrey, what everyone around her was feeling about Earth. Everyone but her. Clara had traded every home she had ever had for the TARDIS and travelling among the stars.
"I don't know what to do," Kate admitted seemingly lost.
"You're their leader, Kate. Lead them," the Doctor told her.
"How?" she asked, "UNIT is one thing. This is a whole planet."
"You can stay in the Valiant for the time being, you still have food and water left, it looks like it's still spring. You have time to figure something out," the Doctor said.
Kate took a deep breath before she turned around to face the soldiers who had all gathered behind them.
"Okay, everyone, listen up. This planet, Hiraeth, is our new home now, but we have to work for it," she pointed at a small group of people standing to her left, "You lot will start gathering some firewood. The rest of the soldiers will investigate the area, but be sure you are back here in 4 hours. Kitchen staff, you will refill our water tank, but be sure to scan for bacteria before you do that. Everyone else – take care of our wounded, bring them out here, if possible."
"I sincerely hope you rescued the caretakers as well," the Doctor said once Kate had turned back around, "You'll need them to build shelters, houses, farming equipment."
"Yes, but what are we gonna eat once we run out of food?" Kate asked, "How will we know what plants are edible and what plants are poisonous?"
"Watch the animals," Clara suddenly found herself saying, "If they eat a certain plant, it's probably okay for humans as well."
"And I don't know about you," the Doctor said, nudging Clara in the ribs and pointing at something moving on the other side of the river, "but I'd say this could taste vaguely like chicken."
Clara gasped, eyeing the creature that resembled one dinosaur or another that she had seen drawings of, but the skin seemed smooth, at least from a distance and where there should've been a forehead sat a big, third eye.
"What is that?" Kate asked, flabbergasted.
The Doctor shrugged. "That's entirely up to you now. If you asked me, I'd say it looks like a Paul."
Clara chuckled. "There's your first law, Kate. The Doctor, Time Lord of the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborus, is hereby forbidden to name any plant, animal or creature."
He scoffed. "That's a silly first law."
Kate and Clara exchanged a few looks and started giggling.
The hours went by quickly and Clara and the Doctor helped Kate investigate the immediate area and build a fire for the slightly cooler nights. The soldiers returned pair by pair, telling them they found nothing but bizarre looking animals, strange plants and beautiful landscapes, even a sort of ocean and mountains.
After a while Clara had settled down alone by the fire, watching the Doctor speak with some of the soldiers, telling them what they should do to start their life on Hiraeth.
"So," Kate said as she sat down in the grass next to Clara, staring at the fire, "Your son."
"What about him?" Clara turned to look at Kate.
"Is he. . ." she paused.
"What?" Clara was confused as to where this conversation would lead.
"Is he his?" Kate asked, nodding her head towards the Doctor, who was still talking to the soldiers.
"Oh," Clara uttered, taken by surprise by Kate's question, "No. No, no, no. The Doctor and I spent a few years apart. Eoghan's father, he's. . . he died in the war."
"I'm sorry," Kate said sincerely, "And your son is not with you on the TARDIS?"
Clara turned her head, staring off into space, her attention was caught again by the Doctor. "My son is on Treon. The Doctor said there is no safer planet for him right now. We have some things to take care of before I return to him," Clara explained.
"Sorry for assuming that. . . you know. You and the Doctor."
Clara looked back at Kate. "It's okay. Nothing to apologize about."
The Doctor turned around, now looking directly at her, smiling and started to make his way towards the fire.
"So, are you happy with your new planet?" he asked Kate.
"It's like paradise," Kate replied, scrambling back to her feet, "And we better keep it that way. I saw some of the soldiers dropping their waste in the grass earlier. Say goodbye before you leave, yes?"
While Kate was walking away in the direction the soldiers, the Doctor took her place next to Clara and let out a sigh of relief once he sat down in the grass.
"It really is a lovely planet," Clara said with a smile, leaning her head against the Doctor's shoulder, "Even the night sky is more beautiful here. The moons are so huge and beautiful."
"You could stay," the Doctor suggested with a hint of sadness in his voice, "These are your people and this planet is now your home as well as theirs."
"What? And leave you alone again?," Clara asked, taking his arm into hers, laughing, "You're lost without me, remember?"
Clara felt the Doctor bend down and place a long, soft kiss on her head. "How could I forget?"
She heard him take a deep breath. "These people are alive because of you, Clara. I never even considered that some might have made it out. Thank you for opening my eyes."
Clara nuzzled her cheek against the fabric of his coat. "Will they be okay? Will they make it?"
"I don't know. I think so. I hope so. If you like we can pop a few years ahead and have a look," the Doctor suggested.
"Maybe another time," Clara replied with a sigh, "Right now I just want to sit here with you."
The Doctor rested his head on her own and together they sat there, just staring into the starry sky.