After a few weeks, Alice was getting used to being on board the TARDIS. Somehow, the Doctor had managed to land them in places where the situation didn't end up being extremely dangerous. Jimmy was still worried about how Alice would cope when the TARDIS ended up somewhere dangerous.

''Where are we going this time?'' Alice asked Jimmy. She was not going to ask the Doctor as over the past weeks the Time Lord had made no secret of how much he disliked her.

''No idea,'' Jimmy admitted as the TARDIS started to land slowly.

''That's not supposed to happen,'' the Doctor murmured.

''Don't tell me this thing's on the blink,'' Alice rolled her eyes. Olivia stayed silent, watching Alice and Jimmy cuddle up. She knew she could not allow Alice to get wind of how she felt for Jimmy. Alice had always been possessive over all the boys she'd been with in the past. If another girl even looked at Alice's boyfriend too long, Alice would start tormenting them.

''I don't know what's wrong with her,'' the Doctor said as they stepped out in some kind of cramped storage area, ''It's like she's not well.''

''Should we go somewhere else?'' Olivia suggested.

''Doesn't seem to be a dangerous place,'' the Doctor reasoned.

''Can we at least get out of this room?'' Alice asked. She was claustrophobic and hated being in such a tiny space. The Doctor nodded and opened the door.

''Open Door 15,'' the computer announced as they stepped into some kind of walkway.

''Some kind of base,'' the Doctor realised, ''Built out of a kit by space explorers.''

Jimmy took Alice's hand as they walked along.

''Sounds like a storm outside,'' Olivia noted.

''This base must have been put together by human design,'' the Doctor noted as they walked down another corridor, opening the door to a canteen area, ''This is a sanctuary base! Deep space exploration. You three are a long way from how. Listen...'' They all heard the sound of drilling from below, ''Someone's drilling.''

''Welcome to hell,'' Olivia murmured.

''It's not bad,'' Jimmy retorted, only to realise that she was reading the words off the wall, where they were written in huge letters. Underneath were some strange symbols.

''That doesn't make sense,'' the Doctor said, walking towards the symbols, ''Why aren't those symbols being translated?''

''Shouldn't we be able to understand that?'' Jimmy asked.

''We should,'' the Doctor agreed, ''That can only mean one thing. This writing very old. Ancient even. The TARDIS matrix can't comprehend it.'' He stood up, ''I want to find out who's in charge here.'' He opened another door, coming face to face with several aliens. They were white with tentacles coming from their mouths, held strange orbs in their hands and wore grey jumpsuits. Alice screamed and held on to Jimmy's arm.

''Hello,'' the Doctor said to one of them, ''Are you in charge here?''

''We must feed,'' all of the aliens said, and started to advance on the group.

''I'm sorry?''

''I think they mean us,'' Olivia supplied. The group tried to flee the way they came, only for more of these aliens to come through from every exit. The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver at the creatures.

The group were backed into a corner as the aliens advanced on them, continuing to intone that they must feed.

''We must feed...'' one of them began, only to stop and hit the orb it was holding, ''You. If you are hungry.''

''I'm sorry?'' the Doctor questioned, bewildered.

''We apologise,'' the creature said ''Electromagnetics have interfered with our speech systems.''

Jimmy and Olivia started to laugh, while Alice still looked confused.

''Would you like some refreshment?'' the creature continued.

Before anyone could answer, the computer announced ''Open Door 18.''

A man came through, followed by two others who were carrying guns.

''What the hell...?'' the man spluttered, ''How did...? Captain... you're not going to believe this. We've got PEOPLE. Out of nowhere. I mean, real people. I mean four... living... people. Just standing here, right in front of me. ''

''Don't be stupid, that's impossible,'' a voice scoffed over the comms.

''I suggest telling THEM that,'' the man responded dryly.

''But if you're a space base, don't you get visitors?'' Olivia argued, ''Like supplies, or whatever?''

''You're telling me you don't know where you are?'' the man questioned suspiciously.

''Absolutely no idea,'' the Doctor admitted.

''Stand by, everyone,'' a female voice said over the tannoy, ''Buckle down. We have incoming. And it's a big one. Quake Point 5 on its way.''

The room started to shake violently as a siren sounded. The man ran to a door and got it open, ''Through here!'' he ushered, ''Now. Quickly, come on!'' The Doctor was filled with sparks and smoke as they ran through. Jimmy grabbed Alice's hand as the girl whimpered, frightened.

The man led them into some kind of control room where various people were getting on with their tasks. A black man was in the centre of the room working at some kind of system, ''Oh, my GOD. You meant it.''

''People!'' a young woman said, ''Look at that! Real people!'' She noticed Jimmy and smiled at him. Alice glared absolute daggers at her.

''That's us,'' the Doctor said.

''I'm Jimmy,'' Jimmy introduced, ''This is Alice. This is Olivia. And this is the Doctor.''

''Come on!'' a young Indian man argued, ''The oxygen must be offline. We're hallucinating. They can't be... no. They're real!''

''Come ON!'' the black man ordered, ''We're in the middle of an alert! Danny, strap up, the quake's coming in! Impact in thirty seconds!'' He turned to the Doctor and the others, ''Sorry, you two, whoever you are. Just... hold on. Tight.''

''Hold on to what?'' Olivia argued.

''Anything,'' the man insisted, ''I don't care. Just hold on. Ood, are we fixed?''

''Your kindness in this emergency is much appreciated,'' the creatures commented. Jimmy, Olivia, Alice and the Doctor grabbed hold of some railings.

''What's this planet called, anyway?'' the Doctor asked.

''Now, don't be stupid,'' a woman scoffed, ''It hasn't got a name. How could it have a name?'' The Doctor just looked confused. ''You really don't know, do you?''

''And... IMPACT!'' the black man announced. The room shook violently. The TARDIS crew held on tightly, but the commotion was over soon.

''That wasn't bad,'' the Doctor reasoned, only for the base to start shaking again, this time much worse. Small explosions occurred around the room as everyone held on for dear life.

''Everyone all right?'' the black man asked as the commotion stopped for good, ''Speak to me, Ida?''

''Yeah, yeah!'' the woman who had questioned the Doctor said.

''Danny?''

''Fine,'' the Indian man stated.

''Toby?''

''Yeah, fine,'' a young man said.

''Scooti?''

''No damage,'' the young woman said.

''Jefferson?''

''Check!'' the man who had met them initially said as he went around with a fire extinguisher putting out the flames.

''We're fine too!'' the Doctor announced, frustrated that the man had not asked about their safety.

''The surface caved in,'' the black man reported, showing a projection of the parts of the base which had been destroyed, ''I deflected it onto storage 5 through 8. We've lost them completely. Toby, go and check the rocket link.''

''That's not my department,'' Toby argued.

''Just do as I say, yeah?''

Toby shook his head and left.

''Oxygen holding,'' Ida stated, ''Internal gravity 56.6. We should be okay.''

''What's that storm out there?'' Olivia asked.

''You'd need an atmosphere for a storm,'' Ida argued, ''There's no air out there. It's a complete vacuum.''

''What's shaking the roof, then?'' Olivia persisted.

''You're not joking,'' Ida realised, ''You really don't know? Well - introductions. FYI, as they said in the olden days. I'm Ida Scott, science officer.'' She indicated the black man, ''Zachary Cross Flane, acting Captain, sir.'' She turned to the man who had greeted them, ''You've met Mr Jefferson, he's head of security.'' She turned to the Indian man, ''Danny Bartock. Ethics committee.''

''Not as boring as it sounds,'' Danny grinned.

''And that man who just left, that was Toby Zed, archaeology, and this...'' she placed her hands on the young woman's shoulders, ''... is Scooti Manista. Trainee maintenance.''

Scooti gave Jimmy another cute grin, which he returned. Alice linked her arm with Jimmy's and gave Scooti another icy glare.

''And this,'' Ida continued, This is home.'' She pulled a lever and everyone heard a whirring noise.

''Brace yourselves,'' Zach warned, ''The sight of it sends some people mad.''

The roof opened to reveal an enormous black hole above them.

''That's a black hole,'' Alice realised.

''But that's impossible!'' the Doctor argued.

''I did warn you,'' Zach remarked.

''We're standing under a black hole,'' the Doctor repeated, horrified.

''We're in orbit,'' Ida revealed.

''But that's not possible,'' the Doctor argued, ''We should be pulled in.''

''You can see for yourself,'' Ida insisted, ''We're in orbit.''

''It isn't possible!'' the Doctor argued.

''This lump of rock is suspended in perpetual geostationary orbit around that black hole without falling in,'' Ida explained, ''Discuss.''

''This doesn't make sense,'' the Doctor persisted, ''Nothing in the universe can pull against a black hole. The whole idea is that it's collapsed so far in on itself that it pulls everything else in as well! And crushes it!''

''So how are we still here?'' Olivia asked.

''We should be dead,'' the Doctor agreed.

''And yet... here we are,'' Ida retorted, ''Beyond the laws of physics. Welcome on board.''

''What's that?'' Jimmy questioned as he saw clouds rapidly speeding towards the black hole.

''Stars breaking up,'' Ida answered, ''Gas clouds... we have whole solar systems being ripped apart above our heads before falling into that thing.''

''This is not good,'' Olivia murmured. Jimmy put his arms around Alice.

Later, Toby stepped back into the room. ''The rocket link's fine,'' he reported.

Zach brought up a 3d projection of the black hole, ''That's the black hole officially designated K37 Gen 5.''

''In the scriptures of the Falltino, this planet is called 'Kroptor','' Ida revealed, ''The bitter pill. And the black hole is supposed to be a mighty demon. It was tricked into devouring the planet, only to spit it out. Because it was poison.''

''The bitter pill...'' Alice repeated with a smirk.

''How did you humans even get this far out?'' the Doctor asked.

''We flew in,'' Zach answered, ''You see...'' he brought up another projection, ''This planet's generating a gravity field. We don't know how - we've no idea, but... it's kept in constant balance against the black hole. And the field extends out there. As a funnel. A distinct... gravity funnel, reaching out into clear space. That was our way in.''

''Must have been a bumpy ride,'' Jimmy noted.

''By rights, the ship should've been torn apart,'' Zach agreed, ''We lost the Captain... which is what put me in charge...''

''You're doing a good job,'' Ida encouraged.

''Yeah. Well, needs must,'' Zach muttered.

''But if that gravity funnel closes, there's no way out,'' Danny remarked.

''We had fun speculating about that,'' Scooti retorted.

''Oh, yeah. That's the word,'' Danny answered, whacking Scooti over the head playfully with a scroll ''Fun...''

''But that field must take a phenomenal amount of power,'' the Doctor commented, before gesturing to the controls, ''May I?''

''Sure. Help yourself,'' Ida said, letting the Doctor get on.

One of the creatures walked up to Olivia,''Your refreshment,'' it said, handing her a cup.

''Thanks,'' the blonde praised, ''What was your name?''

''We have no titles,'' the creature answered, ''We are as one.'' It walked off.

''What are those things called?'' Olivia asked Danny.

''Oh, come on!'' Danny scoffed, ''Where've you been living? Everyone's got one!''

''Just answer the question!''

''They're the Ood.''

''The Ood?'' Olivia repeated.

''The Ood!'' Danny insisted, ''They're handy. They work the mine shafts. All the drilling and stuff. Supervision, and maintenance! They're born for it. Basic slave race.''

''Slaves?'' Olivia repeated, disgusted.

''Don't start!'' Scooti laughed, She's like one of that lot. Friends of the Ood.''

''What's wrong with that?'' Jimmy countered, ''S'not right to keep them as slaves.'' Scooti blushed.

''But the Ood offer themselves,'' Danny explained, ''If you DON'T give them orders, they just pine away and die.''

''Seriously?'' Olivia wondered as an Ood walked past, ''You like being slaves?''

''It is all we crave,'' the Ood said.

''That's weird,'' Jimmy noted.

''We have nothing else in life.''

''There we go,'' the Doctor said as he finished the calculation, ''Look: To generate that gravity field, and the funnel, you'd need a power source with an inverted self-extrapolating reflex of six to the power of six every six seconds.''

''Six, six, six,'' Jimmy replied with a smirk, ''This doesn't sound good!'' Alice and Scooti both giggled.

''This is impossible,'' the Doctor remarked.

''It took us two years to work that out!'' Zach commented. The Doctor looked up at him.

''But... that's why we're here,'' Ida revealed, ''This power source is ten miles below through solid rock. Point Zero. We're drilling down to try and find it.''

''It's giving off readings of over ninety stats on the Blazen Scale,'' Zach revealed.

''We could revolutionize modern science,'' Ida suggested.

''We could use it to fuel the Empire,'' Jefferson pointed out.

''Or start a war,'' the Doctor spat.

''It's buried beneath us,'' Toby explained, ''In the darkness, waiting.''

''You're freaking me out,'' Alice remarked.

''Well, whatever it is down there is not a natural phenomena,'' Toby continued, ''And this, er, planet once supported life. Eons ago, before the human race had even learned to walk.''

''Did you put that writing on the wall?'' the Doctor asked him.

Toby nodded, ''I copied it from fragments we found on earth by the drilling, but I can't translate it.''

''Neither can I,'' the Doctor noted fearfully.

''There was some form of civilisation,'' Toby explained, ''They buried something. Now it's reaching out. Calling us in.''

''And you came,'' the Doctor shook his head.

''Well, how could we not?'' Ida reasoned.

''I don't know,'' the Doctor began, his temper rising, ''Maybe the fact that nothing else has touched this place for billions of years? Maybe the fact we're under a black hole? Maybe the writing that's so ancient nothing can translate it? Are these not signs that you should stay as far away from here as possible? You people are a bunch of idiots.''

''You can talk!'' Ida argued, ''How the hell did YOU get here?''

''I have a little box. Long story,'' the Doctor waved off.

''It's in the 'habitation' place,'' Olivia recalled.

''Do you mean storage six?'' Zach questioned.

''That cramped cupboard,'' the Doctor agreed. Zach glanced at Ida. The Doctor remembered what Zach had said earlier during the earthquake. ''Hang on, you said storage five to eight!'' He sped off to where the TARDIS should be, Jimmy and Olivia following. They raced through the corridors, and the Doctor tried to open a door that would not open.

''What's happened?'' Olivia asked.

''The TARDIS has gone,'' the Doctor whispered, looking through the hole into the planet below, where the storage and the TARDIS had fallen.