Chapter 30
Rose and Donna were cracking up laughing while the Doctor pouted. "Why do I always pick companions that gang up on me?" he cried out, lifting his hands in the air.
Rose laughed, but stopped suddenly, listening to some music that sent shivers down her spine and brought tears to her eyes. "Doctor?" she said softly, asking him if he heard it.
"I Know. Donna, can you hear it?" the Doctor asked.
Donna looked at him puzzled then shook her head. "It's silent except for us." She said, looking at the pair with worry, "Are you two hearing things?"
Rose ignored her and said, "Over there!" running over to a figure on the ground, the Doctor followed her and Donna rolled her eyes before following them.
Donna saw the body and saw tentacles and slimy, grayish skin and was immediately disgusted. "What is it?" she spat out.
"An Ood. That's what they're called. Doctor, what's wrong?" Rose said, kneeling beside the Ood and holding his hand.
"But it's face…" Donna said, trailing off.
"Donna, don't not now. It's a he." The Doctor said, pulling a stethoscope out of his pocket and listening to the Ood's chest. "I don't know where the heart is. I don't know if he even has a heart. Rose, Donna talk to him, keep him going."
"Hey, it's OK. We've got you now." Donna said, kneeling next to Rose.
"what's your name?" Rose asked nicely.
"Designated Ood Delta 50." The Ood said weakly, only just lifting his hand up with the translator ball.
Donna picked the translator ball and spoke into it, "My name's Donna."
"No, you don't need to Donna." Rose said to her, knowing this was overwhelming for her because it was the first time.
"Sorry, I don't know what to say.
"I'm Rose. This is the Doctor. We're here to help you." Rose said, still holding his hand, trying to provide comfort.
"You've been shot." The Doctor said to Delta 50, his voice sympathetic.
"The Circle…" Delta 50 tried to say.
"You don't need to talk." Rose said softly at the same as Donna saying, "No, don't try to talk." They looked at each other and pulled a face.
"The Circle must be broken." Delta 50 managed to spit out.
"Circle, what'd you mean? Delta 50, what circle? Delta 50, what circle?" the Doctor asked, curious.
Delta 50 suddenly sat up, eyes glowing red. The Doctor jumped back and Rose grabbed Donna, pulling her away. Delta 50 then collapsed, dead. "He's gone" Donna said, kneeling next to him once more.
"Careful" the Doctor cautioned. Rose didn't say anything.
"There you are sweetheart. We were too late. What do we do, do we bury him?" Donna asked, stroking his head then getting to his feet.
"The snow will take care of that." The Doctor said, looking sad.
Rose stared at the body, shaking with fear. The red-eyes brought up back memories. Ones she had thought she had buried. "Who was he? What's an Ood?" Donna asked, turning back around to face the Doctor and Rose. Seeing Rose frozen, Donna rushed over and wrapped her arm around the younger girl. "Rose what's wrong?" Donna asked, already forgetting about her previous questions.
"Rose. It's OK. It can't be him, It's something different." The Doctor said, walking over to Rose and pulling her into a hug, out of Donna's arms. He wasn't being rude, Donna knew Rose needed comfort from him not herself.
"but the eyes Doctor. They went red. Maybe we didn't get rid of him." Rose said, burying her face in his chest and letting a few tears trickle down her cheeks.
The Doctor pulled away and wiped them away for her. "No. he is gone. He fell in the black hole. His body and his mind. He is gone and we're both still here."
Rose smiled at the Doctor weakly then turned to Donna. "An Ood are servants of the humans in the 42nd century. Mildly telepathic which was why we could hear him but you couldn't. Time Lords are telepathic as well. It was his mind calling out."
"What was wrong Rose?" Donna asked the girl as they started to continue walking in the direction the rocket went.
"Last time we met them, this force controlled them and nearly killed us." Rose said, not wanting to go into detail.
No such luck though, "What kind of force?" Donna asked, curious and wanting to help her friend.
"Long story." The Doctor said.
"Long walk." Donna retorted back.
Rose sighed and said, "The full story will have to be told another day. Long story short, it was the devil."
"if you're just gonna take the mickey, I'll just put my hood up and not listen." Donna said, crossing her arms.
"Must be something different this time though. Something closer to home." The Doctor commented. Climbing up a rock and snow mound, they see a huge factory, the Ood Operation buildings. "A-ha! Civilization!" the Doctor said, happy at the new discovery.
A dark skinned woman stood in front of a group of representatives, welcoming them, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Ood-Sphere. And isn't it bracing? Here are your information packs, with vouchers, 3D tickets and a map of the complex. My name's Solana, Head of Marketing. I'm sure we've all spoken on the vidfone. Now, if you'd like to follow me."
The Doctor came up, running with Donna and Rose following. "Sorry, sorry, sorry! Late. Don't mind us. Hello. The guards let us through." The Doctor said to the woman, Solana.
"And you would be?" Solana asked, confused.
"Doctor John Tyler, Rose Tyler and Donna Noble."
"Representing the Noble-Tyler Corporation OLC Limited, Intergalactic." Rose added.
"Must have fallen off my list, my apologies. Won't happen again. Now then, Dr Tyler, Mrs. Tyler, Miss Noble, if you'd like to come with me."
"Why'd you say Miss? Do I look single?" Donna said, annoyed.
"My apologies, I meant no offence. Here are your information packs, vouchers inside. Now if you'd all like to come with me, the Executive Suites are nice and warm." Solana said, handing the Doctor a information pack. The Doctor handed it to Rose who looked briefly through it before handing it to Donna. Donna rolled her eyes and shoved back into the Doctor's hands. Before the Doctor could pass it to someone else, an alarm went off.
"What's that? That sounds like an alarm." The Doctor asked, curious.
"It's just a siren, for the end of the work shift. Now then, this way, quick as you can!" Solana said, looking nervous. Solana led the way through the doors. All the reps followed. The Doctor, Donna and Rose followed after looking around the buildings once more.
"As you can see, the Ood are happy to serve, and we keep them in facilities of the highest standard. Here at the Double O – that's Ood Operations – we like to think of the Ood as our trusted friends."Solana explained in the conference room where all the reps were. She paused for a moment before saying, "We don't just breed the Ood. We make them better. Because at heart, what is an Ood, but a reflection of us? If your Ood is happy, then you'll be happy, too."
Walking to where three Oods were standing in a row, she paused at the first one and said, "I'd now like to point out a new innovation from Ood Operations. We've introduced a variety package with the Ood translator ball. You can now have the Standard Setting." Turning to the first Ood, she asked, "(talking to Ood#1) How are you today, Ood?"
"I'm perfectly well, thank you." Ood #1 said in a normal voice.
"Or perhaps, after a stressful day, a little something for the gentlemen." Solana said, asking the second Ood, "And how are you, Ood?"
"All the better for seeing you." Ood #2 said in a female voice.
"And the comedy classic option." Solana said, turning to the third and last Ood and saying, "Ood, you dropped something."
"Doh!" Ood #3 said in a Homer Simpson voice.
Everyone in the room laughed. Solana smiled and said, "All that for only five additional credits. The details are in your brochures. Now, there's plenty more food and drink, so, don't hold back." She leaves the room and the reps start to mingle.
The Doctor went over to the control board nearby that was linked to a big screen and pushed a few buttons. A picture of the Solar System came up on it. "Ah, got it! The Ood-Sphere, I've been to this solar system before, years ago, ages! Close to the planet Sense-Sphere. Let's widen out. The year 4126. That is the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire."
"4126. It's 4126. I'm in 4126." Donna said, amazed.
"It's good isn't it?" Rose said, leaning against a nearby post.
"What's the EARTH like now?" Donna asked, still amazed.
"Bit full. But you see, the Empire stretches out across three galaxies." The Doctor explained, pointing to it on the screen.
"It's weird. I mean, it's brilliant but… back home, the papers and the telly, they keep saying we haven't got long to live. Global warming. Flooding. All the bees disappearing." Donna said.
The Doctor interrupted, "Yeah, that thing about the bees is odd."
"But look at us! We're everywhere. Is that good or bad, though? I mean, are we like explorers? Or more like a virus?" Donna asked, as a sudden thought came into her head.
"Sometimes I wonder myself." The Doctor said, shrugging.
Donna ignored him, and pointed to the red dots on the screen, "What are the red dots?"
"Ood distribution centres." Rose said, reading the key on the side.
"Across three galaxies? Don't the Ood get a say in this?" Donna asked, feeling for the Ood.
"No. they live to serve." Rose said bitterly, remembering the Ood on the space station.
Donna didn't here Rose. She walked over to the Ood standing nearest to them and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to look at her and Donna asked, "Hello. Tell me, are you all like this?"
"I don't understand miss." The Ood said with a little bow of his head.
"Why does everyone say miss? Do I look single?" Donna said, annoyed at everyone.
"You are single Donna." Rose pointed out.
"Back to the point." Doctor said, stopping the fight between Rose and Donna before it got too bad.
"What I mean is, are there any free Ood? Are there Ood running wild somewhere? Like wilde beast." Donna explained to the Ood.
"All Ood are born to serve. Otherwise, we would die." The Ood said, his voice pleasant.
"But you can't have started like that. Before the humans, what were you like?" Rose asked, wanting to know their background as well.
"The circle." The Ood said, sounding confused.
"What do you mean, what circle?" the Doctor asked, jumping at the chance to find out more information about what Delta 50 was saying before he died.
The Ood was struggling to speak. "The circ... the circle... is..."
"Ladies and gentlemen! All Ood to hospitality stations, please." Solana said, coming back into the room.
"I've had enough of the schmoozing. Do you two fancy going off the beaten track?" the Doctor asked, pulling the map from the information pack out of his pocket.
"Rough guide to the Ood-Sphere? Works for me!" Donna said, smiling at the idea of exploring and finding new things.
"I'm in." Rose said, grabbing the Doctor's hand.
Meanwhile, when the alarms had gone off, Mr Haplen, the head of Ood Operations heard them and growled, "For God's sake, we've got buyers arriving, who sounded the alarm? Drink!" his own personal Ood handed him a shot of hair tonic which Mr Haplen drank straight away. Mr Haplen spoke through the intercoms, "Mr Kess, what the hell's going on?"
"Ood on the loose sir. Looks like we've got another one."" Mr Kess explained, talking back through the intercoms.
"Red-eye?" Mr Haplen asked.
"As red as sin, sir. Don't worry, Mr Haplen, we're on it." Mr Kess said as an Ood ran across the yard near him. "all right lads, go get him. Take him alive." Mr Kess ordered.
The Ood turned to face the guards that had followed him. Growling and raging but not attacking. Froth was foaming at his mouth.
Mr Kess saw and spoke to Mr Haplen through the intercoms, "Mr Haplen, this is more than red-eye, sir. This is something new. It's rabid sir."
"Take it to Dr Ryder, just get it out of sight." Mr Haplen ordered, getting agitated and stressed.
"yes sir." Mr Kess said, shooting the Ood with a tranquilizer and putting it to sleep before dragging it to Dr Ryder.
Mr Haplen and Dr Ryder were in a dark chamber, the rabid Ood chained up in front of them still raging and frothing at the mouth. Two armed guards were guarding him.
"What the hell is wrong with it?" Mr Haplen demanded.
"It's obviously stage two of red-eye. Whatever that means." Dr Ryder guessed.
"Ood Sigma, have you seen this before?" Mr Haplen asked his personal Ood.
Ood Sigma said, "Humanity defines us, sir. We look to you for answers."
"Oh, fat lot of good, all of you. We're exporting hundreds of thousands of Ood to all the civilized planets. If they turn rabid, you know what it'll mean." Mr Haplen said, turning back to Dr Ryder.
"There's only one thing I haven't checked, sir. Warehouse 15." Dr Ryder said, almost hesitantly, as if he was afraid he was stepping over the line and would get punished.
"Why should that cause trouble? It's been two centuries now. No change, not ever. Drink!" Mr Haplen ordered.
"I know its restricted access, but if I'm going to work on this, I should see it. Just in case." Dr Ryder said nervously.
"Can't stand the place." Mr Haplen said before gulping his drink. "Still. Warehouse 15 then, come on."
"What about this one, sir?" one of the guards asked.
"Well, I'd suggest a post mortem for Dr Ryder. Which means it's got to be dead first." Mr Haplen said, exiting the chamber. Dr Ryder followed as the guards started to shoot the Ood.
The Doctor sonicked the fence open and Rose, Donna and him slipped through.
They hid behind barrels and watched ten Oods marching through the yard like soldiers or prisoners. One of them fell onto his knees and the commander of the guards escorting the Oods started to whip the one that fell until he got back up on his feet.
"Servants. They're slaves." Donna whispered.
"Last time we met the Ood, I never thought. I never asked." The Doctor said, ashamed that he missed this.
"That's not like you." Donna commented.
"We were busy. So busy I couldn't save them. I had to let the Ood die. I reckon I owe them one." The Doctor said, trying to form a plan on how to free the Ood.
Donna looked like she was about to ask about what happened so Rose said, "Later Donna. I'll tell you about what happen back in the TARDIS when this is all over." Donna nodded in acceptance.
"That looks like the boss." Donna said, as Mr Haplen, Dr Ryder, Sigma and two guards walked across the now empty yard.
"Then let's stay out of his way." Rose said. The Doctor smiled and led the way through the buildings.
"How long since you went inside?" Dr Ryder asked his boss. They were heading towards warehouse 15.
"Must be... ten years ago." Mr Haplen said, typing a code into the pad next to the door. "My father brought me here, when I was six years old."
"Warehouse 15." A computerized voice said. "Security protocol initiated."
"God, the stench of it." Mr Haplen said, pinching his nose.
"Warehouse 15. Door open." The computerized voice said as the door opened. They went inside and looked down over the rail at something.
"Incredible." Dr Ryder said, staring down at the object in amazement.
"Like I said. Nothing's changed." Mr Haplen said, looking down at the thing in disgust.
"I've read the documents, but... it doesn't quite prepare you." Dr Ryder commented.
"Is it just me, or does it feel as if it's looking at you?" Mr Haplen asked, not expecting an answer.
"I think I understand the barrier mechanics well enough. I'll check the signal." Dr Ryder said, moving to the controls to push buttons and checks things.
"Suppose its home sweet home to you. What d'you think?" Haplen said to Sigma.
"I have no opinion sir." Sigma said in his neutral voice.
"Well... say hello to Daddy." Haplen said sarcastically.
"Nothing. The barrier's intact. No abnormal signal. Same as it's been for 200 years." Ryder said, sounding slightly disappointed.
"Mr Halpen, the two people from the Noble-Tyler Corporation failed to pass security checks. There's no such company, the Noble-Tyler Corporation doesn't exist. And on top of that, they seem to have gone missing, sir, Doctor Tyler, Mrs Tyler and Miss Noble." Solana said over the intercoms.
"Just what I need. Start a search, no alarms, got that? Keep it quiet." Haplen said, turning to Sigma, her said, "You see? Hair loss! Drink!" Haplen takes the drink then pauses. Lifting it up over the rail and over the thing down there. "Tell you what, old friend. Have this one on me. Cheers!" he said, tipping the drirnk onto the thing below, evoking a loud rumble. "I think we're finished here." Haplen turned to leave, as Ryder followed.
Ryder bumped into Sigma on the way out and said, "sorry." He hurried after Haplen. Sigma took one last look at the object below before following the humans.
The Doctor was concentrating on the map and walked straight past a door. Donna and Rose share a look before Donna blew a very loud whistle, making him stop and come back. "where'd you learn to whistle?"
"West Ham, every Saturday." Donna said with a shrug. The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to open the door which opened to a huge hanger, filled with containers. A giant claw lifting and transporting the containers.
"Ood export. D'you see? Lifts up the containers, takes them to the rocket sheds, ready to be flown out, all over three galaxies." The Doctor explained, pointing to the giant claw.
"Bastards. Packing the containers full of them. They're actual people. With feelings and thoughts, even if they are a bit simple." Rose growled, angry at the Ood Operations. Seeing Donna's confused look, Rose explained, "Each container is full of Oods."
The Doctor walked to the nearest container and opened it, showing it full of Oods. Just standing there. "Oh, it stinks. How many of them d'you think there are in each one?"
"hundred. More. Depends." The Doctor said with a haunted look in his eyes.
"No you don't go blaming this on yourself. That was what last night was all about. You don't go blaming yourself for every flaw of the universe. It was just as much as my fault as yours that we didn't question the Oods last time." The Doctor opened his mouth to protest but Rose shook her head angrily and said, "no. OK, so we have to help them. And we are. We will free them but that doesn't mean it is your fault."
Donna was itching to ask what they were doing last night when she accidently walked in on them but decided to wait until she could ask Rose in private. Changing the subject, Donna asked the Ood, "I don't understand, the door is open, why don't you just run away?"
"For what reason?" one of the Ood asked.
"You could be free." Rose said, sending Donna a grateful look for changing the subject. Now was not the time to get into a fight with the Doctor and that was what was about to happen. 'We'll talk later.' Rose sent to the Doctor, meaning it.
"I do not understand the concept." The Ood said, tilting its head to the side.
"Ood, tell me, does 'the circle' mean anything to you?" the Doctor asked.
All Oods spoke together, "The circle must be broken."
"Creepy!" Donna said, shivering.
The Doctor ignored her and asked, "But what is it? What is the circle?"
"The circle must be broken." The Ood repeated.
"Why?" Rose asked.
"So that we can sing." The Ood spoke, still all at once. Meanwhile, Mr Kess spotted the Doctor, Donna and Rose and said to Mr Haplen over the intercoms, "Mr Halpen? I'm in Ood Cargo, I've found your unwanted guests." Mr Kess turned to his guards and said, "Go!" he then sounded an alarm.
"No. cut the alarms. I said no alarms!" Mr Haplen ordered over the intercoms.
The Doctor, Rose and Donna had heard the alarms before they were cut and the Doctor said, "oh, that's us! Come on!" they ran through corridors. Donna suddenly stopped, seeing a door. "guys, there's a door." But there were guards coming through. Seeing Donna they aimed their guns at her and she raised her hands in surrender. They shoved her in a nearby container and locked it, then continued following the Doctor and Rose.
Rose and the Doctor continued to run. 'Doctor, the guards got Donna.' Rose sent to the Doctor, glad their link allowed her to talk with the Doctor without wasting her breath.
'I know. We'll go rescue her once we've lost these guards.' The Doctor sent back, grabbing Rose's hand and pulling her down past another row of containers.
Mr Kess ordered his soldiers to withdraw. "Keep to the perimeter. I've got these two." He sat down in the chair at the controls of the giant claw. "I've always wanted to do this."
Rose noticed the claw chasing them and pushed the Doctor to the side and jumped the other way, just as the claw jerked down, trying to get them. Continuing running, the Doctor and Rose met back up, holding hands again. They were forced to go different directions as the claw jerked towards them. The claw followed the Doctor as Rose tried to get into a container.
"container locked." Mr Kess said, grinning manically.
Rose ran around the outside, before noticing an open door and no guards. Getting outside and hidden, she closed her eyes and listened to the Doctor through their link, following what he was doing.
The Doctor ran as fast as he could, dodging the claw as he went. Seeing some barrels coming up and unable to dodge them, he jumped over them but failed, catching his foot on one and falling to the ground. The claw jerked down towards him. Just as the claw was right above him. It stopped. The Doctor sighed in relief but had to let himself be dragged up by the guards and taken back to where Donna was.
Meanwhile, in the container, Donna was trying to speak to the Ood when their eyes went read and started to approach her. "Doctor! Help me! Someone!" Donna screamed, banging on the doors of the container.
The Doctor was walking past at the time and said to the guards, "If you don't do what she says, you will be in big trouble. Not from me, from her."
As they unlocked the container, Mr Kess met up with the party and said, "Now, Dr Tyler, you're wife will be found and taken into custody just like you."
The moment the containers were unlocked, Donna flew out and hugged the Doctor. "Doctor!"
"There we go safe and sound." The Doctor said, smiling at his friend.
"Never mind about me, what about them?" Donna shouted, pointing at the Ood who were marching out of the container and electrocuting the guard who was standing by the door. The guards started to fire at them, shooting to kill.
Donna and the Doctor managed to slip out, followed by Solana who had gone there by the orders of Mr Haplen to make sure the intruders were captured. Once they had ran quite a far distance, they stopped and hid behind some barrels.
"If people back on Earth... knew what was going on here..." Donna said, gasping for breath.
"Oh, don't be so stupid. Of course they know." Solana snapped.
"They know how you treat the Ood?" Donna asked, making sure she had heard correctly.
"They don't ask. Same thing." Solana said, bending over to try and catch her breath.
"Solana, the Ood aren't born like this, they can't be. A species born to serve could never evolve in the first place. What does the company do to make them obey?" the Doctor asked, trying to figure out a plan.
"That's nothing to do with me!" Solana said, frowning at the Doctor.
"Oh what, cos you don't ask?" the Doctor asked sarcastically.
"That's Dr Ryder's territory." Solana explained, still annoyed at the pair.
"Where is he? What part of the complex? I could help, with the red-eye, now show me!" the Doctor asked, pulling the map out of his pocket.
"There. Beyond the red section." Solana said after a moment of hesitation. She pointed on the map.
"Come with us. You've seen the warehouse, you can't agree with all this. You know this place better than me, you could help." The Doctor asked, thinking she was seeing the wrongness and changing.
Solana looked at Donna then at the Doctor before shaking her head. "they're over here! Guards! They're over here!" Solana shouted out. The guards came running over as the Doctor and Donna ran away.
Rose sprinted around the corner and up to the Doctor and Donna. "long time no see." Rose said, running alongside the Doctor.
"good to see you aren't caught." Donna gasped, trying to breath evenly.
The Doctor was trying to watch the map and look where he was running at the same time so Rose said, "doctor, just follow the music. You don't need the map."
The Doctor hit his head and said, "I forgot." He turned a corner and unlocked a door with the sonic. Once all three of them were inside, the Doctor locked the door with the sonic and broke the mechanics.
"Hold on, does that mean we're locked in?" Donna asked, confused.
The Doctor ignored her and said, "listen. Listen, listen, listen, listen… oh my head!"
"What is it?" Donna asked, confused.
"Can't you hear it? They're singing!" the Doctor said, pointing at a group of Ood that were in a cage. There ones were crouched down, shy, trying to hide from the humans.
"they look different to others." Donna commented.
"That's because they're natural-born Ood, unprocessed, before they're adapted to slavery. Unspoilt." They walked up to the cage and Rose fell to her knees, tears running down her face. "That's their song." The Doctor said, kneeling more gracefully next to her. The Doctor wrapped an arm around Rose's shoulders and leaned his head against hers.
Donna knelt on the other side of Rose and said, "I can't hear it."
"Do you want to?"
"yeah." Donna said, nodded.
"It's a song of captivity." Rose choked out, tears still running down her face none stop. "Feeling caged, lost, alone, cold, scared, doomed, hurt."
"Let me hear it." Donna said, determined.
Rose turned to her and said, "Face me." Donna turned her head and Rose placed her hands either side of Donna's head. 'Open your mind Donna. Listen.' Rose said to Donna in her mind.
Suddenly, Donna heard the most beautiful song full of pain, despair and no hope. "Take it away!" Donna said, choking with despair.
"Sure?" the Doctor asked. Rose didn't wait for Donna to say it again. She blocked her mind to it once more.
A tear dropped down Donna's face. Rose's tears hadn't stopped the entire time. "you can still hear it? Both of you?" Donna asked. Feeling upset for her friends.
"All the time." The Doctor said as Rose nodded. The Doctor wrapped his arms around Rose and she turned so her face was buried in his suit. A tear dropped down the Doctor's cheek and Donna was shocked to see him crying. Seeing Donna looking at him, he smiled then kissed the top of Rose's head. She let go and the Doctor stood up. Holding his hand out, he helped Rose up and held onto her hand. Donna got up by herself, ignoring the Doctor's other outstretched hand. The Doctor pulled the sonic out and opened the cage of the Ood. Loud thuds came from the door.
"they're breaking in." Donna said, slightly worried.
"let them. " Rose said, wiping her eyes. The door of the cage swung open the Rose went in with the Doctor. The Ood moved as far away as possible. Donna followed
"What are you holding? Show me. Friend. Donna Rose Doctor. Friend. Let me see... Look at me... Let me see. That's it. That's it, go on. Go on..." The Doctor said in a soft voice, crouching down so he was at their level.
Rose knelt next to him and said, "Go on. It's OK. We won't hurt you. We're here to help." One Ood shuffled forward and held out his hands. He opened them, showing a small brain that he was protecting. It was attached to him, with a tentacle that ran up through the mouth, where the translator ball was on other Ood. The processed Ood.
"Is that…?" Donna asked, feeling shocked.
"It's a brain. A hind brain. The Ood are born with a secondary brain. Like the amygdala in humans, it processes memory and emotions. You get rid of that, you wouldn't be Donna any more. You'd be like an Ood, a processed Ood." The Doctor explained as Rose slowly moved forward, hands out in front of her. The Ood shuffled back but when Rose froze, it moved forwards again, its hands still out and open. Rose reached out slowly and covered his hands with hers. She slowly and carefully shut his hands.
"So the company... cuts off their brains?" Donna said, shocked.
"And they stitch on the translator!" the Doctor growled, angry.
"Like a lobotomy. I spent all that time looking for you, Doctor, because I thought it would be so wonderful out here... I want to go home." Donna said, shaking in disgust, fear and despair.
Rose stood up and moved away from the Ood. "a lot of things are wonderful. They are full of beauty. But beyond that beauty, there is always something terrible." She said, tears filling her eyes but they didn't fall.
A final thud sounded through the air as the door burst open. The Ood shuffled as far back as they could, away from the new people.
"They're with the Ood, sir." A guard said.
Rose got up and slammed the door of the cage shut, locking Donna, herself and the Doctor inside with the Ood.
"What are you gonna do? Arrest us? Lock us up? Throw us in a cage. You're too late. Hah!" the Doctor yelled, angry. Rose stuck up her rude finger at them and glared at them. Donna narrowed her eyes and sent them a death glare.
Doctor, Donna and Rose were led back to the main building and into the Boss's office were they were handcuffed to some pipes. "Why don't you just come out and say it? FOTO activists!" Mr Haplen demanded.
The Doctor said angrily back, "If that's what Friends Of The Ood are trying to prove, yes!"
"The Ood were nothing without us, just animals roaming around on the ice." Haplen said, practically spitting in the Doctor's face.
"That's because you can't hear them." Rose said quietly, the tears that were falling before were long gone. Now her face was full of rage and anger.
"They welcomed it! It's not as if they put up a fight."
"You idiot! They're born with their brains in their hands. Don't you see, that makes them peaceful! They've got to be, cos a creature like that would have to trust anyone it meets." Donna said, raising her voice slightly.
"The system's worked for 200 years. All we've got is a rogue batch. But the infection is about to be sterilized. Mr Kess? How do we stand?" Haplen asked over the intercoms.
"The canisters are primed and ready. Countdown set at 200 and counting." Mr Kess said, turning the canisters on just ouside the wire fence that run around the containers in the cargo bay. Inside were hundreds of red-eyed Ood that were foaming at the mouth and running around, trying to find a way out.
"You're gonna gas them?" Rose said, disgusted at him.
"Kill the livestock. The classic foot-and-mouth solution from the olden days. Still works." Haplen said, smiling grimly.
In the cage, the natural Ood lifted their hands and started to sing. The Red-eyed ones joined them.
In the Executive Suite, Solana was trying to get all the Ood to leave 'for feeding' and all the reps leave to the Education Suites. But the reps didn't want to move and the Ood in the room lowered their heads, in pain. They could hear the singing as well. They lifted their heads a moment later, their eyes red.
"Ladies and gentlemen, change of plan. If you could leave by the fire exits…" Solana said, scared now.
"I could sell this! You could offer different colours." A rep called, obviously drunk.
The nearest Ood electrocuted him with the translator ball then the rest of them started to kill the other reps. Solana managed to run outside, only to find all the Ood red-eyed and killing people with the guards trying to kill them.
A guard approached her and said, "They've gone insane, Miss, they've gone mad, all of them!"
Solana looked around, scared. She managed to say, "Just shoot them! Shoot to kill!" before running away. She turns a corner, straight into a red-eyed Ood who lifted the translator ball and killed her.
Inside the Cargo Bay, the Ood managed to escaped and lock the guards in the perimeter in the room without gas masks just as the canisters went off, choking them all to death.
Mr Haplen and Dr Ryder left the room once the alarms went off to go outside and find the Ood revolting. They went back inside to where the Doctor, Donna and Rose were handcuffed.
"Change of plan." Haplen said to them.
"There are no reports of trouble off-world, sir, it's still contained to the Ood Sphere." Ryder said.
"Then we've got a public duty to stop it before it spreads." Haplen said,
"What's happening?" The Doctor asked.
"Everything you wanted, Doctor. No doubt there'll be a full police investigation once this place has been sterilized, so I can't risk a bullet to the head. I'll leave you to the mercies of the Ood." Haplen said, smiling grimly at them.
"But Mr Halpen, there's something else, isn't there? Something we haven't seen! A creature couldn't survive with a separate forebrain and hind brain, they'd be at war with themselves. There's got to be something else, a third element, am I right?" The Doctor asked, fishing for a chance to get free and save the Ood still.
"And again, so clever!" haplen said, pausing by the door.
"But it's got to be connected to the red-eye, what is it?" Rose asked, catching onto what the Doctor was saying.
"It' won't exist for very much longer. Enjoy your Ood." Haplen said, leaving the room with Sigma who was still following him and Ryder.
The Doctor, Donna and Rose tried to get their hands free. "Come on!" the Doctor yelled, trying to get free.
"Dr Ryder. Warehouse 15." Haplen said, motioning for him to go first.
"Well, what about this one?" Ryder asked, pointing at Sigma.
"No. You've not turned. Faithful to the last. Go, join your people, while you still can." Haplen said, letting Sigma go help his people. Sigma bowed his head and so did Haplen. Sigma left and Haplen turned to Ryder and said, "Come on!"
"Well, do something! You're the one with all the tricks! You must've met Houdini!" Donna growled, trying to break the cuffs.
"These are really good handcuffs!" the Doctor groaned.
"Oh, well I am glad we have quality. At least here is that." Donna groaned.
Rose concentrated for a minute then growled. "The 42nd century handcuffs don't have the trip switch like in the 21st." she grumbled.
"You know how to get out of handcuffs?" Donna asked Rose, surprised.
Rose nodded. Seeing the Doctor's curious look, she shook her head and said, "This is not the time or place to tell that story. Besides, it is a long story."
The door opened and red-eyed Ood came in. at first there was three, then more and more came in. "the circle must be broken" Donna said, trying to connect with them so the Ood knew they were friends.
"Donna, Rose, Doctor friends." The Doctor said.
Rose didn't say anything, just concentrated very hard.
"the circle must be broken" Donna repeated.
"Donna, Rose, Doctor friends." The Doctor said over and over.
"the circle must be broken"
"Donna, Rose, Doctor friends."
"the circle must be broken"
"Donna, Rose, Doctor friends."
"the circle must be broken"
"Donna, Rose, Doctor friends."
"the circle must be broken"
"Donna, Rose, Doctor friends."
"the circle must be broken"
"Donna, Rose, Doctor friends."
Author's Note: I could say this is a cliffhanger. And technically it is. But everyone who has seen season 4(which I am gonna assume is everyone reading this and if not, sorry) knows what happens next so it isn't that suspenseful.
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