Historian's Note:
For those who wish to keep up with the timeline of events, for August Keyes Series Ten has just started. For the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble, between "The Unicorn and the Wasp" and "Silence in the Library". For the Eleventh Doctor and the Ponds, it is soon after "A Christmas Carol", but before "The Impossible Astronaut".
It wasn't easy to get to the hospital. The whole of London seemed to be in the streets marching along to an unheard beat. Imperial March, thought August, blithely.
It was still dark outside when they reached the surface and it took several tries from August to get the sonic screwdriver to unlock the store front door. Quickly and quietly, August, Rory, and Donna crept along the streets, the darkness hiding them from the sights of the zombie people, but it didn't half make them look creepier as they stalked along all slack jawed and emotionless.
When they reached the hospital, the door was unlocked, and they headed right in. To their surprise the hospital was still open. The lights were on and a few people were sitting around on their phones, not paying attention to the three strangers who'd just entered the building looking quite dishevelled, wet, and smelling like sewage.
"Do you think they're like the others?" Asked Donna at a whisper as they all slowly and nonchalantly as possible walked further into the building.
"Perhaps the Qual didn't get quite as many people as we thought," said August, "but they're not paying any attention to us which is somewhat worrying."
"We should probably just keep moving then, yeah?" Said Donna.
"Yeah," said August, and they followed Rory over to a set of elevators.
"20th floor the Doctor said?" Asked Rory. He pressed the button on the elevator. It was an awkward five minutes, August counted, before the doors opened onto the correct floor. The corridor the trio came on to was closed off by a partition with a desk at which a receptionist sat, led to rooms with signs indicating their contents: MRI, CT, X-Ray, PET, and other imaging machines. They came up short and retreated into the hallway they had come from.
"Do you think she's one of them?" Asked August.
"She seems normal enough," said Rory, "that Qual thing couldn't have gotten to everyone." He paused, sighing, "either way, we're not going to get in there. That woman controls the scheduling of the machines. If we're not on the list, then she won't let us in."
"This is sort of an emergency; think she'll make an exception?" muttered August.
"What? And tell her that there are a bunch of zombie people out in the streets? Do you want to freak her out?" Asked Donna.
August shrugged, "we'd have access to the machines then, wouldn't we?"
"Hold on," said Rory, looking over August, "you had the Doctor's sonic screwdriver, do you have any of his other tools in that coat of yours?"
"Yeah, what about it—Oh!" It came to him, "oh, yeah," he smiled wide, dipping his hand into his trouser pocket to produce the psychic paper.
August peeked around the corner and surveyed the area, biting his lip, "alright, I'm an okay actor… more for children, but anyways, follow me…"
He walked up to the desk, and the woman turned a lazy eye toward him. Definitely a normal secretary. "Can I help you?"
August effected a very overly pretentious English accent, instead of his normal American one. His voice wavered only slightly, as did his hand. "I'm Dr. Keyes, from the Royal Hope Hospital." He pulled out the psychic paper and flashed it at the woman, repeating Royal Hope and Dr. Keyes in his head several times so the paper wouldn't divulge anything but what he wanted it to. "These are my interns, Nurse Williams, and Nurse Noble. We're here to take a look at your MRI."
The woman looked him up and down, sceptical that August could be a doctor in that tight suit and coat, especially with all the dirt and grime. She consulted a schedule and replied, "Dr. Keyes? I don't have you listed for any time with the machine." Her look only hardened more.
August waved dismissively. "Oh, we're not running any scans," he laughed perhaps a bit too hard at that, "We're meeting with, erm" he glanced at the schedule in her hands before she pulled it away, "Dr. Taylor to evaluate the machine. The hospital is considering purchasing this model, thought it would be best to ask my old mate Taylor about it first before making any final decisions. You know how expensive these things can be. Taylor should be meeting us down her any minute now." He glanced down at his wrist, keeping it low so the women couldn't see that he wasn't wearing a watch. "We're on a schedule. Do you think we could go in and start looking it over?"
She looked uncertain. "Are you sure you can't come back in the morning; it is the middle of the night."
"Taylor said he was busy during the day," said August quickly, "night shift was the only time he'd be available. Now, we really are on a tight schedule…" August looked back towards Rory and Donna who nodded.
The woman looked between all three of them, "and… you're not going to run the machine?"
"Oh, no, not at all." He laughed nervously.
"I guess I can let you in early. Just don't touch anything." She pressed a button and the door buzzed. Rory pushed it open and let August and Donna through first before following him.
"Thank you, kindly." August nodded graciously at the woman before heading into the MRI room with Donna.
Rory checked his mobile, "no message yet."
"Do you think you can operate this?" August asked, his accent was back to normal.
Rory inspected the machine. "This is different from the one I used, but I think I can turn it on. The controls are here, and the main system is here. You got the screwdriver?"
"Yeah," August walked over to him, pulling the Doctor's spectacles from his pocket, "what settings did he say again? 12-B?"
"That sounds right." Said Donna, "sure you'll be able to turn it on? Last time you set off an alarm."
"Alarm? When?" Asked Rory.
"Long story." They both said at the same time, as August fiddled with the screwdriver.
"That was some nice work, by the way." Said Rory. "I've never been much good at acting."
"Thanks." August shrugged. "I'd like to think I have some experience with acting, there's so many kids at conventions who think you are the character you're dressed as so…" he sighed, thinking of the little boy in the Cyber-suit, then Parady, then Holly… "anyways…"
He felt Donna's hand on his shoulder and suddenly found his hands steadier.
"I'm Rory, by the way." Said Rory, addressing Donna, "Williams."
"Donna Noble," said Donna, "as the Doctor said." Her eyes went vacant for a moment, and August knew she was comparing the faces of the man she knew as the Doctor and the stranger down underground.
"He really is the Doctor, Donna," said August, "I know it doesn't make much sense, but he's the same man."
"Yeah, I know, how could he not be…" She didn't sound very comforted.
It took them a few minutes, but eventually August was able to get the correct setting and Rory started up the machine, just in time for his phone to buzz.
"There's the text, she says go."
August knelt and applied the sonic screwdriver to the panel casing. He dearly hoped he hadn't screwed up as Rory waited five seconds before he punched a few buttons on the control panel. The lights in the room and the MRI itself immediately shut down. August could hear the receptionist swear in not-so-ladylike terms. Ten seconds later, the lights came back on again, and August started fiddling with the screwdriver.
"Urgh, what was the other setting?"
"42-A," said Donna, "you bad with memorising numbers or something?"
"Trig was the only C I ever made in high school," a few more seconds of fiddling and August jammed the sonic back into the MRI. "There. That should do it."
"Let's go." Rory stepped out the door, bumping into the receptionist.
"We had a bit of a power loss. Is everything okay?" She inquired.
"Yes! Erm," August remembered to switch accents, "fine, just fine. The MRI will need recalibration, of course, so I'll—we'll just head up to Taylor's office now to let him know. Thank you, kindly. Come along, Williams, Noble." He beckoned peremptorily at the two and strode off. Rory nodded a nervous smile at the woman, following after August. Donna continued after them.
Once out of the imaging department, they broke into a run, dashing towards the elevator (another five minutes of awkward silence), and out the front doors.
Out in the streets they were elated to find the marching had stopped and all the humans were currently sprawled out across the streets, some beginning to get to their feet with groggy looks on their faces.
"HA-HA!" Cried August, jumping happily into the air, "look at that! We did it!"
A few hours later, Amy and the Doctor emerged from the underground, the Yanano draped over their shoulders, followed by groups of bleary-eyed humans who seemed just as confused as everyone else. Rory was assisting an older lady when he spotted Amy. The couple smiled to each other and once they were both sure their charges were going to be okay, they ran into each other's arms, Rory spinning Amy around in the air.
"I'm so glad you're not a zombie person," said Rory breathless. They were kissing when August and Donna approached.
"Happy endings," said Donna with a smile as she watched the Doctor walking over with the Yanano,
"I must thank you all for your help," came the voice of the Yanano. A mental projection. "If it weren't for you, I would have had to continue to do terrible things for the mistress."
"It was no problem at all," said August, the largest smile on his face, "what happened to the Qual?" He asked, turning towards the Doctor.
"She escaped," he said, somewhat sadly, "but I don't think she'll try anything like that, again." He wrapped his arm around August's shoulders, "impressive job with the EMP, by the way."
"Oh, that reminds me," August dug into his breast pocket for the screwdriver, "sorry I threw yours into the Thames."
The Doctor held up his hand, "keep it, I can get a new one, though you can tell the TARDIS what happened to the last one, that's two gone within a very short time span, she won't be happy." He pointed an accusing finger at August, before returning to the Yanano's side, wringing out his hands, "now, if you won't mind staying here with August and Donna for a moment, I'm going to go get the TARDIS, and then we can get you home."
The Yanano nodded, "thank you, Doctor."
"Ponds, with me," said the Doctor. The trio was off in the direction of the Thames and August couldn't help but smile after them. He faltered, if only for a moment, when flashes of the future presented themselves to him. He could feel pain welling up in his chest at what was to come, not only for the Ponds, but for Donna, for both Doctors, and his own.
"The stars are beautiful tonight with all the power out," said Donna.
"Indeed," said the Yanano, its hands folded in front of them, "the stars on my world do not shine quite this bright even in the darkness."
August looked up at the sky to all the shimmering stars that glowed brightly, all the colours, all the wonders, and the worlds to explore. All the people to save. He thought that out their somewhere all those people that had been trapped on the Orion's Daemon were safe and living their lives, he thought about now, as everyone was helping each other get their bearings around the three, that for once in his life August had found purpose greater than anything he could have imagined. No matter what future held for him or those around him, he felt at peace in the moment.
"Do the stars ever shine so bright on your Earth, August Keyes?" Asked the Yanano.
August's head whipped down to face the Yanano, shock clear on his face, "how did you...?"
There was a soft twinkle of a melody in his head. The Yanano was laughing. "The stars in your own night sky are quite different from the ones above us, seen through a fresher pair of eyes." August felt his expression harden. "Do not look so sour, young one, I am sure you will find a way home eventually, especially with such good friends waiting for you."
"How do you know about them?"
"Are you talking to her?" He heard Donna ask and he turned to her with a frown.
"You can't hear her talking?"
"I don't hear anyone, but you."
"You and I are linked as I am sure the Doctor explained. Normally such an occurrence would not happen, but then again this is a special case. I must apologise for the earlier intrusion; I wasn't in my right mind."
"What's she saying?"
"She's apologising for earlier," and then to the Yanano, "so you can hear my thoughts then?"
The Yanano titled its head, "I was, your doors are closed to me now, but I can still communicate with you for the time being. You have an interesting mind, young one. You are a stranger to this world but walk within it as if you have already lived through its horrors. Truly fascinating; so many ideas and thoughts, all revolving around the Doctor. Such a strange and mysterious man." August felt a tickle in the back of his mind and was suddenly aware of the melancholic feelings the Yanano was trying to convey as she turned her head away, "and there is something hidden, words that are kept secret from yourself." She straightened, staring at August. "You must wait for the signal, August Keyes."
"Signal?" Asked August.
"Signal? What signal? What're you talking to her about?"
August shushed Donna, "is that how I'm supposed to find the Doctor? Some signal? What signal?"
"I do not know," said the Yanano, "it was within your mind."
"But I don't know of any signal, isn't there more to it than that?" And August had the distinct feeling that there was something urgent he was forgetting, something very important, deadly important.
She shook her head. "I am sorry, young one. Your thoughts were guarded and scattered, fragmented across your mind."
"What signal?" Donna asked again, "what does it have to do with the Doctor?"
"I dunno," said August grimly as the wind began to pick up around them. The grinding of gears alerted them that the TARDIS was appearing.
A different box from the one August had come accustomed to, the Doctor stepped out, waving his hands in a ta-da motion. "Transport!"
The Yanano bowed to the Doctor and walked into the box, the Doctor following behind. August and Donna stared on.
"It looks different." Stated Donna.
"It is different," said August.
Donna snorted, "that's comforting."
"It's still the TARDIS."
"And is it him, though?" Donna asked, "is it really the Doctor?"
"He's different," August said, "but it's him."
"I think I prefer geek chic to old college professor," she said, tugging at August coat. "He looks like a twelve-year-old. You'd think he'd be flying around with his parents or something."
And August snorted, breaking into laughter then. He knew Donna was looking at him in confusion and he just waved his hand. "Sorry," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose, "there's context to this that I can't explain." He sucked in a great big breath of air. "I don't know what I would do without you, Donna. I think you really help me keep this all sorted in my head."
"Yeah, well, it's what I'm good at." She was smiling too.
The Doctor's head popped back out the doors to the TARDIS, "well?" August and Donna just stared at him, "aren't you coming?"
August's eyes went wide, "um, but, what about—" he looked off to the direction of the other TARDIS which was still sitting out near the Thames, "—and the paradoxes? Two Doctor's in one TARDIS? What about Belgium?"
The Doctor waved his hand, "oh, Belgium will be fine. What would you do in the TARDIS without me, anyhow? It's not like you can fly it. And who best to help you find where I've popped off to other than, well, me?" The Doctor adjusted his bowtie.
Donna looked at August, "he is right, you're driving stinks worse than the Doctor's."
"If it wasn't for my driving, we wouldn't have met Chinny in the first place," said August, indignant.
"Oi," said the Doctor, "don't knock the chin, now come on, I think we've stayed here long enough," the Doctor dipped back into the TARDIS. "You'll want to see this, Donna!"
August let Donna go in first. "Blimey!" He heard almost immediately, "this is much better than the old coral and grate flooring!"
August found himself smiling wide again, shaking his head. He took one last look out onto London 2120, all the people and the stars shining brilliantly above. He thought of what the Yanano had said, a grave look passing his features for a moment, before stepping into the TARDIS.