"Open fire!" Jefferson shouted. He and the other guard opened fire on the three Ood. While they were firing, Jenna put her arms around Rose who was cowering by the door. When the blonde teen saw that the Ood were now dead, she pulled away from Jenna to go over to the Comm.
"Doctor?" static "Doctor, can you hear me? Doctor, Ida, are you there?"
Open door 25
Jefferson and the guard spin around, guns at the ready but it was only Danny. "It's me! But they're coming", he said quickly closing the door.
Close door 25
"It's the Ood. They've gone mad", Danny said.
"How many of them?" Jefferson asked as Jenna walked over to a corner where there was random metal scraps and picked up a small piece.
"All of them! All fifty!" Danny cried.
"Danny, out of the way" Jefferson said to Danny who didn't move "Out of the way!" he pushed Danny out of the way and reached for the wheel when a metal pipe flew past, hitting the door.
"You don't want to open that. Trust me", Jenna said when he turned to see who'd thrown it "unless you want to be killed by an Ood".
"Jefferson, what's happening there?" Zach asked through the comm.
"I've got very little ammunition, sir" Jefferson replied "How about you?"
"All I've got is a bolt gun. With er, all of one bolt. I could take out a grand total of one Ood. Fat lot of good that is", Zach grumbled.
"Given the emergency I recommend strategy 9", Jefferson suggested.
"Strategy 9 agreed", Zach said sounding defeated "Right, we need to get everyone together. Rose? What about Ida and the Doctor? Any word?"
Rose shook her head "I can't get a reply, just nothing…I keep trying, but it's…" she was cut off when the communication device crackles and the Doctor's voice came through.
"No! Sorry, I'm fine. Still here!"
"You could've said, you stupid b…"
~Point Zero~
The comm screeches loudly, blanking the rest of the word out. The Doctor winces from the feedback "Whoa! Careful! Anyway, it's both of us" the Doctor said "Me and Ida. Hello. But the seal opened up. It's gone. All we've got left is this chasm".
"How deep is it?" Zach asked.
"Can't tell. It looks like it goes down forever", the Doctor replied.
"'The pit is open'" Rose recited "That's what the voice said".
~Control room~
"But there's nothing. I mean…there's nothing coming out?" Zach asked.
~Point Zero~
"No, no. No sign of 'the Beast'", the Doctor answered.
~Drilling area~
"It said Satan", Rose said scared. Jenna put an arm around her. Rose didn't shrug her off, she was too scared.
"Come on, Rose. Keep it together", the Doctor urged the blonde.
"Tell me there's no such thing", Rose said to both the Doctor and Jenna. The Doctor didn't answer knowing that he couldn't flat out deny the existence of Satan, not with what he's seen during his travels around the universe. "Jenna? Please"
"I can't", Jenna said reluctantly knowing it wasn't the words Rose wanted to hear. But she couldn't lie to her.
~Control room~
"Ida? I recommend that you withdraw. Immediately", Zach suggested.
~Point Zero~
"But…we've come all this way", Ida protested.
"Okay, that was an order", Zach said firmly "Withdraw. When that thing opened, the whole planet's shifted. One more inch and we fall into the black hole. So this thing stops right now".
"But it's not much better up there with the Ood", Ida pointed out.
"I'm initiating strategy 9, so I need the two of you back up top immediately, no ar…" Ida didn't listen to the rest of what he had to say as she switched off her comm.
"What do you think?" she asked the Doctor.
"I think they've an order", the Doctor answered.
"Yeah, but…what do you think?" Ida asked.
The Doctor puts one foot on the edge of the pit, staring down into it "It said 'I am the temptation'"
"If…if there's something in there…why is it still hiding?" Ida questioned
"Maybe… we opened the prison but not the cell", the Doctor said.
"We should go down. I'd go. What about you?" Ida asked.
"Oh! Oh, in a second, but then again…" he gives a half laugh and turns to Ida "that is so human. Where angels fear to tread. Even now, standing on the edge. It's that feeling you get. Yeah?" he looks into the pit as though mesmerised "Right at the back of your head. That impulse…that strange little impulse…that mad little voice saying 'go on…go on…go on…go over…go on', Maybe it's relying on that. For once in my life, Officer Scott…I'm going to say…" he looks at her retreat" the Doctor sighs and pulled his foot back "now I know I'm getting old" he opened up their comms "Rose, Jen, we're coming back".
~Drilling area~
Both girls smiled at that "Best news I've heard all day", Rose said pleased.
Jefferson released the safety catch on his gun, catching Rose and Jenna's attention. "What're you doing?" Rose demanded.
"He's infected. He brought that thing on board", Jefferson said.
"No he didn't. That thing was already here", Jenna corrected him.
"Either way, it's in him", Jefferson said aiming his gun at Toby. The young man stared wide eyed from where he cowered on the floor.
"Are you going to start shooting your own people now, Is that what you're going to do? Is it?" Rose asked moving around to stand in front of Toby.
"If necessary", Jefferson said.
"Well then, you'll have to shoot me if necessary", Rose retorted
"Seriously? You're going to defend him?" Jenna exclaimed "It's like the Dalek all over again. And you know how that turned out"
"He's not a Dalek, Jenna. He's human!" Rose argued. She knew that she'd made a big mistake last time, one that had almost cost her life. If it hadn't been for Jenna pushing her out of the way. But this time she knew it was different. Toby was no longer infected by the 'Beast'. It had passed into the Ood. She saw that. Jenna saw that. So why was she so against her defending the man? "Look at his face. Whatever it was, is gone. It passed into the Ood. You saw it happen. He's clean"
"Don't judge a book by its cover", Jenna warned her before going back to the capsule.
"Any sign of trouble…I'll shoot him", Jefferson said and walked off.
"Are you all right?" Rose asked Toby.
"Yeah…I…" shakes his head "dunno".
"Can you remember anything?" Rose asked.
"Just…it was so angry. It was…fury and rage and…death…" Toby cast terrified glances around the room "It was him. It was the devil".
Rose drew Toby into a comforting hug. He clings to her, eyes still open with horror over her shoulder.
~Point Zero~
The Doctor and Ida walked back to the capsule "What's strategy 9?"
"Open the airlocks… we'll be safe inside the lock down…the Ood will get thrown out into the vacuum", Ida explained.
"So we're going back to a slaughter?" the Doctor asked.
Ida turned to him "The devil's work".
~Drilling area~
Jefferson, Danny, Rose and Jenna stood waiting by the mineshaft waiting for the Doctor and Ida to make contact. "Okay, we're in. Bring us up", Ida told them.
"Ascension in 3…2…1" Jefferson hit a switch and the lights went out everywhere.
"This is the darkness. This is my domain" the voice of the Beast rasped. The display on the screen changes to that of several Ood standing together "You little things that live in the light…clinging to your feeble suns which die in the…"
"That's not the Ood. Something's talking through them", Zach said through the comm.
"Only the darkness remains"
~control room~
"This is Captain Zachary Cross Flane of Sanctuary Base Six, representing the Torchwood archive. You will identify yourself", Zach said.
"You know my name"
"What do you want?" Zach demanded.
"You will die here. All of you. This planet is your grave"
~drilling area~
"It's him. It's him. It's him…" Toby stammered, trembling.
~Capsule~
"If you are the Beast, then answer me this. Which one, hmm? Cos the universe has been busy since you've been gone. There's more religions than there are planets in the sky. The Archivits…Pordonity, Christianity, Pash-Pash, New Judaism…Sanclar, Church of the Tin Vagabond. Which devil are you?"
"All of them"
"What, then you're the truth behind the myth?" the Doctor asked.
"This one knows me as I know him. The killer of his own kind"
The Doctor chose not to acknowledge what the Beast had just said "How did you end up on this rock?"
"The Disciples of the Light rose up against me and chained me in the pit for all eternity"
"When was this?" the Doctor asked.
"Before time"
"What does that mean?!" the Time Lord demanded.
"Before time", the Beast repeated making Jenna frown. How could it have existed before time? That's impossible surely?
"What does 'before time' mean?" the Doctor questioned.
"Before light and time and space and matter. Before the cataclysm. Before this universe was created"
"That's impossible. No life could have existed back then", the Doctor stated.
"Is that your religion?" the Beast asked.
"It's a belief", the Doctor said.
"You know nothing. All of you, so small. The Captain, so scared of command", the Beast said meaning Zach "The soldier, haunted by the eyes of his wife. The scientist, still running from Daddy" Ida shifts uncomfortably in the capsule. "The little boy who lied…" Danny also grew uncomfortable "The virgin…" Toby turns, on edge "the lost girl in the med-bay, so far away from home" everyone knew that meant Scooti. "The valiant child who will die in battle so very soon"
"Doctor, what does that mean?" Rose asked worried.
"Rose, don't listen", the Doctor said quietly.
"And the impossible girl who has lived so many lives…will die today" not on my watch the Doctor thought. There was no way he was losing her, not after everything they'd been through. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever. "She will die…and I will live"
The footage of the Ood suddenly cuts out and is replaced by a roaring horned beast which causes everyone but the Doctor to gasp and stumble backwards. Seeing the actual Beast caused everyone to panic, talking over each other.
"What the hell was that?" Danny asked, his voice shaking with fear.
"I had that thing inside my head!" Toby cried.
"Doctor, what did it mean?" Rose asked through the comm, her voice high with panic.
"What do we do? Jefferson?" Danny shouted.
"Captain? What's the situation on strategy 9?" Jefferson asked Zach through the comm.
"Zach, what do we do?" Danny asked sounding desperate.
"What if I can fix it…? the black hole, everything is true", Toby muttered.
"Captain, report…." Jefferson ordered.
"Guys stop", Jenna said looking from one person to another. But they didn't hear her. She was shaken up by what the Beast said about her dying but she wasn't about to have a full blown panic attack over it. Someone had to stay calm for everyone else.
~control room~
"We've lost pictures…" Zach stated.
~Drilling area~
"Doctor, how did it know all of…?" Rose started.
~Capsule~
"Did anyone get an anal…" Ida piped up.
~Control room~
"Jefferson?" Zach called.
~Capsule~
"Stop…" the Doctor said.
~Drilling area~
"What did it mean?" Rose asked.
~Capsule~
"Everyone just stop…." The Doctor tried again.
~Drilling area~
"What do we do?" Jenna raised her fingers to her mouth.
"Report!" Jefferson ordered.
A shrill whistle sounded, cutting through the babble of voices. They all turned to Jenna "getting worked up is not going to help. That thing is just trying to scare us, playing on very basic fears. Darkness…childhood nightmares…"
"But that's how the devil works", Danny pointed out.
~Capsule~
"Or a good psychologist", the Doctor put in.
"But…how did it know about my father?" Ida asked, her voice shaky.
"Okay, but what makes his version of the truth any better than mine, hmm? Cos I'll tell you what I can see: humans. Brilliant humans. Humans who travel all the way across space. Flying in a tiny little rocket! Right into the orbit of a black hole! Just for the sake of discovery. That's amazing! Do you hear me? Amazing, all of you. The Captain, his Officer, his elders, his juniors, his friends. All with one advantage. The Beast is alone. We are not. If we can use that to fight against him…"
"Doctor get out!" Jenna shouted suddenly through the comm "the cable's going to snap!"
The Doctor wasted no time in dragging Ida out of the capsule. A moment later the cable snapped sending miles of steel cable plummeting down the mine shaft at speed. The Doctor and Ida watched from a safe distance as the large amount of cable ploughed through the capsule, destroying it. "How did she know?" Ida asked looking at the Doctor.
"She just did", the Doctor replied vaguely "How much air have we got?" he asked Ida.
"60 minutes" she checked her wrist device "55".
~Drilling area~
"We've got to bring them back", Rose said not wanting to leave the Doctor and Ida stranded 10 miles down.
"We can't", Jefferson said "We haven't got another 10 miles of cable".
A loud bang on the door made them all jump "Captain? Situation report", Jefferson said into his wrist comm.
~Control room~
"It's the Ood. They're cutting through the door bolts. They're breaking in", Zach told him.
~Drilling area~
"Yeah, it's the same on door 25", Jefferson confirmed.
"How long's it going to take?" Rose asked.
"Well, it's only a basic frame, it should take 10 minutes", Jefferson replied. There was another bang on the door "8", Jefferson amended.
~Control room~
"I've got a security frame. It might last a bit longer, but that doesn't help you", Zach said.
~Drilling area~
"Right. So we need to stop them, or get out, or both", Rose stated.
"I'll take both, yeah? But how?" Danny asked.
"You heard the Doctor. Why do you think that thing cut him off? Cos he was making sense", Rose said "He was telling you to think your way out of this. Come on! For starters, we need some lights. There's got to be some sort of power somewhere" Jenna had to smile at how Rose was taking control.
~Control room~
"There's nothing I can do. Some Captain, stuck in here, pressing buttons", Zach said bitterly.
~Drilling area~
"So press the right buttons", Jenna told him.
~Control room~
"They've gutted the generators!" Zach then realised that they had a rocket "But the rocket's got an independent supply…If I could reroute that. Mister Jefferson? Open the bypass conduits. Override the safety"
~drilling area~
"Opening bypass conduits, sir", Jefferson said going to the computer and pressing buttons.
~Control room~
"Channelling rocket feed in 3…2…1 Power", Zach said.
~Drilling area~
The lights flash on "There we go", Rose said happily.
"Let there be light!" Danny cheered.
"What about this strategy 9 thing?" the blonde teen asked Jefferson.
"Not enough power. It needs a 100%", Jefferson said shaking his head.
"All right, we need a way out. Zach, Mr Jefferson…" she turned to the female guard "and you are?"
"Alex", the woman replied.
"Alex, you help Zach and Mr Jefferson" Alex nodded and went over to the two men.
While Rose spoke to Toby, Jenna turned to Danny "you're in charge of the Ood right? Is there any way to stop them?"
"Well…I don't know", Danny stammered.
Jenna tugged him over to the computer "then look for a way to stop them because the sooner we get control of the Base, the sooner we can get the Doctor and Ida out", she said.
~Point Zero~
"We've got all this cable, we might as well use it" Ida said looking at the destroyed capsule "The drum's disconnected. We could adapt it" she started gathering up the cable "feed it through".
"And then what?" the Doctor asked.
"Abseil into the pit", Ida replied.
"Abseil. Right", the Doctor said.
"We're running out of air with no way back" Ida reminded him "It's the only thing we can do. Even if it's the last thing we ever achieve".
"I'll get back", the Doctor said firmly "Rose is up there. So is Jen and I will get back to her". He had to get back. He could not let the Beast's words come to pass.
Ida smiled. It seemed this Jenna girl meant a great deal to him if he was that eager to get back "Well, maybe the key to that is finding out what's in the pit".
"Well...it's half of a good plan" The moment the Doctor said that, he was instantly reminded of the last time he said those words. Jenna had almost died then too due to the time vortex that had been coursing through her. No she is not going to die today he thought firmly pushing aside any memories of where she almost died.
"What's the other half?" Ida asked.
"I go down. Not you", the Doctor replied.
"That should hold it", Ida said looked at her work "How's it going?"
"Should work. Doesn't feel like such a good idea now", the Doctor said standing on the edge of the pit, looking down "ha…there it is again. That itch" he bobbed up and down "Go down, go down, go down, go down, go down"
"The urge to jump", Ida said "Do you know where it comes from, that sensation? Genetic heritage. Ever since we were primates in the trees. It's our body's way of testing us. Calculating whether or not we can reach the next branch".
"No, that's not it. That's too kind…it's not the urge to jump. It's deeper than that. It's the urge to fall!" the Doctor jumped backwards into the pit.
"Doctor!" Ida pressed a button, abruptly stopping the Doctor's descent "Are you okay?"
"Not bad, thanks. The wall of the pit seems to be the same as the cavern, just…" he shone his torch down "not much of it. There's a crust about twenty feet down and then nothing…just the pit. Okay, then. Lower me down"
"Well, here we go then", she pressed the button and the Doctor is lowered down into the pit, much slower this time.
~Drilling area~
"Danny!" Rose shouted from where she and the others were waiting by the entrance of the maintenance tunnels.
"Hold on! Just conforming…" Danny said.
"Dan, we got to go now!" Jefferson called as another bang sounded at the door "Come on!"
"Yeah!" Danny cheered pulling the orange computer chip from the computer and ran over to them "Put that in the monitor and it's a bad time to be an Ood"
"We're coming back", Rose said looking around at them all "Have you got that? We're coming back to this room and we're getting the Doctor out".
"Absolutely", Jenna agreed.
"Okay. Danny, you go first, then Miss Tyler and Miss Smith, then Toby. Alex you go after Toby and I'll go last in defensive position. Now, come on, quick as you can!"
They all nodded and dropped down into the tunnel, in the order Jefferson said.
"God, it stinks" Rose commented as she landed in the tunnel next to Danny "You all right?"
"Yeah, I'm laughing. Which way do we go?" Danny asked as Jenna jumped down.
~Control room~
"Just go straight ahead. Keep going till I say so", Zach instructed.
~Maintenance tunnel~
Jefferson just about manages to get into the tunnel as the Ood break through door 25. "Not your best angle, Danny" Rose said staring at his backside as she crawled.
"Oi, stop it", Danny protested.
"I don't know, it could be worse", Toby said considering Jenna's bum.
"Hey!" Jenna exclaimed.
~Control room~
"Straight on until you find junction 7.1. Keep breathing. I'm feeding you air. I've got you", Zach said.
~Maintenance tunnel~
The group reach the junction in the tunnel and stop, a little out of breath "We're at 7.1, sir", Danny said into his comm.
~Control room~
"Okay, I've got you…" Zach pressed a few buttons. A bang on the door makes him jump "I'm just aerating the next section".
~Maintenance tunnel~
"Getting kind of cramped, sir….can't you hurry up?" Danny asked.
~Control room~
"I'm working on half power, here", Zach informed them.
~Maintenance tunnel~
"Stop complaining", Jefferson grumbled.
"Mr Jefferson says stop complaining", Rose said to Danny.
"I heard", Danny said.
"He heard", Rose said to Jefferson.
"But the air's getting a bit thin", Toby complained.
"He's complaining now", Rose muttered.
"I heard", Jefferson said.
"Guys quit complaining", Jenna said "the more you talk, the quicker you'll use up the limited oxygen we have".
"She's got a point", Alex agreed.
"I'm just moving the air", Zach informed them over the comms.
~Control room~
"I've got to oxygenate the next section. Now, keep calm or it's going to feel worse", Zach said.
~Maintenance tunnel~
There was a loud banging from the other end of the tunnel. Jefferson and Alex aimed their guns "What was that?" Danny asked.
"Mr Jefferson, what was that?" Rose asked loudly.
"What's that noise?" Toby questioned.
"Captain, what was that?" Alex asked through her comm.
~Control room~
"The junction in Habitation Five's been opened. It must be the Ood", Zach said looking at the hologram.
~Maintenance tunnel~
Jenna's eyes widened as she got a feeling, the one wasn't good. "The Ood are in the tunnels", she said quietly a moment before Zach noticed the aliens vanish into the tunnels.
"They're in the tunnels!" Zach said warningly.
"Well, open the gate!" Danny cried.
~Control room~
"I've got to get the air in!" Zach reminded them.
"Just open it!" Danny shouted.
~Maintenance tunnel~
"Where are they? Are they close?" Rose asked.
~Control room~
"I don't know. I can't tell. I can't see them. The computer doesn't register Ood as proper life forms", Zach complained.
~Maintenance tunnel~
"Well that's just perfect", Rose grumbled. She looked at Jenna "do you know where they are?" she asked having heard Jenna say the Ood where in the tunnels before Zach warned them.
"They're close", she said.
At those words Danny practically shouted in to his comm "Open the gate!"
The gate opens up and they all lunge through it.
~Control room~
"Danny, turn left. Immediate left", Zach instructed him.
~Maintenance tunnel~
They all crawl through the tunnel as fast as they can. Both Jefferson and Alex going backwards with their guns at the ready.
"Can't you trap the Ood?" Alex asked "Cut off the air?"
~Control room~
"Not without cutting off yours", Zach said regrettably.
~Maintenance tunnel~
The Ood pursue them down the tunnel, still not in sight. "Danny, turn right. Go right! Go fast, Dan. They're going to catch up", Zach shouted.
Danny does what he says, frantic.
Jefferson stopped, sat down and aimed his gun "I'll maintain defensive position", he said.
"You can't stop!" Rose shouted at him.
"Miss Tyler, that's my job. You've got your task, now see to it", Jefferson ordered.
"You heard what he said, now shift", Toby said to Rose.
"Alex go with them", Jefferson said when the woman didn't move.
"I'm not going anywhere. You can't hold them off on your own", Alex said refusing to move.
"You always were pretty stubborn", Jefferson said shaking his head.
"Damn straight", Alex agreed. The two of them settled in a defensive postion and waited for the Ood.
"8.2. Open 8.2 Zach!" Danny said into his comm as they reached the next junction.
~Control room~
"Open 8.2!" Danny shouted.
"I've got to aerate it", Zach told him.
~Maintenance tunnel~
"Open it now!" Danny said furiously.
~Control room~
"I'm trying", Zach said, pressing buttons.
~Maintenance tunnel~
Danny started thumping at the gate, desperate. "Danny, stop it. That's not helping", Rose said.
"Zach, get it open!" Toby shouted.
~Control room~
"Jefferson, Alex I've got to open 8.2 by closing 8.1. You've got to get past the junction. Now move. That's an order, now move!" Zach shouted at the pair.
"Come on!" Alex shouted as Jefferson seemed to ignore what Zach was saying.
~Maintenance tunnel~
Gate 8.2 opens allowing Danny, Rose, Jenna and Toby through it. "Come on!" Danny said crawling through.
~Control room~
"Danny, turn left and head for 9.2" Zach said "That's the last one. Jefferson, Alex you've got to move faster".
~maintenance tunnel~
Alex reached the gate as it closed, leaving herself and Jefferson stuck on the wrong side. "I regret to inform, sir that we didn't make it", she said into her comm.
~Control room~
"I can't open 8.1. Not without losing air for the others", Zach said solemnly.
~Maintenance tunnel~
"And quite right too, sir", Jefferson said "I think we bought them a little time".
"There's nothing I can do"
~Control room~
"I'm sorry"
~Maintenance tunnel~
"You've done enough, sir. Made a very good captain under the circumstances", Jefferson said.
"Couldn't agree more", Alex added.
"May I ask, if you can't add oxygen to this section, can you speed up the process of its removal?" Jefferson requested.
~Control room~
"I don't understand. What do you mean?" Zach asked.
~Maintenance tunnel~
"Well, if I might chose the manner of my departure, sir…lack of air seems more natural than…well…let's say death by Ood", Jefferson said.
"Alex?" Zach asked.
"Do it", Alex said.
~Control room~
"God speed, Mr Jefferson, Alex", Zach said.
~Maintenance tunnel~
"Thank you, sir"
~Control room~
Zach presses the appropriate buttons to cut off the air in that section. The lights representing Alex and Jefferson dissapear from the hologram. "Report…Officer John Maynard Jefferson PKD…deceased…With honours", Zach said fighting back tears "Alexandra Marie Williams, deceased with honours".
~maintenance tunnels~
"Zach, we're at the final junction, nine point two. And er…if my respects could be on record. They saved our lives", Danny spoke up.
"Noted", Zach said "Opening 9.2".
The gate opens revealing Ood behind it. "Lower 9.2! Hurry, Zach!" Rose shouted.
"Back! Back! Back!" Danny cried.
"We can't go back! The gang point's sealed off. We're stuck!" Toby shouted.
"No we're not", Jenna said looking up. She reached up and pushed the grilling out the way. Jenna climbed up and reached down to help Rose out of the tunnel. Danny followed them rather quickly whereas Toby took a little longer to get out of the tunnel.
Jenna took one look at the advancing Ood before she grabbed Rose's hand and ran. "Do you know where you're going?" Toby asked her as they ran.
"Yep", Jenna replied.
~Ood Habitation~
Jenna burst through the doors with Rose. Danny and Toby bringing up the rear. "Get that chip in the computer", Jenna ordered Danny rushing over to grab a piece of pipe. She stood near the top of the stairs clutching the pipe tightly as she watched the Ood.
"Danny hurry up!" Jenna called as the Ood started making their way up the stairs.
"Transmit!" Rose shouted.
"I'm trying, I'm trying! I'm getting at it…" Danny frantically searched his pockets for the computer chip.
"Danny!" Rose shouted seeing her friend try and keep the Ood back.
Danny pulled the chip out of his pocket "get that thing transmitting!" Jenna yelled at him sending another Ood tumbling down the stairs.
He shoved the chip into the computer. The reading drops from 100 down to 0. All the Ood grab their heads and writhe for a few seconds before collapsing.
"You did it! We did it!" Rose cheered.
"Yes!" Danny laughed in delight.
Rose looked over at Jenna with a smile, the brunette smiled back. "Zach, we did it. The Ood are down. Now we've got to get the Doctor"
"You get representations of the Horned Beast right across the universe, in the myths and legends of a million worlds" the Doctor said as he descended further into the pit "Earth…Draconia…Velconsadine…Daemos…the Kaled god of war….it's the same image, over and over again. Maybe…that idea came from somewhere, bleeding through…the thought at the back of every sentient mind"
"Emanating from here?" Ida asked.
"Could be", the Doctor replied.
"But if this is the original…does that make it real? Does that make it the actual devil, though?" Ida questioned.
"Well, if that's what you want to believe. Maybe that's what the devil is, in the end. An idea"
The Doctor jerks to a halt as the cable ran out. "That's it. That's all we've got" the Doctor pressed buttons on the device on his wrist "You getting any sort of readout?"
"Nothing. Could be miles to go, yet. Or…could be 30 feet. No way of telling" the Doctor thought about that "I could survive thirty feet".
"Oh no you don't. I'm pulling you back up" Ida pressed the button to bring him back up. The Doctor quickly pressed a button on his wrist to stop his ascent. "What're you doing?"
"You bring me back, then we're just going to sit there and run out of air. I've got to go down", he said.
"But you can't. Doctor, you can't", Ida said, scared.
"Call it an act of faith" the Doctor releases one of the hooks securing him to the cable.
"But…I don't want to die on my own", Ida said quietly.
"I know" he unclips another hook. "I didn't ask. Have you got any sort of faith?"
Ida sat on the edge of the pit "Not really. I was brought up Neo Classic Congregational…because of my mum, she was…." Ida paused, reminiscing "my old mum. But no, I never believed"
"Neo Classics, have they got a devil?" the Doctor asked continuing to remove the hooks.
"No, not as such. Just um…the things that men do", Ida replied.
"Same thing in the end"
"What about you?" Ida asked.
"I believe…I believe I haven't seen everything, I don't know…it's funny, isn't it? The things you make up. The rules. If that thing had said it came from beyond the universe, I'd believe it, but before the universe…impossible. Doesn't fit my rule. Still, that's why I keep travelling. To be proved wrong. Thank you, Ida".
"Don't go!" Ida shouted standing up.
"If they get back in touch, if you talk to Jenna…just tell her… tell her I'm…I'm sorry I couldn't help" the Doctor released the final hook and he fell.
"Doctor, are you there? Doctor, Ida, can you hear me?" Rose asked, her voice suddenly coming through the comm.
"He's gone"
~Drilling area~
"What do you mean, 'he's gone'?" Rose asked.
~Chasm~
"He fell into the pit. And I don't know how deep it is. Miles and miles and miles", Ida said looking down into the gaping hole.
~Drilling area~
"But…what do you mean, 'he fell'? Rose asked her voice breaking.
~Chasm~
"I couldn't stop him", Ida said quietly "is Jenna there?"
"I'm here"
"He said your name", Ida said "and he says thank you, for everything".
~Drilling area~
Rose looked at Jenna, her jealousy rearing up again as the brunette had gotten a message and she didn't.
Zach took the comm "I'm sorry. Ida? There's no way of reaching you. No cable, no back up….You're ten miles down…we can't get there"
~Chasm~
"You should see this place, Zach" Ida sat down on the edge of the pit "It's beautiful. Well, I wanted to discover things…" she tears up "and here I am".
"We've got to abandon the base. I'm declaring this mission unsafe. All we can do is make sure no one ever comes here again", Zach told her.
"But we'll never find out what it was", Ida said despondently.
"Well, maybe that's best", Zach said.
"Yeah", Ida reluctantly agreed.
"Officer Scott…"
"It's all right. Just go. Good luck"
~Drilling area~
"Thank you" Zach replaced the comm "Danny, Toby, close down the feed links. Get the retrotropes online. Then go get Scooti and head to the rocket, we're leaving".
"I'm not going", Rose said.
"Rose…" Jenna began.
"No, I'm going to wait for the Doctor", Rose said firmly.
"He wouldn't want you to", Jenna said gently.
"And how would you know? Is this one of your 'feelings'" she put air quotes around the word feelings.
"No I…" Jenna started
"Well I'm not going", Rose said stubbornly "and if you really cared for him you'd stay too".
"I do care for him Rose", Jenna said "I care about him a lot but I also know that he wouldn't want us to stay behind. He'd want us to leave…"
"So we can forget about him?" Rose cut in.
"No, so we can live. Have a fantastic life", Jenna said "That's what he would want".
Rose shook her head "I'm sorry Jenna but I'm not going anywhere", she insisted.
"I'm really sorry about this Rose", Zach said "Danny, Toby, make her secure".
The two men grab Rose "No, no. No! No! No! Let me go!" she screamed, struggling in their grip "Get off me! I'm not leaving!" Zach plunges a needle into her arm, sedating her. "No…"
"I have lost too many people. I am not leaving you behind" he hoists her onto his shoulder "Let's get her on board". Jenna follows them, casting one last look at the mineshaft.
"Dislocating B clamp. C Clamp. Raising blu-nitro to maximum. Toby, how's the Negapact feed line?" Zach asked.
"Clear. Ready to go, sir" Toby replied "For God's sakes, get us out of here!"
Rose starts to stir which Danny noticed "Captain…I think we're going to have a problem passenger…"
"Keep an eye on her", Zach ordered.
"Wait…we're not…" Rose said blearily as she was still feeling woozy from whatever they'd given her.
"It's all right, Rose. You're safe", Danny assures her.
"I'm not going anywhere!" Rose tugs at her seatbelt, shouting "Get me out of this thing! Get me out!"
"And…lift off!"
Zach, Danny, Toby and Scooti cheer as the rocket lifted off. Both Ida and the Doctor look up as they hear the rocket.
"A rocket…" the Doctor said quietly watching it get further away. At least now he knew that both Rose and Jenna were safe. That's all that really mattered to him.
~Rocket~
Rose spots the bolt gun, grabs it and points it a Zach "Take me back to the planet. Take me back!" she demanded.
"Or what?" Zach asked.
"Or I'll shoot", she threatened.
Zach turned to her "Would you, though? Would you really? Is that what your Doctor would want?" Rose held his gaze for a moment before dropping the gun and slumping back in her chair, defeated. Jenna hated to see her friend upset but she knew this was ultimately for the best. "Sorry, but it's too late anyway. Take a look outside. We can't turn back. This is what the Doctor would have wanted" Rose didn't answer him "Isn't that right?"
~Pit~
The Doctor shines his torch on the wall paintings that he'd discovered in his wanderings "The history of some big battle. Man against Beast. I don't know if you're getting this, Ida. Hope so. Anyway, they defeated the Beast and imprisoned it"
The light of his torch falls onto a large vase on a stand. Surprised, the Doctor turns back to the wall and sees figures carrying a vase each on their heads. He approaches the vase, noticing a second one next to it. "Or maybe that's the key…" the Doctor touches one vase and they both lit up "Or the gate, or the bars…"
He turns upon hearing a quiet growl. The Doctor's mouth drops open at the sight of a huge horned beast.
~Rocket~
Toby laughed quietly to himself catching the attention of Danny "What's the joke?"
"Just…we made it. We escaped. We actually did it", he said smirking.
"Not all of us", both Rose and Jenna said together. Scooti, who was sitting on Jenna's other side took one her hands and gave it a squeeze. Jenna gave her a small smile, glad for little comfort Scooti provided.
"We're not out of it yet. We're still the first people in history to fly away from a black hole. Toby, read me the stats"
Still smirking Toby said "Gravity funnel holding, sir. Always holding"
~Pit~
"I accept that you exist. I don't have to accept what you are, but you're physical existence, I'll give you that" the Doctor took a few steps forward "I don't understand. I was expected down here. I was given a safe landing and air. You need me for something. What for?" the Beast lunges forward, straining against the chains holding him "Have I got to…I dunno, beg an audience? Or…is there a ritual? Some sort of incantation or summons or spell? All these things I don't believe in, are they real?" the Beast just looked at him.
"Speak to me! Tell me!" the Doctor said loudly but he didn't get any reply "You won't talk. Or…you can't talk. Oh, hold on, wait a minute, just let me…Oh! No. Yes! No. Think it through" he paced on the spot, his mind going over everything "You spoke before. I heard your voice. An intelligent voice. No, more than that. Brilliant. But, looking at you now…all I can see…is Beast. The animal. Just the body. Just the body…the physical form. What's happened to your mind, hmm? Where's it gone? Where's that intelligence?" the Doctor's eyes widened as he came to the horrible realisation that the other part of the Beast was still in Toby. Who was on the rocket. With Rose. And Jenna. "Oh, no…"
~Rocket~
"Stats at 53. Funnel stable at 66.5. Hull pressure constant. Smooth as we can, sir, all the way back home. Coordinates set for planet Earth", the corners of Toby's mouth twitch upwards in an unpleasant smile.
~Pit~
The Doctor shines his torch along the wall, looking at symbols covering the walls trying to make sense of it all "You're imprisoned, long time ago. Before the universe, after, sideways, in between, doesn't matter. The prison is perfect…it's absolute, it's eternal. Oh, yes! Open the prison, the gravity field collapses. This planet falls into the black hole! You escape, you die. Brilliant! But that's just the body. The body is trapped, that's all. The devil is an idea" the Doctor pauses, edging forward as he worked it all out "In all those civilisations, just an idea. But an idea is hard to kill. An idea could escape. The mind. The mind of the great Beast. The mind can escape! Oh, but that's it! You didn't give me air, your jailers did. They set this up all those years ago! They need me alive, because if you're escaping, then I've got to stop you"
The Beast roared in fury, straining against the chains. The Doctor picks up a rock "If I destroy your prison, your body is destroyed. Your mind with it"
He raises the rock above his head, ready to smash the vase when he realised something "But then you're clever enough to use this whole system against me", the Doctor said lowering the rock "If I destroy this planet, I destroy the gravity field. The rocket. The rocket loses protection and falls into the black hole. I have to sacrifice Rose and Gen"
He dropped the rock. That was something he could never do. He'd sacrifice himself in a second if it meant stopping the Beast. But the girls? Never.
The Beast laughed at his predicament.
~Rocket~
"It doesn't make sense. We escaped, but there's a thousand ways it could've killed us. It could've… ripped out the air or…I dunno burnt us, or anything. But it let us go. Why?" Rose said voicing her thoughts out loud.
"Unless it wanted us to escape", Jenna suggested making Rose look at her, on the other side of Toby.
"Do us a favour… Shut up the pair of you", Toby said nastily. Jenna and Rose stared at him. The latter rather confused by his behaviour while the former got another bad feeling about the young man. "Almost there. We'll be beyond the reach of the black hole in 40…39…"
~Pit~
"So, that's the trap. Or the test, or the final judgment, I don't know. But if I kill you, I kill them"
The Beast laughs, then roars at him "Except that implies in this big grand scheme of Gods and Devils that they're just victims. But I've seen a lot of this universe. I've seen fake gods and bad gods and demi-gods and would-be gods, and out of all that, out of that whole pantheon, if I believe in one thing…just one thing…"" the Doctor grabbed a rock "I believe in my Impossible Girl".
He smashed the vase.
~Rocket~
Suddenly the rocket started to shake violently. "What happened? What was that?!" Danny exclaimed.
"What's he doing? What is he doing?" Toby shouted.
"We've lost the funnel. Gravity collapse!" Zach exclaimed.
"What does that mean?" Rose asked.
"We can't escape. We're headed straight for the black hole!" Zach cried.
The rocket turns back on itself and spirals towards the black hole.
~Pit~
The Doctor smashed the second vase "This is your freedom! Free to die. You're going into that black hole and I'm riding with you"
~Rocket~
"You will die today", Toby said in the voice of the Beast. Jenna glanced at him, her eyes widening as she saw his skin covered in symbols. Before anyone could do anything, he stabs her in the stomach with a blade he had in his pocket. Jenna screamed.
He smirked sitting back as the brunette began to bleed out. Scooti put her hands over the girl's stomach trying to slow the bleeding. Rose leaned forward snatching up the bolt gun and doesn't even hesitate to fire at the window. She then undoes Toby's seatbelt and he is sucked through the window into outer space.
"Emergency shield!" Zach pressed a button and the emergency shield activates, covering the gaping hole. Rose unbuckled her seatbelt and moved one seat over. Jenna whimpered as Rose also put her hands over her wound in a desperate attempt to slow the bleeding.
"Stay with me Jenna, please", Rose pleaded seeing how pale she was getting "please"
"Rose", Jenna whispered opening her eyes.
"I'm right here", Rose said taking Jenna's other hand.
"I…love… you"
Rose's eyes filled up with tears as Jenna's eyes closed, her breathing slowing down. Rose closed her eyes, tears running down her face. Her jealousy towards the brunette seemed so pointless… so petty. Especially now she was gone. Scooti placed a hand on her shoulder trying to comfort her as the blonde grieved for her best friend.
"Oh god", Danny said glancing back and seeing one seemingly dead girl and two women crying "she's dead" he told Zach. The dark skinned closed his eyes another one gone he thought solemnly. The upside is at least she didn't die by falling into a black hole.
The rocket suddenly stopped shaking "What happened?" Scooti asked confused as to why they hadn't fallen into the black hole yet.
They all lean to one side as the rocket turns away from the black hole "We're…turning. We're turning around. We're turning away!" Zach said happily.
"Sorry about the hijack, Captain. This is the good ship TARDIS", the Doctor's voice said rather cheerfully through the comm.
~TARDIS~
"Now, first thing's first. Have you got a Rose Tyler and Jenna Smith on board?" the Doctor asked.
"I'm here", Rose replied. He frowned, her voice sounded strange. It sounded like she'd been crying "but Jenna…Doctor I'm sorry. She's dead".
At those words the Doctor's hearts shattered. No. She can't be gone. She CAN'T be gone. The Doctor gripped the console tightly. If Jenna was gone then the Beast was right. No, he wasn't going to believe that until he sees it with his own two eyes.
Minutes after he got the shocking news, one of the doors of the TARDIS opened and Rose walked in hands covered in blood, cheeks stained with tears. Scooti was next, her hands also stained with blood. Danny entered came in after her, followed by Zach who was carrying Jenna in his arms.
The Doctor walked forward slowly, his eyes fixed on the girl. He got out his sonic and scanned her "She's alive, barely", he said looking at the readings. The Doctor gently took Jenna from Zach and took off running to the med bay. Rose chased after him. "Come on Gen. Stay with me", he said laying her down on the bed.
"Is there anything I can do?" Rose asked breathing heavily from running after him.
"There's a heart monitor over there", the Doctor said pointing as he grabbed some scissors "and there should be some electrodes… uh sticky pads in the drawer next to it". As Rose grabbed those items, the Doctor cut away the bloodstained material to expose the wound. He placed his hands over the wound and concentrated. His hands started to glow with regeneration energy.
Rose watched the Doctor keep his glowing hands on Jenna's stomach for several minutes before he took them away revealing the brunette's bloodstained but otherwise unmarked skin. "Was that regeneration energy?" Rose asked as the Doctor took the heart monitor from her and the electrodes.
"Yes it was. Probably gave away a few months to a year but it's worth it", he said setting the heart monitor down on the table beside the bed and stuck the electrodes on Jenna's upper body. "Could you stay with her while I get the others sorted?" the Doctor asked after turning on the heart monitor.
Rose nodded and the Doctor left. "Is she going to be ok?" Scooti asked when the Doctor came back into the console room. Ida by this point had recovered from oxygen deprivation and was leaning against the console.
"She's going to be fine", the Doctor replied.
They all let out relieved breaths at that news. "What did you find down in the Pit?" Ida asked curious.
"I don't know", the Doctor lied "never did decipher that right. But that's good. Day I know everything? Might as well stop. Ok then, have a safe trip home" the Doctor ushered them towards the doors as quick as he could eager to get back to Jenna.
He closed the doors behind them and bounded back to the console to send the TARDIS into the time vortex. Once he done that, he went back to the med bay. "Any change?" he asked as he entered the room. Rose shook her head.
"No I'm afraid not" she stood up "I'm going to get myself cleaned up. Should I grab some clean clothes for Jenna?"
"That's a good idea", the Doctor agreed.
Rose nodded and left the room. The moment she was gone, the Doctor pulled up a chair and settled down for what was likely to be a long wait until Jenna woke.
Rose yawned for what felt like the 20th time as she fought to stay awake. It had been a rather tense 4 days in which she barley slept. The Doctor hadn't slept at all, keeping almost a constant watch over Jenna who still hadn't woken. The only change they'd seen the past few days was the colour returning to her skin. Both of them were really glad about that, it was difficult to look at Jenna when she was extremely pale.
She looked over at the door when it opened. Rose shook her head at the Doctor, knowing he was going to ask about Jenna's condition. "Go get some rest, I'll keep watch", the Doctor said to the blonde teen.
Rose didn't want to leave but she was pretty tired "wake me if anything changes", she said.
"I will", the Doctor promised. After Rose left, the Doctor sat down in the chair she'd just vacated. As he watched her his mind drifted back to all those times she'd been hurt or almost killed.
Several of those were pretty bad but this most recent one was by far the worst. One thing was for sure, he wouldn't be able to take another close call like this one. Not to the young woman he loved. Hold on. Loved? Where did that come from? It was true that he cared about her a lot, that she held a special place in his hearts but did that mean he loved her?
He thought about all those times where he noticed, really noticed her. Those little glances whenever she wasn't looking like on the spaceship with the clockwork men. His thoughts turned to New Earth when Rose/Cassandra kissed him. He'd been grateful that she never saw that. Was that because he had feelings for her? It was possible that it was the case. Which brought up another question. When did he start having feelings towards her? Was it after he'd regenerated or before?
The Doctor thought about the adventures in his previous body. He recalled the time Jack had flirted with Jenna, which he didn't like. He had been overjoyed when Jenna had said that she wasn't interested in the 51st century man. He also liked Jenna's comments about him being handsome and good looking.
Did that mean he had feelings for her in his previous body? He supposed he'd never know for sure. What he did know was that he, in his tenth body, was in love with Jenna Kiara Smith.
Now he'd realised that, the next thing to do would be showing/telling her how he felt. However, that wasn't going to happen until Jenna had woken. The Doctor took her hand "come on Jen, please"
Minutes ticked by…
And stretched into hours….
Until…
The Doctor felt Jenna's hand move in his. He watched as she started to stir and a smile broke out on his face when she finally opened her eyes. "Hey", she said quietly.
"Hey" the Doctor couldn't believe it. She was awake! He felt like jumping up and down or shouting the news really loud from the tallest building on the Earth, he was that happy. Jenna then said something else which he didn't quite catch "sorry?"
"Water", Jenna said louder.
"Oh! Of course", the Doctor jumped up and turned to the door. He turned back "don't you go any anywhere", he said pointing at her warningly.
"I won't, I promise", Jenna said.
The Doctor leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead "I'll be right back", he said and ran out the door. As soon as he'd gone, Jenna slowly pushed herself into sitting postion, placing a hand over her stomach as she did so. She frowned when she didn't feel any bandages. Jenna pulled up the pyjama top she'd been dressed in and found smooth skin underneath. No wound.
He must've healed me somehow she thought touching her stomach. Jenna pulled her top back down when she heard footsteps. A moment later the door was flung open and Rose came rushing in. "I'm so glad you're awake!" she said happily flinging her arms around the girl, hugging her.
"Uh Rose? I can' breathe", Jenna gasped as her friend was hugging her a little too tightly.
Rose quickly let her go "sorry", she apologised "I'm just really glad you're ok".
"That makes two of us", the Doctor said handing the glass of water over to Jenna.
"Thanks" she took a sip of water "how long was I out?"
"4 days", Rose answered.
"What about Ida and the others? They ok?" Jenna asked.
"They're fine. Once I healed you, I sent them on their way", the Doctor replied.
"Healed me?" Jenna asked "Like you did before when my hands got burned".
The Doctor nodded "the very same way", he confirmed.
"Jenna you must be starving. Do you want me to make you something?" Rose asked.
"Yeah, that'd be great thanks", Jenna replied "something light though".
Rose nodded and left the room. "You look like you could do with some sleep", Jenna said taking in the Doctor's appearance.
"Yeah probably", the Doctor admitted "I just didn't want to not until you'd woken up".
"Well I'm awake now so you can have a kip or power nap or catch 40 winks. That's a weird phrase 'catch 40 winks'. I wonder where…" she trailed off when she noticed the Doctor looking at her in a way she hadn't seen before "what? Why are you looking at me like that?"
The Doctor sat down in the chair "I almost lost you. Again", he said quietly.
"But you didn't" Jenna set her glass of water down "And trust me I don't plan on getting stabbed again" she relaxed back onto her pillows that she'd propped up "that was not fun".
"Seeing you lying there so pale…it made me realise something" the Doctor took her hand "I care about you Jenna, so much more than I would do with a companion. You mean a lot to me, more than words could possibly express".
"What are you saying?" Jenna asked.
The Doctor hesitated for a moment. Should he tell her now? Or wait for the right time? The more logical part of his mind was telling him to wait. But another part, the more selfish part was telling him… scratch that…yelling at him to tell her now. "Doctor?"
Stuff logic. He was going to tell her now. "Jenna I…" he took a breath "I love you".