"Evening," the Doctor's smile was just enough to convince Zana to wear one as well as they hurried down a flight of stairs towards the Ood Habitation.

"Hello, Danny," Zana laid a hand on the man's shoulder for a moment as she looked over the computer screen he was monitoring.

"Only us," Rose added with a bright smile of her own.

"The mysterious trio," Danny turned and gave Zana a soft smile. "How are you, then? Settling in?"

"Yeah," the Doctor waved him off as Zana's attention turned to the Ood below them. The aliens were sitting side by side with their heads down as if they were asleep. "Sorry, straight to business, the Ood how do they communicate? I mean, with each other."

"Oh, just empaths," Danny shrugged. "There's a low-level telepathic field connecting them. Not that that does them much good. They're basically a herd race. Like cattle."

"This telepathic field...Can it pick up messages?"

"Because I was having dinner, and one of the Ood said something, well, odd," Rose informed as she moved closer to the man.

"Hmm," he looked up at her. "An odd Ood."

"And then I got something else on my um...communicator thing."

Danny scoffed, "Oh, be fair. We've got whole star systems burning up around us! There's all sorts of stray transmissions. Probably nothing." When the Doctor didn't look convinced, he sighed. "Look, if there was something wrong, it would show. We monitor the telepathic field. It's the only way to look after them. They're so stupid, they don't even tell us when they're ill."

"Monitor the field," the Doctor stepped up to the computer Danny had been working at. "That's this thing?"

"Yeah," he nodded as Zana moved next to the Time Lord's side. The screen simply said Basic 5. "But like I said, it's low-level telepathy. They only register basic five."

"Oh, how convenient," Zana let out an annoyed groan as the readings began to rise.

Basic 6.

Basic 7.

Basic 8.

"Well, that's not basic five...Ten, twenty," the Doctor turned to look back at Danny. "They've gone up to basic thirty."

"But they can't," Danny frowned.

"Doctor, the Ood!" Rose exclaimed, turning his and Zana's attention to the creatures. They had raised their heads and were staring at the four humans with blank expressions. "What does basic thirty mean?"

"Well, it means that they're shouting, screaming inside their heads," Danny breathed, the worry evident in his voice, but Zana knew he wasn't worried for the Ood themselves, oh no, but rather how this dramatic rise in telepathy could affect him and the rest of his crew.

"Or something's shouting at them," the Doctor corrected.

"But where is it coming from? What is it saying?" Danny turned to Rose, "What did it say to you?"

"Something about the beast in the pit," Rose told him quickly, her eyes locked on the Ood below.

"What about your communicator? What did that say?"

Rose gulped, "He is awake."

"And you will worship him," the Ood replied in unison.

"What the hell?" Danny's eyes widened.

Goosebumps covered Zana's arms as she gripped into the railing in front of her, "Doctor-"

"He is awake!" The Doctor shouted, ignoring his companion completely as he took hold of the railing as well.

"And you will worship him."

"Worship who?" He demanded, but there was no reply. "Who's talking to you? Who is it?"

Once again, the Ood stayed silent. Without a word, the Doctor, followed by Rose, hurried down the stairs towards them.

"They've never done that before, I'm guessing," Zana tried to ease the uneasiness in the air as she looked over at Danny. There was no way she was going down there with the Ood. They gave her the creeps.

"No, never," Danny shook his head as he watched the Doctor and Rose. "I don't know what's going on."

"We'll figure it out," she gave him an assuring smile. "I hope we do, anyway."

"Me too," he returned the smile.

Just as she went to reply, the base, as it so commonly seemed to do, started to shake.

"Emergency hull breach," the automated voice called overhead as Zana struggled to keep her balance. "Emergency hull breach."

"Which section?" Danny shouted into his communicator, gripping onto Zana's arm in an attempt to keep her standing.

"Everyone, evacuate eleven to thirteen. We've got a breach! The base is open! Repeat, the base is open!" Zach's voice echoed through the base as the Doctor and Rose rushed up the stairs toward Zana and Danny.

"Come on!" The Doctor took off past them, leaving them to follow him up the flight of stairs. He made quick work of opening the door and dashing through it, followed closely by Rose and Danny. Zana was just barely managing to keep up. She could feel the anxiety rising in her chest as she tried blocking out the blaring alarms and the constant shaking of the base, but there was no use. There was no escaping it.

"Come on! Keep moving!" Jefferson's voice called out as they neared section ten, and Zana was so, so grateful when she ran through the door. She immediately grabbed Rose's arm as she tried to control her breathing. And her shaking.

"Hey, hey, Zana..." Rose pulled her into a hug almost instantly. Zana buried her face into her friend's neck as she clung onto her like her life depended on it, and at the moment, Zana truly believed it did. "It's alright, we're safe now. I've got you..."

"Breach sealed," that dreadful automated voice called as everything calmed. "Breach sealed."

"Everyone all right?! What happened? What was it?" The Doctor demanded.

"Oxygen levels normal."

"Hull breach. We were open to the elements," Jefferson breathed, trying to catch his breath, along with everyone else. "Another couple of minutes and we'd have been inspecting that black hole at close quarters."

"That wasn't a quake," the Doctor spoke quickly. "What caused it?"

"We've lost sections eleven to thirteen," Zach's voice rang through the air. "Everyone all right?"

"We've got everyone here except Scooti," Jefferson informed before speaking into his communicator. "Scooti, report. Scooti Manista? That's an order. Report!"

"She's all right," Zach assured. "I've picked up her biochip. She's in habitation three. Better go and check if she's not responding. She might be unconscious," he laughed breathlessly. "How about that, eh? We survived!"

"Habitation three," Jefferson nodded. "Come on. I don't often say this, but I think we could all do with a drink. Come on."

"Okay?" Rose asked softly as Zana hesitantly pulled back from her.

"Better now," Zana nodded softly as Rose gave her a warm, assuring smile. "Thank you."

"Don't worry about it, love," Rose took her hand and gave it a soft squeeze before turning to the Doctor, who had been watching the interaction worriedly. He gave Zana a smile of his own before turning to the man on the ground beside them, who Zana had just noticed.

"What happened?" He crouched down next to the bewildered Toby as everyone else followed after Jefferson.

"I don't-I don't know. I was working and then I can't remember," Toby shook his head as his words just seemed to fall from his lips. Zana tried to give him a reassuring smile, but how could she do that when she was on the brink of a panic attack herself? "All that noise. The room was falling apart. There was no air-"

"Come on," Rose bent down and helped the man stand. "Up you get. Come and have some protein one."

"Oh, you've gone native," the Doctor teased slightly.

"Oi, don't knock it. It's nice!" She smiled s she lead Toby down the corridor. "Protein one with just a," she clicked her tongue, "dash of three."

Zana pulled her leather jacket off as she walked alongside the Doctor, who unbeknownst to her, had been watching her the whole time. "You are so, so lucky I like you and Rose so much, Doctor."

"I know," he said softly, his tone nothing but serious. "I warned you this would be tough."

"Maybe I should have listened better."

"I've checked Habitation four," Ida spoke into her communicator as the Doctor and Zana walked into Habitation three. "Can you hear me?"

"There's no sign of her. The biochip says she's in the area," Jefferson frowned as he turned to Toby, who had just sit down. "Have any of you seen Scooti?"

Toby shook his head, "No, no, no, I don't think so."

"Scooti, please respond," Ida spoke desperately. "If you can hear this, please respond. Habitation six."

"Nowhere here," Jefferson sighed as he spoke into his won communicator. "Zach? We've got a problem. Scooti's still missing."

"It says Habitation three," Zach informed.

"Yeah, well, that's where I am, and I'm telling you she's not here-"

"I've found her," the Doctor spoke up, making Zana turn to him. She followed his gaze and looked up to see the young crew member floating above them, towards the black hole.

"Oh, no..." Zana gasped shakily.

"Oh, my God..." Rose covered her mouth in shock.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor murmured as Zana gripped onto his arm. "I'm so sorry..."

"Captain," Jefferson spoke somberly. "Report Officer Scootori Manista PKD, deceased. Forty-three K two point one."

"She was twenty. Twenty years old," Ida's voice broke as she stepped forward and closed the shutters.

"For how should a man die better than facing fearful odds?" Jefferson started reciting what Zana recognized as Horatius. "For the ashes of his father and the temples of his Gods."

The sound of the machinery dying down filled the air, and Zana glanced up at the Doctor.

"It's stopped," Zana murmured as silence fell over the base.

"What was that?" Rose frowned. "What was it?"

"The drill," the Doctor informed quietly.

"We've stopped drilling. We've made it," Ida gulped. "Point Zero."

"All non-essential Oods to be confined," Zach called over the tannoy as Zana watched him, her mind void of anything. The Doctor had disappeared awhile ago, and that had left her alone and extremely anxious. She had to distract herself, and watching the crew work at the drilling station seemed to do the trick.

"Capsule established," Ida exclaimed as she stepped out of the mineshaft clad in a bright orange spacesuit. "All systems functioning! The mineshaft is go! Bring systems online now."

Zana turned to look for Rose just as the Doctor walked into the room, wearing the same spacesuit as Ida. A frown covered the brunette's lips as she watched him step past her without so much as a glance. Surely...oh, couldn't he at least try not to get himself into trouble?

"Reporting as a volunteer for the expeditionary force," he said to the captain.

"Doctor, this is breaking every single protocol," Zach looked over the Time Lord. "We don't even know who you are."

"Yeah, but you trust me, don't you? And you can't let Ida go down there on her own. Go on...Look me in the eye," the Doctor gave him a smile. "Yes you do, I can see it. Trust."

Zach shook his head, "I should be going down."

"The Captain doesn't lead the mission. He stays here, in charge," the Doctor said knowingly.

"Not much good at it, am I?" Zach sighed as he stepped past the Doctor. "Positions! We're going down in two. Everyone, positions! Mr. Jefferson! I want maximum system enhancement!"

"Oxygen, nitro balance, gravity," the Doctor listed off as his two companions stepped up to him. "It's ages since I wore one of these!

"I want that spacesuit back in one piece, you got that?" Rose spoke softly as she looked over him.

"Yes, sir," he gave her a small smile as he locked in helmet into place.

"It's funny because people back home think that space travel's going to be all whizzing about and teleports and anti-gravity, but it's not, is it?" Rose bit her lip. "It's tough."

Zana looked down at her words. Rose couldn't be more right.

"I'll see you later," the Doctor assured.

"Not if I see you first," Rose smiled widely as she stepped up on her tiptoes to take the Doctor's head into her hands. Zana watched silently as Rose placed a kiss on the front of his helmet.

"Be careful," Zana offered weakly once Rose stepped aside.

"Only if you will," he replied softly.

She couldn't help but smile, "For you? Anything."

His brown eyes seemed to light up, but perhaps it was just the blinking lights of the drilling station, Zana didn't know. All she knew was that it made her chest feel funny. "I'll be back before you know it, Zan."

"Rose and I will be here when you do."

He smiled and gave her hand one last squeeze before stepping into the capsule with Ida. Zana stepped back so she was standing next to Rose as Jefferson secured everything.

"Capsule active," Zach announced as Rose and Zana waved goodbye to the Doctor and Ida. "Counting down in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Release."

The capsule started to descend as Zana stepped back to the comm, making sure to hold it close to her. It was her only way to speak to the Doctor.

"You've gone beyond the oxygen field. You're on your own," Zach informed and Rose grabbed the communicator out of Zana's hands.

"Don't forget to breathe," she reminded the Doctor. "Breathing's good."

"Rose, stay off the comm," Zach ordered.

Rose scoffed, "No chance." A whirring how overwhelmed the comms, followed by a worrying silence. Zana bit her lip. That didn't sound right. "Doctor? Doctor, are you all right?"

"Ida, report to me," Zach spoke up. "Doctor?"

"It's all right. We've made it," the Doctor eventually replied, much to the relief of his two companions. "Getting out of the capsule now."

"What does it look like down there?" Zana asked softly, taking back the comm from Rose.

"It's hard to tell. Some sort of cave. Cavern. It's massive."

"Well, this should help. Gravity Globe," Ida informed and a few moments later they heard her gasp. "That's...that's...My God, that's beautiful!"

"Rose, you can tell Toby we've found his civilization..." the Doctor murmured.

"Oi, Toby. Sounds like you've got plenty of work," Rose smiled.

Toby nodded, "Good, good. Good."

"Concentrate now, people. Keep on the mission," Zach reminded. "Ida, what about the power source?"

"We're close. Energy signature indicates northwest. Are you getting pictures up there?" Ida asked.

"There's too much interference. We're in your hands."

"Well, we've come this far. There's no turning back."

"Oh, did you have to? No turning back?" The Doctor groaned, making Zana chuckle. "That's almost as bad as nothing can possibly go wrong, or this is going to be the best Christmas Walford's ever had."

"Are you finished?" Ida questioned, clearing amused.

"Yeah," the Doctor replied. "Finished."

"Captain, sir," Danny's voice came over the comm. "There's something happening with the Ood."

"What are they doing?" Zach asked.

"They're staring at me. I've told them to stop, but they won't."

"Danny, you're a big boy."

"I think you can take being stared at, but the telepathic field, sir. It's at basic one hundred. I've checked. there isn't any fault. It's definitely one hundred."

"But that's impossible..."

"What's basic one hundred mean?" Rose frowned, as did Zana. If basic 30 was screaming, then...

"They should be dead," Danny informed.

"Basic one hundred's brain death," Jefferson breathed,

"But they're safe," Zach spoke up. "They're not actually moving?"

"No, sir," Danny replied.

"Keep watching them. And you, Jefferson? Keep a guard on the Ood."

Jefferson nodded, "Officer at arms!"

"Yes, sir," one of his guards held up her gun.

"Firing a gun in here would do more harm than good," Zana frowned, folding her arms across her chest. "The bullets will ricochet off the wall."

"I'm firing stock fifteen," Jefferson informed simply. "It only impacts upon organics." He turned to his guards, "Keep watch. Guard them."

His guard turned to the three Ood currently with them, "Yes, sir."

"Is everything all right up there?" The Doctor called.

"Yeah," Zana and Rose answered, both of them not too sure of themselves, which only worried the Doctor more.

"It's fine," Zach assured.

"Great," Danny added.

"We've found something," the Doctor informed after a moment or so. "It looks like metal. Like some sort of seal...I've got a nasty feeling the word might be a trapdoor. Not a good word, trapdoor. Never met a trapdoor I liked."

"The edge is covered with those symbols," Ida added.

"Do you think it opens?" Zach pondered.

"Trapdoors tend to do that," Zana murmured.

"Trapdoor doesn't do it justice," Ida murmured. "It's massive, Zach. About thirty feet in diameter."

Zach sighed, "Any way of opening it?"

"I don't know. I can't see any sort of mechanism."

"I suppose that's the writing," the Doctor murmured. "It'll tell us what to do. The letters that defy translation."

"Toby, did you get anywhere with decoding it?" Zach asked hurriedly.

"Toby, they need to know that lettering," Rose looked back at him. "Does it make any sort of sense?"

"I know what it says," Toby informed.

"Then tell them."

Jefferson frowned, "When did you work that out?"

"It doesn't matter, just tell them!"

Zana's eyes widened as Toby turned to face them. He was covered head to toe in the same writing that had littered the wall in the catering area when they had first arrived at the base, and his eyes were blood red. "These are the words of the Beast! And he has woken! He is the heart that beats in the darkness!" Jefferson and his guard aimed their guns at Toby. "He is the blood that will never cease! And now he will rise!"

"Officer, stand down! Stand down!" Jefferson ordered.

"What is it? What's he done?" The Doctor demanded. "What's happening? Zana, what's going on?"

"Jefferson?" Zach called. "Report. Report!"

"Officer, as Commander of Security, I order you to stand down and be confined," Jefferson exclaimed. "Immediately!"

"He's covered in those symbols, Doctor," Zana spoke into the comm quickly. "He's...He's..."

"Mr. Jefferson." Toby smiled wickedly. "Tell me, sir. Did your wife ever forgive you?"

Jefferson faltered, "I don't know what you mean."

"Let me tell you a secret," he smirked. "She never did."

"Officer, you stand down and be confined!"

"Or what?

"Or under the strictures of Condition Red, I am authorized to shoot you."

"But how many can you kill?" Toby asked with a patronizing smile before the symbols appeared to disintegrate from his body. Zana, Rose, Jefferson, and his guard watched in horror as the symbols floated to the three Ood occupying the room, turning their eyes red and making them snap to attention.

"We are the Legion of the Beast," the Ood exclaimed in unison.

"Rose? Zana? What is it? I'm going back up," the Doctor informed as

"Report. Report!" Zach snapped. "Jefferson, report. Someone, report!"

Only the Ood answered. "The Legion shall be many, and the Legion shall be few."

"It's the Ood," Zana breathed into the comm as she moved closer to Rose.

"Sir, we have contamination in the livestock," Jefferson informed Zach. "They won't listen to us."

"It's-It's like someone's hijacked their telepathic field or something..." Zana continued.

"He has woven himself in the fabric of your life since the dawn of time," the Ood informed. "Some may call him Abaddon. Some may call him Kroptor. Some may call him Satan or Lucifer."

"Captain, it's the Ood!" Danny called. "They're out of control!"

"Or the Bringer of Despair, the Deathless Prince, the Bringer of Night. These are the words that shall set him free."

"Back up to the door!" Jefferson ordered.

"I shall become manifest."

"Move quickly!" He shouted as Rose took Zana's hand, pulling her back.

"I shall walk in might."

"To the door! Get it open!"

"My Legions shall swarm across the worlds."

The base suddenly jolted, nearly sending Zana and Rose to the floor.

"We're moving! The whole thing's moving!" Zach cried. "The planet's moving!"

"I am the sin and the temptation and the desire. I am the pain and the loss and the-"

"Get that door open!" Jefferson ordered.

"We're trying!" Zana snapped back. Her whole body had started to shake, it had seemed, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to concentrate. Everything was starting to overwhelm her, and she didn't know how long she could stand it.

"The gravity field. It's going! We're losing orbit! We're going to fall into the black hole!" Zach exclaimed, which only made Zana's hands shake even worse.

"I have been imprisoned for eternity. But no more."

"Door sealed," the automated voice informed.

"Come on!" Rose banged her fist against the steel door as Zana desperately tried to get it open. The three Ood were getting closer and closer, and with every step, Zana's will deteriorated just a little bit more.

"Door sealed."

Zana turned to Rose. She knew that things weren't going to work in their favor this time around, so the only thing she could do is take her hand and put her faith in the one thing she believed in.

And she did.

A/N: Woo-hoo, another chapter done, and also another chapter closer to Doomsday! How exciting! I hope you're still enjoying the book! I didn't get as many comments last time and being the over-analytical person I am, I instantly figured I had done something wrong. So if there's anything you think I can do to make this book any better, don't be afraid to say something! :)