I have changed my mind and will be posting 2 fanfic ideas a week until I've run out. This one was based on the song from Warframe "We All Lift Together" which was stuck in my head for a while. Again, these are ideas I've had lying around. Dunno when/if I'll update them but figured people would enjoy them.
Sweat poured down my body as I swung the mallet over my shoulder, slamming it to the metal sheet and straightening it out repeatedly. I set the mallet aside, wiping sweat from my brow and picking up the metal with a fine-eyed glance. More heat, then few more swings. It's still not quite right. I stuffed the end into the furnace and pulled the heated metal out to swing at it some more. Sparks flew as I worked to an unknown rhythm in my head, a work song coming to mind and causing me to hum. Again, I checked the metal and cracked a smile when it looked about right, throwing it over to the pile of identical metal sheets that were being taken away and put onto conveyor belts to be processed further.
A loud bell chimed, and I set the mallet aside, moving to the next area to do the next chore. I was sent to the mines next, using a pick axe to gather material with others in the same position as I was. We were all in this together, paying off debts we owed to some person or another. I myself, had inherited my father's debt once he'd passed, and had been working it off my entire life, much as he had. He had taught me everything I knew, and a part of me resented him for it. I was skilled. And the skilled in this place, are never let go. It got me more jobs though, which was nice… sometimes.
Jobs got me off of this rock and out into space to work for others. No more mining or smelting or productions work. It allowed me to travel and see new cultures. Or, well, as much as one could see while working under someone. The decent Buyers let me trail after them or go to different areas for their jobs. The poor Buyers were worse than here, sometimes. I'd already lost my right arm to one and had more scars than I could count from others. I rolled my metal right wrist, grateful that the Collectors were willing to add to my debt in order to provide me with a working artificial limb. Though, it gives more species a reason to dislike me. Androids aren't as welcome as fully-whole people.
"Hey, no slacking off!"
I bowed my head in apology to the man watching over us and resumed my work, slamming away at chunks of rock. I don't mind though. I will always see the worst of people before I see the best. It's the cultures I find interesting, though. What I get to see of them, anyway. Wonder where my next job will be… The buzzer rang again a few hours later and I put down the pick axe with a heavy sigh. The workers got in line for a single cup of water, but I was pulled out of line by a Watcher.
"Next job," he grunted out, passing me a collar that I placed around my neck, wincing slightly out of habit when it tightened enough for two small prongs inside to press into the back of my spine. "Follow me."
I trailed after him to the loading dock, climbing into the back of the ship that would take me to where I needed to be, and securing myself in. It wouldn't take long to reach my destination. We had some of the fastest, auto-piloted, single-passenger ships in the galaxy, so I had perhaps an hour to myself before I would be back to work. I never received any information until I was dropped off. The Collectors were the only ones who knew. They got the requests and went through what Buyers wanted before selecting the Debtor they believed would get the task done. I'd been told before that I was one of the most picked, but I'd heard that from rumors spread by the Debtors, which were rarely reliable. It wasn't exactly something to be proud of either.
They were all convinced I was on death-row. Most people in my position didn't tend to last long. Died of over-work, usually. Beaten to death by Buyers, on occasion. It was rare though, for someone to be the most requested and still be in debt for so long. I knew math decently well too, having been taught by an android while I was learning how to work my arm when I first received it. I knew my father's debt had long since been paid. I just wasn't sure I would be able to get out if I wanted to, and… well, I wasn't sure what I would do if I did get out. My father's debt might be paid off, but I have no home and no money. I would die out there before long. Staying here might give me a few more years and I get to travel, learn. I cracked a small smile, crossing my arms and closing my eyes to take a nap. Wonder what species my Buyer is. I hope they're human. They're always so curious.
The Doctor looked over a map on screen, brows furrowed as Donna joined him. "Ood Sphere. I've been to this solar system before. Years ago. Ages. Close to the planet Sense Sphere. Let's widen out." He pressed a few buttons on the control panel before him and the image zoomed out. "The year 4126. That is the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire."
"4126?" Donna questioned. "It's 4126? I'm in 4126."
The Doctor smiled at her. "It's good, innit?"
"What's Earth like now?" She asked, curious.
"Bit full. But you see, the Empire stretches out across three galaxies."
"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."
"Yeah. That thing about the bees is odd," he commented, being ignored.
"But look at us. We're everywhere. Is that good or bad, though? I mean, are we like explorers? Or more like a virus?"
"Sometimes I wonder," he hummed, brows furrowing as he looked behind him. Thought I heard humming.
"What are the red dots?" Donna asked, bringing his attention back to the screen.
"Ood distribution centers."
"Across three galaxies? Don't the Ood get any say in this?" She moved towards one of said Ood. "Um, sorry, but…" She touched its arm. "Hello. Tell me, are you all like this?"
"I do not understand, miss."
"Why do you say, 'miss'? Do I look single?" Donna sniped, the Doctor sliding up beside her to redirect her attention.
"Back to the point."
"Yeah. What I mean is, are there any free Ood? Are there Ood running wild somewhere, like wildebeest?"
"All Ood are born to serve. Otherwise, we would die," it replied.
"But you can't have started like that. Before the humans, what were you like?" Donna pressed as the Ood twitched, making the Doctor frown.
"The circle."
"What do you mean? What circle?" he questioned quickly.
"The circle. The circle is—"
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Solana called out, stopping their conversation. "All Ood to hospitality stations, please."
The Doctor took off his glasses as the Ood walked off. "I've had enough of the schmoozing. Do you fancy going off the beaten track?" He lifted a map with a grin.
"'Rough guide to the Ood Sphere'? Works for me."
"Yeah," he hummed, and they easily slipped out and to the factory complex.
A gate was sonicked open and they bounded up a set of metal stairs that overlooked a courtyard where Ood were being marched in. The Doctor's grip on the railing tightened, him ignoring the biting of the ice against his palms. An Ood stumbled and fell onto the snow in one of the groups and a guard headed its way.
"Get up. I said, get up!" He shouted, making to snap a whip against its back, but someone stepped between them—taking the lashing themselves. "The devil—"
The figure was human, unlike the Ood, and grinned tightly as they helped the Ood up and rubbed the back of their neck with their other hand.
"Sorry, sorry," they apologized. "He's a bit new. Not quite used to the labor yet."
The guard huffed, stepping back to his post. "Get back to marching."
"Yes, sir," the figure chirped, annoying the guard slightly.
"And you'll be taking its punishment later, since you're so willing to interfere."
The figure only grinned brighter. "Of course, sir. Look forward to it."
The Doctor couldn't help but crack a grin of his own, as Donna breathed out in shock beside him.
"Servants? They're slaves."
The Doctor's smile faltered. "Last time I met the Ood, I never thought. I never asked."
She gave him a look. "That's not like you."
"I was busy. So busy, I couldn't save them. I had to let the Ood die. I reckon I owe them one and that person seems a bit out of place, don't you think?" He asked, pointing to the figure moving along with the Ood.
Donna nodded. "She's not a guard, that's for sure."
"We'll keep an eye out for her."
Donna gestured to the group heading into the courtyard. "That looks like the boss."
"Let's keep out of his way. Come on," he murmured, giving the man a dirty look before the two of them headed out.
I grimaced as I was hauled into a cage and tossed to the ground; the guard who'd dropped me there smirking haughtily down at me.
"Maybe next time, you'll learn to keep your mouth shut and obey orders like you were bought to do."
"Yes, sir. Course, sir," I replied, giving him a small smile nonetheless. "Apologies for not listening, sir."
The guard bristled, giving me one last kick in the stomach before closing the cage and storming upstairs. The door closed behind him, leaving me in the dark and I let out a soft sigh of relief as I allowed myself to sink back to the ground on my stomach.
"Ah, they're pretty rough, for humans," I murmured into the ground, hearing movement by me but not being bothered. I already knew who else was in here. Needless to say, this wasn't the first time I'd been dropped off with the unprocessed Ood. "You don't need to shout, you know. I'm right here."
They shifted over slowly, being careful when they helped me sit up as the cuts, bruises and lashes on my body ached in protest. A few hovered uneasily, but I waved them off.
"I've had worse. They just need time. I'll be fine by the time they let me out. Or, well, fine enough to work, I suppose."
The Ood started to sing and I closed my eyes with a soft sigh.
"That's better. Not as loud, just… just as heart-wrenching as mine."
They stopped, and I groaned.
"Oh, no. You've heard mine before, and I'm tired. Can't we just listen to yours for a bit?"
They shifted closer to me in eager anticipation and I sighed.
"Fine, but I'm only doing it once," I muttered before I started to hum.
"Oh, can you hear it?" The Doctor moaned, stopping at a door and quickly whipping out his sonic. "I didn't need the map. I should have listened."
He pulled the door open and the two of them slipped in as he sonicked it shut, startling Donna.
"Hold on. Does that mean we're locked in?"
"Listen. Listen, listen, listen, listen," he hissed, using his torch and walking further in as they found a cage in one of the lower levels. "Oh, my head."
"What is it?"
"Can't you hear it? The singing?" He asked, as his torch landed on a group of Ood huddled in a cage and he flipped a switch to add some light.
"They look different to the others," Donna realized as the Ood shuffled away.
"That's because they're natural-born Ood, unprocessed, before they're adapted to slavery. Unspoilt. That's their song," the Doctor murmured, spotting another figure in with the Ood as they got closer. "And there's the woman from earlier. She doesn't look too good."
"Hold on. I can't hear it. The song."
He gave her a glance. "Do you want to?"
"Yeah."
He hesitated. "It's the song of captivity."
"Let me hear it."
"Face me," he gave in, touching her temples. "Open your mind. That's it. hear it, Donna. Hear the music."
"Take it away," she cried.
"Sure?"
"I can't bear it," she said, as he pulled away from the connection. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay."
"But you can still hear it."
"All the time."
There was a shift and a groan as the woman moved, lightly smacking an Ood on the shoulder.
"I told you to stop shouting," she grumbled. "And who turned on the li—" She cut herself short upon seeing the Doctor and Donna.
"Hello." The Doctor waved with a smile.
She didn't respond, going quiet and eyeing them both with cautious curiosity.
"I'm the Doctor and this is Donna. We saw what you did for the Ood earlier. Bit reckless, wouldn't you say?"
She pursed her lips, hesitating before speaking. "I'm not supposed to talk to people without permission."
"Who says?" Donna huffed, but the Doctor held up a hand stopping her, having spotted the brown collar around the woman's neck.
"You're a slave."
She raised a brow. "No, I'm a Debtor."
"A Debtor?" Donna questioned, as the woman glanced at an Ood in confusion.
"Different? I mean, I know they don't work here, obviously."
"You can talk with them?" The Doctor asked, curiously. "Were you the one humming before?"
She hesitated but nodded towards the Ood. "They ask me to sing every once in a while. Just a song I know from the debt-internment center… You're… telepathic too?"
He nodded with a grin. "Sure am. What's your name?"
"Stryz," she murmured, shifting with a cringe. "You probably shouldn't be here."
"They're after us anyway. We snuck in." He winked, earning a strange look from her.
"You humans are strange."
"Oh, I'm not human."
She just hummed, settling back and giving a small frown towards the stairs. "They'll be here soon."
"Ah, let them come," he replied, sonicking open the inner cage holding Stryz and the Ood. "What are you holding? Show me. Friend. Doctor, Donna. Friend. Let me see. Look at me. Let me see. That's it. That's it, go on. Go on," he encouraged the Ood and one slowly showed him the small brain in its hand.
"Is that—?"
"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."
"So, the company cuts off their brains…"
"And they stitch on the translator," the Doctor bit out.
"Like a lobotomy. I spent all that time looking for you, Doctor, because I thought it was so wonderful out here. I want to go home."
Stryz eyed them, cautiously. "You're… concerned for them? The Ood?"
"Of course, we are!" Donna huffed, glaring at her.
Stryz wasn't bothered by the hostility, just blinked. "Definitely strange, humans."
"How many humans have you met?" The Doctor questioned and before she could respond, there was a crash and some shouting from upstairs.
"They're with the Ood and the Debtor, sir," a guard called out and the Doctor stood, closing them in the cage.
"What you going to do, then? Arrest me? Lock me up? Throw me in a cage? Well, you're too late! Ha!"
The guards hardly cared, opening the cage and hauling him, Donna, and Stryz up and out.
"Hold on, why are you taking her?" Donna asked as they were shoved along and soon handcuffed to some pipes in an office.
Stryz was just told to stand, scratching at her cheek for a moment with her own chained hands. They were answered by the boss, Halpen, as he stepped into the room.
"Because she has been causing problems and needs to be dealt with on top of conspiring with you."
"I didn't—"
"She wasn't—"
Halpen whipped around towards Stryz with a glare. "Did I give you permission to speak?"
Stryz winced before bowing her head. "No, sir. Sorry, sir."
He scoffed. "'The best', they said. 'Telepathic, can help control them, work for you, obey orders,' bah. You're not worth the money I paid."
"Sorry, sir. I will do better, sir," Stryz replied, making Donna bristle.
"You don't have to say that! You don't have to listen to anything this guy says!"
"Actually, she does," Halpen smirked. "Kneel."
Stryz went to her knees unabashedly.
"Stop it," Donna muttered.
"Bow your head."
Stryz pressed her forehead to the floor and didn't move as Halpen slammed a foot on top of her head and pressed it harshly into the ground.
"Stop it!" Donna shouted, as the Doctor grit his teeth and tugged against the handcuffs.
"What for? She's just as good as the Ood in this aspect. Does anything I say without complaint, all because I paid for her to be here and work for me. I'm helping her too. My money is helping her pay off her debt. Though, if I make any complaints, well… She won't see a dime. Which is why…" He slammed a heavy kick into her side, making her choke and cough. "She's going to continue to do as I and my guards say properly. Is that understood?"
Stryz was still struggling to catch her breath and Halpen rolled his eyes, taking out a small controller and pressing the button, making Stryz spasm and cry out in pain until he released it.
"I said…" He leaned down and grabbed her by the collar around her neck. "Is that understood?"
"Y-Yes, sir," she breathed out, and he dropped her.
"Good. Now, stay put and keep that damn mouth of your shut while I deal with these two." He looked to the Doctor and Donna. "Why don't you just come out and say it? FOTO activists."
"If that's what Friends of the Ood are trying to prove, then yes," the Doctor snapped.
"The Ood were nothing without us," Halpen argued. "Just animals roaming around on the ice."
"That's because you can't hear them."
"They welcomed it. It's not as if they put up a fight."
Stryz shifted uneasily, sitting cross-legged on the ground. The Doctor knew she'd heard their pleas, their cries of pain. In her position though, she was useless to their potential escape.
"You idiot," Donna hissed out. "They're born with their brains in their hands. Don't you see, that makes them peaceful. They've got to be because a creature like that would have to trust anyone it meets."
"Oh, nice one," the Doctor complimented.
"Thank you."
"The system's worked for two hundred years. All we've got is a rogue batch. But the infection is about to be sterilized." He lifted the comm on his wrist. "Mister Kess. How do we stand?"
"Canisters primed, sir. As soon as the core heats up, the gas is released. Give it two hundred marks and counting."
"You're going to kill them!"
Halpen smirked. "Kill the livestock. The classic foot and mouth solution from the olden days. Still works. I'd do it to her too, but they'd charge me a fortune," he snipped, glaring at Stryz, who kept her head bowed and eyes on the floor.
Something changed then though, and she brought a hand to her head, muttering under her breath and drawing Halpen's attention to her.
"The hell are you doing? I said no talking!" He pulled out the remote. "Let's see how high this goes."
"Don't!" The Doctor shouted as Stryz grit her teeth.
"T-Think you've got bigger problems, sir."
An alarm went off, making him frown. "The hell?"
"The Ood are coming," Stryz replied, as he rushed out to see what had happened, before ducking back into the office.
"Change of plan."
His scientist Ryder explained. "There are no reports of trouble off-world, sir. It's still contained to the Ood Sphere."
"Then we've got a public duty to stop it before it spreads."
"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." Halpen started to leave but paused when the Doctor stopped him.
"But Mr. Halpen, there's something else, isn't there? Something we haven't seen."
"What do you mean?" Donna asked.
"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?"
Halpen scowled. "And again, so clever."
"But it's got to be connected to the red eye. What is it?"
"It won't exist for very much longer. Enjoy your Ood." He turned to Stryz, who hadn't moved, as directed. "And you're being sent back immediately. I have no use for you anymore and I can't afford to waste any more money." He smirked. "Though, not before I have some fun."
With a press of a button, Stryz was soon clawing at the collar around her neck with cries of pain as Halpen walked out with the others.
"Stryz! Stryz, can you get it off?" The Doctor called out, struggling with the handcuffs to try and help.
Her cries of pain died down though, and the Doctor almost thought she'd passed out if she hadn't somehow risen to her feet.
"You…"
"S-Sorry," she apologized. "Those types tend to get s-some sick sort of joy out of w-watching me squirm." She cracked a smile, though the Doctor could tell it was strained. "He'll be canceling our c-contract soon. I won't be here much longer but there's one thing I can do."
The Doctor looked at her in shock as she moved over, and started to help him and Donna get out of the cuffs. He could see the pain on her face though, knowing that the collar was still pumping volts of electricity through her. Donna had recognized it too.
"How are you not…"
"T-This isn't the first time," she said with a bitter chuckle. "I do the m-more drastic stuff a-as an act to keep them from doing worse. I-I handle the collars rather well at this p-point."
"How long have you been a Debtor?" The Doctor murmured, rubbing his wrists as he was freed.
"My whole life," she murmured, as Donna was released. "And learning about people is the only thing that's made it worth it, even if they are like Mr. Halpen." She managed a small chuckle. "People are so interesting."
Then, she was teleported away with a quiet shift of air, leaving the Doctor and Donna alone in Halpen's office.
"Doctor…?"
He nodded. "We'll find her. Let's just take care of this first."
It had been a long while since the incident with the Ood and I was still paying for it. I rubbed ay my right side with a grimace, packaging goods on a conveyor belt until the bell went off and I moved onto the next chore. I'd been punished after what happened with Halpen. He'd complained at some point and being returned early meant that the money went straight to the Collectors, and I needed to make up the difference. My punishment was a ban on leaving the planet for a month, meaning paying for the difference required a sacrifice. In this case, it was my right kidney, which was lenient in comparison to what others had to give up. It had only kept me off work for a week too, though the pain lingered far longer. My next job was coming up soon, though. What's strange, is they said a Buyer is coming here. Most don't ever set foot in this place, much less come to handpick a Debtor like this one. The Collectors usually pick but I suppose if they have enough money, rules don't really matter.
I was on hauling duty this time around, the Collectors having it set up so that I wouldn't be doing work too extraneous while still recovering. Though, they obviously don't know what that means. This strains my abdomen just as much as swinging a pick axe or mallet would, I thought, cringing as my side ached and stung while hefting a large bag of coal over my shoulders. It didn't take long for a work song to start up and I hummed along with the other Debtors while working away, wondering who could have possibly thought coming to this miserable place would be a good idea. It wasn't long before I found out who. The familiar mental presence should have clued me in, but I hadn't been paying enough attention to really notice it until another Debtor spoke up quietly from behind me.
"Hey, did you see? T-The Buyer is here."
I glanced over my shoulder, seeing a man and woman standing a little way off with a Collector as he pointed out certain Debtors and rattled on about them. Their backs were to me, so I didn't pay much mind to it, dumping my bag and grabbing the tools needed back at the mines.
"We'd better just keep working," I replied, cringing as I lifted the heavy tools and laid them across my shoulder. "If they want us, they'll pick us. Standing around isn't going to make that happen. It'll just piss off the Watchers."
"Yeah, guess you're r-r-right," the mostly robotic man muttered, voice glitching slightly.
He was one of the ones who didn't get off so lightly like I did, having lost more than just a kidney. I quickly pushed the thought from my mind and trekked back to where I was needed, only for a Watcher to pull me aside.
"You're being transferred."
I blinked, a little confused. Transfers are rare. Everyone's assigned a set of jobs they do for a month, then it gets rotated. Transferring someone to another job upsets the system, so it almost never happens. What is going on? I followed after the Watcher to the next area a little hesitantly, mentally groaning when I saw where it was. The pulleys? I can't do the pulleys after my surgery.
"Hey, uh, are you sure this is right? I've just lost a kidney and the Collectors assigned me to—"
"To this position," the Watcher snapped, glaring. "Don't be disobedient, and just do your job. Or are we going to have a problem?"
I winced as his fingers slid down to his waist where a baton hung from his belt. "No, sir. No trouble."
That being said, I wasn't thrilled to be added to the line-up of people pulling down levers and pushing them back up into the ceiling again. It was some kind of manual press for punching in designs or something into sheet metal, but it required a lot of strength. And an abdomen that hasn't recently had a hole punched into it. I grimaced as the movements strained my injury, undoubtedly adding a nice spot of red to my bandages and dirty white shirt. I must have slowed down at some point too, feeling a whip crack across my back as a Watcher shouted to move faster, work harder. Come on. Ignore the pain. Push it to the back of your mind like you've done a million times. Remember how bad the arm was? The phantom pains? This is nothing like that. This is nice compared to that. So, just focus on working.
"Her," someone said then, their voice ringing a familiar bell in my head. "I want her."
"But sir, surely you'd rather someone without—"
"No. I picked her. Or is it typically your practice to deny the Buyer what they want?"
"N-No, sir. You're absolutely right. I'll have her brought back to the office right away."
"No need. Oi, Stryz! We're leaving!"
I stopped, the lever slipping from my hands as I turned at the sound of my name, blinking in stunned amazement at the grinning Doctor and Donna waving me over. I hesitated, looking back at the Watcher who readied his whip, but the Collector sighed and begrudgingly gave me permission to leave my station. I headed over to the Doctor and Donna as the Collector started to lead the way back to the office to finish the paperwork.
"You okay?" He asked, eyeing my side as I hissed back to him in return.
"What are you doing here?"
Donna nudged me. "We're here to rescue you."
"Res—I don't need rescuing!" I bit out, eyeing the Collector ahead of us to make sure he wasn't listening in. "I'm paying off a debt."
"You're being sold around for slavery," Donna argued. "That's not paying back a debt. That's wrong."
"That's just how things are around here. Everyone here has a debt to pay off," I grumbled. "We don't get to just leave. The Collectors will track us down and take everything if we even try. It's better to just stay here and work it off."
"Do you really believe that?" The Doctor asked, making me pause.
"I'm… not happy about it either, but I don't have anything else. If I can just finish paying it off, then—"
"And how long have you had it paid off?"
I stiffened as the Doctor pulled us to a stop by a blue box I didn't recognize.
"Because you can't tell me you've worked all your life here and still have debt without some underhanded means involved in keeping that debt going."
Damn, he's good.
"We're offering you a chance to get out of here, Stryz. See the world, meet new people, learn new things. Isn't that what you want?"
I grit my teeth, unable to help giving in. "What do you expect me to do?"
He grinned, grabbing my elbow and knocking on the blue box I hadn't noticed until now. "Just walk in the box."
I eyed him in disbelief. "What?"
He rolled his eyes, dragging me backward through a set of doors into the box. "Just come on. Let's get out of here."
"But the Collector—"
"Doesn't have a clue and is no longer needed. You don't actually think we were going to pay for you, do you?" He cracked a smile and before I could respond, I caught sight of where I was. "Welcome to the Tardis, Stryz."
I looked up in stunned amazement at the coral pillars, the glowing green tube in the center, and the sheer expanse of it all. "W-Wha… But how did you…"
The doors closed behind me as the Doctor moved to the console and began to work the controls.
"Get it in here without being noticed? Well, it's bigger on the inside," he smirked. "Looks like a police box on the outside, like you saw, and coupled with a perception filter means people tend to not take notice. And the inside is infinitely larger than it appears, as you can see."
I continued to gape at him. "W-Who are you?"
"I'm the Doctor," he smirked. "Now, hang on."
The ship jolted, and I grabbed a hold of the railing in shock and slight concern. We took off though, and I hesitated before interrupting him.
"B-But the Collectors—"
"Won't be able to find us. I'll make sure of it," he hummed, stopping the violent shaking of the Tardis and giving me a look. "Would you mind if I take a look at your injuries? I'm sure they're bothering you."
I looked down at my bleeding side and back at him, slowly nodding, still in shock. Trailing after him, I kept looking around at everything, even things as simple as the circular designs and windows carved into the walls. We entered a med bay of sorts and he pat a bed for me to sit on. I did, moving and taking off my shirt out of reflex only for him to grab my wrists and hastily stop me, cheeks slightly tinted pink.
"A-Ah, you don't need to do that. I can scan through clothing, so it's fine."
I blinked, before remembering something similar occurring with previous Buyers. "Ah, right. You follow human customs."
He winced, making me question whether I was wrong, but he rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I suppose I do. Just hold still for a scan. It'll only take a moment."
I let out a small hum as he brought a machine over to do the job, having me lie down on the bed for a full-body scan. I couldn't help my curiosity though.
"You said you weren't human. What are you then?"
He glanced at me briefly before turning back to the monitor. "Time Lord."
I tipped my head. "Don't know them. Are they new? Or old? Far away, perhaps?"
"Old… Very, very old."
I sensed something was off and mentally nudged his mind, pulling back immediately when he went stiff. "Sorry," I murmured. "I wasn't intruding. Just… My species were rather touchy, according to my father."
He turned, eyes wide. "Your father? Was he there too?"
I shook my head, getting up with a minor cringe now that the machine was done. "No. He died years back. Overworked. Taught me skills and about our people, though never much of the latter. Didn't even tell me what we were called."
His shoulders slumped, making him look sad, and I resisted nudging him again in favor of cracking a small smile.
"Though, he was a terrible teacher. Probably forgot himself. I had more fun learning from Buyers. They were always so strange and never noticed it. Humans especially. So curious."
He smiled a little as well, but it quickly fell when he looked at the monitor showing my scans. "You… You're an android."
"Partially," I responded, pulling off the glove on my spare hand and waving my robotic fingers. "Just the arm. Is that a problem? I understand if it is. Many species are not—"
"No, no. That's fine, it's just…" He dragged a hand down the lower half of his face. "You… You've been through this much?"
I looked over at the monitor, reading the scans; the bruises, broken bones, healed injuries, cuts, scrapes, missing pieces. And then I looked at him, brows furrowed in confusion at the expression he was half-hiding behind his hand. It was hard resisting the mental prodding I wanted to do to understand. That was the one downside to telepathic beings. They always knew when I slipped in while the other Buyers didn't. I could read them, but him… I wasn't allowed.
"Are you… upset?"
He didn't answer, sinking into a chair and adding another hand to the first covering his face.
"Angry? Sad? Annoyed? I… I don't understand," I admitted, shifting to move in front of him as his gaze latched onto mine. "What's wrong? Should I… Do you want me to go?"
"No," he breathed out. "No, I would never want that."
Again, his words were leaving me lost.
"Then, what…" I reached up towards his face, hesitating once more at wanting to establish some sort of connection to help me understand.
"You really don't understand," he murmured, and I slowly shook my head, before he took my hand and brought it to his temple.
Rage at those who'd hurt me filled my mind; sorrow at how disfigured and injured I was now and had been. Then, disbelief at how I could continue to smile and not see how what had been done to me was wrong. I pulled away from him, brows furrowed in confusion but understanding slightly better.
"Concern?" I questioned, settling back on my feet and tipping my head slightly. "You are strange. I'm a Debtor. This is… better than most."
"That doesn't mean it's right," he argued. "And I'll make sure that system is shut down as well. Any form of servitude is wrong, and one that causes so much damage to people is even worse." He stood up with a sigh. "For now, though, I suppose I'll do what I can to help you. Let me take a look at your side."
I nodded, hopping back up onto the bed once more and lifting my shirt for him to remove the bandages and see how my injury was holding up.
"Hm, they did a decent job, surprisingly. You just tore the stitches and it might need some antibiotics. It's a little raw around the edges, but I'm sure a good shower and change of clothes will help keep it clean as well." He eyed some of the scars and pink lines from other injuries, slowly regaining that sorrowful face, before turning away. "Let me know if there's anything else bothering you and I'll do what I can. Can I look at your arm?"
I lifted my arm, but he shook his head with a small smile, pointing to my robotic one.
"The other one."
I hesitated, but raised it as well, letting him remove the bandages hiding it, and lifting my sleeve higher up to take a look.
"Decent craftmanship, though it looks like it could do with a bit of cleaning and oiling up. Any irritation at the connection point?"
I shook my head. "No. Phantom pains on occasion, but that's got nothing to do with the arm itself."
He paused. "How did you lose it, may I ask?"
"Buyer," I replied, missing him bristling up as I ran a hand over the arm. "Some larger species I don't remember the name of. Didn't understand his own strength and I managed to dump his dinner all over him and a guest when another servant tripped me." I cracked a smile then, surprising him as I chuckled. "They had this strange tradition though. It was quite entertaining. They would do these dances on the ceiling when they received a good deal in a game with these little circular bits and money. Fun to watch, though they'd never let me join."
The Doctor relaxed, managing a small smile once more. "Sounds like Jarkovs, and they were probably gambling. Though, you're rather a cheerful one, aren't you? Going through all that for so long, and you're still able to sit there and smile."
"Well, there's no point in being upset about it. Less likely to get a job if you're fighting it all the time," I hummed, tugging my sleeve back down and not bothering to rebandage my metal arm. "High tolerance for things meant I got to leave the planet more, see more people and cultures. So long as you remain polite and do as you're told, you get more privileges. It's part of why I've lasted so long in comparison to the others. Being telepathic helps. Easier to read people. Made me rarer than other Debtors on top of the extra skills my father taught me."
"Other skills?"
I nodded, happily. "Telepathy, repairing, driving, crafting, metal working, cooking, cleaning—gardening I'm not as great at since there's not much to work with on that planet. But I'm good at bartending, security, child-caring—"
"You… are impossible," he smiled, making me pause in checking off my list of skills on my fingers. "Absolutely brilliant, you are."
I wasn't sure what to say. "Thanks" came to mind, but such words had never been pointed in my direction before. I actually had to reach out with my senses and ensure I was the only one in the room he was speaking with, earning a curious look from him in the process.
"What's wrong?"
"I… I wasn't sure who you were talking to."
"You. I… I'm talking to you, Stryz," he muttered, looking concerned again. "Why would you… Has no one ever praised you before?"
I shook my head slowly, and he ran a hand through his hair.
"Blimey. Well, I suppose this means I'm just going to have to do it more often," he replied with a grin, holding out a hand. "Welcome aboard, Stryz."
I took his hand, unable to help grinning myself too before I stiffened. He frowned, catching the action as I hastily reached up to the back of my neck.
"The chip. I forgot about the chip."
"Chip? What—"
"You have to send me back," I demanded, starting to feel something welling up in my stomach at the thought of what could happen to him; the first man who'd praised me. "Please, you have to."
He frowned. "Absolutely not. Just tell me what's going on. I can help."
I hesitated, knowing the punishment for removing the chip and fearing it more than anything else at the moment. "W-When we owe a debt, they put tracking chips in us. If you try to escape, they'll hunt you down and bring you back. If they can't do that… you'll die."
He immediately looked at the scan, seeing the minuscule speck that was the chip at the base of my skull. "I can take it out, remove it."
"They'll kill me, if I remove it," I argued.
"Not if they can't get to you," he said sharply, making me stiffen at the sight of his anger, though he was too focused on the scan to notice. "Blimey, that's close to the spinal cord. I should be able to get it though." He looked at me. "You up for that?"
I hesitated, more unsure than I'd ever been because I knew the consequences. They'd had a public execution for the people who tried to remove the chips. I'd seen people crippled for life trying to remove them, people die in the process. A heavy hand landed on my head, filling me with hope and understanding and pride.
"I promise you, I'll free you from them. You won't have to worry about being brought back there ever again. And the moment I'm done, we'll go somewhere amazing."
Flashes of planets and people skimmed my mind before vanishing as he removed his hand, holding it out once more.
"Will you let me do that for you?"
Just the thought of what I could see, the people I could learn about and meet, all without the pain and ache of what had happened to me for so long fueled me to take his hand.
"Okay. I trust you."
His grin only seemed to widen. "Perfect."
The Doctor panicked, scrambling to try and stop the bleeding as he struggled to do the work of five men, even with the machines doing some of the work for him. It wasn't supposed to be like this. It should have been a simple procedure. Easy grab the chip and be done, but of course, the Collectors left precautions. The chip had released an anti-clotting agent, making Stryz lose blood fast, faster than he could keep up. Not only that, but the chip had a second defensive measure and was trying to bury itself into her spine. Sweat covered the Doctor's brow as he fought to remove it before more damage could be done, struggling with dizziness himself.
He hadn't known what her species was. Didn't know if he had any blood that could be used for a transfusion. The only option the Tardis gave him, was his own. It was risky, but it wasn't causing any rejections with her body yet, so he continued to let his blood drip into her system through a transfer tube in his arm. Finally, he managed to grab the chip with the tweezers using a scalpel to disconnect it from where it had started to dig into her spine; dunking it in a bowl of acidic water to destroy it completely. Then, as quick as he could, he fixed her up and settled back in a chair with a heavy sigh of relief.
Her vital signs were stabilizing, though he remained connected to her for now. She'd lost too much blood. He kept an eye on the scans as they continuously ran up and down her body to ensure she was all right, as well as the bracelet he was wearing to keep track of his own vitals and blood pressure. His brows furrowed though as another scan was done. That's not good. He leaned forward to take a better look. It might have done some damage burrowing into her spine. I was hoping it hadn't gotten through the bone. Damn. I won't know what that's caused until she's awake. Not to mention what transfusing my blood will do. He slowly disconnected himself from her now that she was stable and he was reaching his limit. Then, his eyes slipped closed and he started to doze off.