Series 1: Episode 7: The Long Game P2:
They reached curtains which were draped from every wall as they moved further, the torch switched back on. Its light became more prominent as the darkness got deeper. The sound made from moving the curtains cut into the silence, almost cutting away at their hope and resilience. The mere sound was terrifying Valarie but she moved on, not letting it affect her on the outside and hoping the same would become true on the inside. They reached what looked like the same room downstairs, the white walls and panels with hand imprints in them yet what made them scream was the skeletons in the chairs. It was rotting and the skull was breaking down when she touched it, the texture finally making her snap as she screamed, the light running across the walls as it mimicked her movement.
Eva followed suit and they both got away but not before seeing all the other skeletons sitting in the places where a human should. It made Valarie want to be sick as she came back into the lift area, wondering where to go when a light appeared from one of the room, luring them. Valarie stopped in time, knowing she couldn't be caught and turned to Eva with that same perceptive smile. They gave each other a quick hug, knowing that if they stayed longer they would lose any resolve they had mustered. Valarie handed her the torch as a last gesture, no words seeming to suffice for this and stood back as 'Suki' took a breath, walking in and leaving everything behind. Valarie turned around and went back to the room she'd seen with the skeletons.
It was even worse as she could see the broken skull from which she had put her fingers in. She had to brave it alone, knowing Eva was gone into the belly of the beast. Valarie looked around, cursing the lack of light and turned to their wrist bones, seeing some sort of bracelet around it. It was the only thing that didn't seem to be decayed by time and Valarie wondered what sort of metal would be unaffected by years. Perhaps some sort of futuristic metal she hadn't heard of? The Doctor would know. She shook all thoughts of the Doctor and Rose out of her mind, knowing they were just fine in the slight heat of the levels below, safer than in the frozen tundra of Floor 500. Suddenly a scream pierced through the silence, accompanied by gunshots and Valarie jumped in shock, turning around as the scream prolonged, belonging to Eva. "Eva! Eva!" Valarie shouted, dashing through the curtains to find her when her hand was grabbed by a man who didn't seem friendly.
"Well well well, what have we here?" He asked with a devilish smile. He had white hair yet it didn't show on his face, every inch of his facial features was white and if Valarie looked hard enough she swore white flecks were dancing in the brown of his eye. He grabbed her hand with the same devilish smile and Valarie breathed hard from the sudden adrenaline and started pulling at her hand, trying to get away. "Oh, you're not going that easy." He laughed at her attempts, using the other hand to clamp some sort of bracelet around her wrist. The same one she'd seen on the skeletons. "In a world of knowledge, Miss Nobody is the key." He hissed before her entire body convulsed with electric shock and she collapsed to the ground as the man let go of her. She blacked out and woke up, strapped up to some sort of contraption, her wrists in cuffs.
"What's going on?" She murmured, her head pounding from the blackout. The man she'd seen before smiled brightly at her, showing even his teeth were a perfect white. She immediately tensed at his presence and saw her current predicament. She shifted slightly, seeing how breakable the cuffs were if she needed to run but the movement just sent an electric shock through her. Lighter than before but still quite painful as she grit her teeth, putting her head down as her body instinctively tried to curl in on itself.
"Ah yes, I really wouldn't do that if I were you. It's quite sensitive." He warned, still smiling as she struggled until the shock was over. She breathed heavily, her anger surging as she struggled to control it. She looked back up, half of her hair falling out of the ponytail as she flicked it back, trying to get a good look at the man.
"Who are you?" She asked, clenching her fists. The man let out a fake 'ooh' at her anger and smiled again, finding himself hilarious.
"I'm the Editor." He told her, waving comically before settling back into his evil smirk.
"And that means?" She asked, tired of the man already.
"Nothing much, I just have direct contact with the Editor in Chief." He shrugged, pleased with himself nonetheless.
"And who's that?" She asked, seriously considering trying to break out again just to luck out and not have to suffer this man's company.
"Just the Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe, or Max for short." He told her nonchalantly as Valarie logged the name away in case she could use it later. "But you've asked enough questions. I think it's time for some of my own." He stopped her as Valarie tensed again. What did he need to know? "Now, who are you?" He asked, clapping his hands together.
"Don't you know?" Valarie asked, watching him carefully.
"That's it!" He shouted, startling her. "That's just it! I should know! I know everything about everyone on this station. But you! Miss Nobody. Nothing about you anywhere, on any document or any picture. No name, no picture, no imprint of you anywhere. And that's not good." He concluded, eyeing her suspiciously as she recovered her wits from his rant. "So, are you going to tell me?" He asked sweetly, tilting his head.
"No." Valarie defied, looking at him angrily. "Why should I?" She asked, being the equivalent of sticking her middle finger up at him. He laughed, looking down.
"Good question. Really good question." He commended with a fake smile. "Here's why." He finished, pressing a button from a stick in his hands and Valarie convulsed again the shock becoming more violent and quick, giving her no time between them to brace herself for the next ones. "Do you want to tell me now?" He asked, holding the button up in his hands as he hovered his finger over it. Valarie looked up, breathing heavily as she recovered trying not to fall further and get another shock. She regained her balance on shaky legs and tried to think of what to say. "Well?"
"Valarie Waters." She told him through gritted teeth, squirming slightly as she tried not to agitate the wound on her back further. He smiled, pleased with himself and lowered the stick.
"Good." He praised before turning to the screens as he heard a voice come through it.
"Rose, tell her to button it will you?" The Doctor spoke, his voice still recognisable through the speakers and Valarie almost sobbed in relief, seeing a grainy picture of the Doctor and Rose, seeming to break into the panel to do some further investigating.
"Him again? I don't understand! We did a full security scan. That man was there when we found Suki Macrae Cantrell. There were no indications about him." He spoke, walking around as Valarie watched carefully. "And yet here he is. Clearly acting outside the parameters." He bent down to one of the people at the desk and it was then that Valarie really took in what was happening and saw Eva siting there, motionless. "Fascinating." He admired, looking at Eva, not really speaking about the Doctor anymore. She seemed lifeless, her body prone and her eyes staring dead ahead. Even her hair had lost its life, she was covered in white fleck and no sounds came from her at all.
"Suk-Eva! Help!" Valarie started to shout, struggling against the bonds again before being shocked back.
"I told you not to do that." The Editor warned but Valarie paid him no attention still shouting at Eva.
"Eva! Eva! What's wrong? Why aren't you responding?" She asked, keeping in her place yet visibly straining to get to her. The Editor stood up with a smile, walking around and watching her struggle.
"Check him. And you. And you. And you." He repeated, going around the circle of people.
"What did you do to her?" Valarie asked, angry for her friend.
"Nothing. Well, I didn't." He compromised as he saw he had Valarie's full attention.
"So who did?" She asked.
"The Editor-in-chief." He replied with his usual calm demeanour.
"Who is this guy?" Valarie shouted, sick of his riddles.
"I'll refer you upwards." He smiled, pointing up and Valarie followed his finger to see some sort of monster gurgling in and out of the hole it had been placed in. She let out a scream, struggling to get away, this time using the shock to boost her adrenaline as she kept struggling.
"What is that?" She asked as the Editor merely smiled.
"He's Max. My boss. He should be your boss, except you don't exist. You're no one. Along with him, and her." He told her simply, finally speaking in non-riddles.
"What did you do to Eva?" She shouted at him, still angry as her knees started to buckle.
"He simply recruited her." He told her innocently as he patted Eva's head.
"Get away from her!" Valarie screamed before her body went lax against the floor, the Editor boosting her unconsciousness with his own electric shock. The last thing she heard before she blacked out again was the Editor's echoing laugh, mad glee undertones obvious.
"I started without you. This is fascinating. Satellite 5 contains every piece of information within the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. Birth certificates, shopping habits, bank statements but you two… You don't exist. There's not a trace." He smiled with a hiccupping laugh. "No birth, no job, not the slightest kiss." Valarie started to move, the panels beneath her creaking with her weight. "How can you walk through the world and not leave a single footprint?" He asked, clapping his hands together. She groaned, holding her head as she saw the Doctor and Rose standing by the screens. Rose turned around at the noise and immediately lost her stern façade.
"Valarie!" She called out, running to her as she struggled to get up. "Are you ok?" She asked, looking at her shackles as she helped her get up. "Are you alright?" She asked as Valarie legs shook, unsteady and Rose put her weight on top of hers instead.
"Help Ev-Suki." Valarie whispered as soon as she was steady. Her throat was dry and she was dishevelled but she knew Suki was in greater need. Rose was about to disagree but saw she was right and went over to the woman.
"Suki! Are you alright? Hello?" She asked, shaking her gently to get a reaction. "What have they done to her?" She asked the Doctor.
"I think she's dead." He told her and Valarie let out a sob, knowing she had been too late.
"But, she's working?" Rose breathed watching as her hands touched the panels.
"They've all got chips in their head and the chips keep going. Like puppets." He explained, looking around sadly.
"Oh!" The Editor smiled in surprise. "You're full of information, but it's only fair we get some information back." He told him, like a naughty child who refused to share. Valarie watched, cursing her cuffs again, confused when they started to feel lighter and more breakable. She tested it, using a hand to push forwards and no electric shock came. She was completely free. She watched as the Doctor spoke, buying her some time as she carefully broke out of them, trying not to make a sound. "Because apparently, you're no one." He joked, making the Doctor smile slightly. "It's so rare, not to know something. Who are you?" He asked, finished with the jokes. Valarie could see it in his face, he meant business behind that fake smile. The Doctor knew it too.
"It doesn't matter because we're off. Nice to meet you. Come on." He spoke, making for the entrance as Rose tried to follow but was stopped by Suki, her hand clasped. The Doctor was stopped by two big burly men but as the Editor had no idea she'd gotten free she walked slowly behind him and then made a quick dash for the door. She got past and turned around to see the Doctor struggling but twisted enough to shout at her. "Go! Go! Get Cathica! Just run!" He told her as she did exactly that, seeing the people making their ways towards her. "The code is implanted already just put your hand on it!" The Doctor shouted louder, hoping his words would make it to the adrenaline built woman. She made it to the lift, dodging all kind of lunges and attacks by various strongly built men. She only heard the Editor speak before she ran into the lift and safety and heat enveloped her like an old friend.
"Perhaps my Editor-in-chief can convince you otherwise." He spoke, the words echoing in her mind as Valarie enjoyed the heat of escaping the frozen Floor 500. She walked into the floor they'd arrived on, (Floor 139) seeing where she'd ended up.
The warmth made her shiver in delight but then she saw Adam walking into the white room where they transferred information through their brains and look around shiftily. She didn't know what he was doing but he looked incredibly nervous as he entered. Valarie was about to go after him but stopped seeing Cathica moving to a broken panel and inspect it. She changed directions almost immediately and walked to her instead, forgetting Adam, her last thoughts of him just hoping he wouldn't do anything stupid. Little did she know, he already had.
"Cathica!" She shouted, catching her attention as she ran over. The woman turned around guiltily and looked around with a scared expression before seeing Valarie and sighing.
"What are you doing here?" She asked bitterly. "I thought you went to Floor 500." She told her as she looked back to the screen and Valarie caught up.
"I did, I saw a monster. It was huge and the whole of Satellite 5 is in danger, we need to do something!" She spoke, out of breath as she bent over to breathe better. Cathica ignored her, still looking at the screen and Valarie straightened up again, interested in what could be more important than a monster and the whole of Satellite 5 being in danger. "What is it?" She asked, addressing Cathica and knowing she might listen then.
"Look at this. Your fake management pal showed me this when he broke into it. The wind turbines are going full speed and all the heat is being pushed onto the lower floors like ours while Floor 500 is being cooled way below freezing." Cathica explained and it all clicked in Valarie's mind.
"Do you have databases on aliens?" Valarie asked, ready to start helping Rose and the Doctor.
"Yeah, why?" Cathica asked and was only given a reply with Valarie's smile.
"Come on." She told her and Cathica lead the way to one of the easy access computers in the main areas. "Ok, can it identify names or titles?" Valarie asked, the name of the creature upstairs still logged in her mind.
"Yeah, why?" Cathica asked, sick of the riddles. She didn't know why but she'd decided to trust this woman and she needed some answers at least as to why she was doing all this.
"You'll see, I'll explain in a minute." Valarie assured waiting for her nod of approval before speaking into the computer. "Identify the Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe." She spoke, the words hard to pronounce as she remembered the Editor saying it. She spoke hesitantly and breathed a sigh of relief once she had said it, waiting for the computer to load. It hadn't taken long, the software was constantly used and always ready to work.
"What is that?" Cathica asked in disgust one a picture of the alien was brought up onto the screen.
"What I've been trying to tell you about. This is what has been controlling Satellite 5 all this time. This monster does it and it needs the cold to stay alive, see!" She showed Cathica as she pointed to the screen, accidentally touching it and making it go haywire. The woman beside her sighed and quickly tapped all over the screen in what seemed like a practised, calculated manner as Valarie stood there silently.
"So, what is it doing exactly?" Cathica asked, looked at the retained screen containing all information about the Jagrafess.
"It's controlling everything, I wouldn't judge normally but it did give me one hell of a shock," She made an inside joke to herself, except she didn't find it very funny. "And it doesn't seem to be doing much good so we need to stop it." She told Cathica who instantly understood there was something more going on but how personal it was and that she shouldn't push it.
"Ok, so how do we do that?" She asked, psyching herself up to go to Floor 500 and stop the Editor-in-chief.
"We go upstairs." She told her firmly, seeing a new light enter her at Floor 500. At this point it was practised over the years but she professionally went to the control panel and got the codes. It took about 5 seconds for them to actually get back into the lift and up to Floor 500 again.
"So what now?" She asked as she saw the frozen plains. They walked out onto it, Valarie having a firm grip on Cathica's arm to stop her from going too far. They stopped right outside the light and the steps where Eva had gone before and listened carefully. The Editor was speaking and the mere voice gave Valarie chills again as she remembered the electric shock and shivered involuntarily, holding her arms together.
"And then they just carry on, living the life, strutting about downstairs and all over the surface of the Earth like they're SO individual." He spoke, obviously having been speaking before. Valarie swallowed as she waved carefully at the Doctor, her heart thumping out of her chest in nerves. He looked at her through his peripheral vision, being careful not to attract the attention of the Editor. "When of course they're not. They're just cattle. In that respect, the Jagrafess hasn't changed a thing." He boasted as Valarie could feel Cathica tense up beside her at his joking. She tensed as well, at the sight of Rose and the Doctor in manacles but she controlled it enough to pull away and concentrate on getting them out.
"What about you? You're not a Jagra uh, uh, belly." Rose tried, forgetting the name as she stumbled over it repeatedly.
"Jagrafess." The Doctor corrected.
"Jagrafess. You're not a Jagrafess. You're human." She stated, wanting more answers.
"Yeah, well. Simply being human doesn't pay very well." He told her, leaning forward.
"But you couldn't have done this all on your own." She stated again. He laughed, moving back.
"No!" He told her, elaborating easily. "I represent a consortium of banks." He spoke, emphasising the word 'banks'. "Money prefers a long-term investment. Also, the Jagrafess needed a little help to um, *install himself*." He whispered, being the same human anyone else would be. That was what scared her the most the fact that he wasn't just a human, he was a sociopath. He honestly believed there was nothing wrong with what he was doing and that killing and torturing didn't matter.
"No wonder, creature that size. What's its lifespan?" The Doctor asked, hoping to gain a few more answers as he looked up.
"3,000 years." The Editor told them without any hesitation. He honestly didn't believe that the Doctor and Rose would escape or be able to tell anyone else the information so he gladly revealed it, happy that someone else could revel in the genius with him.
"That's one hell of a metabolism. Generating all that heat. That's why Satellite 5's so hot. You pump it out of the creature, channel it downstairs, Jagrafess stays cool, stays alive." The Doctor deduced, telling him all the facts as the Editor nodded along. "Satellite 5's one great big life-support system." The Doctor spoke as Valarie walked away, pulling Cathica with her so they didn't hear the rest of it. She couldn't bare the voice anymore, it simply made her stomach turn. They only turned back when she heard something important.
"But THAT's why you're so dangerous. Knowledge is power but you remain unknown." The Editor spoke as he pointed a finger at them. "Who are you?" He asked, snapping his finger and creating the same electrical charge from before. Valarie watched in horror as they struggled.
"Leave her along! I'm the Doctor, she's Rose Tyler. We're nothing, we're just wandering." He told him once the surge had stopped.
"Tell me who you are!" The Editor demanded, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"I've just said!" The Doctor told him angrily.
"Yeah, but who do you work for? Who sent you? Who knows about us?" He asked, bombarding them with questions. "Who exactly-" He tried again before gasping in delight. Something was happening. "Time Lord." He spoke with a smile, holding his hands up to the Doctor.
"What?" The Doctor asked with a frown, wondering how he knew.
"Oh yes! The last of the Time Lords." He told him, recounting it all. "And his travelling machine. With his little human girl from long ago." He spoke in a patronising manner, putting a hand out towards Rose and touching her cheek. She moved her head away in annoyance and the Doctor strained to put himself in front of her, moving his attention away.
"Don't know what you're talking about." He told him, feigning innocence.
"Time travel." He confirmed.
"Someone's been telling you lies." The Doctor spoke, still pretending.
"Young master Adam Mitchell?" The Editor asked and snapped his fingers, bringing up a screen with Adam on it, screaming as white light entered his brain. He turned around and Valarie ducked back, hoping he hadn't seen, waiting a few moments before looking back in.
"Oh my God, his head…" Rose breathed, looking at the screen as Valarie strained to see it, this time being held back by Cathica instead.
"What the hell's he done? What the hell's he gone and done?" The Doctor asked angrily as Valarie's heart jumped to her throat. "They're reading his mind, he's telling them everything!" He shouted, the words striking a chord in Cathica as she tugged at Valarie's arm, trying to move the angry woman.
And through him, I now know everything about YOU. Every piece of information in his head is now MINE." The Editor boasted, smiling at them. "And YOU have infinite knowledge Doctor. The Human Empire is tiny compared to what you've seen in your T, A, R, D, I, S, TARDIS." He completed.
"Well, you'll never get your hands on it, I'll die first!" The Doctor defended, ready to fight for his box.
"And me." Valarie murmured under her breath.
"Well die all you like! I don't need ya! I've got the key!" He boasted as the image on the screen began to change. The key in Adam's pocket began to fly out and he was barely conscious, powerless to stop it. He could only watch as it lifted higher and higher and Valarie turned around, seeing Cathica pulling at her arm and nodded, both of them knowing they had to do something then.
"I need to relay the information. Get everybody asking questions again." Cathica told her and she headed towards the lift when Valarie stopped her.
"No wait, there's one up here. Come on!" She pulled her arm and they went back to the skeleton room where Valarie whispered a quick sorry before pushing the skeleton off the chair and letting Cathica sit down.
"This is better, I can change it from here!" She smiled, seeing the controls and obviously finding something Valarie couldn't. She didn't care, she just wanted this to end. "Disengage Safety." She called out and Valarie was about to protest when she was grabbed from behind by a slave. She screamed but it was muffled by his hand. He picked her up easily and she struggled in his arms.
"Maximum access, override Flor 139." She commanded, looking over at Valarie who was fighting the slave. They locked eyes and she shook her head desperately, knowing she could die with that much information. "And…" She spoke, swallowing before regaining her resolve and turning her head towards the chute. "Spike!" She shouted and the white light started to churn out of it, heading towards her brain.
"Oh no you don't!" She pointed a finger towards the chute. "You should've promoted me years back!" She shouted, slamming her hand on the armrest as she focused. Valarie had managed to get one slave down and was focusing on another, using her training. She had a long line of never ending slaves to deal with, to fight off until they could leave. She kept going, blocking and punching, dodging and using every trick in the book to keep them busy. Suddenly all of the slaves dropped dead. Every single one, dropped to the floor like flies and she stepped back in fear. Sparks started to fly, everything was going haywire and she turned around for help. She ran into the main control room only to be stopped by the Doctor and Rose running out. They smiled and turned her around but she turned back to see Eva holding the Editor down.
"EVA!" She shouted, holding an arm out. The Doctor pulled her back before went back in but she kept struggling. "She's alive, look at her! She's holding him back!" She shouted at the Doctor as she tried to keep her away.
"No she isn't. She's a shell, an empty person. The ghost of Eva is doing that but with the Jagrafess gone, she will be too. Look at her." The Doctor urged, seeing the tears form in her eyes. "Look!" He shouted and Valarie did, seeing the cold, emotionless face of her friend and letting the tears slip. She went lax in his arms and he dragged her along back to Cathica as she sobbed. The Doctor snapped his fingers and Cathica stopped transmitting, saved. Valarie stopped at that moment, glad that at least one person had been saved and ran to help her get up.
"Are you ok?" She asked, the tears still visible on her face.
"Sort of. I just had an idea." She smiled as she got up, balancing on Valarie and Rose for support. They all went back downstairs and sat at the tables, everyone helping each other after the earthquake they'd suffered. Valarie excused herself to go and help to disguise the tears while Rose and the Doctor talked to Cathica. Valarie had been helping, clearing food mess off the floor and bringing chairs and tables back to their correct positions. She'd also used her unlimited credit to buy food and drink for the really shaken but mostly kept out of everyone's way. Her jacket had been taken off as the heat warmed her. It was slowly dispersing as Satellite 5 returned to normal but the cold of Floor 500 stayed with her no matter how long she'd been away.
Cathica had gotten up and walked over to Valarie who smiled softly, the tears still glistening on her cheek. "I miss her too." She told her, the words enough to make more tears fall down Valarie's face. "I know it seemed like I hated her but I was just caught up in the idea of promotion. I really did like her." Cathica assured as Valarie sniffed, wiping a few more of the tears away.
"Thank you." She smiled as Cathica wrapped her arms around her in an affectionate hug. Her back burnt a bit from the pressure but she ignored it, simply enjoying the warmth. "And I know she liked you too." She told her as Cathica laughed slightly, tilting her head before looking back up again, pulling her blazer down professionally and getting ready to breathe new life into Satellite 5.
"Right then, better get work. But first, I need a chat with that Doctor of yours." She told her, walking over to the man as Valarie got down on her knees again, scrubbing the last bit of the floor. She raked a hand through her hair and breathed a sigh, looking up to see a man holding out his hand to her comfortingly. Maybe the Doctor was right, maybe now they could evolve. Fine food, good manners and culture and whatever else he had said. She took the hand and he pulled her up with a small pat on the back before moving away to help everyone else. Maybe a tragedy was needed to change people sometimes. Maybe this was exactly what they needed to bring out the future.
She walked back to the three and saw the Doctor get up, walking to Adam by the TARDIS with Rose trying to stop him. She followed, wiping the rest of the tear tracks and getting ready to unleash her anger. He started to try and weakly defend himself as the Doctor advanced but he ignored him and just took the key he was holding up and shoved him into the TARDIS. Rose held the door open solemnly, waiting for Valarie as she stormed forwards as well, entering without so much as a nod of acknowledgement to Rose. Hearing the door close behind her, she waited for the Doctor to take the lead on the lecture or punishment or anything, but he didn't. He merely changed the co-ordinates and moved the TARDIS, everyone in silence as they moved.
The Doctor stormed out first once the familiar wheezing, groaning sound had dispersed and pulled Adam with him, shoving him out as Valarie followed. "It's my house. I'm home, oh my God I'm home!" Adam spoke as they walked out into a living room. Rose closed the door behind them and leaned on the TARDIS while Valarie leaned on her hip, standing with her arms crossed. "Blimey, I thought you were going to chuck me out of an airlock." Adam told him in relief as the Doctor let go of his shoulder. The Doctor stared at him in anger and betrayal, but mostly in confusion. He didn't understand what Rose could ever have seen in such a guy and judging by the look on Rose's face, neither did she.
"Is there something else you want to tell me?" He asked, seeing if he was going to finally tell the truth.
"No. Erm, what d'you mean?" He asked, obviously lying and Valarie sighed, shaking her head. The Doctor spared no more effort on him and walked over to the telephone machine as Adam winced at the thought of what he was going to do. The Doctor picked it up, shaking it as he spoke.
"The archive of Satellite 5. One second of that message could've changed the world." He told him. When Adam merely shook his head, no answer coming to his mind, the Doctor put it back down on the table and pointed his sonic screwdriver at it (Rose had told her about it) and making it explode a few times. He ensured the message was gone before turning back to them. "That's it then, see ya." The Doctor bid goodbye stonily, walking straight past him.
"How d'you mean, "See ya?"" Adam asked, seeing the opportunity he was missing.
"As in, goodbye." The Doctor told him, not wavering in his anger.
"What about me? You can't just go, I've got my head. I've got a chip type two, my head opens!" He told them as Valarie scoffed at his words. All attention was directed at her as she looked at him.
"Well it wasn't our fault was it? You're the genius, you should know not to have done it. Don't blame us, you figure it out on your own." She told him, feeling the need to express her thoughts on his choice as he looked away like a child would, as if moaning that her words weren't fair. The Doctor looked at her, listening before turning back to Adam to see what his response would be.
"But my head opens!" He repeated, just like a child who doesn't know what to do when he can't get his own way so he settles for repeating his point.
"What? Like this?" The Doctor asked, snapping his fingers when he saw the boy was hopeless. It opened and Adam looked up.
"Don't." He told him and Valarie scoffed again, finding the irony pretty massive.
"You're seriously trying to order a man you were just begging a few minutes ago?" She asked, incredulously as he snapped his fingers again, closing it. To emphasise her point, she snapped her fingers and laughed quietly when she saw it open.
"Don't!" He repeated, getting angrier and Valarie put her hands up in mock surrender.
"Don't do what?" The Doctor asked, snapping his fingers again.
"Stop it!"
"Alright Doctor, now that's enough. Stop it." Rose intervened, putting a hand out to the alien as he obeyed reluctantly, sad she was ruining his fun. Valarie clicked her fingers again and it opened again as she smiled devilishly as Rose glared at her.
"What? You never said me." Valarie defended as response to the glare. Behind her, the Doctor had an appreciative smile on his face at her words and Valarie returned it.
"Valarie." Rose spoke and the word was enough for her to sigh and put her hands in her pockets.
"Thank you." Adam smiled but Rose snapped her fingers as well, making it open. "Oi!" Adam spoke indignantly.
"Sorry, I couldn't resist." Rose apologised.
"The whole of history could've changed because of you." The Doctor stated darkly, not looking at Adam.
"I just wanted to help." He tried, still fighting for that spot on the TARDIS.
"You were helping yourself." Valarie interjected her disdain skyrocketing but not without some pity for the genius. Sure, she had never liked him but he was all alone now and he had a huge secret to keep. None of it was the Doctor's fault but it was a reminder to be careful in the future. And the past. And just in the TARDIS in general.
"And I'm sorry, I've said I'm sorry and I am, I really am." He repeated, still trying to appeal to the Doctor's better nature. "But, you can't just leave me like this."
"Yes I can because if you show that head to anyone, they'll dissect you in seconds. You'll have to live a very quiet life. Keep out of trouble. Be average. Unseen. Good luck." He bid goodbye with a nod and opened the TARDIS doors.
"But I want to come with you!" Adam moaned.
"I only take the best. I've got Rose. And Valarie." The Doctor told him, nodding at the two women who stood slightly taller at the praise. The Doctor entered the TARDIS, waiting for them to join him.
"Rose, Rose." Adam spoke, stopping her. The front door opened and a woman walked in. "Oh my God." Adam realised, making move in his haste to plead.
"Who's that? Geoff, is that you?" She called out, hearing the noise.
"It's me Mum." Adam called back. "Don't come in, wait there a minute." He ordered.
"Oh my Lord! You never told me you were coming home! Hold on, I'll just take me coat off. I wish you'd told me you were coming home." She started to babble on, the tones of an excited mother ringing through the house and Valarie smiled slightly.
"Rose, take me with you." He pleaded, giving her his best face but Rose had already seen enough of the worst to not be fooled by it anymore.
"I would've got your favourite tea in." His mother carried on in the background. Rose looked at him one last time before moving away. Valarie moved forwards instead.
"I thought you were a genius. You just lost the best people ever." Valarie told him with a disapproving look. Most anger had gone and she was just sad for him. "But you also need to repay them. Don't be an idiot and don't regret it for the rest of your life." She told him as he bowed his head. "Give me the phone." She ordered and he obeyed, pulling it out sheepishly of his pocket and placing it in Valarie's outstretched hand. "Goodbye Adam. Good luck." She told him with a quick hug and ran into the TARDIS, the box disappearing just in time. Valarie looked around again and smiled at what she saw. The bigger on the inside box and the most perfect of opportunities lying at her fingertips. She was going to grab hold and never let go. "Here you go Rose." Valarie smiled, chucking the phone at her which she caught, pocketing it. "So, is it my turn?" She asked the Doctor.
"For what?" He asked.
"To go home?" She asked. "I just thought you wouldn't want me around because you got rid of Adam." She told him sheepishly.
"Why would I?" He asked.
"I don't know. Because I didn't stop him?" She asked.
"Rose didn't. Am I getting rid of her? You're not the only who left him. Plus, I like having you on board." He smiled and Valarie breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you." She smiled gratefully and Rose came over with a laugh and a hug.
"You know what? Take this key, it's about time you had one." He told her, chucking it to her as she caught it, admiring it before placing it around her wrist, adding it to the charm bracelet she had.
"Well, I think we need a little break and then right back at it hmm?" Rose asked, leading the both of them back to the rooms to freshen up. It was just a little stop off on the way to their new adventures.
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