Hello everyone!
Thanks again for all the support, I'm glad you're all enjoying the story so far.
Just to remind you I will do my best to update every weekend, usually Sunday's depending on how prepared I am.
Please let me know what you think! I love reading your comments!
Thanks for reading and enjoy!
Robyn
On the screen the words 'Fugitive of the Judoon' appeared on screen. The current Team TARDIS shared a worried look; they had a feeling they knew what was going to be shown. The three humans were curious and eager to know what had happened when the Doctor disappeared with Ruth, she had never told them the full story and now they would get to see but the last video still weighed heavy on their minds.
The Doctor took a deep breath, gaining the room's attention. "This video is set a little while after the last one but I don't think you need to know anything about the adventures in-between to understand it." The room nodded, apprehensive about what they would be shown as the video started.
[Kitchen]
(A woman watches the hand on her analogue watch tick round, biting her lip. The toast pops up and she butters a slice to have with her boiled egg.)
RUTH: Proper.
LEE: Oh. I said I'd make you your birthday breakfast.
RUTH: Yeah, well, I was hungry and you were dead to the world.
LEE: Sorry.
RUTH: Truckload of presents should make up for that.
LEE: Yeah, about that.
RUTH: I'm joking. No presents. Just a cake.
LEE: Yeah.
RUTH: You have got me a cake?
LEE: Yeah, I'm all over the cake.
RUTH: Mmm. Now there's an image. All right, Monday, Do your worst.
(They kiss.)
LEE: Have a great day.
RUTH: I will.
(She leaves the apartment block with a smile on her face for all she meets.)
"Anyone else getting horror movie vibes?" Bill proclaimed to the room, only getting silence in return. "No just me, okay then." That earned a few chuckles.
[Path]
(Handing out flyers to other pedestrians.)
RUTH: Whoa. You all right, love? Hello. Hello. Hello, pooch. Have a leaflet. All right. Thanks. Morning. Have one of these. Thanks. Hi. You all right? Morning, Reggie.
[College Green]
(And takes her position outside Gloucester Cathedral to conduct guided tours.)
RUTH: Hello, good morning. First time in Gloucester? Try my guided tour. First time in Gloucester? Is this your first time in Gloucester? Try my guided tour. This is me. Try my guided tour. I know all the exciting facts about Gloucester yes, I do. Test me.
TOURIST: Go on, then. Tell me something.
RUTH: Okay. In 1216, the cathedral hosted the coronation of King Henry III, and he was only nine at the time. They filmed Harry Potter here, too.
Martha grinned at the mention of Harry Potter sharing a glance with the Doctor who burst out laughing, soon joined by Martha. Their laughter drew confused looks from the rest of the group. Rory was the first one brave enough to ask. "Do we know what's so funny?"
Martha and the Doctor shared another look, grins wide. Martha was the one who answered, managing to get a few words out between her laughter "Shakespeare…. Witches…. Harry Potter."
"Well, that explained just about nothing." Amy said but she was smiling, the good mood was infectious and everyone had been so tense over the last video, it was nice for a change of pace.
TOURIST: (suddenly interested) Oh.
RUTH: Yeah. Well, plenty more where that came from. Tours start at ten, twelve, and two.
(Gives her a flyer.)
TOURIST: I'll... think about it.
RUTH: Yeah. She won't think about it.
MARCIA: No, dear, she won't.
RUTH: Oh well, never mind. Day's still young.
[Coffee bar]
(A dubious looking plastic cup of frothy brown liquid.)
ALLAN: It's meant to be a heart.
RUTH: Er, it needs work.
A few people in the room chuckled, that ways saying the least.
ALLAN: I know. Man spends his entire life behind a bar, pivoting to the cafe trade ain't easy, but I try. For you, I'd try anything.
RUTH: Allan, we've talked about this.
ALLAN: Oh, I know you're with Lee, but you deserve better.
RUTH: Oh.
ALLAN: You know there's something wrong there.
(He puts a brown folder on the counter, with Lee's photo on the front.)
RUTH: Is that an actual dossier?
ALLAN: Yes, on Lee. My Lee dossier.
"He's a bit obsessed with Lee. Who actually creates a dossier?" Rose asked the room at large, disbelief clear in her voice.
RUTH: Oh, come on.
ALLAN: He hardly talk to anyone, cuts his own hair, gets weird books out from the library, claims that his family's from round here but I can't find anyone who knew them. How can you trust that?
RUTH: Thank you for my birthday coffee.
ALLAN: Ruth, I'm telling you, I hear things. They don't call me All Ears Allan for nothing.
RUTH: It's not a nickname if you give it to yourself, is it?
(She leaves with the coffee but not the dossier.)
[Judoon spaceship]
(Scanner locating target in south-west England, towards the Welsh border. The Commander enters.)
JUDOON: Ko Fro Lo.
JUDOON 2: Bo Fro Sho To. No Bo Ko.
JUDOON: Mo Lo So. No Kro Do.
(They fire a beam at the target area.)
"Are those rhinos?" Bill asked, blinking at the screen confused.
The Doctor answered, "No." While the rest of the room that had encountered the Judoon, including River and Jack (who should and did know better) answered "Yes."
The Doctor gave the group a stern look, ruined slightly by how her lip was twitching up as if she wanted to smile. She just sighed, turning to answer Bill properly. "I'm pretty sure I will explain later in the video but they are essentially trigger-happy intergalactic police." She paused for a second, in which River nudged her gently. "They just happen to bear a fair resemblance to an Earth rhinoceros, yes." That gained a smile from Bill (she was doing her best to hide it but she loved River and the Doctor's relationship, their interactions were just adorable and she was looking forward to seeing more about them on screen).
[Tardis]
RYAN: She's doing it again. Spending hours at the controls looking for something. Thinks we haven't noticed.
GRAHAM: I'll ask her. Hey, Doc, what are you looking for?
DOCTOR: How long have you been there?
YASMIN: Twenty minutes?
DOCTOR: You haven't.
She winced, feeling a bit guilty at the reminder that she had been so distant. "Sorry gang." They smiled reassuringly at her; things made more sense now and all their comments over the adventures between the last video and this weighed heavily on their minds. There was, however, a muttered comment from Ryan about the name though.
RYAN: What you looking for?
DOCTOR: Not looking for anything.
YASMIN: Don't lie to us.
DOCTOR: The Master.
"Ooh, chasing after me dear. That's a reversal of the normal way of things." The Master smirked at her, openly smug about her admitting to looking for him. It quickly soured in his stomach, he knew why she was looking for him and it wasn't just to see him. She ignored him, unsure how to deal with him especially with what this video was going to show. She didn't know if Ruth's reveal would make him smug or furious, he was so unstable and his moods were unpredictable at the moment, even for her. She was also terrified about Jack and River to find out about everything, their reaction wouldn't be pretty, especially with River's upbringing.
GRAHAM: Why would you do that?
YASMIN: The Kasaavin took him.
DOCTOR: Yes. They transported him to their dimension and I can't get there in the Tardis, but I thought if he escaped, I could track him. There's no sign.
RYAN: I thought he'd be the last person you'd want to see.
DOCTOR: He left a message for me.
GRAHAM: Saying what?
DOCTOR: It's personal.
YASMIN: Is that where you go, when you leave us to explore and you say you'll be back in an hour but you never are? Are you out looking for him? Where do you go?
DOCTOR: Home. On my own.
YASMIN: Why? Why not with us?
DOCTOR: Cos you ask too many questions.
GRAHAM: Maybe because we're worried about you? I mean, one minute you're all smiles, next minute your mind's somewhere else.
The trio winced, shooting apologetic looks at the Doctor who offered her own apologetic glance back. They had just been curious and rightfully so with all the secrets she had been keeping and the whole mess with the Master, but there was so much history to explain for them to even get a small understanding of how she had been feeling about Gallifrey. She didn't even know how she actually felt about Gallifrey's destruction – she'd always run away and she had hated all the secrets but it had still been her home for a while and she'd had friends and family there.
(Alarm sounds.)
JUDOON [OC]: Kro Kro Tro Kro So Fro So So To. Kro Kro Tro Kro (continues under dialogue)
RYAN: What is that?
DOCTOR: A Judoon warning transmission. The cheek.
YASMIN: Judoon?
Martha shivered slightly, her encounter with the Judoon was very memorable, they were how she met the Doctor and she had almost died alongside the whole hospital and half the earth. Mickey threw her a concerned look, as did the Doctor. She offered both of them a reassuring smile, she would be fine she just needed a second.
GRAHAM: Are you just saying that to shut us up?
DOCTOR: Dangerous intergalactic police for hire. Notice of a zonal enforcement field on Earth. No one can get in or out. What? They're preparing to beam down there. A platoon of Judoon, near the moon. They can't do that. They've got no jurisdiction there. Right in the centre of Gloucester. I am not having that. If I can match the Tardis's rotation to the frequency of the enforcement field's refresh rate, I might just might be able to slip us in before anyone gets killed.
GRAHAM: I thought you said they were the police.
DOCTOR: Trigger-happy police.
"That really isn't reassuring. Why are they in Gloucester of all places?" Clara asked bemused. The three companions and the Doctor shared a glance.
"They were looking for someone." The Doctor answered looking a bit nervous.
"Well, that would explain the title of the video." Donna snorted.
[Judoon ship]
JUDOON: Do Po Lo Sho. No Dro Fo Ro. Zo. To Fo Ro. Dro Ro Fro.
(The squad assembles and comes to attention.)
JUDOON: Bo. Dro.
"What are they saying?" Bill asked curious, tilting her head at the screen as if that would allow her to understand the alien language.
"They're getting their orders." The Doctor answered, fidgeting.
[College Green]
(The squad beams in to a small street within sight of the Cathedral tower, a small bridge and College Green.)
JUDOON: So Zo Ro. To Sho Fro. So Zo To. No Fo Lo.
(They start scanning people. Ruth watches, worried.)
JUDOON: No Fo Lo.
(And stamping the back of their hands with an X.)
JUDOON: No Fo Bo Bo Lo. Ro. Bo Ro Kro To Fro Bo. Zo.
(The little old lady confronts a Judoon.)
RUTH: Marcia, don't!
MARCIA: How dare you. This is a peaceful, small city. Who even are you?
(It disintegrates her knitting.)
JUDOON: Tro Ko Sho.
MARCIA: That took me nine weeks.
MARCIA [OC]: That took me nine weeks.
JUDOON: Language, human.
"At least we can understand them now." Rose said, gaining several nods of agreement. The situation wasn't looking good but being able to understand the Judoon made it slightly better.
(One of the squad hands her a ticket.)
MARCIA: What's this?
JUDOON: Compensation for your weapon.
RUTH: Answer her question. Who are you?
JUDOON: We are (removes helmet) the Judoon.
RUTH: Oh... my... God.
JUDOON: You will be catalogued.
MARCIA: I will not. Stay away from me.
(Marcia runs.)
RUTH: No. Marcia!
(Marcia runs into a forcefield and gets disintegrated.)
JUDOON: Enforcement field perimeter at maximum strength.
RUTH: You killed her.
The room was silent, a mix of shock and sadness for seeing yet another person die for no apparent reason except being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Marcia, the brief moments they'd seen her on screen, had seemed like a lovely old lady and hadn't deserved her fate. For the companions in the room who hadn't met the Judoon before it made clear what they were like, and everyone was felling more nervous about what the video would be showing them.
JUDOON 2: Category, human. Fugitive match, negative.
RUTH: What do you want with us?
JUDOON: All within the perimeter must be catalogued. The fugitive is here.
[Coffee shop]
(Lee enters.)
ALLAN: Well, look who it isn't.
LEE: I've come to get the cake that I've ordered for Ruth's birthday.
ALLAN: Oh, got it right here. A special birthday message to her.
(In green icing - you can do better.)
"Ooh he really doesn't like Lee." Bill cringed.
"The dossier didn't give that away?" Clara grinned at the younger girl.
"Fair enough but like, did he have to ruin Ruth's birthday cake just to annoy Lee?" Bill agreed.
"Yeah, that's more than a bit petty." Clara shook her head.
LEE: What is the matter with you? Why don't you let it go?
ALLAN: You want to take this outside?
LEE: Stop asking me that every time I come in here for a latte.
(The Tardis materialises nearby.)
LEE: Humans.
"So, Lee's the fugitive then?" Rose declared. "I mean the whole 'human' comment suggests he isn't right?"
"Yeah, but it doesn't it feel a bit obvious? Like in a movie Lee would definitely be the red herring." Bill argued.
"This is real life not a movie though." Martha argued. "I hope not though for Ruth's sake."
DOCTOR [OC]: Through here.
ALLAN: What are you doing in my kitchen?
DOCTOR: Stay inside and keep the door closed. Do not let anyone in, especially alien police in helmets and yRYAN: The city's under siege. We're going to sort it.
(Lee bolts for the door.)
"That's definitely not suspicious." Amy drawled from her spot, leaning into her husband who shook his head slightly at his wife.
ALLAN: Oh yeah, go on. Get out, coward.
YASMIN: What is up with him?
ALLAN: How long you got?
DOCTOR: No time at all. Stay inside. Lock the door. Come on, gang, no time.
GRAHAM: No, no, guys. Look at this little lot. Lovely. Look at the state of that. That's the worst cake I've ever seen.
(Graham vanishes.)
"Oh, so that's what happened to you grandad." Ryan said. Yaz and the Doctor grinned. Graham shook his head in exasperation, sometimes he felt like he was babysitting all three of them.
"I can't believe you didn't even notice." Graham complained.
"We were a bit busy and it's not my job to look after you." Ryan rolled his eyes.
[College Green]
LEE: Ruth, I've been looking everywhere for you.
RUTH: (frightened) Have you seen?
LEE: Yeah.
RUTH: They're aliens.
LEE: I know, I know.
RUTH: Real aliens. They killed Marcia.
LEE: What?
RUTH: Marcia's dead.
LEE: We need to get home. Now.
"He is acting very suspicious." Donna pointed out, gaining nods of agreement from most of the room. He didn't seem to be freaking out over the whole alien thing.
[Coffee bar]
(The Judoon turn up just as Allan turns the sign from Open to Closed.)
ALLAN: Space rhinos? I've got no money. I'm sorry, I'm terrible at this job.
JUDOON: Category, human. Fugitive match, negative.
ALLAN: Oh, you're after a fugitive? I can help. He just left. On the counter, there's a dossier. It's really thorough.
The Judoon takes the file, sweeping a large mug to the floor and smashing it.)
"Oh, so now Lee is definitely a target, great." Rory muttered.
ALLAN: Hey, watch it, you big... lunk.
(He shoves the Judoon.)
Martha and the others that knew the Judoon winced. "That's a bad idea." Martha sighed, she remembered the Judoon and the hospital all too clearly.
ALLAN: Sorry.
JUDOON: Assaulting an officer. Sentence, execution. (Allan is disintegrated) Sentence complete.
The group looked down again. Allan may have been petty and suspicious but he didn't deserve to die like that.
[Apartment]
LEE: Okay. Need to grab some essentials, a few clothes. We need to go.
RUTH: What are you talking about? Go where?
LEE: Do you trust me, Ruth?
RUTH: Sometimes.
LEE: You need to just do what I say. Just get some clothes and put them in a suitcase.
RUTH: They can't be after you. They're aliens. They've got the heads of rhinos. You're from Stroud, Lee. (not Guildford, after all?) If there's something I need to know, you tell me right now.
LEE: There's no time. Come on.
"Lee absolutely knows something but at least he's trying to keep Ruth safe." Clara said, watching the screen carefully. The episode just kept getting more confusing and so far it seemed to have no link to the Doctor or Gallifrey but it must have to be a part of the secret the Tardis had brought them to see.
[Outside the apartment block]
JUDOON: Fugitive house unit located. Prepare isolator.
DOCTOR: I hope you've got a permit for that.
(She flashes the psychic paper.)
"Ah the good old psychic paper." Jack grinned. He was excited as he had a feeling that he was going to be showing up soon and was looking forward to everyone's reactions.
JUDOON: You're an Imperial Regulator?
DOCTOR: Yes. And there's plenty here to regulate. For starters, you don't have jurisdiction here, so why you're using a Class Seven Enforcement Field around this city bothers me a lot. More importantly, this temporal isolator is an outlawed piece of kit. Radiation leakage and civilian casualties. Designed to freeze time but causes horrific collateral damage to anything and anyone that gets in its path. Horrible thing.
The Master leaned forward, looking very excited about such a dangerous weapon. He was getting annoyed with the Doctor who had been ignoring him all episode, whatever they were going to see she didn't want him to know about.
The rest of the group were looking more nervous; they were all doing the maths in their head. Dangerous weapon + trigger happy alien police = nothing good.
RYAN: Hey, you're not using that thing here, pal, so consider your rhino backside imperially regulated. It sounded tougher in me head.
JUDOON: Fugitive is highly dangerous. Precautions must be taken.
"What did he do for him to be considered so dangerous?" Mickey asked, raising his eyebrows. He aimed his question at the Doctor and current companions who were the only ones who were actually likely to know. The three companions looked at the Doctor, they didn't really know the full story. The Doctor just shifted uncomfortably in her seat, this episode was only going to get worse.
DOCTOR: Not that weapon, not here. Humans will die, and you, Captain, will have racked up enough violations to ensure that your troop never get hired again. Look at you and your platoon of Judoon near the... that lagoon.
YASMIN: More of a canal.
"Don't ruin it for me Yaz." The Doctor pouted, Yaz just rolled her eyes in answer smiling. River smiled softly at her wife, glad to see her in a slightly better mood. She's been uncomfortable and nervous ever since the start of the episode and it was worrying her.
RYAN: Yeah.
DOCTOR: Where's your pride? Where's your respect for the rules? I'm very disappointed in you. So we will take over from here.
JUDOON: Negative. Mission must be fulfilled by the contracted troop. Judoon Engagement Article 163B.
DOCTOR: That article is overridden by local Earth law... 12, which clearly states that any potential arrestee is entitled to arbitration with a third party. Isn't that correct, Liaison Officer Khan?
YASMIN: Absolutely correct. 100 percent. Rule 12? Massive.
"And now is the time during the trouble where we try to bluff our way out of said trouble." Rose grinned. Others laughed and nodded along, they always seemed to find themselves trying to lie their way out of trouble at some point.
DOCTOR: Imperial regulation. So you will give us the time to go in there and arbitrate. That weapon will not need to be used. Clear? Come on. We can sort this, woman to woman. Give me ten Earth minutes and we can have this resolved for you.
JUDOON: Five minutes.
DOCTOR: Nine.
JUDOON: Four.
"I'm pretty sure that's not how that works." Rory shook his head while Amy smiled, glad to see nothing had changed with the Doctor.
DOCTOR: Er, fine. I'll take five. I hate it when they do that. We'd best take the lift. Hang on, where's Graham?
RYAN: I don't know.
DOCTOR: Have you lost him?
RYAN: He's not my responsibility. He's always a few steps behind. I've stopped checking.
JUDOON: Four minutes thirty.
DOCTOR: We haven't started yet. Come on.
"Hang on, it seriously took you lot that long to notice I was missing?!" Graham said, turning to the others who grinned back a bit sheepish.
[Spaceship]
(Graham wakes up on a flat tiled surface in a very large room.)
HARKNESS [OC]: Don't move. Seriously, not a muscle. Working on the movement sensors. If you even flinch, it'll set off the laser spikes. Trust me, they get everywhere. By the way, looking good.
Graham groaned before blushing. He had forgotten about this. He looked nervously at Ryan, who glanced back confused. Grahm didn't have anything against the kiss (honestly it had been quite good) but he didn't particularly want his grandson to see it, he knew how much Ryan and Yaz would tease him.
GRAHAM: Who is this? What's going on? Where am I? And where are you?
HARKNESS [OC]: Neutralised. Coming to join you. You can get excited now.
(Captain Jack pops in from thin air.)
"Jack!" Rose laughed, big grin on her face at seeing Jack appear. The companions that knew him were all wearing similar grins, glad to see that he was still around to look after the Doctor. He stood up and took a few mocking bows, a grin threatening to break his face in half. It had been a long time since he had this much fun or been this comfortable. He was getting to see so many old friends, people he knew he could trust and spend some proper time with the Doctor (the only drawback so far was the Master and the tension around this big secret. When he sat back down, he was treated to an elbow in the side from the Doctor and a roll of her eyes while River only laughed.
HARKNESS: Ha! You missed me, right? Ha, ha.
(And gives Graham a big kiss.)
"Graham! You didn't tell us about that." Ryan exclaimed; mouth open in shock. Yaz mirrored his expression, staring at Graham who was blushing.
"Don't worry Graham, he's like that with most people." The Doctor laughed, grinning at Jack who grinned back and then winked at Graham, making him blush further. He hid his face in his hands, trying desperately to hide his blush from the youngsters who were still too gobsmacked to start their teasing.
GRAHAM: Have we met?
HARKNESS: Still cheeky. Regeneration can't change that. Got to say, loving the grey at the temple. Kind of distinguished yet still sexy. Oh, come here.
(Big bear hug.)
GRAHAM: Whoa.
HARKNESS: How you been, Doctor?
GRAHAM: Ah.
(Be fair, Jack hasn't seen the Doctor since Journey's End...)
"Jack!" Rose berated him, looking like she was about to get up to hit him. "You can't just teleport people and kiss them without knowing for sure who they are!" She nodded to the Doctor who elbowed him in the side again for Rose.
"Ow! I'm sorry. To be fair she's been male for 13 bodies and I was trying to scoop her, wasn't expecting to get a companion." Jack tried to defend himself. The Doctor just grinned and shook her head at the scene, laughing. It definitely brought her back to the old days when the three of them had travelled together before Satellite 5.
[Apartment]
(Ruth opens the door.)
DOCTOR: Pay attention, cos every word I'm about to say is true. There's a nasty bunch of alien police outside. They're pointing a highly dangerous cannon at this flat, and they'll fire it in about, er, four minutes. I might be able to stop them, but I need to understand exactly why they're here, so you need to let us in, quick.
(She does.)
DOCTOR: Right, tell us everything.
LEE: Who are you? We need to leave.
DOCTOR: Right into the arms of intergalactic mercenaries who seem to think you are a fugitive from justice.
LEE: They've got it wrong.
DOCTOR: Sure about that?
LEE: Yeah. It's mistaken identity.
RUTH: He works at Bathrooms4U, for God's sake.
DOCTOR: You'd better be telling the truth, both of you, otherwise the Judoon will have you for harbouring the fugitive, and their justice is brutal.
RUTH: I'm not harbouring anyone.
YASMIN: If you're both so innocent, why are your bags packed?
RYAN: Yeah, like you're about to go on the run.
"Police training coming in handy." Ryan laughed.
"More common sense." Yaz grinned back.
DOCTOR: Khan and Sinclair with the key questions. Not that you'll get very far, given the enforcement perimeter they've just knocked up. Come on, quick with the truth. We've got about three minutes, probably less. What are you hiding? Check the flat, see what's here. If it isn't these two, it could be something inside here.
RUTH: You're not going through my flat.
DOCTOR: Yes, they are.
RYAN: Have you seen those things outside?
RUTH: Yeah, and I've seen what they do, and that's why we're running.
(The Doctor scans them with the sonic screwdriver.)
LEE: What are you doing? What is that?
DOCTOR: A device that tells me... you're both completely human. Please, I'm trying to save a lot of lives here, including yours. If you have any idea why the Judoon are pursuing you, you have to tell me right now.
"Somethings up. They definitely know more than they are letting on." Bill declared determidly.
[Spaceship]
(They are being shot at.)
GRAHAM: What the...? What's happening out there?
HARKNESS: I guess they want their ship back.
GRAHAM: What, this ain't your ship?
"It never is." Rose laughed. She gave Jack a long look, as did the Doctor, which made him grin a bit more sheepishly. It was hard to forget that he had met both Rose and the Doctor because of a stolen ambulance during his old conman days.
HARKNESS: You think I'd choose this look? It doesn't even have a bar. A little evasive action. Hoping these shields are as good as they say. A few battles going on around us... You're not just kidding me? You're really not the Doctor?
GRAHAM: Oh, no, no. My name's Graham. I just travel with the Doc.
HARKNESS: Ha! Which is why the scoop read the wrong signal. Ho, ho. Using the old Quanticum Scoop I got from a fourple on Ibiza 13. Whoo, that was a night. Actually, that was a month.
"You really don't ever change Jack." The Doctor shook her head exasperated but her grin was wide, she'd really missed him.
GRAHAM: Well, look, now you know who I am, tell me who you are, why you've kidnapped me and why you're after the Doc. I mean, we're in the middle of something right now.
HARKNESS: Captain Jack Harkness at your service. Me and the Doc, we go way back. This is important. He needs to know the future of the universe is at stake.
GRAHAM: Not he, she.
HARKNESS: (laughs) Oh. This I gotta see.
"And I have to say it is a spectacular site Doc." Jack grinned, nudging the Doctor in the side jokingly who was trying hard not to laugh.
[Outside the apartment block]
JUDOON 2: Temporal isolator primed, Captain.
JUDOON: Prepare Final Warning Missile.
[Apartment]]
DOCTOR: Find anything?
RYAN: A few cash-flow problems, a collection of old phones and keys.
YASMIN: I found this in the bedroom. Hollow compartment at the back of the wardrobe.
"Well done Yaz." The Doctor grinned. "Well done both of you." She hadn't had the chance to say it during the whole mess.
"Hollow compartment in the back of the wardrobe really? Can they get more cliché?" Bill threw her hands in the air.
(An ornate box. The Doctor scans it.)
DOCTOR: And that is not from Earth.
RYAN: So where's it from?
(Whoosh, glass breaks.)
RUTH: Oh, my God.
DOCTOR: What was that?
RUTH: Just came flying through the window.
(A red spiky cricket ball in a spiky base.)
"Your times up and all you have is more questions. Typical." Clara snorted.
COMPUTER: Isolation of fugitive housing unit in 108 seconds.
DOCTOR: Doesn't time fly when you don't have all the answers? So, anyone know what this is?
(Holding up the box.)
RUTH: No, I've never seen it before.
LEE: Me neither.
YASMIN: We found it hidden in your bedroom.
DOCTOR: You'd better be telling the truth, cos there's a lot of innocent people that could die if we don't sort this out quick.
COMPUTER: 92 seconds.
LEE: Give me the box.
"So Lee is absolutely the fugitive." Rose pointed out. The current companions and the Doctor shared a glance which only Bill noticed. Bill still wasn't quite convinced that Lee was the fugitive, it seemed to easy to figure out and nothing in the Doctor's life was that easy.
COMPUTER: 82 seconds.
LEE: Give me the box.
RUTH: Lee? What is that?
LEE: It's nothing.
RUTH: No, it clearly is something, cos suddenly you're all bothered about it, and I've never seen it before in my life.
LEE: You're in charge, right?
DOCTOR: It's a very flat team structure.
The current companions shared a grin with the Doctor as did many of the other companions in a room, the Master rolled his eyes in his corner, still annoyed by the Doctor ignoring him.
LEE: You're the smartest. I can see it in your eyes. Use the fire exit out the back. Take Ruth. Get her out and make sure she's okay. I can take care of this.
RTH: What? No, you can't.
DOCTOR: What's in the box, Lee? Who are you really?
LEE: It's none of your business.
DOCTOR: You've got half of Gloucester under Judoon lockdown. I'm making it my business.
"Like usual, sweetie. You aren't capable of just leaving trouble alone." River sighed at her wife teasingly.
"Like you can talk. You're worse than me half the time." The Doctor argued back, arms crossed. River just laughed at the Doctor who gave in and laughed as well after a minute.
COMPUTER: 45 seconds.
LEE: I can deal with this. Just take Ruth.
COMPUTER: 40 seconds.
LEE: Look, I've... I've made a mistake. You're the most important thing in my life. I can't let others lose their lives. I need to make sure you're safe.
"That's sweet. I'm glad he still wants to look after Ruth." Martha said, snuggling further back into her husband, this whole episode was making her tense, it was like the whole room was waiting for something and she didn't like it.
RUTH: What do you mean, a mistake?
LEE: I just need to talk to them, okay?
RUTH: But they're space rhinos, Lee. What are you going to chat to them about?
"They're not overly fond of talking either." Jack said, looking a bit worried. He hadn't really gotten the chance to actually see what was going on in Gloucester, he'd just been trying to scoop the Doctor to warn her, and it was making him nervous. Whatever was going to happen in this episode was important to this big secret and he couldn't figure out why yet, he was sure his presence didn't warren them watching the episode, as nice as that would have been
.
COMPUTER: 23 seconds.
DOCTOR: They'll see us getting out of the fire escape. Unless...
DOCTOR+YASMIN+RYAN: Diversion.
The three grinned at each other.
Amy just grinned, verging on maniacal. "Ah, the classic tactic for dealing with trouble."
RYAN: Look, you take Ruth. We'll go out the front and distract the space feds.
LEE: You think that'll work?
RYAN: Come on.
RUTH: No, cos I'm not going anywhere without Lee.
YASMIN: I'm a police officer. I speak their language. A bit of stalling, buy time to get them away. Then we can come inside with them and be by your side.
LEE: I don't need you to be here.
YASMIN: You obviously do, because there's a cannon about to fire at your flat.
"Good on you, Yaz." Graham smiled at the girl proud. "You'll get to use your day job for once."
COMPUTER: Time limit exceeded. Initiating temporal isolation.
DOCTOR: We're out of time. It's the best plan we've got for keeping this block safe. Right, be careful. The Judoon might look dumb, but they're deadly.
LEE: Go to the cathedral. I'll meet you there, okay?
RUTH: You better.
LEE: Not going to miss your birthday, am I? (kiss) Go, go, before they launch that thing.
COMPUTER: ..full documentation available on request.
LEE: See you at the cathedral.
The group that had been there winced, they didn't know what had happened t Lee in detail but they could guess, he'd never made it to the cathedral.
[Outside the apartment]
JUDOON: Activate Temporal Blast.
(The squad wind up the machine.)
YASMIN: Stop. Arbitration complete.
JUDOON: Arbitration result?
RYAN: You can come in now.
YASMIN: So long as you turn that off.
JUDOON: Pause isolation. Remain here.
RYAN: No fugitives in there, by the way.
YASMIN: And as for you lot, I don't want you using that.
(Yasmin and Ryan vanish.)
Half the room groaned, having worked out what happened. "Seriously Jack, your timing is terrible." Rose complained, throwing him a look which made him wince a bit sheepishly. He'd noticed the looks the current companions were shooting the Doctor and had figured out his ill-timed scoop likely hadn't helped Lee.
[Apartment]
LEE: Keeping my promise.
(He texts the word Follow. The Judoon break down the door.)
JUDOON: Surrender. This property now under Judoon jurisdiction.
LEE: I surrender, okay? You can tell your boss. You... you got me.
"Question is who is the boss? And when will we finally get some stupid answers?" Nardole muttered, the room mumbled some agreements, maybe this boss would give them some answers about what was going on.
[Spaceship]
YASMIN: Graham.
RYAN: What just happened?
YASMIN: What are we doing here?
GRAHAM: Short answers. This guy, stolen ship, being fired at.
"It's nice to get the full story now at least." Ryan declared, getting a nod of agreement from Yaz.
RYAN: We need to get back. And who are you?
HARKNESS: Young. I like you young. But silver fox said, she, not he. So you, not you, right?
"Wrong again Jack. You're losing your touch." The Doctor grinned at the immortal who put his hand to his heart and mocked offense.
GRAHAM: I hope you kept the receipt for the scoop.
HARKNESS: Seriously? Three of you? I had a dream about this once.
"Jack!"
(Crash!)
HARKNESS: Whoa! Hold on to something.
(Alarms sound.)
"And you always complain about my driving." The Doctor complained. The rest of the room all raised an eyebrow at her.
"Because your driving is terrible, dear. You'd think after all these millennia you would actually have some control, but no." The Master drawled from his corner, gaining some glares form the rest of the room, no one had forgotten what he'd done. The Doctor continued to ignore him, getting frustrated he tried to nudge her through their mental link but was met with a mental blank wall. Whatever was coming she really didn't want him to see.
[Apartment]
JUDOON: Incoming matter transmission.
(A humanoid female beams in.)
JUDOON: Commander Gat, your presence is not required.
GAT: Could've fooled me. I've been watching it all. You're so noisy. Talk about sledgehammers to crack a nut.
"Anyone recognise her?" Donna asked the room. They had all collectively leaned forward in their seats to try and inspect the new person, hoping for answers to this mystery. The answer was mumbled mostly in the negative. The Doctor shrunk in her seat, lost in memories and frustrated with her lack of other memories; she still didn't really know much about Gat.
JUDOON 2: Presenting occupant of housing unit.
GAT: Hello, old friend. I see you're back from the dead. We had such a moving funeral for you. But I suppose that was your intention. Did you really think that we wouldn't find you? Did you think that I'd ever stop looking? Good place to hide, mind, the far backside of a tiny galaxy.
"Okay so they knew each other than he faked his death and hid on Earth. I feel like we're still missing something." Clara summarised what they knew to the group.
"Yeah, like what did he do that made them call the Judoon to track him down." Rose added. Everyone who didn't know what happened was trying desperately tp put the pieces together and failing.
LEE: How did you find me?
(The box.)
GAT: Sentiment was always going to be your downfall. You kept it. Silly. Chronotelluric alloy, strong entanglement. Very trackable. It just takes a while.
"Very stupid if you don't want to be found. It must be important than." River said, glancing at her wife who was refusing to look away from the screen. This whole thing, the videos, this secret, everything was frustrating River – she was worried for her wife and she just wanted answers.
LEE: Yeah, well, I wanted to repair it, polish it. My service medal. Honour and courage still mean something.
"So, he was a soldier?" Martha asked. The Doctor could practically see the cogs turning in her friends' heads, she had the feeling if they had a pen and paper, they would be writing down these clues trying to solve the mystery.
"That would make sense." Amy agreed nodding.
GAT: I agree.
(He puts down the box with the broken medal in it and reaches for the drawer. She's got there first.)
GAT: See, this is the problem with our identical training. We share all the same tricks. Kill him.
JUDOON: Detained fugitive must be transferred to contracted...
GAT: No, idiot. You didn't scan him yet, did you?
JUDOON:Uh huh.
GAT: Bless.
(The Judoon scans Lee.)
JUDOON: Fugitive, negative. Explain.
"Hah! Told you too easy." Bill announced, fist pumping into the air in her excitement. Then she realised what she had done and brought her hand back into her lap a bit sheepish.
"True you called that one." Clara conceded, smiling at the other woman. "But then who is the fugitive?"
The room lapsed into thoughtful silence for a few moments all trying to work it out, while the current companions shared a glance trying not to give anything away.
"Ruth!" Rory suddenly announced into the silence. He continued after seeing several confused expressions. "I mean, Lee seemed desperate to get her away and he's the only one that knows anything."
"That would make sense, and we did start the video with Ruth. But what has she done and why doesn't she know anything about it?" Martha agreed, many of the other companions nodding along.
"More questions! Again. Ugh." Bill complained, gaining chuckles from most of the room.
GAT: I'm sorry it has to end this way. You got so close to escaping. Faithful companion.
(She disintegrates Lee.)
GAT: Do I have to spell it out for you?
The group winced. They'd been so distracted trying to figure out who was the fugitive they'd forgotten the danger Lee was in, and the danger Ruth and the Doctor were now in.
The Doctor winced for an entirely different reason. If Ruth was her (she was Ruth? Whatever) then had Lee been her companion? Gat had hinted to that but she'd said they'd had the same training so had Lee been Gallifreyan and helped her escape? She hated the idea that she had gotten another companion killed, even one she didn't remember and she hated that she couldn't remember anything.
[Cathedral]
DOCTOR: All clear. Now, you need to tell me everything you know about Lee. How long you've been together, and what was that metallic box?
RUTH: Er...
(Her phone beeps. Text message - Follow the light. Break the glass. Happy birthday. X. She gets a flash of West Usk Lighthouse, Gwent, which has Whovian connections.)
DOCTOR: Is that from Lee?
RUTH: No. It's nothing.
"Why is she lying?" Amy asked exasperated, there always seemed to be more questions. The Doctor shrunk back further into her seat; she could remember all too clearly the lighthouse. She gained anxious looks from Jack and River who had noticed her shrink down into herself, she offered a shaky smile at the pair, which only seemed to worry them more.
(They start to walk down the Norman Nave away from the choir.)
JUDOON: This cathedral is under Judoon control. All occupants must surrender immediately. There will be no escape this time. We have you surrounded.
(The Doctor and Ruth stand back to back as five Judoon surround them.)
"That's really not good. How are you going to escape?" Bill bit her lip nervously, she knew they had, or at least the Doctor had but it wasn't reassuring her.
DOCTOR: How can I help?
JUDOON: You interfered, Regulator.
DOCTOR: You know what they say, one person's arbitration is another person's interference. Very blurry line. This is a place of worship. Show some respect, or I'll overload those guns and make it a bad day for everyone. Now, let us go, and nobody needs to get hurt.
(She is holding out her screwdriver.)
"Sweetie, your screwdriver can't fix everything no matter how much you love it." River sighed, shaking her head. The Doctor looked back stubbornly, this was an argument they'd had several times over the years and not one she wanted to rehash here in front of everyone.
RUTH: What have you done with Lee?
JUDOON: Information request granted.
(It shows her a projection of Lee's death.)
JUDOON: Sentence, execution.
DOCTOR: You murdered him. That is a violation of your contract.
JUDOON: Incorrect. Contract stated retrieval of fugitive. Fugitive identified.
(The scanner is pointed at Ruth.)
"Rory was right for once." Amy said, grinning cheekily at her husband who just rolled his eyes at his wife's antics. As much as he liked being right, he wasn't liking the danger the Doctor and Ruth were in.
DOCTOR: What?
JUDOON: Biological shielding decrypted. Fugitive, positive.
(Ruth floors all the Judoon very quickly and grabs one of their weapons.)
RUTH: That's it. Back up or Daddy Rhinoform gets it.
"What happened there? It's like she's suddenly a whole new person." Rose asked confused.
River's eyebrows crinkled as a thought suddenly occurred to her, she glanced down at the Doctor who was still watching the screen.
DOCTOR: Ruth, what are you doing?
RUTH: It feels like... instinct against the bullies. Cos you know the thing about bullies? There's always a weak spot.
(She rips off the Judoon's front horn. That hurts. Then she activates the communicator on its armour.)
RUTH: Bo. Ko. Fo. Jo. To.
(All the Judoon are beamed away.)
DOCTOR: Do you know what you've just done? Who are you?
"I'm guessing that's not a good thing, tearing off their horn." Rory asked the Doctor who shook her head, watching the screen worriedly.
"It's a very bad idea."
[Spaceship]
(Still being shot at.)
YASMIN: You have to get us back there. The Doctor needs us.
HARKNESS: Listen, kid, working with some low-rent equipment here.
RYAN: Why doesn't that surprise me?
HARKNESS: Oh, she likes them mouthy, then, huh?
RYAN: Yeah, one up from cheesy.
"You haven't changed then Captain Cheesecake." Mickey grinned.
"Oi! That's Captain Beefcake, Mickey Mouse!" Jack joked back. Rose just rolled her eyes at the pair.
HARKNESS: Okay, he's my favourite.
(Bang!)
HARKNESS: Whoo. Why didn't it scoop her? Why can't I get her here? Argh! Are there Judoon anywhere near where I scooped you?
YASMIN: Yeah. A lot.
HARKNESS: Oh, I knew it. Level Seven Enforcement Fields. That's why I can't get accurate traces on her. Interfering with everything. Is she safe?
The room turned to look at Jack in sync. "When is she ever safe?" River questioned Jack, who shook his head, he really should have known better. The best way to find the Doctor was to find trouble. The Doctor just pouted.
[Cathedral]
(Ruth is sitting on the steps up to the altar in the Lady Chapel - I hope. The Doctor is scanning with her screwdriver.)
DOCTOR: Total Judoon evacuation. They've even removed the enforcement perimeter.
"Shouldn't that be good?" Donna questioned. The Doctor just waved to the screen, she knew she'd explain in a minute.
RUTH: That's got to be good?
DOCTOR: No. Judoon switching strategy means things have got very bad and very personal now. Ruth, you just dishonoured a Judoon captain, and removing their horn is the worst insult. I think you know far more than you're telling me about Lee and about why the Judoon are here. It's time to share.
"Okay so not good, just great." Amy sighed.
RUTH: I don't know anything. I don't even know how I did what I just did to them.
(The Doctor scans Ruth.)
DOCTOR: I don't have the decryption for your bio-shield. You and Lee must have both had them. Very sophisticated, like biological cloaking.
River and Jack were both thinking back through their memories for any kind of devices that could do that, the few they could think of that might do it were nothing good.
Martha blinked suddenly, that sounded familiar but she couldn't quite place it.
RUTH: Look at me. I know my own life. I'm Ruth Clayton. I am 44. I'm married. I'm a tour guide. And I am scared. Back then... that was not me. My hands, they just moved. They...
DOCTOR: Well, if it wasn't you, who was it?
RUTH: I don't know. I don't understand any of this. None of this is me. It can't be. Help me.
DOCTOR: Show me your phone. You received a message just before you turned into Jackie Chan. (reads) Follow the light. Break the glass. Ruth, I don't think you are who you say you are or who you think you are. I think there's another identity hidden within you. Maybe this text is an activation message. Words to trigger the real you, the instincts that enabled you to attack the Judoon.
"So, you need to find the light then. Hopefully she knows what that's all about or you're in even more trouble." Clara summarised with a grimace, things were only getting more confusing and dangerous.
RUTH: No. I'm not that person. I don't want to be that person.
DOCTOR: I'm afraid you don't have a choice. Do you have any idea what this means? The light. The glass.
RUTH: Yeah, I do. I just saw it. But it's just a memory.
DOCTOR: A memory of what?
RUTH: The lighthouse where I grew up, my family home. Why am I seeing that now? I haven't thought about that for years.
"A lighthouse. Well, that would definitely have a light." Donna snorted.
DOCTOR: It's something to do with this message. He had to send it to you before the Judoon got to him. What did he know? Are you sure it's your home?
RUTH: Of course I'm sure. I know where I was brought up. My parents are buried there, on the land outside. I haven't thought about them for years, either.
"Okay that's weird right? Like not the normal 'not thinking about it' more as in 'not actual real memories', right?" Bill asked, waving her hands around to try and get across her point.
"Honestly I think you watch too much movies but you're right it is a bit weird." Clara teased the other woman but agreed.
DOCTOR: Do you know how to get there?
RUTH: Course I do.
DOCTOR: Then we're going, me and you, now.
"And hopefully we will finally get some answers." Rose announced.
"I wouldn't get your hopes up." Amy said.
[Spaceship]
HARKNESS: Ship's security is fighting back. You gotta be kidding me. Anti-theft attack system? Oh. Well, now I'm offended. Look, guys, I'm sorry. I got get out of here. I got about a minute before the ship's nanogenes attack my body.
Jack, Rose and the Doctor shared a glance at the word 'nanogenes'. "A stolen ship, nanogenes, lots of danger. Sounds like the day we met you Jack. You really haven't found a new way to make friends after all these years." Rose laughed teasingly.
"Oh, I've learnt plenty and made many new friends since we met Rose." Jack teased back suggestively.
"Jack!" The Doctor elbowed him in the side.
"Ow! Seriously Doc, it's dangerous sitting next to you." Jack complained, rubbing his side, despite his comments he made no move to change seats, he wanted to be near the Doctor when everything fell apart.
RYAN: What's going to happen to us?
HARKNESS: Oh. I'll pre-set the coordinates to get you back. Just tell her this. I'm going to see her again. Maybe not soon. When she needs me, I'll be there. In the meantime, tell her beware the lone Cyberman. You don't know what a Cyberman is yet, do you?
Those that had met the Cybermen, which was most of the room winced in sync. The Doctor gave Bill, Clara, Rose and Mickey worried looks. They had been the most affected by the Cybermen and she was worried how they would react to seeing them on screen. She knew they would see them as they had been apart of the Master's whole plan on Gallifrey and she wasn't looking forward to seeing that whole mess again as it was.
RYAN: No. What are they?
HARKNESS: An empire of evil, in ruins right now. Brought down to nothing, finally. But that could all change if she doesn't listen to this message. To defeat them, the alliance sent this thing back through time, across space. Argh! Oh, they are coming for me. Always the nanogenes. Ah! I gotta go. I've set the scoop for return. It should take you back to where you were. Tell the Doctor, the lone Cyberman. Don't give it what it wants. At all costs. Tell her... (he vanishes)
"Were you trying to be cryptic Jack?!" Martha exclaimed.
Jack grinned a bit sheepish. "Sorry, thought I'd have more time." He turned to the fam. "You did tell her, right? Not that it matters much now because she just saw."
The group shared a glance. The Doctor sighed before answering. "Yes, they did tell me but we didn't really get much choice in the matter." She saw Jack was about to say something but beat him to it. "It's dealt with Jack I promise, and I'm sure it will be shown soon." That seemed to appease him for now and they let the video play on.
RYAN: We've lost him.
YASMIN: Are we stuck here now?
(The scoop effect flickers over them.)
GRAHAM: I hope he's got this thing right.
(They vanish.)
"Did you make it back alright?" Rose asked the group.
The three shared a glance before Graham answered. "Yes thankfully, but by the time we found the Doc everything was over."
[Ruth's car]
(Driving down an unmade track.)
DOCTOR: Tell me about your parents.
RUTH: I wish I could tell you I adored them. But they chose to live in a disused lighthouse. That tells you how good they were with people.
DOCTOR: Not like you, in the heart of the city, talking to people all day long.
RUTH: I guess we all rebel against our parents. It's part of growing up, innit?
DOCTOR: Never been a fan of growing up.
Amy snorted. "That's an understatement Raggedy Man." She could distinctively remember the year of the cubes and several other instances of childishness on their adventures. The Doctor just grinned at her.
RUTH: They loved it out here. Suited them.
DOCTOR: Loved it so much they wanted to be buried here?
RUTH: Yep.
DOCTOR: You'd moved away by then.
RUTH: Yeah.
DOCTOR: But you still own the lighthouse?
RUTH: Yeah, they left it to me. But I never wanted to come back here to live, though.
DOCTOR: When did you move to Gloucester?
RUTH: Ooo, 1999. Mid-December. Are you testing me?
DOCTOR: Yes.
"At least you admit it." Mickey said, shaking his head, she never really changed no matter what face she wore.
"Did you think she would slip and reveal something?" Yaz asked, she was as curious as the rest ff the room to find out what happened. She knew roughly but none of the details and with the Doctor that was often important.
"I don't really know. I was hopeful for something." The Doctor answered reluctantly. She didn't really know what she'd expected, she'd just wanted answers but the answers she had gotten she really hadn't liked.
RUTH: I don't know why I'm even trusting you.
DOCTOR: I've got one of those faces. I promise you, I'm your best hope of finding out who you are and staying alive.
(Ruth sees a hand texting Follow.)
DOCTOR: Ruth?
(The full text message, the fight, the lighthouse.)
DOCTOR: What are you seeing or hearing?
RUTH: Nothing. We're nearly there.
The Doctor watched the screen carefully, analysing everything. She knew what was to come but she still wasn't quite sure about it all. She just wanted answers.
[Lighthouse]
RUTH: That smell. Home. Forgotten what it feels like to come back here. Like nothing can touch me.
DOCTOR: Mind if I take a look around?
RUTH: Sure. I'll get a fire going.
(The Doctor goes up the spiral staircase and out onto the walkway outside the light. She scans the lone gravestone near the parked car, then goes down and outside to look at it.)
"Okay so you found a grave, why's that so important? Shouldn't you be looking for the light?" Rory asked the Doctor.
The Doctor was too focussed on the screen to answer but River seemed to have noticed what she had and answered instead. "It's blank. And Ruth mentioned both her parents being buried there but there is only one blank grave." Even though she had noticed it she still couldn't figure out what it actually meant.
"So, what's been buried then?" Rose asked apprehensive, the tension in the room was increasing and no one had any answers for all the questions they had.
DOCTOR: Why have a blank gravestone? (scans) Because it's not a grave.
(Back inside, Ruth is looking at the fire alarm that says - Break glass. Outside, the Doctor has got a spade and started digging.)
VOICES: Break the glass and follow the light. Break the glass and follow the light. Break the glass and follow the light. Break the glass and follow the light. Break the glass and...
Martha gasped, having finally connected everything. "Doctor!" The Doctor just grimaced, nodding her head in confirmation. Martha was the only one that had been around when she was using her Chameleon circuit and she'd seen the Master use it so she wasn't surprised that Martha had figured it out while the others hadn't. But even then she may have figured out what Ruth was but she couldn't have figured out who exactly Ruth was – only the Master had any chance of that. The rest of the room watched on confused but worried. Jack was glancing between Martha and the Doctor trying to piece everything together but feeling like he was missing an important piece of the puzzle.
River looked like she had an idea of what was going on and she didn't like it. She'd never seen a chameleon circuit but the light was regeneration energy and that was distinctively familiar. The Master was unreadable, eyes dark and crazed, he had a very good guess of what was happening and he didn't know what the messy swirl of emotions threatening to break free from his chest meant.
(Ruth breaks the glass with her elbow and golden energy rushes out from it and into her. The Doctor is uncovering something. Ruth gets a honking big gun from a wicker basket, and a change of clothing - a smart suit.)
"So, she has her memories back and she's got a gun but who and what is she?" Amy asked the room, starting to get really frustrated with the lack of answers like most of the room.
[Outside the lighthouse]
(The Doctor brushes the soil from a sign that says - Police public call box.)
"The Tardis! Why is the Tardis there? How is it there?!" Jack asked the Doctor, eyes alight with concern, especially at seeing the Doctor shrink further back into the sofa eyes locked on the screen. He wasn't going to get any answers as much as he wanted to shake her until she answered everything he knew that wouldn't work. The only way to find any answers would be to watch the video.
RUTH: You're probably a bit confused right now. I broke the glass. It's all come back to me.
DOCTOR: This. What is this?
RUTH: That's my ship.
DOCTOR: What?
RUTH: Let me take it from the top. Hello, I'm the Doctor. I'm a traveller in Space and Time, and that thing buried down there is called a Tardis. Time And Relative Dimension In Space. You're going to love this.
(Ruth takes the Doctor's hand and they disappear.)
"Doctor, what's going on? What does she mean? How can she be you?" Rose asked, voicing the thoughts of many of the room, she was edging into hysteria as her eyes were glued to the Doctor.
The Master was watching the screen, analysing Ruth, with an unreadable expression. "You met one." It was a statement not a question. His eyes were wild as he stared the Doctor down, meeting her eyes for the first time since the start of the video.
She nodded sharply at him, "Yes." She took a deep breath before scanning the room, taking in all the confused and worried looks she was getting from her companions, even the fam who had already vaguely known. She finished by meeting Rose's eyes. "It's complicated Rose, you'll find out soon, I think. I promise I'll explain a bit more, just watch for the moment please." She ignored how her voice broke a bit on the last word, things were only going to get worse.
"Doctor!" River tried to complain, desperately wanting answers. The Doctor just turned to her, eyes wide and pleading, they had a staring contest for a few minutes, neither wanting to back down before River reluctantly conceded "Fine but if the video doesn't explain, you will."
[Ruth's Tardis]
(Roundels on the wall! Love the design of this one, far more my taste.)
RUTH: Come on, old girl. Too sleepy. Power up. Need you right now.
DOCTOR: Hi. Struggling with this. Can you just...?
RUTH: No, I can't. Not right now. No time. Just stand there and don't ask questions. Sorry you got caught up in all this, but if Gat is half the operative she used to be, she's already figured out here we are. And we need to be ready, and we're not.
DOCTOR: Stop. Who's Gat? And who are you, really? Truly.
Amy suddenly let lose a loud laugh gaining several odd looks from the group. What could be so funny at the moment? "Sorry, it's just the Doctor's finally getting a taste of her own medicine. Isn't this what we all went though when we first met her?" She tried to explain to the group and as the realisation set in other joined, her in laughing. The Doctor just smiled sadly, happy to see them smiling even at her expense but still angry and confused and worried and emotionally messed up by everything.
RUTH: I told you, love. I'm the Doctor.
"So, she's one of your future faces? But what are you running from?" Clara tried to work out, things were making less sense with every passing moment.
"No, she' not my future." The Doctor answered reluctantly but refused to say anymore despite the room's attempts.
DOCTOR: You can't be.
RUTH: Yeah? And why's that?
DOCTOR: Because I'm the Doctor.
RUTH: You have got to be kidding me. Really?
DOCTOR: Yes, really.
RUTH: Since when?
DOCTOR: Since forever.
RUTH: And how did I end up like... that? All rainbows and trousers that don't reach?
DOCTOR: What? No. How did I end up like you?
RUTH: You don't. You're in my future, not the other way round.
DOCTOR: I've never been anything like you. Trust me, I'd remember. Especially that shirt.
RUTH: So would I, if I'd ever been you, which I haven't.
DOCTOR: What?
RUTH: Huh?
BOTH: That's not possible. Unless it is. But what would that mean? Doesn't make sense. Stop doing that! Oh. Same brain.
DOCTOR: No, this doesn't make any sense. Either I should know you or you should know me.
RUTH: Agreed.
DOCTOR: So why don't we?
"How can she not be your future? You know your past. I know your past faces." River asked the Doctor, face scrunched up in worry and concentration. She was getting more tense as everything unfolded and the Doctor's carefully crafted blank face wasn't helping.
"Please just watch River, I… I just…. I can't explain. Please." The Doctor begged her wife, voice cracking as she struggled to get her words out. River just grabbed her hand and squeezed tightly as if to reassure both of them they were still there.
RUTH: I dunno. Why don't you try asking that cute little gizmo of yours?
(The Doctor takes out her sonic screwdriver.)
RUTH: Yeah, that's the one.
DOCTOR: I did. I used it on you, but it couldn't decrypt the bio-shield. If you've been restored... (scans Ruth then herself) Same person.
RUTH: Oh, no.
DOCTOR: But you don't recognise a sonic screwdriver.
"So, she's from before you had your sonic. But how can you not remember her?" Clara questioned, frustration and worry lacing her voice. The Doctor just shook her head, gesturing vaguely to the screen, she wasn't going to answer, she couldn't answer. She could feel the weight of the Mastre's eyes boring into her and was refusing to meet them, she wasn't sure she wanted to know what he was thinking.
RUTH: Smart enough not to need one.
DOCTOR: Oh yeah, nothing screams smart like a laser rifle.
RUTH: I stored that before hiding, cos I knew Gat would come one day, and now she has.
DOCTOR: Who is this Gat?
RUTH: I worked for her once.
DOCTOR: You've got a job?
RUTH: Oh, sort of. Not one you apply for, and not one you can ever leave. Believe me, I tried.
DOCTOR: You've been hiding on Earth. You used the Chameleon Arch to hide your identity, to hide your mind, even from yourself. That's why the sonic didn't pick it up. And Lee was your protector.
Martha glared at the screen at the mention of a Chameleon Arch, she really hated that thing.
"What's a Chameleon Arch?" Bill asked, curious as ever.
"It's a way a time lord can hide, they essentially become another species, in this case human, and gain fake memories, it's not to be used lightly." The Doctor tried to explain, eyes dark.
"Have you ever used it? I mean you, like the you we know." Bill asked again.
Martha answered for her. "Yes, she did. I was with her at the time and she had to hide." She hesitated for a second. "It's an absolutely last resort. She screamed for hours." That gained her and the Doctor some horrified looks. The Doctor had been through a lot over the years and anything that could make her scream was very bad. Bill looked guilty for asking, but the Doctor offered her a small smile before focussing back on the screen.
RUTH: Well done. You're only five minutes behind someone who just had their memory fully restored. Five points.
DOCTOR: Don't do points. I do points. Points are my thing.
"She can keep the points." Ryan grumbled, Yaz and Graham nodded beside him.
(Shaking.)
DOCTOR: Oh.
(Red energy has grabbed the corners of the buried Tardis.)
DOCTOR: What's happening?
RUTH: She's here. The Judoon have got us in a tractor beam, dragging us onboard their ship. Now listen to me, Doctor. Let me do the talking. Do not get involved. Because, if you really are me, and Gat figures that, she'll kill us both.
"Delightful. You can be killed twice at one time." Jack sighed. "But knowing the Doctor she's not going to keep quiet long."
[Judoon spaceship]
(Ruth comes out of the Tardis, rifle ready, and the Doctor follows.)
GAT: Here we are, then. End of the road. I thought I'd be angry when I saw you. Turns out I'm just sorry.
RUTH: Not as sorry as I'm about to be.
(Judoon approach from behind Ruth.)
DOCTOR: Ruth, put it down.
GAT: Yes, Ruth. Do as your little friend says. You are surrounded, after all.
(Ruth hands the laser rifle to Gat.)
"She can't be you. You hate guns." Amy tried to argue but the Doctor refused to look away from the screen let alone answer. The companions shared a worried look.
RUTH: Don't point that thing at me, Gat.
GAT: This was mine, you stole it.
RUTH: Mmm, confiscated it. No, really, don't point it at me.
GAT: Perfect for your execution.
RUTH: I really wouldn't do that, Gat.
GAT: Enough now. Let's get off this rust bucket and finish this on my ship.
DOCTOR: When you say, finish this...
RUTH: Shut up.
GAT: Take her advice, little woman.
DOCTOR: Little? Biting my tongue.
"That won't last long." River said, squeezing her wife's hand tightly.
JUDOON: Contract states Judoon must deliver fugitive to contractee at Division.
GAT: I'm here on behalf of the contractee.
DOCTOR: Hang on, I thought you'd hired the Judoon.
GAT: Who are you?
DOCTOR: I'm...
JUDOON: Imperial Regulator.
DOCTOR: Sort of. Bit of a fib. Sorry. Actually, I'm...
RUTH: She's nobody.
DOCTOR: Fine. I'm nobody. Absolutely nobody. See, I know why you want her. You've got a contract, fair enough. But you? You want her dead because she left her job?
RUTH: Shut up.
"Doctor, I really think you should listen to Ruth and not get involved for once." Clara bit her lip, nervous. Several others nodded along, everything was confusing and it was worrying them. This seemed very dangerous even for the Doctor.
GAT: Is that what she told you? This goes way higher than me.
DOCTOR: So, who would that be? Who are you all ultimately working for? I'd really like to know. Really.
JUDOON: Information confidential.
RUTH: I told you to keep quiet.
DOCTOR: And look where that's gotten us. Lots of guns in lots of faces.
RUTH: And have you got a better idea?
DOCTOR: I do, actually. My favourite. The curveball and the Judoon. You wanted to find the Doctor?
RUTH: Don't you dare.
DOCTOR: Well, here I am.
RUTH: Will you be quiet?
"She's not capable of being quiet even if it will save her life." The Master said, expression dark as he watched the screen. A few of the companions threw him nervous looks which he ignored.
DOCTOR: Go on, scan me.
(A Judoon scans her.)
JUDOON 2: Fugitive match positive. (then Ruth) Fugitive match positive.
RUTH: Is there even a word for how dumb you are?
DOCTOR: Doctor?
"Self-burn." Bill declared, fidgeting. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife.
JUDOON: Subsection 951 triggered. Two fugitives, two payments.
GAT: There won't be two payments, because two of the same Time Lord can't occupy the same space at the same time. It's an abomination. It'll destroy the time streams before you get anywhere near Gallifrey.
DOCTOR: What did you say?
(The Doctor scans Gat.)
DOCTOR: Gallifreyan. You're from home.
GAT: I serve for the glory of Gallifrey.
The companions all shared a glance. Some things were starting to make sense – at least why they were watching this video.
"If she's from Gallifrey she must be from the past then." Martha reasoned glancing nervously between the screen and the Doctor. Clara scowled at the mention of Gallifrey, even from beyond the grave it seemed they were haunting the Doctor.
DOCTOR: Then both of you can only be my past. But that's impossible, because I know my own past. I lived through it. All of it.
RUTH: You're wrong.
DOCTOR: I'm not wrong. I've seen Gallifrey destroyed. Twice. First by a war, second by a lunatic who I'm still trying to find. In my time, Gallifrey doesn't exist. It's gone. Forever. And if you don't know that, you're in my past. So, you are only serving at the glory of ash and bone.
"You say the nicest things, dearest." The Master drawled, trying to get a reaction, any reaction, from the Doctor. He felt triumphant when she shot him a sharp glare before seemingly remembering she was supposed to be ignoring him and turning back to the screen.
In some convolute, horrible way things made more sense now then they had then. Ruth was one of the lives she didn't remember but it left so many other questions that just frustrated her more. Who was Gat? Who was Lee? How long ago was Ruth? Was this the first time she'd escaped? Who had she worked for? Was it the mysterious Division that she'd seen in the matrix?
GAT: This is a trick.
DOCTOR: Check my mind, one Time Lord to another. See what I saw.
GAT: Keep an eye on her.
DOTOR: Contact.
(Image of the destroyed Citadel.)
RUTH: What did you see? What did she show you?
GAT: I don't know what trickery this is.
RUTH: Put the gun down, Gat.
GAT: But it ends here.
"Sweetie, did you really think that would make the situation better in anyway?" River asked the Doctor who glanced at her and shrugged one-heartedly. She hadn't really been thinking at the time, too confused with everything going on.
RUTH: Don't do this.
(Gat fires the rifle. It backfires, destroying her.)
DOCTOR: Oh! You knew that would happen. You sabotaged the gun.
RUTH: I told her not to do it. I begged her not to fire.
DOCTOR: But you knew she would!
RUTH: Don't take the moral high ground with me.
The Doctor glared at the screen, seeing it again reminded her of the fact she was responsible in some way for both Gat and Lee's deaths, even if she couldn't remember who she had been when she had been there. Yet more deaths on her conscious. She really hated guns and the way the whole room had flinched at Gat's death – a small voice whispered in the back of her head, you're responsible for that.
JUDOON: Crime has been witnessed.
(Ruth picks up the rifle.)
RUTH: No crime. An accident. And, besides, a Judoonese Talwak Freighter like this, moving at 80 million clicks an hour, entered interstellar space 12 seconds ago. No one has jurisdiction in interstellar space. So, no laws, and no crime. Isn't that right, Doctor?
DOCTOR: Yes.
RUTH: Recalibrated. Who wants some?
"You can't be serious. There's no way you can fight your way out of there and you hate guns!" Rose threw her hands in the air; this whole video was seriously messing with them all.
DOCTOR: The Doctor never uses weapons.
RUTH: I know. Shut up. We're leaving now. If you know what's good for you, do not come for me again. Ever. Consider your contract cancelled.
JUDOON: Judoon contracts will always be fulfilled.
Yaz, Graham and Ryan shared a glance before turning to the Doctor who had flinched. "That's why you were -." Yaz couldn't finish her question but the Doctor seemed to figure out what she wanted to say and nodded, offering her an apologetic frown. Her loud mouth was what had got her captured by the Judoon and separated from her fam.
[Ruth's Tardis]
RUTH: Homing in near your Tardis signal. Can't get too close. Imagine the temporal feedback loop. I'll drop you at the docks near my flat. How's that?
DOCTOR: You can't be me. I know what I've done, I know my own life.
RUTH: One of us has to be wrong.
(The Tardis materialises.)
RUTH: I'd quite like it if you got off my ship now.
"Unfortunately, all the evidence points to you being the one who is wrong Doctor." Jack said quietly, the words landed heavily on her chest, he was right and it hurt so much.
[Gloucester]
(Walking along the Quay (?) deep in thought.)
YASMIN: There she is. Doctor! Found you.
RYAN: Hey, what happened? Where you been? What happened to Ruth? The Judoon things are gone.
YASMIN: You're never going to guess what happened to us.
RYAN: Captain Jack Harkness said hello.
DOCTOR: What?
Jack winced, as much as he had wanted to see the Doctor again, he apparently had terrible timing. The Doctor nudged him gently a small sile on her face, she seemed to know what he had been thinking. "It's okay Jack, thanks for the warning and keeping those three mostly safe." He nodded reluctantly.
[Tardis]]
GRAHAM: Beware the lone Cyberman. Do not let it have what it wants, at all costs.
DOCTOR: That's all he said?
RYAN: Yeah, he got interrupted.
YASMIN: Who is he, anyway?
DOCTOR: An old friend.
"Seriously Doctor? Don't I deserve a better introduction?" Jack attempted to tease the Doctor but it fell flat as she just muttered a "Yes, you do." In response which made him feel even worse. Whatever this secret was that the Tardis wanted to show them, he hated. He hated the way it was eating at the Doctor and ruining what should have been a happy thing – spending time with her friends and family.
RYAN: I liked him. Kind of cheesy.
YASMIN: But good cheesy.
"He's always been like that." Mickey rolled his eyes, shooting the newest companions and Jack a grin. It seemed to break the tension slightly and he received relived grins back.
DOCTOR: That's Jack. He didn't say any more about the Cybermen?
GRAHAM: Er, he said that they were a fallen empire and they should stay that way.
YASMIN: What are they, these Cybermen?
DOCTOR: They're one of the most dangerous species I've ever encountered, up there with the Daleks.
RYAN: Oh, I can't wait to meet then, then.
"I definitely could have waited. Would have preferred to never have met them actually." Ryan joked but there was a serious undertone, it had been a very close thing with the Cybermen.
"Yeah, definitely nor my favourite alien." Bill grimaced, hand going to her chest as if feeling for the hole in her chest or the fake heart. Others in the room grimaced as well, the Cybermen were very dangerous and hurt most of them in some way.
GRAHAM: And they're in our future?
DOCTOR: They're always somewhere, waiting.
YASMIN: You haven't told us about Lee and Ruth and the Judoon. Who was the fugitive?
DOCTOR: It was Ruth. But Ruth was me.
GRAHAM: What?
RYAN: What are you talking about?
YASMIN: How's that possible?
DOCTOR: She said she was my past, but I know my past, and she's never been me.
GRAHAM: I'm sure there's a simple explanation.
"I really wish that was true Graham." The Doctor chuckled darkly, gaining concerned looks from the rets of the room but she refused to look any of them in the eye.
DOCTOR: Time is swirling around me. The Master, Captain Jack Harkness, Ruth. Something's coming for me. I can feel it.
RYAN: Let it come. You've got us.
DOCTOR: Ryan, I've lived for thousands of years. So long I've lost count. I've had so many faces. How long have you been here? You don't know me. Not even a little bit.
The Doctor took a shuddering deep breath before looking up towards her current companions. "I'm sorry Ryan. I shouldn't have spoken like that to you." She trailed off before she could make excuses, he didn't need to hear those, he already knew most of them. What she said may have been true but she didn't have to throw it in his face or declare it like that.
Ryan stared at her for a minute before nodding his acceptance of her apology. He understood a bit more why she'd said that now and while he probably knew more than most of the other companions about why they were here, he still knew very little and honestly everything was worrying him.
YASMIN: Don't talk to him like that.
RYAN: Yeah, I'm not having that. We do know who you are. You're the woman that brought us together, the woman that saved us and loads of other people. You're the Doctor. Whoever you were in the past or are in the future, we know who you are right now. Right?
YASMIN: Right.
GRAHAM: The best person we know.
YASMIN: And whatever is coming for you, we'll be here, cos we're your mates.
GRAHAM: Well, not just mates. Family.
RYAN + YASMIN: Yeah.
GRAHAM: So, whether you want to go looking for whatever trouble's coming, or whether you want to wait here and let it come to you, we'll be right here by your side, like it or not, Doctor.
"Thank you, all of you. Seriously, thank you." The Doctor took a deep breath, eyes bright, shining with unshed tears. "You're my family too." She glanced around the room. "All of you are. No matter what happens or has happened" River squeezed her hand in comfort, pulling her closer so she leaned against River's shoulder. The rest of her companions, of her family, gave her reassuring smiles. But none of them were doing very well at hiding their worry.
(An alarm sounds.)
RYAN: What's that?
DOCTOR: I know what you're doing. Siding with them, distracting me. You're doing this deliberately. Whoa. Multiple alerts across three continents here on Earth. Can't be connected. Unless they are. Quick look?
YASMIN: Quick look.
DOCTOR: Let's go.
"I guess that's finished for now." The Doctor sighed; she took another quick look round the room. "Let's have a break, we've been watching for a while now." She saw several people eager to protest, desperate to get more answers but she beat them to punch. "You'll get more answers soon I promise, but we all need a break and to stretch our legs. Come on." She pushed herself to her feet and out of River's clutches, determined to have a break from everything.
That seemed to be enough for the others and they slowly dispersed, getting to their feet, stretching and moving through to the kitchen and corridor. The Doctor watched them go, trying desperately to decide if she could get away with hiding for a while or if she was mentally prepared for some more emotionally charged conversations that she knew she would have to have.
Soon she was left alone in the main room with Jack and River who were now standing on either side of her, like bookends or bodyguards she thought with a mental snort. Even the Master had slunk away, hopefully away from the rest of the group – she made a mental note to keep an eye out for him in case of trouble.
The Doctor made the mistake of looking up at the pair on either side of her. River was staring her down, expression stern. "Explain." When she didn't start speaking immediately, River continued. "Please, Doctor. We're worried about you. We just want to help, we love you."
That only made her feel more guilty, especially knowing she couldn't even explain fully. "I can't River, I'm sorry. It's part of what the Tardis wants to show us I think and you'll need to see it with the others. Please just trust me, you'll find out soon enough." The Doctor pleaded with her wife. When River's expression wavered, she knew she'd won and it tore at her hearts.
Jack had watched the pair carefully. "Come on, let's get something to eat. I think we'll probably need the break." With that he marched out of the room with a final glance at the wives. River watched him leave, before turning back to the Doctor, eyes sad. "I trust you. I don't like any of this, but I trust you."
The Doctor watched her leave, leaving her alone in the movie room. She took a deep breath before following, she needed to have some serious conversations.