"Oh I know where we are, it's 'The Library', doesn't have another name, well it doesn't really need one it the biggest library in the universe, a whole planet filled with books, rows and rows of first editions on everything ever written. All placed here for people to read. At the centre is a massive hard drive holding all the books digitalized.
"Erm yeah, talking about people, there are none. This place was to quiet there isn't another human being in a ten-mile radius, which while not a lot it still should have some noise, I know we were always getting into trouble in the library at school and it's not bigger than the room we arrived in."
Both the Doctor and the Master looked at Harry then at each other they seemed to have some sort of communication between them which caused the Master to sigh.
"Fine, we need to find a main terminal and see what's going on." The Master commanded
"WELCOME" came another voice from the left of them
They walked into another room which looked like a reception area of some sort or maybe a help centre. Suddenly a node turned around wearing a human face.
"Tell me they did not!" Demanded Donna after seeing the live face turn around on the help side of the desk.
"it's the fifty first century, it's like donating your shoes." Spoke the Doctor
"Oh, they did." She looked fairly sick.
"I am courtesy node 710 slash aqua. Please, enjoy The Library and respect the personal access codes of your fellow readers regardless of species or hygienic taboos." said a monotonous female voice.
"Additionally, there follows a brief message from the Head Librarian for your urgent attention. It has been edited for tone and content by a Felman Lux filter of decency. Message follows: Run. For god's sake, run. Nowhere is safe. The Library has sealed itself. We can't… Oh. They're here. They're. Already. Here. Message ends. Please, turn off your mobile com units for the comfit of other readers."
"Any other messages?"
"An additional message. This message has a Felman Lux coherence warning of 50…"
"Yeah, fine, fine, fine, just put it on." interrupted the Doctor.
"Message follows: Count the shadows. For god's sake, remember. If you want to live, count the shadows. Message ends."
"Well, that doesn't sound creepy at all, what is here? And I know that 'running comment' is going to make this adventure a nightmare induced sleep once it's over. Whoever sent us here obviously wants our help or our death." Spoke Harry after giving a brief shudder.
The Master had been playing around with one of the computer consoles.
"Oh it's definitely going to cause running, we may be in trouble here actually."
"What have you found?" Asked the Doctor to the Master he motioned for the other three to join him.
"See here I look for life and I find four, only us four in the entire library, but if I adjust the parameters to all life and this is the result millions upon millions of lifeforms there is that many the computer can't even count them all and that is more than worrying as you said this holds the biggest hard-drive in history."
"What's concerning me is the shadow comment." Spoke Harry.
"Yes, that is strange. But we all only have one and the others in the room are coming off the sun, so we are safe for now." Spoke the Master.
They all started to walk out of the reception through the exit at the other side of the room this time. They were led into a corridor full of shelved books with enough light you could read the names of the books, they had walked for about ten seconds when the light near where they had exited went out followed by the one after it.
All three Timelords noticed this and shared a look with each other.
"Run?"
"Yes, and quickly before we lose any more light." Stated the Master grabbing Harrys hand and running through the corridor.
"In here" Shouted Harry as he drew his wand and blasted a warped door down. They all ran in and Harry repaired the door. Looking around they all made for the middle of the room looking at each other, all four of them worried.
Harry looked up and saw a wooden ball floating in mid-air.
"Hello. Sorry to barge in this way. Do you mind if we stay here for a bit?"
The sphere fell to the floor as if it were a puppet with cut strings.
"What's that?" asked Donna
"Security camera." the Doctor touched it with a foot. "It's offed itself."
The Doctor took it and looked at it thoughtfully. He took the screwdriver out and pointed it at the camera.
"What was that thing about the light going out after us? Please, tell me we didn't flee from a power outage." Spoke Donna half out of breath.
"Possibly."
"Do you think we're safe here?" asked Harry looking up.
The ceiling was an uncovered half sphere that left you see the sky outside.
"I think so. We're in a shop." Harry looked around and saw that it was true.
"Got you!"
Harry looked at the Doctor and saw that the camera's eyeglass had opened.
"No, stop it, no." said the Doctor aloud. "Oh, I'm sorry. I really am. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It's alive."
"The security camera?" asked Donna
"Yes." confirmed the man pocketing the screwdriver after leaving the sphere on the floor.
"Others are coming." Read Harry aloud. "Others? What others?"
The Doctor didn't answer, but Harry hadn't expected it. He didn't have the answer.
"Excuse me, what does it mean others are coming?" asked Harry to a node.
"It's like a scale that tells you the weight. It can't help you."
"So what are we going to do, it looks like were in a shop. Donna stop! Come back over to us quickly. Dad, Doctor count the shadows, there one more than there should be."
"OH I'm thick, I'm so old and have so much information in me I need a bigger head!" Exclaimed the Doctor.
"All of us need to get back to the TARDIS now."
"Doctor stop worrying the shadow has gone look." Said Harry pointing to where it had been he hadn't figured out what was happening but the look from the Doctor was one of sheer horror.
"It's not gone its moved, we really need to get back to the TARDIS now." Spoke the Doctor while looking at the Master, Harry followed his line of sight and suddenly the Master eyes turned worried.
"TARDIS now use SATURN to get us there." Demanded the Master of Harry using arm signals to get everyone around Harry so they could touch him.
Before Harry could do anything another node spoke
"Reminding: The Library has been breached. Others are coming. Reminding: The Library has been breached. Others are coming. Reminding: The Library has been breached…"
A loud and bright explosion interrupted the node and a door opened. They could see something moving between the white smoke and a figure entered, followed by five more. It seemed to be dressed in a white spacesuit. The node continued repeating the warning, but they paid no mind to it.
The first figure in the spacesuit that had entered approached them and stopped in front of them, where the visor cleared so that they could see a woman smiling.
"Hello, sweeties."
"well I think we just figured out who sent us here!" spoke Harry with dry humour.
"Doctor, Master and Son it's good to see you"
"You know us then? In fact, no that doesn't matter. All of you, get back in your rocket and fly away. Tell your grandchildren that you came to The Library and lived, they won't believe you!" asked then demanded the Doctor
"Take off your suits the air is breathable" spoke the woman doing as she had said.
"How can you tell they could be androids?" demanded one of the males in the group with the woman.
"I've dated an android and they are silly"
"Who is this?" asked a man approaching her and looking at the Doctor. "You said we would be the only expedition. I paid for the exclusive."
"I lied. I always lie. There have to be others."
"Miss Evangelista, I want to see the contracts." said the man to a pretty girl with black hair.
"Did you enter by the north door? How was that? Much damage?"
"Please, just leave. I'm asking you seriously and properly, leave. Hang on, did you say expedition?" asked the Doctor looking at the men and women in spacesuits.
"My expedition." Said the man from before. "I funded it."
"Ohhh… no, please, no. Tell me you aren't archaeologists." asked the Doctor putting his hands on his hips over the blue suit under the jacket.
"Do you have problems with archaeologists?" Asked the woman.
"We're time travellers. we point and laugh at the archaeologists." answered the Doctor.
The blonde woman laughed and Harry had to hide a little smile. She extended a hand and the Timelords shook it one after the other though he eyes lingered on Harry more.
"Professor River Song. Archaeologist."
"Hello, I'm the Doctor that's the Master and he's the Son who you seem to know. River Song. Pretty name." praised the Doctor pulling her over to the other spacemen. "When you leave, and you're leaving now, you need to set a quarantine on the planet. The whole planet. Nobody comes near, for ever again. Not one living thing. Not here, not ever… stop right there!"
The exclamation made a woman pause that had being nearing the more shadowy part of the room and the Doctor caught her.
"What's your name?"
"Anita."
"Anita." repeated the Doctor. "Stay away from the shadows. Not a foot, not a finger in the shadows, till your safely back in your ship. Goes for all of you, stay in the light." Harry saw with surprise that the blond woman, River Song, didn't seem surprised by the man's behaviour.
"Find a good bright spot and stay there. If you understand me look very, very scared."
"Do as he says but start unpacking the equipment while I talk to these three gentlemen. Follow me we need to talk" Stated River Song while looking over to the Timelords. They looked at her and realised she would not be leaving. With two put upon sighs the Doctor told Donna to stay in the light for a minute.
"Thanks." muttered she.
"For what?" asked the Doctor
"For the same as always. Coming when I call you.
"It was you? You sent us the coordinates and overrode the mainframe?" asked Harry Shocked.
"You do a good job acting as if you don't know me. There must be a good reason."
"A pretty good one, in fact." answered the Doctor
"Okay, do we review it then? Where are we this time?" started the blonde. "Going by your faces, I would say we're in your first times, yeah? Hum, so… the Bizantium's fall, have we already been there?" She waited for an answer, but it never came. "Obviously, still not." She continued looking in the book and a fond smile crossed her face. "Oh, picnic in Asgard. Have we already been to Asgard?" the Doctor remained silent. "Obviously not." sighed she. "You're very early, then. Ah, the lives with time travellers. I didn't know it could be such a hard job."
The woman stopped looking at the book and looked at then very carefully.
"Look at you. You're all so young."
"Oh, were really not young."
"Oh, but you are. Your eyes… you're younger than I've ever seen any of you." said she stroking the Doctors cheek.
"And Harry too."
"So you've seen us before?" asked the Doctor looking at her hand and pulling it away.
He had seen how Harry had looked away with slight sadness in his eyes now at the familiar gesture of the professor.
Suddenly, the woman seemed very serious and incredibly sad.
"All of you, please, tell me you know who I am."
The Doctor looked at her and back at Harry and the Master.
"Who are you?"
They were interrupted by what sounded like telephone ringing from a terminal one of the men was messing with. The three Timelords ran to the terminal and after the doctor played with it. Suddenly a girl appeared after a short conversation before the signal cut out. He tried another terminal but nothing.
The Doctor kept pushing at the terminal until he got to something called CAL then all access became denied.
"How does the date core work? What's its principle? What's CAL?" asked the Doctor a while later.
"Ask Mr. Lux." answered River Song.
"CAL. What is it?" Asked the Master this time looking directly at Mr. Lux.
"Sorry, you didn't sign your personal experience contract." said the man looking at the three. The Doctor jumped down from where he had been perched atop a desk and neared the man.
"Mr. Lux, right now, you're in more danger than you've ever been in your whole life. And you're protecting a patent."
"I'm protecting my family's pride." replied he.
"Well, funny thing Mr. Lux, I don't want to see everyone in this room dead because some idiot thinks his pride is more important." The Master said scathingly
He couldn't contain a gasp when he found it. If he had been a normal Timelord, he wouldn't have sensed anything, but he wasn't. The awareness his magic had was something never seen before, something unique, and it allowed him to sense many more things. Like a magnified conscience.
"Son?" asked the Doctor with worry.
"It's much more than that, isn't it, Mr. Lux?" muttered the Son opening his eyes. "That pride you talk about… We won't be able to help if you don't tell us anything. We have no interest, whatsoever, in taking the exclusive from you. We just want to get out of here alive."
The man looked at him with doubt but answered the questions of the Doctor.
"Okay, okay, let's begin at the beginning. What happened here?" said the Doctor still looking worried at Harry. "On the actual day, a hundred years ago, what physically happened?"
"There was a message from The Library. The lights are going out and the computer's sealed the planet. There was nothing for a hundred years. It's taken three generations from my family just to decode the seals and get back in."
"Hum, excuse me…"
"Not just now." Told her boss to Evangelista.
"There was one more thing in the message." Said the professor looking for something in her bag.
"That's confidential." interrupted Mr. Lux making Harry sigh.
"I trust these men with my life. With everything. And the same goes for their companions."
"You've just met them!" exclaimed Mr. Lux.
"No, they've just met me."
Then it clicked in Harry's mind. She knew them even though they didn't know her. It would normally be impossible for her to have met them without them meeting her, but they were forgetting something: they travelled in time.
"You met us in your past. Our future." concluded the Son aloud.
"Sharp as always, even so young." Grinned the professor looking at him with warm eyes. Though that made him wonder who she was. She acted as if she knew them well. He had been a little sad when he had seen the way she had spoken to the Doctor before, so intimately. As if knowing what he was thinking, she gave him a warm smile, bright with understanding. Somehow, it made him relax. He supposed he would discover her identity in time.
"4022 saved. No survivors." The Doctor reading that aloud took him out of his musings.
"4022 was the exact number of people there was in The Library when it sealed itself." said River Song.
"How can 4022 people be saved if there were no survivors?" Couldn't help but ask the Master in his normal everyone's an idiot at the moment way.
"That's what we're here to find out." Said River Song.
"And, until now, we haven't found anybody." Added Mr. Lux.
The professor looked at Harry and lowered her voice so only he his dad and the Doctor heard her next words.
"Can you feel, you know, Death here? Have there been any sudden large numbers of deaths?"
"How would he be able to do that?" asked lowly the Master
She looked at Harry apologetically.
"You still haven't told them?"
"Told us what? About being a psionic from our original home?" The man raised an eyebrow at her but her gaze was intently searching in Harry's eyes.
"No. To both questions. My mind and tongue are still held they are obviously released when I'm older and understand more" Then Harry turned to them,
"All I can tell you at the moment is there is more to my name than you think unfortunately it seems as though I will need to age before that discussion.
The Timelords nodded seriously before giving him a soft smile
"You don't have to worry, little one. We already told you we will be there for you every step of the way." Spoke the Doctor giving harry a squeeze of his shoulder.
The Master finally spoke up saying they all needed to get back to their ships and quickly. That was when they found out that it was dark the way they had come. Both the Doctor and Master demanded all lights they had to be spread around in a circle making light appear across the floor where they could see everything.
"Doctor we are in the shop which means an exit, which means transporters to send everyone back!" Declared the Master looking pointedly at Donna. They could see the timeline there was no getting rid of the expedition, but they could keep Donna safe.
"Son stay with the Master, Donna follow me! I want to get you back to the TARDIS it won't let the others through, but it will you, Harry can't use the technology it's not protected like the TARDIS is, his psionic abilities would destroy it without him rematerializing, but he has SATURN if he needs her." Five minutes later the Doctor was back.
"It's a dead-end room but your right it did have transporters. She's inside the TARDIS now."
Suddenly there was a scream and everyone went running towards it, Harry already knew what they would find, or thought he did, his powers were growing as he had been told they would, even so he was shocked at the shortness of time from the scream to feeling he passing over.
"where's miss Evangelista?" Demanded the Doctor. River pressed something on her neck brace from her suit and spoke requesting her. The noise came out of a skeleton scull with the rest of the suit deflated showing that bones were all that were left.
The next few minutes where not pretty for any of them listening to the echo of her last words. Once it was over River Song demanded to know what had done it.
"I'll introduce you, Son stay near the Master at all times and obey him until we are back in the TARDIS all together, understood!" demanded the Doctor at the end.
Harry could see just how worried he was and so nodded and went and grabbed his dads hand making the point he would do as told. If he was honest, he would rather stay next to his dad that woman had died in less than milliseconds.