They went back into the room they had been in and the Doctor started scanning with his screwdriver the Master was actually copying him going in the opposite direction.
"Found one!" Shouted the Doctor
"Let's make sure it's the only one in the bloody room Doctor, you watch it I'll carry on around to you!" Spoke the Master with some heat. Luckily for them it was.
"I'm going to need a pack lunch." Was the first thing the Doctor shouted after the Master.
River Song was just behind him while he continued pointing the lantern at the shadows and the woman rummaged in a bag.
"Hang on." muttered she.
While searching for the lunch pack, the professor took out the blue book she had been carrying since the beginning.
"What's in that book?" asked the Doctor kneeling down at her side.
"Spoilers." answered the woman barely glancing at him.
"Who are you?" asked the Doctor.
"Professor River Song, from the University of…"
"For me. For us." Interrupted the man looking back at where Null stood. "Who are you to us?"
"Again, spoilers." she took a box of food.
"Chicken and a side salad. Knock yourself out."
"Well, you guys," Started the time traveller flipping the lantern in the air and standing. "let's all meet the Vashta Nerada."
They saw with confusion as he kneeled beside the furniture, moving around the room and pointing his sonic screwdriver at the shadows surrounding them.
"How long have you already been travelling with them?" asked River Song to Harry. "With the Doctor and your dad."
She had stated that she knew them in the future, but they still didn't know her. That meant this was the time when they had met her for the first time.
"How long have you all been traveling together?"
"Around ten years I would think, I would have to really dig into SATURN to know how old I actually am and extrapolate it from that but if you know us then you know I shrank I'm only just back up to my old look well slightly older now, luckily traveling I don't have to glamour myself unless I need to look like an adult.
"Then you've barely started." She responded with surprise.
Their attention returned to the Doctor when he spoke again.
"First Dave, could you move a bit?"
"Why?" inquired the man from his place sitting on a desk.
"Go over there, near the water tank."
The man stood and did as asked with resignation. Harry's attention returned to the blonde woman.
"You know us well?"
"Oh, yes. Pretty well. We've met many times, but in the future. Your future."
The Son nodded and glanced at the Doctor for a second, seeing him crawling towards another desk.
"It's so strange to think that you don't know me… I sent you a message, but it got to you too early. These are the days before you knew me. You look at me and you look through me. It shouldn't hurt, but it does."
"I'm sorry. Maybe next time we see you we'll be able to really look at you. Right now, we know nothing about who you are. Maybe this adventure is exactly what made us able to start looking at you, don't you think?"
"You're always so mature… it's hard to keep in mind that you're still so young. Seeing time and your other duties are barely out of childhood. Oh Harry what you become you Dads will be so supportive of you" Muttered she with a smile. "But you're right even so young you have compassion and love for life. For without life there would be no death"
"Could we, please, focus on the matter at hand?" asked Mr. Lux. The Doctor jerked and nodded, going back to what he was doing.
"Okay, we have only one alive!" informed the Doctor jumping up some seconds later and leaving the lantern pointing at the shadows. "It's not darkness that's in the corridors. This is not a shadow." He took the box of chicken and kneeled again with both the Master and Harry a at his side.
"It's a swarm. A man-eating swarm."
He then took one of the chicken legs and threw it at the shadows under a table. The instant it touched the darkness, all the meat disappeared and the only thing left was a completely clean chicken bone.
"The piranhas of the air. The Vashta Nerada. Literally, the shadows that melt the flesh." everyone listened very carefully to the Doctors explanation. "Almost all planets have them, but usually in small groups. I've never seen an infestation of this scale or as aggressive."
"Why almost? Not the Earth surely?" Frowned Harry.
"Yes, the Earth and millions of other planets. Where there's meat, there's Vashta Nerada. Sometimes you can see them, if you look at the dust in the sunbeams."
"It sounds familiar…"
"Was there something like this in your old world?" He asked gently
"Right now, I'm not sure. It sounds familiar, but I cannot place where I heard it." Harry sounded frustrated.
"Every shadow?" asked River Song.
"No… but any shadow."
"So what do we do?"
"Daleks, point to the eyes; Sontarans, back of the neck; Vashta Nerada…" The doctor started the two adult Timelords turned to look her in the eyes.
"…run. Just run." They both said together.
"Okay, let's move then!" shouted First Dave moving to the door.
"Actually, First Dave, could you wait there for a moment?" asked the Doctor gently
The human did as the Doctor asked him and stopped at the centre of the room.
"Why?"
"I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. But you've got two shadows." explained the Doctor putting himself in front of the pilot.
Everyone looked down and saw that, effectively, the human had another shadow apart from his own. The man's face showed fear, as it should.
"It's how they hunt. They latch on to a food source and keep it fresh."
"What do I do?" Asked the man, for the first time requesting the Timelords help.
"Stay still. Absolutely still. As if there was a wasp in the room. Millions of wasps in the room." Spoke the Master
"We're not leaving you, Dave." Comforted River Song.
"Of course, we're not leaving you." Retorted the Doctor. "Where's your helmet? Don't point, you just tell me." ordered the Doctor in a calm voice.
"On the floor, by my bag." was the frightened answer.
"Don't cross his shadow!" warned the Doctor when Anita nearly stepped on it to grab the helmet.
She carefully rounded the two shadows and grabbed the helmet, passing it to the Doctor.
"Thanks." muttered he before putting it over First Dave's head.
"Now, the rest of you, helmets back on and seal them. We need all we've got."
"What do we do?" Asked Harry slightly scared
"Don't touch the shadows. Be very careful Harry, and don't touch the shadows."
Keeping himself as far from the shadows in the room as he could. While still holding his dad's hand he nodded.
"Professor! Is there something that can be done with the suits?" Asked the Doctor.
"Forget about the damn suits!" Demanded Mr. Lux clearly a little hysteric. "Miss Evangelista was wearing one and there was nothing left!"
"We'll increase the mass density over the four hundred per cent. We'll make a tougher meal."
"Okay. Eight hundred per cent. Pass it on." Said the Doctor giving the sonic screwdriver to the professor after using it to up the mass density of First Dave's suit.
"Got it." She showed another one.
"What's that?"
"A screwdriver." Answered the blonde.
"It's sonic."
"Yeah, I know. Snap."
The woman went around, upping the mass density of all the suits. After a moment, the Timelord snapped out of wherever his mind was focusing on. He really wanted to send Harry to the TARDIS
"Doctor!" Called River Song.
The two adult timelords had been moving around the room scanning again. They saw everyone looking at First Dave. They noticed then that he only had one shadow.
"Where did it go?" Asked the Doctor, perplexed.
"It's disappeared. I've looked and there was only one shadow." Said First Dave just as surprised.
"Then, can we leave? I don't want to stay here." Intervened River Song while watching the Doctor look around First Dave.
"I don't know why we're still here. We can leave him here, no? I mean, no offense." Said Mr. Lux.
"Shut up, Mr. Lux." Ordered River Song.
"Did you feel something? Like energy transference? Anything?"
"No! No, but look! I-It's gone!" Exclaimed First Dave turning around.
"Stop there! Stop, stop there, stop moving!" Exclaimed the Master. "They never leave, they never give up."
The Doctor kneeled down besides the now lonely shadow and used his screwdriver to scan it.
"Hum, this one's benign."
"Hey! Who turned out the light?" Shouted First Dave.
"No one did. It's on." Answered the Doctor confused.
"No, really, turn it back on."
"It's on."
"I can't see absolutely nothing."
"Dave, turn around." Requested the Master.
Slowly, the man turned around again till they could see his face, or the place where it should have been. They could only see darkness through the viewer of the suit's helmet.
"What's happening? I can't see. Is the electricity gone? Are we safe here?"
Harry gulped and contained his breath. Could the Vashta Nerada have already found a way to enter the suit?
"Dave, I want you to remain still. Completely still." Suddenly, the man stilled and shouted in pain. "Dave! Dave, Dave! Are you hearing me? Talk to me, Dave!"
The man went quiet just as suddenly as he had shouted out.
"I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine."
"I want you to stay still. Absolutely still." repeated the Doctor.
"I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. I- can't- why can't I… I- can't- why can't I… I- can't- why can't I…"
The Doctor was the first to notice that the green lights of the communicator in the suit were slowly going off. Just as they had done when Miss Evangelista's date ghost started to disappear.
Harry didn't see that, but he had his own way of knowing when death was around. It had taken Dave as it had the other lady.
"He's gone. It's a date ghost." explained River Song.
"I- can't- why can't I…"
Harry reflected his understanding and sadness, but the Doctor didn't think he was regretting staying with them for this.
"Then, why is he still standing?" Voiced Mr. Lux.
"Hey! Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights?"
The Doctor started to slowly approach the man, trying to see through the viewer of the suit.
"Doctor, don't." Warned the Master.
The doctor acted as if he had not heard, though his movements slowed even more.
"Dave, can you hear me?"
"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"
The Doctor was nearly touching him when the man grabbed him by the shoulders with enough strength to make him fall to his knees. The movement caused the dead man's head to fall forward and they were able to see a skull through the viewer.
"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"
The Doctor tried to free himself, but the pressure of the space suit had too strong grip on him.
"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"
Harry's reflexes kicked in as a psionic and used a simple repelling spell to repel the skeleton's arms from the Doctor's shoulders.
The Timelord crawled backwards and stood up with the Master's help. Dave's voice continued asking about the lights.
"Get away from here! Walk back!" shouted the Master to the others.
They saw with shocked eyes as the skeleton in the space suit gave a step forward.
"It doesn't move very fast, does it?" Voiced the professor.
"It's a swarm in a suit. But it's learning."
They watched as more shadows appeared around the body of Dave and they started to grow and grow towards them. They realized then that those weren't shadows but swarms.
"What do we do? Where do we go?" Demanded Mr. Lux nearly panicking.
The older Timelords had a hand each holding Harrys, to keep the younger one between them as they looked around for an escape.
"See that wall behind you?" Asked River Song suddenly. The group looked back at where she was pointing and saw the wood wall she meant.
"Duck!" ordered the blonde.
They did just that and it was fortunate, because an instant later a beam of blue light shot from a gun in her hand, leaving a square hole on the wall right where Harrys head had been. The wall had vanished where the gun had pointed.
"Are you crazy!? You could have shot my SON!" Shouted the Master to the woman.
"Oh, come on, the Son's better than that." Answered she without even batting an eyelash. making the tot blink at her. "Everybody out! Run, run!"
They did as she ordered, exiting through the new hole and leaving behind the growing swarms.
"What was that?" Asked Harry to the Master while he, again, dragged him out of the room they had been in.
"Squareness gun not very original but it does what it says it's further on in your education." Spoke the Master while pulling Harry behind him stuck in the middle of the group where he hoped Harry would be the safest.
The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at a lamp.
"Doctor, what are you doing?" Asked Harry looking nervously back at the place they had come through.
"I'm trying to up the power. The light doesn't stop them, but it slows them down."
"So, what's the plan? Do we have a plan?" intervened River Song pointing her own screwdriver to the light and upping the power in only a few seconds.
"Your screwdriver. It's exactly like mine." muttered the Doctor looking at her with his eyes a bit bigger than normal.
"Yes, you gave it to me." answered she as if she was talking to an abnormally thick person.
"I don't give my screwdriver to anyone."
"I am not anyone."
"Who are you?"
"What's the plan?" Asked she without answering the man's question.
"Harry, you said before that the Vashta Nerada reminded you of something…"
"Lethifold. My people called them lethifolds. They look like a black cloak that crawls over the earth at night. It normally attacks when its victim is sleeping, and it leaves nothing of it. Not even the bones."
"Similar to the Vashta Nerada. Interesting. It could be an evolved form…" Hummed the Doctor.
"Is there any way to kill them?" Asked the Master
Harry hesitated but ended shaking his head.
"There's never been a case of…of a psionic killing one. They're not seen very often, and their victims don't usually survive." River song sighed at that
"However, they can be repelled. Though I don't know if it would work against the Vashta Nerada."
"What repels a lethifold?" Asked the Doctor curiously.
"Light."
"We already know that doesn't work." Said Other Dave shaking his head.
"Not any light. The light of a happy memory."
"A patronus." whispered River Song in realization.
"Exactly, It's a guardian made of bright pure light powered by the happiest memories of a person." explained Harry.
"Something like that doesn't exist." protested Mr. Lux.
"It does actually, and if it works on lethifold then it…" started the Doctor.
"Hey! Who turned out the light?"
They turned around and saw that First Dave's skeleton had caught up with them. They started to run and ended in a corridor without an exit the Master still holding onto Harry's hand dragging him around.
"What are we going to do?" asked the professor. Just then They heard the voice 'hey who turned out the lights'
"Okay, we've got a clear spot. In, in, in!" Ordered Professor Song. "Form a circle in the middle of the light! Quickly! Do not let your shadows cross each other's. Doctor, Master!"
"I'm doing it." They responded in sync.
They had reached the same room as before and the Timelord were now kneeling in the light with their screwdriver pointed at the shadows.
"Sunset's coming. We can't stay long." Stated River Song looking at the Doctor. "Found one alive?"
"Maybe. It's hard to tell. What's wrong with you?" muttered the Doctor bumping the screwdriver against his hand.
"We're going to need a chicken leg. Who has a chicken leg?" asked River Song a little frantic.
Sensing that, Harry hid his hands behind his back and conjured a chicken leg.
"Here."
Everybody turned to look at him when he gave the woman a chicken leg.
"What?"
"Where did you get that?" Asked Anita suspiciously.
"I'm always prepared for an emergency." Was his only response.
River Song smiled slightly and took the offered meat.
"Thank you, Harry." She approached the shadows slowly and threw the chicken leg, but the only thing that touched the floor was the bone.
"Okay, we've got one alive. Careful with the feet."
"They won't attack till there are enough, but they've got our trail. They're coming." Informed the Doctor standing.
The Doctor went a little farther and Harry went after him, pulling his dad with him. They heard as Other Dave, the only Dave now, started a conversation in low tones.
"Who are they? You haven't told us but expect us to trust them."
"They're the Doctor, the Master and the Son."
"And who are they?" asked Mr. Lux.
"The only story you'll tell, if you survive it."
"You say they're your friends, but they don't even know who you are." added Anita.
"The only thing you need to know is this: I would trust them till the end of the universe. In fact, they have saved it many times."
"They don't seem to trust you." said Anita.
"Yeah, that's the main problem here. They haven't met me yet." answered River Song finishing the talk.
The Master and the Doctor shared a look and Harry stood and walked away with his father, walking back to the rest whilst River Song went to crouch near the Doctor.
"What's wrong with it?" Asked the blonde seeing the Doctor hearing the sound of his screwdriver as if it were a phone.
"There's a signal coming from somewhere that it's interfering."
"Use the red setting."
The Doctor looked at her strangely.
"It doesn't have a red setting." Spoke the Doctor as if it was something obvious.
"Use the dampers." Replied she.
"It hasn't dampers."
"It will have them one day." Said the woman giving him her own screwdriver.
The man took it and stood up.
"So, one day in the future, I'll just give you, my screwdriver."
"Yes."
"Why would I do that?"
"I didn't take it from your cold dead hands, if that's what you're concerned about."
"And that I know because…?"
The man left the sentence unfinished and she sighed with serious resignation.
"Look, I understand, Doctor. We're in danger, mortal danger, and Harry's here. you and the Master are scared for him. He's too stubborn to leave you alone and let you send him somewhere safe. You fear you'll fail him, that you won't be able to keep your promise to him. But right now, you need to stop being so emotional."
"What? I'm not being emotional!" protested the Doctor.
"Yes, you are. Right now, there are seven persons alive in this room. Focus on that! Focus on what you can do and save them. That's the only way you can save Harry." instructed the professor.
"Dear god, you were difficult when you were young."
"Young? Who are you!?"
"Oh, for god's sake! Look at you! We're going to die here, and you are discussing things like an old married couple!" Intervened Mr. Lux standing up.
They both looked at each other, perplexed, before turning to see Harry looking at the floor. The Doctor nearly cursed, remembering how insecure Harry was about him acting as his dad. He didn't want to send him mixed signals. He wasn't attracted to anyone but the Master.
"We're not and never will be an old married couple." Directed River Song to Mr. Lux, but clearly looking at Harry.
The young Timelord re-ducked his head, ashamed of being read so easily. The Doctor had to give that to the mysterious woman, she knew them well.
"Doctor, one day, I'm going to be someone you all will trust, but there's not time for you to figure it out. You don't have to trust me; you just have to trust Harry."
The blonde woman didn't wait for an answer and walked till she was in front of the young Timelord. Speaking quietly she addressed him.
"Harry, I need you to listen carefully to me. The only way for the Doctor and the Master to trust me even a little is if you trust me. I can only tell you this: 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good, I need the marauders help in the great and noble endeavour of causing mischief.'"
For a few seconds, Harry simply looked at her, stunned at hearing those words coming out of her mouth. It was impossible wasn't it? Then, as if reaching a decision, he looked at the Doctor with seriousness.
"We can trust her. She knows us all."
"Are you sure?" asked the Doctor and Master still looking at her with distrust.
"Yeah. In this I'm one hundred percent sure."
The Doctor nodded and she smiled slightly at him before reaching out for her screwdriver and pocketing it.
"Something interesting about my screwdriver is that it's very hard to interfere. Very hard. There's nothing powerful enough." Suddenly said the Doctor in that way he had of changing his mood in a second and making Harry smile.
"Almost nothing." Added Harry.
"Yeah, some hair dryers can, but I'm working on that." Said the Timelord starting to circle around them.
"There's a very strong signal coming from somewhere and it wasn't there before. What's new? What's changed?"
Nobody answered.
"Come on! What's new?" exclaimed the Doctor. "What's different?"
"I don't know. Nothing. The sun's setting." said Other Dave.
"It's a screwdriver. It works in the dark."
Harry had to stop himself from snorting at the Doctors words, but then he looked up and noticed something.
"Doctor, the moon." Harry anounced
Everyone looked up and, effectively, they saw the moon.
"The moon… Tell me about the moon. What's there?"
"It's not real. It was built as part of The Library. It's a Doctor Moon." Explained Mr. Lux.
"What's a Doctor Moon?" Asked the Master not liking the sound of that.
"A virus checker. Its purpose is to maintain the main computer in the core of the planet."
"Hum, it's still active. It's sending signals, look." The Doctor moved a few steps forward with the screwdriver pointing up and they saw as its noise increased.
"Someone somewhere inside The Library is alive and communicating with the moon. Or alive and drying their hair… No, the signal's definitely coming from the moon. I can't lock directly onto it, it's trying to get out though that much I do know."
The Doctor gave up and looked at Harry. Harry looked back and debated before answering
"There is life in this place, Doctor, but I cannot tell you more about its nature. I've never seen something like this, there is life at the centre of the planet which should be impossible even for a converted planet."