The Long Game

The TARDIS materialised inside a large room, vivid with cream, pink and white colours with bright lights. The Doctor, Clara and Rose stepped out before closing the door, slightly shuddering at the sudden intense heat. "So, it's 200,000 on a spaceship. No, scratch that, space station and…try that gate over there. Off you go." The Doctor said teasingly to Rose.

"200,000?"

"200,000."

"Right. Adam? Out you come." She opened the door and let said man out, who looked around in bewilderment.

"Oh my god." He breathed.

"Don't worry. You'll get used to it."

"Where are we?"

"Good question. Let's see. Judging by the architecture, I'd say we're around the year 200,000." She said, winking at the Doctor and Clara who sniggered.

"Uh-huh." Adam said dumbly.

"And if you listen…engines. Which means we're on some sort of spaceship. No, scratch that, space station." The Doctor exchanged a sheepish look with Clara who shook her head playfully at him. "Yeah, definitely a space station. It's a bit warm in here, though. They could turn the heating down." She mumbled, tugging her shirt collar back a bit as she did.

"She's got a point." Clara nodded.

"Yeah, why is it so hot in here? Or is it because you're around?" He flirted.

"Maybe. You're doing the same to me." She flirted, the two exchanging an intense look.

"You two need to calm down for a second." Rose groaned, making them blush slightly. "Tell you what, let's try that gate over there, come on." She clapped her hands, making them follow her through said gate to stand on an observational deck, overlooking the Earth, which was covered in cities so large, they could be seen from their position in space. "Here we go, and this is…actually I'll let the Doctor describe it."

The Doctor sent a cheeky grin to Clara who rolled her eyes at him. "The Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire and there it is, planet Earth at its height. Covered with megacities, five moons and a population of 96 billion. The hub of a galactic domain, stretching across a million planets and a million species with mankind right in the middle." They heard Adam breathe loudly before collapsing onto the floor.

"He's your boyfriend." Clara teased, without looking.

"Not anymore." Rose quipped, exchanging a snigger with the two.

Leading the group into a large, empty food court, the Doctor had his hands-on Adam's shoulders. "Come on, Adam. Open your mind. You're going to like this fantastic period of history. Humanity at its most intelligent. Culture, art, politics. This era has got fine food, good manners-"

"Out of the way!" A man suddenly demanded, pushing through them as an alarm blared through the room, the food court services opening as people came rushing in and indistinctly talking loudly to each other. The three exchanged confused looks while Adam stared around blankly.

"Fine cuisines?" Rose asked.

"My watch must be wrong." The Doctor mumbled, checking his wristwatch before furrowing his eyebrows. "No, its fine. That's weird."

"That's what comes from showing off." Rose teased, making Clara snigger. "Your history's not as good as you thought it was."

"My history's perfect."

"Well, obviously not."

"Doctor, where's all the species?" Clara whispered.

"No idea. Isn't that odd?" He agreed, making her nod with him.

"They're all Human, but what about the millions of planets, the millions of species? Where are they?" Adam rambled.

"Good question. Actually, that is a good question." He said, sending a playful wink to Clara who giggled into her hand. "Adam, me old mate, you must be starving."

"No, I'm just a bit time sick."

"Nah, you just need a bit of grub. Oi, mate! How much is a…cronk burger?" He asked a shop vendor while reading their menu.

"Two credits twenty sweetheart now join the queue."

"Money. We need money." The Doctor said, leading them over to a familiar yet advanced ATM. "Let's use a cashpoint." Pulling out his sonic, he scanned the ATM, causing it to send out a small stick of grey metal. "There you go, pocket money. Don't spend it all on sweets." He said, handing it to Adam.

"How does it work?"

"Go and find out, stop nagging me. Thing is, Adam, time travel's like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guidebook; You've got to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers, or is that just me?" He rambled, making Rose laugh.

"Nah, that's just you." Clara teased.

"Watch it, missy." He said playfully, the two exchanging a snigger. "Look just stop asking questions. Go on, do it." He ushered Adam away before looking at Rose. "Off you go then. Your first date." He teased.

"Clara, can you smack him more often?" Rose asked slyly.

"It'll be my pleasure." She grinned making the Doctor gulp as she leaned into him. "Did you just steal money from a vendor?"

"Nooo." He mumbled sheepishly. "So, you ready to go snooping about?"

"Always. Tell you what, let's try those two over there." She said, pointing to a dark-skinned woman in a business suit conversing with a brunette in everyday clothing. "I mean, I don't know where else to start." She shrugged.

"Me neither." He admitted as they walked over to them, unknowingly holding each other's hands. "Uh, excuse me. This is going to sound daft, but can you tell us where we are?"

"Floor 139. Couldn't they have written it any bigger?" The businesswoman blinked, pointing to a large writing on the wall that indeed said, 'Floor 139'.

"Floor 139 of what?"

"Must've been a hell of a party." She mumbled.

"You're on Satellite Five." The other interjected.

"What's Satellite Five?" Clara asked.

"Come on. How could you get on board without knowing where you are?"

"Look at us. We're stupid." The Doctor said cheerfully, making Clara struggle to hide her laughter.

"Wait a minute. Are you a test? Management test?" The other said with wide eyes.

"You've got us. Well done." The Doctor said, pulling out his psychic paper.

"We were warned about this in basic training. All workers have to be versed in company promotion."

"Right then. Fire away, ask your questions. If it gets me to Floor 500, I'll do anything." The first said, brushing back her hair.

"Why? What happens on Floor 500?"

She blinked a few times. "The walls are made of gold." She said as if it was obvious, only making the Doctor and Clara furrow their eyebrows. "And you should know, Mr. & Mrs. Management."

"Oh, we're not a couple." They blushed in unison.

"Right." She mumbled unconvincingly, glancing down at their still joined hands. "So, this is what we do." She said, leading them over to a few news screens, all with narrated voices speaking indistinctly. "Latest news: Sandstorms on the New Venus archipelago, 200 dead. Glasgow water riots into their third day. Space lane 77 closed by sunspot activity. And over on the Bad Wolf channel, the Face of Boe has just announced he's pregnant."

The Doctor and Clara exchanged a small look at the mention of 'Bad Wolf'. "We get it. You broadcast the news."

"No, we are the news. We're the journalists." Unknown to them, a camera zoomed in on them.

"We write it, package it and sell it. 600 channels, all coming out of Satellite Five, broadcasting everywhere. Nothing happens in the whole Human Empire without it going through us."

Inside an ice-cold room, a man with short, blonde hair in a navy-blue suit is standing in front of a monitor, with 5 people, all covered in frost sitting at computers and working silently, not even blinking. "Something is wrong. Something fictional." He mumbled, moving closer to the screen. "Those people. Perform a security check. Go deep." He whispered to one of the workers.

"All staff are reminded that the canteen area is now operating a self-cleaning table system. Thank you."

Rose came to a table where Adam sat, with a slightly overwhelmed look on his face. "Try this." She said, holding up a drink cup. "It's called Zaphic. It's nice, it's like a…um…slush puppy."

"What flavour?"

She takes a sip before shrugging. "Sort of beef?"

"Oh my god." He breathes, making her laugh. "It's like everything's gone. Home, family, everything."

"This helps." She said, pulling out her phone. "The Doctor gave it a bit of a top-up. Who's back home, your Mum and Dad?"

"Yeah."

"Phone them up."

"But that's 198,000 years ago."

"Honestly, try it. Go on." She implored, holding out her phone which he then took.

"Is there a code for-"

"Just dial." She almost groans.

He dials before waiting.

"I'm sorry we're not in." He looks at her with wide eyes. "Please leave a message. Thanks, bye."

"It's on hook."

*Beep*

"Hi. It's me. I've sort of gone…traveling. I met these people and…we're traveling together. But…I'm fine and I'll call you later. Love you. Bye." Hanging up, he gets a childlike grin. "That is just-" An alarm blares through the room, making everyone rush to leave.

"Oi! Mutt and Jeff! Over here!" The Doctor calls to them, making Rose move over to them. Adam, with a side glance puts Rose's phone in his pocket, unknowingly being watched by Clara, squinting at him.

"Security check cleared."

"No, something's wrong." The Man says, shaking his head. "I can almost…taste it. There's just this tiny little shift in the information. Someone down there shouldn't be here. Double-check. Triple-check. Follow them." He whispers to the workers as the camera shows the group moving into a blank, white room. "Who is it?"

"Now, everybody behave. It's a management inspection. How do you want it? By the book?"

"Right from scratch, thank you." The Doctor says, holding back a sarcastic tone yet making the Man chuckle.

"Okay, so. Ladies and gentlemen, multi-sex, undecided or robot, my name is Cathica Santini Khadeni. That's Cathica with a 'c', in case you want to write to Floor 500 praising me and please do." She sends a smile to them; the Doctor and Clara exchanged a crooked eyebrow. "Now, please feel free to ask any questions. The process of news gathering must be open, honest and beyond bias. That's company policy."

"Actually, um…it's the law." The woman from earlier interjects with a kind smile, making the Doctor and Clara snigger under their breaths.

"Yes, thank you, Suki." Cathica says almost degradingly, making her give a small, smug smile.

"Can we just get to it already?" The Man groaned.

"Okay, keep it calm. Don't show off for the guests. Here we go." Cathica sits on a reclining chair in the middle of the room, surrounded by small workstations with handprints like sensors. "And…engage safety." The walls light up with orange lights, but not enough to blind them. Cathica clicks her fingers, opening a small latch in her forehead to reveal the front of her brain, making the four's jaws drop as the people around her place their hands on the sensors. "And 3…2…1…spike." From a small device in the ceiling, a ray of dim, blue light shoots out and into her forehead as she closes her eyes in a dreamlike state.

"Look into everyone. And go deep." The Man whispers to the workers.

"Compressed information streaming into her. Reports from every city, every country, every planet and they all get packaged inside her head. She becomes part of the software. Her brain IS the computer." The Doctor rambled.

"If it all goes through her, she must be a genius." Rose mumbled.

"She wouldn't remember any of it. There's too much, her head would blow up. The brain's the processor. As soon as it closes, she forgets." Clara spoke in her 'Teacher' mode, getting a smile from the Doctor.

"So, what about all these people around the edge?"

"They've all got tiny little chips inside their heads, connecting them to her and they transmit over 600 channels. Every single fact in the empire beams out of this place. Now I'd either call that power or control."

"They are good." The Man said with a small smile. "Who would they-"

"Analysis confirmed. Security breach."

"Oh, I knew it. Which one then? It's someone inside that room, which one?"

"Isolating breach."

He looked at the screen, almost shaking with agitation. "Come on, show me. Who is it?"

"You, all right?" Rose asked Adam.

"I can see her brain."

"Do you want to get out?"

"No, no. It's…this technology, its…it's amazing."

"This technology's wrong." The Doctor said grimly, making them look at him.

"Trouble?" Clara said with a smirk.

"Oh yeah." He said in the same tone.

A tiny pulse flared through the sensors, not doing anything except making Suki flinch. "That's it! Oh yes! She's the liar. Intercept and scan." The Man said with a sly smile.

"Scan complete. Confirmed: Double biographies with one fictional."

"Gotcha."

Sending a pulse through the room, it turns off the lights and makes everyone look up with blinking eyes while the blue light shuts off and Cathica's forehead closes, blinking as she turns to Suki. "Come off it, Suki! I wasn't even halfway." She groaned.

"Sorry. It must've been a glitch." Suki mumbled.

"Of course. Her information's been tampered with. Her first biography is a lie, so what's that second one underneath?" The Man mumbles.

*Snarls*

He looks up to the ceiling with a flinch. "Yes sir."

*Snarls*

"Absolutely sir."

*Snarls*

"Yes, well, her data was encrypted, so there's no way we could've found her sooner."

*Snarls*

"Yes sir. I'm sorry sir." He turns back to the workers. "Get her up here. Now."

"Promotion." Inside the room a blue screen appears with the word 'Promotion'.

"This is it, come on. Make it me. Come on, say my name. Say my name. Say my name." Cathica mumbles to herself. The Doctor and Clara look at each other as if she was off her rockers.

"Promotion for…Suki Macrae Cantrell. Please proceed to Floor 500."

"I don't believe it. Floor 500." Suki said with her jaw dropped.

"How the hell did you manage that? I'm above you."

"I don't know, I just applied on the off-chance. And they've said yes!" She squealed with a grin.

"That is so not fair. I've been applying to Floor 500 for three years." Cathica groaned, crossing her arms.

"What's Floor 500?" Rose whispers.

"The walls are made of gold." Clara says, but not with certainty.

"*Chuckles* As if. While Suki's on her way, do a full security check on those four. Especially U-boat captain and teacher down there. They're rather good, so who are they?" The Man mumbles.

"Cathica, I'm going to miss you. Floor 500. Thank you." She said to the Doctor and Clara, Cathica sulking by them while Rose moves over to a breathing Adam.

"We didn't do anything." The Doctor shrugged.

"Well, you two are my lucky charm."

He and Clara exchanged a smirk. "Why not? We'll hug anyone." He grinned as the three embraced.

"Come on. It's not that bad." Rose reassured Adam.

"What, with the…head thing?"

"Yeah, well, she's closed it now."

"Yeah, but it…it's everything. It freaks me out. And I just need to…if I could just…cold down, you know? Take a breather. Just have a moment of silence to…let it sink in before I go mad."

"Trust me, that's every moment with those clowns." Rose smirked knowingly.

"I heard that." They said in unison.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Rose offered.

"I think you might be better off with them. They seem like they've got a mystery to solve."

"Alright then. Just take a moment back on the observation deck. And," She pulls out her TARDIS key. "Take the TARDIS key. Just in case it gets a bit too much."

"Like it's not weird in there." He mumbles, making them chuckle as he takes the key and puts it in his pocket. "Right then. I'll be on the deck."

"Okay. We won't be too long…hopefully." Rose said as they parted, yet she missed his small smirk as he left.

"Oh my god! I've got to go! I can't keep them waiting!" Suki squealed as she picked up a large, black bag and moved to a nearby lift. "Oh, say goodbye to Steve for me! Bye!" She waves as the door closes.

"Good riddance." Cathica mumbles, making them furrow their eyebrows at her.

"You're talking like you'll never see her again." The Doctor said. "She's only going upstairs."

"We won't. Once you go to Floor 500 you never come back." The Doctor and Clara exchanged a grim look.

"Have you ever been up there?" Clara asked.

"You can't. You need a key for the lift and you only get a key with promotion. Nobody goes to 500 except for the chosen few."

Suki paced in the elevator with agitation for two minutes before it stopped moving, the door opening to reveal another extension of Satellite Five, only covered in frost and ice with flakes falling from the ceiling and vents, chilling her to the bone. Picking up her bag, she moved forward with caution only to flinch with shock as the elevator closed behind her. Taking a torch out of her bag, she flicks it on and moves towards an open door, entering a news reporting room yet covered in plastic, making her unable to see inside. She reaches out a hand and pulls it back only to scream as she finds withered, snow laced corpses inside, the one on the reclining chair with its forehead still open. She moves away in haste, finding a small flight of stairs which she takes to the room at the top, still looking behind her as she breathes deeply, before turning around and jumping slightly as she sees the Man standing there, looking at her with a small smirk. The workers were still sitting, not even acknowledging her presence. "Who are you?" She asks.

"I'm the Editor."

"What's happening? Th…there are bodies out there. What's going on?"

"While we're asking questions, could you please confirm your name?" He clicks his finger, causing a holographic screen to appear with her in it.

"My name is Suki Macrae Cantrell. I was born 199'89 in the Independent Republic of Morocco."

"Liar." He clicks his fingers.

"Hobbies include reading and archaeology. I'm not an expert or anything, I just like digging."

"Liar." He clicks his fingers.

"I want to work for Satellite Five because my sister can't afford university. And the pay scheme is really good."

"Liar!" He roars, making her jump. "Let's look at the facts, shall we?" He clicks his fingers, changing the screen to show her in a camouflage combat outfit, firing a rifle at something off screen. "Ah, there we go. Hidden behind a genetic graft but that's still you. Eva Saint Julienne, the last surviving member of the Freedom Fifteen. And a self-declared anarchist, is that right?"

"Who controls Satellite Five?" She asks sternly, holding up a gun and making him raise his hands in shock before bursting out in laughter.

"There's the truth!" He says gleefully.

"The Freedom Foundation has been monitoring Satellite Five's transmissions. We have absolute proof that the facts are being manipulated. You are lying to the people."

"Ooh, I love it! Say it again."

"This whole system is corrupt. Who do you represent?"

"I'm merely a humble slave. I answer to the Editor-in-Chief." He admits.

"Who is he? Where is he?"

"He's overseeing everything. Quite literally, everything. In fact, I'll have to refer this upwards." He points up, making her look to the ceiling, jumping in shock as she points her pistol upwards.

*Snarls*

"What is that?!"

"Your boss. This has always been your boss since the day you were born." He said smugly. She begins firing at the ceiling as he turns away with a disgusted look, knowing what would follow as she screams in terror before utter silence, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Look, they only give us twenty minutes maintenance. Can't you give it a rest?" Cathica groans as she returns to the newsroom, the Doctor reclining on the chair with Clara sitting with him, laying into his chest as he wraps her in a loose hug. Rose crooks an eyebrow and holds back a snigger at this.

"But you've never been to another floor, not even on floor down or up?" The Doctor asked.

"I went to Floor 16 when I first arrived. That's medical, so its where I got my head done and then I came straight here. Satellite Five; You work, eat and sleep on the same floor and that's it, that's all." She looks at them with squinting eyes. "You're not management, are you?"

"At last, she's clever." The Doctor sassed.

"And you're sure you're not together?" She asked smugly, making the two see how close they were.

"I'm so sorry." They blushed in unison, making Clara stand up to place her elbow on his shoulder, coughing slightly to avert her blush. Cathica looks at Rose in bewilderment, which she just mouths 'They're idiots' with a grin, making her shake her head.

"Look, whatever it is, don't involve me. I don't know anything."

"Don't you even ask?" The Doctor deducts.

"Well, why would I?"

"You're a journalist. Why's all the crew Human?"

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"There's no aliens onboard. Why?"

"I don't know, no real reason. They're not banned or anything."

"Then, where are they?" Clara asks, making even Rose squint her eyes.

Cathica blinks a few times. "I suppose immigrations tightened up. It's had to, what with all the threats."

"What threats?"

"I don't know, all of them. Usual stuff. And the price of space warp doubled, so that kept the visitors away. And the government on Traffic Five's collapsed, so that lot stopped coming. Just…lots of little reasons, that's all." She dismissed.

"Adding up to one great big fact, and you didn't even notice." The Doctor said.

"Doctor, I think if there was any kind of conspiracy, Satellite Five would've seen it. We see everything."

"I can see better. This society's the wrong shape, even the technology."

"It's cutting edge." She defended.

"It's backwards! There's a great big door in your head. You should've chucked this out years ago."

"So, what do you think is going on?" Rose asked.

"It's not just this space station. It's the whole attitude, it's the way people think. The Great and Bountiful Human Empire's stunted. Something's holding it back."

"And how would you know?" Cathica asked, crossing her arms.

"Trust me. Humanity's been set back about 90 years. When did Satellite Five start broadcasting?"

Cathica gains a small look of shocking realisation. "91 years ago." She mumbles.

Adam stands on the balcony, looking down at Earth with soft wonder before gazing at a console with a hand sensor. Moving over to it, he places his hand on with slight hesitancy. "Give me access." He mumbles, before fluttering his eyes as a stream of information flickered through his head. "I can learn anything." He said in amazement. "Let's try…computers. From the 21st Century to the present date, give me the history of the microprocessor." More information flickered through his mind. "Oh my god." He pulled out Rose's phone and dialled.

"I'm sorry we're not in. Please leave a message. Thanks, bye."

*Beeps*

"Mum, Dad, keep this message, okay? Whatever you do, don't erase it, save it. You got that?" He nods slightly to himself before returning to the sensor. "The microprocessor became redundant in the year 2019, replaced by a system called SMT. That's Single-Molecule Transcription." He received a message in his mind almost blaring 'Floor 16'. "No, no, no, no, no, no. What're you doing?" He ranted, kicking the console before wincing at the sudden pain in his foot, then hanging up the call. "What's Floor 16? What's down there?"

Arriving at Floor 16, he gazed through the grey room at the long lines of information desks with people conversing at them. Walking through, he sees one sitting alone, a 30-year-old woman writing down on paper. He walks over to the desk and clearing his throat to gain her attention. "Sorry. Um…Floor 16…what do you cover?"

"Medical Non-Emergency."

"Right, yes, wrong floor. I'm having technical difficulties. My screen keeps freezing, blocking me out."

"No, that's medical. There must be something wrong with your chip."

"Yes, right. Um…I haven't got one." He admitted.

She rolled her eyes. "No wonder you can't get a screen to work. What are you, a…student?"

"Yes, I'm on a research project from…the University of Mars." He thinks.

She rolls her eyes again. "The Martian Boondocks. Typical."

"Yep." He said, slightly confused that it worked.

"Well, you still need chipping."

"So, does that mean like…brain surgery?"

"An old-fashioned phrase, but yes, it's the same thing."

"Ah, okay, never mind. But if I get a chip, then that means…I can use any computer."

"Absolutely. You'll have to pay for it. They've stopped subsidizing."

"Right, sorry then. Hold on." He pauses before reaching into his pocket, pulling out the thin grey stick of metal. "Can I use this?"

"That'll do nicely." She smiles.

Now sitting in a reclining chair in an advanced surgery room, Adam looked at her in rapture. "It all comes down to two basic types. Type One is the Head Chip. Inserted into the back of the skull, 100 credits. Here's the chip." She picks up a small piece of black metal, the size of a rice grain. "Tiny, invisible with no scarring. Type Two is the Full Info-Spike."

"That's the…umm…" He points to his forehead.

She nods. "That's the one. Now, it does cost 10,000."

"Oh, I don't think I could afford it."

"Not at all. In fact, you have unlimited credit." She smiles at him with a blend of sweetness and seduction.

"Well, I…I couldn't have it done. I mean…it's got to hurt, right?"

"Painless. A contractual guarantee."

"No. My…um…my mate's waiting upstairs, I can't have major surgery."

"It only takes 10 minutes. That sort of money buys a very fast pico-surgeon."

"No…I…no…I couldn't."

"Type One: You can interface with a simple computer. Type Two: You…ARE the computer. You can transmit any piece of information from the archive of Satellite Five which is…just about the entire history of humanity. Now, which one's it going to be?"

The Editor looks in confusion as the Doctor and Clara stand by the mainframe in the wall, using the sonic to open it while Rose watches them. "We're so going to get in trouble." Cathica mumbles. "You're not allowed to touch the mainframe; we'll get told off."

"Rose, tell her to button it." The Doctor mumbles.

"You can't just vandalize the place, someone's going to notice."

"I don't understand. We did a full security scan. Those two were there when we found Suki Macrae Cantrell. There were no indications about him and yet, here he is, clearly acting outside the parameters. Fascinating."

*Snarls*

"Yes sir." He says, looking to the ceiling immediately.

*Snarls*

"Absolutely."

*Snarls*

"At once." He turns back to the workers, one of them is now a frost covered Suki. "Check them. Double-check them. Triple-check them. Quadruple."

The sonic sparks, making Cathica jump as they rip the door open and mess around with the wires inside. "This is nothing to do with me, I'm going back to work."

"Go on then, see ya." The Doctor said cheerfully.

"I can't just leave you, can I?"

"If you want to be useful, can you get them to turn the heating down? It's boiling." Rose mumbles. "What's wrong with this place? Can't they do something about it?"

"I don't know. We keep asking. It's something to do with the turbine." Cathica dismisses.

"Something to do with the turbine." The Doctor mutters mockingly.

"Well, I don't know!"

"Exactly! I give up on you, Cathica. Now look at Rose. Rose is asking the right kind of questions."

"Thank you." She smiled.

"Why is it so hot?"

"One minute, you're worried about the Empire and the next minute, it's the central heating." Cathica groans.

"Oh, never underestimate plumbing. Plumbing's very important."

*Sparks*

He holds up a broken wire with a sheepish look. "Fat lot of use you are." Clara rolls her eyes.

"Oi!"

"Security scan complete."

"Well? Who is he?" He asks in agitation.

"He is no one."

"*Chuckles* What does that mean?"

"He is no one."

"You mean he has a fake I.D?"

"He has no identification."

He furrows his eyebrows in bewilderment. "But everyone's registered. We have a census for the entire Empire."

"He is no one."

"What, he doesn't exist? Not anywhere?"

"He is no one."

"What about the brunette he likes?"

"She is no one."

"Both of them?! Their blonde friend?!"

"She is no one."

"All of them?! Well, we all know what happens to non-entities: They get promoted." He says gleefully. "Bring them up." He whispers to a worker.

"Here we go, Satellite Five. Pipes and plumbing. Look at the layout." The Doctor said, bringing out a screen with a schematic of the entire station.

"This is ridiculous. You've got access to the computer's core. You could look at the archive, the news, the stock exchange…and you're looking at pipes?" She says in bewilderment.

"But there's something wrong." Clara says, crooking her eyebrows briefly.

"I suppose." She mumbles.

"Why? What is it?" Rose asks.

"The ventilation system. Cooling ducts, ice filters, all working flat-out. Channelling massive amounts of heat down…"

"All the way from the top." Clara finishes.

"Floor 500." Rose concludes.

"Something up there is generating massive amounts of heat."

"Well, I don't know about you, but I feel like I'm missing out on a party. It's all going on upstairs. Fancy a trip?" Rose says slyly, making them smirk at her.

"But you can't. You need a key." Cathica protests.

"Oh, keys are just codes, and I have the codes right here." The Doctor pushes past and uses the keyboard on the screen. "Override 215.9." A key stick then pops out of the screen.

"How come it's giving you the code?" Cathica berates.

He looks up at the camera above him. "Someone up there likes us." He winks.

The Editor bursts into laughter. "Oh, you have no idea." He says, like an excited child.

Adam rubs his forehead as the nurse holds up a mirror. "I told you it was painless." She said with a small shrug. "No scarring, you see. Perfect success."

"How do I…um…"

"Activate it?" She finished, making him nod. "It's a personal choice. Some people whistle. I know one man who triggers it with 'Oh, Danny boy.' But you're set on default for now. That's a click of the fingers."

"So, you mean I just…"

"Click."

He clicks his fingers, opening his forehead before gazing in the mirror with wide eyes. He briefly touches the outlining, feeling metal before clicking his fingers again. "Oh my god. I'm going to be sick." He vomits before holding a hand to his mouth, finding the waste coming out in ice form, making him look at her in confusion.

"It's a special offer. We installed the Vomitomatic at the same time. Nano-termites have been placed in the lining of your throat. So, in the event of sickness, they freeze the waste." She takes the cube and places it inside a small bowl, before looking at it in slight confusion as he hiccups.

The Doctor, Clara and Rose enter the elevator, Cathica watching them. "Come on. Come with us." Rose implored.

"No way."

"Bye!" The Doctor said cheerfully, Clara waving.

"Well, don't mention my name. When you get in trouble, don't involve me." She walks away.

"That's her gone. Adam's given up. Looks like it's just us." He said, looking at Clara.

"Yep."

"Good."

"Yep." Their staring gets slightly intense before he inserts the key into the elevator, Rose rolling her eyes.

"Can they just admit it already?" She mumbled under her breath.

"What'd you say?" They said in unison.

"Nothing. I said nothing."

They looked at each other before shrugging and taking grasping their hands. Arriving at Floor 500, they look at each other with grim concern as they see the room covered in snow. Stepping out cautiously, the Doctor looks around. "The walls are not made of gold. You two should head back."

"And leave you here?" Clara mumbles.

He rolls his eyes despite his soft smile. "Alright then boss." They walk around the room before taking a small flight of steps, stopping as they see the Editor looking at them with patience.

"I started without you. Sorry." He shrugged. "Now, this is fascinating. Satellite Five contains every piece of information within the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire: Birth certificates, shopping habits, bank statements, but you two…you don't exist. There's not a trace. No birth, no job, not the slightest kiss. How can you walk through the world and not leave a single footprint?"

"Oh my god, Suki." Rose rushes forward, grasping her arm but recoiling slightly as she doesn't even budge. "Hello? Suki, can you hear me? What have you done to her?" She turned to him.

"I think she's dead. They're all dead." The Doctor said grimly.

"But she's…working."

"They've all got chips in their head and the chips keep going. They're like puppets now."

"Oh! You're full of information. But it's only fair we get some information back because apparently, you're no one. *Chuckles* It's so rare not to know something. Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter because we're off. Nice to meet you. Come on." He motions to Rose, but three workers come from the desk, two restraining the Doctor while the third holds both of Clara's arms behind her as Suki grasps hard onto Rose's.

"Tell me who you're are." He says impatiently.

"Since that information's keeping us alive, I'm hardly going to say, am I?"

"True, but my Editor-in-Chief can convince you otherwise."

The Doctor blinks. "And who's that?"

"It may interest you to know that this is not the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. In fact, it's not actually Human at all. It's merely a place where Humans happen to live."

*Snarls*

"Yeah." He mumbled sheepishly, making the Doctor and Clara share confused looks at the sound of the snarling.

*Snarls*

"Sorry. Let me reiterate. It's a place where Humans CAN live by kind permission from my client." He snaps his fingers upwards, making them glance. Their eyes widened as on the ceiling was a large, red mass with a mouth filled with rows of sharp teeth baring down at them.

"What is that?" Rose muttered in shock.

"You mean that thing's in charge of Satellite Five?" The Doctor asked.

"That "Thing", as you put it, is in charge of the Human Race." The Doctor and Clara glance at him with fearful eyes. "For almost one hundred years, mankind has been shaped and guided by his knowledge and ambition, strictly controlled by its broadcast news, all edited by my superior, your master and humanity's guiding light: The Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarondenfoe. I call him Max." He chuckles gleefully, making the Doctor and Clara give him fake smiles.

Cathica with a distant gaze, walks through the main room and past Adam who heads towards the newsroom. Arriving at the mainframe, she pulls out the screen and inputs the same code the Doctor did and received a key card, before heading to the elevator and inputting the code into its screen, waiting as the elevator took her to Floor 500.

"If we create a climate of fear, the it's easy to keep the borders closed. It's just a matter of emphasis. The right word in the right broadcast, repeated often enough can destabilize an economy, invent an enemy, change a vote." The Editor explains as the three were now bound in manacles.

"So, all the people on Earth are like…slaves." Rose says with conclusion.

"Well now, there's an interesting point. Is a slave a slave if he doesn't know he's enslaved?"

"Yes." Clara and the Doctor say in unison.

"Aww. I was hoping for a philosophical debate. Is that all I'm going to get, 'Yes'?"

"Yes." Clara glares at him.

"Dear me. You may be pretty but your no fun." He shakes his head, making the Doctor clench his jaw.

"Let me out of these manacles. You'll find out how much FUN I am." She growls, making Rose's eyes widen slightly.

"Dear, you actually are tough. Now wonder why he likes you." He glances at the Doctor, smirking as he doesn't deny it. "But come on, isn't it a great system? You've got to admire it, just a little bit."

"You can't hide something on this scale. Somebody must've noticed." Rose said.

"They did." Clara inputted.

"Who then?"

"Who do you think those people are?" Clara nods to the workers, making Rose's breathing hitch slightly. "If they don't fit in, be it fictional or non-existent, they are 'Promoted'."

"And now I'm wrong. She's more than a pretty face." The Editor nodded. "Yes, someone notices from time to time, but the computer-chip system allows me to see inside their brains. I can see the smallest doubt then crush it. And then, they all just carry on, living the life. Strutting about downstairs and all over the surface of the Earth like they're so individual when, of course, they're not. They're just cattle. In that respect, the Jagrafess hasn't changed a thing."

The Doctor and Clara both notice Cathica from a mirrored glass, both winking at each other when the Editor isn't looking. "What about you? You're not a Jagra…a…belly…"

"Jagrafess." The Doctor says in a bored tone.

"Jagrafess. You're not a Jagrafess, you're Human."

"Yes, well being Human doesn't pay very well, now does it?"

Clara rolled her eyes. Again, it's always about the money.

"But you couldn't have done this all on your own."

"No. I represent a consortium of banks. Money prefers a long-term investment. Also, the Jagrafess needed a little hand to…um…install himself." He shivered slightly in disgust.

"No wonder, a creature that size. What's his life span?" The Doctor asked.

"3,000 years." Rose whistled slightly.

"That's one hell of a metabolism generating all that heat. That's why Satellite Five is so hot. You pump it out of the creature and channel it downstairs. Jagrafess stays cool, he stays alive. Satellite Five is one great big life support system."

"But that's why you're so dangerous. Knowledge is power, but you remain unknown. Who are you?" He snaps his fingers, causing electricity to arc through the manacles, making the three clench their teeth to hold back their cries of agony. Clara fails however, letting out a small cry, making the Doctor look at her with concern.

"Leave them alone. I'm the Doctor, she's Clara Oswald and our friend is Rose Tyler. We're nothing, just wanderers."

"Tell me who you are." He nearly whined.

"I just said."

"Yes, but who do you work for? Who sent you? Who knows about us? Who exactly-" He cuts himself off as his eyes widened before a sly smirk crawls onto his face, turning into a satisfied grin, making the three exchange small looks of worry? "Time Lord." He says finally.

"What?" The Doctor mutters in shock.

"Oh, yes! The last of the Time Lords and his traveling machine. Along with his two, little Human girls from long ago. One who has given her life twice to save him." He brushes Clara's cheek with his hand, making her flinch.

"You don't know what you're talking about." The Doctor growled at Clara's uncomfortableness.

"Time travel." He nods with a knowing smile.

"Someone's been telling you lies."

"Young master Adam Mitchell?" He clicks his fingers, bringing up a screen of Adam in the newsroom with his head open and the dim, blue light streaming into his forehead, while he sits writhing in agony.

"Oh my god, his head." Rose mutters in shock.

"What the hell's he done? What the hell's he gone and done?" The Doctor said in fear and anger.

"His mind is open. We can read this mind and through him, I know now everything about you." The Editor said smugly. "Every piece of information in his head is now mine. And you have infinite knowledge, Doctor. The Human Empire is tiny compared to what you've seen in your T-A-R-D-I-S, TARDIS."

"Well, you'll never get your hands on it. I'll die first!"

"Die all you like. I don't need you; I've got the key. Dear me, Rose. You shouldn't have given it to him." He said, not losing his smug tone.

"You and your boyfriends." Clara growled.

"Today, WE are the headlines. We can rewrite history, prevent mankind from ever developing."

"And no one's going to stop you. Because you've bred a Human Race who doesn't bother to ask questions." Clara glares, hoping Cathica could take the hint. "Stupid little slaves, believing every lie. They'll just trot right into the slaughterhouse if they're told it's made of gold." Cathica glances at the mirror into Clara's eyes as a fierce determination burrows into her own as she walks off.

An alarm flares through the room, followed by Adam's light being shut off. "What's happening?" The Editor said, his smug tone dropping. "Someone's disengaged the safety." He clicks his fingers, bringing up a screen of Cathica in the newsroom filled with corpses, with her own head open. "Who's that?"

"That's Cathica." Rose mumbles, now gaining a smile of relief.

"And she's thinking. She's using what she knows. Everything we told her about Satellite Five: The pipes, the filters, she's reversing it. Look at that." The Doctor nods to some ice, beginning to melt into water. "It's getting hot. She's venting the heat up here. The Jagrafess needs to stay cool and how he's sitting on top of a volcano." He sends a proud grin to Clara, who gives him a cheeky wink.

"Terminate her. I said terminate her. Burn out her mind." The Editor growls.

"Oh no, you don't. You should've promoted me years back." Cathica says defiantly. Suddenly, sparks burst from the screens in the room, breaking and shattering them, causing the workers to collapse onto the desk. The Jagrafess roars in anger and pain while Clara's manacles break open from the force, making her rummage through the Doctor's jacket for his sonic.

*Snarls*

"Yes. I'm trying sir, but…I don't know how she did it, but it's impossible. A member of staff with an idea." The Editor says in shaking fear as Clara frees both the Doctor and Rose from their manacles.

"Oi, mate! Do you want to bank on a certainty? Massive heat in a massive body equals massive bang. See you in the headlines!" The Doctor taunted, taking Clara's hand to rush out with Rose running in front of them. Running into the newsroom, they see Cathica sitting on the reclining chair with her eyes closed in peace.

*BANG*

They jump at the sound of the Jagrafess exploding before Clara clicks her fingers, closing Cathica's forehead as she looks up at her, Clara giving her a kind smile.

Back on Floor 139, the Doctor and Clara sat with Cathica while Rose had her hands on their shoulders. "We're just going to go. I hate tidying up." The Doctor muttered, making Clara snigger. "There'll be too many questions, but you'll manage."

"You have to explain it. No one's going to believe me." Cathica shook her head.

"Oh, they might start believing a lot of things now. Humanity should accelerate, all back to normal."

"What about your friend?" Cathica glances at Adam, who was standing by the TARDIS.

"He's not our friend." They stood up, walking towards the TARDIS, the Doctor gaining a stern look.

"Now don't…" Rose sighs in defeat as they ignore her.

"I'm all right now. Much better. And I've got the key." Adam holds up the key as he tries to defend himself. "Look, it's…it all worked out for the best, didn't it?" The Doctor snatched the key from his hand and unlocked the TARDIS door. "You know, it's not actually my fault, because you were in charge-"

Clara smacked him hard across the face. "Shut up, now." She growled as the Doctor pulled him into the TARDIS before it dematerialised.

Adam's House
2012

The Doctor led Adam out of the TARDIS. "This is my house, I'm home. *Chuckles* Oh my god, I'm home. Blimey, I thought you were going to chuck me out of an airlock."

"Is there something else you want to mention?" Clara asked with her eyebrows raised.

"No. Um…what do you mean?"

"Sonic." She holds out her hand, the Doctor giving it to her as she walks over to his home phone. "The archive of Satellite Five. One second of that message you sent could've changed the world, and not for the better." She admonished before using the sonic on the phone, causing it to spark and burst apart, making Adam jump as Clara handed the sonic back to the Doctor.

"That's it then. See ya." The Doctor said.

"How do you mean 'See ya'."

"As in goodbye."

"But what about me? You can't just go, I've got my head, a chip type two, my head opens."

"What, like this?" *Clicks*

"Don't." *Clicks*

"Don't do what?" *Clicks*

"Stop it!" *Clicks*

"Stop what?" Clara said innocently. *Clicks*

"Stop that!" *Clicks*

"Alright you two children, enough." Rose admonished, making them stand down.

"Thank you." Adam said.

Rose smirked. *Clicks*

"Oi!" *Clicks*

"Sorry, I couldn't resist." She laughed, making Clara snigger and the Doctor smirk.

"The whole of history could've changed because of you."

"I just wanted to help."

"You were helping yourself."

"I know and I'm sorry. I said I'm sorry and I really am but, you can't just leave me like this."

"Yes, I can, because if you show the head to anyone, they'll dissect you in seconds. You'll have to live a very quiet life. Keep out of trouble, be average and unseen. Good luck." He said, opening the TARDIS.

"But I want to come with you." Adam protested.

"I only take the best. I've already got Clara and Rose." He winked at Clara, making her blush slightly as they entered the TARDIS. The front door then opened with the jangling of keys.

"Oh my god." Adam breathed.

"Who's that? Jeff! Is that you?!"

"It's me, Mum! Don't come in, wait there a minute!"

"Oh, my lord! You never told me you were coming home! Hold on, I'll just take my coat off."

Rose smirked devilishly at him.

"Rose, take me with you."

She looks at him as if she's never met him before moving into the TARDIS as the engines sound and it dematerialises.

"What's that noise?! Have you left the back door open?! Blimey, there's a draft!" Adam's mother comes in as the TARDIS disappears, a warm smile on her face. "What a surprise. Oh, let me look at you. Six months. It's like I saw you yesterday. Isn't it funny? Time goes by like that." *Clicks* She looks at him, horror growing into her eyes.

AN: Thank you so much for reading and please leave a review if you wish. :)