Red Lines

by jd009

The Red line; a figurative point of no return, a limit past which safety can no longer be guaranteed. I've always wanted to travel the stars...of course being kidnapped by a madman in a blue box wasn't how I imagined it happening. Throw in a malfunctioning, mystical red locket and a man who knows everything about you and you have a sure recipe for trouble. Doctor/OC

6. The Beast Below- What Lies Beneath

AN/ Hi all. Thanks so much for all those people that reviewed. I can definitely say they helped to make my day. Not a long note this time as I am tired from writing this chapter. It has taken me nearly 3 days to finish, but finally I did and was monster of a chapter. I thought about splitting it, but I just felt it flowed better like this. I promise most chapters won't be this length. But I myself love reading long ones anyway :D

Anyway, I hope this turns out alright. There were some bits that I wasn't happy with so I had to rewrite them like a hundred times, and I'm still not sure they sound alright. Still this is one of my favourite episodes and I wanted to keep true the characters reactions, hence why Amy still figures out the problem and not Riana. As Amy is awesome! Hope you all enjoy and Happy Easter. And if you don't celebrate Easter, have a great day anyway.

jd009

Chapter 6: The Beast Below – What Lies Beneath

My mind flew around in circles at the Doctor's previous emotional speech to me. I couldn't forget the deep emotion that clouded his eyes. Again, another indicator that whatever my relationship with the Doctor, it was more than simply friendship. Something I wasn't too sure on. But it could simply be that for a being as old and frankly lonely as the Doctor, having somebody be there for you could amount to a very deep and lasting friendship. At least I prayed to Grandfather that it was so.

The Doctor had taken out his sonic screwdriver- which I didn't quite see how he was scanning things with it- and was passing it all over the room. We had reached the bottom of the ladder upon which the Doctor had placed his hand on a wall in front of us as though listening for something.

"I don't mean to sound dwinni, but what exactly are you doing?" I asked in complete puzzlement of his actions. The Doctor stopped what he was doing and turned to me.

"Do you know where we are?" He asked me.

"Um, I can't say that I do know the insides of spaceships very well, so I'll have to say no clue." I responded with a raised brow. He spun back around and pointed to the wall.

"Come on Riana, use that deductive mind of yours. I know you saw how big this place is. So, what's wrong with this picture, what's missing?" He emphasized by pointing at the wall and the floor. I tried to look around and get my bearings. Almost missing his comment about me seeing the spaceship first hand. It was large, and there was much fear running through the heart of this ship from its passengers, but I had an inkling that wasn't what the Doctor wanted me to notice. So it had to be something else, something just as alarming and staring me right in the face. That if I reached out it would shahk me in the face.

Think Riana, I told myself. If there was a moment to impress the Doctor and just like Amy, prove to the Doctor that I could think for myself, this was it. Then I suddenly had an idea. What did I feel all the time on the TARDIS, humming! What was absent, vibrations, something that would be obvious signs of a large engine powering this sized ship. I looked back at the Doctor ready to blurt out my findings before I realised he was gazing at me in an affectionate way. Obviously having already figured out what I was about to tell him and was proud of my accomplishment.

"Now you're seeing it." He confirmed.

"But…" However, whatever I was about to say next was abruptly cut off. The Doctor had suddenly spotted a glass of water resting on the floor just down the hallway from where we were standing. I too was surprised at seeing such a strange occurrence.

"Can't be." He muttered to himself as he laid himself down next to it. I walked forward and pulled him to his feet, or at least tried to.

"I know you have a fetish for being randomly weird but could you please not lie down on the frankly disgusting floor when you don't have to." I complained. Alright so perhaps I was a bit vain and liked to look nice. Not that my already disgusting bare feet could do anything about it. He looked at me with a smirk as he got up.

"Alright, I know how you like me looking presentable-" He started to say when a woman's voice cut us off.

"The impossible truth in a glass of water. Not many people see it. But you do, don't you, Doctor, Riana?" She was tall with a red hooded cloak covering most of her body and a strange distinctive white porcelain mask over her face. Her eyes barely visible, covered by shadow. Her hair a dark curled mess.

"You know us?" The Doctor questioned.

"Keep your voice down. They're everywhere. Tell me what you see in the glass." She whispered. I mean I have seen some strange zuali, but she definitely topped the list for certifiably creepy. How for one did she know me and the Doctor. I guess that was kind of a pointless question, as I was getting used to people knowing more about me, before I had even met them.

"Who are you?" I questioned. She looked me over once before turning back to the Doctor.

"Who says I see anything? I mean who can't say Riana and I just popped out for a stroll and happened to stumble across this auspicious glass of water lying in the middle of the floor. And I thought hey, let's have a looksie." The Doctor rambled. I snorted.

"Yeah, I'm sure she's buying that." I scoffed.

"Don't waste time. At the marketplace, you placed a glass of water on the floor, looked at it, then came straight here to the engine room. Why?" She questioned. The engine room? Now I know where the Doctor had taken us, to try and trace the source of a place with no engine vibrations.

"No engine vibration on deck. Ship this size, engine this big, you'd feel it. The water would move. So...I thought I'd take a look." He said as he crossed over to a power box and opened it. "It doesn't make sense. These power couplings, they're not connected. Look. Look - they're dummies, see? And behind this wall, nothing. It's hollow. If I didn't know better, I'd say there was..." He continued but the mysterious masked woman finished for him.

"No engine at all." I looked over to confirm what I had been thinking before was right with the Doctor. He nodded at me, to let me know my thoughts had been on the right track.

"But it's working. This ship is travelling through space. I saw it." I said also making sure to keep my voice lowered. I noticed the Doctor didn't make mention of how I knew this piece of information.

"The impossible truth, Doctor, Riana. We're travelling among the stars in a spaceship that could never fly." She said. A chill went up my spine at the ominous tone of her voice. Suddenly, I was quite sure this was going to be another one of those days.

"How?" the Doctor asked.

"I don't know. There's a darkness at the heart of this nation. It threatens every one of us. Help us, Doctor and Riana. You're our only hope. Your friend is safe. This will take you to her. Now go, quickly!" she said, handing him a strange looking device, before turning to walk away. It took me a moment to realise the importance of her words, Amy was in trouble!

"Who are you? How do I find you again?" the Doctor shouted after her.

"I am Liz 10. And I will find you." She whispered before disappearing from sight, as we turned to investigate a loud crashing noise behind us. Creepy.

"Doctor, she means Amy. Amy is in trouble, we have to go and help her. Not to mention get to the bottom of this creepy ships problem. Uh! Why can't days with you ever just be…well not life threatening or end up with me filthy?" I complained. The Doctor only rolled his eyes.

"Because then my dear, they wouldn't be nearly as memorable or as exciting. Besides, you secretly love this." He replied as we -hold your breath for this- started running again, down another series of hallways to get to Amy.

"No, I don't! Well, maybe I do, a bit. But I hardly know what's going on at all and there is never just a moment to catch my breath. I don't even really know you, so why do I feel like I trust you so easily?" I questioned him.

"Spoilers, Riana." He said instead. I groaned in frustration.

"Fine if you won't answer that question then you can at least answer me this. This you, he's after the one I just came from, right? I mean cause you knew the codeword before and the other you clearly made no mention of more then…what was it, 10 regenerations?" I half shouted as we neared another ladder.

"Yes, I'm the 11th. Well the one after that me. In fact, this is still fairly early on for me in this regeneration. Also, yes to the second part as well, the codewords help us keep track, we'll know if we have experienced the same things. Unfortunately, it might get a bit more difficult when you meet future or past version of the same me. Wow, that sounds odd when I say it." He uttered to me as he reached the top of the ladder.

"I guess that kind of makes sense. But this is all so new and confusing for me, I mean what do I do when I meet a past version of you who hasn't done all the same stuff that current you has? Or what if I know more than him?" I pleaded. He sighed as he pulled me up the ladder to stand next to him.

"Then you tell him the codeword. If he doesn't know it, he will let you know. And Riana, its important, don't tell him anything about the future until you are certain that he has experienced it himself. What was it you said to me once… ah yes! 'as I went further along, I got a feel for where things went in terms of the order sequence that certain events occurred. You know, people, places and Doctors' etc.' Plus, you have told me to mind my own business on plenty of occasions. You'll figure it out." He said. I half gaped at him. Had he just quoted something I would one day say to him. Not to mention, telling someone to mind their own business certainly sounded like something I would do. Although I wasn't certain if I would ever get the hang of all of this.

"But Doctor, all those things you talk about, you make her out to be some sort of hero. Someone really brilliant and special. I am none of those things. I'm just some dumb girl who dreams too much about things that I was never meant to have. That sort of stuff happens in children's tales. Things your father tells you before you have to sleep." I said. He grabbed my hands in a firm grip and pulled me closer to him, forcing me to meet his eyes.

"You listen to me Riana'Cekina Tahlay. You are not just some 'dumb girl'. You are more special than you will ever know. That person you hear about, she's you. All those amazing stories you will listen to, they happened and you were that brilliant, impossible person who inspired so many. Who saved me and who has every single time I have ever known you, made me into the man I am today. Made me better. And I won't have you questioning yourself, or telling yourself that you're not good enough. Those people back on Tiaanamat, they never knew you, they are not even worth your time, you are so much more than they will ever be and I will never have you think any less!" He said with such passion in his voice that I instinctively shrunk away from it.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. A hero? Someone who was brilliant? Saved him? The words spun round and round in my head. But she couldn't be me. I had never done any of those things in my life. So what if I might do them in the future, that didn't mean I could be what he wanted right now. I had seen the disappointment in his eyes when he found out I wasn't the Riana he wanted. He had been sad, as though 'young' me was too much effort. To my surprise, I found myself scared.

I had been putting it off to now. It had always been in the back of my mind. The awareness that I was far away from home with nobody that I knew and laws of physics broken, and a man I had subconsciously been relying on to be my anchor in this solar storm. When I became afraid, I became angry. It was my defence mechanism that had got me into to trouble more times than I can count. Like that man in the market. If I had just held my temper I would never have started that fight and if I had never started that fight, I would never have found the locket. The locket brought me, now to be with the Doctor, where my future was more uncertain than ever.

"Don't say something like that. I saw it in your eyes when you realised I wasn't the person you wanted. You were disappointed and sad. But you tried to pretend and cover it up treating me like I'm a child! Well I have news for you, too bad! Because I'm not one! But don't turn around and sprout glorious facts about some girl I'm not, the future isn't set in stone Doctor, and I can Grandfather swear to you, that if I could turn and leave this all behind I would. I wanted to see the stars, but I didn't want the promise of never returning home and some man looking at me as though I was Akhaten himself!" I shouted in his face.

I expected him to get mad, maybe yell at me. Maybe be sad, but I never expected him to simply pull me into his body and give me a hug. It wasn't sexual or even remotely familiar. His body was alien to me, in every sense. Too gangly and tall, hard muscle and a strange heart rhythm. Yet I could feel tears welling in my eyes. I swore to myself I was done crying after that last fit on the TARDIS after I had first met him. Instead this hug only offered comfort, a stability in the craziness that had become my life.

"I'm so sorry Riana. Forgive me for being neglectful. I should have done this properly, not just expected you to know everything. It's ok to be scared, but I'm here, I will always be here for you. You're not alone." He whispered softly into my ear. I sniffed a few times trying to get my emotions under control. We had more important things to be doing then standing around, acting like children. Well he did.

"I-I'm sorry Doctor. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. You shouldn't have to deal with my emotional breakdown on top of trying to save Amy. I promise, I'll be fine." I said pulling away from his embrace, distancing myself from the issue. I knew he didn't by it, but he wasn't arguing, so I didn't care. He looked me over again, but obviously knew when to leave me well enough alone.

"If you're sure and don't apologise. Trust me, you have been far kinder to me in the past when I have had my bad days." He finally responded. I didn't mention the fact that he had just given something away about my future, thinking now wasn't really the time.

As we made our way towards where Amy was located I wondered about the hovercoaster my emotions had been on these last few days. Was I sick or was the combined stress and the constant flow of adrenalin in my system messing with my head? I guess it was something to ponder for another time.

What snapped me out of my thoughts was the dull burning around my neck, something that was fast becoming familiar to me. Without really thinking about it, I place one of my hands on the locket and a voice rang out from the pendant as it glowed a dull red. The Doctor looked slightly shocked, perhaps he had never seen the locket do something like this before?

"You are here because you want to know the truth about this starship, and I am talking to you because you're entitled to know. When this presentation has finished, you will have a choice. You may either protest...or forget. If you choose to protest, understand this. If just 1% of the population of this ship do likewise, the programme will be discontinued, with consequences for you all. If you choose to accept the situation - and we hope that you will - then press the "forget" button. All the information I am about to give you will be erased from your memory. You will continue to enjoy the safety and amenities of Starship UK, unburdened by the knowledge of what has been done to save you. Here, then, is the truth about Starship UK, and the price that has been paid for the safety of the British people. May God have mercy on our souls." The voice faded back into thin air as the Doctor's face took on a more determined expression.

My heart was pounding, here lied the answer to our problem, what exactly this ship was hiding. Whoever was listening to this now, for I knew it must be happening, was about to find the answer and my instincts told me that it was in fact Amy.

"Doctor?" I asked him.

"Yes, I heard it Riana. No Pond, c'mon don't choose." He whispered to himself.

"You think its Amy too?" I said hesitatingly. He didn't answer as we had finally reached our destination. It was a metal door with seats outside of it and we couldn't see in. The Doctor used his screwdriver to unlock the door, just as a very dazed and disoriented Amy looked up to see us. We could hear the end of a message playing, Amy's voice ringing in my ears.

"…Don't let them investigate. Stop them. Do whatever you have to. Just please, please get the Doctor and Riana off this ship!"

The Doctor looked slightly angry and Amy flinched back slightly. I followed him inside just as Amy got rid of the message. I became concerned what didn't she want us to know? What terrible secret haunted these people?

"Amy what have you done?" The Doctor asked her. Amy could only stare at us in terror at her own actions. The Doctor pulled a chair forward and stood upon it. He used his screwdriver to scan the light fixture above our heads. I went forward and gently took Amy's hands. They were shaking and she was frightenly pale.

"Amy its ok, deep breaths." I reminded her. She seemed to calm down slightly as she did so. Much to my relief.

"Yeah, your basic memory wipe job. Must have erased about 20 minutes." The Doctor informed us.

"What do you think she chose to forget?" I inquired.

"Nothing good, I would imagine." Was his prompt reply.

"But why would I choose to forget?" Amy said. I could only stare at her in pity. Whatever she had seen must have been truly terrible for a single mind to bear. Yet why wouldn't she want us to know?

"Cos everyone does. Everyone chooses the "forget" button." The girl Mandy from before informed us. I was surprised I had not noticed her presence here for some time. She had been very quiet until now.

"I supposed this is something that happens often?" I asked of her. She looked at me weirdly before seeming to recognise me.

"You're that woman from before that ran into me. I recognised your blue hair, I mean who has blue hair?" she questioned. I frowned at her and sensing my displeasure she quickly answered my question.

"Uh, yeah fairly regularly." She says.

"Did you?" the Doctor asked of her. She seemed put out by his question. I laughed slightly, guessing she was far too young to vote.

"Doctor I think Mandy may be too young for such a choice." I said.

"I'm 12, you have to be 16 to vote. Then you are allowed to see the film and make your choice and then every five years…" She helpfully corrected us.

"And once every five years, everyone chooses to forget what they've learned. Democracy in action." The Doctor spitefully concluded. I began to get the feeling that this day was about to turn out for the worst. If I had learned one thing about the Doctor, if you ever crossed him or made a bad decision that could cost lives, he didn't forgive easily and his wrath could be terrible. I shuddered remembering his swift justice of Mercy Hartigan.

"How do you not know about this? Are you Scottish too?" she asked after us. I snorted.

"I am not even sure was a Scottish is, but whatever is it I ain't it." I replied.

"Oh, I'm way worse than Scottish. I can't even see the movie. Won't play for me." He said as he demonstrated touching the buttons. I was curious as well and went over to try. The video stayed blank as well.

"Neither for Riana apparently." He added.

"It played for me." Amy said.

"The difference being the computer doesn't accept us as human." He replied. It made sense I suppose with the both of us being aliens to the humans. Him being a Time Lord and myself being a Zell.

"Why not?" Amy questioned. The Doctor gave her a look and it seemed to click as she gaped slightly.

"You both look human, well The Doctor more than Riana, but I always just assumed that you dyed your hair." She explained of me. I looked at her in confusion. Blue was a perfectly acceptable colour, red on the hand was just plain weird.

"No, you look Time Lord. We came first." He said in an offhand manner. I looked at him in curiosity, last time I had asked him about that he had avoided answering the question, maybe Amy could get more out of him than myself.

"I'll have you know that we aren't all Time Lords here, not that you ever actually explained to me what that meant." I said irritated. The Doctor didn't seem to hear my response.

"So what are you then?" Amy questioned me. However, the Doctor answered for me.

"She's a Zell. Blue hair, pointed ears, telekinetic powers, fast healing and high metabolism rate. Also much more resistant to cold than humans." He informed her. Amy gaped as I reluctantly moved the pieces of hair that covered my ears to display them to Amy.

"Cool, you're like an elf, or a pixie." She said excitedly. Again, what was an elf? Or a pixie? Humans! I sulkily complained to myself.

"Thanks for letting me explain my entire species to her, Time Lord extraordinaire. Maybe next time I'll summarise your species in less than a sentence." I said sarcastically.

"So there are other Time Lords, yeah?" Amy asked of him, while ignoring my sullen remark.

"No. There were, but there aren't... Just me now. Long story. There was a bad day. Bad stuff happened, and you know what? I'd love to forget it all, every last bit of it, but I don't. Not ever. Cos this is what I do - every time, every day, every second. This. Hold tight. We're bringing down the government." I barely had time to process those life changing words before he slammed his hand without either of our consent on the protest button.

If there was a single moment more than any other so far, that I could say I hated the Doctor it was in this second. He was certifiably kanwaii! I was going to kill him, bring him back by the light of Grandfather than kill him again. That was it he was getting shahked first chance I got, if any of us survived this.

"Say, "Wheee!"" he said excitedly as he pulled both Amy and I into the furthest corner he could find away from the smiler in the booth, whose face now had red eyes and a terrible look upon its face. The floor began to fall away from both of us and Amy sreamed.

"Itz'ksikai! Doctor you are so dead!" I swore at him. As we all plunged to our doom. As I screamed all the way down, praying to Akhaten that I wouldn't die.

---

To say that I was disgusted was an understatement. We had come flying out of a chute to land in a pile of wet and slimy garbage. If I had been annoyed with the state of my filthy feet and my pristine white nightgown before, now I was livid. Not only was I covered in some sort of deluge slush, the bottom of my nightgown was nearly see through.

I noticed the Doctor was hardly bothered by his state and was casually inspecting his surroundings. Amy appeared to be of a similar mind to me as she threw pieces of used food scraps from her person. She looked up to meet my eyes and we came to a complete understanding. We would rather be anywhere but here.

"High-speed air cannon. Lousy way to travel." The Doctor muttered to himself as he scanned the chute we had just exited from.

"You know just for the record if you ever do anything like that again without telling me, I will personally make sure that your 'sonic screwdriver' will not be working at maximum capacity and trust me mate it'll take more than a few rotations to fix." I threatened him. The Doctor seemed to pale very fast as he took in the meaning of my words. He gulped for a second before scratching at his cheek awkwardly. Fortunately for him Amy saved him from having to reply as she asked where were.

"Ahem. 600 feet down, 20 miles laterally - puts us at the heart of the ship. I'd say... Lancashire. What's this, then - a cave? Can't be a cave. Looks like a cave." He rambled a clear sign that he was uncomfortable. I only attempted to regain my footing and not look down as I'm sure I would have vomited up my Christmas dinner from nearly a day ago.

"It's a rubbish dump, and it's minging!" Amy cried as she flung a piece of rubbish over her shoulder. She stood up and stepped down onto the ground where the Doctor was.

"Oh Grandfather, Grandfather, don't look down Riana. Uh why did I have to look down and what the Vespin is this floor made of it feels disgusting." I ranted to myself, much to Amy's amusement.

"Not liking this much Riana, I never took you for a princess." Amy laughed. The Doctor clearly found it amusing as well.

"Oh, trust me on this, you should have seen her in the sewers in New York that one time. I think she about blew out my ear drums and the rest of the cities as well. Wasn't sure I was ever going to fully recover all of my sanity, she actually made me carry her out." He said. I stood there in shock as he revealed something of my future. And how insulting. Just because I didn't like being covered in dirt didn't mean I fled at the first sign of something smelly or gross.

"I don't believe you. People don't carry me just because of a little exposure to waste." I refuted his claim.

"Wanna bet on that?" he smirked back at me.

"Aren't you not supposed to be telling me of the future." I reminded him.

"In this case, I'll make an exception for you my dear." He laughed. I attempted to hit him but missed and would have fallen even further into the waste dump if his quick reflexes hadn't caught me.

"If you are done flirting, can we get back to the matter at hand." Amy chimed in. I glared at her for suggesting that I was even entertaining such thoughts. At least this Doctor wasn't nearly as bad of a flirt as the last one.

"Yes, but only food refuse. Organic, coming through feeder tubes from all over the ship." The Doctor said as he let go of me to pick up a piece of waste and smell it.

"I'll take your word on it." I muttered distastefully. Amy suddenly got down on her hands and knees and began to feel the ground. I flinched at her actions and again attempted to not be too bothered by it. I wasn't that squeamish, I had dealt with worse situations than this before. Mass outbreaks of plagues or pestilences, health care wasn't exactly the best where I lived.

I too finally got a hold of myself and tried to see where we were. I had the disadvantage of not wearing any shoes so I could feel the ground we were on.

"The floor's all squidgy, like a water bed." Amy said.

"But feeding what, though?" The Doctor questioned.

"It's sort of rubbery, feel it. Wet and slimy." I said as I ran my feet over the texture. A distant moaning noise caught my attention as a sudden bad feeling washed over me. The Doctor seemed to have come to a conclusion as he had put his sonic screwdriver away.

"Er... It's not a floor, it's a.." He said reluctant to tell us. But I was almost certain I had worked it out.

"Oh tell me it's not. Because if it is I am soo going to kill you." I moaned.

"It's a what?" Amy asked both of us.

"The next word is kind of the scary word. Take a moment. Get yourself in a calm place. Go 'omm'." He said as he took both our hands.

"Omm." Amy did as he instructed. I simply prayed to every deity out there, that I wasn't about to die.

"It's a tongue." The Doctor stated confirming my worst fears.

"Itz'ksikai!" I swore. The Doctor looked a bit put off by my language.

"There really isn't the need for that kind of language Riana." He said.

"It bloody well is, you idiot. We are in a mouth! Possibly about to get eaten. This is soo not how I pictured my day going." I yelled at him. Still I gripped his hand tightly.

"A tongue?" Amy asked again.

"Yes a great big honking neon lighted tongue Amy!" I yelled at her.

"This is a mouth? This whole place is a mouth? We're in a mouth?!" She continued to panic. The Doctor was only growing more excited and seemed dismayed at our lack of enthusiasm.

"Yes, yes, yes, but on the plus side, roomy." He said impatient with the both of us.

"Oi, less admiring and more figuring a way to get out. I think if I tried I could lift us back up that chute." I said, at this moment willing to try anything to get out of here. The Doctor was still admiring the inside of whatever monster we had found ourselves in.

"How big is this beastie? It's gorgeous! Blimey! if this is just the mouth, I'd love to see the stomach. Though not right now." He said to himself.

"Doctor, how do we get out?" Amy demanded.

"OK, it's being fed through surgically implanted feeder tubes, so the normal entrance is... closed for business." He said as he turned around and spotted the ginormous sharp teeth. I for one was glad we weren't going that way. I only hoped it wouldn't be out the other way either.

"We can try, though." Amy said as she began to stubbornly stride forward, only for the Doctor to grab her.

"No! Stop, don't move! Too late. It's started." He pronounced as to my worst fear the mouth began to move. Knocking us about on our feet.

"Oh sweet Akhaten's light!" I moaned.

"What has?" Amy asked clearly still panicking.

"The beast is going to swallow!" I cried. We were all thrown backwards into the garbage as the tongue began to lift.

"What are you doing?" Amy yelled as the Doctor did something with his screwdriver.

"I'm vibrating the chemo-receptors." The Doctor explained.

"Chemo-what?" Amy asked.

"He's hitting the eject button" I told her.

"How does a mouth have an eject button?" Amy questioned.

"Think about it!" The Doctor yelled over us. There was a growling sound up ahead and all three of us look at a huge freakin wave of what I didn't even want to name coming for us.

"Right, then. This isn't going to be big on dignity. Geronimo!" The Doctor yelled as he straightened his neck tie. Amy and I began to scream. I managed to grasp her hand tightly and close my mouth and eyes before the tidal wave of….dare I say it, sick swept over us with and enormous crash and pulled us off our feet.

It felt like I was in a never ending hovercoaster, I was twisted every which way and before long my sense of direction was none existent. I couldn't feel the Doctor anywhere and I think I had lost my grip on Amy some time ago. It felt like an eternity in the spinning darkness before it eventually stopped. The bile drained out and I sat up gasping for air. Coughing up the foul tasting sick that had taken residence inside my mouth. Wiping my eyes and swearing all the while I tried to get a sense of where I was.

It looked like the Doctor's plan had worked. We no longer resided inside the mouth of the beast, instead we had ended up back inside the ship in some sort of pipe. I noticed Amy and the Doctor had both survived the tidal wave. Amy was also clearing her eyes and nose. The Doctor didn't seem to bothered by his appearance, even though his floppy brown hair was plastered to his head. He stood up and scanned the door that was before us. I half stumbled over to Amy to help her up.

I checked her over to make sure she wasn't too badly hurt. I myself other than being a bit sore and smelling completely disgusting was fine. Amy appeared to be the same. She looked around as I finally pulled her up.

"There's nothing broken, there's no sign of concussion and yes, you are covered in sick." The Doctor's voice broke over our thoughts. I glared at his back for the situation he had put us in. "And Riana, glaring at me isn't going to suddenly take away the fact you were vomited up." He continued in his smug voice. I gasped in surprise.

"Where are we?" Amy asked.

"Not in the mouth, thank Akhaten." I managed at last.

"Overspill pipe, at a guess." The Doctor replied. Amy was sniffing the air and her face took on a disgusted look.

"Oh, God, it stinks." She cried out. I unfortunately already guessed where the smell was coming from.

"Amy, it isn't the pipe that stinks, it's us." I explained. She smelt herself and wrinkled her nose. Her hair was a sodden mess plastered to her head and shoulders, her white nightie was slightly see through. When she looked over to me, a light smirk lit up her face.

"Uh, Riana, I take it you're not wearing anything under your dress." She started. I looked down in horror, to see that it had become stuck to my body and slightly see through in certain areas. Like the fact that clearly I was cold, was easily visible.

"Grandfather!" I exclaimed attempting to cover up my chest. Amy laughed but handed her robe to me to put on which I reluctantly did. The Doctor must have heard our conversation as when I turned back around there was a faint redness to his cheeks.

"Can we please get out of here, Doctor?" I demanded of him. Tying the sick covered robe around myself.

"One door, one door switch, one condition. We forget everything we saw. Look familiar? That's the carrot. Ooh, here's the stick. There's a creature living in the heart of this ship. What's it doing there?" The Doctor questioned as two smilers were revealed. The faces spun to show that they were mad. "No, that's not going to work on me, so come on. Big old beast below decks, and everyone who protests gets shoved down its throat. That how it works?" He pressed as the faces spun again to show anger. "Oh, stop it. I'm not leaving and I'm not forgetting and what are you fellows going to do about it? Stick out your tongues?".

"Doctor, I really don't think you should antagonise them, I think there is a reason the people of this ship are afraid of them." I cautioned him. It was a good thing I did as the booths opened and the now red eyed smilers exited and began to walk towards us. We backed away as quickly as we could.

"Doctor?" Amy asked. I raised my hand and not sure why I didn't think of this before, shahked them. I wasn't sure if it would have as much effect as they weren't living things. It seemed to stagger them, for a moment, but they quickly rose again. I cursed. I created a bigger field and blasted them back holding them against the wall.

"Impressive, can't say I've seen the like before. Now release the field!" A familiar woman's voice rang out behind me. I turned to spot the previously masked woman holding a pistol in her hand and pointing it our direction.

"If I do they kill us all." I said back. She just smirked.

"Wanna bet?" She challenged me. I sighed but did as she asked. Two shots rang off and the smilers, fell. The mysterious woman, Liz 10, I remembered her name was twirled her gun and put it back in its holsters.

"Thank you." I said reluctantly thanking her. She nodded in acknowledgement towards me.

"Look who it is. You look a lot better without your mask." The Doctor said. Sounding ridiculously enthusiastic again.

"You must be Amy. Liz. Liz 10." Liz 10 introduced herself to Amy. They shook hands, something that seemed a very pointless gesture to me. Yet I was sure I would have to remember to do it in the future when I was around other humans.

"Hi." Amy said, clearly impressed with the woman. Although she did look towards me in some awe as well.

"Eurgh! Lovely hair, Amy. Shame about the sick. You know Mandy, yeah? She's very brave." Liz 10 said as she wiped her hand on her cloak. She led us through a side door where Mandy stood. Seriously though, why did everyone like red hair so much?

"Nice work as well Riana, with the telekinesis. Bet that comes in handy at times." She laughed. I scowled slightly.

"Oh, stop being a grump. How did you find us?" The Doctor scolded me before asking of Liz 10.

"Stuck my gizmo on you. Been listening in. Nice moves on the hurl escape. So, what's the big fella doing here?" she said as she continued down the corridor. I followed closely behind the Doctor becoming slightly annoyed with her. She certainly acted as though she knew more than the Doctor. Or maybe I was slightly annoyed the Doctor was listening to her more than me. What with telling me I was brilliant before.

"Yeah you're welcome to try it. Don't think you would find it nearly as exciting as you make it out to be" I said. The Doctor gave me a behave look.

"You're over 16, you've voted. Whatever this is, you've chosen to forget about it." The Doctor accused. I too thought she must be just as guilty as the rest of them.

"No. Never forgot, never voted. Not technically a British subject." She replied promptly. I snorted in disbelief.

"Who are you then." I asked of her.

"How do you know us?" The Doctor questioned as well.

"You're a bit hard to miss, loves. Mysterious strangers, MO's consistent with higher alien intelligence, hair of an idiot... well in the case of Miss Tahlay over there, sticks out like a sore thumb. I've been brought up on the stories. My whole family was." She replied. I was vexed at that.

"What's wrong with my hair?" I demanded. She laughed.

"It's blue love." She said.

"Your family?" The Doctor asked, completely ignoring my question.

"They're repairing. Doesn't take them long. Let's move." Liz 10 instructed as we all noticed one of the smilers begin to twitch.

"The Doctor and Riana Tahlay. Old drinking buddies of Henry XII. Tea and scones with Liz II. Vicky was a bit on the fence about you both, weren't she? Knighted and exiled you on the same day. And so much for the Virgin Queen, you bad, bad boy!" She laughed. I looked on confused. What exactly was she referring to? Henry who? Exiled? Virgin Queen? Apparently, the Doctor knew as he avoided my questioning gaze and went red in the face, clearing his throat.

"They are an old ruling family on Earth. We have a bit of a history with them." He said in clarification to me. I nodded. Liz 10 seemed to pick up on this as she raised a brow. I narrowed my eyes at her, to tell her to mind her own business.

"Liz 10?" The Doctor asked of the woman. Just as another smiler got out of its booth.

"Liz 10, yeah. Elizabeth X. And down!" She yelled as she turned around and fired both pistols at the Smilers. "I'm the bloody Queen, mate. Basically, I rule." I laughed. While she could be annoying, she was certainly entertaining.

"Do you often go around shooting at things?" I enquired after her.

"When I must, Riana. But I imagine that you would be no stranger to having to fight dirty." She said. By this stage, she had led us to the bottom of a Vator shaft.

"There's a high-speed Vator through there." Liz 10 explained. I jumped when a strange claw like zuali banged against a caged area. "Oh, yeah. There's these things. Any ideas?"

"Doctor, Riana, I saw one of these up top. There was a hole in the road, like it had burst through, like a root." Surprisingly it was Amy that answered.

"Exactly like a root. It's all one creature - the same one we were inside - reaching out. It must be growing through the mechanisms of the entire ship." The Doctor surmised.

"I take it that's not good." I queried.

"A very big not good." The Doctor confirmed.

"What? Like an infestation?" Liz 10 asked.

"Someone's helping it. Feeding it." He said. Damn this really wasn't good then. How were we meant to help these people? For once I wasn't certain that it would be possible for the Doctor to pull off the impossible.

"Feeding my subjects to it. Come on. We've got to keep moving." Liz 10 growled in anger as she stormed off with Mandy following behind her. Amy was looking at the at the 'roots' with some sorrow in her face. I myself could detect a great sadness emanating off them.

"Doctor?" Amy asked.

"Oh, Amy and Riana. We should never have come here." He said as he looked sympathetically at the roots as they banged against the cage. I looked up startled at the Doctor words.

"Don't say that! You always tell me that we never walk away." I half yelled at him. He turned and looked at me in pity.

"Sometimes, Riana, sometimes we should never interfere. But your right it's too late this time to walk away. I just don't think however this ends is going to be pleasant." He said before moving after Liz and Mandy. Amy was lost in her thoughts, but I was almost certain I could hear the faint voice of her message playing through her head. Warning her not to let us interfere.

---

"Why all the glasses?" The Doctor's voice rang out in the opulent bedroom we had found ourselves in. Liz 10 had gone towards a fancy bed and sat herself down upon the convers. Amy and Mandy had taken up residence on a chaise at the end of the bed. I myself remained standing.

"To remind me every single day that my government is up to something, and it's my duty to find out what." She replied. Watching as the Doctor picked up her familiar white mask.

"A queen going undercover to investigate her own kingdom? Not very noble." I observed. Liz 10 scoffed.

"Secrets are being kept from me. I don't have a choice. Ten years I've been at this - my entire reign - and you've achieved more in one afternoon." She retorted.

"How old were you when you came to the throne?" The Doctor asked as he paced around the room, clearly deep in thought.

"40. Why?" She replied. Amy seemed shocked at this number. For a Zell it wasn't very old. Myself only being 34.

"What, you're 50 now? No way!" Amy exclaimed in disbelief. She was pulling her hair up on her head out of the way. My own hair was thankfully mostly out of the way in a braid. I was happy to notice on the walk to Liz 10's room, for that was the only place I could conclude it to be. My night gown had dried out somewhat. It was no longer completely see through, so I had given Amy her robe back to better attempt to drain the sick off myself.

"50 old? I am 34." I added. Amy gaped at me.

"Am I like the only normal aged person here." She said.

"How old are you?" I questioned.

"Not that old. Ok fine I'm 21." She stubbornly replied. I laughed.

"Humans must have very different ideas about how old someone is. Zell can live to be around 640 years old." I informed her and was thoroughly amused to watch her mouth gap open. Liz 10 laughed along with me.

"I wouldn't mind living that long, age care would be a killer though. Anyway, to answer your question Doctor, they slowed my body clock. Keeps me looking like the stamps." She said. The Doctor came over to sit next to her on the bed with the mask in his hand.

"And you always wear this in public?" He asked. Liz 10 looked the mask over with a casual air and didn't seem concerned about keeping a secret from her subjects. I on the other hand was beginning to see a pattern. There were far too many secrets in this nation and too many people dying to keep them. What did masks really achieve anyway, but to cause confusion and heartbreak.

…What do you mean he left?

I mean, he's not coming back Riana. Your father left us, he didn't think we were good enough for him. Said the council called him back. What that means I don't even know. But we're on our own.

Mama, you're lying! Papa would never leave us. He'll come back, you'll see he loves us!

Riana, don't do this, please. I'm sorry to tell you, but your father was never the man that you knew.

I hate you! Papa will come back for me and then we'll go and see the stars together, he promised me.

Oh, Riana grow up child! Those were just empty promises. We don't even have barely enough to feed ourselves let alone get off this asteroid. It's time you stopped being so naïve….

The memory of my mother telling me that my father had left, was one of the worst memories I had. It had broken me and even to this day I don't think I would ever completely heal. If my father had just been honest, then maybe I wouldn't have loved him so much…and maybe he wouldn't have broken my heart.

"Undercover's not easy when you're me. The autographs, the bunting." Liz 10 explained, startling me from my reverie.

"Air-balanced porcelain. Stays on by itself, cos it's perfectly sculpted to your face." The Doctor continued.

"What's the significance of that then?" I questioned him, not quite seeing where the Doctor's thoughts had lead him.

"Yeah, so what?" Liz 10 echoed my thoughts.

"Oh, Liz. So everything." The Doctor breathed. Just then four hooded men entered the room. The Queen jumped up and demanded to know what they were doing in her chambers. I slowly placed myself in front of Amy and the Doctor in case I had to shield them.

"Ma'am, you have expressed interest in the interior workings of Starship UK. You will come with us now." One of the hooded men demanded of us.

"Why would I do that?" Liz 10 refused. Much to my horror his head swivelled around to show that off a frowning smiler.

"By the Light!" I spat out in disgust.

"How can they be Smilers?" Liz 10 cried.

"Half Smiler, half human." The Doctor supplied. However, for all of Liz 10's horror, she did not cower before the abomination and instead drew herself up.

"Whatever you creatures are, I am still your queen. On whose authority is this done?" She demanded of him.

"The highest authority, Ma'am." The smiler responded.

"She is the highest authority tooktin!" I yelled at him.

"You are right Ma'am. You must go now, Ma'am." He said.

"Where?" Liz 10 asked.

"The Tower, Ma'am." The smiler replied. Great if I already didn't have a bad feeling about this day, it had just multiplied.

We were escorted to this 'Tower', a large stone room, with many high-tech machines lining the walls and the centre of it. A grate in the floor could be observed with more of the roots trying to break through. I observed that Amy had stopped and was staring at the roots. I was concerned for her, whatever she had chosen to forget must have been terrible, not to mention what she didn't want the Doctor and I to know and I could only fear how the Doctor would react once the truth was revealed.

"Doctor, where are we?" Amy asked. I definitely didn't like the Doctor's answer.

"The lowest point of Starship UK. The dungeon." He exclaimed as spun around with his arms outstretched.

"Oh, please tell me this isn't going to become a regular thing with you. Prisons and dungeons and handcuffs?" I begged of him. His only reply was to smirk at me.

"That my dear is something you'll have to live through yourself." He replied. I groaned, much to Amy's amusement. Just then a grey-haired man came before us.

"Ma'am." He said acknowledging Liz 10's presence.

"Hawthorne! So, this is where you hid yourself away. I think you've got some explaining to do." She said surprised at the man's appearance. I detected something unusual about him. Maybe it was his age or maybe he was also one of those half human half smilers'. The Doctor glanced around and noticed a line of children carrying equipment from an outside corridor. I gasped in horror and ran over towards them. None of them responded to my calls.

"There's children down here. What's all that about?" The Doctor demanded of Hawthorne, anger seeping into his tone.

"Protesters and citizens of limited value are fed to the beast. For some reason, it won't eat the children. You're the first adults it's spared. You're very lucky." Hawthorne casually said. I growled and realised my hands were glowing blue. Standing up I stormed over towards the stupid man.

"Limited value!" I screeched. "What makes you judge, jury and executioner? What gives you the right to throw people down into some monster's mouth. Or force children to work like slave labour! Maybe we should throw you to it and see if it spares you!" I yelled into the man's face. The Doctor had to restrain me from hitting the poshtak. I was breathing hard and could see that I had startled the man slightly.

"Easy Riana. Hitting him won't fix this mess." He reminded me. I for one couldn't understand the apparent stupidity of some humans. Or was this common of their species?

"It would make me feel infinitely better though, Doctor." I said. Although I reluctantly decided not to punch the living daylights out of him.

"Yeah, look at us. Torture chamber of the Tower of London. Lucky, lucky, lucky. Except it's not a torture chamber, is it? Well, except it is. Except it isn't. Depends on your angle." The Doctor rambled as he examined some of the equipment. I could see Amy keeping her distance from us. The Doctor went over to where Liz 10 was standing next to an open 'well' of some sort. Down below was some sort of living matter. If I didn't know better, I would say brain matter.

"What's that?" Liz 10 asked.

"Well, like I say, depends on the angle. It's either the exposed pain centre of big fella's brain, being tortured relentlessly..." The Doctor started and I closed my eyes in horror at what he was going to say next.

"Or?" Liz 10 asked.

"…Or it's the gas pedal, the accelerator - Starship UK's go-faster button." He finished. Inside something of me died. How could such people do this? Be this cruel?

"I don't understand." Liz 10 whispered, the true horror of the situation just dawning on her. The Doctor was now furious.

"Don't you? Try, go on. The spaceship that could never fly, no vibration on deck. This creature - this poor, trapped, terrified creature. It's not infesting you, it's not invading - it's what you have instead of an engine. And this place down here is where you hurt it, where you torture it, day after day, just to keep it moving." He yelled.

An intermittent electrical beam shot down into the creature's exposed brain. "Tell you what. Normally, it's above the range of human hearing. This is the sound none of you wanted to hear." And with that he removed the grate and released the creature's roots. Pointing his screwdriver at the creature and suddenly a terrible sad sound with such pain and despair filled the room. All of us flinched. I felt tears falling down my filthy cheeks.

"Stop it. Who did this?" Liz 10 demanded just as the Doctor stopped the sound again.

"We act on instructions from the highest authority." Hawthorne replied.

"I am the highest authority. The creature will be released, now. I said now! Is anyone listening to me?" Liz 10 said in exasperation as nobody moved to do as she asked. I closed my eyes as something finally occurred to me. The mask, her age. That is what the Doctor meant by it meaning everything. Even the reactions of the smilers added to the problem. They didn't react with surprise because this had already happened before. Liz wasn't just starting her reign, she may look young, but she was in fact much older. The age of the mask was proof of it.

"Liz. Your mask." The Doctor said as he held up her mask.

"What about my mask?" Liz 10 commanded.

"Look at it. It's old. At least 200 years old, I'd say." He said as he tossed it to her.

"Yeah, it's an antique, so?" she said in confusion.

"It's perfectly sculpted to your face. That's shouldn't be possible if the craftsmen on your home planet created it." I said. She looked between the Doctor and me in horror.

"They slowed your body clock, all right, but you're not 50. Nearer 300. And it's been a long old reign." The Doctor said softly.

"Nah, it's ten years. I've been on this throne ten years." She denied. More than anything I felt pity for her.

"Ten years. And the same ten years over and over again, always leading you... here." The Doctor said gently as he led her by the hand to a voting booth with two large buttons reading 'forget' and 'abdicate'.

"What have you done?" Liz 10 said to Hawthorne.

"Only what you have ordered. We work for you, Ma'am. The Winders, the Smilers, all of us." He replied as he turned on the screen in front of us. We stood transfixed as Liz 10's voice rang out from the screen. She looked exactly the same and filled with terrible sadness and guilt.

"If you are watching this...If I am watching this, then I have found my way to the Tower Of London. The creature you are looking at is called a Star Whale. Once, there were millions of them. They lived in the depths of space and, according to legend, guided the early space travelers through the asteroid belts. This one, as far as we are aware, is the last of its kind. And what we have done to it breaks my heart. The Earth was burning. Our sun had turned on us, and every other nation had fled to the skies. Our children screamed as the skies grew hotter. And then it came, like a miracle. The last of the star whales. We trapped it, we built our ship around it, and we rode on its back to safety. If you wish our voyage to continue, then you must press the "forget" button. Be again the heart of this nation, untainted. If not, press the other button. Your reign will end, the Star Whale will be released, and our ship will disintegrate. I hope I keep the strength to make the right decision." Her voice at last faded away.

It left me with tears streaming down my face at the impossible choice she had to make. She did it for the lives of her people. No other sacrifice could be considered more honourable. Yet what she did to the innocent Star Whale was horrific. It was the last of its kind and that more than anything struck a chord in my heart. I too knew someone that was the last of his kind.

"I voted for this? Why would I do that?" Amy asked of us.

"Because you knew if we stayed here, we'd be faced with an impossible choice. Humanity or the alien. You took it upon yourself to save me and Riana from that. And that was wrong. You don't ever decide what I need to know. Or what Riana needs to know." He yelled at her. Amy got angry herself.

"I don't even remember doing it." Amy exclaimed.
"You did it. That's what counts." The Doctor replied. I was slightly annoyed at him. Yes Amy had made a poor decision, but that didn't mean her intentions weren't honest and for myself I couldn't hold that against her. I knew what making impossible decision looked like. Because once you made them, they killed you inside and you could never take them back.

"Doctor." I tried to reason with him on Amy's behalf, but he wasn't listening.

"I'm... I'm sorry." Amy said on the verge of tears.

"Oh, I don't care. When I'm done here, you're going home. Riana and I don't need someone like you." He said as he angrily walked away. At that comment, I was now angry with him. I know he was hurt, Amy was obviously very dear to him, but that was too far. I walked after him and telekinetically froze him in place. He let out a startled noise at my actions. Everyone else in the room was also astonished.

"No! Don't you put that on her. You don't get to walk away from them. You once told me we always give them a chance to be better. Well teach her how to be better. She made a mistake, that doesn't define who she is for the rest of her life. Or are you going to condemn me as well for making terrible decisions?" I yelled at him. The Doctor growled.

"Let me go Riana. I have to fix this mess before any more people get hurt. You don't understand. You're too young, if you were older you would be agreeing with me. People like that, they keep making mistakes. They can't think for themselves and then I have to fix it!" He yelled right back at me.

"So that's all I am to you. Too young, not the same person who could value the same things. Not YOUR Riana. Fine. I get it. But you can't pretend never to have made past mistakes before. You're far from perfect yourself. You don't get to be the judge over the universe. What gives you that right? What gives you the right to decide for me the worth of someone. I am pretty sure at this moment I would take the person who tried to protect me from a terrible decision, then the one who is going to condemn me for it!" I was furious. I stormed over to him and looked him in the eyes. If I was a lesser person I might have run away in fear. His eyes were so old and so angry, but running through them was a depth of sadness.

"Release me." He said dangerously. But even though my hands shook and I felt fear running through me, I didn't budge.

"You're not going to even explain yourself?" I demanded.

"I am not. I don't have to explain myself to the likes of anyone, let alone you. You haven't earnt that right. Now I will ask you once more only before you will not like the consequences, let me go." He said quietly. I flinched. Who was this man to think he was better than them? Better than every single person in this room. I didn't want to show it but his words had hurt me. Amy sensing the tension spilling out of control between us, tried to draw the Doctor's attention over to herself.

"Doctor, please listen to her. You can't take me home, just because I made one mistake. I don't even remember making it!" She begged of him to listen. The Doctor turned his anger on her instead even as he struggled to free himself from my telekinetic field.

"Riana let me go! I have had just about enough of the both of you and everyone in this room!" He yelled. I finally relented. I knew he wouldn't listen to us in his anger. He brushed himself off and walked over to one of the panels and began examining it. Taking out his sonic screwdriver and preceding to ignore us. I glanced over at Amy and I tried to convey my thanks at her intervention. She nodded, but I could tell she was still upset at the situation.

"What are you doing?" Liz 10 asked breaking the tension filled silence. I half expected the Doctor not to answer to her, but to my surprise he did.

"The worst thing I'll ever do. I'm going to pass a massive electrical charge through the Star Whale's brain. Should knock out all its higher functions, leave it a vegetable. The ship will still fly, but the whale won't feel it." He responded, still pulling wiring together and hitting buttons. I gasped. Surely, he couldn't do such a thing.

"But you can't." I begged. He glared at me until I looked away.

"That'll be like killing it." Amy exclaimed.

"Look, three options. One: I let the Star Whale continue in unendurable agony for hundreds more years. Two: I kill everyone on this ship. Three: I murder a beautiful, innocent creature as painlessly as I can. And then I find a new name, cos I won't be the Doctor anymore." He said.

"Then find another way! Because I don't believe-" The Doctor's voice yelling over the top of me cut me off. I had never seen him like this towards me before.

"Don't believe what Riana'Cekina? I have had just about enough of your opinions about me. But do tell me what you think I should do or be, because you obviously know better! Otherwise just shut up!" He shouted. My lip quivered slightly but his sharp demand did the job, I ceased speaking.

"There must be something we can do, some other way." Liz 10 tried. The Doctor turned his glare to her now.

"Nobody talk to me. Nobody human or Zell has anything to say to me today!" He screamed at us. With that he turned back to his task and continued to ignore us.

How had this day come to this? Was all that ran around in my mind. How could I be laughing with the Doctor and Amy at one stage and then next have the Doctor glaring in anger at me. Unwilling to even listen to reason. His superior attitude, his forever need to be right and save everyone and his need to take all the problems on himself. They reminded me too much of another person I knew. Yes, I was referring to myself. As much as I went on and on about how unfair my life was and how much I was downtrodden and told I wasn't good enough. I still had a need to be right all the time, to prove my mind was cleverer than everyone else's in the room. The Doctor hadn't helped by constantly telling me that I was brilliant.

Maybe he was right. Maybe I had overreacted when he had only been trying to save these people. I still refused to believe that Amy wasn't good enough. Making one mistake didn't condemn someone for life. Or did it? I should know of all people. But there had to be another way to make this situation right. It couldn't end with the Doctor not being the Doctor. What about all those future times he talked about? Or did they never occur. Was this the last adventure I had with the Doctor? This Doctor was the furthest I had ever seen. Did Amy go back home, did she never get to travel the stars and explore the wonders of the Universe?

Stop it. I told myself. These endless questions wouldn't solve the problem. No something extraordinary had to. No someone, needed to. It was the only way that the Doctor might forgive us. Or more importantly forgive Amy. If she could prove her worth.

We sat against one of the walls, Amy, Mandy and myself, watching as the Doctor continued to work. Amy looked completely lost. Mandy was scared and I was just empty. I looked when a noise distracted me to see three children enter the room. They were carrying equipment. One of them Mandy seemed to realise as she got up and ran over to a young boy calling out his name.

"Timmy! You made it, you're OK! It's me - Mandy." Mandy said, but became upset, when Timmy didn't respond to her. Amy and I became concerned when one of the roots rose up behind Mandy. Amy began to move towards her, but stopped when the root gently tapped Mandy on the shoulder. Mandy looked surprised but smiled as she petted it. I gaped. Amy also looked amazed, she looked as though something had occurred to her.

I was just about to question her on what she was thinking about, when I gasped as a hot burning sensation began in the locket. It travelled up my spine to behind my eyes. I closed my eyes as an overwhelming amount of information streamed into my brain.

---

The Doctor standing before me, speaking about the fascinatingly alien market. "C'mon, use your eyes. Notice everything… Notice everything."

I am seeing Mandy crying.

I am hearing Liz 10's speaking, as she explains her decision. "Our children screamed. It came, like a miracle."

Hawthorne is in front of me explaining why the children are present. "It won't eat the children."

I am watching myself yelling at him. "Limited value! What makes you judge, jury and executioner? What gives you the right to throw people down into some monster's mouth… Maybe we should throw you to it and see if it spares you!"

Liz 10 is speaking again. "Children screamed… Then it came… It's the last of its kind."

I am remembering the Doctor with Mandy, the feelers in the Vator shaft, the glasses of water.

The Doctor speaking to the two of us. "Just me now."

Liz 10, "The last of its kind."

Myself speaking to the Doctor, asking him about not interfering. "Is this how it works, Doctor? Never interfere with other peoples or planets..."

Liz 10 words repeating in my head. "Children screamed." I am meeting the Doctor and a blue haired woman as a child in my backyard. Something from a fairy-tale.

"...unless it's children crying." My own voice questions.

Liz 10's voice again. "The last of its kind." The Doctor explaining about his species. "Just me now." My own voice questioning Riana and the Doctor. "Unless there's children crying."

I am replying to myself. "We never walk away from those who need us Amy. That's what the Doctor teaches us. Especially when there are children crying. We do everything in a power to make sure they never have to cry again."

Hawthorne's voice echoes. "It won't eat the children." I am remembering the children playing when they arrived.

Liz 10's voice echoing distantly as she pleads for herself to understand. "Then it came. Like a miracle. The last of the Star Whales."

Suddenly I understand…

---

I was ripped back into my own body and struggled to process all the memories I had just witnessed. Things that were obviously not my own. The locket was pulsing in time with my own heartbeat. I looked over to Amy who was staring at Mandy and Timmy playing with the root harmlessly. It had been Amy, it was her memories I had seen.

Amy suddenly stood up and walked towards the Doctor. I followed, worried about what she was planning.

"Doctor, stop. Whatever you're doing, stop it now!" Amy said to him. It was if someone had struck me. Suddenly I understood what Amy saw, what she was going to do.

"Listen to her, Doctor, she noticed it. The thing that was wrong." I added. Amy seemed to be surprised at my statement, as if not sure what conclusion I had drawn.

"Sorry, Your Majesty, going to need a hand." Amy apologised as she grabbed Liz 10's hand and led her over to the voting booth. I followed closely behind.

"You sure about this Amy?" I questioned her. She met my eyes determinedly.

"I hope so." She replied. I knew in this moment I had to help her. She couldn't just make this decision alone. Not this time. If we were wrong, it was on both of us. I put my hand on top of her and with barely any resistance from the Queen we pressed the 'abdicate' button.

The Doctor had rushed over as he had spotted what we were going to do. "Amy, no! No! Riana, stop!" He shouted. A bellow came from the whale and the whole ship shook, but Amy and I grinned at each other. Somehow, we were still here and we had accomplished the impossible, even when the Doctor had given up.

"What have you both done?" The Doctor said. He was obviously confused and slightly panicked.

"Nothing at all. Am I right?" Amy said as she turned towards me. I grinned at her, the biggest smile I had in days.

"Absolutely nothing. Well except maybe increase our speed and make our pilot a whole lot happier." I replied. Amy's eyes shone as we both shared a special moment of understanding. Hawthorne confirmed my assessment.

"It's still here? I don't understand." Liz 10 asked in befuddlement. Amy walked over to her and looked her in the eye to explain. The Doctor became more shocked with every word.

"The Star Whale didn't come like a miracle all those years ago. It volunteered. You didn't have to trap it or torture it - that was all just you. It came because it couldn't stand to watch your children cry. What if you were really old, and really kind and alone? Your whole race dead, no future. What couldn't you do then? If you were that old, and that kind, and the very last of your kind..." She said, then she looked over to the Doctor with her last words, with an awe filled look. "You couldn't just stand there and watch children cry."

The Doctor looked touched at Amy's monologue. His eyes sparkled with a deep emotion and it looked like he might in fact forgive Amy for her action.

"We never walk away. Especially when children cry. We always try to find a way to be better." I gently reminded him. He looked at me next and I knew I was also forgiven for my actions as well. But instead of replying he abruptly turned around and walked away out of the Tower. The others including Liz 10 looked stunned.

"Don't take it personally. I think the Doctor just needs a moment to process the events of today. In fact, he didn't have to do anything at all. It was Amy's quick thinking that did. So, let this be a lesson for all the days to come. Don't let there be any more secrets. No more masks. They only bring pain and I think there has already been far too much of that." I said taking charge of the situation, in the Doctor's absence. I tried not to show, how much I was still recovering from the emotionally charged day.

Liz 10 agreed. She began to order the smilers to spread the word, to others. To reassure them that everything was ok and they had nothing to fear. She also profusely thanked Amy and I for our service to her nation. With it she handed me her white porcelain mask and told us that from now on there wouldn't be any more secrets on Starship UK. That for as long as she reigned her people would know the truth of the Star Whales kindness. She said this as she put her hands-on Mandy and Timmy's shoulders.

Amy and I said one last goodbye before we left to find the Doctor. He couldn't have gone too far, but he probably went somewhere to think on the event. For me that meant as far away as possible from the dungeon, so hence up. It was a quiet trek up and for the most part both of us were lost in our own thoughts. Mine, in particular dwelled on my relationship with the Doctor. He had spoken of me understanding his reasoning before, but being too young now too. Did that mean that in the future I was less sympathetic with others and that I became crueller? Such a thought made me shudder. I would hopefully never let myself come to that.

"Thanks." Amy's quiet voice rang out in the silence.

"Sorry?" I asked.

"I said thank you, you know for trying to help me. And believing in me, when the Doctor didn't. I know it must be hard for you going against what the Doctor wants. You must be really close. Or that is how I always imagined you as a kid." She rambled on. I put my hand on her arm to stop her. She looked worried, as though she had said something wrong to me. I pulled her to me and hugged her. She let out a surprised squeak but awkwardly patted my back.

"Uh, not that I'm not for hugging Riana, but what exactly are you doing?" Amy asked.

"I'm… I have just had a really rough couple of days Amy and for once its nice to have someone who understands what it's like to be with the Doctor. He is just always so amazing and he expects everyone else to be as well. So when you let him down…well." I trailed off. Amy seemed to understand as she gave me a small smile.

"Yeah, I do know now. But you don't have to be right all the time Riana. I promise I'm not gonna pick on you every time you make a mistake or get angry. God knows he probably needs a reminder that you are only hum-ah I mean Zellian or something. Anyway, if it helps I'll treat you like all of my other friends." She laughed at her stumble and I joined in.

"Friend?" I asked, trying to contain the feeling of hope. I'd had far too few of those in my life and unfortunately I wasn't sure I would be very good at it.

"Of course, stupid. Although I warn ya, I'll probably nag you to death." She replied promptly. I laughed.

"Nag away Amy." I said. Amy and I continued to laugh all the way until we found the Doctor. He was standing by himself on an observation deck, looking out at the city below.

"From Her Majesty. She says there will be no more secrets on Starship UK." I said as I showed him the mask. We came up to stand beside him. He turned towards me when I spoke and looked deeply into my eyes. But he spoke to Amy.

"Amy, you could have killed everyone on this ship." He said as he broke eye contact with me.

"We didn't though." I reminded him.

"You could have killed a Star Whale." Amy replied.

"And you both saved it. I know, I know." He said. Looking between the both of us now. I realised what Amy had said before, had profoundly affected him.

"Amazing, though, don't you think? The Star Whale. All that pain and misery... and loneliness. And it just made it kind." Amy observed as she slyly turned to the Doctor.

"But you couldn't have known how it would react." He said, clearly not understanding Amy's hint. I sighed, sometimes the Doctor could be a bit thick. Especially for one so brilliant as him.

"YOU couldn't. But we've seen it before. Very old and very kind, and the very, very last. And the most impossible man who could never let a child cry. Sound a bit familiar?" I said taking hold of his hands. Amy was smiling at us. Clearly happy that everything was back to the way it was before.

"Oh, my beloved Azure Queen. How could I ever not need you? I'm sorry for all the things I said before. You know I could never mean them." He said as he whispered the last bit in my ear. He pulled me close and hugged me tightly. This time it didn't feel so strange. He was still ridiculous. But I think I could grow to like him. I cleared my throat and looked over towards Amy. The Doctor took my hint and released me.

"I think I also owe you an apology Amy. Your, brave, resourceful thinking saved everyone today." He said.

"And…" I started. The Doctor rolled his eyes at me but finished the sentence.

"And, you have more than proved that you belong in the TARDIS with us." He said. Amy looked ecstatic. She ran forward and threw herself in the Doctor's arms. The Doctor grunted with the extra force but laughed along with her.

"So you mean I really get to come?" Amy asked to confirm.

"You really, really do Amy." I answered. She then hugged me next, before putting her arms around both of our shoulders.

"Hey." Amy began.

"What?" The Doctor asked.

"Gotcha." She replied. The Doctor looked surprised but laughed along with us.

"Ha! Gotcha." He responded.

"Gotcha, indeed." I added. For once today, feeling like everything was going to be ok. Sure, my life was never going to be perfect. Not that it had ever been before. But it had been normal. But now, with a friend and a man that made my head spin, I don't think I could have it any other way.

We made our way back towards the TARDIS, Amy questioning the Doctor about whether we should let them know we were leaving. I for one was only half listening as I wanted to take the longest, hottest shower, in the history of all hot showers. Then eat something.

"For the rest of their lives. Oh, the songs they'll write! Never mind them. Big day tomorrow." The Doctor said as we entered the TARDIS. Amy seemed to freeze in place. I glanced at her curiously.

"Sorry, what?" She asked.

"You ok Amy?" I said. She didn't reply.

"It's always a big day tomorrow. We've got a time machine. I skip the little ones." The Doctor tartly replied. I laughed. Oh that was far too true, why do anything by halves if you could throw it on its head and flip it upside down? I suppose that was just the Doctor for you.

"You know what I said about getting back for tomorrow morning... Have you ever run away from something because you were scared, or not ready, or just... Just because you could?" She hesitantly said.

"I have. When my father…well he was very angry with me at something I did. So I ran away." I replied.

"Once...a long time ago." The Doctor said as well.

"What happened?" Amy asked. The Doctor didn't look like he was going to respond so I did.

"I was eventually found and well, let's just say, I didn't do it again." I said. Amy looked disappointed at the lack of information. But I wasn't going to tell her about that, unless I really had to. Just then the phone began to ring. Well at least I thought it was a phone, it sure sounded like the dialling of one. But perhaps aliens had things that sounded like phones that were in fact secret toothbrush alarms. Or maybe I was being stupid.

"People phone you?" Amy asked.

"Well, it's a phone box. Would you mind?" The Doctor asked of Amy as he began to work the controls. I on the other hand gazed around in wonder at the TARDIS. It was so different from the other Doctor's. So much warmer and more inviting. It was completely, and utterly ridiculous. As Jackson had once said. And so much like this Doctor. It occurred to me that I had yet to give this Doctor a name. Chulki was the last Doctor's name. For he indeed was a terrible flirt. But this Doctor was so different. He was simply idiotically brilliant. I knew then what I would call him.

"Kaluskalu." I tried. The Doctor looked over at me in question.

"Yes Riana." He asked. I laughed, he even answered to it.

"Ha, you actually answer to that?" I said.

"Yes. Unfortunately, as much as I have tried to get you to pick something else, you insisted on sticking with it." He answered. I looked quizzically at him.

"You seem to give me names, with each different regeneration. You have already named my 10th self and now this self. Although I wish it wasn't that. I can't see what was wrong with keeping my last one." He whined. I snorted.

"It wouldn't have fit at all." I replied. "Besides this makes so much more sense. I like it." With that I turned to head towards my room. Amy was on the phone speaking to someone.

"Hello? Sorry, who? No, seriously. Who? Says he's Prime Minister. First the Queen, now the Prime Minister. Get about, don't you?" She said. I stopped to listen in.

"Which Prime Minister?" The Doctor inquired as the TARDIS harmed and rocked gently in the void.

"Er, which Prime Minister? The British one." She answered.

"Which British one?" He inquired. It seemed to me that the Doctor knew too many important people, whoever this Prime Minister was. The Doctor took the phone from Amy and began to speak into it for a bit before he hung up. I was about to exit before he called me back.

"Riana, I have something for you. Amy go and shower, you need it." He said as Amy huffily agreed, marching out of the room. She waved at me before she left. I made my way over to the Doctor to stand beside him.

"You know, you need one as well. Mr Smells-Just-As-Bad-As-The-Rest-Of-us." I poked him in the arm as I said it. He smiled at me.

"Yes well I'm sure that can wait. There is something we need to do that more important. But before that, I wanted to say again how sorry I am for becoming so angry at you. My behaviour, Riana was unacceptable. And I must never say such things again." He said seriously.

"If that's all that's worrying you Doctor don't worry on it. I know I'm not your Riana yet. But I'm sure I will be one day. But Doctor, I am still the same person I have been my entire life. That won't change." I said.

"No. Please don't say that. I was wrong. So very wrong. Riana….Oh Riana, I wish I could tell you what you mean to me. But it's too early for you yet. Just always know, that you are the most important person to me in this universe. And you have made me a better man. I know I won't always be right and sometimes I will get angry and say things that I don't mean. But you must never give up on me. Even when it seems like I have given up on you. Because Riana, I will never mean it. I am a damaged old man. And somehow, I have someone like you in my life. You have such a kind heart and you always try to make things better. Even when it doesn't always work." He kissed the top of my head gently.

"I don't deserve you, but you keep coming back to me. Please have patience, with me. I know you don't always have all the answers. That you can't save everyone. But even if I say differently don't believe a word of it. Always follow your heart." He said softly. I gazed at him and tried to take in what he was saying. Is this all he wanted me to know? He seemed to realise I didn't fully understand as he sighed and gently kissed my forehead. With a lighter tone, he pulled something out of the console and handed it to me.

"For you, my dear." He said. I looked down to see another charm. It was a white porcelain mask, exactly like Liz 10's. I held my arm out as he placed the charm on my bracelet with the gold time keeping device charm on it. He clicked it back in place, so now I had two that glittered in the light. Somehow it felt right that it should represent this adventure. A mask to symbolise secrets. And hidden truths. An idea occurred to me.

"Am I allowed to select the codeword?" I asked of him.

"Of course, you have chosen quite a few over the years." He replied.

"Then I have the perfect one, Doctor. Hidden truths." I said. The Doctor seemed to take a minute to consider it before nodding.

"Very appropriate, given the circumstances. I have heard this one before. I can give you a hint if you wish." He asked. I looked on stunned. He already knew it.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"It means that when next we meet, which I can't tell you exactly about, spoilers. It will be in my past, a much younger me. I can give you a hint to help you." He offered. I thought about it. It would certainly help prepare me.

"Fine." I agreed. The Doctor looked me over before he seemed to realise something. Smirking he spoke; "The hint is this: Beware of the light. The answer lies with the captain. Everything is not as it seems."

How that was meant to help I didn't get to ask as the Doctor smiled at me in farewell. I looked down to see a familiar red light fill the room. The tingling began and the warmth filled my body. I knew I was being dragged to another part of the Doctor's timeline and much to my horror and embarrassment I had yet to wash my sick covered night gown.

"I haven't even had a shower. How is this fair?" I yelled. The Doctor laughed kissing me on the head.

"Farewell my beloved Riana, until we meet again. And don't worry, I won't care nearly as much as you do." With that the red light filled my vision and the familiar stretching feeling began. I only hoped wherever I ended up allowed me a shower and a change of clothes. And for Akhaten's sake a pair of shoes.

Next Chapter: 42- Hot, Hot, Hot!

Akheet Word List

Dwinni - Childlike

Shahk- Telekinetically Stun

Zuali – Objects/People/Places (a noun referring to broad range of things)

Itz'ksikai- An extremely offensive term that has several varied meanings. It can be likened in its most common use as a swear word which roughly translates to 'licker of a mother Gahzehn's (think like a slug or worm) genitalia'.

Kanwaii- Insanely mad.

Tooktin- A strange or crazy person of low caste.

Kaluskalu – Fool of epic proportions. (A ridiculous idiot)

Chulki – Lover of romantic attention (A flirt)