Author's Note: Thank you all for the follows, favorites, and reviews! I'm glad you're enjoying it. Also, I got a cover for the story! All credit goes to Sophie Cowdrey, who was kind enough to let me use her artwork as the cover. You can see her FREAKING AMAZING paintings on DeviantArt. Most of them are Doctor Who related but there are some other ones on there as well! Check them out: sophiecowdrey
"Woah!" the Doctor cried, throwing out her arms to keep her balance. She looked across the path at Jenny, who also seemed concerned. "You don't think we're near a black hole, do you?"
"Surely not..." Jenny said, looking worriedly at the sky. "This has never happened before. Wouldn't we be sucked in by now?"
"Not necessarily," the Doctor said, remembering her terrifying adventure with Rose and the Beast in the Pit. "Maybe it's an earthquake..."
The ground rumbled again, causing a series of sparks along the path. The Doctor felt her hair stand on end and could smell the strong stench of electricity. Before she could say anything, the force fields around the enclosure disappeared. Jenny noticed immediately, and jumped out into the path, safe.
"Come on!" she yelled.
"Be careful, it could be a trap," the Doctor warned.
Jenny rolled her eyes. "Better out here than in there," she snapped. "If you want to stay, that's fine by me."
She darted off down the path.
"Jenny!" the Doctor cried.
Afraid to lose her again, she quickly gave chase. Jenny had stopped just around the corner, in front of the third exhibit. There, just as she had suspected, stood Captain Jack Harkness...flirting. With Jenny.
"And hello to you too!" he said charmingly, looking up at the Doctor. "Captain Jack Harkness. And what might your name be?"
"I'm the...Doctor, as far as the Pandlorians are concerned. But I'm really Rosearthonna, a fellow Time Lord and Companion to the real Doctor."
"Is the Doctor here?" Jack asked excitedly.
"No," the Doctor said. "But I think the TARDIS might be, so we're going to find it...and then find him."
"Then allow me to go with you," Jack said smoothly. "I have managed to escape before, just not long enough to get off the planet."
"I'm sure that will be very useful," the Doctor said, nodding.
"Rosearthonna, look!" Jenny called from a short distance away.
The jungle had been cleared so that tourists could look over the rest of the zoo from a jagged overlook. They had a clear view of the rest of the moon, which was covered in lush grasses and forests. And as the Doctor had suspected, the Pandlorian planet was blocking the sun in an eclipse. Everything was in complete chaos. She could see Judoon, Silurians, Shakri, Slitheen, the Silence, Weeping Angels, Sontarons, and hundreds of other dangerous species roaming about freely.
"It didn't just free us, it freed the whole zoo!" she realized aloud. She turned to Jack. "Ryan, Yaz, and Graham won't last long if I can't get to them. You said you had escaped before, did you find anything useful?"
"If I didn't, I wouldn't be Captain Jack Harkness," Jack said, jumping to the other side of the road and pulling back a bush. He bent down and dusted off an old metal hatch. "This leads to the underground infrastructure of the zoo," he explained as pulled it open. "It's how the zookeepers get around without disturbing the tour groups."
"Perfect," the Doctor said, climbing down quickly. Across from the entrance, a map was illuminated in blue neon light. "Oh, look at this! I love maps. They're so helpful. I never have a map when I need one, except now!" She studied it intently, looking at the different sections. "Spaceborn species, reptilian, aquatic...humanoid! That's where my friends will be!"
"And there's a technology sector," Jack said, pointing. "That's where I've tried to get every time, but never made it. If the TARDIS is anywhere, it'll be there."
"Great. We'll go get the Fam first, then check for the TARDIS. Lead the way, Captain."
Jack looked around and ducked into an alcove. "Aha! Here they are." He pulled out something that looked like a high-tech jet ski that hovered about two feet off the ground. "Last time I tried to escape they didn't have any parked here. That's how they caught me. Hop on."
"Ooh, they've got maps on here, too!" the Doctor said as she got behind Jack. "If there's one thing this planet does right, it's maps. I wonder if they have a little shop. Jack, do see any on that map? I'll give them bonus points if they've got a nice little shop."
"Seriously? That's what you're focused on?" Jenny asked. "Not the fact that they enslaved millions of creatures?"
"It's my belief that all creatures are capable of some goodness on some level," the Doctor said. "Except for Daleks...although I guess Rusty broke that rule. Oh, and Cybermen. Definitely no good Cybermen."
"How did you get put in here, Jack?" Jenny asked, changing the subject as they sped silently along.
"I crash landed on their planet a few months ago," Jack said. "Big mistake. Then I started flirting with them. Even bigger mistake. They tried to kill me for such treason, discovered I came back to life, and promptly turned me into their #1 exhibit."
"So do you know where we are, exactly?" the Doctor said.
"We're in the Andromeda Galaxy," Jack said. "Not sure which side since my ship's instruments were failing, hence the crash landing."
"The Andromeda Galaxy," the Doctor repeated. "Never been here before. I've always wanted to, though. No wonder I didn't recognize any of the neighboring star systems."
"It's a nice place," Jack remarked. "Except for this planet."
"What are going to do about the Pandlorians?" Jenny asked. "Is there some sort of trial where we can punish them?"
"Well, we're definitely going to have to do something," the Doctor said. "I won't leave them to keep capturing more species, that's for sure. And there's loads more people who deserve a rescue besides us."
"Got a plan?" Jack asked.
"Working on one," the Doctor said.
"We need the Doctor," Jenny said.
Jack subtly glanced back at 13. She had a feeling he was starting to suspect her real identity.
"Let's just find the TARDIS first, and then go from there," she said.
"Is it safe?" Jenny asked.
"Oh, you've never been inside the TARDIS, have you?" the Doctor realized.
"You're in for a real treat," Jack said, smiling fondly.
"As long as it's safe," Jenny said.
"Believe me, nobody can get in if she doesn't want them to," the Doctor promised.
"She?"
"The TARDIS is semi-sentient. A living creature that can travel through time and space," the Doctor explained, suddenly growing excited. She couldn't wait to show her. "You'll love it."
"Right, here we are," Jack said, slowing the transport as they neared an exit.
The Doctor leaped off immediately and examined the door. This one entered and exited from the side of the tunnel, accessed by only a few steps instead of a full ladder. She put an ear to the door and heard groans and screams from the other side.
"Careful," Jack whispered.
"They're just humanoids, aren't there?" Jenny asked.
"Lots of weird, dangerous creatures are considered humanoid," Jack said. "Like the Slitheen, or Zygons, for example."
"Come on," the Doctor said gravely, slowly opening the round portal and peering out.
They entered the street from a grassy hill and surveyed the devastation. Bodies of humanoids and Pandlorians lay slaughtered between the exhibits. The Doctor sprang to the side of an Apalapucian who lay bleeding on the ground.
"Help me," the woman cried, clutching her chest.
"Hey, it's alright, I'm here," the Doctor said. She felt for the two heartbeats, but only felt one. "It's going to be alright," she lied. "What's your name? Can you tell me?"
"Marlaya."
"Alright, Marlaya, let's focus on something else, m'kay? What happened here?"
"The force fields fell," she sobbed in pain. "Everyone started rioting, trying to escape...I wanted to stay still but my son ran out...I can't...I can't...f-find h-him..."
"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry," the Doctor said, stroking her hair in sympathy. "Listen, I'm the Doctor, and I'm going to free everyone off this planet, I promise. I'll find your son, too."
"Thank you," Marlaya said softly. Her voice was fading.
"Have you seen Earth humans near here?" the Doctor asked. "They're my friends, there's three of them."
"I heard they arrived this morning," she choked. "I think I saw them running..." She began coughing violently, and pointed down the path.
"I'm so sorry Marlaya," the Doctor said as she felt Marlaya's one remaining heartbeat stop.
She closed her eyes gently and laid her on the ground. Jenny and Jack stood quietly nearby, waiting respectfully. After a moment, the Doctor got to her feet with a sigh.
"Let's go," she said quietly. "We don't have much time."
Graham ran as fast he could, keeping an eye out for a good hiding spot. He didn't even know what they were running from, but somehow in the commotion he had lost track of Ryan and Yaz. There suddenly seemed to be a mass number of humanoids running about, rioting and screaming, burning down their old exhibits and smashing the street lamps. Smoke filled the air, making it hard to see in the already dark environment. He rounded a corner and ran straight into somebody.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, are you alright?" he asked.
"Graham!" the Doctor's voice called excitedly. She hugged him tight and whispered in his ear, "Don't call me Doc or Doctor, I'll explain later." Graham nodded his understanding. "Are you alright? Where are Ryan and Yaz?"
"Oh yeah, we're running from something," Graham said, suddenly remembering and looking back in panic. "I didn't see what it was, I just heard Yaz screaming to run."
The Doctor looked around the corner and saw Ryan struggling to keep up.
"Back we go, then!" she said enthusiastically.
She lead them back the way they had come, ducking suddenly into an exhibit. Graham wrinkled his nose.
"Who lived here?" he asked in disgust.
"Not the time, Graham, just duck behind here," she said, crouching behind a large clump of bushes. "The scent should be enough to hide us."
"You think?" Ryan wheezed as he collapsed beside them. "Sorry, I tripped."
"Did you see Yaz?" the Doctor whispered in his ear. "Don't call me Doctor," she added, barely moving her lips.
"No, I think she hid in another exhibit."
They crouched in silence for what felt like a long time. Cautiously, the Doctor crept forward to the edge of the exhibit, listening for any signs of danger.
"Ryan! Graham!" Yaz's voice sounded suddenly, making them all jump.
The Doctor jumped out in front of her. "Yaz! There you are. We were getting worried about you." She hugged her close and again whispered her instructions.
"No, I'm fine," Yaz promised. "I think we lost them."
"What was it?" Graham said.
"I dunno, some big red thing," Yaz said, shrugging.
"The important thing is we all found each other," the Doctor said. "Oh, these are my new friends, Jenny and Jack. And this is Ryan, Graham, and Yaz."
"Hi," Jack said suavely, shaking Yaz's hand.
"Not now, Jack," the Doctor said. "Let me catch them up. I'm masquerading as the Doctor so the Pandlorians, that's who've kidnapped us, don't realize the real Doctor is still out there. Since it's just us now, I think it's safe to call me Rosearthonna still, but not too loudly."
"Do we know where the...real Doctor is?" Graham asked, looking confused.
"Not yet," the Doctor said. "I was put in his exhibit by mistake. But don't worry, we'll find him. He may still be on the TARDIS somewhere, and the transport beams didn't pick him up."
"Where is the TARDIS?" Yaz asked.
"Not sure of that either, but Jack and I have worked out a possible location. Ryan, you're looking around strangely, thoughts?"
"Yeah, one," he said, looking over his shoulder. "If we're in a zoo, where are the zookeepers?"
The Doctor stopped suddenly and looked around. Jack also looked very concerned.
"That's a very good point," she said slowly.
"We didn't see any in the tunnels either," Jack added. "Which is a miracle since last time I didn't make it this far before being re-captured."
The ground rumbled again, and the Doctor looked up at the sky worriedly. "Something is very, very wrong on this moon, and maybe on that planet...I just can't get a grasp on what it is."
"That's another thing," Graham said. "Why is it so dark?"
"Good questions, both of you," the Doctor said. "Both are concerning. We need to find the TARDIS ASAP. Jack, which way back to the tunnels?"
Jack looked around and started leading them back down the path. "I think there's an entrance over this way," he began.
Suddenly there was a sharp pop, and something that looked like a sprinkler system rose out of the ground. They all froze.
"Why do I get the feeling that's not there to water the grass?" Jenny whispered.
"Jack," the Doctor said. "Entrance, NOW."
They broke into a run.