Disclaimer: I don't in any way own the series Doctor Who . Those are the sole property of the BBC.
Return to Satellite 5 AU: "Bad Wolf", "The Parting of the Ways" and "Born Again".
Note 1: Many thanks for the reviews, alerts and favorites. They all keep me writing.
Chapter Four: Wolf Moon Rising
In the 'Ballroom X' the couples were still standing nervously waiting for the results. The Len-bot was working its way through the contestants finding out what their experience was and current work.
"Rose Tyler, what makes you qualified to be here, and where were you before arriving in 'Ballroom X'?" The Len-bot questioned in the same expressionless fashion.
Rose was floored by the direct question even though she had witnessed eight other people answer the same thing. "Well... um... the thing is I don't think I'm really qualified since my dance experience was junior high gymnastics and going to clubs. And I've been travelling for the past year.
Rick winced over his partner's response. He began thinking of ways to do damage control when it was his turn.
Len-bot did not move on, "So your saying that you are untrained and unemployed."
Rose felt her cheeks warming at the robot's blunt words. "Well. Yeah. I guess but…"
The Len-bot seemed to lean forward as if to insert itself into Rose's space. "Well. Then you are an untrained dancer who is unemployed. Who still has enough money to gallivant around without a care."
Rose's cheeks heated further in embarrassment. Unbidden, Rose could feel tears welling up. Not wanting the stupid robot to see that it had upset her, Rose fought the urge to cry. The robot's comments made it sound as if she was some sort of trollop, like she'd travel with any old bloke as long as they could pay. Rose had been so long in her own thoughts that the others had finished as the loud programmed music pulled her back to the present nightmare.
"Now it's time for the tallies." A giant screen came down next to the robot. Pictures of the couples appeared and beside each were a set of numbers. "As everyone can see these two figures from the viewers, whether out about or on the telly at home, need to be added before a clear determination can be made." At these words the screen flashed and the pictures rearranged according to the now fully tallied votes. The most popular was on the top while the least shifted to the bottom.
There was an almost hysterical sobbing coming from Team Fitch. The woman was rambling in a begging manner both to her partner and then to the couples nearest to them. "Oh, please. We can do better, please." The poor woman was inconsolable and the other couples had moved further away from the doomed pair.
Team Eden's only reaction was a sharp gasp and a barely audible whimper. The pair were holding each as if they would never see each other again.
Len-bot gestured over to a corner that Rose hadn't noticed before, where a large cylinder was now lit. Rose assumed it would take them home. "It is time to say farewell." The robot's male voice was oddly cheerful about the matter.
Team Eden stoically clutched each other tightly as they slowly walked over to the device. Team Fitch's male seemed to be dragging his partner; the thin man had the woman secure to his side but the female dancer's feet scraped across the floor. Rose felt a wave of trepidation as well as queasiness that had nothing to do with what she'd been feeling since she'd arrived.
The blonde now heard a few other couples, like Team Broff, sobbing and not looking as the four approached the machine. Rose looked from the Len-bot to the other contestants then once again on those who were voted off.
Team Eden entered the cylinder. The couple stood next to each other but still held hands and a yellowish-gold beam of light struck them from above. After only a second the light was gone and so were the Eden team with the exception of two small piles of ash. The female of team Fitch screamed and pulled away from her partner running away from the device. "No don't!" the man shouted.
The Len-bot's jaw unhinged and opened wide and its voice echoed, "you have been eliminated!" The barrel of the gun which had been exposed went off. A yellowish-gold laser beam flashed and hit the female directly in her retreating back: a pile smoking ash fell to the floor.
Rose stood with the others in shock. Her minded was trying to process what she had just witnessed. She noticed that the male from Team Fitch voluntarily walked into the death chamber. The blonde wanted to shout, to run over and pull the man away from the vile machine, but that all too human sense of self-preservation kept her from moving. But she didn't have to watch as the poor man died for other humans' entertainment.
The same man with the transparent board from before strolled out. "All right we're shifting to the adverts. We'll be back in three minutes… Okay, someone take care of that." He called out, carelessly gesturing to the ash pile on the ballroom floor.
Rose looked at Rick still trying to connect the pieces. "Um… What… What was all that?"
Her partner was hard-faced "They were unpopular. They're disintegrated."
Rose wanted it to all to be a joke, but, by look on her reluctant partner's face, it wasn't encouraging. The blonde woman couldn't contain a kind of keening sound that emerged at the realization. Rick gave her a shake, "Blasted away, and if you don't want to go the same way you better listen to me."
Rose was suppressing the need to vomit again, and Rick's efforts were not helping. She was also angry. Not only was she in an idiotic reality show where she was stuck with an arrogant arse, but they killed people for just being unpopular. "I'm not a dancer. And, God, this whole thing is sick!" Rose shouted at Rick.
Everyone heard her in the quiet of the studio, and not only were the contestants looking at them but the floor manager, the techs and the cleaning staff. Rose didn't care; she was going to make her point. "That's right. You're all sick, you are. And I'm not…" Her words were cut off by her pretty boy partner. "Don't listen to her. She just started her monthly."
Rose's muffled arguments were ignored. Rick dragged Rose off away from everyone. He didn't remove his hand from her mouth, "Now, listen here you stupid cow. There are only two ways out of this studio. One you just saw. Do you really want to die? Or we win and you can be alive and go find you Doctor bloke." He pulled his hand away from her face.
Rose swallowed back bile and glared at her dance partner. "I really don't have a choice do I?" Tears once more wanted to fall, but as before the blonde woman was able to hold them back. She looked over to the remaining couples. It was one of those no win situations that both she and the Doctor hated. Neither scenario was good, but she would continue to play the game and pray that the Doctor would be able to get out from where he was put and come find her.
Rick's breath wafted warm and menacing into her ear. "Well?"
Dread filled Rose. "I... don't want to die." At least not without being able to say goodbye to those she loved. Rose very much wanted to see the Doctor one more time.
There was a gathering on the sofa in the 'Big Brother House', which was missing one of the newest occupants. Lynda, Strood and Crosbie were sitting in front of the TV waiting, for it was about time for the announcement of next house mate to leave.
The bubbly blonde looked over at the Doctor who was still busily trying to find a way to get out. While Lynda admired his doggedness everyone still needed to follow the rules. "Um… Doctor. We were all called to the sofa. It's a part of the rules that you follow the robot's orders."
The Doctor barely gave the woman a glance as he ran his sonic screwdriver over the fake doors. The device whirring as it worked away. "Sorry, a bit busy trying to escape, thanks."
Lynda didn't want to burst his bubble but she also didn't want to be punished. "Doctor, please. If you don't join us, we'll all be punished for not obeying."
Sighing, he shut off the sonic screwdriver. The Doctor was unhappy, but he wasn't going let these humans be punished just because they happened to end up with him. He joined the three on the sofa. "Then I hope I'm the next to be voted out."
The brown short-haired man named Strood scoffed at the Doctor words. "You're really that stupid? You're not eligible. You just got here."
Even though Lynda had only just met the man, she had come to realize that he was very smart and he was the reckless sort. The blonde gave the Doctor a stern look before warning him. "Just don't do anything clever, or it's not just you who'll get it."
"This is the Davina Droid. Contestants of the Big Brother House," the three grabbed and held each other's hands, Crosbie pulled the Doctor into the group waiting; the Time Lord couldn't hide his contempt. "Now Crosbie, Lynda and Strood, at this point each of you have been selected for eviction."
The tension emanating from the three housemates was pouring off them in waves. The Doctor had little difficulty blocking their emotions but was finding it a bit odd that these humans were giving off both anxiety and terror. He would have expected at least a little anticipation but there wasn't any. "And the eighth person to be evicted from the Big Brother House is..." The droids voice trailed off giving the moment an air of suspense.
The Doctor was bored, and he was all out of patience with the whole thing. He needed to find Rose and Jack not to mention that when he got too close to the three his body had an adverse reaction.
The Davina Droid's voice came back announcing, "…Crosbie!"
The black woman gasped, opening her brown eyes in shock. Strood and Lynda pulled the distraught Crosbie into a group hug offering what comfort they could, though the two hid the relief they felt at not being chosen. Lynda was quick to express guilt, "Oh, I'm sorry! Crosbie… Sorry!" The blonde pigtailed woman's voice was edged with tearful sadness about the other's unfortunate selection.
Strood's arm around Crosbie squeezed in sympathy as he voiced his own remorse, "Oh, Crosbie love… I'm so sorry. It's not fair…it should've been me."
The Doctor lounged back from the grieving trio, with his hands behind his head. He pondered why the three humans were so upset; it didn't make any sense. At that moment he breathed a small sigh as the stomach churning which he'd experience for most of his time there settled.
The same electronic female voice spoke once again, "It is time to make you farewells, Crosbie. You have ten seconds with to do so. Then it's off you go!"
The three quickly leaped off the sofa. The Doctor watched as they all rushed to the door. He shook his head still not understanding the overly emotional humans. The woman was just going back to earth.
Lynda proceeded to give Crosbie a hug, "I'm so sorry. I won't forget you, Crosbie."
Crosbie's voice was slightly muffled, "Lynda, forgive me. It was me who stole your soap."
Lynda gave a shaky laugh, "That's all right. I don't mind."
Strood moved in, taking Crosbie by the shoulders, "Thanks for all the cooking you did. You're an excellent cook." He leaned in and kissed the woman's cheek and hugged her tight, whispering in her ear, "Bless you."
The white door slide open, inside was a small, narrow, gleaming white corridor that had another door at the other end. The constant music was punctuated by the Davina Droids emotionless voice, "Crosbie, it is now time to leave the 'Big Brother House'." The dark haired woman swallowed and stared fearfully at the sterile room.
Crosbie was scared. She looked to Lynda and Strood, not wanting to go, but she'd rather leave on her own. She wouldn't go looking like a coward. "Well this is goodbye then… bye Lynda, Strood."
Lynda held back tears, not wanting Crosbie to feel worse, and in a small voice said, "Bye…"
Lynda and Strood, catching the others eye, made an archway with their arms like those ones from the old times for soldiers; Crosbie walked underneath. The Doctor looked on in disbelief for the dramatics of it all. The two took a moment and waved to Crosbie. The brave woman waved back until the door slid shut.
Lynda sniffed back tears, "I can't believe it… Crosbie… poor Crosbie..."
The Doctor couldn't take it anymore, "This is just a game show, she can make a fortune outside: telling her story on morning shows, writing a tell-all book. She'll be rolling money… she'll have right good old time!"
Strood comforted Lynda as best he could. From her position the blonde woman stared at the Doctor like he was daft. "What you on about? The outside?" Lynda was really starting to wonder about the man called the Doctor.
Inside the white room corridor Crosbie stood, waiting trembling for she knew what was about to happen and thoughts of her family and friends back on earth kept flashing in her mind. She just hoped that those she was closest to weren't watching.
The television turned on. They also were able to see Crosbie's last moments at the 'Big Brother House'. Strood hurried over to watch, "Here we go..."
Lynda was right behind the brown haired man, perching herself on the opposite side of the Doctor. She sat forward nervously watching Crosbie on the screen.
The Doctor for his part went back to lounging, his head resting on his arms, one long leg rest on the other at the ankle. The waiting was taking far too long for the Doctor. They were just watching Crosbie standing in the white room. It was all quite boring really, though Lynda and Strood watched the woman as if her life was in peril.
"So, what're we waiting for?" The Doctor asked annoyed at the whole process. "They should just let her go already."
I"Will you stop it? it's really not funny," said Lynda on the verge of tears. The blonde woman turned back to the TV, trying to ignore how the Doctor's carefree attitude also upset her.
The Doctor was surprised by Lynda's outburst, he stared at the blonde woman uncomprehending.
"Eviction in... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1!" The Davina Droid's voice sounded almost gleeful at the end of the count down.
The white room filled with an electric gold bolt of light hitting Crosbie a couple of seconds then the woman was gone and smoke filled the air as the housemate was disintegrated. The House was filled with overwhelming sadness as Lynda and Strood continued to stare at the TV screen.
The Doctor sat forward stunned by what had just happen. "What the bloody hell was that?"
"A disintegrator beam," said Strood staring blankly at the screen with sad brown eyes.
The Doctor looked at Strood and Lynda, trying to grasp what was going on. The two returned the Doctor's look, not understanding why the man didn't know about the rules of the game.
"Crosbie been evicted… from life" said Lynda in a small voice. She was just realizing that the Doctor had no clue as to what he was in for being in the 'Big Brother House.'
TBC…