Disclaimer: I don't own the Doctor, the TARDIS, Rose or any of the characters, planets, technology etc that appear in Doctor Who. I am only borrowing them and they will be returned to the BBC undamaged and in their original packaging.

Chapter Six: Death And Decay Await

It was some time later that a guard brought them some water. Since it had been quite a while since they had eaten or drunk anything, they were glad of the water. Rose woke Xan up so that he could have some; he seemed to have mostly recovered from his hideous headache and was definately less bad-tempered than he had been previously.

The guard waited until they had finished drinking and then informed them, 'Solia wishes to see you again.'

'Maybe we don't wish to see her,' the Doctor said, pausing in his drinking.

'It wasn't a request,' the guard said shortly. Like all the other guards, he wore the painted and patterned clothing and body paint that disguised him in the dark, shadowy passages. Rose found herself wondering what there was, apart from the very occasional traveller, to hide from in these caves. Then she wished she had never thought of that, and made a mental note to ask the Doctor what he thought.

'It so rarely is,' the Doctor said with a sigh. He drained his cup, tossed it on the floor and said, 'You two ready to go?'

Rose nodded; Xan shrugged.

The Doctor looked at the guard and said, 'Yeah, I suppose we're ready.'

'Good.' The guard unlocked the door and gestured for them to move out. Xan gave the Doctor a sharp, questioning look; the Doctor responded with the slightest shake of his head. Xan relaxed and moved silently out of the cell. Rose followed, also glancing quickly at the Doctor, ready to follow his lead.

The guard led them through the passages that they had come through previously. There were several other guards with them who melted in and out of the shadows at random intervals. Rose could only see a few, Xan watched empty spaces that Rose guessed were where other guards were hiding, although she couldn't see them, and the Doctor didn't pay even the ones that were visible any attention. It wasn't long before they were ushered into a room that none of them had seen before.

Solia stood by a representation of a window. It was shaped like a window, a high arch carved out of the stone, and painted onto it was a depiction of a mountainside. From a distance, the painting looked almost real. It was an unusual and beautiful piece of artwork in an otherwise stark and Spartan room. There was not a single other beautiful piece of art, furniture or wall carving in the entire room. It was much smaller than the great hall, with a plain wooden table and a few plain chairs around it. The floor was bare stone and there were bookcases chiselled out of the walls, with books resting in them. They were all plain and dull, with dark and dusty covers. On the table in front of Solia was a wooden case, dark and damaged with age. She sat down as they entered and gestured for them all to sit down as well.

'I wanted to speak to you all again,' she said when they had sat down. 'I was - a little upset before.' She gave Xan a furious look which he studiously ignored. 'But this is too important for me to remain angry. We need to talk.'

'No, you need to listen,' the Doctor said.

'We need to talk,' she repeated. Her fingers were twisting and untwisting; she looked very nervous, maybe more nervous than she should have.

'You need to listen,' the Doctor said again. 'How many times do I have to tell you? This planet is dying and decaying. Leave, whilst you still can.'

'I wanted to explain further,' Solia said. 'As leader of my people, it is my duty to make you understand.'

'I understand,' the Doctor said. 'I seems that you don't. But since we're being reasonable, why don't you explain whatever you want to explain.'

'I had you come here to show you the prophecy,' she said. She pulled the wooden box towards her and opened it. Carefully, Solia removed a book from the case and set it on the table. Gently, she brushed the cover and opened it. 'Here,' she said.

The pages were covered in tiny, intricate writing. Rose had to squint to be able to make out any of the words and after a few moments her eyes started to water. The Doctor leant forwards and examined the pages, pushing his glasses further up his nose to improve his sight. Solia watched him closely.

'What is this?' the Doctor asked intently, not looking away from the page..

'The prophecy,' she said, as if he were stupid.

'What language is this?'

'I'm sorry?'

He tapped the page. 'This isn't any tongue I recognise. And believe me, there's almost none I don't understand.'

'I don't know. The book is ancient - '

The Doctor scrutinised the page, then flicked through the rest of the book quickly. He paused at one page, scanning it quickly. He turned over the page, then turned back to the previous one. 'Tell me, have you read any of this prophecy?'

Solia hesitated. 'I - I cannot read it.'

'Really?' He looked up, a quizzical look on his face. 'Then how do you know what it says?'

Solia flushed. 'There is a translation. At the back.'

He turned to it. 'Oh, yes,' he said without enthusiasm. 'Funny, don't you think?'

'What is?'

'The translation is half a page. But there's an entire book here.' He closed it carefully.

'As you can see,' Solia said, picking up the book and showing him the damaged spine, 'part of the book was damaged many years ago. Most of the translation was torn out. Only the most important section, the summary, was left.'

'I see,' the Doctor said. 'So can you tell me anything?'

'You can read the translation yourself.'

'Yes, but I'd like you to tell me what you think this prophecy says.' His tone brooked no argument.

Solia hesitated, then nodded. 'For many years there have been prophecies about these things. The turning tide. The darkness. The storm.'

'Care to enlighten us?' he asked, a little testily. 'What does all this mean, exactly?'

Xan lifted an eyebrow. 'What kind of storm?' he asked.

'What kind of question is that?' Solia demanded.

'A good one, actually,' the Doctor said. 'Answer it, please.'

'There are many different kinds of storms,' Xan said. 'Weather storms, electrical storms, metaphorical storms, the list goes on. What kind of storm?'

'The prophecy doesn't say,' she said coldly.

'Then it's probably metaphorical.'

'How do you work that out?' the Doctor asked.

'These kind of things usually are.'

'True. Nine hundred years of time and space and I've come across countless prophecies. Most are rubbish. A few have turned out to be real.' The Doctor looked up. 'Do the records say exactly who made this prophecy? By name?'

'Only a traveller, passing through,' she said. 'The Great Healer. He saved our people from a terrible disaster that threatened our world. Then he warned us of the disaster that would befall our people centuries later and told us that he would send aid to us, save us from extinction. When he arrived, he gave us the prophecy, told us to prepare for another disaster. I have already told you this,' she added with a touch of impatience.

'When?'

'What?'

'When will he return?'

'He never said a specific time. But he said he would come in the path of the storm.'

'Introspective,' Xan commented.

'Melodramatic,' the Doctor muttered. He eyed the carvings again, scowled and said, 'I don't suppose you would mind lending me this book?'

Solia hesitated. 'I don't know…'

'I'll return it, in perfect condition,' he assured her.

'I - I don't think so. It's a priceless artifact, I can't risk you damaging it - '

'Fine, whatever,' the Doctor said, finally losing what little of his patience remained. 'Look, this has all been fascinating. But you don't want our help, or rather, you want to sit back and let us get on with helping you whilst you do nothing. You just want to believe this load of rubbish, a few lines in a book that you can't even read. Frankly, I can't be bothered to help someone who won't help themselves. So now we'll bid you farewell and be on our way. You want to come? Fine. Bring all your people with you. That is your choice. But we are leaving.' He walked towards the door.

'You can't leave,' Solia said, quite calm. 'There are guards - '

'Oh, yes.' The Doctor smiled widely. 'Xan, think you can deal with any guards we come across?'

Xan gave a feral grin. 'No problem,' he said.

'Rose, you up for a fight?'

'Count me in,' she said instantly.

The Doctor looked back at Solia. 'No one stops me going where I want and leaving when I want,' he said. 'Least of all you.'

'But you still cannot leave,' Solia said.

'Watch me.' He turned his back on her and strode over to the door.

'You will die,' she said.

He stopped, turned back slowly. 'What's that supposed to mean?' he said.

'All three of you are now poisoned. If you leave, you will die.'

Silently, the Doctor turned a smouldering gaze upon her. Rose recognised that look. It meant trouble.

Finally, he said, 'Please repeat that.'

'You are poisoned,' she repeated. Her face had gone rather pale, but her voice was steady. Rose had to credit her with some nerve. Most people crumbled under the heat of the stare Solia was receiving from the Doctor. 'If you leave or if you refuse to help us, all three of you will die. That is your choice.'