Chapter 7
Commander Shaw waited impatiently in the hospital basement for the Doctor to return. He had headed off alone into the hospital and had instructed him that he would deal with the Mannar personally, and no one was to step foot in their lair. The fury behind the Doctor's eyes caused him to hold off, because, if he was honest, he was afraid to do anything else. His men had already detained two security guards and five hospital staffers who all appeared to be under some form of hypnosis. They were trying to figure out a way of returning them normal, but for now they would have to stay in holding. They could not risk anyone alerting the Mannar to UNIT's presence in the hospital which they had so far kept concealed.
Relieved the Commander spotted the Doctor walking towards him, he was ready to get this mess sorted out and the sooner they acted the better.
"I'm ready to send my men in," the Commander stated.
"I'm going in alone," the Doctor said barely stopping as he headed for the concealed entrance. He paused and turned around, "No one should follow me no matter what you hear."
He aimed his sonic at the wall and walked in. He made his way into the circular room he and Martha had been in just twenty-four hours before, but instead of it being empty, three Mannar where positioned in front of each entrance passageway.
"I want to speak to your leader," the Doctor said coolly.
"You have returned to your death," one of them said advancing menacingly towards the Doctor.
Without flinching the Doctor stated, "I invoke Convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation."
The Mannar hesitated and stopped before snarling in distaste. He looked back to the others and back to the Doctor, "We will grant you audience." The Mannar's skin flashed a deep purple as it led the Doctor down the central passageway and into a room fashioned as a council chamber. Inside five Mannar bigger than the others the Doctor had encountered stood in discussion. They stopped at the Doctor's entrance and observed him with a mix of disdain and loathing.
The Mannar who had led him there fell to on knee and stated, "My Lord, Great Patriarch Jassu, an audience has been requested under the authority of the Shadow Proclamation." He stood up and headed for the exit but not before hissing at the Doctor.
The Doctor stalked into the room and stood in the center.
Whilst the others remained where they where, the largest of the five Mannar took a step forward and said, "I grant you audience, speak."
"What are you doing on this planet?" the Doctor asked.
"This is not your planet, why do you care what we do with it?" Jassu asked.
"The inhabitants of this planet are under my protection," the Doctor stated.
Jassu laughed, "This planet is full of weak humans who bend easily to our power. Why do you waste your time? We will invade the farthest reaches of this world and use the humans to create a new Mardarsian Home World."
"The Shadow Proclamation forbids breeding on Level Five planets. Stop your operations and leave," the Doctor responded.
"Who are you to have such courage?"
"I'm the Doctor, I'm a Time Lord, and I'm giving you the chance. Leave now or what happens next is out of my hands."
"A Time Lord," Jassu said now seriously contemplating the Doctor. "Your race was once great but it has now vanished into dust. We do not fear you Doctor and the threat of the Shadow Proclamation will not stop me from killing you. Don't you know who we are?"
Fed up with the race's haughtiness the Doctor replied, "You are a race so blood thirsty you destroyed yourselves out of pure stupidity."
Jassu's lip curled in outrage and his skin began flashing purple, "You seal your death by your words."
"It is not my death you should be concerned with," the Doctor replied. "I warned you." He pointed his screw driver at the sprinklers and water began to pour down over them.
Jassu burst out in raucous laughter, "Do you think we fear water?"
Water continued to gushed out from above soaking them and beginning to pool at their feet.
"No but you should fear what is in it," the Doctor shot back.
Jassu stiffened becoming suddenly unsure of himself as the water ran down his body causing his shell to glisten. "What did you do," he growled.
The Doctor stared unblinkingly at the once powerful ancient beings with his hair now plastered down against his forehead, "I used what you've pumped into these people against you."
Still uncertain about what the Doctor was implying Jassu demanded, "Explain yourself Doctor."
The sprinklers suddenly shut off causing everyone in the room to pause momentarily. The Mannar had become visibly agitated and uncomfortable within their shells.
Before the Doctor could say anything they heard yelling breaking out around them. A Mannar guard rushed into room throwing himself onto his knees. "They are dead My Lord, the young are all dead or dying." He tried to get up but failed to raise himself off the ground.
Jassu heard movement behind him and turned to see two of the four Mannar behind him also fall down. "What have you done?" Jassu bellowed.
"If you can turn on a biological change you can shut it off as well," the Doctor stated.
"You will pay Doctor," Jassu growled. But before he could advance he began to tremble and fell to his knees as well. Those around him all collapsed onto the floor unmoving.
Jassu stared at his hands and body in disbelief, "My body, I'm dying."
"I tried to warn you,"
Jassu fell and died like the rest of his race.
The Doctor turned and walked out of the council chambers.
Commander Shaw stared down the entrance way. He could hear the cries from inside but he could not tell what was happening. He was torn between going against the Doctor and sending his men in to investigate or staying outside and waiting which would possibly keep his men out of danger. But then abruptly it went eerily quiet. As the silence settled in he wasn't sure whether it unsettled him more than the cries.
Becoming anxious, he finally heard the squishy footfalls of the Doctor before he saw him. As the Doctor approached he examined him for a clue on what had happened inside but his face revealed nothing. The Commander could see that he was completely soaked, he had heard the sound of water just before the cries but thought he had imagined it. He looked back at his waiting team and could see a mixture of fear and apprehension on their faces. He couldn't blame them.
The Doctor stepped out and without looking at Commander Shaw said, "All the Mannar are dead, you can send your men in."
Commander Shaw motioned for his men to enter and they rushed inside.
Without saying another word, the Commander watched the Time Lord walk to his Tardis and it dematerialized.