Chapter Nineteen: The Shadow Proclamation

"So go on then, what is the Shadow Proclamation anyway?" Donna asked.

"Posh name for police," the Doctor explained. "Outer space police. Here we go."

"Doctor! Cassie's on Earth!" Rose stood in front of the TARDIS doors. "Our daughter. She's on Earth, and we have no idea where it is. She could be dead for all we know, and you're running off to talk to the police."

The Doctor put his hands on Rose's shoulder. "Rose. Cassie's fine."

"How can you say that?!" Rose began to cry softly. "Someone messed around with the Earth, and they might've-"

"Shhhhhh," the Doctor stopped her. "She's alive. I can tell. Time Lords always know. She and I are mentally linked since we're father and daughter. I'd feel it if she were dead. She is alive, and she is going to be okay. That girl is brilliant and resilient. Just look at her name!"

"Her name?" Rose wiped a tear from her eyes.

"Cassandra Yvonne Tyler," the Doctor said softly. "Cassandra. The Lady Cassandra O'Brien.∆17. Survived the end of the world, died and came back. A survivor if ever there was one, albeit a bitchy trampoline. Yvonne. Yvonne Hartman. Upgraded by the Cybermen and managed to fight their control. That takes strength of mind beyond imagination." He paused for a moment, letting Rose take it in. "And then there's Tyler. And when you're talking resilience, oh, there's nothing like the Tylers. Look at your mum! She's been on my arse from the beginning, making sure I keep you safe. She never gives up on you. And that's nothing compared to you, Rose Tyler. You're the most resilient person I've ever met. You broke open the TARDIS to get back to me. You've survived the world and never left my side. That girl has your spirit, and she is alive. Trust me, and let's go save the world." He took Rose's hand and led her out of the TARDIS, Donna just behind them.

They opened the door to see a great big troupe of Judoon, guns locked and loaded, and they put their hands up in the air. "Sco bo tro no flo jo ko fo to to," said the lead Judoon.

"No bo ho sho ko ro to so. Bokodozogobofopojo." Rose had to stifle a laugh as the Doctor replied in… Judoonish?... and the rhino-boys came to attention. "Moho," the Doctor said, and they walked into the intergalactic police station.


"Time Lords are the stuff of legend," the Shadow Architect, a silver-haired woman in a black gown, exclaimed. "They belong in the myths and whispers of the Higher Species. You cannot possibly exist."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Yeah, more to the point: I've got a missing planet."

"Then you're not as wise as the story would say, said the Architect. "The picture is far bigger than you imagine. The whole universe is in outrage, Doctor. Twenty-four worlds have been taken from the sky."

"How many?" the Doctor exclaimed. "Which ones? Show me." He joined the woman at her computer screen.

"Locations range far and wide, but all disappeared at the exact same moment, leaving no trace." She showed the Doctor the various planets.

"Callufrax Minor. Jahoo. Shallacatop. Woman Wept. Clom."

"Clom's gone?" Rose interected. "Who'd want Clom?" She laughed at the memory of the Slitheen-like Absorvaloff.

"All different sizes. Some populated, some not. But all unconnected." The Architect sighed, clearly overwhelmed by the scale of this problem.

"What about Pyrovillia?" Donna asked.

"Who is the female?" The Shadow Architect gave Donna a disdainful look, similar to that of Agatha Christie when she first met Cassie.

"Donna," the sassy redhead replied. "I'm a human being. Maybe not the stuff of legend but every bit as important as Time Lords, thank you. Way back, when we were in Pompeii, Lucius said Pyrovillia had gone missing."

Big Chief Rhino Boy stepped in here. "Pyrovillia is cold case. Not relevant."

Donna looked directly at the Judoon, clearly unafraid of a walking talking rhino. "How do you mean, cold case?"

"The planet Pyrovillia cannot be part of this," the Architect explained. "It disappeared over two thousand years ago.

"Yes, yes, hang on. But there's the Adipose breeding planet, too. Miss Foster said that was lost, but that must've been a long time ago."

"That's it!" the Doctor explained. "Donna, brilliant! Planets are being taken out of time as well as space. Let's put this into 3-D." Holograms of the missing planets filled the room. "Now, if we add Pyrovillia and Adipose Three. Something missing. Where else, where else, where else? Where else lost, lost, lost, lost. Oh! The Lost Moon of Poosh!" The planets suddenly reorganized themselves."

"The lost moon of what?" Rose giggled softly.

"Poosh," the Architect said with a perfectly straight face. "More importantly, what did you do?"

"Nothing," said the Doctor. "The planets rearranged themselves into the optimum pattern. Oh, look at that. Twenty seven planets in perfect balance. Come on, that is gorgeous." He grinned broadly.

"Oi, don't get all spaceman," Donna muttered.

"What does it mean?" Rose looked up curiously at the Doctor.

"All those worlds fit together like pieces of an engine. It's like a powerhouse. What for?" The Doctor ran a hand through his hair.

"Who could design such a thing?" the Architect wondered.

"Someone tried to move the Earth once before. Long time ago. Can't be." The Doctor sighed softly, hoping beyond hope… "Donna, come on, think. Earth. There must've been some sort of warning. Was anything happening back in your day, like electrical storms, freak weather, patterns in the sky?" The Doctor was pacing around the room, running his hand through his hair, trying desperately to figure it out.

"Well, how should I know?" Donna pondered the question for a few moments. "Er, no. I don't think so, no."

"Oh, okay, never mind." He continued to pace.

"Although, there were the bees disappearing," Donna mused.

"The bees disappearing?" Rose asked, turning to Donna.

"The bees disappearing. The bees disappearing. The bees disappearing!" The Doctor gave his classic "Aha!" look, and Rose grinned.

"How is that significant?" the Architect asked.

"On Earth we had these insects," Donna explained. "Some people said it was pollution or mobile phone signals."

"Or," said the Doctor, "they were going back home."

"Back home where?" Rose asked, catching on.

"Planet Melissa Majoria."

"Are you saying bees are aliens?" Donna sighed.

"Well, we know wasps can be," Rose grinned.

"That's true," Donna chuckled. "But bees are too?"

"Don't be so daft," the Doctor laughed. "Not all of them. But if the migrant bees felt something coming, some sort of danger, and escaped? Tandocca!"

"The Tandocca Scale," the Architect gasped.

"What's the Tandocca Scale?" Rose smiled softly, loving to be back in the action with the Doctor… although Cassie was still gone.

The Doctor took the opportunity to ramble a bit. "Tandocca Scale is the series of wavelengths used as a carrier signals by migrant bees. Infinitely small. No wonder we didn't see it. It's like looking for a speck of cinnamon in the Sahara, but look, there it is. The Tandocca trail. The transmat that moved the planets was using the same wavelength, we can follow the path."

"And find the Earth? Well, stop talking and do it!" Donna ran for the TARDIS, Rose right next to her.

"I am!" The Doctor raced to follow the girls.

"We're a bit late. The signal's scattered, but it's a start." He twiddled a few dials and pulled a lever, and then stuck his head out of the TARDIS door. "I've got a blip! It's just a blip. But it's definitely a blip."

"Then according to the Strictures of the Shadow Proclamation, I will have to seize your transport and your technology." Rose rolled her eyes at the Architect's pompous and annoying tone.

"Oh, really? What for?" The Doctor looked at the Architect with curiosity

"The planets were stolen with hostile intent. We are declaring war, Doctor, right across the universe, and you will lead us into battle." Again with the pompous tone, Rose thought, and she and Donna shared a smile.

"Right. Yes. Course I will. I'll just go and get you the key." Rose and Donna stifled snorts, knowing that the Doctor was lying through his teeth. And indeed, when he came back inside, he winked at them and pulled the lever that dematerialized the TARDIS. The three of them burst out laughing.

They could hear the Architect shouting at them, "Doctor, come back! By the Holy Writ of the Shadow Proclamation, I order you to stop!"

"What a bitch," Rose muttered, and the three of them burst out laughing.

A few moments later, they landed at a multi-colored nebula. "It's stopped," the Doctor murmured.

"What do you mean? Is that good or bad? Where are we?"

"The Medusa Cascade," the Doctor said. "I came here when I was just a kid, ninety years old. It was the centre of a rift in time and space."

"So, where are the twenty seven planets?" Donna asked.

"Nowhere. The Tandocca Trail stops dead. End of the line." Once again the Doctor ran a hand through his hair.

"So what do we do?" Rose asked. "Doctor, what do we do? Cassie's down there! Now don't do this to me. No, don't. Don't do this to me. Not now. Tell me, what are we going do? You never give up. Please!" She sat down on the seat next to the Doctor, looking at him with that look that broke his hearts, and he could do nothing but wrap his arms around her and hold her while he thought of a plan.


Hey everyone! Here's chapter nineteen. It's a bit less scattered than the last one because I rearranged the transcript. I'm going to try to do that in the following chapters.

Love and ducks to Rachel and Jubilee, hugs to Seraphina, Kizzy, Rhyz, and all of the other wonderful reviewers, and baby bananas to all!

Love,

Ofelia xxxx