Cold Blood Part 1
We walk through the settlement taking in how enormous it all is.
"This place is enormous and deserted. The majority of the race are probably still asleep." The Doctor pulls out his sonic. "We need to find Amy, looking for heat signature anomalies."
"But, Doctor, how can all this be here? I mean these plants." Nasreen looks this way and that trying to understand. We continue our way through the tunnels.
"Must be getting closer to the center of the city," the Doctor comments.
"You're sure this is the best way to enter?" I question knowing how things tend to go wrong.
"Front door approach! Definitely. Always the best way…" An alarm buzzes as a voice repeats.
"Hostile life force detected, area 17."
"Apart from the back door approach, that's also good, sometimes better." A doorway opens and more of the lizard men step forward.
"Doctor?" Nasreen comments as he turns back to us. We are quickly surrounded.
"We're not hostile, we're not armed!" The Doctor throws his hands up before nudging me to raise mine in as well. "We're here in peace!" He lifts Nasreen's arm and she raises her hands. The alarm stops blaring as one of them blows smoke at us. We start coughing as I feel myself become drowsy and then everything goes dark.
DWDWDWDWDWDW
I become aware of someone crying out in pain. Slowly I wake up and find myself locked in an examining tube.
"That's much better thanks." I hear the Doctor speaking and turn to look at my surroundings. "Not got any celery, have you? No, no, not really the climate. Tomatoes, though, you'd do a roaring trade in those. I'm the Doctor. Oh, and there's Nasreen, good!" He turns to look at me. "Oh, and there you are Jaz."
"Oh, a green man," Nasreen comments once she is awake.
"Hello, who are you?" The Doctor questions the creature in front of us.
"Restac. Military commander."
"Oh, dear, really? There's always a military, isn't there?"
"Your weapon was attacking the oxygen pockets above our city," the male creature, who seems to be some kind of doctor, states.
"Oxygen pockets! Lovely! Ooh, but not so good with an impending drill! Now it makes sense."
"Where is the rest of your invasion force?" Restac questions.
"Invasion force? Me and the lovely Nasreen and Jaz? No! We came for the humans you took. And…to offer the safe return of Alaya. Oh, wait, you and she, what is it, same genetic source? Of course you're worried, but don't be, she's safe."
"You claim to come in peace, but you hold one of us hostage." She leaves the Doctor's pod and signals two of the other guards to enter.
"Wait, wait, we all want the same thing here," the Doctor pleads.
"I don't negotiate with apes," Restac states as she talks in hushed tones with the doctor, "I'm going to send a clear message to those on the surface."
"What's that?" I question as Restac turns to look at us.
"Your execution."
DWDWDWDWDWDW
We find ourselves with our hand tied behind our backs. The Silurians are escorting the tunnel of mazes. The Doctor is rambling as usual.
"These must be the only ones awake. The others must still be in hibernation."
"So, why did they go into hibernation in the first place?" Nasreen questions.
"Their astronomers predicted the planet heading to Earth on a crash course. They built a life underground and put themselves to sleep for millennia in order to avert what they thought was the apocalypse. When in reality, it was the moon coming into alignment with the Earth." Restac halts and turns back to look at us.
"How can you know that?" The male creature questions.
"Long time ago, I met another tribe of Homo reptilia, similar but not identical."
"Others of our species have survived?" Restac questions with interest.
"The humans attacked them. They died, I'm sorry."
"A vermin race," Restac seethes before walking on again.
DWDWDWDWDWDW
"You're not authorized to do this!"
"I'm authorized to protect the safety of our species while they sleep." Restac and the other one, whose name is Malohkeh argue as we walk. We finally step into a large room.
"Oh, lovely place, very gleaming," the Doctor comments.
"This is our court and our place of execution." Amy walks in to the room holding one of their weapons.
"Let them go!" she demands.
"Amy!" I call out in relief.
"Hello, sis," she replies.
"Amy Pond, there's a girl to rely on," the Doctor states.
"You're covered both ways, so don't try anything clever, buster." We turn as we hear footsteps behind us.
"Mo!" Nasreen states in relief.
"Now let them go. Or I shoot." Restac steps toward her hissing. Amy backs up. "I'm warning you!" Restac grabs the gun and shoves Amy to the ground.
"Don't you touch her!" the Doctor calls out.
"And you?" Restac questions Mo. He surrenders his gun.
"All right, Restac. You've made your point." Restac walks over to Malohkeh with purpose.
"This is now a military tribunal. Go back to your laboratory, Malohkeh." He is shoved from behind by another soldier.
"This isn't the way." He looks at us with sympathy before walking away.
"Prepare them for execution." They pull us along and start tying us to the pillars in the room. Amy turns her head to look at me.
"Ok, sorry, as rescues go, didn't live up to its potential."
"I'm glad you're ok," I reply and she smiles.
"Me too," she comments before turning to look at the Doctor. "Lizard men, though!"
"Homo reptilia-they occupied the planet before humans. Now they want it back."
"After they've wiped out the human race," I add.
"Right, preferred it when I didn't know, to be honest." The creatures step back and watch us.
"Why are they waiting? What do you think they're going to do with us?" Nasreen questions as Restac stands in front of the table and a picture appears above it. In the picture, we see Rory, Ambrose, and Tony.
"Who is the ape leader?" Restac inquires. They look at one another. "Who speaks for the apes?" Rory steps forward.
"I speak for the…humans. Some of us, anyway."
"Do you understand who we are?"
"Sort of. A bit. Not really."
"We have ape hostages."
"Doctor! Amy! Jaz!"
"Mo! Mo, are you ok?" Ambrose questions.
"I'm fine, love! I've found Elliot. I'm bringing him home!"
"Amy, I thought I'd lost you!"
"What, cos I was sucked into the ground? You're so clingy."
"Tony Mack!" Nasreen calls out.
"Having fun down there?" he questions.
"Uh, not to interrupt, but just a quick reminder to stay calm," the Doctor states.
"Show me Alaya. Show me and release her, immediately, unharmed, or we will kill your friends one by one." We all look at each other nervously.
"No!"
"Ambrose…" Rory tries to intervene.
"Steady, now, everyone," the Doctor states as he tries to keep the situation from escalating.
"Ambrose, stop it!" Tony tries to pull her back.
"Get off me, Dad! We didn't start this!"
"Let Rory deal with this, Ambrose, eh?"
"We are not doing what you say any more. Now, give me back my family!" There is a long pause as we wait for Restac's answer.
"No," she says angrily before turning to look at Amy. "Execute the mouthy girl."
"No! No, wait!"
"Rory!" The creatures make their way and release Amy.
"She's not speaking for us!" They shove Amy to the middle of the room.
"There's no need for this…" the Doctor tries to reason.
"Listen! Listen, whatever you want we'll do it!"
"Aim," Restac orders and the soldiers raise their guns. I try to swallow but my heart is in my throat.
"Amy!"
"Rory!"
"Don't do this," I call out finally finding my voice.
"No!" the Doctor cries. I close my eyes and turn my head.
"Fire!"
"Stop!" A male voice calls and we all look to see who it is. "You want to start a war while the rest of us sleep, Restac?"
"The apes are attacking us!" she defends.
"You're our protector, not our commander, Restac. Unchain them."
"I do not recognize your authority at this time, Eldane."
"Well, then, you must shoot me." Restac turns to look at Malohkeh.
"You woke him to undermine me," she accuses.
"We're not monsters and neither are they."
"What is it about apes you love so much? Hm?"
"While you slept, they've evolved. I've seen it for myself."
"We used to hunt apes for sport. When we came underground, they bred and polluted this planet."
"Shush now, Restec," Eldane inserts as he halts her tirade. "Go and play soldiers. I'll let you know if I need you."
"You'll need me, then we'll see." She stalks off as Malohkeh walks over and starts releasing us. With nothing to hold me back anymore, I rush to Amy and hold her close.
"That got scary for a second, eh?" she states as the Doctor walks over to us. He smiles and nods.