Chapter Five
"The Star of Africa?" Donna repeated, her eyebrows raised in a What the hell are you talking about kind of way. "What's the--"
"It's a diamond.. A BIG diamond.." the Doctor looked at Donna, lowering his voice slightly and speaking in that rushed way he did when something was important. "These aliens travel through Time and Space, finding the Universe's precious gems and taking them soon after they're discovered. It's like stealing from Museums, but easier" Donna nodded, and he continued "Usually, planets have defences against them, but obviously Earth in 1905 doesn't even know aliens exist"
"Right.. so what do we do?" Donna asked him concerned "Because I'm sure in my time that.. this diamond.. probably sits in some museum or something?"
"It's in the Tower of London, part of the Crown Jewels" he told her
"You have a plan, right? Tell me you have a plan"
"I have a plan" he grinned, continuing to fiddle with the wires. Donna glanced sideways at Zina, who still had a look of confusion and shock written on her face.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"The plan?"
"Oh right.. Well, if I can configure this little system" he lifted up the mass of wire and metal he was fiddling with "it can pull them into this" he lifted up a small diamond, the type sold in engagement rings in the present day "and keep them locked there forever.."
"Sound like a plan." Donna smiled
"Though.."
"Though?"
"We.. well.. the thing is.. I'm going to have to be stood between them for it to work."
"What? But.." Donna frowned "You'll be pulled in."
"Yeah"
"Isn't there another--"
"No, Donna, this is it. If they get hold of these diamonds, they could do colossal damage" the Doctor explained, his eyes fixed on Donna, though occasionally glancing at Zina. The girl looked as though she was still in shock, though the Doctor didn't know whether it was over the TARDIS or the loss of her love.
The zebra carcass lay on the African floor, ripped open with it's internal organs missing. Chapivosh and Ophamech sat watching the mine's entrance as Sir Thomas Cullinan, the mines owner, left after one of his regular visits, licking the blood from their lips.
"Told you we'd find something else" Chapivosh grunted, licking the traces of Zebra heart off his fingers. Ophamech merely grunted.
"Are we close?" Chapivosh continued, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, before looking at his smaller companion
"Only 60 minutes to go.."
"Brilliant" Chapivosh grinned, his thin, sharp teeth forming a cruel smile.
"You can't just give yourself up. I'll be stuck here, for one" Donna barked. She'd spent the past 40 minutes trying to convince the Doctor to find another way of defeating these Jewel Thieves.
"Donna. It's decided, alright? The TARDIS will take you home, I've taught you how to activate Emergency Protocol One, that'll get you home."
"I can't go without you! The universe needs you" she frowned at him. This was the second time he'd done this to her recently, what with the time on Earth during the Sontaran invasion. She could kill him.
"Donna, I'm doing it, end of." he gave her a look, which told her to stop, especially in company. At that, they both looked at Zina. Feeling their eyes upon her, she looked up, suddenly feeling very small.
"Still in shock, Zina?" the Doctor asked, a hint of pride in his voice, as often happened when he thought about the TARDIS. She nodded slightly, before shrugging
"That box was a lot to take in.. And now you're telling me there's aliens on the loose.. it's all very strange" she shrugged again, glancing around. "We're nearly there.."
Frederick Wells decided to make a last routine inspection trip through the mine before he handed in his notice. Eighteen feet below the surface of the Earth, his attention was attracted by something reflecting the last slanting rays of the setting sun. Quickly, he scaled the wall and extracted from the blueground what appeared to be a large diamond crystal.
"What the--" he frowned, thinking he was being fooled by a large piece of glass and beginning the walk to the outside world, where he could inspect it more closely.
"It's time" the two large warthog-like creatures pulled themselves to their feet, walking quickly over to the mine entrance just in time to see Frederick Wells emerging. He was glancing at the diamond in his hand, his eyes facing downwards until, through the clear glass, he spotted two large shadows on the floor. Following them upwards, he gasped. What on Earth? They approached him, the larger one sticking a needle into his neck and before he knew it, his eyes were closing and the diamond was gone from his hand.
"Finally" Chapivosh grinned his wicked grin once more as he and Ophamech walked from the mine, the Star of Africa sat in his hand.
"Yeah, now we have enough diamonds to wipe out the universe"
"Oh you don't want to do that" A voice came from behind them, and they turned, coming face to face with The Doctor.