A/N The plan is put into motion; meanwhile Rose finds an area where her help is needed.
Chapter 3
It didn't take long for Dr. Kedra and Professor T'neer to devise a plan for administering their bio-transmuting treatments to Rose without her or the Doctor's knowledge of what was really being done. The process could also be achieved within a relatively short amount of time. The people of Janyeer had made advanced strides not only in fertility intervention success, but also in the speed in which it could be brought about.
No time was wasted in getting this underway. When they rejoined Rose and the Doctor, the first treatment had already been formulated.
"I apologize for the delay," Dr. Kedra said upon returning. She then looked to address Rose. "But in analyzing the results of our scan, we detected a pathogen within your system. Nothing serious to you, of course, but it appears you were recently infected with a case of acute viral rhinopharyngitis."
Rose wrinkled her brow and looked at the Doctor "A cold," he clarified for her.
"Oh! Yeah, nasty one about a week back. We stopped back on Earth to pick up some milk at the market, and apparently I picked up a cold, too." She glanced over at him and spoke in mock-accusation. "The Doctor just had to land us right in the midst of cold and flu season."
"Don't blame me for your cold. It was your milk run. Of all the species in all the universe and you still think it has to come out of a cow," the Doctor teased.
"Shut up," she quipped back, grinning.
Professor T'neer spoke up, upholding his part in this despite lingering unease. "The pathogen has been diminished by your body's humoral response, but the antigenic material now in your system could still pose a risk to those who are extremely weakened and susceptible. You would no longer be contagious to humans at this stage, but our biology is different."
That part at least was true, and it also kept them from suspecting that anything more was being done.
Dr. Kedra produced a vial and a syringe. "This will suppress the residual pathogen for now, and a series of this given over the next week and a half will completely eradicate all traces of it from your system."
"All that just to get rid of a leftover cold virus? Blimey, nasty bugger," Rose muttered.
The Doctor took the vial and scanned it with the sonic screwdriver, then handed it back with a nod once he confirmed it was harmless to Rose. Dr. Kedra's assessment of the Doctor's protectiveness of Rose was confirmed, and she had already taken a precaution by bringing two vials, concealing the one which contained far more than just a neutralizing agent for a cold.
"Do I have your consent, then?" she asked.
Professor T'neer flinched inwardly at the question but remained quiet. Consent was the one factor starkly lacking here. Yet in spite of the moral implications, he told himself he had to keep the survival of his people at the forefront of his mind, believing in which case the crucial ends justified the highly questionable means.
"Yeah, okay," Rose agreed.
Dr. Kedra smiled slightly and turned to the nearby counter to fill the syringe. With her back to them, she switched vials and filled it with the one laced with the prepared fertility treatment designed to begin making human and Gallifreyan pronuclei capable of joining as Rose's reproductive physiology became compatible with the Doctor's.
She turned back around and walked over to Rose, administering the first injection.
-:-:-:-
The Doctor and Rose were led by Dr. Kedra through the overflowing hospital wards filled with the ailing and infirm who were declining before their time. They were then taken to see some of the most heart-wrenching victims as they arrived in the pediatric ward, where young children and even infants were already succumbing to genetic deterioration. These were the youngest victims with the most virulent form, its effects taking hold rapidly rather than manifesting years later.
On arrival, they were introduced to Nurse Leedra, the nurse overseeing the ward.
The Doctor looked on beside Dr. Kedra as Rose approached one of the cribs where Nurse Leedra was administering medication to a baby who appeared to be about six months old, but considering the rapid development of the race, Rose assumed was probably much younger. Once the task was complete, Rose leaned over, reaching out and taking the baby's tiny hand in hers. She smiled softly down at the infant whose large, inquisitive eyes were focused on her. Rose felt her heart break.
"This is Kessa," Nurse Leedra said, standing beside Rose. "She was born two weeks ago, but her father didn't live long enough to see her brought into the world. Her mother also passed just last week. Both parents had a more aggressive form of the mutation."
"And now she's sick, too?" Rose asked quietly, already knowing the heartrending answer.
She nodded. "Her genetic deterioration has had a rapid onset. Her cardiovascular and respiratory systems are already declining."
Rose glanced over her shoulder back at the Doctor, whose eyes reflected the same sorrowfulness as hers. Some things in life were merciless. She looked back down at the child. "How..." She cleared the lump in her throat and asked softly, "How long?"
"With medication, a few weeks...maybe three."
Rose straightened back up and looked around the room filled with the children suffering this tragic fate.
"Our people are falling prey younger and younger," Dr. Kedra said bleakly. "At this rate our population will be gone within another generation. This ward houses the children whose parents have already passed, and we're growing more and more short staffed. There simply aren't enough personnel to meet all of the needs."
"I'd like to help here, if I can," Rose replied without hesitation, feeling the need to do whatever she could to help, particularly these most helpless who were orphaned by and suffering from this affliction.
"We would be very grateful for any help you could give, Rose. Nurse Leedra can familiarize you with the medications and instruct you on how to administer them."
Rose nodded. The Doctor turned to Dr. Kedra. "I want to take a look at the latest genetic extractions you've been testing."
"Of course. I'll escort you back to the lab to rejoin Professor T'neer."
He looked at Rose. "I'll see you in a bit, okay?"
She smiled. "Yeah, I'll see you later."
-:-:-:-
The Doctor and Rose remained at the hospital for the rest of the day and worked late into the evening. The Doctor finally met back up with her in the pediatric ward later that night. Rose was putting away a cart stacked with empty bottles after helping to give the evening's feeding to the infants in the ward.
His familiar form caught the corner of her eye, and she turned toward the Doctor as he approached her. "Hello," he greeted with a soft smile.
"Hi. We just finished with the scheduled feeding," she said to him.
The Doctor nodded, both keeping their voices quiet to avoid waking the sleeping children. "Speaking of feeding, have you eaten anything yet?"
She shook her head. "There hasn't been time. There was too much work to be done. What about you?"
"Same," he replied. "We can grab something on our way back to the TARDIS if you'd like. But it's getting late. I thought I'd come walk you back so you can get some rest."
"Are you gonna keep working?" Rose knew he could push his sleep cycle and go awhile without rest, which was fine for now; but she could already see he was going to drive himself to exhaustion with this until he found a way to help these people.
The Doctor retrieved a data-pad from his pocket. "I'm going to run this information through the TARDIS data banks and see what I can find; but once we're back and you're settled in bed, I'll join you for a few minutes until you're asleep, if you'd like," he offered, his voice and his eyes equally soft.
Rose stifled a yawn behind her hand as she leaned into his side. "Mmm, that'd be nice."
Even though the Doctor didn't need a full night's sleep, he would often stay with Rose until she was asleep, or sometimes slip into bed with her in the early morning hours to be there when she woke. Often was the time, however, when their passionate pre-sleep 'activities' would exhaust them both and he'd stay and sleep with her the full night. With the work to be done, tonight wouldn't be one of those nights, though; but Rose was nonetheless touched by his offer to stay near to her despite his focus on continuing the work he'd begun.
A moment later, Dr. Kedra came into the ward. She hung back for a minute and simply observed the Doctor and Rose from a distance. They were such a lovely couple and so clearly in love. She had assured Professor T'neer that everything would be done to lessen the risks this type of cross-species pregnancy could pose to Rose. But if the worst happened and the Doctor were to lose Rose in this, Kedra briefly wondered if she would be able to live with the guilt. She had dedicated herself to preserving life.
However, a glance around the room filled with dying children quickly reminded her that more was at stake here than personal feelings of culpability or the fate of just one. She convinced herself the needs of the many took precedence. Once again resolved to carry out this plan to completion, she approached them both.
"Doctor, Rose," she greeted as they both turned to face her. "I wanted to let you know that we have made arrangements for the two of you to stay at one of our villas nearby. The location is ideal, and you'll find it to be one of the best accommodations within the city of Shenreen. I'm sure the two of you will be quite comfortable there."
"Ah, that's very kind of you," the Doctor replied, "but we can stay within our ship. It's just on the outskirts of the city."
"Oh, but we would be most grateful if you would accept this small bit of hospitality. I feel it is the least we can do with the help the two of you are giving us." If the Doctor and Rose were going to be used by them in such a profound manner, Kedra felt the least they could do was extend the two of them every courtesy.
The Doctor looked at Rose and she smiled, giving a small nod. "Well, alright, then. I can move our ship to the villa. It's...compact. That way I'll have access to the equipment on board I'd like to use."
"Splendid. I'll have someone show you the way. And thank you both again. I cannot tell you how grateful we are for the help you are giving us."
The Doctor smiled. "I'm glad we can help in any way possible," he replied, unaware of just how immense the nature of the help being planned for them to give would be.