"The Mistaken M. Jones"
30. The Man Came
The Asteroid, in the year 4529
As far as they'd known, within the asteroid, the year was still 4524. They were still not entirely aware as to what had happened to them a few hours ago, and it took a while for them to notice their altered coordinates. It wasn't until the strange blue box appeared in their midst and the man came out of it, told them to take those readings, that they could realize not only that they had moved into space, until they were just over Earth, but that it was also five years later, and while they had felt and experienced nothing, their people below had gone through those years wondering where they had disappeared to.
They didn't worry themselves too much on the details, and what would have been the point? Here was someone who came with the thing they had only ever been able to dream of over the past several years. Their sick could be treated, they could go home. All in all, they cooperated without incident.
Ships were sent from below, made to stand by with very specific instructions. One ship's task would be to take those who were not contagious down to the surface, along with those they could declare as out of risk. Another ship would take those who were beyond help. And a third ship was brought along, for those who would be classified as non-contagious or on the mend, who would decide they didn't wish to return to Earth. Already they knew one such person… if they could find him.
The message Lenton had sent to Merit had somehow manage to downplay just how overcrowded and desolate the asteroid had become. Annabel and Gravis were the only two among their group who had been here before, in their own years, and as they saw it now they could barely recognize it.
"It wasn't this way before," Annabel shook her head. "I mean we weren't so afraid to come here. Yes, it was hard work, and it was painful to be away from our families, but it was just part of our lives, something we all had to go through. This is a horrible place."
"Well I've got good news then," the Doctor told her. "Because once we've gotten everyone out, we will be destroying it." It should have been the kind of statement that elicited a categorical no, but with all they knew, and all they were seeing, there just was nothing left worth to salvage.
The triage and immunization process was a long one, and the first ship – as those on the mend were thankfully in the majority – had to be sent down to unload and return back up a few times.
Mercedes had been with Annabel when they'd found Savelyn. She was in a unit filled with those who were not expected to recover. It was almost impossible to navigate toward the right bed. They had to go by the names marked at each bed post or they wouldn't have recognized her. The girl they had last seen had been eleven in Annabel's case and sixteen in Mercedes'. That girl had been young and cheerful, and her hair was a radiant blue that would have made the TARDIS proud. The woman they found here had lost the blue, and a lot of the spirit for life she once had. She was not all that old, they had to remember, but looking at her now, so weak and helpless, they could never have guessed.
"Savi?" Annabel crouched, feeling herself tear up. Savelyn was awake, but it took a long time of looking through the visor in that helmet and into the woman's face for her to realize who it was.
"Annabel… How are you here?"
"It's a long story," she sniffled, reaching to hold her hand despite the glove. "I'll tell it to you later, alright? Does that sound good?" Savelyn nodded. "Look, there's someone here to see you, I don't know if you remember her," she motioned for Mercedes to step forward. Her face had not changed at all; maybe this made her easier to recognize.
"I know you," Savelyn blinked.
"You do," Mercedes confirmed, slightly frightened but surging on nonetheless. She handed Annabel the shot. The blue haired woman looked at it with a sad face, and she shook her head. There was no point; it would only be a waste.
"I've got her," she told Mercedes. "Go on and help the others."
Merit had found Lenton faster than he'd thought he would. He had found him, but he hadn't approached him. He had gotten his shot, and they could already see it was taking effect on him. Now he was helping care for the others, as though he wasn't a patient at all but one of those who'd come to save them. When Clara came to stand at Merit's side, he turned to her.
"I can't go there," he stated.
"Why not?"
"If he knows I'm here, then he won't go. And if he doesn't go, then he won't carry the cure code in that cuff of his, and none of it will happen the way it should. I get it; he might not. But it's alright… I've seen him… he's alright," he smiled, but even there Clara could hear his sadness; he knew what was there for Lenton, in his future. He would do great things, courageous things, yes… and then he would get himself killed.
So Clara did something for Merit, and she went and spoke to Lenton. She didn't tell him that Merit was there. She told him other things, and when he'd be done helping the others, he would board the third ship.
The time had run out on Mercedes' jump, and she had disappeared on them, just as they were nearly at the end of their task. After she'd gone, they finished the evacuation, until all that was left, before they could take the asteroid to a safe distance and destroy it, was for the Doctor's team to regain the TARDIS. Annabel had said her goodbyes to her sister, Merit had watched Lenton from afar until he was gone… There really was nothing left.
"That's it then, all set?" Clara asked the Doctor, as he came up last. The Doctor stopped and looked back for a moment.
When the old man came around the corner, he stopped, and their eyes met, the Doctor stared at him long and hard, and then he bowed his head.
"All set." The Doctor came on board, closing the door, and soon they were gone, off to find Mercedes again.
TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)