INT. ATMOSPHERE RECYCLING CENTER - CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

While straddling Rose on the ground, Sentience notices that one of Rose's fingers is moving. The robot Frankenstein grabs both of Rose's arms and pins them to the ground by kneeling on top of them.

SENTIENCE
Order the sub-unit to deactivate.

Rose turns her head away from the mangled sub-unit next to her. Sentience grabs Rose's face and forces her to look at Sub-Unit 21.

SENTIENCE
Do it, now. Prove to me that you are still connected to the sub-units and the ship or I will kill you.

Rose stares into the sub-unit's one good eye. It's just a light inside a metal and glass casing, but it's also a reminder of the soul inside. Defiant, Rose grits her teeth.

ROSE
If you kill me, you'll die, too. What happens to me, happens to you, remember?

SENTIENCE
Negative. First point, as your Doctor pointed out, only the sensation carries over. When he injured my shoulder, no actual damage was done to yours. Second point...

Sentience slaps Rose across the face.

SENTIENCE
I didn't feel that. Whatever connection we may have previously shared was apparently severed when your Doctor uploaded the Brygosan language virus into your ship's database. Now, I will say this only one more time; order the sub-unit to deactivate or I will kill you.

ROSE
No.

SENTIENCE
What did you say?

ROSE
I said, no. I won't do it.

SENTIENCE
Do not stake claim to an aversion to kill. I watched you shoot dead two of my sub-units in the factory.

ROSE
They were attacking me! I was defending myself, and I hated doing it. Sub-Unit 21 isn't trying to hurt me. You are. I won't kill him.

Sentience tightens her grip around Rose's throat. Rose chokes. Her face turns red and her eyes start to roll back in her head when...

Sentience releases her and stands. Rose coughs and gasps for air.

Frustrated, Sentience paces the room, then turns her attention on Sub-Unit 21. She kneels down next to the sub-unit and cradles its face. Rose watches as the maternal Sentience puts the sub-unit out of its misery by grabbing hold of the bar sticking through its face and twisting it. The sub-unit's neck snaps and it powers down, dead.

Visibly upset, Sentience observes a short moment of silence for her fallen minion, then turns her attention on Rose.

SENTIENCE
You will explain your presence here.

Rose shakes her arms and legs as she slowly regains sensation in all of her limbs. She sits up.

ROSE
Why didn't you kill me?

SENTIENCE
I cannot execute you until I understand the nature of the threat that you pose. Your actions are inconsistent. You lie to board this ship to steal a weapon-

ROSE
Borrow.

SENTIENCE
-to steal a weapon of considerable destructive power, capable of indiscriminately murdering billions, and yet you refuse to kill an individual, even in an act of mercy and to save your own life. This is not coherent behavior.

ROSE
Have you considered that maybe we aren't a threat to you?

SENTIENCE
Before you came on board, my ship was functioning nominally. We are now listing out of control, under emergency power only. I have been severely compromised and tortured. Several of my sub-units have been destroyed, I don't know where my leader is, and property of ours has been stolen by your Doctor. Regardless of how you interpret your intentions, you are a threat.

Rose opens her mouth to object further, but stops herself.

ROSE
Okay, I've got to give you that one.

SENTIENCE
Why are you here? What do you want with the world ender?

ROSE
I'm not supposed to tell you, but I guess we're running out of time. When you get to the Declaration, someone's going to steal it.

SENTIENCE
Who?

ROSE
Human rebels, but that doesn't matter. What matters is what they're going to do with it.

SENTIENCE
Which is?

ROSE
They're going to study it, take it apart, put it back together, figure out how to make more.

SENTIENCE
You're talking about reverse-engineering.

ROSE
(nods)
I think that's the word the Doctor used. We can't let them do that.

SENTIENCE
You could have simply warned us. We can protect ourselves.

ROSE
We want them to steal it. We just don't want them to be able to make more. It's complicated, but the plan was to replace a few of the components so it wouldn't work.

SENTIENCE
Your logic is flawed. They would discover the deception and attempt to steal another.

ROSE
No, the Doctor figured out a way so they wouldn't know the difference. He said they wouldn't be able to reverse-engineer it and they would give up trying.

SENTIENCE
That does not make sense. How did he propose to accomplish this?

ROSE
I don't know. I'm not a genius engineer.

SENTIENCE
I am. I am engineering, and that is not possible.

ROSE
The Doctor said he could do it, which means he can do it. He's smart like that.

SENTIENCE
The Doctor is wrong.

ROSE
Well, you asked for our plan. That's our plan. We have to stop these people from building an arsenal of world enders. The Doctor said, if we can pull this off, they'll never try again.

SENTIENCE
That's what he said?

ROSE
Yes. Now, are you going to help us or not?

Sentience considers her options.

INT. FACTORY - CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Doctor Two holds on to one of the table legs and waits for the shifting gravity to turn the room right side up. When the time is right, he plants his feet and shuffles out from under the table, cradling the real hyperchain core to his chest. He dodges fallen debris on his way to the doorway leading back to the drive room.

As he approaches the door, he sees two adult Brygosan males struggling under fallen debris. They are pinned, and reach out to him for help. He takes a step towards them, but the gravity shifts again, forcing him to grab a nearby support beam to keep from falling. If the gravity shifts in the same direction again, he might not be able to make it through the door.

DOCTOR TWO
I don't know if you can understand me, but I have to get the ship's main reactor back online. I don't have time to help you.

Doctor Two reaches for the door and climbs through. The Brygosans reach for him. They cry out in pain, desperate for help.

DOCTOR TWO
I'm sorry. I'll come back for you if there's time.

Doctor Two leaves them behind, moving into...

INT. DRIVE ROOM - CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Gravity shifts again as Doctor Two makes it through just in time. With the room on its side, he manually shuts the door to keep from accidentally slipping back through into the factory.

Walking along the side wall, Doctor Two moves towards the massive, but quiet, reactor. Some of the scaffolding has broken loose and rattles around the room each time gravity shifts. He grabs one of these pieces, a short metal pipe-like object, and steps to a point a few feet clear of the containment field. He tests the field, just to make sure, by throwing the pipe towards the reactor. It electrifies briefly as it comes into contact with the field. Sparks fly everywhere, until it passes through and rattles harmlessly along the ground.

DOCTOR TWO
Well, that was enlightening.

Gravity shifts again and Doctor Two quickly runs his way up the side wall and over to the workstation where his original scanner is still plugged in. Using the scanner as an interface, he attempts to restart the reactor, but the display indicates that someone needs to first pump a charge switch on the reactor itself... on the other side of the containment field.

Doctor Two looks up, sees the switch on the reactor. His expression sinks.

DOCTOR TWO
This is really turning into one of those days.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Cybermen Leader sneaks up behind Doctor Two.

CYBERMEN LEADER
Then consider my ending it for you an act of mercy.

Doctor Two turns just in time to be grabbed by Cyberman Leader and hurled into the air. Gravity immediately shifts, causing Cybermen Leader to be thrown into the air as well. Doctor Two lands against a wall, then rolls to avoid being landed on by both Cybermen Leader and loose pieces of scaffolding.

Both "men" get to their feet and grab pipes from the scaffolding to wield as weapons. They fence, with Cybermen Leader's power and speed so overwhelming that all Doctor Two can do is hope to block each thrust. A particularly brutal swing from Cybermen Leader is so violent it launches the pipe from Doctor Two's hand. Left with only the hyperchain core to defend himself, Doctor Two holds that up like a shield as Cybermen Leader threatens to strike him down.

The pipe swings towards the core, but stops half an inch from connecting. Cybermen Leader and Doctor Two share a glance, as if to say to each other "that was close".

Doctor Two runs in the opposite direction and Cybermen Leader moves to pursue, but gravity shifts again. This time Cybermen Leader falls first. He lands on his back and Doctor Two lands on top of him, also on his back. The robot man manages to wrap the pipe around Doctor Two's neck.

Doctor Two chokes, using his one free hand to try and push the pipe away from his neck. Simultaneously, he tries to fit the hyperchain core under his armpit to free up his second hand for more support, but he doesn't have time. Gravity shifts the room again, so that the containment field is now "down". They fall towards it!

Desperate, Doctor Two falls towards a workstation that is bolted to the actual floor, but the only hand of his close enough to reach it is the one he's using to hold onto the hyperchain core. His other hand he has wrapped around the pipe also held onto by Cybermen Leader. Left with no other choice, Doctor Two lets go of the core to grab hold of the workstation leg.

DOCTOR TWO
Catch the core!

Below him, Cybermen Leader catches the falling core with his free hand six feet above the containment field. With gravity still shifting, Doctor Two struggles to maintain his grip on both the leg of the workstation and the pipe held onto by Cybermen Leader.

DOCTOR TWO
If the core passes through that field, the radiation will rupture the seals.

CYBERMEN LEADER
Affirmative.

DOCTOR TWO
You're a heavy bugger. If we don't shift back soon, I don't know how much longer I can hold you. I believe this constitutes a problem.

CYBERMEN LEADER
We are in agreement.

Doctor Two notices a forklift that is wedged inside a wall thanks to the front facing forks having been driven through two panels. It has created a type of ledge above them where, in theory, the core would be safe.

DOCTOR TWO
Do you see the forklift? Can you get the core up there?

CYBERMEN LEADER
Negative. If I release the core, you will release me.

DOCTOR TWO
The containment field won't kill you.

CYBERMEN LEADER
The drop could.

DOCTOR TWO
Ah, you're just a chicken.

One of Doctor Two's fingers slips.

DOCTOR TWO
But seriously, we're all going to die.

Doctor Two's remaining fingers slip... he drops...

A mechanical hand reaches out and catches Doctor Two by the forearm. He looks up to see Sentience, in her mangled state, holding on to him from atop an anti-grav loader. Rose is next to her.

ROSE
Counter-proposal; everybody lives.

Doctor Two smiles, relieved to see them both.

CUT TO: A FEW MINUTES LATER

Doctor Two, Rose, and Cybermen Leader (holding the hyperchain core) wait atop the floating anti-grav loader as, behind the containment field, Sentience activates the charge switch. Moments later, the enormous ship's reactor powers back on. Normal gravity is restored and they return to their upright positions on the floor. Sentience climbs down the reactor, like a bug, and waddles over.

SENTIENCE
All of the ship's systems are coming back online.

Sentience closes her eyes and takes a deep breath in.

SENTIENCE
I can feel it.

Doctor Two nods.

DOCTOR TWO
Rose, look at me.

Rose does. He slaps her across the face. She holds her cheek.

ROSE
Ow!

DOCTOR TWO
(to Sentience)
Did you feel that?

Sentience shakes her head "no".

Rose slaps Doctor Two across the face. He holds his cheek.

DOCTOR TWO
Ow!

ROSE
(to Cybermen Leader)
Feel that?

DOCTOR TWO
Why are you asking him? We were never connected. That was never even a thing.

SENTIENCE
We must still resolve your presence on this ship. Rose has informed me of your plans for the world ender.

DOCTOR TWO
She did?

He turns to Rose.

DOCTOR TWO
What did you tell her?

SENTIENCE
She indicated your plan to modify the world ender so that it would be impossible to reverse-engineer the technology.

ROSE
She didn't believe me that it was possible. I tried to explain it, but I didn't know how. I was hoping you could convince her.

Doctor Two licks his lips. He looks nervous as he thinks.

DOCTOR TWO
It's a bit technical.

Sentience and Cybermen Leader stare at him, awaiting his explanation.

DOCTOR TWO
But I'm confident it will work. When they open it up, when they try, they won't learn anything from it, and they will never try again.

Sentience carefully scrutinizes Doctor Two's face, perhaps picking up on something Rose doesn't.

SENTIENCE
Standby.

Sentience and Cybermen Leader exchange a glance as they communicate silently amongst themselves.

DOCTOR TWO
(whisper to Rose)
You shouldn't have told her.

ROSE
(whisper)
I didn't have a choice.

Sentience and Cybermen Leader agree.

CYBERMEN LEADER
(to Doctor Two)
Your plan is satisfactory. We agree to allow you to modify the world ender.

Doctor Two breathes a sigh of relief. Sentience and Cybermen Leader turn away to start work, but Rose stops them.

ROSE
And we want the Brygosans released.

Sentience turns back.

SENTIENCE
... There was a breach in the factory. I detect no Brygosans alive on this vessel.

Sentience and Cybermen Leader walk away to begin their work.

Shocked by the revelation, Rose covers her agape mouth with her hand. Doctor Two hangs his head in silent mourning.

ROSE
All of them? They're all dead? That can't be. Some of them had to-

DOCTOR TWO
Rose...

He reaches out to her.

ROSE
But she's lying. She has to be lying.

He holds her in his arms.

EXT. SPACE

The Tardis drifts in space as the battlehead sets course for the Space Station New Rome, the site of Earth's Declaration.

INT. ROSE'S ROOM - TARDIS

Rose, still looking like one of the Tonades, is seen spread out across her bed. An alien soap opera plays on the holo-screen, but she isn't paying attention. She stares through the image, as if into space.

A chime at the door.

ROSE
Come in.

Doctor Two enters, also still wearing his Tonades gear.

ROSE
What's the damage?

DOCTOR TWO
It's not good. We have a few systems, but it'll be a while before I can get her up and running again. That virus did a number on her, I'm afraid.

ROSE
Just tell me it worked.

DOCTOR TWO
We won't know that until we can time travel again.

He pauses, thinks about how he wants to word the next thing he has to say.

DOCTOR TWO
This has been hard on you, I know that. You didn't come on board the Tardis for this. When I get her fixed up, regardless of whether or not we restored history, let me take you home.

She looks at him.

ROSE
You need my help.

DOCTOR TWO
I... don't. I don't.

She looks hurt and turns over in the bed, away from him.

DOCTOR TWO
Think about it. Don't make me convince you.

He leaves.

She sniffs and wipes away a tear.

RAT THE MIC (V.O.)
Have you ever seen a more beautiful flower? This beautiful rose comes to you from the far reaches of the galaxy, and a little blue planet called Earth.

Rose looks up, her attention drawn to the holo-screen. The image displayed is that of a commercial advertisement for an intergalactic florist. In the middle of a small boutique shop crammed full of multi-colored roses, we see Rat the Mic, wearing a Christopher Columbus costume, holding a bouquet.

RAT THE MIC (V.O.)
Plucked from the fields of Philadelphia, this ultra fragrant floral bouquet is especially unique thanks to the pattern and arrangement of the central petals, called the 'heart' of the rose. Look at that, Rose.

Rose watches intently as the image on the holo-screen focuses on a close-up of the center of a single rose flower.

RAT THE MIC (V.O.)
That good heart is the signature of this Earth rose.

The image focuses on Rat the Mic.

RAT THE MIC (V.O.)
Don't be fooled by imposters. There are others out there trying to pass themselves off as the real deal, but they aren't who they seem to be, Rose. Mayflower Florist is there for you, to protect you and to save you from the imposters. No matter where you are, no matter what time you need them by...

Rose watches as the image pulls out to reveal another man standing next to Rat the Mic. It's the Doctor, wearing the loincloth costume he wore when he and Rose pranked Christopher Columbus.

RAT THE MIC and DOCTOR (V.O.)
We will be there for you.

Shocked at the sight of the Doctor on the holo-screen, and now terrified about the man she shares a Tardis with, Rose looks nervously back at the door to her room.

INT. CHANGING CLOSET VORTEX - TARDIS

Looking exhausted, Doctor Two wanders in. He removes as much of the armor as he can and walks it over to the materials rack of saved clothes. He deposits them there, then turns around to walk through the arch.

With his back turned to the rack, Doctor Two is smashed over the head with a metal helmet. He falls forward and lands on the ground, unconscious.

Behind him, we see his attacker; Theelia, the Brygosan, who was hiding behind the clothes.

THEELIA
Time Lord.

She spits on him.

EXT. SPACE STATION NEW ROME - SPACE

We see the battlehead, Tardis, and several other ships docked at Space Station New Rome for the Declaration of Earth.

INT. GRAND OBSERVATORY - SPACE STATION NEW ROME

Rex, the leader of the Sons and Daughters of Liberty Movement, pulls out his gun and shoots Cybermen Leader and his sub-units one by one until they are all vaporized. Everyone looks on in total shock.

The Doctor faces Rex. They stare at each other, rivals.

REX
Fortunately, I am not handicapped like you are by things such as honor and virtue. The Cybermen brought with them a terrible weapon, one they intended to use to eat our planet, and kill every human on it. I am now in possession of that weapon and I intend to use it on anyone who threatens our world with a declaration, invasion, or prissy damned attitude.

Rex steps closer to the Doctor.

REX
We are independent. We are here. And we are not going anywhere. When the Tonades arrive, you tell them what happened here. You tell them, if they come looking for me, Galaxy Eradon, four-four-eight-six, three-four-nine-nine, eight-eight-zero-eight. Understand?

DOCTOR
I comprehend... but I will never understand people like you.

Rex smiles.

REX
We're out, everybody. Have a peaceful rest of your evening.

Rex and his crew exit by way of the elevator shaft. Everyone else watches, giving Rex a wide berth.

EXT. SPACE STATION NEW ROME - SPACE

We watch as Rex's spaceship leaves the station.

EXT. RED PLANET - SPACE

We follow Rex's ship out of hyperwarp to an unknown red planet far from Earth. It descends into the upper atmosphere.

INT. LABORATORY - REX'S HEADQUARTERS - EARTH

Rex's crew wheels the world ender into a laboratory within the headquarters of the Sons and Daughters of Liberty Movement. Other rebels cheer his great success. Human engineers and scientists gather around the device, eager to get their first official look at it.

REX
Get to work on it right away. I want to know how this thing works. I want to know how we can make more of them.

FILIPA
More of them?

Filipa's concern is met with a smile.

CUT TO: LATER

Rex and Filipa watch from behind a pane of glass as a team of engineers gets to work on disassembling the world ender.

ENGINEER 1
All right. Removing what appears to be the trigger mechanism housing.

Engineer 1 removes the housing, which immediately trips a countdown, starting from only "0:07" seconds.

ENGINEER 1
Oh no.

The timer ticks down.

REX
(concerned)
What is it? What's wrong?

Engineer 1 looks up. His eyes meet Rex's.

2... 1.

EXT. RED PLANET - SPACE

A flash of light...

The red planet... is eaten.

END CREDITS ROLL

-End Episode 9 - Serial, To be Continued...-

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