Hi! I can't wait to see what I write for this chapter because it's going to be one of the most important chapters I have to write. It's fun. Also, in case anyone forgot, the Master is going to be sitting next 11. Reviews are appreciated and up my moral! And thank you to the people who are still following the story and have recently started following despite the train wreck of the first few chapters. As always italics indicate thoughts, and you get guess who speaks during a telepathic conversation.
wearedeadpool: I know it's so crazy. Imagine how the people who grew up watching Doctor Who feel, seeing their childhood show get rebooted.
TsukuyoGintoki: Kay. There is a warning that the first few chapters are really bad in the summary. Also why are you being so serious? This is literal crack.
Frostspiderman: Yes. Yana regenerated and the Master has successfully taken control of the TARDIS, which was why he was angry that the Doctor had escaped.
Super Shadow 2018: Chapter 10-Love the reference. And you're all good, just glad that you're reviewing. Chapter 11-Yeah, I did find it sort of odd, but I think every Doctor loves children. Wanted no drums, you should have reviewed that sooner. Chapter 12-Jack and Mickey are canonically besties, they just pretend they aren't. Definitely, 11 has fooled everyone at least twice on completely separate occasions. Chapter 13-It isn't that 11 wanted to keep secret who was coming, it's just that he had to so that 9 and 10 wouldn't go through the shock of hearing their childhood best friend was alive before they actually saw him. And I don't think I want to include Mickey's backstory until the cyberman episode in season 2.
The Master was on the floor, still gripping his hair, rocking back and forth. Zachariah was sat next to him, far enough so that he was out of arms reach, but close enough to listen to conversation between him and 11. The alien in question was sitting in front of his, at once, presumed dead best friend. It took awhile for the insane Time Lord to calm down enough to form a coherent sentence (or thought, for that matter), and to be able to listen as the wizard and the Doctor explained what was happening.
Anger was radiating off 11 at seeing the man, well that's what 9 and 10 had presumed made him angry. In reality, their future incarnation was actually angry at the condition of the man, the pain that was being experienced. All because of the damn counsel. But, maybe a little part of him was angry at the Master-it was always difficult to tell.
The two Time Lords talked for about an hour, the Master questioning things as best he could and 11 answering as calmly as possible. Zachariah had everyone stand back, not wanting them to hear the conversation yet. And pretty soon, the two were walking up to the group to join them. They could tell the oldest of the three was angry, he tried keeping the younger man at arms length-also out of fear, River realized.
9 and 10 sized him up, he wasn't all that threatening. Well, not that he looked. He actually seemed pretty harmless, the man was looking nervous, probably scared of their older regeneration. They flinched slightly, when he looked at them, they felt a connection to him. The feeling was sort of like a hollow, empty container, that used to be filled. But everything in the container had been taken out, for a long time. And then something, they don't know what, filled it slightly. It wasn't all the way full, but the container was no longer empty. It felt like a psychic link-a link that only Time Lords have with each other.
They were broken out of their reverie by the possible Time Lord in front of them speaking up. "So... Doctor. How did you escape?" He tapped his leg, to a beat of four. Nervous habit?
And that confused them, how were they supposed to know something that hadn't even happened yet? 11 knew what he was talking about, and placed a hand on the man's shoulder, almost immediately taking it off again. "He's too early. Like I said, he's no where near there yet."
"Right. Big ears and leather jacket standing next to him came before, right?"
"Yes. And Jack and Martha also haven't met you yet. I'm the only one who knows who you are. Come on, I haven't made contact with you yet, and you'll need some time to process the information." 11 and the Master faced each other, the latter bring his hands up and placing his fingertips on the sides of his friends' face. "Contact."
Suddenly, both went very still, as 11 began placing the needed information into the Master's head. And finally, 10 lost his patience. "Okay, who is he? Why is he so... Familiar?"
9 nodded, signaling that he, too, wanted to know the answer, but was too deep in thought to actually ask. The sorcerer sighed, and hugged himself slightly. "He'll tell you. He's an old friend of yours."
Suddenly, before either of them could ask what that meant, the familiar man gasped as contact broke. "First you bisexual and then you're asexual and panromantic?"
And it eased the tension slightly, as the Doctor's blushed in embarrassment. River was the first to speak up once everyone was finished laughing at the Doctors. "Rule number one: the Doctor lies."
Before the Master could answer, 9 asked his question. "Who are you? Why couldn't you be trusted to come here at the beginning with the rest of us?"
He stiffened, and looked at 11. He nodded after a moment and the younger man turned back to the crowd in front of him. "I... Chose a name like the Doctor, but I'm easily the better one. I excelled in things that he couldn't, and most of the time I was better at things the Doctor was also good at. I guess, given the information, you could call me: the Master."
And just like that, 9 and 10 tensed, before the older of the two began shaking slightly. He covered his eyes, while the younger one desperately tried to keep himself calm. And neither could believe it, but 10 seemed doubtful. "But that's impossible. The war-everyone died. It was the only way. I thought you were dead."
There was a flicker of sympathy in the Master's eyes as he saw the crumpled frame and the pained eyes of two of the regenerations of his best friend, but he quickly forced those feelings away. "I escaped. Apparently I'm not allowed to tell you how. And I don't plan to, the oldest one of your regenerations in this room is more threatening than he looks. And-whatever your name is-would you stop pointing the gun at me?"
River just stood tense and still, the gun aimed directly at his head. 11 stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder. "He won't hurt us. Zachariah made sure that if he had even a thought about hurting anyone in this room, he'd be forced to hear the drums louder than ever." And as if on cue, the Master slapped his hands over his ears, muttering curses. From what Rory could hear, not all of them were in a Human language.
"Alright, everyone take an hour and then we'll watch the next episode." Everyone agreed, and 11 took the time to explain to everyone a bit about the Master, when he was from, and teaching his friend everyone's names. He left out the part where the two were childhood best friends from Gallifrey, but everyone could guess that was the case-if the younger two Doctor's reactions were anything to go by. 9 and 10, after getting complete control of themselves, made momentary contact with their newly recovered best friend, in order to completely establish another mental link with him, their first having been severed completely during the war.
The Master flinched as the screen flickered four times and turned on.
[Big Brother House]
(100 years later than The Long Game. Transcriber's note - never seen the BB show, never want to, and I am proud of that!)
DOCTOR: What is it? What's happening?
(The Doctor falls out of a small spinning cupboard.)
The Master laughed at his old friends' pain, receiving dirty looks from most of the Humans.
"I can see why 11 hates him so much." Jack muttered just loud enough for the estranged Time Lord to hear. He frowned slightly, the only thing that showed he was affected by what had been said.
LYNDA: Oh, my God! I don't believe it! Why'd they put you in there? They never said you were coming.
DOCTOR: What happened? I was.
LYNDA: Careful now. Oh! Oh, mind yourself! Oh, that's the transmat. It scrambles your head. I was sick for days. All right? So, what's your name then, sweetheart?
(The Doctor is very unsteady.)
DOCTOR: The Doctor, I think. I was, er. I don't know, what happened? How
Martha smirked slightly. "Doubtful of your own name. That's concerning."
"You're opinion means nothing to a Time Lord." The Master bit out. "You're Human. I might not adore him like you all do, but have some respect."
10 glared at the man that he missed more than anything. "Don't you dare say that to Martha. Your view of races is bone dead stupid."
9 just glanced between two of the people he considered his friends. He didn't want to have to take sides.
LYNDA: You got chosen.
DOCTOR: Chosen for what?
LYNDA: You're a housemate. You're in the house. Isn't that brilliant?!
(Over by a pink screen with a stylised eye on it, a young man in a t-shirt is not amused.)
STROOD: That's not fair. We've got eviction in five minutes! I've been here for all nine weeks, I've followed the rules, I haven't had a single warning, and then he comes swanning in.
(The dark-skinned young lady in the pink shirt joins in.)
CROSBIE: If they keep changing the rules, I'm going to protest, I am. You watch me, I'm going to paint the walls.
DAVINA [OC]: Would the Doctor please come to the Diary Room?
[Diary room]
(The Doctor goes through a door with the stylised eye on it and sits in a comfy chair.)
DAVINA [OC]: You are live on channel forty four thousand. Please do not swear.
DOCTOR: You have got to be kidding.
Jack grinned lewdly. "You're on T.V., Doctor. You'll be famous."
9 opened his mouth to respond, but again, the Master interrupted. "And you're immortal. Your opinion means nothing to anyone."
This time it was 11 who spoke up. "Oi, I'm tolerating you at best. Don't go picking fights with the people I care about."
"Oh? And you don't look at him and think about how wrong he feels? You don't feel the need to run away or try and fix the anomaly by killing him over and over again? You don't feel that just a little bit?"
Jack stared at the Master for a few seconds, before looking over at the Doctors, an almost pleading expression on his. Hoping for it to be wrong. All he saw was the guilty expressions of the two youngest incarnations of the Doctor, and the increasingly angry expression of the oldest. "Doctor?"
"Jack..."
"Don't lie. Tell me the truth, do you hate me? Do you want me to die? Do you want to run and hide from me?"
9 and 10 looked at each other, before facing 11. He shook his head, and glanced at Jack. After a second he nodded towards 9.
"You're my friend, but you're wrong. I care about you, truthfully. But I also wish that you had never become immortal."
"So... Do you want me to continue living?"
"You should have died the first time."
Jack breathed out, tears welling up in his eyes. "All of you feel this way?"
10 regretfully nodded. 11 pressed his lips in a thin line. "You should have died that day. I wish that you never lived again. But I'm also so, so happy that you're alive."
The Master smiled a genuinely happy smile as tears leaked out of the immortal's eyes.
[The Weakest Link]
(Rose wakes up on a studio floor. A dark-skinned man is bending over her.)
ROSE: What happened?
RODRICK: It's all right. It's the transmat. Does your head in. Get a bit of amnesia. What's your name?
ROSE: Rose. But where's the Doctor?
RODRICK: Just remember do what the android says. Don't provoke it. The android's word is law.
10 sighed and put his head in his hands. He hadn't seen what Rose and Jack had gone through, but he had the feeling it would be embarrassing. Meanwhile, the River was trying her best to discern how the Doctor felt about the newcomer. He was scared, angry, but also relieved. It didn't make sense to her. She wanted to think that they were just best friends that both had a difficult childhood on Gallifrey, but there was more to it.
Amy and Rory were also curious about the Time Lord that tapped a rhythmic four beat pattern. "I bet they fancied each other."
Rory merely shook his head. "I don't think we should poke around in this. It seems way more personal than whatever the Time War was."
She pouted, but gave no further fight.
ROSE: What do you mean, android? Like a robot?
(A woman calls out instructions.)
FLOOR MANAGER [OC]: Positions, everyone! Thank you!
RODRICK: Come on, hurry up. Steady, steady.
(Rodrick helps Rose up. She is wobbly on her feet, too.)
ROSE: I was travelling, with the Doctor and a man called Captain Jack. The Doctor wouldn't just leave me.
FLOOR MANAGER [OC]: That's enough chat. Positions! Final call! Good luck!
ROSE: But I'm not supposed to be here.
RODRICK: It says Rose on the podium. Come on.
(Rose takes her place next to Rodrick.)
ROSE: Hold on, I must be going mad. It can't be. This looks like the
FLOOR MANAGER: Android activated!
ROSE: Oh, my God, the android. The Anne droid.
ANNE DROID: Welcome to The Weakest Link!
Rose cringed slightly. "I feel like I'm going to make a pretty big mistake in this."
10 shrugged. "I don't remember you ever telling me what exactly happened. And I really don't like myself for this whole thing."
"When have you ever liked yourself?" The Master grinned manically at the glare the Doctor sent him with a clenched jaw. "Aw, don't be a spoil sport, Doctor! Tell me. When was the last time you liked yourself-and you can't say childhood because we both know what a load of crap that is."
9 shifted and spoke in the Gallifreyan's garbled language. The Master tensed at what he said, his grin dropping slightly and a dangerous look in his eyes. There was a harsh response and River tensed at the words she knew were spoken between them. She spit a loud, dangerous sounding word to get the two to stop. Now was not the time or place for arguments.
[What Not To Wear]
TRINE-E: Here we go again. We've got our work cut out for us.
ZU-ZANA: I don't know. He's sort of handsome. Has a good lantern jaw.
TRINE-E: Lantern jaws are so last year.
(Another pair of droids - one tall and thin, one short and curvy - have Jack lying on an examination couch. There is a rack of clothes nearby.)
JACK: Sorry, but, nice to meet you, ladies, but where exactly am I?
Jack pouted and sighed dramatically. "This is not one of my best moments."
Mickey raised an eyebrow. "You have good moments?"
"Excuse me, Mickey Mouse, but-"
"Wait-you don't know 21st century slang, but you who Mickey Mouse is?" Amy asked, a direct attack on his character.
Jack just rolled his eyes. "Yeah, the weird cartoon horror movie. Duh."
Rory coughed to cover up a laugh. "Mickey Mouse is a children's cartoon show."
"Huh." Jack furrowed his eyebrows-trying to decide if they were messing with him or telling the truth. Seemingly finding an answer, he relaxes back in his seat and tries to ignore the Doctors sheepish expressions.
TRINE-E: We're giving you a brand new image.
JACK: Oh, hold on, I was with the Doctor. Why, is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?
ZU-ZANA: It's all very twentieth century. Where did you get that denim?
JACK: A little place in Cardiff. It was called the Top Shop.
ZU-ZANA: Ah! Design classic.
TRINE-E: But we're going to have to find you some new colours. Maybe get rid of that Oklahoma Farm Boy thing you've got going on.
Donna grinned. "I think you look great, Jack."
He laughed good-naturedly. "Thanks."
"Don't even start, you two." 10 groaned. Jack stared sharply at the Time Lord.
"I don't think you have any business telling me what to do, asshole."
He seemed to shrink into himself at the angry words. "Right. Of course."
ZU-ZANA: Just stand still and let the Defabricator work its magic.
JACK: What's a defabricator?
(It's a beam that disintegrates all, yes all, your clothes.)
JACK: Okay. Defabricator. Does exactly what it says on the tin. Am I naked in front of millions of viewers?
(Thank goodness for the strategically placed Defabricator.)
TRINE-E + ZU-ZANA: Absolutely!
JACK: Ladies, your viewing figures just went up.
The Doctors all blushed a bright red, even the Master seemed a little embarrassed by the nudity.
[Big Brother House]
(The Doctor is checking his surroundings with the sonic screwdriver.)
DOCTOR: I can't open it.
LYNDA: It's got a deadlock seal, ever since Big Brother five hundred and four when they all walked out. You must remember that.
DOCTOR: What about this?
(An alcove with a picture in it.)
LYNDA: Oh, that's exoglass. You'd need a nuclear bomb to get through.
DOCTOR: Don't tempt me.
The Master and River smirked slightly-both knowing how much the Doctor liked blowing things up when the opportunity presented itself. Everyone else just remembered Rose's poor shop...
LYNDA: I know you're not supposed to talk about the outside world, but you must've been watching. Do people like me? Lynda. Lynda with a Y, not Linda with an I. She got forcibly evicted because she damaged the camera. Am I popular?
DOCTOR: I don't remember.
LYNDA: Oh, but does that mean I'm nothing? Some people get this far just because they're insignificant. Doesn't anybody notice me?
DOCTOR: No, you're, you're nice. You're sweet. Everybody thinks you're sweet.
LYNDA: Oh, is that right? Is that what I am? Oh, no one's ever told me that before. Am I sweet? Really?
DOCTOR: Yeah. Dead sweet.
LYNDA: Thank you.
Martha smiled. "She really is sweet."
The Master rolled his eyes. "Yeah, it's disgusting. I hope she dies."
10 and 11 tense up at that, but forcibly relaxes, they didn't want the Master to figure that out just yet. But from the grin he directed at them, he already had. And 9 just looked a little saddened by the knowledge that presented itself.
Amy wanted to berate him for what had said, but from the warning look Rory had given her, she figured she wouldn't like an angry Master in her presence.
DOCTOR: It's a wall. Isn't there supposed to be a garden out there or something?
LYNDA: Don't be daft. No one's got a garden anymore. Who's got a garden? Don't tell me you've got a garden.
DOCTOR: No, I've just got the Tardis. I remember.
LYNDA: That's the amnesia! So what happened? Where did they get you?
DOCTOR: We'd just left Raxacoriofallapatorius. Then we went to Kyoto. That's right, Japan in 1336, and we only just escaped.
[Tardis]
DOCTOR [OC]: We were together, we were laughing, and then there was this light. This white light coming through the walls, and then.
[Big Brother House]
DOCTOR: And then I woke up here.
LYNDA: Yeah, that's the transmat beam. That's how they pick the housemates.
DOCTOR: Oh, Lynda with a Y. Sweet little Lynda. It's worse than that. I'm not just a passing traveller. No stupid little transmat gets inside my ship. That beam was fifteen million times more powerful, which means this isn't just a game. There's something else going on.
The crazed Time Lord gasped loudly. "Oh, no! Hopefully the great Doctor will save the day, and all his friends without betraying them or hurting them in any with. With a death count of 0!"
10 closed his eyes and breathed deeply, doing his best to calm himself. But the Master was connecting to him and he heard his old best friend's insane laughter replaying in his head. He did his best to force him out, but 11 had realized his distress and had to help him.
Jack looked at the pained faces of the Doctor's, and how vulnerable they were to the Master. The Doctor he knew didn't fear much, but it looked like he was afraid-terrified, even. 11, who Jack had taken the most interest in due to his odd actions, looks so mournful. Maybe the two had met and they had reconnected, but somethings had happened-or they became more estranged than usual.
River looked towards Jack. The immortal man had every right to be angry, but she saw that he was beginning to forgive them. If only a little-it's not like the Doctors had much control over their instincts. She had thought there was something odd about how much she truly despised him at first. It calmed down after awhile, she didn't feel the need to kill him as much, after getting to know him. It would take awhile for him to forgive the three of most dangerous aliens, but it wouldn't stop him from caring about them.
Suddenly, the Master let out a pained yelp and curled in on himself, desperately clawing at his ears to get the noise to stop. 10 reached over to comfort him, something akin to worry on his face, but 9 pulled him back. 11 nodded his thanks to the youngest of the three there, and placed a hand on his once friend's shoulder. It didn't calm him down, but it made him remove his hands from his ears. The Master began tapping his four beat rhythm on the armrest.
"Doctor?" 10 startled out of his struggle with 9 and awkwardly turned towards Jack. "Look... I know it's part of the Time Lord instinct or whatever to hate people like me, but... You still like having me around, yeah? Even if I caused some sort of anger or fear, you could still tolerate me, right?"
11 smiled widely. "Of course! When I was him-" he pointed to 9 "I loved having you around! And when I was him-" he pointed to 10 "I still really liked being around you! It's just... Difficult sometimes. You can't ignore an instinct that's helped you survive for so long overnight."
Jack nodded and smiled slightly. "Good. Thanks. I don'y forgive you yet, though. And don't expect me to forgive him." he glared at the Master, who only laughed in response.
10 nodded. "Of course not. I wouldn't expect anyone to still like him as me, anyways. Not even the others... It doesn't matter."
The sudden solemn mood took everyone by surprise, but it was even more shocking to see the Master, of all people, look with concern before rolling his eyes and giving a huff that he was bored.
(The Doctor speaks into one of the Eyes on the walls, which are cameras of course.)
DOCTOR: Well, here's the latest update from the Big Brother house. I'm getting out. I'm going to find my friends, and then I'm going to find you.
[Floor 500]
(A man goes over to a woman who is using the same console bank as in Big Game.)
PAVALE: Need a word.
WOMAN: Hold on, let me finish this.
(She has Weakest Link on her monitor.)
WOMAN: Nineteen, eighteen.
[The Weakest Link]
FLOOR MANAGER: Seventeen, sixteen, fifteen. Thank you, people. Transmitting in twelve, eleven, ten
ROSE: But I need to find the Doc
RODRICK: Just shut up and play the game.
FLOOR MANAGER: Seven. six
ROSE: All right, then. What the hell. I'm going to play to win!
FLOOR MANAGER: Three, and cue!
ANNE DROID: Let's play The Weakest Link. Start the clock. Agorax, the name of which basic food stuff is an anagram of the word 'beard'?
AGORAX: (a man) Bread.
ANNE DROID: Correct. Fitch in the Pan Traffic Calendar, which month comes after Hoob?
FITCH: (a woman) Is it Clavadoe?
ANNE DROID: No, Pandoff. Rose, in maths, what is 258 minus 158?
ROSE: One hundred!
ANNE DROID: Correct. Rodrick.
RODRICK: Bank.
ANNE DROID: Which letter of the alphabet appears in the word dangle but not in the word gland?
RODRICK: E.
ANNE DROID: Correct. Colleen, in social security, what D is the name of the payment given to Martian Drones?
COLLEEN: (a woman) Default.
ANNE DROID: Correct. Broff, the Great Cobalt Pyramid is built on the remains of which famous Old Earth Institute?
BROFF: (a man) Er, Touchdown.
ANNE DROID: No, Torchwood.
10 glared at the screen. "Torchwood. Worse than Harriet Jones. Actually, I think they were working together."
11 sighed. "Look, I don't like what she did anymore than you, but really. You don't even know that full story yet."
"Exactly! I don't know the full story! I get to hate and despise anyone I want until I get the information. You do not have moral high ground here, we are the same person! Except to you, I am dead and you just went off without a thought. You-"
"You think I want to be like this?" 11 cut him off. He ran a hand through his hair and clenched his fists, to calm himself down. "You didn't let me be what I wanted! I could've been so much more different. I'm being held back by you! You only thought about much more you could do. But what about all I would get to do?"
10 stared in shock for a few seconds, but he felt anger flare up anyways. He was about to argue back, but he froze as he felt 9 drag him down to his seat. 11 felt the Master grab and pull him down as well, and release him immediately.
"Gross..." He muttered quietly, but everyone stiffly turned back towards the screen. It was too tense to say anything more.
Agorax, in language, all five examples of which type of letter appear in the word facetious?
AGORAX: Vowels.
ANNE DROID: Correct. Fitch, in biology, which blood cells contain iron? Red or white?
FITCH: White.
ANNE DROID: No, red. Rose, in the holovid series 'Jupiter Rising', the Grexnik is married to whom?
[Floor 500]
ROSE [on monitor]: (laughing) How should I know?
Rose frowned and leaned into Mickey. "I have a feeling I shouldn't have been laughing."
"I'm sure it couldn't be that bad." He pushed her slightly, and she gave a smile in response.
ANNE DROID [OC]: No, the correct answer is Lord Drayvole.
WOMAN: Why's she laughing?
ANNE DROID [OC]: Rodrick: in maths, what is nine squared?
WOMAN: Oh, my God, I don't think she knows.
PAVALE: And I've got a housemate who appeared out of nowhere. I told you, it's like the game's running itself.
Rory sighed and put his head in his hands. "A lot of people are going to die, aren't they? I'm so tired of it. What kind of universe is it that everywhere you turn, death just follows? It probably would've been better for it to not have been created at all."
"Don't say that, stupid." Amy slapped his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him in an awkward hug, but he appreciated it al the same. "If the universe never existed I wouldn't have met you."
[What Not To Wear]
(Jack is posing.)
TRINE- E: It's the buccaneer look. Little dash of pirate and just a tweak of President Schwarzenegger.
JACK: Er, not sure about the vest. What about a little bit of colour to lift it?
ZU-ZANA: Absolutely not. Never wear black with colour. It makes the colour look cheap and the black look boring. Now, let's talk jackets.
Jack scoffed and crossed his arms. "Have these bitchy androids ever seen a good red with black? Do they even know fashion cause I'm pretty sure they're talking out of their asses."
River nodded in agreement. "But you have to do it right. In that outfit any color at all would be horrendous, but if you were wearing a red dress with a black handbag-it would look so nice. Actually, once for my birthday the Doctor bought me a beautiful red dress, I have no idea how he found it or how he knew what size of dress I wore. He said it was just in his wardrobe collecting dust and that he thought that if anyone was going to wear it agin, it would be me. And then for our anniversary-"
Her eyes widened as she cut herself off. Everyone in this room was too early know about this. And it's not that she minded that they knew, she just remembered how much the 11th Doctor despised her at the beginning of their relationship. Well, maybe despise wasn't the best word, but there was an obvious distaste in his gaze when he looked at her.
Jack whistled lowly. "You were really able to make him sit still long enough to go through with a wedding?"
9 and 10 had shock written on their faces, while 11 looked as though he had expected something similar to that to be announced. The Master found an unfamiliar tightening of his chest. Married? Married? He's been married already. And he just... And it wasn't to him. Of course, seeing how 11 was perpetually angry at him, and how 10 and 9 hadn't spared him a second glance after he spoke bad about that disgusting immortal. Well they had, but they were disappointed and angry. Why did he always have to mess up with the Doctor?
Martha was disappointed that she now had no chance at the Doctor, 10 had already stolen her heart with that kiss-let it be damned if he said it meant nothing. Rose sighed but leaned into mickey more. She was already in a relationship and she shouldn't be jealous that the doctor, who was always looking so lonely, had found someone. Amy was also felt a spike of jealousy, but she extinguished it immediately. The Doctor had disappointed her twice and Rory had never let her down. And Donna just grinned. That spaceman had pretty good taste. Mickey sighed in relief. He had begun thinking that Rose was going to leave him for that alien thing. Rory, though he never considered himself gay or at the very least bisexual, found himself a little disappointed as well. He was devoted to Amy, no doubt about that. He would do anything she wanted if it meant she would stay with him... but Rory couldn't help the teaniest bit jealousy at the thought of the Doctor with someone else.
River cleared her thoat. "We should get back to the show."
JACK: I kind of like the first one.
ZU-ZANA: No, that's a bit too much Hell's Angel. I think I like the shorter one. Look, waist length, nice and slimming, shows off the bum.
JACK: Works for me.
TRINE-E: Once we've got an outfit, we can look at the face. Ever thought about cosmetic surgery?
JACK: I've considered it, yeah. A little lift around the eyes. tighten up the jaw line. what do you think?
TRINE-E: Oh, let's have a bit more ambition. Let's do something cutting edge.
(Trine-E has a chainsaw for a forearm.)
Jack pretended to sob. "They were going to cut my beautiful, handsome, and perfect face!"
"More like stupid, ugly, and deformed face." Mickey muttered.
"How dare you! I swear I'm going to-"
"Alright, you two! Let's get on with this." Donna huffed, before adding under her breath, "Jack is definitely hotter, though."
Mickey glared at her. "Hey!"
[The Weakest Link]
(The contestants are choosing the weakest link of the round.)
ANNE DROID: So, Rose, what do you actually do?
ROSE: I just travel about a bit. Bit of a tourist, I suppose.
ANNE DROID: Another way of saying unemployed.
ROSE: No.
ANNE DROID: Have you got a job?
ROSE:: Well, not really, no, but
ANNE DROID: Then you are unemployed. And yet, you've still got enough money to buy peroxide. Why Fitch?
ROSE: Er, I think she got a few of the questions wrong, that's all.
ANNE DROID: Oh, you'd know all about that.
ROSE: Well, yeah, but I can't vote for myself, so it had to be Fitch. I'm sorry, that's the game. That's how it works. I had to vote for someone.
Jack sighed and shook his head. No wonder Rose hadn't wanted to talk about it...
(Fitch is in tears.)
FITCH: Let me try again. It was the lights and everything. I couldn't think.
ANNE DROID: In fact, with three answers wrong, Broff was the weakest link in that round, but it's votes that count.
FITCH: I'm sorry. Please. Oh God, help me!
ANNE DROID: Fitch you are the weakest link. Goodbye!
(A barrel comes out of Anne's mouth and a beam disintegrates Fitch.)
FLOOR MANAGER: And we've gone to the adverts. Back in three minutes.
ROSE: What's that? What's just happened?
RODRICK: She was the weakest link, she gets disintegrated. Blasted into atoms.
ROSE: But I voted for her. Oh, my. This is sick. All of you, you're just sick! I'm not playing this.
BROFF: I'm not playing! I can't do it. I'm not. Please, somebody let me out of here.
ANNE DROID: You are the weakest link.
(Broff runs across the studio, and gets zapped by Anne.)
ANNE DROID: Goodbye.
RODRICK: Don't try to escape. It's play or die.
Donna felt sick. "Oh my god."
Martha shuddered. "That's sick."
The Master's eyes widened a fraction, before he began laughing like a maniac. 10 looked sorrowfully at the Master, while 9 looked at the ground. Both missed their best friend but... He had changed far too much than they thought he had. 11 glared at the Master. He had lost hims twice in his past regeneration, so now he had more of outside view of him. He had been blinded by his loneliness and false hope for the Master to just change and come with him. The Master, or at least his regeneration of him, was not a good person.
11 flicked the Master's shoulder, which startled him enough to stop his laughter.
So why do I miss him so much?
[Big Brother House]
LYNDA: Doctor, they said all the housemates must gather on the sofa. You've got to.
DOCTOR: I'm busy getting out, thanks.
LYNDA: But if you don't obey, then all the housemates get punished.
DOCTOR: Well, maybe I'll be voted out, then.
STROOD: How stupid are you? You've only just joined, you're not eligible.
LYNDA: Don't try anything clever or we all get it in the neck.
DAVINA [OC]: Big Brother House this is, Davina Droid. Crosbie, Lynda and Strood, you have all been nominated for eviction. And the eighth person to be evicted from the Big Brother House is (too long pause) Crosbie!
(The Doctor leans back on the sofa, bored.)
"You look stupid."
9 just looked at the Master. "Seriously?"
"Yeah."
LYNDA: I'm sorry! Oh, I'm sorry! Sorry!
STROOD: Oh, it should've been me. Oh, that's not fair, Crosbie love.
DAVINA [OC]: Crosbie, you have ten seconds to make your farewells, and then we're going to get you.
LYNDA: I won't forget you.
CROSBIE: I'm sorry I stole your soap.
LYNDA: I don't mind, honestly.
STROOD: Thanks for the food. You're a smashing cook. Bless you.
DAVINA [OC]: Crosbie, please leave the Big Brother House.
(A door to a short white corridor opens, with another door at the far end.)
CROSBIE: Bye, then. Bye, Lynda.
LYNDA: Bye.
(Crosbie and Lynda make an arch, and Crosbie walks through.)
LYNDA: I don't believe it. Crosbie.
DOCTOR: It's only a game show. She'll make a fortune on the outside. Sell her story, release a record, fitness video, all of that. she'll be laughing.
LYNDA: What do you mean, on the outside?
STROOD: Here we go.
(Lynda and Strood run back to the sofa to watch Crosbie on the screen.)
DOCTOR: What are they waiting for? Why don't they just let her go?
LYNDA: Stop it, it's not funny.
DAVINA [OC]: Eviction in five, four, three, two, one.
(A beam comes down from the ceiling and hits Crosbie. After a few moments, she vanishes in a puff of smoke.)
DOCTOR: What was that?
STROOD: Disintegrator beam.
LYNDA: She's been evicted. From life.
10 and 11 shifted uncomfortably. They really hadn't been very considerate of people when they were in their 9th regeneration. 9 himself stared unapologetically at the screen.
[Floor 500]
PAVALE: No one programmed the transmat, no one selected the new contestants. It is exactly like those stories.
WOMAN: Oh, don't start that again. I think you need to take a session off.
PAVALE: Well, I would, if you'd take it with me.
WOMAN: And don't start that again either.
PAVALE: But the rumours go back decades, saying that something's been hidden up here. Underneath the transmissions.
WOMAN: But the Controller would know. She watches everything.
PAVALE: Maybe she just can't see it. You've got to allow for human error.
WOMAN: Well, that's your problem, then. (sotto) I don't think she's been human for years.
(A human woman has fibre optic filaments coming out of her head and torso.)
CONTROLLER: Eighteen, nineteen, twenty. Transmit, transmit, transmit.
9's eyes widened in horror. "That is... One of the cruelest things I've seen done to a person."
River shook her head sadly. "I think that it's near the bottom of that, now."
The Master tapped his beat furiously, before suddenly standing. He began rambling to himself and entered an unlabeled room.
10 stood to go after him, but 11 grabbed his arm. "He'll be back out. He's just trying to... Figure things out."
10 decided he hadn't liked how 11 said that.
[Big Brother House]
DOCTOR: Are you insane? You just step right into the disintegrator? Is it that important, getting your face on the telly? Is it worth dying for?
LYNDA: You're talking like we've got a choice!
DOCTOR: But I thought you had to apply.
STROOD: Don't be so stupid. That's how they played it centuries back.
LYNDA: You get chosen whether you like it or not. Everyone on Earth is a potential contestant. The transmat beam picks you out at random. And it's non stop. There are sixty Big Brother houses running all at once.
DOCTOR: How many? Sixty?
STROOD: They've had to cut back. It's not what it was.
DOCTOR: It's a charnel house! What about the winners? What do they get?
LYNDA: They get to live.
DOCTOR: Is that it?
LYNDA: Well, isn't that enough?
DOCTOR: Rose is out there. She got caught in the transmat. She's a contestant. Time I got out. That other contestant, er, Linda with an I. She was forcibly evicted for what?
Jack gave a blank stare to the screen. "What am I, chopped liver?"
Without hesitation, and in the exact same tone and expression, the three Doctors replied, "Yes."
He put a hand to his chest and fell back to his chair with a gasp. "Oh, Doctor! how you wound me!"
LYNDA: Damage to property.
DOCTOR: What, like this?
(The Doctor sonic screwdrivers a camera into oblivion.)
At that moment, the Master sauntered out of the room. "Why is it that when I think about destroying things, I get shocked, but then the Doctor gets to destroy anything he wants?"
11 patted his head. "Because when you destroy things you tend to hurt people."
The Master shoved the Doctor's arm away violently.
[What Not To Wear]
(Jack is in tennis whites.)
JACK: No, I'm just not getting this. It's just too safe. Too decent. And you'd never keep it clean.
ZU-ZANA: Stage two, ready and waiting.
JACK: Bring it on, girls.
(His clothes are disintegrated.)
TRINE-E: And now it's time for the face off!
JACK: What does that mean? Do I get to compete with someone else?
TRINE-E: No. Like I said, face off.
(She starts up her chainsaw.)
Jack covered his face with his hands and pretended to sob violently. "I barely escaped with my face intact. I'm lucky to be alive!"
River rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but laugh at him.
"It's not funny, River! They were going to kill me!"
That just made River laugh harder. "Right now, all of us are lucky to be alive."
And Jack stilled, because yes that was true, but he had been killed before-multiple times, in fact. Why was he able to just... Survive?
ZU-ZANA: I think you'd look good with a dog's head.
(A large pair of scissors start up.)
TRINE-E: Or maybe no head at all. That would be so outrageous.
ZU-ZANA: And we could stitch your legs to the middle of your chest.
TRINE-E: Nothing is too extreme. It's to die for.
JACK: Now, hold on, ladies. I don't want to have to shoot either one of you.
TRINE-E: But you're unarmed!
ZU-ZANA: You're naked!
(Jack produces a small hand weapon from somewhere behind him,)
ZU-ZANA: But. that's a Compact Laser Deluxe!
TRINE-E: Where were you hiding that?
JACK: You really don't want to know.
The Doctors gagged at the implication. The Master silently agreed with them.
"That's disgusting." Rose muttered to Mickey. He nodded in response.
Jack rolled his eyes with a smirk. "Okay, so it's a bit gross, but it was the only thing that kept me alive at the moment."
Donna, though it was disgusting, had to give him a point for that.
TRINE-E: Give me that accessory.
(Jack shoots Trine-E's head off, then Zu-Zana's. If only...)
[The Weakest Link]
ANNE DROID: You are the weakest link. Goodbye!
(Colleen is atomised.)
FLOOR MANAGER: Going to the break! Two minutes on the clock. Just a reminder we've got solar flare activity coming up in ten. Thanks, everyone.
ROSE: Colleen was clever. She banked all our money. Why'd you vote for her?
RODRICK: Because I want to keep you in. You're stupid! You don't even know the Princess Vossaheen's surname. When it comes to the final, I want to be up against you, so that you get disintegrated and I get a stack load of credits courtesy of the Bad Wolf Corporation.
10 and 11 tensed again. Bad Wolf... And 9 was just confused again.
"What's Bad Wolf. Why is it still following us?"
10 looked down. "You're going to find out very soon."
9 huffed, but accepted the answer.
ROSE: What do you mean? Who's Bad Wolf?
RODRICK: They're in charge. They run the Game Station.
ROSE: Why are they called Bad Wolf?
RODRICK: I don't know. It's just a name. It's like an Old Earth nursery rhyme sort of thing what does it matter?
ROSE: I keep hearing those words everywhere we go. Bad Wolf.
GWYNETH [memory]: The things you've seen. The darkness. The big bad wolf
VAN STATTEN'S HELICOPTER [memory]: Attention all personnel. Bad Wolf One descending.
DOCTOR [memory]: Blaidd Drwg.
ROSE [memory]: What's it mean?
DOCTOR [memory]: Bad Wolf.
(Bad Wolf graffiti'd on the side of the Tardis, the Face of Boe on the Bad Wolftu channel)
ROSE: Different times. different places, like it's written all over the Universe.
RODRICK: What're you going on about?
ROSE: If the Bad Wolf is in charge of this quiz, then maybe I'm not here by mistake. Someone's been planning this.
Rose's eyes widened. "Am I right? Is Bad Wolf some plan to lead us there?"
10 sighed, and he wanted to answer... But he just couldn't. 9 didn't know anything and 11 was unstable, probably.
Rose groaned at the lack of answer and leaned into Mickey.
[Big Brother House]
DAVINA [OC]: The Doctor, you've broken the House Rules. Big Brother has no choice but to evict you. You have ten seconds to make your farewells, and then we're going to get you!
DOCTOR: That's more like it. Come on, then. Open up!
LYNDA: You're mad! It's like you want to die.
STROOD: I reckon he's a plant. He was only brought in to stir things up.
DAVINA [OC]: The Doctor, please leave the Big Brother house.
(The Doctor runs into the white corridor.)
DOCTOR [on monitor]: Come on then, disintegrate me! Come on, what're you waiting for?
LYNDA: He is, he's mad. He's bonkers.
The Master couldn't help but feel anger boiling at the Doctor's actions. The Doctor had always been sort of suicidal, passive suicidal ideation, he remembered from the "therapy session" 11 planted in his head. But what if he actually died. The drums were loud and they prevented him from thinking clearly. He hated the Doctor. But they used to be best friends. What if he actually lost his best friend? Somewhere, that wasn't corrupted by hatred and anger, the Master would like to think that he would mourn.
Everyone else was tense at the Doctor asking to be killed. And all 11 could think about was his previous regeneration and he had practically begged the Daleks to kill him... and how everyone would react to that.
[Floor 500]
DOCTOR [on monitor]: Disintegrate me. What are you waiting for?
WOMAN: I told you to keep an eye on him, not kill him.
PAVALE: He damaged the property. It's an automatic process.
[Big Brother House]
DAVINA [OC]: Eviction in five, four, three, two, one.
(The machine shuts down.)
DOCTOR [on monitor]: Ah, ha! I knew it! You see, someone brought me into this game. If they'd wanted me dead, they could've transmatted me into a volcano.
Despite the fact they knew the Doctor wouldn't die yet, Martha, Rory, and Rose couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Jack and Mickey, though he wouldn't admit it, couldn't help but smirk at the Doctor's ability to live against all odds. River, Amy, and Donna just glared at the Doctor for even trying to die in the first place. The Master let out a loud, disappointed sigh, which 10 couldn't help but laugh at.
[Floor 500]
WOMAN: What did you do?
PAVALE: Nothing!
DOCTOR [on monitor]: They want me alive.
PAVALE: It's like some sort of override.
DOCTOR [on monitor]: Maybe security isn't as tight this end. Are you following this? I'm getting out!
[Big Brother House]
(The Doctor opens the white door. Lynda opens the other door.)
DOCTOR: Come with me.
STROOD: We're not allowed!
DOCTOR: Stay in there, you've got a fifty fifty chance of disintegration. Stay with me, I promise I'll get you out alive. Come on!
LYNDA: No, I can't. I can't.
DOCTOR: Lynda, you're sweet. From what I've seen of your world, do you think anyone votes for sweet?
Rose huffed. "That's so stupid."
9 looked down at his hands before clearing his throat. "It's just how the world works. The good people die, while everyone else lives. The few good that survive..."
He trailed off, but Rose could tell from his tone that wouldn't have been a happy end.
(The Doctor holds out his hand. Lynda takes it and they run out into -)
[Floor 56]
DOCTOR: Hold on. I've been here before. This is Satellite Five. No guards. That makes a change. You'd think a big business like Satellite Five would be armed to the teeth.
(The Doctor opens another door and they go through.)
LYNDA: No one's called it Satellite Five in ages. It's the Game Station now. Hasn't been Satellite Five in about a hundred years.
DOCTOR: A hundred years exactly. It's the year two zero zero one zero zero. I was here before, Floor one three nine. The Satellite was broadcasting news channels back then. Had a bit of trouble upstairs. Nothing too serious. Easy. Gave them a hand, home in time for tea.
LYNDA: A hundred years ago? What, you were here a hundred years ago?
DOCTOR: Yep!
LYNDA: You're looking good on it.
DOCTOR: I moisturise.-
The Master stared at the screen in confusion. "Moisturize? Is that one of those human habits?"
11, in equal confusion, looked at the Master. "You've lived as human for, I don't know how long, but still."
"Yeah, at the end of the universe. Nobody cared about 'moisturizing.'" The estranged Time Lord put the word into air quotes, to mock them, Donna assumed.
"Did you brush your teeth?"
Though it sounded like an innocent question, it caused the Master to blush and cross his arms defiantly. "I thought I was human!"
10 just shrugged innocently. "I understand. I like the feeling of the bristles and how minty the toothpaste is."
"Gross."
Rory and Martha stared at the Time Lords in disgust.
"You don't brush your teeth?" Rory asked.
The Master rolled his eyes dramatically. "You humans are so weak that you have to keep up dental hygiene. Time Lords have natural defenses against ailments for... Teeth."
The end of his sentence sounded more like confusion than actually thinking he was better than them because he was a Time Lord.
-Funny sorts of readings. All kinds of energy. The place is humming. It's weird. This goes way beyond normal transmissions. What would they need all that power for?
LYNDA: I don't know. I think we're the first ever contestants to get outside.
DOCTOR: I had two friends travelling with me. They must've got caught in the same transmat. Where would they be?
LYNDA: I don't know. They could've been allocated anywhere. There's a hundred different games.
DOCTOR: Like what?
LYNDA: Well, there's ten floors of Big Brother. There's a different House behind each of those doors. And then beyond that, there's all sorts of shows. It's non stop. There's Call My Bluff, with real guns. Countdown, where you've got thirty seconds to stop the bomb going off. Ground Force, which is a nasty one. You get turned into compost. Er, Wipeout, speaks for itself. Oh, and Stars In Their Eyes. Literally, stars in their eyes. If you don't sing, you get blinded.
DOCTOR: And you watch this stuff?
LYNDA: Everyone does. How come you don't?
DOCTOR: Never paid for my licence.
LYNDA: Oh, my God! You get executed for that.
DOCTOR: Let them try.
LYNDA: You keep saying things that don't make sense. Who are you though, Doctor, really?
DOCTOR: It doesn't matter.
LYNDA: Well, it does to me. I've just put my life in your hands.
DOCTOR: I'm just a traveller, wandering past. Believe it or not, all I'm after is a quiet life.
River huffed out a laugh. "As if."
9 rolled his eyes. "What do you think I was doing before I stole my TARDIS?"
At that, River quieted. It wasn't often that she was reminded that the Doctor never really wanted his life to turn out this way.
LYNDA: So, if we get out of here, what're you going to do? Just wander off again?
DOCTOR: Fast as I can.
LYNDA: So, I could come with you?
DOCTOR: Maybe you could.
LYNDA: I wouldn't get in the way.
DOCTOR: I wouldn't mind if you did. Not a bad idea, Lynda with a Y. But first of all, we've got to concentrate on the getting out. And to do that, you've got to know your enemy. Who's controlling it? Who's in charge of the satellite now?
LYNDA: Hold on.
(Lynda spots a light breaker and turns it on. A sign lights up - Bad Wolf Corporation.)
LYNDA: Your lords and masters.
Rory furrowed his eyebrows. "Huh."
Amy turned to him with a concerned look. "What is it?"
He shrugs and shakes his head. "It's probably nothing but... Usually Bad Wolf is a passing thing, in these episodes? Is what they seem like. Anyway, Bad Wolf hasn't been this important yet. Seems to me like it's going to come into play."
10 smiled sadly. "You're very sharp, Rory."
He frowned a little. "Thank you? But... you don't seem very happy about it."
11 grinned at him. "It's alright! I'm fine. Just don't like remembering everything that happened her."
The Master opened his mouth to ask what was wrong on instinct, before snapping his mouth shut and changing what he wanted to say. "That's pitiful."
"Thank you, as always, for your concern." 11 smiled sarcastically.
The Master stuck his tongue out at him and tapped his fingers inn a four pattern beat.
[Floor 500]
(Pavale and his lady colleague are watching the Doctor and Lynda on a monitor.)
PAVALE: Okay, you win. The Controller's got to handle this. Archive makes a record of all transmat activities. Find out how they got on board. Archive Six. Controller, we have a problem.
CONTROLLER: Continue working.
PAVALE: We have a security problem.
CONTROLLER: Continue working.
PAVALE: I'm sorry, but I can't. We have contestants outside of the games, but the alarms haven't gone off.
CONTROLLER: No security. The games continue.
PAVALE: But we can't just let them wander.
CONTROLLER: They are no one. They are no one.
Rose frowned a little. "That's a little sad, don't you think?"
10 shrugged. "Actually a huge relief. If you aren't anyone, then it's unlikely you'll get noticed."
Nobody could find it in themselves to disagree, but they also couldn't help but feel a little sad for the Doctor. How long had he been living as a nobody?
(The woman puts her hand on a door lock and the Controller stiffens in pain.)
WOMAN: I'm sorry. I was just
CONTROLLER: Archive Six is out of bounds.
WOMAN: But I need to check the transmat log.
CONTROLLER: Archive Six is out of bounds. No one may enter Archive Six. Return to work. Return to work. Inform all staff, solar flares in delta point seven. Nineteen, twenty.
[What Not To Wear]
(Jack is taking apart the Defabricator.)
JACK: Compatible systems. Just align the wave signature. Attaboy! Got myself a gun. Well, ladies, the pleasure was all mine. Which is the only thing that matters in the end.
[Floor 299]
(Jack runs out and calls the lift. He checks his wrist computer.)
JACK: Two hearts, that's him. Which floor?
Is that the only thing that matters to them?
Shut up.
No.
Maybe.
(He gets into the lift.)
[Observation deck]
LYNDA: Blimey! I've never seen it for real before. Not from orbit. Planet Earth.
DOCTOR: What's happened to it?
LYNDA: Well, it's always been like that Ever since I was born. See that there? That's the Great Atlantic Smog Storm. It's been going twenty years. We get newsflashes telling us when it's safe to breath outside.
DOCTOR: So the population just sits there? Half the world's too fat, and half the world's too thin, and you lot just watch telly?
LYNDA: Ten thousand channels, all beaming down from here.
DOCTOR: The Human Race. Brainless sheep being fed on a diet of. Mind you, have they still got that programme where three people have to live with a bear?
The Master looked confused, if a little horrified. "What is wrong with humans."
River fired a shot that landed on the Master's armchair. "I'm part human and your offending that part."
Donna nodded in agreement. "I don't know about the rest of my species, but I find myself very offended by the Master."
Mickey raises his hand, smirking. "All in favor to eliminate the Master, say I."
There's a round of I's that make the Doctors glare at them with a look of disappointment, and 11 seems to be remembering something that happened a long time ago... But it was enough to get them to calm down and stop threatening the Master.
LYNDA: Oh, Bear With Me. I love that one!
DOCTOR: And me. The celebrity edition where the bear got in the bath.
LYNDA: Got in the bath!
DOCTOR: But it's all gone wrong. I mean, history's gone wrong again. This should be the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. I don't understand. Last time I was here I put it right.
LYNDA: No, but that's when it first went wrong. A hundred years ago, like you said. All the news channels, they just shut down overnight.
DOCTOR: But that was me. I did that.
LYNDA: There was nothing left in their place. No information. The whole planet just froze. The government, the economy, they collapsed. That was the start of it. One hundred years of hell.
DOCTOR: Oh, my. I made this world.
9 froze at the realization. He had just wanted to help-why did that always happen? Why could he never help when he wanted to?
Jack saw the way 9 tensed up. He had travelled with him for awhile before the Doctor had ditched him... He had seen the way when the Doctor began getting in his own head. And he knew that River probably noticed, too. Nobody else could, though. They were all too early. He saw the Master glance over at the Doctor, and he saw a flicker of recognition at what the Doctor was doing, and if Jack hadn't been studying him so closely, he wouldn't believe the flash of sympathy on his face. As angry as he was... Jack didn't think he could let the Doctor go through these emotions. This one hadn't even abandoned him, yet.
"Doctor, everyone makes mistakes. Yours have more effect on people's lives, but if you had known that would've happened, then I'm certain you would've made sure it didn't."
The Doctor doesn't respond, because of course he wouldn't, but there was a certain way that his shoulders relaxed that made Jack feel accomplished. The Doctor had heard him and listened to him... and had believed him.
[The Weakest Link]
(Agorax screams as he gets disintegrated.)
ANNE DROID: That leaves Rose and Rodrick. You're going head to head. Let's play The Weakest Link.
RODRICK: Right, that's the end of tactical voting. You're on your own now.
[Observation deck]
JACK [OC]: Hey, handsome. Good to see you? Any sign of Rose?
10 couldn't help but blush at hearing Jack call him handsome again. If he hadn't just felt so wrong then... if he hand't been so vulnerable to his instincts, maybe he could've taken Jack with him. 11 nudged his shoulder and he began cursing him out in Gallifreyan, causing the Master to raise an eyebrow.
"Sometimes, I forget you have such a pottymouth, Doctor." The Master spoke in English, because of course he needed to let everyone know what he was saying.
River couldn't help but blush herself at the words the Doctor had said. She knew much of the Gallifreyan language, the Doctor had taught her, but there were some words even she didn't recognize. And the insults were so much more creative and descriptive... Wow. If she hadn't thought the Doctor couldn't be sexier...
Of course, this caused Donna and Amy to become invested. "What did he say?"
9 immediately shot up and began protesting. Even the Master couldn't help but pause in telling them.
DOCTOR: Can't you track her down?
JACK: She must still be inside the games. All the rooms are shielded.
DOCTOR: If I can just get inside this computer. She's got to be here somewhere.
(The Doctor is working on the console Adam used a century before.)
JACK: Well, you'd better hurry up. These games don't have a happy ending.
DOCTOR: Do you think I don't know that?
(Jack hands over his wrist computer.)
JACK: There you go, patch that in. It's programmed to find her.
DOCTOR: Thanks.
JACK: Hey, there.
LYNDA: Hello.
JACK: Captain Jack Harkness.
LYNDA: Lynda Moss.
JACK: Nice to meet you, Lynda Moss.
DOCTOR: Do you mind flirting outside?
Jack pouted a little. "He's always like that! I'm never allowed to talk!"
Martha rolled her eyes. "For good reason."
He gasped in offense and he attempted to mimic some of the words the Doctor had said earlier, which caused the 5 that could speak in Gallifreyan to stare at him awkwardly.
11 looked down and cleared his throat, blushing heavily. "How about we leave the languages to people who know them..."
The Master couldn't help but nod in agreement. He was looking at Jack, horrified. "If you knew what you just said, I would rip you apart over and over and over and never stop. Because you can't die."
9 and 10 looked a bit relieved at seeing the Master like this. "Well, I don't think he'll be bothering for a long while, Jack. And maybe warn us if you try to speak our language, alright?"
River laughed a little. "If you have the potty mouth that the Master said you do, I have no doubt that's something you've said before."
Jack blushed a little. "What did I even say?"
At this, there was protests from all 5 of them.
JACK: I was just saying hello!
DOCTOR: For you, that's flirting.
LYNDA: I'm not complaining.
JACK: Muchas gracias.
DOCTOR: It's not compatible. This stupid system doesn't make sense.
(The Doctor gives the computer to Lynda and kicks the console. Jack takes off the front plate.)
Someone muttered "anger issues" in a sing-song voice, but nobody could figure out who it was. (It was the Master. They all knew it was the Master.)
DOCTOR: This place should be a basic broadcaster, but the systems are twice as complicated. It's more than just television. This station's transmitting something else.
JACK: Like what?
DOCTOR: I don't know. This whole Bad Wolf thing's tied up with me. Someone's manipulated my entire life. It's some sort of trap and Rose is stuck inside it.
9 rolled his yes. "So annoying when that happens... all the time."
10 muttered something along the lines of "dramatic" while 11 just snorted out a laugh. If 9 was dramatic, what was 10? Or even worse... what was he?
[The Weakest Link]
ANNE DROID: Rose, in geography, the Grand Central Ravine is named after which ancient British city?
ROSE: Is it York?
ANNE DROID: No, the correct answer is Sheffield.
[Observation deck]
DOCTOR: Found her. Floor four oh seven.
LYNDA: Oh, my God, she's with the Anne Droid. You've got to get her out of there.
[The Weakest Link]
ANNE DROID: Rodrick, in literature, the author of Lucky was Jackie who?
Martha couldn't stop herself from snapping her fingers and shouting out, "Collins! It was Jackie Collins!" She grinned happily, before blushing and covering her face.
Rose huffed out a sigh. "Maybe if you were there instead of me, you would've had a better chance of survival."
10 hesitated-he really didn't want to talk to Rose. He had just lost her, and he knew that it would just make it worse for him, but... "Well, it's not like you died, Rose. You're smart." That was how he usually said things, right?
She smiled slightly at the compliment, she couldn't exactly remember if that regeneration of the Doctor had spoken to at all, but when he did it sounded force. "Well, thanks, I guess. Still, though. I probably only survived that long because I'm not as smart as the other people. It gives them a higher chance of survival."
This time, 10 could't help from getting a little passionate as he spoke to Rose. "Don't you ever think that. Do you know how many times you've saved my life because you could figure out something that I couldn't?"
"Probably not that many if we're being honest. Besides... remember that episode where I asked to go back in time to see my dad? I nearly destroyed the world."
10 was about to argue more, but 11 just scoffed and spoke up. "You act as though I haven't done anything that's nearly destroyed the universe." He glares at 10. "Or completely changed human history."
Rose laughed slightly, and that ddi make her feel a little better, but she didn't understand what was going on with 10 and 11. "Alright, thank you. That... does make me feel better."
RODRICK: Stewart.
ANNE DROID: No, the correct answer is Collins. Rose, the oldest inhabitant of the Isop Galaxy is the Face of what?
ROSE: Boe! The Face of Boe!
ANNE DROID: That is the correct answer.
Jack groaned and sank into his seat. "I wish we could all stop talking about the Face of Boe."
11 and River couldn't help but start laughing at his embarrassment, while everyone else was just confused. Rory speaks up. "What do you even have against the Face of Boe?"
He just blushed further and covered his face with his hands. "It doesn't matter. Just I really can't talk about this. Ever."
[Lift]
DOCTOR: Come on, come on.!
[The Weakest Link]
ANNE DROID: Rodrick, in history, who was the President of the Red Velvets?
RODRICK: Hoshbin Frane.
ANNE DROID: That is the correct answer. Rose, in food, the dish Gaffabeque originated on which planet?
ROSE: Er, is it Mars?
ANNIE DROID: No, the correct answer is Lucifer.
Amy held up her hand with a scoff. "There's a planet named after the Devil?"
9 rolls his eyes. "It wasn't named after some fictional Lord of Hell-"
10 and 11 look as though they want to interrupt, but they let 9 continue.
"-It was named after the disgraced son of a king."
She just stared at him blankly. "Yeah. Doesn't sound at all like the Devil."
-Rodrick, which measurement of length is said to have been defined by the Emperor Jate as the distance from his nose to his fingertip?
RODRICK: Would that be a goffle?
ANNE DROID: No, the correct answer is a paab. Rose, in fashion, Stella Pok Baint is famous for what?
ROSE: Shoes.
ANNE DROID: No, the correct answer is hats.
[Floor 407]
ANNE DROID [OC]: Rodrick, in physics, who discovered the Fifteen Dash Ten Barric Fields?
DOCTOR: Game Room Six, which one is it?
LYNDA: Over here!
RODRICK [OC]: San Hazeldine.
ANNE DROID [OC]: No. the correct answer is San Chen.
JACK: Stand back, let me blast it open.
DOCTOR: You can't. it's made of Hydra combination.
[The Weakest Link]
(The final question.)
ANNE DROID: Rose, in history, which Icelandic city hosted Murder Spree Twenty?
ROSE: Reykjavik?
ANNE DROID: No, the correct answer is Pola Ventura.
(Rodrick got two right, Rose got one.)
RODRICK: Oh, my God! I've done it! You've lost!
Rose sucked in a breath. She had seen so many people die already. Would she be one of them?
[Floor 407]
(The Doctor is working on the lock to the studio.)
DOCTOR: Come on, come on, come on.
[The Weakest Link]
ROSE: But I'm not meant to be here. I need to find the Doctor, he's got to be here somewhere he's always here! He wouldn't just leave me!
ANNE DROID: Rodrick, you are the strongest link, you will be transported home with one thousand six hundred credits.
RODRICK: Oh, thank you, thank you so much.
ROSE: This game is illegal. I'm telling you to stop!
DOCTOR: Rose! Stop this game!
ANNE DROID: Rose, you leave this life with nothing.
JACK: Stop this game!
DOCTOR: I order you to stop this game!
ANNE DROID: You are the weakest link.
ROSE: Look out for the Anne Droid, it's armed!
(Anne Droid shoots Rose as she runs to the Doctor. There is just a pile of dust left on the floor.)
Rose breathed out sharply and her eyes filled with tears and her hand covered her mouth. Mickey wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "Oh my god..."
Martha stared at the screen in complete shock. This couldn't be real... right? Donna looked like she was about to vomit. She didn't know when the Doctor was going to regenerate, but he had lied to her. She had died. She wasn't alive. 9 swallowed awkwardly and looked away from the screen. Of course this would happen. Of course she died. He was an idiot for thinking otherwise.
The Master was momentarily shocked, but he rolled his eyes. He could care less about any of this. He began tapping his leg to the regular beat of four in his head. River averted her eyes from the screen. she knew that Rose hadn't died. But it still must be hard for the Doctor. At that moment, he probably truly thought that she had died.
10 logically knew that Rose hadn't died right then. He had saved her, but... God he had lost Rose so recently. And she hadn't died then, either. He would never see again, though. He would never... 11 shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't as sad to see this. It had all happened long ago, and he knew that Rose was happily with the human version of his past regeneration.
Amy and Rory looked at the rest of the group sympathetically. They felt more detached from the group, but they were saddened as they saw this. Amy couldn't believe her Raggedy man had gone through such loss.
Jack, of course, wanted to break the news. But It still had happened pretty recently for him, and he was feeling a little petty, so he decided not to say anything. A somber mood came over the group, and they waited for the episode to continue. They couldn't bring themselves to say anything, to offer any comforts. 11, River, and 10 decided that the group needed the moment to just be with each other, so they didn't say anything.
JACK: What the hell did you do to her?
(Everything else happens in the background as the Doctor kneels over Rose's remains.)
JACK: Back off!
FLOOR MANAGER: I need security and I need it here right now! It's this lot.
JACK: Don't you touch him! Leave him alone!
(A security guard takes the Doctor's arm.)
Donna felt anger boil up inside her. No wonder the Doctor was always so emotional when Rose was mentioned. He'd lost her and was immediately arrested. He could travel through time and took that to heart, knowing he could logically see her again. She was still alive-by his standards, anyways.
GUARD: Sir, put down the gun or I'll have to shoot.
JACK: You killed her! Your stupid freaking game show killed her.
GUARD: Sir, I'm arresting you under Private Legislation Sixteen of the Game Station Syndicate.
(The background music drowns out the rest of his words.)
Martha takes a deep breath and is the first brave enough to speak. "I-I'm so sorry. To... well, to everyone. Except you." She glares at the Master.
Rose swallowed and wiped her eyes. She'd been crying silently while they watched and Mickey had been doing his best to comfort her. "It's well... I guess it's better than dying from stupid, right?" She gave a watery laugh, and she got a few pity laughs in return.
10 cleared his throat. He figured it would be best if he cleared the air now, rather than later. He didn't want everyone to be mad at him for not telling them earlier once they found out Rose hadn't actually died. "Uhm... Rose, you aren't... you didn't die right then. I swear, you don't die. I'm not sure how much I can actually say, but you truly don't die. I should have said earlier, but, well..."
He doesn't explain any more, but there's a large sense of relief in the room and the Master's mood plummets. He really wanted her to have died.
[Prison cell]
GUARD: Can you tell us the purpose of this device, sir? Can you tell us how you got on board?
LYNDA: Just leave him alone.
GUARD: I'm asking him. Sir? Can you tell us who you are?
(The Doctor's mug shots are taken, front and both profiles.)
The Master couldn't help but snort. "Honestly, that's where you belong."
River stood and glared at the Master. "No he doesn't. You have no idea where the Doctor belongs. it is certainly not a jail cell."
11 looked at River sadly and sighed. "River, please. I'm sure, at some point in my future, I told you about what I've done. Do you really think I don't belong in a prison?"
She scoffed and folded her arms over her chest. "Yes, i do know what you did. I know all about the Time War and Gallifrey, and I just spent a day on Darillium with you. You've already been tortured enough in your existence, and I know it haunts you. But I also know your paying your retribution."
The Doctor was caught off guard for a moment, but not at what she was saying about how he didn't deserve prison. "Darillium?"
9 and 10 looked up at him confused. The way he said that was the same way he seemed to react to death. River just rolled her eyes and nodded. "Yes, Darillium. Honestly, I'm going to figure out one way or another why you spent forever trying to keep me from the place. We had a splendid time!" She seemed to forget about trying to boost the Doctor's self-esteem for a moment.
"Oh, River..." 11 sighs and sits down, looking away. He didn't want to be reminded of all this. Eventually, River sat down with a huff, and the Master snickered at the interaction.
GUARD: You will be taken from this place to the Lunar Penal Colony, there to be held without trial. You may not appeal against this sentence. Is that understood?
(A second guard unlocks the cage to let his colleague out.)
DOCTOR: Let's do it. (Jack leads the fight out. The two guards are knocked out and Jack reclaims his Defabricator while the Doctor retrieves his sonic screwdriver. Lynda takes the guard's weapons.)
Martha looks astonished, but grins happily. "I know my main goal is becoming a doctor right now, but one day I'm going to learn to fight like that."
Donna looked at her approvingly. "You know what? So will I. We can do it together."
The two grin at each other, making plans for how they would become world class fighters, while 11's mood worsens. he really wished Martha hadn't needed to learn how to fight.
[Floor 500]
PAVALE: Oh, my God. Now we're in trouble.
[Lift]
DOCTOR: Floor 500.
[Floor 500]
(Pavale sounds the alarm.)
PAVALE: Clear the floor. He's on his way up here with a gun!
WOMAN: This is an emergency! You've got to close the lift!
CONTROLLER: All staff are reminded that solar flares commence in delta point two.
PAVALE: Never mind solar flares, he's going to kill you!
(The lift arrives.)
JACK: Okay, move away from the desk! Nobody try anything clever. Everybody clear. Stand to the side and stay there.
DOCTOR: Who's in charge of this place?
CONTROLLER: Nineteen, eighteen.
DOCTOR: This Satellite's more than a Game Station.
CONTROLLER: Seventy nine, eighty.
DOCTOR: Who killed Rose Tyler?
CONTROLLER: All staff are reminded that solar flares
DOCTOR: I want an answer!
CONTROLLER: Occur in delta point one.
PAVALE: She can't reply. Don't shoot!
DOCTOR:: Oh, don't be so thick. Like I was ever going to shoot.
(The Doctor throws his weapon at Pavale.)
No guns.
It sounded like a thought transmission that startled everyone in the room, including the Master and River. It was more something they all felt, rather than heard, in their heads. the Doctors didn'y look too bothered, so they figured they must have sent the transmission, accidentally at least. But it was something the Doctor would certainly say.
DOCTOR: Captain, we've got more guards on the way up. Secure the exits.
JACK: Yes, sir.
DOCTOR: You. What were you saying?
PAVALE: But I've got your gun.
DOCTOR: Okay, so shoot me. Why can't she answer?
PAVALE: She's er. Can I put this down?
DOCTOR: If you want. Just hurry up.
PAVALE: Thanks. Sorry. The Controller is linked to the transmissions. The entire output goes through her brain. You're not a member of staff so she doesn't recognise your existence.
DOCTOR: What's her name?
PAVALE: I don't know. She was installed when she was five years old. That's the only life she's ever known.
The Master's eyes widened a fraction. That was... she'd been tortured by her own existence for longer than he'd been tortured by his own. The drum beats began to feel deafening, at this point. He hadn't felt this way in a long time. Was it... sympathy? Did he feel sympathetic for this... pitiful life form that shared in his torture?
JACK: Door's sealed. We should be safe for about ten minutes.
DOCTOR: Keep an eye on them.
PAVALE: But that stuff you were saying about something going on with the Game Station. I think you're right. I've kept a log. Unauthorised transmats, encrypted signals, it's been going on for years.
DOCTOR: Show me.
. (Jack tries to open Archive Six.)
WOMAN: You're not allowed in there. Archive Six is out of bounds.
JACK: Do I look like an out of bounds sort of guy?
(The door opens. Jack goes in and walks up to the Tardis.)
Jack laughed unashamedly at himself. "I'm so badass."
10 rolled his eyes and sniffed. "No."
"Hey!" Jack responded in an offended tone, and scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "You just have no taste."
9 cleared his throat. "I believe in my future I will tell you to buy me a drink, and I have yet to see any evidence that you have."
Jack's face flushed red and he coughed slightly. "Well, I recall saying that was too much work, so maybe you should lower your expectations."
"Well, if you can't my expectations, why are you worth my time?" 9 tilts his head to the side with a smirk and Rose laughs as Jack struggles to find an explanation.
[Tardis]
(Jack operates the console.)
JACK: What the hell?
[Floor 500]
CONTROLLER: Solar flare activity in delta point zero fifteen.
WOMAN: If you're not holding us hostage, then open the door and let us out. The staff are terrified.
DOCTOR: That's the same staff who execute hundreds of contestants every day.
WOMAN: That's not our fault. We're just doing our jobs.
Martha rolls her eyes at this explanation. "That so doesn't make it right. That's just like being a Nazi during the Holocaust 'just following orders.'" She used air quotes to emphasize her point, glaring at the screen.
Rory nods in agreement. "Honestly, the world never changes."
Amy put her hand in Rory's and sighs. "I wish we could make a difference. I mean, more of a difference than just traveling and saving worlds with the Doctor. Like... actual change."
DOCTOR: And with that sentence you just lost the right to even talk to me. Now back off!
(The power drops.)
PAVALE: That's just the solar flares. They interfere with the broadcast signal, so this place automatically powers down. Planet Earth gets a few repeats. It's all quite normal.
CONTROLLER: Doctor.
WOMAN: Doctor?
DOCTOR: Whatever it is, you can wait.
WOMAN: I think she wants you.
CONTROLLER: Doctor? Doctor? Where's the Doctor?
DOCTOR: I'm here.
CONTROLLER: Can't see. I'm blind. So blind. All my life, blind. All I can see is numbers, but I saw you.
The Master glowered at the screen. Any glimmer of sympathy he'd had for the Controller disappears as quickly as it had come. Of course the Doctor was seen out of anything. He was always so important. It was sickening.
DOCTOR: What do you want?
CONTROLLER: Solar flares hiding me. They can't hear me. My masters, they always listen but they can't hear me now the sun, the sun is so bright.
DOCTOR: Who are your masters?
CONTROLLER: They wired my head. The name's forbidden. They control my thoughts. My masters. My masters, I had to be careful. They monitor transmissions but they don't watch the programmes. I could hide you inside the games. Knew that you would find me.
DOCTOR: My friend died inside your games.
CONTROLLER: Doesn't matter.
DOCTOR: Don't you dare tell me that.
CONTROLLER: They've been hiding. My masters hiding in the dark space, watching and shaping the Earth so, so, so many years. Always been there, guiding humanity, hundreds and hundred of years.
DOCTOR: Who are they?
CONTROLLER: They wait and plan and grow in numbers. They're strong now. So strong, my masters.
DOCTOR: Who are they?
CONTROLLER: But speak of you, my masters, they fear the Doctor.
9 let out an annoyed huff. He was just one man, why would anyone truly fear him? Besides, he was basically a whisper in the wind... Who would even know him? Despite his annoyance, he glanced at his future regenerations, and his immediate older one was smirking in satisfaction, while the other was watching the screen, a slightly loopy grin on his face as this is mentioned. 9 vaguely wondered if they were just reminiscing about their victory or revenge they'd dealt on the poor souls that had made them believe Rose was dead. Or maybe... he saw satisfaction in their gazes. They were proud to be feared by whoever these "masters" were.
DOCTOR: Tell me, who are they?
(The power comes back on.)
CONTROLLER: Twenty one, twenty two.
DOCTOR: When's the next solar flare?
PAVALE: Two years time.
DOCTOR: Fat lot of good that is.
JACK: Found the Tardis.
DOCTOR: We're not leaving now.
JACK: No, but the Tardis worked it out. You'll want to watch this. Lynda, could you stand over there for me please?
LYNDA: I just want to go home.
JACK: It'll only take a second. Could you stand in that spot, quick as you can. Everybody watching? Okay. three, two, one.
(A beam comes down and Lynda vanishes in a puff of smoke.)
DOCTOR: But you killed her!
JACK: Oh, do you think?
(Another beam brings Lynda back.)
LYNDA: What the hell was that?
JACK: It's a transmat beam. Not a disintegrator, a secondary transmat system. People don't get killed in the games. they get transported across space. Doctor, Rose is still alive!
(Jack and the Doctor hug.)
9 couldn't help the small grin that formed on his lips. Jack really was a great person, despite how he oozed, for lack of a better word, wrongness. It gave the Doctor a headache, but he'd gotten used to it, and it actually seemed to be improving the longer he spent around Jack.
10 nudged 11 slightly and gestured to their younger regeneration as he watched himself and Jack on screen. They couldn't deny the feelings they had begun developing for Jack during that time, but they had disappeared once Jack became a fixed, endless point in time that made his head pound angrily. 11 giggled slightly, knowing that his younger regeneration was going to be completely enamored with Jack by the time they had to leave. 10 had Rose, and he had River. 9 deserved a bit of romance, despite having just come out of the war.
[Spaceship]
(There is a familiar rhythmic hum going on when Rose wakes up. Something approaches, looking at her through a round lens.)
ROSE: No, it can't be. You're dead. I saw you die!
(A sink plunger blocks her way.)
9's eyes darken considerably. So that's why his older versions were so happy hearing they were feared by these "masters." But that didn't clear up his confusion. "But that last one killed itself."
Surprisingly, the Master stops tapping his familiar beat of four and he looks even angrier as he stares at the screen. "Pests. They never go away, do they?"
10 laughs bitterly and it's shocking that he even acknowledges the Master despite 11 constantly trying to keep the two from interacting. "Really, they are. I have lost count how many times I've gotten rid of them, just to have the come back."
11 sighs and glares at the floor. "Oh, you truly have no idea."
[Floor 500]
DOCTOR: She's out there somewhere.
CONTROLLER: Doctor. Coordinates five point six point one
DOCTOR: Don't, the solar flare's gone. They'll hear you.
CONTROLLER: Point four three four. No, my masters, no! I defy you! Stigma seven seven
(The Controller disappears in a puff of smoke and a scream.)
DOCTOR: They took her.
[Spaceship]
CONTROLLER: Oh, my masters, you can kill me, for I have brought your destruction.
(So she gets Exterminated with a big smile on her face.)
Mickey breathed in sharply. This poor girl... forced to serve those things-no. Aliens. Forced to serve those aliens and she didn't just crave freedom. No, she wanted to be put out of her misery completely. She wanted to die. It put a lot of things into perspective. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered if the the Doctor, a man who never seemed to be truly happy and is practically immortal, also wanted to die. he also wondered if the Master, who the Doctor seemed to both love and hate more than anything, also wanted to die. The two seemed connected, and he hadn't seen the Master look remotely happy unless someone was being hurt.
[Floor 500]
PAVALE: Look, use that. It might contain the final numbers. I kept a log of all the unscheduled transmissions.
JACK: Nice, Thanks. Captain Jack Harkness, by the way.
PAVALE: I'm Davitch Pavale.
JACK: Nice to meet you, Davitch Pavale.
DOCTOR: There's a time and a place.
Donna snickered. Someone's jealous. She thought to herself. If she knew anything, which wasn't much, if she was being honest with herself, she knew that the Doctor had a thing for Jack. And Jack has a thing for the Doctor. Of course, the Doctor would only ever give vague hints to Jack, and Jack wouldn't be able to forget that he was an immortal that would forever be wrong in the Doctor's eyes.
WOMAN: Are you saying this entire set up's been a disguise all along?
DOCTOR: Going way back. Installing the Jagrafess a hundred years ago. Someone's been playing a long game, controlling the human race from behind the scenes for generations.
JACK: Click on this. The transmat delivers to that point, right on the edge of the solar system.
WOMAN: There's nothing there.
DOCTOR: It looks like nothing because that's what this satellite does. Underneath the transmission there's another signal.
PAVALE: Doing what?
DOCTOR: Hiding whatever's out there. Hiding it from sonar, radar, scanner. There's something sitting right on top of planet Earth, but it's completely invisible. If I cancel the signal
(A large flying saucer appears on a holo-viewscreen. Then we zoom out to reveal a lot, lot more of them.)
The Master hissed in disapproval and 9 clenched his fist. Rose had seen the two of them at odds with each other the whole time, but they seemed to have come into agreement over their shared hatred of the Daleks.
"I should have made that dark star alloy brooch you gave me into a knife. That would be enough to get through all those daleks." The Master breathed in deeply, and the drums were quiet for a moment. "Actually, I still could."
11 looked at the Master in surprise. "You still have it?"
He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Well, duh. And it's not because of you."
The Doctor just huffed out a laugh, having no doubt in his mind that the Master was telling the truth. The brooch had happy memories turned painful attached to them.
JACK: That's impossible. I know those ships. They were destroyed.
DOCTOR: Obviously, they survived.
LYNDA: Who did? Who are they?
DOCTOR: Two hundred ships. More than two thousand on board each one. That's just about half a million of them.
PAVALE: Half a million what?
DOCTOR: Daleks.
[Spaceship]
DALEK 2: Alert. Alert. We are detected.
DALEK: It is the Doctor. He has located us. Open communications channel.
DALEK 2: The female will stand. Stand!
(A holo-viewscreen pops into view with Floor 500 on it.)
[Floor 500]
DALEK [on viewscreen]: I will talk to the Doctor.
DOCTOR: Oh, will you? That's nice. Hello!
DALEK [on viewscreen]: The Dalek stratagem nears completion. The fleet is almost ready. You will not intervene.
DOCTOR: Oh, really? Why's that, then?
Donna laughs incredulously, along with a few others. "Since when does the Doctor not intervene?"
11 lets out an indignant sigh, crossing his arms over his chest. "You know, there are times when I shouldn't intervene with events." He looks at 10, his expression darkening slightly. "Of course I intervene, even then, so..."
[Spaceship]
DALEK: We have your associate.
[Floor 500]
DALEK [on viewscreen]: You will obey or
[Spaceship]
DALEK: She will be exterminated.
[Floor 500]
DOCTOR: No.
"Wow, good job." River stated dryly. "That'll stop them for sure."
9 raised his eyebrow and shrugged slightly. "It might not stop them, but it will scare them."
River makes a small gesture of her head, silently acknowledging the truth of the statement.
(Everyone looks at the Doctor.)
DALEK [on viewscreen]: Explain yourself.
DOCTOR: I said no.
DALEK [on viewscreen]: What is the meaning of this negative?
DOCTOR: It means no.
[Spaceship]
DALEK: But she will be destroyed.
DOCTOR [on viewscreen]: No!
[Floor 500]
DOCTOR: Because this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to rescue her.
[Spaceship]
DOCTOR [on viewscreen]: I'm going to save Rose Tyler from the middle of the Dalek fleet
[Floor 500]
DOCTOR: And then I'm going to save the Earth, and then, just to finish off, I'm going to wipe every last stinking Dalek out of the sky!
[Spaceship]
DALEK: But you have no weapons, no defences, no plan.
[Floor 500]
DOCTOR: Yeah. And doesn't that scare you to death.
"It's scared me and I wasn't even the one you were threatening!" Jack pouted and everyone could agree with the sentiment. When the Doctor became serious and started making threats, it was certainly best to stay out of his way.
-Rose?
[Spaceship]
ROSE: Yes, Doctor?
DOCTOR [on viewscreen]: I'm coming to get you.
(Transmission ends, courtesy of the sonic screwdriver.)
DALEK: The Doctor is initiating hostile action.
DALEK 2: The stratagem must advance. Begin the invasion of Earth!
DALEK 3: The Doctor will be exterminated!
DALEKS: Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!
When the screen cut off, Amy can't help but be disappointed. "Oh, come on! Do we really have to wait for a new episode?"
Zachariah's voice filtered into the room, cracking as if it was a radio transmission. "Yeah. Give me a few minutes, would you?"
There were a few impatient groans, and a few shifted in their seats, waiting impatiently for the next episode to start. Jack couldn't wait to see how he was able to keep living, the Doctor was interested in seeing himself regenerate, and the Master mostly just wanted to get it over with because he didn't want to be there.
Oh my gosh, I posted, guys! Anyways I decided to list the ships and headcannons that will be featuring in the future.
9 x Jack, 10 x Rose, 11 x River, Past Doctor x Master, Rory x Amy, Martha x Mickey. Martha has a crush on the Doctor for the moment, and Rory finds the Doctor attractive, but not looking for anything because he has Amy. Donna is attracted to Jack, but doesn't want to pursue.
Donna has low self-esteem, but she doesn't really mention it until we get to those episodes. Mickey respects the Doctor, but he still hates the idea that he's an alien (it'll get better don't worry). The Master and the Doctor used to be in love, but they married other people and had kids with them because they were too scared of their feelings, and that's part of the reason they became enemies. The Master desperately craves to be friends with the Doctor again, but the Doctor won't let him in because he thinks it's a trick. Martha was often neglected by her family, so she became infatuated with the Doctor because he gave her the attention she needed.
River trapped the Doctor into a relationship because the Doctor trapped her because she trapped him, so they aren't as in love as they always make it out to be-it's mostly from obsession on both sides.
Donna is asexual. The Doctor is asexual, panromantic, and genderfluid. Rory is trans (ftm) and the Doctor was able to do surgery on Rory, giving him fully functioning male parts. The Master is is aromantic, pansexual, and doesn't really care about gender his gender all that much.
That's all I have for now. Stick around for the next chapter (at some point)!
