Klary was cuddled up in her bed when pain radiated through her head. She called out for the Doctor but as she did, the young woman disappeared in a flash of gold. When she landed, Klary found herself standing behind two people with weapons drawn at the Doctor, Bill, and Nardole.

"Deadlock the door!"

The Time Lord's eyes met the brunette's for a moment. "Cutting it a bit fine, weren't we?"

"There was some debate over whether to open it at all," said the man that stood at the front.

Bill started at the person who grabbed her arm. "Wha! Sorry, I wasn't expecting. Hello."

"Great. We rescued a racist," the man exasperatedly snarked.

"What? Excuse me?"

"And you are?"

Klary took that moment to speak up. She had a bit of an idea as to where she was and hoped she was right. "Got your distress call." She held her hands up as those with weapons faced her.

"No. Guns off her."

"Who the hell is she?"

"My wife." He motioned to her. "Mind coming over here, darling?"

"Don't move."

"Why not show them your credentials, hun." The man quickly pulled out the psychic paper and handed it to them. All the while Bill was speaking to the blue-skinned man. Her words so painful Klary spoke up. "She doesn't mean anything by it. She was basically living under a rock. We decided to show her the world. Sorry that she offended." The man looked over at her. Scrutinizing before he returned to Bill.

"They're from the union."

"The union's a myth," said the black woman.

The psychic paper was handed off to the woman. "Take a look."

"Yeah. We're from the mythical union."Klary rolled her eyes at Nardole and slowly made her way over to the Doctor. Once by his side, the man pulled her to him, arm around her waist.

"Dahh-Ren?"

"We're here to help."

"Sorry, is your name Darren?"

"Dahh-Ren."

"Ahh. Makes more sense." Bill's arm suddenly reached out in front of her. "Er, that's not me. That's not me."

"It's just glitching. Ivan, take a look."

"Look, for the record, I'm not prejudiced. I'm usually on the receiving end."

"Oh? Why?"

"What, you really don't know?" Bill asked as she was pulled off by Ivan.

"Right, where's your ship?" Dahh-Ren asked.

"Er, we're parked just off your repair station."

"Then you might as well be on the moon. They're swarming around here now."

Klary raised her hand. "What exactly is swarming?"

"The dead," the Doctor replied. He had turned away but returned his gaze to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she shrugged. "Confused."

"It's just maths now. Oxygen divided by bodies," the main man looked down at his wrist device. "None of us have more than three thousand breaths left."

"Wait, the suits have oxygen?" Klary confirmed.

"Yes."

"I don't have one."

The woman glanced at her. Tone tight. "Then you'll be dead soon."

"Rude." She turned from the man to the Doctor. "So, where can I find a suit?"

"Never mind that. You'll be fine."

"Doc-"

"We need to stop wasting our breaths. I need a map of the base and a full rundown on what happened here."

"Who put you in charge?"

"I'm here to save your lives. But if you don't want me to, just raise your hand."

"Abby, get the man a map." The black woman- Abby- went and retrieved the map.

"Deactivate your organic component."

"All the suits got the same command. Best guess, someone hacked into the network."

"And you survived how?"

"We were off network. You have to be to repair the conveyors."

"It was just dumb luck," Dahh-Ren said from his seat atop a table.

"The measurements, are these in metres?"

"Average breaths. The only unit worth a damn out here."

"Of course they are."

"Forty breaths to the dorm. One twenty to the core," the woman moved her finger along the map. "That's where we're heading. It's the safest place."

Klary turned as Bill and the other man came back. Shot the companion a smile which as returned. "Are there more suits inside the base or out?"

"Outside is suicide."

"Inside we can move faster than them. Outside, they have the edge. Which means we're dead."

"What are you mining? Is it worth stealing?"

"You think this is a robbery?"

Klary shrugged, arms crossed. "I mean, if it were, killing everyone is a good start. Makes the robbing easier."

"It's how I'd do it." Everyone looked at Nardole. "If I was to do that sort of thing. Which, actually, I probably wouldn't. So please don't worry."

"Well, they picked a fine day for it. This is the least productive we've all been for months."

"Look, we're mining copper ore. You'd need to steal a mountain to make it worth your while."

"Your employers. Any help from them?"

Ivan shook his head. "They're too far away."

"Not that it matters. Whoever hacked the suits also cut the radio."

"So your distress call…"

"Was a botch. I boosted a suit radio through the dish."

"Good job."

"What about the brains of these suits? The AI?"

"They're dumb as rocks."

"But can they learn? Evolve? Grow? Maybe get tired of carrying pesky humans around? Know the feeling?" It was only Nardole who nodded.

"They've got limited problem-solving and that's it."

"I'm missing something. What am I missing?"

"Oxygen," Abby stated. "That's what we're missing. Maybe find some of that and leave the big picture 'til later, yeah?"

An alarm sounded and Tasker checked the monitor. It showed the zombies near the door, one messing with the destroyed lock panel. "They're fixing the lock!"

"Well then, it's time to go."

"Limited problem-solving, eh?"

"West corridor is free. Forty breaths to the core. Let's move."

Everyone rushed into the west corridor just as the door to processing opened. "Quick! They're through," Dahh-Ren called. As he did, Tasker opened the opposite door and the zombies barged in. One put its hand on his suit and electrocuted him.

" Instruction received. Organic component will be deactivated. Please remain calm while your central nervous system is disabled. Your life is in our hands."

"Airlock!" Ivan warned them. "Airlock. Helmets on." Everyone but Klary and Bill did.

"Where are we going?"

"Outside."

"Well, didn't they say that was a bad idea?"

"It is. But I know a worse one." He activated her helmet.

"Wait, why? Why, why, why do I need that? What about the air forcefield thing?" She waved her hands in front of the forcefield, lighting it up.

"Not strong enough for a vacuum. Trust me." He fit the helmet over her head and locked it on.

"What happens if I throw up in my helmet?

"Colour and smells."

The Doctor wrapped his arm around Klary as the airlock activated. The decompression sequence started up. Bill breathed before calling out for the Doctor. The suit spoke up again informing of a helmet malfunction. I poked at him and pointed to the terrified woman as her arms moved to her helmet.

"Somebody stop it!" She pulled her helmet off.

"Put it back on!"

"I'm trying! I can't move my arms!"

"Stop the cycle!"

"We can't stop it. It's automated."

The Doctor released Klary and tried to fix Bill's suit. "Now we know why your suit was being repaired. Bill. Bill! You're about to be exposed to the vacuum of space."

"Oh, god!"

"So don't hold your breath."

"Not helpful, Nardole," Klary snapped.

"Or my lungs'll explode."

"You were listening. Well done."

Klary slapped the man's arm. "Seriously? You're both horrible." She went up to the girl and rubbed her arms as she began to cry. "It'll be okay." She thought of her next words for a moment. "I promise you, Bill. Everything will be okay." Everyone's magnetic boots activated.

"What are we going to do?"

The airlock opened. As everything was being purged, the gold energy surrounded Klary. She watched as ice formed on Bill's face a moment before she passed out. She reached out as the Doctor removed his helmet and placed it on her. Klary grasped onto his hand and willed the gold to cover him. Her vision began to blur the more she willed it until it was all black.

When Klary came to, she found herself lying on a table. She blinked a few times to get her vision to focus. When she sat up, she saw Dahh-Ren sitting beside the Doctor on a bench. She quickly stood. Tripped as she rushed to his side.

"Is he all right?" He stood. Reached out to Klary. The brunette reached out and grabbed his hands. In front of him, she grabbed hold of his face. Gasped when she saw his eyes were milky. "I'm sorry. I tried. I promise I did."

"I know, love. I felt it. The energy is meant to protect you. Only you. That's why you are able to breathe. Why you don't need a suit. Now, don't worry about me. It's temporary."

"Really?" Bill asked.

He turned his body to her. Arms returned to Klary's waist. "Yeah. Once we get back to the Tardis."

"The Tardis?"

"I've got stuff in there that'll cure anything. Failing that, I think I've got some spare eyes somewhere. They're from a lizard, but I'm sure they'll fit."

"So, er, until then…"

"Until then what? You really think this is going to slow me down? I do most of my best work ordering other people around."

"Of course, you do, dear."

"Don't get snarky with me, Missus."

"You wouldn't like me any other way."

"See that's the thing. I don't like you." Klary pouted but let him lean until his lips were to her ear. "I love you."She turned and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"You know we're still here, right?" Nardole scoffed.

"Didn't I send you out to get me a latte?"

"So, what's the plan?"

"Well, we've all been trying to get a radio working and the Doctor's been…" Dahh-Ren paused for a moment. "Thinking."

"Don't mean to hurry you, but in seven hundred breaths I'll be dead."

"I need to think." The Doctor walked off and banged into some loose metal. After his run-in, Klary rushed off to his side.

"He really doesn't like help."

"Unless it's her?" Abby asked. Nardole and Bill nodded. An alarm blared. "It's a transponder. From a ship." Dahh-Ren went over to Abby while Bill joined Klary and the Doctor.

"Doctor, you okay?"

"Bill, I've got no Tardis, no sonic, about ten minutes of oxygen left, and now I'm blind. Can you imagine how unbearable I'm going to be when I pull this off?"

Klary chuckled as Bill groaned. "Don't do this. You always do this."

"Do what?"

"Make jokes to distract me from whatever's about to kill us."

"What else are jokes for?"

"Doctor!" Nardole rushed over. "There's a rescue ship on the way."

"We've picked up a company transponder."

"If there's a rescue ship, then how can the rescue ship already be here?"

"Too many rescue ships. There's a first-world problem."

"Who are you?" Abby asked.

"I'm the Doctor. I will do everything in my power to save all your lives. And when I do, you will spend the rest of them wondering who I was and why I helped you. If anyone's offering a better deal, be my guest."

"You didn't save Tasker, did you? And he believed you. Trusted you. And now he's dead. Can you give me one good reason why you shouldn't join him?" She pointed her blaster at the Doctor's head.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Ivan got between Abby and the Doctor. "We're all getting a little punchy here. It's the oxygen thinning. It's making it harder to think." As he spoke, the first zombie walked into the room. Dahh-Ren, trying to communicate with those on the rescue ship, was unaware. Back turned to the oncoming threat. It touched his suit and electrocuted him.

"Instruction received," said his suit.

"Will you get out of my way!" Abby forced her way past and began to shoot at the zombies, having seen them enter.

Ivan groaned as Dahh-Ren's suit spoke again. "Complying. Please remain calm while your central nervous system is disabled."

"No, no!" Abby continued to shoot at the approaching suits.

"Your life is in our hands."

"Head for the reactor core! Run!" Dahh-Ren died and joined the fray of other suits.

"What's happening?"

"Guess!"

"They knew we were there, somehow."

"Voice rec. Had to be."

"Doctor? Doctor, my suit!" Everyone turned around and saw Bill's suit glowing red as it remained in place. "It's doing it again! I can't move!"

"The sequencer's jammed. It needs a reboot."

"How long will it take?"

"Too long."

"Okay. We'll pick her up. Come on." Everyone moved to help but the suit wouldn't budge. Bill's magnetic boots were activated. Her suit informing of an illegal manoeuvre.

"The suit won't let us. Health and safety."

"Health and safety?"

"Doctor?"

"Okay, get her out of the suit. Give her mine."

"The sequencer controls the release clamp. We can't get her out."

"Well, we can't leave her here. They'll kill her!"

"Please do not interfere with the operation of this suit. Fines may be incurred."

"Oh, great. I'll get fined for dying."

"Fined for dying."

"Doctor?"

"What if there was never a hack? What if this is just business? Business as usual?"

"What do you mean?"

"Bill. Bill, do you trust me?"

"Why are you saying that?

"We're going to leave you here."

"What? I'll die!"

"You're not going to die. But I won't lie to you, this will not be good."

"We have to go. Now."

"You will go through hell, but you will come through it. And I will be waiting on the other side."

"But what if I was going to die…"

"You're not going to die!"

"Would you just say exactly the same ?"

"I will see you soon."

"Could you just tell me a joke before you go?"

Everyone walked out but Klary. Eyes connected with Bill's. She gave her a small smile. "Remember what I promised you. Everything will be fine." The terrified woman nodded. With a final glance, Klary took off after the group.

The five made quick work to the reactor core. The Doctor instantly began to mess with the wires.

"Doctor, this isn't going to work."

"Isn't it? Why? What do you think I'm doing?"

"Electrolysis. Splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen."

"Oh, that's clever. I wish I could see me doing that."

"Not what he's doing, Nardole," Klary stated but was ignored.

"Doctor, that water is cooling the nuclear core. We'd enjoy five minutes of oxygen before the whole thing overheated and blew."

"Yes, five whole minutes! We could boil the hell out of an egg! Stop being such a quitter." He felt around for another piece of equipment.

"Doctor, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't save her!"

"You know what's wrong with this universe? Believe me, I've looked into it. Everyone says it's not their fault. Well, yes, it is. All of it. It's all your fault. So, what are you going to do about it?"

"There's nothing we can do! She's dead."

"She's no more dead than you are, than I am, than everyone on this station is. Get me to a keyboard."

"What? Why?"

"Because I'm not trying to make oxygen. Keyboard! Now, please!" Klary muttered an I told you so before grabbing a keyboard for the Time Lord.

"You think you have a plan."

"We've got exactly one plan left." He began to work the keyboard.

"What plan?"

"The big one. The one you've been waiting for all your life."

"What's he doing?"

"Coolant system again."

"Yes, I've rejigged it a tiny little bit. Either that or I've really screwed up the plumbing. It's tough when you're blind."

"We need to know about this plan."

"Ah ha. The nice thing about life is, however bad it gets, there's always one last option available." There was some beeping. "Dying well."

"No. No!"

"What is it?"

Abby jumped onto another keyboard. "Our life signs. He's wired them to the coolant system. If we die, it vents."

"When the suits kill us- and they are going to kill us- the core will blow and the whole station will be destroyed. One very big boom."

"Is that the best you've got? Revenge?"

"Not just revenge. It's revenge as bright as the sun. It's revenge you can see across the galaxies! Not bad for a blind man."

"He's locked us out of the subroutine."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just thought I was tweeting."

"They're through the third lock."

"Open the doors."

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Er, yes. Completely, but that's not a recent thing. Ask Klary. Listen, all we've got left is a good death. This is the moment you've been waiting for since the day you were born. Don't screw it up now."

"There's rescue ships on the way."

"No, there isn't! No, there isn't. There never was a rescue ship."

"What are you talking about?"

"There was no hacking, no malfunction. The suits are doing exactly what they were designed to do. What your employers are telling them to do."

"And what would that be?"

"Save the oxygen that you are wasting. You've become inefficient. You even told me. Your conveyors were down."

"So everyone had to die?"

" Ah ha! Well, you are just organic components, and you're no longer efficient. So you're being thrown away. You don't believe me? Check on that rescue ship. Access the log."

"No, not true. None of it. You… You are just a lunatic."

"It is true, Abby." Ivan was checking the logs. "The ship… it set off before the distress call."

"They're not your rescuers. They're your replacements. The end point of capitalism. A bottom line, where human life has no value at all. We're fighting an algorithm, a spreadsheet. Like every worker, everywhere, we're fighting the suits."

A klaxon sounded. "They're nearly through!"

"Open up. Let's send them a message. Let's teach them a lesson they will never forget. If they take our lives, we take their station and every penny they will ever make from it. Die well! It's the finish line! It's winning!"

"Open it." Ivan sighed and obeyed. The door slowly opened to show Bill at the front.

"Doctor! Doctor."

"What?"

"It's Bill."

"Of course it's Bill. Fate and me, we have a thing," he whispered before turning to the suits. "Hello, suits. Our deaths will be brave and brilliant and unafraid. But above all, suits, our deaths will be," he paused for dramatic effect, "expensive!" The suits stopped. The Doctor moved among them. "Check your readings. We die, your precious station dies. The whole thing will blow. The company will make the biggest loss in its history. A moment ago, we were too expensive to live. Now we're more expensive dead. Welcome to the rest of your lives."

"But you said we were going to die."

"Ah. Technically, I said you were as dead as Bill. Probably should've mentioned. Bill's not dead." He activated her oxygen and the companion began to breathe. "I saw earlier her suit battery was too low. Not enough for a lethal dose. I know what it takes to kill someone."

A woman walked up to Ivan. "Ellie."

"What are they doing?"

"Relax. They're just giving us their oxygen. It's good for business."

"I'm not sure I'm very happy about it," Nardole snarked as the oxygen tanks were switched.

Ivan's eyes remained on the woman who had switched his oxygen tank- Ellie. "Thank you."

"It worked!"

"Of course it did."

"Doctor?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm alive."

"Yep. You do seem to be under that impression."

Bill turned to Klary. "Thank you." She gave the shorter brunette and the Doctor a hug. Nardole joining in.

The six had returned to the Tardis. The Doctor intent to get everyone off the station. Nardole was scanning the Doctor's eyes. "Okay. Keep your eyes open. Keep them open up there. That's it." Klary watched as his eyes changed back to their normal ice blue. Klary bit at her lip, knowing that hadn't fixed anything. She knew he would get his sight back but she was still upset that she wasn't able to keep him from losing his sight.

"You could have told us your actual plan in the first place."

"I could have told Bill her battery was too weak to kill her, but the suits would have heard. I try never to tell the enemy my secret plan."

"Better?"

The Doctor stood and the Tardis made some noises. "Hmm. Ah, we're back in the Tardis. When did that happen?"

"Thank you, Doctor, for all that you've done. I'm sorry that I didn't have more faith in your methods."

"Ah, don't mention it. Now I can set you down on a hub world outside of corporate control. Or anywhere, really. The universe is your crustacean."

"Head Office. We've got a complaint to make."

"I think we can arrange that." He worked the console and set the Tardis where he needed to drop off Abby and Ivan. "Promise me you'll be loud?"

"Promise." With them gone the Tardis was back into space.

It wasn't much longer that the quartet were in the Doctor's office. The Doctor was sitting with his feet up on his desk, shades on and playing with a yellow yo-yo. Klary sat on the desk, her body facing the man. Her head turned as Bill walked in.

"Does it work?"

"Does what work?"

"Making a complaint to the Head Office?"

"No idea. Never had a head office. But as far as I remember, there's a successful rebellion six months later. Corporate dominance in space is history, and that about wraps it for capitalists."

"Yay!"

"Then the human race finds a whole new mistake. But that's another story."

Can't wait."

"But you will."

"Laters."

As the office door shut, Nardole exited the Tardis. "Never again."

"Stop talking. Now."

"I'm serious. We were close to not making it back." The Doctor pulled off his glasses and rubbed his face. "Then what happens to the vault? You know what's at stake here."

"Really, stop talking."

"Nardole…"

He turned his ire to Klary. "And you just sit there and let him do whatever. You should know better."

"Yeah, whatever you're thinking, I'm not there yet. Sure I know the gist but for fuck's sake, I'm technically still early you twat."

The man huffed and returned his anger to the Doctor. "What if you got killed out there, huh? What happens to your precious Earth then? You need to be here, and you need to be ready if that door ever opens. Look at me."

"I can't."He replaced the glasses.

"What if you came back injured or sick? You really think our friend down there won't know that? Won't sense it? Look at me!"

"Nardole, I can't. I really can't! I can't look at anything ever again. I'm still blind."