Klary woke curled into a cool body. Legs tangled and arms wrapped around each other. She inched closer. Body flush against her bedmate. Her hand flat against a stomach. Safe. Content. She didn't want to open her eyes. Didn't want to find herself alone. A figment of her subconscious. Thought shattered with a soft caress. Still, her eyes remained closed as she happily let out a breath.
"I know you're awake, love."
"Shh."
"Klary, open your eyes." The girl snuggled deeper into her companion. "As much as I'm enjoying this, we have to get the others."
"A few more minutes. You're comfy," she whined. She couldn't remember the last time she slept so well. Years to be honest. Pressed against the body of the Doctor, she felt at home. A thought that surprised her. Yet she refused to think on it at the moment. Far too content with how she felt.
"Not the first you've said that."
"Then let me enjoy it."
"But the others-"
"Will be fine. Besides, we're in a time machine. Please, Doc?"
The Doctor kissed her temple. A chuckle leaving her. "I could rarely say no to you." The words a confession Klary hadn't been prepared for. She hadn't known she had the ability. That the Doctor couldn't bring themselves to deny her much. A stray question of what made her special drifted to the forefront of her mind but Klary pushed it away. Compartmentalised for another day.
"And I will always use that in my favour, darling."
Klary stepped out of the Tardis to see the room before her. With a look around, she realised she was on a space station. Satellite Five to be exact. Thinking of the episodes, there were only a few space stations the Doctor stumbled upon. She looked out the window and saw the Earth down below. With a sigh, she went through a gate and found Nine speaking with two women, Cathica and Suki. Instantly, Klary knew where she was. Rose and Adam were off in another direction. Grabbing food. She reached the man as he finished his sentence.
"Sometimes," she said with a cheeky smile.
The Time Lord whirled around, a large smile on his face as he saw the brunette. "Klary! When did you get here?" He pulled her into his arms. "Did you just call me stupid?"
"About five minutes ago." She kissed his cheek. Ignored his question as she turned to the women. "Hello there. Mind answering his question?"
"Er, right…"
"Hold on, wait a minute. Are you a test? Some sort of management test kind of thing?"
"You've got me. Well done. You're too clever for me." He held up the psychic paper. Suki's eyes widening.
"We were warned about this in basic training. All workers have to be versed in company promotion."
Cathica straightened out her suit and put on a smile. "Right, fire away, ask your questions. If it gets me to Floor five hundred I'll do anything." She pushed back her hair and poked out her chest. A bit too flirtatious for Klary's liking. She pulled at a coil. Wondered why it bothered her. With a shake of her head, she pushed the feeling aside. Priorities.
"Why? What happens on Floor Five Hundred?"
"The walls are made of gold. And you should know, Mister Management." As she stepped closer, Klary's jaw ticked. "So, this is what we do." She walked over to a wall monitor. Suki gave the pair a bright smile as they followed after her companion. "Latest news." On the various screens, reports were being shown. "Sandstorms on the new Venus archipelago. Two hundred dead. Glasgow water riots into their third day. Space lane seventy-seven closed by sunspot activity. And over on the Bad Wolf channel, the Face of Bo has just announced he's pregnant."
"I get it. You broadcast the news."
"We are the news. We're the journalists. We write it, package it and sell it. Six hundred channels, all coming out of Satellite Five, broadcasting everywhere. Nothing happens in the whole human empire without it going through us."
"I don't think that's a good thing," Klary muttered.
The Doctor grabbed her hand, fingers intertwined. A claxton rang out and everyone in the canteen rushed off. In the fray, he called out to the companions. "Oi! Mutt and Jeff! Over here!" Rose happily walked over. A flash of disdain on her features as her eyes landed on Klary. The latter paid her no mind as her eyes were trained on Adam. She ignored as the Doctor introduced the blonde companion to Suki and Cathica. Wondered if she should take the phone but thought better of it. That situation had to happen. Adam had to be sent back home.
In the newsroom, there were seven people seated around an octagonal desk. The centre had a chair with wires coming out the bottom. The four newcomers stood to the side behind a railing and watched everyone set up. Cathica went to the central chair and addressed her coworkers. " Now, everybody behave. We have a management inspection." She turned to the Doctor. "How do you want it, by the book?
"Right from scratch, thanks." He smiled down at Klary. At her expression he squeezed her hand. When her gaze met his, she gave him a small smile and returned her attention back to Cathica.
"Okay. So, ladies, gentlemen, multi-sex, undecided or robot,- my name is Cathica Santini Khadeni." She turned to the quartet, a large smile on her face. Klary hid her eye roll at the woman. She was trying way too hard for her liking. "That's Cathica with a C, in case you want to write to Floor five hundred praising me, and please do. Now, please feel free to ask any questions. The process of news gathering must be open, honest, and beyond bias. That's company policy."
Suki hesitantly spoke up. "Actually, um, it's the law."
"Yes, thank you, Suki," the woman snapped before she took a breath. "Okay, keep it calm. Don't show off for the guests. Here we go." Cathica settled into the chair. "And engage safety." The seven coworkers placed their hands over the hand-shaped indents on the table in front of them. Lights around the room turned on. Cathica clicked her fingers and a door in her forehead opened. The others placed their hands on the indents. "And three, two… and spike." A beam of light went to her forehead.
"Compressed information, streaming into her. Reports from every city, every country, every planet, and they all get packaged inside her head. She becomes part of the software. Her brain is the computer."
"If it all goes through her, she must be a genius."
"She wouldn't remember anything," Klary stated. Tone indifferent.
The Doctor nodded in agreement as he walked around the room. "There's too much. Her head would blow up. The brain's the processor. As soon as it closes, she forgets."
Rose followed after while Klary remained at the railing with Adam. "So, what about all these people 'round the edge?" She squatted between two of the workers.
"They've all got tiny little chips in their head, connecting them to her and they transmit six hundred channels. Every single fact in the Empire beams out of this place." The Doctor came to a stop in front of Klary and leaned against the railing. "Now that's what I call power."
Rose walked over and placed a hand on Adam's shoulder. "You all right?"
"I can see her brain," the boy said in disbelief.
"Do you want to get out?"
"No. But this… this technology, it's… it's amazing."
"This technology's wrong."
"Trouble?"
The Doctor shot the blonde a smile. "Oh, yeah."
Klary's brows furrowed as Suki flinched and ripped her hands from the controls. The other six soon followed and the chip opening on Cathica closed. A part of her wanted to warn the woman but she wasn't sure if it would affect how things were supposed to end. Still, she rolled her eyes as Cathica snarked at the woman. Before Cathica could reply, the tannoy went off.
"Promotion."
One of the back walls lit up. Chathica closed her eyes. "Come on. This is it. Come on. Oh God, make it me! Come on, say my name, say my name, say my name!"
" Promotion for Suki Macrae Cantrell. Please proceed to Floor Five Hundred."
"I don't believe it. Floor Five Hundred."
Cathica whipped to face her. "How the hell did you manage that? I'm above you!"
"I don't know. I just applied on the off chance and they've said yes!"
"That's so not fair. I've been applying to Floor Five Hundred for three years."
"What's Floor Five Hundred?" Rose asked.
"The walls are made of gold."
The four followed Suki and Cathica to the lifts. A happy smile on the woman's face as they waited for it to let her in. "Cathica, I'm going to miss you. Floor Five Hundred," she turned to the Doctor, "thank you."
"I didn't do anything."
"Well, you're my lucky charm."
"All right. I'll hug anyone." He hugged her with a smile. Cathica looked away. Rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms.
Klary stepped forward and placed a hand on her arm. "Stay by the door. If you can, don't cross the threshold." Suki gave her a look but didn't acknowledge her words beyond that. As she stepped away, Klary's eyes moved to Rose and Adam. She grit her teeth and reached for the Doctor as she watched Adam walk away.
"Oh, my god. I've got to go. I can't keep them waiting." Suki picked up her bag and rushed into the lift. "I'm sorry. Say goodbye to Steve for me." Bye!" She gave them a quick wave and gripped the strap of her crossbody bag as the door closed.
"Good riddance."
"You're talking like you'll never see her again. She's only going upstairs."
"We won't. Once you go to Floor Five Hundred you never come back."
The four walked back through the canteen. The Doctor's hold on Klary tightened. Cathica's words having set his mind into overdrive. Klary gave his hand a quick squeeze as they walked. Gave him what she considered a reassuring smile. "Have you ever been up there?" the Doctor asked.
"Can't. You need a key for the lift, and you only get a key with promotion. No one gets to five hundred except for the chosen few." With them back in the newsroom, Cathica stood to the side and crossed her arms. "Look, they only give us twenty minutes maintenance. Can't you give it a rest?"
"But you've never been to another floor?" The Doctor sat in the chair as Cathica looked through papers. "Not even one floor down?"
"I went to Floor Sixteen when I first arrived. That's medical. That's when I got my head done, and then I came straight here. Satellite Five, you work, eat and sleep on the same floor. That's it, that's all." Cathica shot the trio a suspicious glare. "You're not management, are you?"
"At last! She's clever."
"Yeah, well, whatever it is, don't involve me. I don't know anything."
Klary shook her head. "You're supposed to ask questions, Cathica. You're a journalist."
"Why would I?"
"You're a journalist! Klary just said."
"Here's a question, why's everyone human?"
Cathica rolled her eyes at the coily-haired brunette. "What's that got to do with anything?"
"There's no aliens on board. Why?"
"I don't know. No real reason. They're not banned or anything."
"Then where are they?"
"I suppose Immigration's tightened up. It's had to, what with all the threats."
"What threats?"
Cathica thought for a moment. Brows furrowed as she did so. "I don't know all of them. Usual stuff. And the price of space warp doubled so that kept the visitors away. Oh, and the government on Chavic Five's collapsed, so that lot stopped coming, you see? Just lots of little reasons, that's all."
"Some journalist you are," Klary snarked.
"Adding up to one great big fact. And you don't even notice."
"Doctor, I think if there was any kind of conspiracy, Satellite Five would have seen it. We see everything."
"We can see better. This society's the wrong shape, even the technology."
"It's cutting edge!" The woman argued.
"It's backwards. There's a great big door in your head. You should've chucked this out years ago."
"So what do you think's going on?" Rose asked.
"It's not just this space station, it's the whole attitude. It's the way people think. The great and bountiful Human Empire is stunted. Something's holding it back."
"And how would you know?"
"Trust me. Humanity's been set back about ninety years. When did Satellite Five start broadcasting?"
"Ninety-one years ago," Cathica breathed as she watched the Doctor move to a computer cupboard. He sonicked a pair of double doors. "We're going to get in trouble. You're not allowed to touch the mainframe. You're going to get told off."
"Rose, tell her to button it."
"You'll just vandalise the place. Someone's going to notice!" The doors opened and the Doctor began to mess with the mare's nest of wiring. The journalist held up her hands in frustration. "This is nothing to do with me. I'm going back to work."
"Go on, then. See ya!"He said without looking back. Klary stood to the side as she watched Rose help him pull wires.
"I can't just leave you, can I?"
"Please make up your mind, Cathica. Either you aren't involved, or you are. If you're going to stay, use your brain. You're smarter than you're acting."
"If you want to be useful, get them to turn the heating down. It's boiling. What's wrong with this place? Can't they do something about it?"
"I don't know. We keep asking. Something to do with the turbine."
"Something to do with the turbine," the Doctor mocked.
"Well, I don't know!"
"Exactly. I give up on you, Cathica. Now, Rose. Look at Rose. Rose is asking the right kind of question."
"Oh, thank you."
"Why is it so hot?"
"One minute you're worried about the Empire and the next it's the central heating!"
"Oh, never underestimate plumbing. Plumbing's very important." He pulled out a wire and shot Klary a sheepish look. She chuckled as Cathica rolled her eyes. With the wires pulled to the side, the Doctor pulled out a monitor with schematics on it. Showed it to the three women. "Here we go. Satellite Five, pipes and plumbing. Look at the layout." He stepped out of the room and allowed Cathica and Rose a better view.
"This is ridiculous. You've got access to the computer's core. You can look at the archive, the news, the stock exchange… and you're looking at pipes?"
"But there's something wrong."
"I suppose."
"Why, what is it?"
" The ventilation system. Cooling ducts, ice filters, all working flat out. Channelling massive amounts of heat down." Cathica looked up.
"All the way from the top."
"Floor Five Hundred."
"Something up there is generating tons and tons of heat."
" Well, I don't know about you, but I feel like I'm missing out on a party. It's all going on upstairs. Fancy a trip?"
"You can't. You need a key."
"Keys are just codes, and I've got the codes right here. Here we go. Override two one five point nine," he showed Cathica the monitor. On it was the code 215.9976/31.
"How come it's given you the code?"
"Someone up there likes me."
Klary snorted. "Or wants you dead." He shot her a smirk as he rolled his eyes.. A question on the tip of his tongue. "Not a clue. Just the usual. Not much I can say without giving you the answer."
"All right then." He grabbed her hand and dragged her to the lift. Cathica and Rose close behind. Though the other woman remained at the threshold.
"Come on. Come with us."
"No way."
"Bye!"
"Well, don't mention my name. When you get in trouble, just don't involve me." Cathica stormed off.
"That's her gone. Adam's given up. Looks like it's just you and us."
"Yeah."
"Good."
"Yep."
When they reached Floor Five Hundred, they found the walls covered not in gold but in snow. Klary was glad she'd decided to wear a jacket. Grateful that the Doctor handed her one that was properly insulated. Next time she saw her, she would thank her. She rolled her eyes when the Doctor spoke. "The walls are not made of gold. You should go back downstairs. Both of you."
"Tough," was Rose's reply as she walked forward.
Klary took his hand. "Rarely going to happen and definitely not now. Can't let you get into trouble alone." He sighed and pulled her along. It seemed there was very little he could deny her. Even if he wanted anything but.
They walked through the area and into another room with monitors and ice-covered people working at desks. Standing behind one of the people was a man with white hair in a black suit. "I started without you. This is fascinating. Satellite Five contains every piece of information within the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. Birth certificates, shopping habits, bank statements, but you two… you don't exist." The man chuckled. "Not a trace. No birth, no job, not the slightest kiss. How can you walk through the world and not leave a single footprint?"
Klary sighed when she saw Suki working at one of the spaces. Eyes downcast as she wasn't able to save her. Rose rushed over to her. "Suki. Suki! Hello? Can you hear me, Suki? What have you done to her?"
"She's dead," Klary deadpanned.
"She's working."
"They've all got chips in their head, and the chips keep going. Like puppets."
"Oh! You're full of information. But it's only fair we get some information back. Because apparently, you're no one. It's so rare not to know something. Who are you?"
"It doesn't matter, 'cause we're off. Nice to meet you. Come on." As they went to leave, Suki grabbed onto Rose while four others grabbed onto the Doctor and Klary.
"Tell me who you are?"
"Since that information's keeping us alive, I'm hardly going to say, am I?"
"Well, perhaps my Editor in Chief can convince you otherwise."
"And who's that?"
" It may interest you to know that this is not the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. In fact, it's not actually human at all. It's merely a place where humans happen to live." There was a growl and a snarl and the Editor backtracked. "Yeah. Yeah, sorry. It's a place where humans are allowed to live by kind permission of my client."
The three looked up to see a giant lump hanging from the ceiling, with a mouth of very nasty teeth at the end of a pseudopod. "What is that?"
"You mean that thing's in charge of Satellite Five?"
"That thing, as you put it, is in charge of the human race. For almost a hundred years, mankind has been shaped and guided. His knowledge and ambition strictly controlled by its broadcast news. Edited by my superior, your master, and humanity's guiding light, the Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe. I call him Max." He gave a gleeful smile as the three were placed in manacles. "Create a climate of fear and it's easy to keep the borders closed. It's just a matter of emphasis. The right word in the right broadcast, repeated often enough can destabilise an economy, invent an enemy, change a vote."
"So all the people on Earth are like… slaves?"
"Well, now, there's an interesting point. Is a slave a slave if he doesn't know he's enslaved?"
"Yes."
"Oh. I was hoping for a philosophical debate. Is that all I'm going to get? Yes?"
"Yes."
"You're no fun."
"Let me out of these manacles. You'll find out how much fun I am."
"Oh, he's tough, isn't he? But, come on. Isn't it a great system? You've got to admire it, just a little bit."
"You can't hide something on this scale. Somebody must have noticed."
"From time to time, someone, yes. But the computer chip system allows me to see inside their brains. I can see the smallest doubt and crush it. Then they just carry on, living the life, strutting about downstairs and all over the surface of the Earth like they're so individual. When of course, they're not. They're just cattle. In that respect, the Jagrafess hasn't changed a thing."
The three spotted Cathica behind the Editor's back. "What about you? You're not a Jagrabelly."
Klary snickered. "Jagrafess," she corrected.
"Jagrafess. You're not a Jagrafess. You're human."
"Yeah, well simply being human doesn't pay very well."
"Always money," the brunette snarled.
"But you couldn't have done this all on your own."
"No. I represent a consortium of banks. Money prefers a long-term investment. Also, the Jagrafess needed a little hand to, um… install himself."
"No wonder, a creature that size. What's his life span?"
"Three thousand years."
"That's one hell of a metabolism generating all that heat. That's why Satellite Five's so hot. You pump it out of the creature, channel it downstairs. Jagrafess stays cool, stays alive. Satellite Five is one great big life support system."
"But that's why you're so dangerous. Knowledge is power, but you remain unknown. Who are you?" The Editor snapped his fingers and energy surged through the manacles. Electrocuting the three.
"Leave them alone. I'm the Doctor, she's Klary, and she's Rose Tyler. We're nothing, we're just wondering."
"Tell me who you are!"
"I just said."
"Yes, but who do you work for? Who sent you? Who knows about us? Who exactly-" he stopped as the Jagrafess growled. "Time Lord."
"What?"
"Oh, yes. The last of the Time Lords. And his travelling machine. Oh, with his girlfriend and their little human girl from long ago…" He reached to stroke Rose's hair but she moved away.
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"Time travel."
"Someone's been telling you lies."
"Young master Adam Mitchell?"
A holo-monitor came up and showed Adam struggling in the broadcast chair. Screaming the longer he remained. "Oh my god. His head!"
"What the hell's he done? What the hell's he gone and done? They're reading his mind. He's telling them everything."
"And through him, I know everything about you. Every piece of information in his head is now mine. And you have infinite knowledge, Doctor. The Human Empire is tiny compared to what you've seen in your T-A-R-D-I-S. Tardis!"
"Well, you'll never get your hands on it. I'll die first."
"Die all you like. I don't need you. I've got the key."
They watched as the Tardis key rose for Adam's pocket. The Doctor's head turned to Rose, anger in his eyes. "You and your boyfriends!"
"Today, we are the headlines. We can rewrite history. We could prevent mankind from ever developing."
"And no one's going to stop you. Because you've bred a human race that doesn't bother to ask questions. Stupid little slaves, believing every lie. They'll just trot right into the slaughterhouse if they're told it's made of gold."
An alarm blared and the Editor rushed to the computer."What's happening?" The holo-monitor showed Adam's stream stop. His body slumped in the seat. "Someone's disengaged the safety. Who's that?" The image switched to show Cathica in the chair they passed.
"It's Cathica."
"And she's thinking. She's using what she knows."
"Terminate her access."
"Everything I told her about Satellite Five. The pipes, the filters, she's reversing it. Look at that." The icicles began to melt. "It's getting hot."
The Editor leaned over Suki. "I said, terminate. Burn out her mind."
The console exploded and the dead operators collapsed. Alarms continued to sound and with the explosions, Rose managed to get out of her manacles. "She's venting the heat up here. The Jagrafess needs to stay cool and now it's sitting on top of a volcano."
"Yes, I'm trying, sir, but I don't know how she did it. It's impossible. A member of staff with an idea."
The Editor took Suki's seat while Rose moved to free the Doctor. The three ducking to avoid the Jagrafess as it reached down and tried to snap at them. She pulled the sonic from his pocket. "What do I do?"
"Flick the switch!" She got him free and he snatched the sonic and released Klary. "Oi, mate! Want to bank on a certainty? Massive heat in a massive body, massive bang. See you in the headlines!" He grabbed onto her hand and pulled her out the room, Rose behind them. As they ran to the broadcast room, they avoided chunks of ice that fell from the ceiling. Approaching Cathica the Doctor clicked his fingers and closed Cathica's chip. Rose pulled her up and the four rushed back to Floor 139.
When they reached the floor, they watched as people helped the injured. The Doctor, Cathica, Rose, and Klary stood in the middle of it all. "We're just going to go. I hate tidying up. Too many questions. You'll manage."
"You'll have to stay and explain it. No one's going to believe me."
"Oh, they might start believing a lot of things now. The human race should accelerate. All back to normal."
"What about your friend?" Cathica asked as Adam stood by the Tardis.
"He's not my friend." He stood, arms crossed and eyes tight as he walked over to the boy. Klary gave the woman a tight smile as she followed him.
Rose rushed behind, eyes on the Doctor. "Now, don't…"
"I'm all right now. Much better. And I've got the key. Look, it's. It all worked out for the best, didn't it? You know, it's not actually my fault because you were in charge."
"You might want to shut up," Klary snarled as the Doctor shoved Adam into the Tardis. The ship hummed and with little resistance, landed them.
The Doctor kept hold on the young man and pushed him out of the Tardis. "It's my house. I'm home! Oh, my God, I'm home! Blimey. I thought you were going to chuck me out of an airlock."
"There is no airlock," the brunette deadpanned as she walked over to the answering machine.
"Is there something else you want to tell me?"
"No. What do you mean?"
The Doctor moved to Klary's side. Hand out as he waited for something. She unplugged the device and placed it into his hand. "The archive of Satellite Five. One second of that message could've changed the world." He placed it back down and sonicked the phone causing it to explode. "That's it, then. See ya."
"How do you mean, see ya?"
"As in goodbye."
"But what about me? You can't just go. I've got my head. I've got a chip type two. My head opens."
"What, like this?" The Doctor clicked his fingers.
"Don't." He closed it.
"Should have thought about the consequences of your actions. Seems like a personal problem to me," Klary shrugged as the Doctor opened it again.
"Stop it!"
"All right now, Doctor, that's enough. Stop it."
"Thank you." Rose clicked her fingers. "Oi!"
"Sorry, I couldn't resist." Adam closed it again.
"The whole of history could have changed because of you."
"I just wanted to help."
"You were just trying to help yourself."
"And I'm sorry. I've said I'm sorry, and I am, I really am. But you can't just leave me like this."
"Yes, I can. 'Cause if you show that head to anyone, they'll dissect you in seconds. You'll have to live a very quiet life. Keep out of trouble. Be average. Unseen. Good luck."
"But I want to come with you."
"I only take the best. I've got Klary and Rose." Hand intertwined with Klary's the two walked into the Tardis. Rose not far behind.
And here is chapter 11. I was going to upload it sooner but I wanted to try to get a chapter or two ahead. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it. Also, I love getting your comments. You guys literally make my day.
savethemadscientist: I live for your reviews lol. I didn't see the point of making it be a big deal as it's still the Doctor no matter the gender. And yeah, as great as foreknowledge is, sometimes relying on their own smarts is best. I wanted to portray Klary as someone who can hold her own even if she's unaware of what's going on. Yes! Three more chapters and you'll find out why there's such animosity between them... kinda three chapters. Maybe five lol. I will say you're partially right about where it all starts. ;)
Ezras Writing: Thanks so much. The episode kinda gave me some PTSD as I used to work for amazon so that was fun lol. As for your story, I read the 1st chapter and I will be posting my comment on there but I love how you started it. It'll be coming from my reading account but I'll let you know in the comment it's from me. Also, I LOVE a long story so the longer, the better in my books.