5. Prisoner Proof.
"Alright, how should I approach them?" the Doctor asks. He has far more experience in such things than any of his family. "Let's recall that these are dangerous lifeforms and are wanted by the Judoon police in many parts of the Universe."
"Wow, that's hard to know," Devyon says.
"How about asking them, Are you ready for a test?" Simeon proffers. "If they're dangerous, we should test them out to see if they've learnt anything from their time imprisoned in the suspended room in space."
"Yes, maybe," the Doctor muses. "We might test them to see their true colours!" He almost snaps the words out as he contemplates the awfulness of the beings in question. He knows they must not get out. He knows what they're like, but his family don't.
The Doctor starts to tap a message into the Tardis Console. Simeon steps forwards to read it.
"What's that message for? Who's it to?"
"I'm checking if the test's available before engaging with those lifeforms," the Doctor says as he sends it. A reply returns instantly, and the Doctor clears the monitor screen before anyone else can read it.
Then the Doctor taps in another message for the family to read.
The Doctor will see you now! To - The Blue Guardians. .
"I'll send it by buffeting their room with molecular sound waves - a wind in space! They'll hear it alright! .
Chloe steps forwards. "Doctor, are you going into that room to see these beings?" She's getting the impression that these are horrendous beings and she's feeling protective towards the Doctor.
"Certainly!" the Doctor says. "Did you want to come, too?" .
Chloe's alarmed now. And the ball is suddenly in her court in a way she hadn't expected. . Yet she knows that if she's to travel with the Doctor she will have to face such awful and risky things.
"Doctor, if I'm to be of any use to you, I must go there, too."
The Doctor looks into Chloe's eyes and smiles. "You're of far more use than you imagine! But yes, you'll be great!"
"Shall we use my transport, Doctor?" She refers to her wristwatch transport.
"Although we might, I was planning to arrive in the Tardis! That room is quite large, you know – it will fit in!" He still doesn't trust her transport, at least, not where there might need to be a quick exit!
He taps co-ordinates into the Console and a spinning shape of a room appears on the screen. Chloe arrives at the Console and taps the screen. The object on the screen stops spinning as the Tardis locks on to the movement of the room.
"Shall we land there, in the corner?" Chloe asks, and she taps the screen.
The familiar loud grinding noise tells them the journey's progression to completion by Voice Control. The Doctor's annoyed by this acceleration of events, now much more pressing things need his attention!
"Please let me do the talking," the Doctor requests rather bluntly. He's not looking forward to this encounter either!
But that's not Chloe's way... .
They step out of the Tardis and see the two beings trying to hold onto airlock doors at either end of the room. They're standing on the walls.
"What's the game today?" the Doctor asks.
Bel answers. "Mutually Assured Destruction! MAD for short! If he opens the airlock even a bit, I'll open mine!"
Avix continues. "We've both been tricked by the planetary council here, otherwise we wouldn't have got into this room! So, they may have tricked us in other ways, too! I think that maybe we aren't in space, as they told us."
"We can't see anything out of the windows, we seem to be spinning," Bel rejoins.
"Ha!" the Doctor intervenes. "There's a very simple test here that you two might be interested in."
"We're not interested in your test!" Bel says. He despises the Doctor purely because he doesn't fight like they do; fighting seems to be the only thing he thinks about.
"Ah, but you might be!" the Doctor says alluringly.
Chloe can see a ridiculous stand-off growing. "You don't want to know because you're too stubborn!"
"That's true, too," the Doctor says. "Where is UP for you, Avix?" introducing his test without announcing it.
Avix points to the centre of the room before re-seizing the air lock door handle he'd been holding.
"And where's UP for you, Bel?" the Doctor asks.
Bel points towards the centre of the room before reaching quickly for the air lock door control handle again.
Chloe laughs. It's so obvious to her. The only way that gravity can be towards the centre of the room is because it's spinning. These two buffoons have been missing the point for ... how long?
"Just how long have these two been in here?" Chloe asks.
"I don't know exactly," the Doctor says. "Months, I think!"
Chloe raises her voice so the Blue Guardians can both hear above other noises. "The only gravity here is because your room is spinning!"
The Doctor feels it's time for his challenge. "It's time for you to choose. I challenge you both to stop your fighting and live peaceably with each other! This is your chance! Your one chance! Choose!"
The challenge has been given. The Doctor would like to stay a little longer for further persuasion.
Simeon appears in the Tardis doorway. He's been reading about these two beings and recognised that they mustn't be allowed out.
"Come back in here quickly!" he calls. He reaches out and grabs the Doctor and gives him no choice but to accompany him into the Tardis. He expects Chloe to follow.
It appears that Meran's been making a plan of action with Simeon. Immediately, he activates the Tardis to get away ...
But Chloe's been left behind!
Poor Chloe!