Planet of the Ood

An advertisement is running on a big screen that takes up the entire wall opposite the desk. It features the Ood, who speak through a globe they hold in their hand. A narrator states that the Ood came from a distant world. They voyaged across the stars with one purpose. An Ood asks if they take milk and sugar. The voice continues saying their purpose is to serve.

"What utter rubbish." Donna snorted angrily.

"This is where you came from, right?" Jack asked.

"Just after this one, yeah," she nodded, still looking angry.

A man watching the advert comments into his wrist-comm that it is excellent. Direct and to the point. A voice from the watch says they will play that across the Tri-galactic for two weeks before they introduce another advert that says they are now only fifty credits.

"That's all someone's life is worth to them?" Rose sniffed in disgust.

"They don't see Ood as anything more than slaves," Ten scowled.

The man is upset they are reducing the price and the voice from the comm tells him that sales are down and to get going. The call ends and the man calls him an idiot. Then he tells the nearby Ood to get him last month's military export figures as the army needs more grunts.

"He wants to send the Ood into the army as either servants or cannon fodder?" Sarah-Jane gasped.

"I hate 'im already," Rose growled.

The Ood agrees and then a woman's voice comes over the intercom saying Mr. Bartle asked her to call. He agrees and says that when the buyers arrive, they are going to pitch like never before. The Ood hands him a file. Bartle looks at the file and states it is the domestic file, he asked for the military. He demands the military file. The Ood slams the file on the desk, eyes glowing red.

"Oh dear," Mickey muttered.

"That doesn't look great. I mean, good for the Ood for sticking up for themselves, but glowing red eyes rarely means anything good," Martha pointed out.

"Let's hope they aren't possessed by some self-proclaiming devil this time," Rose said with a slight shudder.

The Ood comments that the file is irrelevant. Bartle asks why and it zaps him with it's globe, wishing him a nice day.

Everyone winced.

"I don't like him, but death is a bit extreme," Donna frowned.

The Tardis is rocking back and forth in flight. The Doctor stops it as they both grin wildly. The Doctor says the controls are set to random and outside the door could be any planet.

"Those are the best trips," Rose grinned.

"Yeah. This way the Doctor doesn't have the issue of landing in the wrong place. Or time," Jack smirked.

"A Time Lord always lands precisely where he means too," Ten stated firmly.

"Yeah, yeah. Alright, Gandalf," chuckled Martha. "You have landed in the wrong place or time too many times to pull that off."

"Alright, I always land where I'm supposed to be," Nine corrected.

"That's fair enough, I suppose," allows Rose.

He asks if Donna is alright, and she says terrified. It's one thing to see history, but an alien planet. The doctor offers to take her home and she tells him not to laugh at her. He states that all of the fear, joy and wonder she is feeling, he gets that. She is surprised but he asks why she thinks he keeps going.

"There was me thinking you just want to see how many planets you can get arrested on," Jack laughed.

"I'm pretty sure that's at least one of his aims," Rose giggled. Both the doctors pouted at the pair.

Donna says it is barmy, she's only ever done package holidays and now she's here. She doesn't know how to describe it; she doesn't even know what the word is. She goes outside where snow is everywhere. She states that she has the word. Freezing.

Everyone laughed.

"Yeah, I think you're going to want a coat," Sarah-Jane said with a smile.

"If the Ood live on a planet that cold, I wonder how they adapt to other planets," Rose frowned. "It must be pretty horrible, being sold off as a slave and being sent to some planet that's super-hot." Everyone looked unhappy as they considered that.

"They adapt because they have to," Ten sighed sadly. "But they do manage."

The doctor comes out and is pleased by the snow, asking what Donna thinks. She is shivering by the TARDIS. He tells her to look at the view. Massive icicles hang from bridges of rock over vast ravines.

"Wow. That is beautiful," Rose exclaimed.

"Yeah. That's a very pretty planet," Martha agreed.

Donna agrees it is a beautiful, cold view.

Everyone chuckled again.

The Doctor starts talking about Donna's life on earth, saying Donna Noble, citizen of Earth, is standing on a different planet. When he looks around, Donna is gone.

Everyone, except the doctors, laughed again.

"I love how you fail to notice when we aren't even there anymore, let alone not listening," Rose laughed. Ten pouted at her.

"I don't blame Donna for going to get something warmer to put on. She must have been freezing in just that top," Sarah-Jane said.

He calls her name and Donna comes out of the Tardis in a big fur coat with a hood. She asks what he was saying, and he asks if that is better. She agrees and he asks if she can hear anything inside that. She pretends she can't and they both grin. He is about to continue with what he was saying when a space rocket glides above them. Donna says that is what she calls a spaceship. She tells the doctor he has a box, and the person above has a Ferrari. The doctor looks distinctly unhappy as she says they should go and see where he's going.

"You're so good for him," Jack chuckled as everyone except the doctors grinned.

"The TARDIS is better than just a box," Rose put in defensively.

"Yeah. I know. I just like winding him up," Donna grinned. They all laughed again as both doctors glare at her.

The rocket has landed in a small area between lots of factory and warehouse buildings. Its occupants are greeted by a man in a white coat. Halpen asks how many are dead. He demands facts and figures. Ryder tells him Solana has the figures. Solana introduced herself as Head of Marketing and Galactic Liaison. Halpen isn't impressed, he says he doesn't want word of this getting out and asks again how many are dead. In an office, Solana tells him they've had three deaths in the complex in the last financial quarter.

"Three? All by the same Ood or different ones?" Sarah-Jane wondered.

"I'd imagine different ones. They probably caught the Ood that did it. I think the red eyes would be something of a giveaway," Martha pointed out.

"Maybe their eyes can change back. The ones on Krop Tor were only possessed intermittently," Rose put in.

"True," Jack agreed. "It depends on the cause, I guess."

She continued that the deaths were all attributed to hearts attacks or industrial accidents.

"Well, I guess they didn't catch them," Mickey said.

"Obviously," Nine drawled. Mickey just rolled his eyes.

Now they have an incident on tape, and they watch Bartle being killed. Halpen states the Ood is using the translator ball as a weapon and asks how it works. Ryder has no idea. Halpen comments they can't see it's eyes from that angle and he and Ryder agree it must be red eye.

"So, they have noticed the eye change. So, not every Ood whose eyes change commits murder then?" Jack pondered.

"Or isn't given the chance to," Nine said darkly.

Halpen asks what happened to the Ood and Ryder tells him it ran off like a wild dog.

A few people glared at the screen for the comparison.

He added that one of the guards fired off a shot and it'll be dead by now. Solana asks what red eye is and Ryder tells her it is some sort of infection that causes their eye colour to change. Halpen asks for a drink and an Ood goes to obey. Ryder states he can't find a source for red eye and Solana reminds Halpen no alcohol is allowed on base. The Ood hands him a small glass and he states it is hair tonic and that five years ago he had a full head of hair.

"Hair tonic?" Rose snorted.

"Well, if he had a full head of hair five years ago, it appears the tonic isn't doing him much good," Jack pointed out.

Donna and Ten both grimaced.

On the planet surface delicate music can be heard as the doctor and Donna cross a rock bridge.

"What is that?" Martha wondered.

"You'll find out," Ten told her with a slight smile. The song of the Ood truly was a remarkable thing.

The doctor asks if she can hear that before telling Donna to take her hood down. He realizes the noise is like a song and runs over to an Ood lying on the ground, partly covered in snow.

"Careful Doctor, that might well be the one that ran off," Martha warned.

"It was," Ten agreed. "But not a danger anymore," he added softly. Well, only for a second, he added in his head.

Donna asks what it is and he tells her he is an Ood. Donna comments on it's face and the Doctor tells her not to, not now and that it is a he.

Donna blushed.

"It's a natural reaction," Jack assured her. "I'm sure you got over it quickly."

"She was brilliant," Ten smiled.

Donna apologizes as the Doctor takes out a stethoscope and tries to listen, stating he doesn't know where the heart is or even if it has one. Then he tells Donna to talk to him and keep him going. Donna kneels beside the Ood and asks for his name.

"There you go, moving passed it already," Rose grinned.

The Ood tells her he is designated Ood Delta 50. Donna uses his translator ball that her name is Donna. The Doctor took it off her saying she doesn't need to. Donna apologizes again and then introduces the Doctor saying it's just what he needs.

"I really don't know Ood biology well enough to be of much help," Nine said regretfully.

"There was nothing we could do," Ten told him.

The Doctor states he has been shot and Delta 50 says The Circle. Donna tries to tell him not to talk but he repeats that The Circle must be broken.

"The Circle?" Sarah-Jane repeated with confusion. "Unfortunately, that could mean a lot of things."

"Maybe they can find another Ood who can explain," Rose suggested.

"Hmm, they'd have to find one that has gone rogue again, but not get themselves killed," Mickey said doubtfully.

"It's the Doctor. He'll find out eventually, it'll just take him a while," Donna laughed.

The Doctor asked what he meant by the circle. He gets no reply and keeps asking. Delta 50 sits up with a roar, and red eyes. The Doctor jumps up and pulls Donna away. Delta 50 then exhales and falls back dead. Donna states that he is gone and moves forwards. The Doctor tells her to be careful. She kneels down beside Delta 50, and calls him sweetheart saying they were too late.

"You're a good one," Jack said with a fond smile. Donna couldn't resist smiling back.

Then she asks if they bury him. The Doctor tells her the snow will take care of that.

"Surely he deserves better than just being left to be buried under snow?" Rose protested.

"The red eyes mean trouble. Best get that sorted first," Nine stated. Rose didn't look convinced.

Donna asks who he was and what an Ood is. The Doctor explains they are servants of humans in the forty-second century and that they are mildly telepathic, which was the cause of the song he heard. Donna sadly states she couldn't hear anything, commenting that he sang as he was dying.

"I guess as he was dying, the song was too weak to reach anyone not inherently telepathic," Nine mused.

The Doctor comments on his eyes turning red. Donna asks what that means, and he states trouble.

"As usual," Sarah-Jane grinned.

"What's life without a little trouble?" Rose asked.

"Safer," Nine muttered grimly.

He tells her to come on. As they walk, he explains that the Ood are harmless except that when he last met them a stronger force was able to take over. Donna asks what sort of force. He tells her it's a long story and she replies it's a long walk. He states it was the Devil. Donna tells him that if he's going to take the mickey, she'll just put her hood back up. The Doctor muses that it must be something different this time.

"It had better be," Nine scowled.

"It was," Ten assured him.

The Doctor adds it is something closer to home. Jogging up a small hill he makes a triumphant sound and notes it is civilization. At the factory complex, Solana is greeting a group, giving out information packs. The Doctor and Donna run up and apologize for being late. Solana asks who they are and the Doctor flashes the psychic paper and Donna states they are representing the Noble Corporation PLC Limited, Intergalactic.

"Wow, did you come up with that on the spot?" Rose asked, impressed.

"Yeah," Donna grinned.

"Still, it's pretty impressive to come up with something so fluently when you've only seen it used once or twice," Nine smiled. He really did like Donna and couldn't wait to travel with her. With Rose this time. And only after plenty of alone time.

Solana says they must have fallen off her list and promises it won't happen again. She believes they are a married couple which they both quickly deny.

Everyone laughed.

"Maybe you should start introducing yourself as Doctor Smith, when your companions don't have the same name. That might stop you constantly being mistaken for being married," Sarah-Jane suggested with a smile.

"I think it will have to be Doctor Tyler," Nine smirked. Rose grinned at him.

"Taking my name, huh? I love it."

"Sharing a name with Jackie. Fitting, given you might end up as her son-in-law," Mickey chortled. Nine shuddered.

"Oh, the things I do for you," he groaned at Rose who just laughed.

"Well, it's that or share a name with Mickey," she pointed out. He groaned again, louder this time.

"I don't know what's worse," he complained.

Solana looks mildly confused but gives them an information pack and is about to lead them inside when an alarm sounds. The Doctor asks what it is, as it sounds like an alarm. In the office, Halpen asks who sounded the alarm and demands a drink.

"I know he said stress is the cause of his hair loss, but normally you'd just take the tonic at the appointed times. He seems to be using that tonic instead of alcohol. I wonder what's in it," Jack mused.

In the factory complex, Solana tells them it's just the siren for the end of the work shift and ushers them inside.

"Not the worst lie," Mickey said.

"As long as they shut it off soon. If it goes on too long, it will be obvious it is an alarm," Martha pointed out.

"Which wouldn't be a bad thing. More buyers getting scared off is a good thing," Rose reminded them.

Halpen comms someone to ask what is going on. Kess replies there is a Ood on the loose. Halpen asks if it's red eye and Kess agrees. He assures Halpen they are on it. The Ood runs behind them and a guard calls for Kess. They run after the Ood.

"He doesn't seem to be attacking anyone, just trying to get away," Nine frowned.

"Maybe whatever it is causes a different reaction in them?" Martha suggested.

"Or he did kill someone. Delta 50 ran away after he killed that man at the start," Jack put in.

"They have had too many cases of this red eye and only three deaths for them to kill every time," Nine denied.

Three Ood are standing on small platforms, whilst others are taking round trays of drinks. Solana begins a marketing speech. The screen switches between the presentation room and outside. Solana keeps talking while Kess tells the guards to take it alive. Solana comments they don't just breed the Ood, they make them better.

"That's disgusting," Rose scowled.

"They force them to breed?" Martha asked in horror. "That's awful."

"They really are treated as nothing more than cattle," Sarah-Jane agreed with a frown.

The Ood is trapped and hides by some barrels. The guards find it and it growls. Kess tells Halpen this is more than red eye. It's rabid, which is new.

"So, whatever it is, is getting worse?" Jack sighed. "Great."

"Well, it doesn't seem to be coordinated or planned like when we met them. The beast thing had them all working as one, this is just a few who all behave differently," Rose pointed out.

"Yes, but the beast was incredibly strong. There are very few things out there that would be able to do what that did," Nine told her.

"I suppose that's kind of reassuring?" Mickey said.

Halpen tells Kess to take it to Doctor Ryder and to just get it out of sight. A voice then tells him the sales figures at needed by 19:00. Halpen gets up and checks his hairline in the mirror. He asks if the Ood thinks it's growing back, even a little bit. Then he comments like it would know.

"Wow, he really is obsessed with his hair," Jack whistled.

"Like you aren't just as vain," Ten chuckled.

Solana shows them a new variety package with the Ood translator, greeting three Ood differently and getting different responses.

"They aren't a comedy show," Rose snarled.

"Yeah, humans really don't get any better in the future, do they?" Mickey asked in distaste.

"Some end up just brilliant," Jack put in.

"Debatable," Donna laughed.

"Oi!"

Solana tells them all of that is for five additional credits, and that details are in the brochure. She encourages them to have refreshments and then leaves. The Doctor goes to her lectern and uses its computer access to light up the big screen. He states he has been to this system ages ago and they are close to the planet Sense Sphere.

"Really? Interesting," Nine said.

Zooming out, he highlights several areas in red across three galaxies. He states it is the year 4126 and that is the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire.

"Assuming they get it right," Nine muttered.

"Course they do," Ten laughed. "We just need to correct them a couple of times."

"And make sure it doesn't end up worse after we do."

Donna is excited to be in 4126 and asks what the Earth is like now. The Doctor tells her it's a bit full but points out the Empire stretches across three galaxies.

"If it stretches that far, why is the Earth still a bit full?" Martha wondered.

"Plenty of people don't want to leave Earth. Don't want to explore, or don't want to leave the home planet." Ten shrugged. "Lots of reasons."

"Not to mention, humans born on other planets want to go and visit the 'home' planet, as it were," Nine added.

Donna states it is weird, but also brilliant. She says that back home the papers and telly keep saying they don't have long to live with global warming, flooding and all the bees disappearing.

"There's those bees again. That's definitely strange," Nine muttered.

"Do you think it's related to me coming back?" Rose asked. "I mean, if it's supposed to be impossible, maybe there are side effects to finding a way back."

"Possible," Ten mused. "Although it's a strange one, if it is a side effect of that. Bees disappearing."

The Doctor notes that the thing about the bees is odd. Donna points out humans are everywhere and asks if that is good or bad. Are they explorers or more like a virus. The Doctor says he does wonder sometimes.

"On the whole, good. But some really are like a virus," Nine said.

"Sounds about right. Same old humans," Jack laughed. "Don't change much."

Donna asks about the red dots, and he tells her they are Ood distribution centers. She asks if the Ood get a say.

"Unlikely," Martha said sadly.

"And even if they did, they've been brainwashed to think their only purpose is to serve," Rose added angrily. "They can't have always been like that."

Donna goes to an Ood. She starts to speak but it doesn't respond. Donna gently touches his arm, and he turns to look at her. She asks if they are all like this. The Ood replies that it doesn't understand, Miss. Donna instantly demands to know why it called her Miss and if she looks single.

"Really, Donna?" Mickey laughed.

"Probably not the time," Nine chuckled.

"You don't look single," Jack assured her. "I'm sure the Ood was just being polite."

"Yeah," she muttered, looking faintly embarrassed by her overreaction.

The Doctor interjects, saying back to the point. Donna says that what she means is, are there any free Ood, running wild somewhere like wildebeest.

"Like wildebeest?" Sarah-Jane asked in amusement.

"Well, I didn't know," Donna protested defensively.

"We know that. It doesn't make it less funny," Ten grinned. She glared at him.

The Ood tells her they are born to serve, otherwise they would die.

"Rubbish," Rose scoffed.

Donna points out they can't have started like that, and asks what they were like before humans. The Ood says the circle. The Doctor quickly asks what circle. It repeats the circle and then says that the circle is, before being cut off by Solana's return, telling the Ood to return to hospitality stations.

"Argh!" Rose groaned in frustration.

"Well, at least it means they might be able to ask another Ood. Even the ones that aren't affected by the red eye yet seem able to talk about this circle thing," Martha pointed out.

The Doctor says he's had enough of schmoozing and suggests they go off the beaten track. He holds a map of the complex. Solana starts talking while Donna says that works for her.

They all grinned.

The snarling Ood is chained to the ceiling.

"My god," Sarah-Jane breathed, hand covering her mouth.

Halpen asks what's wrong with it. Ryder tells him it's obviously stage two of red eye, but has no idea what that means. Halpen asks Ood Sigma if he's seen it before and Sigma replies that humanity defines them. They took to humans for answers.

"See, I kind of hope he does know, and is being deliberately unhelpful," Rose said.

"I certainly wouldn't blame him," Martha agreed.

"Seems unlikely, but it would be nice," Nine sighed.

Halpen calls them all a fat lot of good. He states they are exporting hundreds of thousands of Ood and if they turn rabid, Ryder knows what it will mean. Ryder tells him the only thing he hasn't checked is warehouse 15.

"That'll be where they need to go then," Jack said.

Halpen asks why that should cause trouble. It's been two centuries and there has been no change.

"Two centuries? Plenty of time to adapt," Nine commented warily. "And plenty of time to develop some patience."

"Oh yeah, you still don't have much and you're at nine centuries," Rose laughed.

"I have plenty of patience," he protested.

"Define plenty," Donna grinned.

"As much as I need."

"That doesn't mean you have a lot," Jack pointed out with a smirk. Both Doctors muttered about being picked on.

He demands his drink.

"He only had one a short time ago. I'm pretty sure if it isn't already working, drinking that much extra isn't going to speed things up," Martha noted.

"Seems to be a stress response. He thinks stress is the cause of his hair loss, so drinks some tonic every time he gets stressed," Mickey said.

Ryder states that he knows warehouse 15 is restricted access, but if he's going to work on this, he should see it, just in case. Halpen says he can't stand the place but agrees. As they leave, Ryder asks about the Ood still chained up and frothing at the mouth. Halpen suggests a postmortem, so it should be dead first. Sigma's eyebrows rise a little at this statement.

"Not as unaffected as they appear then," Jack noted.

"Well, his boss did just tell the guards to kill one of his own kind. I'd be having more of a reaction than that," Donna pointed out.

"We know you would," Ten smirked, covering his anger at what they were having to watch.

Halpen leaves. There is the sound of gunfire.

Everyone grimaced, glaring stonily at the screen.

The Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver on a gate in the wire mesh fencing. As they walk through the area, a tannoy announces that Ood shift eight is now commencing. The Doctor and Donna watch the Ood marching through in double file from an upper catwalk. One at the back falls down. Kess tells him to get up. When it doesn't immediately obey, he cracks a whip.

"Ooh, I wanna slap 'im," Rose muttered.

Donna comments that they aren't servants, they are slaves. Kess cracks the whip again and the Ood staggers to his feet. Kess tells them to march. The Doctor states that the last time he met the Ood, he never thought, and he never asked.

"Rose did, though," Nine said proudly.

"You were a bit preoccupied by the situation," Rose reminded him.

"Still, I couldn't even save them," Ten sighed sadly.

"I think we made up for it, yeah?" Donna gave him a sympathetic smile. He offered a weak one in return and nodded slightly.

Donna says that isn't like him and he retorts that he was busy. So busy he couldn't save them, so he reckons he owes them one.

"Again. Not your fault," Donna told him.

"You'd save them even if you didn't 'owe them one' as you put it," Sarah-Jane scoffed.

"Call it extra incentive," Ten shrugged.

Halpen and co come striding across the courtyard. Donna notes he looks like the boss and the Doctor suggests they keep out of his way. Outside the warehouse, Ryder asks how long it has been since Halpen went inside. He says about ten years as he unlocks the door. He states that his father brought him here when he was six and complains about the stench of it.

"Well, he definitely is not sixteen right there, so he clearly went back," Jack pointed out.

"And if his dad brought him there, then it's a family business. Selling Ood," Martha said with a scowl.

Inside the warehouse, it still seems to smell. Ryder has a handkerchief over his nose. The place is lit with red light, and there is the sound of electricity zapping around. Halpen and Ryder, Ood Sigma and two guards stop on a catwalk.

Donna and Ten both glare at Halpen on the screen.

Ryder says it is incredible. Halpen notes nothing has changed. Ryder is awed and Halpen comments that it feels like it is looking at you.

"What's in there?" Mickey asked warily.

"Probably some sort of circle that needs to be broken, based on what we've heard so far. Electric one, by the sound of it," Jack mused.

"So, something down there is trapped in an electric circle?" Rose blinked.

"Something like that. At least, that is the most likely thing given we've constantly heard about a circle that needs to be broken. And that whatever is in there hasn't changed in two hundred years. Clearly something is changing now, it seems the most likely place," Martha stated. Ten and Donna avoided each other's gaze.

Ryder says he understands the barrier mechanics well enough but will check the signal.

"Barrier?" Sarah-Jane questioned.

"Keeping something inside," Rose suggested.

"Given what we know about the Ood, I'm thinking it's probably a telepathic barrier. It's stopping something communicating," Nine said grimly. "Except, something has changed, and something is getting through, turning the Ood mad."

Halpen says it's probably home sweet home to Sigma, asking what he thinks.

"Home sweet home?" Mickey frowned in confusion.

Sigma replies he has no opinion. Halpen tells him to say hello to Daddy.

"Daddy?" Sarah-Jane gasped.

"Is that, like, an original Ood, from before humans turned them into slaves?" Rose asked in horror. Nine glowered furiously at the screen. It certainly sounded like that was the case.

"And they are stopping it communicating with the other Ood, so they remain content to be slaves, not knowing there is another option," Jack scowled.

"That's awful," Martha said sadly.

Ryder announces the barrier is intact and there is no abnormal signal. Exactly as it has been for two hundred years.

"Two hundred years?" Rose asked angrily. "The same family keeping it, what, prisoner? For two hundred years?"

"Good job you guys landed there," Jack said, looking between Donna and Ten.

"Definitely," Donna agreed.

Solana comms Halpen and tells him the Doctor and Donna failed security checks and the Noble Corporation doesn't exist.

"Oh well, at least you have already disappeared. It'll hopefully take them a while to find you," Sarah-Jane said.

She adds that they have gone missing. Halpen tells her to start a search, but not to sound any alarms as he wants this kept quiet. Then he comments on his hair loss and demands a drink. Sigma hands him one and he says that his old friend should have this one on him. Halpen pours his hair restorer onto whatever they are looking down on. Something growls.

Everyone glared furiously at the screen.

"I hate 'im," Rose scowled.

"I think we all do," Mickey agreed. "Bit of a git, isn't he?"

"More than a bit," Sarah-Jane said.

Halpen says he thinks they are finished there and leaves. Ryder bumps into Sigma. He apologizes.

"At least he apologized. If he wasn't working for them, I'd say he seems a decent guy," Martha commented.

Sigma looks down at whatever it is, then follows. Outside, Donna stops by a door as the Doctor walks on. She puts two fingers into her mouth and whistles.

"Bit loud, that," Jack said with a wince.

"Sometimes it's the only way to get his attention," Donna laughed.

"Fair enough," Rose agreed. Nine mock glared at her.

The Doctor asks where she learnt to whistle, and she tells him at West Ham every Saturday. He unlocks the door, and they head inside. It is full of shipping containers.

"I'm not gonna like what's inside those, am I?" Rose asked.

"I doubt it," Nine agreed.

The Doctor states it is Ood export. He points to a large claw and explains that it takes them to the rocket sheds ready to be flown out over the three galaxies. Donna asks if he means the containers are full of, she trails off and he asks what does she think.

Everyone scowled at the screen.

He opens one of the containers and dozens Ood are standing silently. Donna comments that it stinks and asks how many of them are in each one. He guesses a hundred, maybe more.

"Kept in the best conditions, are they?" Martha asked indignantly.

"Yeah, they could at least wander around the transport ship. That is just awful," Sarah-Jane agreed.

Donna comments that it is a great big empire built on slavery. The Doctor tells her it isn't so different from her time.

"It is a bit different, thank you very much," Rose protested.

When she argues he asks who made her clothes. Donna states that this is why he travels with humans, not to show them the wonders of the universe but to take cheap shots. He apologizes. She tells him not to but fondly calls him spaceman.

"Better than Martian I suppose," Nine sighed, but grinned at Donna who grinned back.

She asks why the Ood don't just run away. One of the Oods asks for what reason and she points out they could be free. The Ood replies it doesn't understand the concept.

"That's just sad," Mickey said grimly.

"They have been made that way. Brainwashed over centuries," Nine commented unhappily, glaring at the screen. Maybe they could make a stop and free them a bit earlier this time around.

Donna asks about the translator ball, saying they can't be born with it, asking why they all have to be plugged in.

"That's a good question," Martha mused. "Even if a translator was necessary, it's an odd place to put it."

Donna and Ten both glowered at the screen.

"That's why he travels with us humans. We ask the important questions," Rose grinned.

"That you do," Nine agreed with a smile.

The Doctor asks about the circle and all of the Ood state that the circle must be broken. Donna comments that is a bit creepy.

"Yeah. It kinda is," Mickey agreed.

"You find anything creepy, you do," Nine scoffed. Mickey rolled his eyes.

He asks why it must be broken and they reply it is so they can sing.

"So, it is blocking at least some of their telepathy," Jack breathed. "That's horrible."

"All they want to do is sing?" Sarah-Jane asked, hands over her mouth.

"Well, once the Doctor and Donna get through with them, I'm sure they'll be able to sing to their hearts content," Rose said, trying to stay positive.

"They even have a song about us," Ten grinned cheekily.

"Of course they do," Rose rolled her eyes.

"I bet that did wonders for the ego," Mickey groaned.

Up on a catwalk Kess tells Halpen he has found the unwanted guests.

"And it's time to leave," Jack said.

Kess sets off an alarm. The Doctor says that's them. He closes the container and they run.

"Bout time really. Not a lot of running so far," Rose laughed.

"I was alright with that," Donna muttered.

Halpen yells for him to cut the alarms. In the presentation area, Solana assures the guests it's just a fire alarm and they have one at the same time every day.

"She's quick on her feet, I'll give her that," Martha said begrudgingly.

Donna stops running.

"Donna," Jack groaned.

"I know, I know. I thought I saw a way out," she sighed.

"Oh well, can't change it now," he said.

She calls to the Doctor that there is a door. The door opens and guards enter, telling her not to move. Further away, the Doctor notices Donna isn't there, asking where she has gone.

"You should have whistled," Mickey grinned.

"And draw more attention, no thank you," Donna scoffed.

The Doctor asks where Donna is then runs as he sees more guards. The guards tell Donna to stay there. Kess says to keep her in there and as she screams at them to get off her, they throw Donna into one of the containers. She looks up and there are some Ood in there with her.

"Let's hope they aren't the rabid ones," Jack said uneasily.

"No red eyes," Rose noted.

"Yet," Martha added.

"Let's stay positive. Donna is clearly alive," Sarah-Jane pointed out. They all relaxed slightly.

"Yeah, and I've just realized this is the last one we can say that for. After this it's the future for everyone. Except maybe Ten," stated Jack.

"I'm only a little in front of Donna and nothing particularly interesting has happened. I'm not sure why I didn't come from the same time as her."

The Doctor yells for Donna again as he keeps running. Kess tells the guards to withdraw, which confuses them. He tells them to withdraw and keep to the perimeter. He states he has always wanted to do this as he activates the claw which chases the Doctor. The Doctor tries to hide in a container, but Kess locks it with a manic grin.

"Brilliant," Rose said sarcastically.

"He seems to be having way too much fun," Donna complained.

"The guard dude or the Doctor?" Mickey asked with a grin.

"The guard, obviously." She rolled her eyes.

The claw chases the Doctor. Donna asks if the Ood can help her. But one of them has red eyes. She says 'oh no you don't'. Kess keeps chasing him with the claw, narrowly missing him a few times while Kess laughs.

"Ok, he's insane," Donna stated.

"Certainly seems that way," Jack agreed.

Donna yells at the Ood that she is not one of that lot. She is on their side. The claw eventually hits the Doctor, sending him rolling to the ground. Donna tries to order the Ood to stay where they are as they start advancing. All of their eyes are red. Then she calls for the Doctor.

"I hate to say it, but I don't think ordering them around is going to convince them you're different," Martha stated.

"I was panicking," Donna defended.

"Understandably," Sarah-Jane said quickly.

"Besides, I think that was her best option, hoping they responded to orders, however unlikely. It's not like she can get out," Nine stated.

The Doctor is back up and running again. Kess is still laughing like a maniac.

"There is something seriously wrong with that guy," Mickey said.

It smacks into him as he leaps over some barrels, sending him to the floor. The claw descends on the prone Doctor. Suddenly, it stops and slowly drifts to the floor. Solana takes the key from the controls. She tells Kess that Halpen wants them alive.

"Thank god," Rose muttered.

"I don't think any god had much to do with that," Nine chuckled. She shrugged.

Donna yells for the Doctor to get her out. As two guards march the Doctor away, they hear Donna. The Doctor states that if they don't do what she says they really are in trouble. Not from him, but her.

Everyone laughed.

"They should be tremblin'," Rose grinned.

"I should think so too," Donna said in a faux haughty voice.

Kess tells the guards to unlock the container. Donna runs out. The Doctor says she is safe and sound.

"Only just," Jack muttered.

"Par for the course," Nine said, much more calmly than he felt.

Donna says never mind about her, what about them. An Ood emerges and kills the nearest guard. Kess calls red alert and for the guards to fire. More Ood come out from the other containers. Kess orders them to shoot to kill. While the guards fire their guns, the Doctor, Donna and Solana run outside. They round a corner and stop. Donna says that if people on Earth knew what was going on. Solana tells her not to be stupid.

"Donna isn't stupid!" Jack protested hotly.

"Course not. That woman just thinks what they are doing is justified," Rose sneered.

"And the people on Earth probably don't know, but I suspect they don't ask," Nine said grimly. "Or at least the majority don't. One or two will, Friends of the Ood and all that, but not enough."

Donna questions if they know how the Ood are treated. Solana states they don't ask which is the same thing.

"Not quite, but close enough I suppose," Sarah-Jane sighed.

The Doctor says the Ood aren't born like this as a species born to serve could never evolve in the first place. He wants to know what the company do to make them obey. Solana says it's nothing to do with her. He wonders if that's because she doesn't ask.

"Yep," Jack agreed angrily.

"Don't ask because they don't want to know," Martha nodded.

She tells them it's Doctor Ryder's territory. The Doctor asks her to tell him where that is, to point it out on the map. He states he could help with the red eye. She points out an area and the Doctor tells her to go with them as she can't agree with all this and could help. After a few seconds she calls for the guards.

"Argh! Please tell me you slapped her?" Rose begged Donna.

"You really are too violent," Nine commented, but he was grinning. "You never did as much slapping as you seem to encourage others to do."

"Ah, well, I know better now. Besides, if I slap Daleks and Cybermen I'm just gonna break my hand. I just wanna see if it knocks some sense into the human idiots," Rose said with a smirk.

"I think they are a bit beyond having sense knocked into them," Jack stated.

The Doctor and Donna run off. The guards arrive and Solana tells Halpen they are heading for Ood Conversion. He states he is on his way.

"It's not bad enough she called the guards on them, she even told him where they are heading next," Mickey groaned.

"Let's just hope she told them the right place so the Doctor can hopefully get the information he needs before they get caught," Sarah-Jane said.

"You don't know that we got caught," Ten protested.

"Yeah, we do," Martha told him with a laugh. "It's you."

Halpen asks Kess what the situation is. Kess tells him they've contained it, but the red eye seems to be permanent this time and more are going rabid. He believes the entire batch is contaminated.

"Why now? Why so many?" Nine wondered.

Halpen asks what is causing it, why now and what has changed.

Nine grimaced at asking similar questions to Halpen.

Halpen strokes his head, and some hair comes away in his fingers.

"Clearly that hair tonic isn't helping," Jack laughed.

"Something else is going on. He shouldn't be losing that much hair normally. Especially on a tonic for it," Martha frowned.

"You think someone is poisoning him?" Sarah-Jane wondered.

"It would have to be the Ood. He's the one who always gives him the tonic," Rose pointed out.

"Unless it's poisoned before Ood Sigma gets hold of it to give to him," Nine reasoned.

"I don't know. Sigma seemed to have some sort of reaction to that rabid Ood being killed, and he briefly stayed behind to look at whatever was in warehouse 15. Maybe he's not got red eye yet, but something's happening to him. I don't think he's quite as disassociated as he seems," Martha said thoughtfully.

"Let's just watch and find out," Ten grinned.

"Easy for you to say, you know what happens," Rose pouted. He smirked.

Halpen asks how many in total and Kess tells him it's about two thousand. Halpen states they can write them off as that's what insurance is for.

"He's just going to murder them all?" Martha gasped.

"They aren't of any use to him anymore," Nine said bitterly.

"And if they escape a lot of people will be dead. It's not worth the trouble to keep them alive and contained," Jack added, looking angry.

He demands a drink and states they have plenty more on the breeding farms.

Everyone glared at the screen furiously.

Halpen says they can start again and orders Kess to fetch the canisters. He declares there should be no survivors and Kess agrees it would be his pleasure.

"He really is a bastard," Rose growled. "Possibly even worse than the guy in charge. He seems to actually enjoy this."

The Doctor and Donna keep running, avoiding more guards. They arrive at a door and the Doctor asks if she can hear it. He didn't need a map, he should have listened.

"Well, there's been a lot going on," Sarah-Jane reminded him.

"And a fair bit of noise," Rose added.

The Doctor sonics the door lock and Donna asks if it means they are locked in. The Doctor tells her to listen. There is music and says his head. Donna asks what it is, and he asks if she can't hear it, the singing.

"It doesn't sound much like singing. It sounds kind of…sad though," Rose mused.

"Not surprising, considering what's happening to them," Martha pointed out.

"I don't think that's the singing. Not the way I hear it. It's probably the muted version with the block in place," Nine reminded her. Rose nodded.

Groups of Ood are sitting in cages. They turn away from the Doctor and Donna.

"Oh my god," Martha breathed.

Donna notes they look different. He tells her it's because they are natural born Ood, not adapted to slavery.

"What's that in their hands?" Mickey wondered.

"It's whatever they attach the translator to," Martha realized.

"Or what they replace with the translator ball," Sarah-Jane corrected.

"It's connected to them though," Rose noticed.

Donna says she can't hear the song and the Doctor asks if she wants to. She agrees and he warns her it's the song of captivity. Donna still wants to hear. She turns to face him, and he puts his hands on her temples, allowing her to hear the song. The song is sad and beautiful. Donna cries.

"Oh," Everyone gasped.

"That's…" Rose couldn't find the words to describe it.

"You hear that? The whole time you've been there?" Martha asked the Doctor in both awe and horror.

"Yes," Ten said simply. "Not as loud as that most of the time, but yes." Rose leant towards him and gave him a sideways hug, tears tracking down her face. And she wasn't the only one.

Donna asks him to take it away. He asks if she's sure and she agrees, so he does as asked. It goes quiet and she apologizes.

"It's alright. I don't blame you," Nine told her with a faint smile. "It's a lot to deal with."

Then realizes he can still hear it. He agrees all the time.

"Bloody hell," Jack muttered.

"I'm used to, well, not used to that exactly, but more used to that sort of thing," Ten assured him. Rose hugged him tighter.

Outside, Halpen asks what the holdup is. Ryder tells him it's the experimentation lab. The Doctor has fused the system at maximum security. Halpen demands they get the bolt cutters and rip the door off. He then tells Solana to go back to the reps, not wanting them to see this.

"Still there, is she?" Rose snarled, even more angry than before having seen the natural Ood and heard their song.

He adds that she should get them away from the Ood just in case. She agrees. Inside, the Doctor sonics open the cage. Donna points out the guards are breaking in and the Doctor says to let them.

"Maybe don't let them," Martha suggested.

"Not much more I could do than fusing the system," Ten shrugged. "Bolt cutters will still open the door eventually. Might as well spend the time getting information."

The Ood cower in the corner. The Doctor tries to reassure them that he and Donna are a friend.

"Friend? Singular? Shouldn't that be friends," Martha frowned. Ten shrugged. He hadn't even realized he'd said that.

He asks to see what they are holding. The Ood opens his hands.

"Is that…a brain?" Rose demanded.

"Yep," Ten agreed. "They have two brains. That must be the hind brain, memory and emotions. Take that away and you take away who they are."

"So, they take that away and replace it with some stupid translator ball?" Martha scowled furiously. Nine nodded, too angry to speak.

The Doctor says it's a brain. He explains that that part of the brain processes memory and emotions and without it, she wouldn't be Donna anymore. She would be like an Ood. A processed Ood. Donna states that the company cuts off their brains. The Doctor agrees and adds that they stitch on the translator.

"That's…those…" Martha couldn't find the words to express how she felt about that.

"Across three galaxies. That's millions, millions of Ood that they've done this to. Over, what, two hundred years or so? How did they even think of that?" Rose demanded.

"Because those people aren't like you Rose. They aren't good people who wouldn't dream of hurting innocent beings," Nine told her grimly, eyes fixed on the screen.

"They are monsters," Mickey declared. All of the companions nodded in agreement.

Donna says it's like a lobotomy. Then she states that she spent all that time looking for the Doctor because she thought it was so wonderful out there but now, she wants to go home.

"Clearly that didn't stick," Jack noted with a smile.

"Well, that part might not have been wonderful, but freeing them certainly was. Just like saving that family from Pompeii. I get it now," Donna said.

There is a crash as the guards get through the door. One states that they are with the Ood. The Doctor locks himself and Donna in with the Ood.

"Really? That's your best option?" Mickey rolled his eyes.

"It was the only one, really." Ten shrugged.

The Doctor yells at them, asking what they are going to do, arrest him, lock him up or throw him in a cage. He states they are too late and lets out a short laugh.

"Now you sound insane," Rose laughed.

"I was angry."

"Fair enough," Martha agreed. "We're all angry."

The Doctor and Donna are handcuffed to some pipes.

"So, that plan didn't work," Mickey laughed. Ten rolled his eyes.

Halpen tells them to just come out and say it. They are FOTO activists. The Doctor states that if that is what Friends of the Ood are trying to prove then yes. Halpen declares that the Ood were nothing without them, just animals roaming around on the ice.

"It's not the Ood that are the animals," Martha scowled.

The Doctor states that this is because he can't hear them. Halpen doesn't seem to care, saying they welcomed it. They didn't even put up a fight. Donna calls him an idiot and the smug look drops off his face. She points out the Ood are born with their brains in their hands which makes them peaceful. They have to be because a creature like that would have to trust anyone it meets.

"A very good point," Nine smiled at Donna proudly.

"Yeah. You tell him," Jack grinned.

"They have to trust whoever they meet, and humans took complete advantage," Rose said sadly. All of the humans in the room grimaced.

The Doctor says nice one and she thanks him. Halpen tells them the system has worked for two hundred years.

"Because they had no other choice!" Martha yelled angrily.

He continued that all this is, is a rogue batch. Then he tells them the infection is about to be sterilized, calling Kess on the comm. Kess tells him the canisters are primed, they will release in two hundred marks and counting. He sets the timer on a canister.

"He is far too pleased about this," Nine growled.

The Doctor angrily asks if they are going to gas the Ood. Halpen calmly states that killing the livestock is a classic foot and mouth solution from the olden says and it still works.

"My guess is, something's going to go wrong," Jack muttered.

"Let's hope so. That way they will be ok when the Doctor fixes everything," Mickey said.

"But if it does go wrong, how many people will die before the Doctor can fix it?" Sarah-Jane wondered anxiously.

"If it's them or the Ood, well I think the Ood deserve to live more," Mickey shrugged. Nine glared at him.

In different places, Ood both unconverted and red eyed form circles and sing. Solana tries to get the reps to come through to the Education Suites, but one protests that it is a free bar. She changes tack and tries to ask the Ood to leave as it's feeding time, but they all bend over slightly, putting their hands to their heads.

"I'm guessing all the Ood are about to get red eye," Jack muttered.

"Yeah, that's not good. As long as it's curable though," Rose said.

"At least it'll cause a distraction so the Doctor and Donna can escape?" Martha offered, trying to remain positive. Yes, the people that worked there all seemed like awful people, but that didn't mean they should die for it. Jail should do.

The rep tells her she's upset them. Solana tries to insist but the Ood's eyes have all turned red. She tells the reps to leave by the fire exits. The rep sees the eyes and says he could sell this, they could offer different colours.

"I don't think he's going to be selling anything," Rose winced.

An Ood kills him. Panic ensues and more people die.

Everyone closed their eyes, unhappy that so many had to die, even if they weren't the nicest of people.

Solana runs outside. Guards approach her and say they've gone insane, all of them. Ood approach and she tells the guards to shoot to kill. Solana runs away as the guards open fire, and is killed by a lone Ood. In the office, Halpen asks what the hell as an alarm sounds.

"Hell seems fairly accurate right about now," Jack stated evenly.

"Thing is, Doctor and Donna don't know about warehouse 15 yet. Which is where the circle barrier thing is," Rose pointed out.

"We got there eventually," Ten assured her with a slight smile.

The countdown passes 51 as Kess demands what is going on out there. More Ood come in. Outside a tannoy announced emergency status. Halpen, Ryder and Sigma emerge. As they watch on, Ryder declares it a revolution.

"See, he doesn't seem too upset about all this," Martha noted suspiciously.

"No. Something is definitely up with him," Sarah-Jane agreed.

Sigma follows Halpen and Ryder as they go back inside. In the detention area, the Ood have freed their comrades and locked Kess in a cage. The countdown reaches 1. Kess calls for them to let him out, but the gas is set off.

"Not so funny now," Nine muttered grimly.

Halpen walks back into the office declaring a change of plan. Ryder informs him there are no reports of trouble off-world so it's contained to the Ood Sphere. Halpen states they have a public duty. The Doctor asks what is happening and Halpen tells him everything he wanted.

"Not exactly," Ten muttered. "Could have done without all the death."

"I think he just means the Ood are free," Jack chuckled.

He says that no doubt there will be a full police investigation and he can't risk a bullet to the head. He will leave the Doctor and Donna to the mercies of the Ood. The Doctor says there is something else, something they haven't seen. Donna wonders what he means, and he continues that a creature couldn't survive without a separate forebrain and hindbrain. There has to be a third element. Halpen calls him clever.

"Only sometimes," Rose grinned.

"So, the processed ones get one of their brains cut off and replaced with a translator and the unprocessed ones have been somehow cut off from something that stops them being at war with themselves. No wonder they are all going crazy," Martha commented.

"It would drive anyone insane," Jack agreed.

The Doctor states that it has to be connected to the red eye and asks what it is. Halpen tells him that it won't exist for much longer and to enjoy their Ood. The Doctor and Donna are left alone.

"He's going to destroy whatever it is," Sarah-Jane realized.

"He's going to try," Donna smirked slightly.

The Doctor urges Donna to come on and they struggle with the handcuffs. Outside, Halpen tells Ryder they are heading for Warehouse 15. Ryder asks about Sigma. Halpen states that he hasn't turned and is faithful to the last. He tells him to join his people while he still can.

"Good point, why hasn't he turned with the rest of them?" Rose asked with narrowed eyes. "It's affecting all the Ood now, except him."

"Unless whatever is doing this doesn't want him affected," Martha said, catching on.

"He's been a little…odd, through this whole thing," Mickey agreed. "And I don't think it's because he's super faithful."

Halpen and Sigma bow to each other, then Sigma leaves. He and Ryder leave. Sigma moves away, pauses to watch them and then leaves. Back in the office, they struggle with the cuffs once more. Donna tells him to do something and that he must have met Houdini.

Nine smirked.

He tells her these are really good handcuffs. Donna sarcastically says she is glad. At least they have quality.

Everyone laughed.

They stop struggling as three Ood enter. Outside Halpen and Ryder make their way through the chaos. The Doctor starts chanting 'Doctor, Donna, friends' over and over while Donna does the same, saying 'the circle must be broken'. They continue to repeat themselves while the unconverted Ood connect with the others and share their knowledge of the Doctor and Donna. Finally the Ood in the room stop with their translator balls near the two. They clutch their heads before standing up and saying Doctor, Donna, friends. They both agree that is them.

"Oh thank goodness," Rose breathed.

"That was, as usual, a bit close," Jack noted.

"Good job you made an impression on them earlier," Martha said.

"That's me. Making friends everywhere," Nine grinned.

"Hardly," scoffed Rose, but she grinned at him.

An Ood attacks Halpen and Ryder's escort. Halpen pulls Ryder back, saying to leave him. The Doctor and Donna run outside, down some stairs. The Doctor states he doesn't know where they have gone. Donna asks what they are looking for as they run through the chaos. The Doctor suggests it might be underground. Halpen and Ryder get inside warehouse 15 while the Doctor and Donna are knocked down by an explosion. He asks if she is alright. As the smoke clears, Sigma is standing behind them.

"Hopefully he can help. He'll know where to go," said Sarah-Jane.

In the warehouse, Halpen states it has always been an option. His grandfather drew up the plan, and the personal touch is the advantage of a family run business.

"It just means the whole family are maniacs," Donna muttered angrily.

Ryder says they should evacuate but Halpen tells him there is no need. He opens a cupboard full of detonation packs and orders him to place them around the circumference. He states they are going to blow it up, if it dies, so do the Ood.

"He's going to murder every single Ood out there?" Rose gaped.

"Would that kill all of them? Even the ones in a different galaxy?" Martha wondered.

"Yes," Ten said angrily. "Every single one."

"They will all be connected to it, telepathically," Nine said, closing his eyes as if to block out the horror. "Even with the connection dampened, it's still there. If he destroys it…" He trailed off, unable to say it. "Bloody, greedy APES."

They place the devices on the catwalk around the mysterious something. Outside, Sigma leads the duo to warehouse 15 and the Doctor sonics the door controls and they get in. He looks down on a giant brain.

"Oh my god," Martha gasped.

"Of course," Nine breathed. "The missing link. The Ood all share a mind, connected through the telepathic center. No wonder they are lost and cowering with that connection missing."

"No wonder they started to go mad. I just wonder why Sigma seems ok still," Sarah-Jane mused thoughtfully.

He explains to Donna that it is the third element binding the Ood together. Forebrain, hindbrain and the telepathic centre. It's a shared mind, connecting them all in song. The Song can be heard now momentarily.

"That's…" Jack trailed off.

"All of this, to make slaves," Rose hissed furiously.

Halpen has a gun as he and Ryder approach. He says that he can always go into cargo as he has the rockets and the sheds. It would be a much smaller business and more manageable without livestock.

"You aren't going anywhere," Rose snarled.

"Except behind bars for a very long time," Martha agreed.

Ryder tells them Halpen has mined the area.

"And you helped. One whack around the head would have done it," Donna muttered. She knew he had been on the side of the Ood, but he Halpen hadn't always had that gun. He could have found a way to stop him mining the whole thing.

Donna asks if he is going to kill it. Halpen tells them they found it centuries ago beneath the Northern Glacier.

"So, naturally your ancestor thought he should imprison it," Martha scoffed.

"The Ood wouldn't fight back," Jack agreed sadly.

The Doctor mentions the pylons and Donna says they are in a circle, and the circle must be broken. The Doctor states it is damping the telepathic field, stopping the Ood from connecting for two hundred years.

"I wonder how long they live?" Rose mused. "Does any Ood alive even remember what it is like to be connected?"

"I'm not sure how long they live, but they do know how it feels to connect now," Ten told her with a smile.

"Good," she said. "It's the least they deserve."

Halpen addresses Sigma, saying he expected better. Sigma tells him his place is at Halpen's side. Halpen says he is still subservient and calls him a good Ood.

"Doesn't he think it's suspicious that a single Ood is somehow still subservient?" Jack wondered.

"Not the brightest." Ten shrugged.

"Probably for the best. He won't expect Sigma to turn on him," Mickey said.

Donna asks how come the Ood started breaking out if the barrier is in place. The Doctor suggests that it might have taken centuries to adapt. Ryder states that the process was too slow and had to be accelerated. He tells Halpen he should never have given him access to the controls as he lowered the barrier to the minimum and admits he is a Friend Of The Ood.

"Knew something was up with him," Mickey grinned.

"If he's a friend, he could have done a bit more to stop Halpen mining the area," Jack said, unknowingly echoing Donna's thought from earlier.

"Yeah. A good whack on the back of the head," Rose suggested. Nine chuckled fondly.

"Halpen does have a gun," Sarah-Jane pointed out.

"But he didn't have it out earlier," Jack reminded her. She shrugged.

"Maybe he didn't see a good opportunity and didn't want to give his advantage away too early," she suggested.

"What was he going to wait for? Halpen to actually set off the mines?" Rose scoffed.

"Maybe he had the controller, he could have just not set off the mines when ordered to," offered Mickey.

He added that it has taken him ten years to infiltrate the company, and he succeeded. Halpen agrees that he did. Then he throws Ryder over the catwalk railing and onto the giant brain, which absorbs him.

"Oh god," Martha gasped.

"That poor man," Sarah-Jane said sadly.

Donna states that he murdered him. Halpen says she is very observant and calls her Ginger. The Doctor pulls Donna behind him. He states that he hasn't shot anyone before and can't say he will like it, but it's not exactly a normal day. Sigma offers him a drink. Halpen comments that hair loss is the least of his problems.

"Considering all the other random times he wanted a drink, I can't say I blame Sigma for thinking he'll want one now," Mickey said.

"Somehow, I don't think that's it. That's not hair tonic," Martha stated confidently.

Sigma puts himself between Halpen and the other two, offering him a drink. Halpen tells him that if he is going to stand in their way, he will shoot him too. He starts shaking and looking a bit ill.

"Definitely a poison of some sort," Jack said.

Sigma tells him to please drink. Halpen steadies his gun hand with the other and asks if Sigma has poisoned him. Sigma states that natural Ood must never kill.

"Except, Sigma isn't a natural Ood, is he? He's been processed," Jack pointed out.

"True, but if he's still sane, unlike the others, I think he's retained enough natural Ood not to kill as well," Martha said.

"In that case, what can he possibly have done to him?" Rose frowned.

"Maybe it is still a poison, just not a deadly one," Mickey offered. They all shrugged, except Ten and Donna.

The Doctor asks what the drink is. Sigma tells him it's Ood graft suspended in a biological compound.

Nine laughed.

"What does that mean?" Rose asked.

"It means, he's about to have an unpleasant surprise," Nine smirked. "No less than he deserves."

Halpen asks what the hell that means and the Doctor says, 'oh dear'. Halpen demands that he tell him. The Doctor says that the subconscious is a funny thing. It came out in the red eye as revenge and in the rapid ones as anger, but then there was patience. All the intelligence and mercy focused on Ood Sigma.

"Mercy?" Martha wondered.

"Well, they aren't going to kill him, but clearly something is happening," Mickey pointed out.

He asks how the hair loss is. Halpen reaches up and more hair comes away. He asks again what they have done, and the Doctor tells him the Ood have been preparing him for a very long time, and now that he is standing next to the Ood brain, can he hear it. Halpen twitches and struggles to speak. After a moment, his face goes blank. He drops his gun, reaches for his head and peels the skin off. Then tentacles come out of his mouth.

"That's mildly disgusting," Rose muttered.

"They turned him into an Ood?" Sarah-Jane asked in astonishment. "How is that even possible?"

"That's…well definitely merciful, I guess. And the least he deserves," Jack noted. "He and his family spent centuries enslaving them, and now he has become one."

"Fitting," Mickey agreed.

Donna asks if they turned him into an Ood and the Doctor agrees. She states he is an Ood and the Doctor says he noticed.

Everyone laughed.

Halpen sneezes and a small hind brain flops into his hands.

"Also kinda gross," Mickey muttered.

Sigma states that he has become Oodkind and they will take care of him. Donna tells the Doctor it's weird being with him and she can't tell right from wrong anymore.

"Sure you can," Jack said. "The lines might be a little more blurred now, but you still know the difference."

"Jack's right," Ten agreed. "Had to happen sometime, I suppose.

"Oi!" Jack protested. Ten smirked at him.

The Doctor says it's better that way. People who know for certain tend to be like Halpen.

"Also a good point," Nine said, nodding.

There is a beep and he suddenly reaches over to deactivate the explosives.

"Did you forget there were explosives ready to blow up?" Rose asked in exasperation.

"Course I didn't forget," Ten protested. "I just got a little distracted. A man did just turn into an Ood you know."

"Which you knew was going to happen from the moment Sigma told you what was in the drink. I think the explosives were more important," Jack pointed out with a grin.

"I deactivated them in time," Ten muttered petulantly. They all chuckled as he pouted.

Then he goes over to the controls and asks if Sigma will allow him the honour. Sigma agrees and he presses buttons, saying that they have been stifled for over two hundred years but not anymore. He declares the circle is broken and the Ood can sing. The current around the Brain is shut off and the song starts up, slow but happy. Donna states that she can hear it.

"It's beautiful," Rose said, awed.

"It's the song of freedom," Nine said softly.

Outside, the fighting stops. The Ood raise their palms to the sky and join in. Out by the TARDIS, the Doctor tells a small group of the Ood that the message has gone out, the song resonated across the galaxies and the rockets are bringing the Ood home.

"Oh good!" Martha exclaimed.

"That's brilliant," Jack grinned.

"I'm so pleased for them," Rose smiled. "They can hopefully live in peace properly now. No more slaves."

"What about the ones who have had the translator stitched on?" Jack asked. "Can that be fixed?"

"No," Ten said sadly. "What's done can't be undone. But all of the future Ood can live as in their natural state, and any remaining unprocessed ones."

Sigma thanks them, asking if they will stay as there is room in the song for them.

"That's nice of them," Martha smiled.

The Doctor says he has a song of his own. Sigma states that he thinks the Doctors song must end soon.

"What?" Rose gasped.

"I'm not sure," Ten said, shrugging. "Maybe it means I regenerate soon."

"But you haven't had that body that long either," she said.

"Whatever happens, I'm sure it will be worth it," he told her gently.

He asks what that means and Sigma states that every song must end.

"True, but you said 'soon'," Jack pointed out.

"Soon for the Doctor could mean anything," Sarah-Jane said slowly. "Could still be years away in linear time."

"Yeah, maybe," Rose agreed, sounding uncertain.

The Doctor asks if Donna still wants to go home. She disagrees and he says they will be off. Sigma tells them to take this song with you. Donna agrees they will.

"Bit difficult to forget, that," Donna muttered.

The Doctor agrees always. Sigma tells them that they will never be forgotten. Their children will sing of the Doctor Donna and their children's children. The wind, the ice and the snow will carry their names forever.

"Wow," Martha sighed.

"Well, they did just free their entire race from enslavement," Mickey said. "That's gotta be worth a song or two."

"He called you the Doctor Donna. Like you're one person," Jack noted.

"Maybe it's just a mistranslation," Donna suggested.

The Doctor and Donna go into the TARDIS, and it dematerialises.

"Well, somehow that was actually one of the nicer ones we've seen recently," Sarah-Jane murmured.

"Everyone ok to keep watching?" Jack asked. They all nodded.