Chapter One
New, New Earth: Part One
The Doctor stood before the console, brushing his new-new fingers over a handle. This hand looked identical to the first one this regeneration had, and yet it had been grown mere hours earlier.
Though it had only been a little before that when this body had been brought into this world.
He still knew so little about this new version of himself, though he seemed to retain his cleverness and all his wits. Which was good, he'd rather not end up with a stupid version of himself, that would truly be unfortunate.
And while he appreciated the seemingly excitable and cleverness of this new him.
He wished he was ginger.
With a sigh, he turned just as Rose entered the Tardis, a rugsack thrown over her shoulder. She came bounding over, a grin on her face that he soon couldn't help but match.
"So, where are we going?" She prompted, and the Doctor smiled walking around the console as he peered over to her.
"Further than we've ever gone before." He announced before throwing a lever, the Tardis began to hum causing his eyes to lift to the console and the surrounding room. It had changed, just like he had.
The past two days or so had been a bundled blur, he was still trying to put together memories of what had happened. He knew that he'd saved Rose, as she had absorbed the Heart of the Tardis, a true miracle considering it should've killed her on the spot.
But it hadn't, though it had triggered a regeneration in him, prompting this new body. He wasn't sad about the loss of his former self, he was still in there, tucked away like all those before him. It was his turn to live, to make his mark.
His eyes flickered over to his companion, and he couldn't help but smile slightly, it was his turn to show her all the wonders of the universe.
And he couldn't wait.
He…just wished he could remember what the Tardis had told him while she'd been in Rose.
It had been important…hadn't it?
Rose was first out of the Tardis when they landed, her eyes going to the blue sky decorated with fluffy clouds…and…cars?
There were flying cars zooming through the sky like flies and Rose couldn't help but gap at the sight.
"It's the year five billion and twenty-three. We're in the galaxy M87, and this? This is New Earth." The Doctor explained as he came up next to her, Rose turned and looked to him before back at the flying cars and the futuristic city that lay before them.
She shook her head, "That's just. That's just…" she trailed off unable to finish.
The Doctor, next to her smiled, "not bad. Not bad at all."
Rose sent another look around, letting out a breath as she took in the sight, to their right flying cars wizzed past, and she let a spread over her face as she began to hop in place.
"That's amazing. I'll never get used to this. Never. Different ground beneath my feet, different sky. What's that smell?" She stopped hopping and looked around curiously at the smell of fruit there weren't any fruit trees around so…
"Apple grass." The Doctor supplied after a sniff, and Rose turned to him, a small smile on her face.
"Apple grass."
"Yeah, yeah." The Doctor said, returning her broadening smile. She laughed and then let out a breath wrapping her arms around one of his.
"It's beautiful. Oh, I love this. Can I just say, travelling with you, I love it." She said, turning to look up at him. He smiled down at her.
"Me too. Come on." With that, and her holding onto his arm, he led them down the hill of the grassy valley.
The sky above them swam with radiant blue, or at least, that's what it seemed like as Rose lie next to the Doctor atop his new trench coat. They were simply gazing at the sky, a near meaningless and trivial thing, and yet Rose couldn't be happier. She liked to think the Doctor felt the same.
"So, the year five billion, the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted." The Time-Lord explained, and Rose turned to him with a cheeky smile.
"That was our first date." She watched as he grinned back at her, his face was still new, and the whole thing was a very odd but not unpleasant development. He looked younger, he seemed happier, and a small part of Rose liked to think that was because of her.
"We had chips." He claimed, before propping himself up to face her as she did the same. "So anyway, planet gone, all rocks and dust, but the human race lives on, spread out across the stars. Soon as the Earth burns up, oh yeah, they get all nostalgic, big revival movement, but then find this place. Same size as the Earth, same air, same orbit. Lovely. Call goes out, the humans move in." He explained, and she turned to look at the city. It was massive, beautiful, put ole London to shame.
"What's the city called?" she asked, watching the process of sky-traffic in the works. It was fascinating to see them wiz about. She was so far into her people's future it was hard to believe. But also in a way…inspiring.
"New New York."
Rose blinked at the name and turned to her companion. "Oh, come on."
But the Doctor just nodded, "It is. It's the city of New New York. Strictly speaking, it's the fifteenth New York since the original, so that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York. What?" He asked, blinking up at her as she gazed down at him, one of the rare times she had height advantage. There was a soft smile playing on her lips as she stared at the fascinating enigma of a man before her.
"You're so different." She said, her eyes going over this new face, as if trying to find similarities to the old one, but she found none…well, none aside from his eyes. They were a different color, but they were the same dopey and yet deep and endless eyes that had drawn her in to begin with.
He smiled back at her, almost cheekily, "New New Doctor."
For a moment they held each other's gazes, Rose felt captivated in his sight, and, not for the first, or the last, she was eternally grateful that…somehow, they hadn't been ripped apart.
The thought gave her a slight pause, somehow. The Doctor had been vague in the details about what had happened. Though there hadn't been very much time to ask him. She hadn't the faintest clue, and yet in the same vein…she felt like she knew something. Something important, something resting on the tip of her tongue but completely out of her reach.
During the time she'd been able to sleep, which, frankly hadn't been a lot, Rose had been subjected to strange dreams. Dreams she couldn't explain, she'd probably try and talk to the Doctor about them once they were back at the Tardis. Whatever it was, it felt important, it felt like-
"Rose?" The Doctor's voice pulled her from the depths of her thoughts, and she blinked a few times to orient herself again. The Doctor was gazing at her curiously. "Everything alright?"
Rose blinked again before nodding, "yeah, yeah…sorry must've spaced out." She sat up and stole a breath, her eyes fixed on the city. The Doctor didn't move for a moment but soon after sat up as well. Both their gazes on the skyline.
Rose new she needed to talk to the Doctor about what happened. She had so many questions. And couldn't relax the strange pit of unease she got every time she started thinking about it too hard.
But right now…they were having fun. Serious talks could wait till later.
Talking a deep breath Rose got up and turned to the Doctor. "C'mon, we can't lay about all day."
He chuckled and got up as well, scooping up his jacket and shrugging it back on. Rose couldn't help but giggle at the pieces of grass sticking to his shoulder. She picked a few off before laughing and taking his arm leading him further into the grassy hillscape.
Once they arrived at an area with a different set of buildings to gaze at, Rose stole a breath and turned to the Doctor, "can we go and visit New New York, so good they named it twice?"
The Doctor smiled at her, "well, I thought we might go there first." He said, and she paused sensing something more.
"Why, what is it?" She asked, and the Doctor hummed.
"Some sort of hospital. Green moon on the side. That's the universal symbol for hospitals. I got this. A message on the psychic paper." He claimed as he pulled out the wallet type fold over which held said paper.
Rose's eyes flickered over it.
Ward 26
Please come.
She looked up to the Doctor as he folded it up and put it back into his coat.
"Someone wants to see me."
She hummed and grasped his arm again, "hmm. And I thought we were just sight-seeing. Come on, then. Let's go and buy some grapes." With that they headed down the hill.
Unaware of the camera posed as a spider watching them go.
The lobby, despite being one of a massive hospital seemed small to Rose, though that could be because of the lack of vaulted ceilings. Because while they did slide upward toward the reception desks there was no grand entrance. It seemed very clinical. Though she supposed that was to be expected.
The sliding doors hissed closed behind her and the Doctor as they entered.
"Bit rich coming from you." She said, continuing their conversation from moments before. The Doctor gave a slight shrug.
"I can't help it. I don't like hospitals. They give me the creeps." The admission caused Rose to laugh, though she quieted as a voice began to speak from all around them.
"The Pleasure Gardens will now take visitors carrying green or blue identification cards for the next fifteen minutes. Visitors are reminded that cuttings from the gardens are not permitted." Said the announcer. And Rose nodded turning to her companion.
"Very smart. Not exactly NHS." He glanced over to her before sending a searching look around.
"No shop. I like the little shop." He muttered and Rose gave a little shake of her head whilst smiling before turning to all the various people milling about around them as they made their way past the desk and toward a sitting area.
"I thought this far in the future, they'd have cured everything." She admitted turning to look at him again. The Doctor shrugged glancing around as well.
"The human race moves on, but so do the viruses. It's an ongoing war." He said, and Rose nodded before turning her gaze to the other beings in the room.
That was when she finally noticed the fact that what appeared to be the workers here had faces…of cats. She turned on her heel wide eyed as she watched one pass by.
"They're cats." She breathed and the Doctor leaned closer to her. That easily pulled her attention away from the feline nurses.
"Now, don't stare. Think what you look like to them, all pink and yellow." She couldn't help but giggle at his description, but the man was soon distracted as he pointed to their left. "That's where I'd put the shop. Right there."
Rose stopped to look at what he was saying, only for her attention to be pulled to some commotion to her right.
She watched as a thin and ragged looking man spoke to one of the cat nurses. He seemed upset, though Rose took notice of his blindfold with interest. Her head tilted slightly as she stepped toward the scene. Finally able to make out the conversation.
"…I understand you can't account for everyone here. However, I feel like you would be able to know who I'm referring to." The man snapped, and Rose's brow pinched, she took a small step closer as the man continued to explain to the nurse. "He's about yay tall-" he held up a hand slightly above his head. "Big ears, and a black coat, very emo like." He said and Rose stiffened slightly that sounded like…
"I'm sorry sir…I don't know who that is." The nurse explained, her whiskers twitching about. Her eyes going from one person to the next as if asking for help.
The man bristled and huffed before rubbing his face tiredly. "Look, I'd give you more detail, but that's all I was told." He lifted his head and looked to the nurse in spite of his blindfold. "He goes by the Doctor. But I'm fairly certain he doesn't practice in medicine." He explained making Rose blink. She had figured by the description that's who he was referring to…was this the one they were supposed to help? Hadn't it said something about ward 26 though?
She turned to ask the Doctor only to blink as the elevator doors slid shut with the Doctor inside.
"Wait!" She ran over to the doors but they were shut long before she got there. She huffed, "great." She hit the button to summon, but it only seemed to be going up.
"Rose, where are you?" The Doctor's voice came from the speaker next to the button. She hurried over and leaned in unsure of what to press to speak.
"Sorry I got distracted, where are you going again?" She asked holding her hands up unsure of what to do with them.
"Ward 26, there should be another lift." He said, and she looked around, spotting one to her right.
"Yeah, I see it, I'll be up in a minute." She said before pausing and turning to face what distracted her in the first place. Only to freeze as said man was suddenly right in front of her.
She let out a gasp and jumped back staring at him up and down. Despite the blindfold, she felt like his eyes were fixed on her. He had his head tilted slightly as he gazed down at her.
"Are you Rose?" He questioned, and Rose paused gazing over him.
Something…
Something about him…
"Y…yeah…" she cleared her throat and straightened. "Yeah, that's me…who're you?"
The man looked to the elevator that the Doctor had gone into. "You're with the Doctor?"
Rose frowned at his avoidance, "yes. Are you the one who called us here?" She asked carefully, the man turned back to her his head tilting again.
"No." Then he went over to the other elevator, "ward 26 yeah?" He entered and Rose blinked before following in after him.
"Yeah…" she trailed looking up at him before frowning, "what are you wanting with the Doctor? Do you need help?"
The man hummed looking around the space as the doors slid shut before them, "ward 26." He said before turning to look at her, "why don't we wait to see him before we talk about that, hm?" Then he turned back to face the doors, Rose blinked at him bristling up.
"I'm more than capable-"
"Commence stage one disinfection." A voice from the ceiling cut her off and what followed was water spraying down from the ceiling like a sprinkler.
Rose let out a startled shriek and jumped, however her strange companion seemed unfazed by the water gushing from the ceiling.
The water, or rather, disinfectant seemed to die down and Rose let out a scoff trying to shake off some of it, she turned to the man next to her to speak, only for air to start blowing from an unseen place in the elevator. Her hair whipped about her and after a moment or two of trying to tame it, she finally relented and let the air-dryer do its thing.
While it dried off them both, she sent a glance to the man next to her, he was facing the wall next to him once again seemingly uncaring of the wind blowing his tattered clothes about him.
Once the fans calmed down, Rose thought about pressing the man more for information, but the elevator doors slid open before she got the chance too.
However, instead of a typical hospital ward, Rose and her mysterious companion were faced with a dark corridor with what looked to be rubbish strewn about. A man with peculiar face tattoos stood there, he was donned in white with a small white cap atop his head. He looked rather ashen, and Rose wasn't sure how she felt when he sent a glance over her.
"The human child is clean." He said, giving Rose pause as she took in the man before her. An unsettled feeling brewed in her gut, but she pushed it aside, she couldn't be seen as uneasy around someone who potentially needed their help.
The Doctor always exuded confidence, so she would do the same.
"We're looking for, ward 26?" She asked, looking him over again, he didn't seem hostile or imposing…but she knew that didn't always mean that people weren't those things.
He dipped his head slightly, "this way Rose Tyler." Then he turned and headed down the corridor. Rose frowned and looked around, scooping up a metal bar and clutching it tightly.
"You have weird friends." Her new companion claimed, Rose looked up at him and pursed her lips.
"I don't know who he is."
"But he knows you." The man said, turning to look at her. She sighed and tensed her jaw.
"Yeah, which probably means nothing good. Stay close." With that, and as much confidence as she could exude, Rose strut forward, the bar hidden behind her back.
She wasn't sure if it was all the machinery down here, but she was pretty sure she heard a little amused hum from the man who followed after her.
The Doctor followed after one of the nuns, though her face was covered by a veil. He sent a few glances around the area, it looked pretty standard for a hospital, though it was clear that he was in a ward designed for more important patients.
"Please report to reception." Called the announcer from above, but the Doctor paid little mind, he'd presented the note to the nurse who he was following now, and without another word, she'd said to follow her and headed off.
"Nice place. No shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop. Not a big one. Just a shop, so people can shop." He supplied turning back to his companion, as they walked, Jatt, as the nurse had called herself, removed her veil and glanced back at him.
"The hospital is a place of healing." She explained, and he gave a shrug in response.
"A shop does some people the world of good. Not me. Other people." He answered before looking around again, all the staff seemed to be like the one before him. Staff seemed rather species exclusive. Interesting.
"The Sisters of Plentitude take a lifelong vow to help, and to mend." Jatt continued, but before the Doctor could respond they entered the main are of the ward and passed by an open cubicle, there lie a rotund man with ashen skin. It seemed very concrete like…wasn't that…?
"Excuse me! Members of the public may only gaze upon the Duke of Manhattan with written permission from the Senate of New New York." Explained a woman with a tight hair-bun, square glasses and a pursed lip. She put herself between the Doctor and the Duke. He gazed at the woman.
"That's Petrifold Regression, right?" He asked, though it was the Duke who answered.
"I'm dying, sir. A lifetime of charity and abstinence, and it ends like this." He said with a sigh the Doctor took a step closer but the woman reasserted herself and raised both hands.
"Any statements made by the Duke of Manhattan may not be made public without official clearance." She said sternly.
"Frau Clovis!" Claimed the man, "I'm so weak." He said, and she quickly rushed back to his side taking his hand. Then she turned to the nurse next to the Doctor.
"Sister Jatt. A little privacy, please." She said, giving the Doctor a side eye, one he ignored in favor of Jatt motioning him forward. He followed her lead easily.
"He'll be up and about in no time." The sister claimed as they moved away from the sight, but the Doctor frowned.
"I doubt it. Petrifold Regression? He's turning to stone. There won't be a cure for oh, a thousand years? He might be up and about, but only as a statue." He said coming to a stop, she however turned and smiled at him.
"Have faith in the Sisterhood." Then she turned to look around and motioned to the other patients. "But is there no one here you recognize? It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient." She explained, and the Doctor sent a searching glance around, only to find one familiar face. He let a small smile grace his own.
"No, I think I've found him." Without another word he headed over and Jatt followed behind. The Face of Boe was just as the Doctor remembered him, a massive head inside a large container. He was placed by a window that looked over the city.
As they got closer, "Novice Hame, if I can leave this gentleman in your care?" Jatt asked the other nurse who seemed to be tending to Boe. The Doctor, however, turned back to Jatt.
"Oh, I think my friend got lost. Rose Tyler. Could you ask at reception?" He asked. Certainly, Rose should've gotten here by now. Though he probably should've waited for her at the elevator. Though he was sure she'd be fine.
Jatt dipped her head to him, "certainly, sir." Before she turned and left the three of them.
Hame gazed at him as he approached Boe, however the disembodied head seemed to be asleep.
"I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep." Hame confirmed, before turning and gazing at the large head, "that's all he tends to do these days." She then turned to look at the Doctor as he crouched before Boe, "are you a friend, or…?"
"We met just the once on Platform One." The Doctor answered, before then turning to look at Hame, "what's wrong with him?"
The sister blinked before placing a hand on her chest, "I'm so sorry. I thought you knew." At his confused expression she continued, "the Face of Boe is dying."
The Doctor stood up frowning, "of what?"
Hame's eyes went to the container which held the being whom the Doctor was certain had called him here. "Old age. The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions, although that's impossible." She shook her head, but the Doctor turned back to Boe and gave a little smile crouching before him again.
"Oh, I don't know. I like impossible. I'm here. I look a bit different, but it's me, It's the Doctor."
Rose and her new companion entered a large room room, both sending glances about as music began to play. Though it soon became clear where it was coming from, as a reel projector was screening a film of a party. Rose stepped closer frowning a bit as she stared at the video.
There was a woman there, a bit on the older side, clearly had some work done, however she seemed to be talking animatedly to the other guests.
"I mean, you never know what your life is going to be like, ever. I'm bored with this drink. Anyway. Oh, hello darling! Now, don't. Stop it." The woman said, giving an abashed wave of her hand to someone off screen.
Rose however was frowning, a familiarity scratching at the back of her head. Her eyes widened as she stepped back, falling in place next to her new companion as it dawned on her.
"Wait a minute, that's-"
"Peekaboo!" Cassandra said, cutting Rose off and causing her to whip around to face the women. Or at least, what remained of her. Cassandra was just as Rose remembered. Rendered to a skin flap, with her brain in a container not even a meter away. Rose stepped back shaking her head and holding up the metal bar.
Where was the Doctor? How did she end up here?
"I'm kinda disappointed you didn't see her the moment we walked on." Mused her companion causing her to tense and move away, did he have something to do with this?
"Stay back. All of you!" Rose ordered, waving the rod wildly between the blindfolded man, and the two to her left.
"Why? What do you think I'm going to do? Flap you to death?" The skin woman challenged, and Rose scoffed.
"Yeah, but what about Gollum and this guy?" She challenged motioning to both men.
"Oh, this is Chip…him, however? I haven't the faintest idea." Cassandra said, and Rose blinked, turning back to her companion.
"You aren't with her?" She asked, frowning at him, the man turned to face her motioning to Cassandra.
"Why the hell would I work with that thing?" He asked dryly, "it reeks more than you do."
Rose blinked at the insult, "I don't-! Ugh, doesn't matter." She huffed, before motioning to him with her rod. "You knew me…and the Doctor…and I ended up down here. Explain that." She ordered, motioning the rod between him, Chip and Cassandra.
The man sighed, seemingly annoyed, and opened his mouth, but Cassandra cut him off.
"Oh, silly Rose! That was because of me and Chip, this…this…blind hobo had nothing to do with it. Chip, my ever-loyal pet helped me orchestrate the whole thing!"
Chip looked at Rose dead serious as he stepped out from behind a column. "I worship the mistress." He said, and Rose frowned at him, but Cassandra spoke before she could.
"Moisturize me, moisturize me." She gasped, and Chip rushed for a spray bottle before saturating the skin woman in it.
"He's not even a proper life form. He's a force grown clone. I modelled him on my favorite pattern. But he's so faithful. Chip sees to my physical needs." She explained, and Rose grimaced at the thought of what that implied.
"I hope that means food. How comes you're still alive?" She asked, hadn't Cassandra died-
"After you murdered me." The skin woman snapped, her smile gone.
"Murder huh?" Prompted the nameless man next to her, Rose frowned, and pointed her rod at him.
"I'll deal with you in a moment." She turned back to Cassandra, "that was your own fault."
What remained of Cassandra's lips pursed, and it was Chip who explained for her, "the brain of my mistress survived. And her pretty blue eyes were salvaged from the bin." He said, giving her an appraising look.
But Rose frowned, "what about the skin? I saw it. You, you got ripped apart."
Cassandra sighed in spite of the lack of lungs, "That piece of skin was taken from the front of my body. This piece is the back." She said, though looked none to pleased. Rose couldn't help but choke slightly on a laugh bubbling from her.
"Right! So, you're talking out of you're a-"
"Ask not." The skin woman cut her off and Rose raised her hands in surrender.
"Right, right. This is all very entertaining, but I have important matters to attend to with this here Rose and her friend. So, we are going to be taking our leave, and you can have your sad and pathetic little life down here. Okay?" The man had stepped forward next to Rose and she looked up at him hesitantly.
Cassandra however was having none of it, "oh no. You two aren't going anywhere. You see I've been so alone, hidden down here. The last Human in existence."
Rose rolled her eyes and turned back to the skin woman. "Don't start that again. They've called this planet New Earth." She explained, motioning around her. She heard a slight groan from the man next to her, and a quick glance at him told her he was looking about the room a frown on his face.
"A vegetable patch." Cassandra spat causing Rose to look at her again. The still able bodied human sighed.
"And there's millions of Humans out there. Millions of them." She explained, but Cassandra scoffed.
"Mutant stock."
"Says the talking skin in the basement." Muttered the man. Rose spared him a glance before turning to Cassandra again.
"They evolved, Cassandra. They just evolved, like they should. You stayed still. You got yourself all pickled and preserved, and what good did it do you?" She asked motioning to her, the skin woman however looked over to the video that still played, showing her past self and sighed.
"Oh, I remember that night. Drinks for the Ambassador of Thrace. That was the last time anyone told me I was beautiful. After that it all became such hard work."
Rose sighed at her before crossing her arms, "well, you've got a knack for survival, I'll give you that." She said, as her companion moved away from her to examine something in an alcove next to them.
"But I've not been idle, Rose, tucked away underneath this hospital. I've been listening. The Sisters are hiding something." Rose frowned at her and took note of the perked interest of her companion as well.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, these cats have secrets. Hush, let me whisper. Come close." Cassandra beckoned but Rose shook her head and moved to back up only for her arm to be grabbed. She tensed and turned to the man who held it.
"What are you doing?" She hissed trying to tug her arm free, but instead of responding, he looked up and with surprising strength he yanked her toward him. She fell into his chest with an indignant gasp. "What the hell-"
"Shut up." He said, before pushing her off him and to his side opposite to where she had been. And away from the alcove she would've retreated to. Then he turned to Cassandra.
"Interesting idea. A psychograft." He said, making Rose frown. "Seems a bit illegal tho, don't it?"
"I don't know what you are referring to." Cassandra said tensely, the bubbles further erupting in the container that held her brain.
"Uh huh. Sure." He turned to the alcove and pointed at the ceiling, which Rose now noticed was covered in some kind of machinery. Had this guy…?
"I'd say I'm impressed you made this. But I'm not. Pretty simple design," he sent a glance to Cassandra a small smile playing on his lips. "Even for you."
"Now I think that's quite enough." Cassandra snapped, "Chip. Get rid of this annoyance and hold Rose." She ordered and obediently Chip came up to them both. Though mostly faced the blindfolded man.
"My mistress has demanded that you leave, so I must insist." The pasty man claimed, only for the taller man to chuckle and lean over to match the clone's height.
"I think not." He then stood up again and easily walked around the clone who looked uncertain on what to do.
"Now, now, I presume that the whole goal here is to do a bit of a body swap hm? Tired of the flabby skin? Ready for a body again? That why you lured Rose down here?" The man asked, now standing before Cassandra.
"Body? She's not touching my body!" Said Rose, backing up more but careful to avoid the alcove with the machinery in it.
"Yes, yes. That's the idea Rose." The man muttered, before then humming and looking over all the various devices that kept Cassandra alive.
"Who are you?" Cassandra snapped, this couldn't be the Doctor could it? No, no, this man was far to wiry looking.
"The name is Benedict you ugly ass-flap." He said, making Rose's mouth twitch in a bit of a smile, Cassandra however made an indignant sound, and Chip hurried over.
"You will not speak to the mistress that way!" He snapped, and Benedict turned to him giving a little smile.
"And what are you gonna do about it?"
Chip wilted slightly and looked to Cassandra for guidance.
"You…you will cease this! I will not have you foiling my plans!" She shrieked, but Benedict only chuckled and grabbed Chip by his collar. Making the half-life make a little noise in protest.
"You want to swap bodies huh?" He asked and Cassandra gave pause.
"What are you doing?" The skin woman asked, Rose watched taking a step back as Benedict hauled Chip over to the alcove.
"Well. I have a problem." The odd man said as he turned to face Cassandra again. "I am looking for something very important. I need the Doctor because he has what I want." He then pointed to Rose, "and she is what the Doctor wants." He dropped his hand and looked to Cassandra. "You are a pest who could derail things. And I don't want that." Cassandra opened her mouth to speak but Benedict held up a hand. "Ah, I'm not finished yet. You see, you also seem to have some kind of information. Which is…beneficial. Because I have an inkling I won't get what I want until whatever issue is going on here is resolved. So, I still need you around." He then grinned, white fangs standing out most prominently against his other teeth. It reminded Rose of the Cheshire Cat.
It unsettled her.
"But I don't need you in Rose's body." And with that, he shoved Chip into the alcove. Energy surged from the machines to the clone's sides and captured his hands. Holding him in place.
"Mistress!" The clone cried as Benedict went over to what looked like a lever.
"No! No you will stop this at once! I want a pure human!" Cassandra shrieked and Benedict chuckled.
"Yeah, well we don't always get what we want bitch." He grabbed the lever, but Rose ran over giving him pause.
"No! You can't let her free." She said, "Look, we have them both trapped. Let's go get the Doctor and we can figure something else out."
But Benedict just stared at her a moment before grinning, "but blondie. This is more fun." Then he threw down the levers.
The machine hummed to life, Cassandra screamed in rage and both Rose and Benedict watched as a glowing stream of energy went from the container which held Cassandra and streamed right into Chip's head.
The energy that held him shut off and the clone stumbled forward falling to the ground.
Rose watched uneasily as Chip gasped before pushing himself up shakily.
"No…no…" Chip breathed, though somehow his voice sounded different. He sat up and looked at his hands, his face growing horrified. "No! This can't be!" He shouted before looking to Rose and Benedict.
Rose shifted on her feet, gripping the rod uneasily. "What…happened?" She asked looking at the man next to her. He opened his mouth to respond but Chip cut him off.
"This…this hobo! The bastard forced me to switch into Chip's body!" The clone shrieked, and Rose blinked.
"Cassandra?" Chip…no, Cassandra whipped on Rose.
"Of course, it's me!" She then looked to herself and wailed, "and I'm worse off than before! I'm hideous!" She pushed herself to her feet and looked in the mere giving a partial sob. "No…no it's all ruined…" she whined. And Rose shifted glancing at Benedict before back to Chip's possessed body.
"So…what…happened to the other guy? Chip was it?" She asked no one in particular, though it was Benedict who answered as Cassandra was still looking at herself in the floor length mirror.
"He's in there, buried under her subconscious." He glanced to Rose and arched an eyebrow above his blindfold. "Would've thought the Doctor would've told you stuff like this."
Rose bristled slightly, "he tells me things. We've just been busy lately. Saving the world and all." She wasn't sure why she felt defensive, she didn't have anything to prove to this stranger.
However, infuriating her more, Benedict only gave an amused hum.
Rose's shoulders bunched and she turned to him, "now, I don't know who you think-"
"Enough of your squabbling!" Cassandra cut in, making both of them look to her. "I will not stand for this!" She claimed turning to face them.
"Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do about it? Cause from where I'm at, you're stuck in there, and most certainly not in here." She pointed to her own head.
But Cassandra only smiled. "Oh, really now?"
That gave Rose pause, and she looked to her companion before back to Cassandra, "yeah…that's what I said."
But Cassandra only laughed, "think again blondie!" And suddenly, the same light stream from earlier burst from Chip's face and came straight for Rose.
She didn't have time to move, nor did Benedict push her away. Instead, he watched as the energy surged into her and she collapsed on the ground sending the metal pipe rolling.
A few moments later, Cassandra gasped to life. In her new body, she pushed herself up and looked around. Had it worked?
She felt hopeful when she saw Chip's body over to the side. He seemed to be alive, though was unconscious.
However, her attention was quickly pulled from the half-life when the blind folded man leaned over, his face obstructing her line of sight.
"You in there butt-bitch?"
Cassandra sneered at the sight of him before pushing herself up to a sitting position. "Yeah, no thanks to you." She tried to get up, only for her limbs to turn to jello and give out.
She dropped again, all while the blindfolded man just stood there.
"Well yeah, I wasn't trying to help you." Benedict supplied and Cassandra huffed before getting up again. This time she was successful and stumbled over to the mirror, stepping over Chip's body.
"Oh…oh yes, this is so much better." She gasped, turning to look over all her new curves. Running her hands down her body as she let out a relieved breath. "A bit of a chav, but I can work with that." She looked over herself again before turning to Benedict. "Now…what do I do with you?"
But the man's mouth split into a cat-like grin that had Cassandra take a slight step back. He met that by taking determined ones forward.
"No…no, let's try that again." He stopped just short of running into her. Cassandra let out a small gasp a hand to her chest as she gazed up at the man whose eyes, she couldn't see…and yet she felt that he saw right through her with no issue. "What are you going to do for me, so I don't tell the Doctor just what you've done to his precious little human?"
"Hope, harmony and health. Hope, harmony and health." The announcer voice from the ceiling called as the Doctor made his way back to nurse Hame.
Once there he handed her a cup of water, once that she accepted with a shake of her head.
"That's very kind. There's no need." She claimed as the Doctor stood nearby hands in his pockets.
"You're the one working."
Hame however sighed, "there's not much to do, just maintain his smoke. And I suppose I'm company. I can hear him singing, sometimes, in my mind. Such ancient songs." She ended softly, and the Doctor turned to look to said patient.
"Am I the only visitor?" As he asked, he glanced back to Hame, she nodded.
"The rest of Boe-kind became extinct long ago. He's the only one left." She turned to look at the Doctor, "legend says that the Face of Boe has watched the universe grow old. There's all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his great secret, that he will speak those words only to ones like himself." She explained, and the Doctor paused.
"What does that mean?"
But Hame shook her head, "it's just a story." She said abashed, but the Doctor crouched next to her causing her to look to him.
"Tell me the rest."
The sister gazed at him a moment before turning to look at Boe again, she sighed, almost wistfully. "It's said he'll talk to wanderers. To those without a home. The lonely Gods."
The plurality of that gave the Doctor pause, as a singularity of that statement, he could easily see himself being the prime subject. No home? A wanderer? Lonely god? He could see all those descriptions easily fitting him.
But…why was it plural?
"The lonely gods…" he murmured, brow pinching, "gods."
Did that…?
No.
It couldn't be.
Could it?
Something itched at the back of his head, a thought, unreachable to him. It had been nagging at him since he'd regenerated.
The Tardis had said something through Rose…did it have something to do with this-
Rose!
The Doctor blinked coming back to reality, he stood up and looked around with a frown. Where was she? It really couldn't have taken this long…
With a sigh he pulled out his mobile and called her, he held up the phone and waited for her to answer.
He'd figure that all out later.
He needed to know if Rose was safe first.