Chapter Eleven: Upside Down or Right-side Up

Emma opens her eyes as the Doctor's grip loosened.
"Up, look up," he told the group. Everyone struggled to their feet on the artificial surface.
"Are you okay?" Emma asked Amy.
"What happened?" Amy asked.
"We jumped," River answered.
"Where?"
"Up! Look up!" Emma did as the Doctor said and shook her head when she realized the ceiling was actually the ground they had previously been standing on.
"Where are we?"
"Exactly where we were."
"No, we're not."
"Move your feet," the Doctor commanded her. Eyebrows furled, Amy did as he said. he took her spot, sonicing the hatch in the floor.
"Doctor, what am I looking at? Explain?" Amy begged.
"Oh, come on, Amy, think," Emma said gently. "Think. The ship crashed with the power still on, yeah? So, what else is still on?" At Amy confused look, the Doctor sighed.
"The artificial gravity. One good jump and up we fell. Shot out the Grav Globe to give us an updraft, and here we are."

From nearby, Father Octavian frowned.
"Doctor, the statues. They look more like Angels now."
"They're feeding on the radiation from the wreckage, draining all the power from the ship, restoring themselves. Within an hour, they'll be an army." He opened the hatch and a sudden bang made everyone jump. Emma frowned at the sight of a broken lightbulb. "They're taking out the lights. Look at them. Look at the Angels. Into the ship, now. Quickly, all of you."
"How?" Amy asked.

Taking a leap of faith, Emma detangled herself from the Doctor and dropped through the hatch. Her feet touched the metal ground as she started to realize wat she had just done. She had jumped through the hatch by herself. "Emma!" she heard Amy yell. The Doctor landed next to her, giving her a grin.
"Brava, Emma-Grace," he said. She managed a faint smile as he called to the others.
"It's just a corridor, Amy. The gravity orientates to the floor. Now, in here, all of you. Don't take your eyes off the Angels. Move, move, move!"

River was the last the come through the hatch.
"The Angels… presumable they can jump too?" Father Octavian asked.
"They're here, now. In the dark, we're finished." A sound came from further up the corridor and Emma followed the Doctor's gaze to see a bulkhead started to close. "Run!" he shouted.

They didn't make it. The bulkhead slammed shut in front of them and Father Octavian angrily turned on the Doctor.
"This whole place is a death trap."
"No, it's a time bomb," the Doctor corrected.
"Well, it's a death trap and a time bomb. And now it's a dead end. What's through here?" He pointed to another hatch.
"Secondary flight deck," River answered.
"Okay," Amy said slowly. "So, we've basically run up the inside of a chimney, yeah? So, what if the gravity fails?"
"I've thought about that," the Doctor admitted.
"And?"
"And we'll all plunge to our deaths. See? I've thought about it. The security protocols are still live. There's no way to override them. It's impossible."
"How impossible?"
"Two minutes."

The door behind them opened and Octavian took a sharp breath.
"The hull is breached and the power's failing." The lights went out and Marco called out to them.
"Sir, incoming."
"Doctor? Lights?" Amy asked. The lights flicked and the door closed again.
"Clerics, keep watching them," Father Octavian ordered.
"And don't look at their eyes," the Doctor added. "Anywhere else. Not the eyes. I've isolated the lighting grid. They can't drain the power now."
"Good work, Doctor."
"Yes. Good, good, good. Good in many ways. Good you like it so far."
"So far?" Amy questioned.
"Well, there's only one way to open this door. I guess I'll need to route all the power in this section through the door control."
"Good. Fine. Do it," Father Octavian said.
"Including the lights," the Doctor said. "All of them. I'll need to turn out the lights."
"For how long?" Father Octavian asked.
"Fraction of a second. Maybe longer. Maybe quite a bit longer."
Emma swallowed, "Maybe, Doctor?"
"I'm guessing!" he stressed. "We're being attacked by statues in a crashed ship. There isn't a manual for this!"

Stepping forward, Amy shook her head.
"Doctor, we lost the torches. We'll be in total darkness."
"No other way." He looked to Father Octavian, waiting for him to reply. The Bishop turned to River.
"Doctor Song, I've lost good Clerics today. You trust this man?"
"I absolutely trust him."
"He's not some kind of madman, then?"
"I absolutely trust him." The Doctor's brow furled when River didn't correct the 'madman' statement.
"Excuse me." Emma kissed his cheek.
"Leave her be," she murmured.
"I'm taking your word, because you're the only one who can manage this guy," Father Octavian told River. "But that only works so long as he doesn't know who you are. You cost me any more men, and I might just tell him. Understood?"
"Understood," River agreed.

Once more, Father Octavian turned to the Doctor.
"Okay, Doctor. We've got your back."
"Bless you, Bishop!" Father Octavian turned to his men.
"Combat distance, ten feet. As soon as the lights go down, continuous fire. Full spread over the hostiles. Do not stop firing when the lights are out. Shot gun protocol. We don't have bullets to waste."
"Amy, Emma, when the lights go down, the wheel should release. Spin it clockwise four turns."
"Ten," Amy blurted out. The Doctor frowned, shaking his head.
"No, four. Four turns."
"Yeah, four. I heard you."
"Ready!"

Emma grasped the wheel with Amy as Father Octavian called out to them.
"On my count, then. God be with us all. Three, two, one, fire!" The lights went out and Emma tried not to flinch at the sound of gunfire. She turned the wheel with all her might, pulling as Amy pushed.
"Doctor! It's opening," Amy shouted. "It's working!"

The metal bulkhead squealed as it opened, the metal grinding together. When it was open enough to squeeze through, the Doctor told everyone to go through. Emma pushed Amy through before she followed. As River and the others came through, Emma looked around the secondary flight deck. No sign of the Angels. Yet. She turned back to the bulkhead and anxiously waited for the Doctor to run through.

He dashed through at the last second, letting the bulkhead slam shut as he ran to the controls. The Angels began thumping on the door and then the wheel began to turn.
"Doctor, the door," Emma said. Father Octavian placed a device on the door and the wheel stopped turning.
"Magnetized the door. Nothing could turn that wheel now."
"Yeah?" the Doctor questioned. The wheel began to turn again.
"Dear God!"
"Ah, now you're getting it. You've bought us time though. That's good. I am good with time." The wheel on the second door started to turn as well.
"Seal that door. Seal it now," Father Octavian ordered Marco.
"We're surrounded," River said.
"Seal it!" Father Octavian shouted. "Doctor, how long have we got?" "
Five minutes, max."
"Nine," Amy blurted out.
"Five," the Doctor corrected.
"Five… right, yeah."
"Why'd you say nine?" Emma asked.
"I didn't," Amy replied.
"We need another way out of here," River said.
"There isn't one," Father Octavian said.
"Yeah, there is," the Doctor said. "Course there is. This is a galaxy class ship. Goes for years between planet falls. So, what do they need?"
"Of course," River realized.
"Of course, what?" Amy asked. "What do they need?"
"Can we get in there?" Father Octavian asked.
"Well, it's a sealed unit, but they must have installed it somehow," the Doctor said. He started messing with a wall. "This whole wall should slide up. There's clamps. Release the clamps."
"What's through there? What do they need?" Amy asked.
"They need to breathe," River answered.

The rear wall of the flight deck slide up to reveal a large forest.
"But that's… that's a—"
"It's an oxygen factory," Emma said.
"It's a forest," Amy corrected.
"Yeah, it's a forest," Emma nodded. "It's an oxygen factory."
"And! If we're lucky, an escape route," the Doctor said.
"Eight."
"What did you say, Amy?" Emma questioned.
"Nothing?" The Doctor looked to Father Octavian.
"Is there another exit? Scan the architecture, we don't have time to get lost in there."
"On it. Stay where you are until I've checked the Rad levels."
"But trees, on a spaceship?" Amy asked.
"Oh, more than trees!" the Doctor said. "Way better than trees. You're going to love this. Treeborgs. Tress plus technology."

At his cheerful explanation, Emma shook her head fondly. He loved to boast and to share information with his companions. Especially ones like Amy. The ones who saw awe in everything.
"Branches become cables become sensors on the hull. A forest sucking in starlight, breathing out air. It even rains. There's a whole mini climate. This vault is an ecopod, running right through the heart of the ship. A forest in a bottle on a spaceship in a maze. Have I impressed you yet, Amy Pond?"
"Seven."
"Seven?"
"Sorry, what?"

The Doctor pursed his lips, staring at his companion.
"You said seven."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"Doctor, there's an exist, far end of the ship, into the Primary Flight Deck," Father Octavian said.
"Oh, good. That's where we need to go."
"Plotting a safe path now."
"Quick as you like."
"Doctor? Excuse me? Hello, Doctor? Angel Bob here, sir."
"Ah! There you are, Angel Bob. How's life? Sorry, bad subject."

Walking over to Emma, the Doctor took hold of her hand. He rubbed his thumb against her hand, as they looked out over the forest.
"The Angels are wondering what you hope to achieve."
"Achieve?" the Doctor asked. "We're not achieving anything. We're just hanging. It's nice in here. Consoles, comfy chairs, a forest. How's things with you?"
"The Angels are feasting, sir. Soon we will be able to absorb enough power to consume this vessel, this world, and all the stars and worlds beyond."
"Well, we've got comfy chairs. Did I mention?"
"We have no need of comfy chairs."
The Doctor winked at Emma, "I made him say comfy chairs."
"Six," blurted Amy.
"Okay, Bob, enough chat. Here's what I want to know. What have you done to Amy?"
"There is something in her eye."
"What's in her eye?"
"We are."
"What's he talking about?" Amy asked. "Doctor, I'm five. I mean, five. Fine! I'm fine."
"You're counting," Emma gently answered.
"Counting?"
"You're counting down from ten. You have been for a couple minutes."
"Why?" The Doctor shook his head.
"I don't know."
"Well, counting down to what?"
"I don't know."
"We shall take her," Bob said. "We shall take all of you. We shall have dominion over all time and space."
"Get a life, Bob!" the Doctor snapped before pausing. "Oops, sorry again. There's power on this ship, but nowhere near that much."
"With respect, sir, there's more power on this ship than you yet understand."

Screeeeeeeeeechhhhhhhhh

Emma dropped the Doctor's hand to put her hands against her ears as an unearthly screeching filled the room.
"What's that?" River shouted. "Dear God, what is it?"
"They're back," said Father Octavian.
"It's hard to put in your terms, Doctor Song, but as best I understand it, the Angels are laughing."
"Laughing?" the Doctor asked.
"Because you haven't noticed yet, sir. The Doctor in the Tardis hasn't noticed."
"There's something I've missed…"
"Doctor!" Emma exclaimed. She pointed at a w-shaped crack in the bulkhead above the entrance.
"That-that-that's like the crack from my bedroom wall from when I was a little girl," said Amy.
"Yes," the Doctor nodded. "Two parts of space and time that never should have touched."
"Okay, enough!" said Father Octavian. "We're moving out."
"Agreed," River said.
"Doctor?"
"Yeah, fine." He stepped closer to the bulkhead and Emma reached forward to grab his hand again.
"What are you doing?"
"Go with them, Emma."
"I'm not leaving without you."
"Oh yes, you are. Bishop."

One of the Clerics, Pedro, grabbed Emma's arm, yanking her along with them.
"Doctor!" she shouted as she was pulled through the forest. They didn't make it far before Amy swayed in front of them and then sat down on a mossy tree trunk.
"Med scanner, now," River said.
"Doctor Song, we can't stay here. We've got to keep moving."
"We wait for the Doctor," Emma snapped.
"Our mission is to make this wreckage safe and neutralize the Angels. Until that is achieved—"
"Father Octavian," River interrupted. "When the Doctor's in the room, you're one and only mission is to keep him alive long enough to get everyone else home. And trust me, it's not easy. Now, if he's head back there, I'll never forgive myself. And if he's alive, I'll never forgive him. And, Doctor, you're standing right behind me, aren't you."
"Oh, yeah."
"I hate you."
"You don't. right, so!" He clapped his hands together and looked to Father Octvian. "Bishop, the Angels are in the forest."
"We need visual contact on every line of approach."
"How did you get past them?" River asked.
"I found a crack in the wall and told them it was the end of the universe."
"What was it?" Amy asked. "The end of the universe."

Kneeling beside Amy, he shined his sonic into her eyes.
"Let's have a look, then?" His eyes scanned through the readings as Amy looked anxiously at him.
"So, what's wrong with me?"
"Nothing. You're fine," River said.
"Everything. You're dying."
"Doctor!"
"Yes, you're right," the Doctor snarked. "If we lie to her, she'll get all better. Right. Amy, Amy, Amy. What's the matter with Amelia? Something's in her eye. What does that mean? Does it mean anything?"
"Doctor?" Amy quietly asked.
"Busy."
"Scared." Emma took hold of her hand.
"It's okay to be scared, Amy," she soothed.
"Course you're scared," the Doctor said. "You're dying. Shut up. So what happened? She stared at the Angel. She looked into the eyes of an Angel for too long."
"Sir!" Marco called. "Angel incoming."
"And here!" cried Phillip.
"Keep visual contact," Father Octavian said. "Do not let it move."
"Come on, come on, come on," the Doctor said. He slapped his forehead a few times. "Wakey, wakey. She watched an Angel climb out of the screen. She stared at the Angel and, and…"
"The image of an Angel is an Angel," Amy said.
The Doctor nodded, "A living mental image in a living human mind. But we stare at them to stop them getting closer. And we don't even blink, and that is exactly what they want. Because as long as our eyes are open, they can climb inside. There's an Angel in her mind."
"Three."

Amy's shoulders dropped, "Doctor, it's coming. I can feel it. I'm going to die."
"Please just shut up," the Doctor said. "I'm thinking. Now, counting. What's that about? Bob, why are they making her count?"
"To make her afraid, sir."
"Okay, but why? What for?"
"For fun, sir."

In frustration, the Doctor threw the communicator away.
"Doctor, what's happening to me?" Amy asked. "Explain."
"Inside your head, in the vision centres of your brain, there's an Angel. It's like there's a scree, a virtual screen inside your mind and the Angel is climbing out of it, and it's coming to shut you off."
"Then what do I do?"
"If it was a real screen, what would we do? We'd pull the plug; we'd kill the power. But we can't just knock her out, the Angel would just take over."
"Then what?" River asked.
"We've got to shut down the vision centres of her brain. We've got to pull the plug. Starve the Angel."
"Doctor, she's got seconds."
"Amy close your eyes," Emma suddenly said.
"No," Amy shook her head. "No, I don't want too."
"That's not you," Emma said firmly. "That's the Angel speaking. It's afraid. Do it. Close your eyes." Amy squeezed her eyes shut and the med scanner in River's hand changed from red to green.
"She's normalizing," River said.
"How'd you know that would work, Emma?" the Doctor asked.
"I didn't," Emma said. She met his eyes. "You were just taking to long."
"Sir? Two more incoming."
"Three more over here"
"Still weak," River said, motioning to Amy. "Dangerous to move her."
"So, can I open my eyes now?"

Placing his hand against her cheek, the Doctor spoke softly.
"Amy, listen to me. If you open your eyes now for more than a second, you will die. The Angel is still inside you. We haven't stopped it, we've just sort of paused it. You've sued up your countdown. You cannot open your eyes."
"Doctor, we're too exposed here," called Father Octavian. "We have to move on."
"We're too exposed everywhere. And Amy can't move. And anyway, that's not the plan."
"There's a plan?" River asked.
"I don't know yet. I haven't finished talking. Right! Father, you, and your Clerics, you're going to stay here, look after Amy. If anything happens to her, I'll hold every single one of you personally responsible, twice. River, you, me and Emma, we're going to find the Primary Flight Deck which is…"

Wetting his finger with his tongue, he held it up.
"… a quarter of a mile straight ahead, and from there we're going to stabilize the wreckage, stop the Angels, and cure Amy."
"How?" River asked.
"I'll do a thing."
"What thing?"
"I don't know. It's a thing in progress. Respect the thing. Moving out!" He held out his hand to Emma and she took it.
"I don't feel right leaving Amy," she murmured to him.
"And I'm not leaving you again," he murmured back.
"Doctor, I'm coming with you!" Father Octavian said. "My Clerics'll look after Miss Pond. These are my best men. They'd lay down their lives in her protection."
"I don't need you."
"I don't care. Where Doctor Song goes, I go."
"What? You two engaged or something?"
"Yes, in a manner of speaking. Marco, you're in charge 'til I get back."
"Sir."
"Doctor? Please, can't I come with you?" Amy asked.
"You'd slow us down, Miss Pond," Father Octavian said.
"I don't want to sound selfish, but you'd really speed me up."
"You'll be safer here," the Doctor said. "We can't protect you on the move. I'll be back for you soon as I can, I promise."
"You always say that," Amy pouted.
"And I always come back. Good luck, everyone. Behave. Do not let that girl open her eyes. And keep watching the forest. Stop those Angels advancing. Amy, later. River, going to need your computer!"
"Yeah. Later."

Emma knelt in front of Amy, grasping the red-head's hand.
"Amy, you need to start trusting him. It's never been more important."
"But he doesn't always tell me the truth."
"If he always told us the truth, we wouldn't need to trust him."
"One last question. The crack in my wall. How can it be here?"
"I don't know yet, but I'm working on it," the Doctor answered. "Now, listen. Remember what I told you when you were seven?"
"What did you tell me?"
"No. No, that's not the point. You have to remember." He tugged Emma back to her feet and they took off after River and the Bishop.

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