"Good morning, love. Is there a fun adventure for us today?" Layla inquired towards the ceiling as she was finishing with getting ready. She frowns though when the Tardis groans. "Are you alright?" The Tardis groans again and Layla gets the distinct feeling that the Tardis wasn't feeling good from what she was projecting. Layla's eyes narrow, I bet the Doctor did something.
She walks into the console room and sees the Doctor heading for the doors. Rose follows after him and neither notice that Layla has joined them. The Doctor had a frown on his face as he looked at his ship from the outside. "I don't know what's wrong though. She's sort of queasy. Indigestion, like she didn't want to land."
"What did you break this time, Doctor?" The Doctor and Rose both jumped at her question since they didn't realize she was there.
The Doctor gives her a beaming smile, happy that she was done getting ready but then he registers her question. He puckers his lips and gives her the stink eye. "I didn't do anything!"
"Are you sure about that?" Layla laughs at him. She looks around where they are. "You sure did park us in a tight space."
Rose cuts in, annoyed that the Doctor had his eyes practically glued to Layla and that she seems to have been forgotten. "Oh, if you think there's going to be trouble, we could always get back inside and go somewhere else." The Doctor finally looks at her and they both laugh at the absurdity of the suggestion. Layla looks at him with a fond smile. He is like a child. Always excited when they go somewhere.
"I think we've landed inside a cupboard. The door is behind you, Rose." The Doctor motions for Rose to lead them out of the room. He grabs Layla, gives her a quick kiss and guides her in front of him. The Doctor has a mischievous grin on his face as he runs his hands on her bum and kisses the back of her neck. He feels her shiver and she turns her head back and looks at him with narrowed eyes before she breaks out into a silly smile.
Open door 15.
They enter into a bigger space and see that it was empty. The Doctor looks around wondering where they landed. "Some sort of base. Moon base, sea base, space base. They build these things out of kits.
Close door 15.
Rose walked up to a wall and heard loud sounds. "Glad we're indoors. Sounds like a storm out there."
Open door 16.
"Well let's go explore and give the Tardis time to heal. I'm sure that if we keep the Doctor out of her circuits for a few hours she will feel better." Layla turned to go down the hall when she was lifted off of her feet.
The Doctor sighs in happiness as he touches her and starts to spin her around. "Why are you always picking on me Layla?"
Layla is giggling. "Because she always complains when you do your 'repairs'."
"She's just picky." He sets her down and chuckles as she sways in dizziness. They walk further down the corridor and have yet to come across anyone else. "Human design. You've got a thing about kits. This place was put together like a flat pack wardrobe, only bigger. And easier." They walk into an area that has tables and chairs. On the wall a big '3' was painted.
Open door 17.
"Oh, it's a sanctuary base. Deep space exploration. We've gone way out. And listen to that, underneath. Someone's drilling." The Doctor had a big grin on his face from not knowing where they were.
"So, there will be scientists and archaeologists here?" Layla had to laugh at the look on the Doctor's face when she said the last profession.
Close door 17.
"Welcome to hell." They hear Rose say.
The Doctor waves her off. "Oh, it's not that bad." Well except for dealing with archaeologists.
"No, over there." She points to the wall that had it painted on it along with alien script.
"That doesn't sound like this is a good place to be. Unless the cafeteria food just sucks and this is their way of protesting." Layla was semi worried and semi amused at her line of thinking.
"Hold on, what does that say? That's weird, it won't translate." The Doctor pulled out his glasses and put them on. He hunched over and scrunched up his face as if it would help him understand the writing.
"But I thought the Tardis translated everything, writing as well. We should see English." Rose at first was upset about the Tardis being in her mind, but she greatly enjoyed it now.
"Could it be spelled wrong? Civilizations that used pictographs for their words, it would wouldn't translate right if it was spelled wrong, yeah? Or like the Japanese kanji. If a part of it was missing, it wouldn't be the right word anymore or a word." Layla walked up beside the Doctor and brushed shoulders with him wanting to touch him. Well, I want to do more than just touch his shoulder. The kind of touching where clothing is optional.
"Exactly." The Doctor tells Rose. He looks at Layla after. "Could be spelled wrong. But if it isn't, and if it's not working, then it means this writing is old. Very old. Impossibly old. We should find out who's in charge."
"Older than you? Wow, didn't think we would find something older than you." Layla sniggers and jumps away from him as he reaches for her side to tickle her.
The Doctor goes to a door that has a wheel attached and starts to spin it to open it. "We've gone beyond the reach of the Tardis' knowledge. Not a good move. And if someone's lucky enough…"
Open door 19.
The door opens and aliens that Layla and Rose have never seen, and apparently the Doctor as well considering his reaction, are standing in the doorway. Layla looks at the creatures with tentacles for their nose and mouth in fascination. The Doctor steps back slightly as the aliens take a step towards them. He gives them a big grin though. "Oh! Right. Hello. Sorry. I was just saying, er, nice base."
"We must feed." All of the aliens said at once.
The Doctor's eyes widen and he reaches over to pull Layla back and behind him. Rose steps closer to the Doctor in her fear and doesn't notice him moving away from her slightly. The Doctor was hoping he heard wrong though. "You've got to what?"
"We must feed." Was their repeated answer.
"Yeah. I think they mean us." Rose gulped and grabbed the Doctor's arm, internally frowning as he tensed and flinched.
The aliens all start to walk forward together as the three-time travelers move back. "We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed." The other doors in the room open and even more aliens come in. The Doctor gets out his sonic screwdriver holding it threateningly while making sure to stay in front of Layla and Rose picks up a chair. Layla was looking around analyzing options they had that wouldn't lead to their deaths. The aliens are within feet from them as they continue their chant. "We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed." The alien closest to them taps on the glowing ball in its hand a few times before continuing. "You, if you are hungry."
The Doctor's jaw drops and he straightens up. "Sorry?"
"We apologize. Electromagnetics have interfered with speech systems. Would you like some refreshment?"
"Er…" The Doctor was at a loss of how to proceed.
Open door 18.
The door opened and a human walked in. He freezes as he sees three strangers who should not be here. "What the hell? How did…?" The aliens move off to the side so they are not in the way. The man holds up his wrist to his mouth. "Captain, you're not going to believe this. We've got people. Out of nowhere. I mean, real people. I mean three living people, just standing here right in front of me."
"Don't be stupid, that's impossible." They all hear the captain reply.
"I suggest telling them that." Was the dry response.
Rose steps forward. "But you're a sort of space base. You must have visitors now and then. It can't be that impossible."
The man's eyes widen. "You're telling me you don't know where you are?"
The Doctor gives him a grin. "No idea. More fun that way."
"That's what you always say when you take us to the wrong destination and don't know where we are, as if you planned it that way." Layla looks at the man and fake whispers. "Just to let you know, it happens a lot."
"Oi! I'm not that bad." Was the Doctor's indigent response. Layla just stares at him. She knows that most of the time it really isn't his fault since the Tardis hijacks his trips. But it is so much fun getting him riled up. He crosses his arms across his chest and pouts.
Layla pats him on the cheek. "It's okay to be directionally challenged Doctor. Nothing to be ashamed about."
The Doctor wasn't able to reply though because a woman's voice is broadcasted. "Stand by, everyone. Buckle down. We have incoming. And it's a big one. Quake point five on its way."
The man had been amused by the teasing but his face turns serious. He opens the door and looks at the three strangers. "Through here, now. Quickly, come on! Move!" As they run through the door and along the walkway, things above them are banging and sparking. The man raises his voice commandingly. "Move it! Come on! Keep moving. Come on! Quickly! Move it!"
They enter into another room where they can see it is the control room. The people inside all freeze and gape at the Doctor, Layla, and Rose. The man by the controls snaps his jaw shut. "Oh, my god. You meant it."
A girl steps forward. "People! Look at that, real people!"
The Doctor gives them a cheesy smile and wiggles his fingers. "That's us. Hooray!"
"Yeah, definitely real. My name's Rose. Rose Tyler. And, and this is the Doctor and she is Layla."
A guy with shoulder length, dark, hair steps forward and walks up close to Layla who looks at him with wide eyes at how close he got. "Come on the oxygen must be offline. We're hallucinating. They can't be." The guy reaches forward and touches Layla's shoulder. "No, they're real. Real cute too."
Layla looks on amused but the Doctor sends him a glare and steps closer to Layla. The man by the controls looks skyward as if asking for patience and starts to scold him. "Come on, we're in the middle of an alert! Danny, strap up. The quake's coming in! Impact in thirty seconds! Sorry you three, whoever you are. Just hold on, tight."
Rose's brow furrows. "Hold on to what?"
"Anything. I don't care. Just hold on." He grunts. "Ood, are we fixed?"
"Your kindness in this emergency is much appreciated."
The Doctor was standing by Layla just in case but looked at the man that seemed to be the captain. "What's this planet called, anyway?"
Another woman who was slightly older than the first scoffed at the question. "Now, don't be stupid. It hasn't got a name. How could it have a name? You really don't know, do you?"
"And impact!" The captain shouted and the whole place shake for a few seconds.
"Oh, well, that wasn't so bad." The Doctor lets go of the railing he had been holding onto but regrets it a few seconds later. The who place shakes even harder and he stumbles around before he feels Layla grab onto his hand and yank him to her. He curls around her holding onto the rail tightly. After the shaking is over, he takes the opportunity to give her a quick kiss to her neck.
The captain is putting out the fire that burst from the console. "Okay, that's it. Everyone alright? Speak to me Ida."
"Yeah, yeah!"
"Danny?" He calls out next.
"Fine." Was the groaned response.
"Toby?"
"Yeah, fine."
Scooti? Jefferson?"
"No damage." The young woman replied cheerfully.
"Check!"
"We're fine, thanks, fine. Yeah, don't worry about us." The Doctor says sarcastically.
The captain ignored him. "The surface caved in." He pulls up the diagram of the base. "I deflected it onto storage five through eight. We've lost them completely. Toby, go and check the rocket link."
"That's not my department." Toby complains petulantly.
"Just do as I say, yeah?" The captain huffs.
"Oxygen holding. Internal gravity fifty-six point six. We should be okay." Ida informed them.
"Never mind the earthquake, that's, that's one hell of a storm. What is that, a hurricane?" Rose asked.
Scooti scoffed with humor. "You'd need an atmosphere for a hurricane. There's no air out there. It's a complete vacuum."
"Then what's shaking the roof?"
Ida looked at them with wide eyes. "You're not joking. You really don't know. Well introductions. F Y I, as they said in the olden days. I'm Ida Scott, science officer. Zachary Cross Flane, acting captain, sir. You've met Mister Jefferson, he's Head of Security. Danny Bartock, ethics committee."
Danny sends Layla a wink. "Not as boring as it sounds." The Doctor grits his teeth in annoyance. He knows that Layla agreed to his proposal, but they still haven't bonded yet so the possessiveness hasn't calmed down any.
"And that man who just left, that was Toby Zed, archaeology, and this is Scooti Manista, trainee maintenance. And this? This is home." Ida walks over towards a lever on the wall and pulls it down.
"Brace yourselves. The sight of it sends some people mad." Zach warned them. The shutters overhead open and it shows a white disc with a black center and black dots falling out of it.
The Doctor's jaw drops, Layla eyebrows skyrocketed up, and Rose's eyes widened as she spluttered. "That's a black hole."
The Doctor snaps his jaw closed but doesn't look away. "But that's impossible."
Zach looks at the three amused. "I did warn you."
"We're standing under a black hole." The Doctor was having a hard time comprehending what he was seeing.
Ida grins at them also amused. "In orbit."
"But we can't be." He denied.
"You can see for yourself. We're in orbit." Ida pointed out.
"But we can't be." The Doctor denied again. It didn't fit with what he knew of blackholes.
"This lump of rock is suspended in perpetual geostationary orbit around that blackhole without falling in." Ida claps her hands together with an excited grin. "Discuss."
Rose was looking between the Doctor and the blackhole. "And that's bad, yeah?"
Layla could tell it was bad. With Rose being distracted, the Doctor had grabbed Layla's hand and was squeezing it tightly. He still couldn't look away from the blackhole as he explained to Rose. "Bad doesn't cover it. A blackhole is a dead star. It collapses in on itself, in and in and in until the matter's so dense and tight it starts to pull everything else in too. Nothing in the universe can escape it. Light, gravity, time. Everything just gets pulled inside and crushed."
"So, they can't be in orbit. We should be pulled right in."
"We should be dead." The Doctor's hearts clench in worry but he relaxes somewhat when he feels Layla give his hand a comforting squeeze.
"Stars breaking up. Gas clouds. We have whole solar systems being ripped apart above our heads, before falling into that thing." Ida's tone went from excited to be discussing it to being solemn.
"So, a bit worse than a storm, then." Was Rose's faint reply.
"Just a bit." Ida sends her a look of sympathy seeing the shock on her face.
Close door 1.
Toby comes back into the room sulkily. "The rocket links fine."
Zach brings up a hologram over the central console to show them. "That's the blackhole, officially designated K-three-seven-Gen-five."
Ida decided to give them a little folklore. "In the scriptures of the Falltino, this planet is called Kroptor, the bitter pill. And the blackhole is supposed to be a mighty demon. It was tricked into devouring the planet, only to spit it out, because it was poison."
"The bitter pill, I like that." Rose hummed.
"If that were true, it still doesn't explain how the planet doesn't fall into the blackhole, what's holding it in place?" Layla asked Ida but she just shrugged.
"We are so far out. Lost in the drifts of the universe. How did you even get here?!" The Doctor was incredulous at what these humans have done.
"We flew in. You see, this planet's generating a gravity field. We don't know how. We've no idea." Zach shrugs. But it's kept in constant balance against the blackhole. And the field extends out there as a funnel. A distinct gravity funnel, reaching out into clear space. That was our way in."
"You flew down that thing? Like a rollercoaster." Rose knows she has done some crazy things before, but this was way out there.
"Before you even left for the trip, did you know the chances of failure?" Zach grimaced at Layla's question.
"By rights, the ship should have been torn apart. We lost the captain, which is what put me in charge."
"You're doing a good job." Ida complimented him.
"Yeah, well, needs must." Zach wasn't thrilled to have the job because of a death on their trip.
"But if that gravity funnel closes, there's no way out." Danny pointed out helpfully.
"You knew that ahead of time and you still made the trip anyways? What are the chances that you would be able to leave safely? There is no guarantee that the ship would hold out for a second trip in that funnel without falling apart." Layla wondered what they had been offered to even think about making the trip. It had to be worth the risk of possibly losing their lives in an untested method of entry.
"We had fun speculating about that." Was Scooti's sarcastic response.
Danny rolled his eyes. "Oh, yeah. That's the word. Fun."
"But that field would take phenomenal amounts of power. I mean not just big, but off the scale! Can I?" The Doctor points to the calculator on the console.
Ida shrugged, wondering if this man would calculate what they already knew. "Sure. Help yourself."
While the Doctor was doing his calculations, the aliens with the tentacles walked up to the girls and gave them cups of water. "Your refreshment."
"Thank you." Layla gave them a smile in appreciation.
"Oh, yeah. Thanks. Thank you. I'm sorry, what was your name?" Rose was hoping to get the names of these aliens so she can stop thinking them as 'tentacle-ly faces'.
The alien bows its head slightly. "We have no titles. We are as one."
Rose furrows her brow and turns to Danny. "Er, what are they called?"
"Oh, come on. Where have you been living? Everyone's got one?"
"Got one? What are they servants?" Layla narrowed her eyes at the way that Danny said that.
"Well, not us, so, what are they?" Rose also didn't like what he said either.
"They're the Ood." He informs them.
"The Ood?" Rose asks for confirmation.
He nods his head. "The Ood."
Rose gives him a flirty smile. "Well that's ood." Layla snorts at this, seems like Rose has to flirt with every guy our age that we come across.
"Very ood, but handy. They work the mine shafts. All the drilling and stuff. Supervision and maintenance. They're born for it. Basic slave race."
Layla freezes when she hears this and she sneers in disgust. Humans, always wanting to control and possess something. Rose also freezes and her eyes widen. "You've got slaves?"
Scooti comes over and scoffs. "Don't start. She's like one of that lot. Friends of the Ood."
"Well maybe I am, yeah. Since when do humans need slaves?" Rose crossed her arms over her chest.
"I feel like we just entered Harry Potter and the Ood are now house elves. What, do you beat them or make them harm themselves if they mess up?" Layla glared at him.
Danny holds his hands to the side with his palms up as if to say 'I don't know.' "But the Ood offer themselves. If you don't give them orders, they just pine away and die."
"No race is born obedient. They are created that way. Someone forced them into submission, doesn't seem like they offer themselves for it. I would take it that it was forced upon them." Layla fully believed this.
Rose turns to the Ood. "Seriously, you like being ordered about?"
The Ood nods its head. "It is all we crave."
"Why's that, then?"
"We have nothing else in life."
"What was taken from you for you to say you have nothing else?" At Layla's question they remain silent but twitch slightly.
Rose slumps slightly. "Yeah, well, I used to think like that, a long time ago."
Everyone turns towards the Doctor when he slams the calculator down. "There we go. Do you see? To generate that gravity field, and the funnel, you'd need a power source with an inverted self-extrapolating reflex of six to the power of six every six seconds."
Rose's brows went up. "That's a lot of sixes."
"Yeah, three of them together is never a good thing." Layla nodded her head.
The Doctor puts his glasses back into his pockets. "And it's impossible."
"But it can't be impossible if it is happening though, right?" Layla asked the Doctor with amusement and her lips tilted upwards when he pursed his lips and didn't answer.
Zach's mouth had opened when the Doctor did his explanation but snapped it shut. "It took us two years to work that out."
The Doctor gives him a smirk. "I'm very good." He looks towards Layla and sends her a wink. She looks him up and down and gave him a look as if to say, 'yes you are.'
"But that's why we're here. This power source is ten miles below through solid rock. Point Zero. We're drilling down to try to find it." Ida had a happy smile on. She was very curious as to what was down there.
"What could possibly be down there that is worth risking your lives like this?" Layla wondered aloud.
"It's giving off readings over ninety stats on the Blazon scale." Zach told her.
"It could revolutionize modern science." Ida gave her reason as to why she joined.
Jefferson gave another option next. "We could use it to fuel the Empire."
The Doctor cut in with the more likely reason they were sent here. "Or start a war."
Toby was hunched over and his voice was grave. "It's buried beneath us, in the darkness, waiting."
Rose looked at him with amusement. "What's your job, chief dramatist?"
Layla raised her hand into the air. "Aw man! I wanted that job."
Toby shrugged but lost the graveness in his voice. "Well, whatever it is down there is not a natural phenomenon. And this, er, planet once supported life eons ago, before the human race had even learned to walk."
The Doctor could believe it. "I saw that lettering written on the wall. Did you do that?"
Toby nodded. "I copied it from fragments we found unearthed by the drilling, but I can't translate it."
"No, neither can I. And that's saying something." The Doctor knew billions of languages and he had never seen a language older than the ones he already knew.
"There was some form of civilization. They buried something. Now it's reaching out, calling us in."
"What makes you think they buried something and that this something is reaching out?" Layla asked him but Toby wouldn't meet her eyes and didn't answer.
The Doctor looks around the humans in the room. "And you came."
Ida shrugged. "Well, how could we not?"
"So, when it comes right down to it, why did you come here? Why did you do that? Why? I'll tell you why. Because it was there. Brilliant. Excuse me, er, Zach, wasn't it?"
Zach nods. "That's me."
"Here we go. Come on, then." The Doctor was uncomfortable with pulling Zach into a hug, but he was just so amazed with these humans. They were always surprising him. "Oh, human beings. You are amazing! Ha! Thank you."
Zach looked at him oddly but there was humor on his face. "Not at all."
"But apart from that, you're completely mad. You should pack your bags, get back in that ship and fly for your lives." The Doctor told them bluntly.
"You can talk." Ida pointed to him. "And how the hell did you get here?" Now that the quake was gone it really hit her that there were three strangers who should not have been able to be here.
"Oh, I've got this er, this ship. It's hard to explain. It just sort of appears." The Doctor waved the question off not wanting to talk about the Tardis.
"We can show you. We parked down the corridor from er. Oh, what's it called? Habitation area…" Rose looked towards the Doctor for help remembering.
The Doctor helped her out. "Three."
She nods her head. "Three. Three."
Zach shoots them an uncomfortable look. "Do you mean storage six?"
Layla's eyes widen in panic and snaps her head to the Doctor, but he hadn't made the connection yet. "It was a bit of a cupboard, yeah. Storage six…" His eyes widen as he realized the problem. "But you said. You said... You said storage five to eight." He takes off running and Layla is close behind him.
Rose runs out after them but doesn't know why they are running. "What is it? What's wrong?"
Open door 19. Close door 19.
The Doctor bangs on the door. "Open the door! Come on!"
Open door 17. Open door 15. Door 16 is out of commission.
The Doctor looks through the little window and his hearts clench in anguish. "It can't be. It can't be!" He thought that when they got back from the parallel world, everything would be okay. Once he gained Layla's answer to his proposal he was over the moon in happiness. But the same agony he felt in the parallel world, he is feeling it now. Once again, the Tardis is practically dead and his and Layla's future with children is gone. It feels as if his chest had caved in. Layla puts her hand on his back and rubs it gently wanting him to know that she was there for him. He reaches back and grabs her hand and holds it tightly.
With the Doctor's head blocking the window, Rose can't see what he is looking at. "What's wrong? What is it? Doctor, the Tardis is in there. What's happened?"
The Doctor head flops forward hitting the window and he sighs heavily and with a quivering voice. "The Tardis is gone." The girls can hear his voice, thick with emotion.
Door 16 out of commission.
The Doctor turns to them and gives them a heartbroken look. "The earthquake. This section collapsed."
Rose tried to stay positive. "But it's got to be out there somewhere."
The Doctor moves to the side, not letting go of Layla's hand, and lets Rose look out the porthole. "Look down."
"Let's go back to the others. Maybe they have a way we can get to it or an idea of how we can get to it." Layla suggests quietly. The Doctor nods his head limply and pulls her with him to go back. Rose understands that the Doctor is upset, but she is upset that he is taking comfort with Layla and not her. But she follows along quietly, not wanting to make the Doctor's mood worse.
They get back to the others and they are all avoiding looking them in the eyes, but keep shooting them looks of pity. The Doctor goes up to Zach. "The ground gave way. My Tardis must've fallen down right into the heart of the planet. But you've got robot drills heading the same way."
Zach shakes his head, but the look of pity doesn't leave his face. "We can't divert the drilling."
"But I need my ship. It's one of the few things I've got left. Literally one of the two things I have." He pleads with Zach.
Zach sighs and wished he could do something to help. "Doctor, we've only got the resources to drill one central shaft down to the power source, and that's it. No diversions, no distractions, no exceptions. Your machine is lost. All I can do is offer you a lift if we ever get to leave this place, and that is the end of it. I'm sorry, I wish there was more I could do."
Ida comes forth and quickly makes eye contact before looking at the clipboard in her hands. "I'll er, put you on the duty roster. We need someone in the laundry." Everyone decides to leave the three of them alone except a nearby Ood who is ready to serve.
Open door 1. Close door 1.
"I've trapped you both here." He states quietly. Layla squeezes his hand and he looks at her.
"Everything will be alright." She tells him comfortingly. The 'as long as I have you', wasn't said but the Doctor could understand that from her expression and he is grateful that he still has her with him.
"No, don't worry about us." Rose tries to be strong. However, the shaking picks up again. When it stops she has a pained smile on her face. "Okay, we're on a planet that shouldn't exist, under a blackhole and no way out… Yeah, I've changed my mind. Start worrying about me."
Xxxxxx
They are back in habitation three and sitting around a table. The Doctor is examining the alien script trying to take his mind off of the Tardis. Rose heaves a heavy sigh and decides she wants to get something to eat. "I'll be back, I am going to see what they have for food."
Layla was glad that she left. She could finally talk to the Doctor about things she didn't want Rose to know about yet. "Doctor." She tries to get his attention and she knows she did by him tensing. "Everything will be okay, darling. I know you just lost your home, and I'm sorry about that, but I'm here for you."
The Doctor turns to look at her with a look of sorrow. "She wasn't just my home though. She was yours too, and now that she is gone we could never have children without her, and we are stuck in this time period. We aren't even close to an earth like planet and you wouldn't know anyone. No more traveling. No more adventures."
She reaches over and grabs his hands and holds them tightly. "Doctor, you have me and I have you, right?"
"Always." And there was no hesitation in his voice.
"Then that is all that matters to me. I'm sad that the Tardis is gone too, but as long as we have each other, then I am happy. And while we may not be able to travel like we did with her, we can still explore and have adventures. Children or no children you are my Promised One. Just because we can't have children doesn't mean I am going to leave you. I'm with you until the end. I love you, Doctor."
The Doctor let out a big sigh of relief. He had been thinking that she might leave him because of their childless future and he was delighted that she would not leave him. He looks around to see if Rose was nearby and sees that she is not. He puts his hand on the side of her face and pulls her towards him. He gives her a long tender kiss. He pulls back and gives her a small smile. "I love you too." Luckily, they had separated because Rose comes walking back towards them.
Layla looks at her and sees that she is perturbed. "What's wrong, Rose?"
Rose sets her tray on the table causing Layla to grimace at the food on it. Rose bites her lip and looks around the room warily before answering. "I'm not sure, it's probably nothing though. Just something weird one of the Ood said when I was getting my food."
The Doctor was about to ask her when it said when the lights flicker. Ida puts her wrist to her mouth and radios the captain. "Zach? Have we got a problem?" Everyone was watching her waiting for his reply.
"No more than usual. Got the Scarlet System burning up. Might be worth a look."
Ida looks to the three new additions and gives them an eager grin. "You might want to see this. Moment in history." She pulls the lever and opens the shutters above them. "There. On the edge. That red cloud. That used to be the Scarlet System. Home to the Peluchi, a mighty civilization spanning a billion years, disappearing forever. Their planets and suns consumed. Ladies and gentlemen, we have witnessed its passing."
She goes to close it when the Doctor gets her attention. "Er, no, could you leave it open? Just for a bit. I won't go mad, I promise."
Ida smirks at him. "How would you know?"
"Yeah, he won't go mad because he already is." Layla snickers in amusement. The Doctor pinches the back of her knee that was near him and laughs at the startled shriek that escapes her.
Ida chuckles at the couple and she looks towards her coworkers. "Scooti, check the lockdown. Jefferson, sign off the airlock seals for me." They both nod and head off to different doors to do their tasks.
"So, I've seen films and things, yeah. They say blackholes are like gateways to another universe." Rose was curious if that was true or not.
"Not that one. It just eats." The Doctor informed her.
Rose sighs. "Long way from home."
"Go that way." He points in a direction. "Turn right, keep going for er, about, er, five hundred years, and you'll reach earth."
"How about no. Hopefully there is a planet that is a lot closer that we can get to." Other than Jackie, Layla didn't have any family that she knew of on earth. She wouldn't be upset about having to live on another planet.
Rose turns on her phone. "No signal. That's the first time we've gone out of range. Mind you, even if I could. What would I tell mum? Can you build another Tardis?"
The Doctor shakes his head. "They were grown, not built. And with my own planet gone, we're kind of stuck."
"Well, it could be worse. This lot said they'd give us a lift." Rose was trying to be optimistic. At least I'm here with him.
Rose is right. It could be worse. At least I have Layla with me. "And then what?"
She shrugs. "I don't know. Find a planet, get a job, live a life, same as the rest of the universe."
The Doctor's eyes widen in horror and Layla has to restrain herself from laughing. "I'd have to settle down. Get a house or something. A proper house with, with doors and things. Carpets. Me, living in a house. Now that, that is terrifying." It really isn't even about that. Settling down would give Layla and I a calm life. It's the house that is terrifying. Nothing will ever compare to their Tardis.
Rose snickered. "You'd have to get a mortgage."
Oh no. To pay the mortgage requires money. I've never been good with money. "No."
"Oh, yes."
"I'm dying. That's it. I'm dying. It is all over."
Layla reached over and pinched his thigh. "You're fine you big baby. You aren't alone in this."
"What about me? I'd have to get one, too. I don't know, we could be the same one. We could both, I don't know, share." She looks at him coyly wanting to take in his reaction but his look of horror from before never went away. "Or not, you know. Whatever. I don't know. We'll sort something out."
Layla had to bit the inside of her cheek to keep from snapping at Rose. Honestly, the Doctor has never once shown Rose that he was interested in her like she thinks. Of course, since she knows about the bond now, she understands where the jealousy and possessiveness comes from and tries to not let it sour her mood. She relaxes slightly when the Doctor pushes his leg against her to touch her.
The Doctor was uncomfortable with what Rose had just said. It wasn't the first time, but it has been a while since she made a comment like that. There are times where he just wants to blurt out that he doesn't have feelings for her, but she is his friend and he doesn't want to tell her that in a moment of annoyance or anger. Besides, Layla had suggested that she call Jackie and explain about them and ask for help with telling Rose. But now that they can't go to Rose's home without their Tardis, they will have to think of another way to tell her. The Doctor clears his throat. "Anyway."
"We'll see." Rose was internally jumping for joy. He didn't say no.
"I promised Jackie, I'd take you back home."
Rose shrugs. "Everyone leaves home in the end."
"Not to end up stuck here." Besides once we do tell Rose about our bond, I think she would regret not being able to go home.
"Yeah, but stuck with you, that's not so bad." She aims a dreamy smile his way.
Both the Doctor and Layla stiffen. Annoyance flashing through both of them at Rose's denial of the Doctor feelings for her. But he looks towards Layla as he asks his question. "Yeah?"
Layla gives him a nod and a loving smile, confirming that she was with him for the long haul. Rose however thought he was talking to her and answered him. "Yes." Rose's phone suddenly rings and they all look at it confused. She answers it and they all hear the ominous voice.
"He is awake."
Xxxxxx
After that call Rose had decided to tell them what the Ood from earlier had said that spooked her. The Doctor then decided to make a trip to the Ood habitation. He wasn't very enthusiastic about it though considering Danny kept staring at Layla and how he was attracted to her. "Evening."
Rose gives Danny a wave. "Only us."
Danny looked around and spotted Layla behind the Doctor and gave her a smile which caused the Doctor to tense. "They mysterious trio. How are you, then? Settling in?" Danny was pretty happy that these strangers had arrived. They had already been here so long and hasn't been around other women besides Ida and Scooti. They were coworkers though and he put them in the off-limits section in his brain.
"Yeah. Sorry, straight to business." The Doctor was hoping that the sooner he told Danny why they were there the sooner they can leave and he can relax from Danny's wandering eyes. "The Ood, how do they communicate? I mean, with each other?"
"Oh, just empaths. There's a low-level telepathic field connecting them. Not that that does them much good. They're basically a herd race. Like cattle."
"This telepathic field. Can it pick up messages?"
"Because I was having dinner, and one of the Ood said something, well, odd." Rose told him hesitantly.
Danny looked at her with humor. "Hmm. An odd Ood."
"And then I got something else on my er, communicator thing."
"Oh, be fair. We've got a whole star systems burning up around us. There's all sorts of stray transmissions." He shrugs uncaringly. "Probably nothing. Look, if there was something wrong, it would show. We monitor the telepathic field. It's the only way to look after them. They're so stupid, they don't even tell us when they're ill."
"Probably because they haven't been ordered to tell you. Besides, slaves know when their owners don't care if they are sick." Layla muttered.
The Doctor points to a nearby monitor. "Monitor the field. That's this thing?" It showed that it was at number five.
"Yeah. But like I said, it's low-level telepathy. They only register basic five."
Layla noticed the increase in numbers and tugged on the Doctors jacket to get his attention. He sees what she is motioning to and looks back to Danny. "Well, that's not basic five. Ten, twenty. They've gone up to basic thirty."
Danny looks at the monitor with wide eyes. "But they can't."
Rose lays her hand on the Doctor's arm missing his flinch with her worry. "Doctor, the Ood. What does basic thirty mean?"
Danny is the one that answers her though. "Well, it means that they're shouting, screaming inside their heads."
"Or something's shouting at them." The Doctor says gravely.
"But where is it coming from? What is it saying?" Danny looks at Rose. "What did it say to you?"
"Getting dinner, it was something about the beast in the pit."
"What about your communicator? What did that say?"
"He is awake."
All at once the Ood turn towards them and speak as one. "And you will worship him."
They all jump, startled. Danny looks the most freaked out. "What the hell?"
The Doctor steps towards the railing and looks at them with narrowed eyes. "He is awake."
"And you will worship him." Was all they said.
"Worship who?" When they don't reply he tries other questions. "Who's talking to you? Who is it?" But they don't answer and turn away from them. Layla wonders if she said that sentence in her head if they would reply. If they have a low-level telepathic field, wouldn't they be able to read our minds? I don't want to do it though, just in case they reply and freak everyone out even more.
Emergency hull breach. Emergency hull breach.
"What section?" Danny asks into his radio.
They hear Zach over the radio. "Everyone, evacuate eleven to thirteen. We've got a breach. The base is open. Repeat, the base is open!" The four of them take off, letting Danny lead them.
Open door 19. Danny, the Doctor, Layla, and Rose run into habitation 3. Close door 19.
"I can't contain the oxygen field. We're going to lose it." Zach was trying to stay calm but he felt powerless.
"Come on! Keep moving!" They all hear Jefferson yell into the radio.
Breach sealed. Breach sealed.
The time travelers and the crew, except for Scooti and Zach, meets in the corridor from different directions. The Doctor grips Layla's hand, not wanting to let go with the situation uncertain. "Everyone alright? What happened? What was it?"
Oxygen levels normal.
Jefferson leans against the wall as he breathes heavily from his run. He looks at the Doctor though to answer him. "Hull breach. We were open to the elements. Another couple of minutes and we'd have been inspecting that blackhole at close quarters."
The Doctor swallows harshly at the possibility. "That wasn't a quake. What caused it?"
"We've lost sections eleven to thirteen. Everyone alright?" Zach radios them wanting their status.
"We've got everyone here except Scooti. Scooti, report. Scooti Manista? That's an order. Report." Jefferson commands into the radio and a seed of worry wriggles in his heart when she doesn't reply back.
"She's alright. I've picked up her biochip. She's in habitation three. Better go and check if she's not responding. She might be unconscious. How about that, eh? We survived." Zach's words give them a feeling of relief.
"Habitation three. Come on. I don't often say this, but I think we could all do with a drink. Come on." Jefferson goes in the direction of habitation three and everyone but the three-time travelers and Toby follow behind.
The Doctor walks up to Toby and crouches down next to him on the ground. The Doctor could see that Toby was really shaken up by something. "What happened?"
Toby wouldn't look at any of them and grips his arms that are wrapped around his legs tighter. "I don't... I don't know. I was working and then I can't remember. All that noise. The room was falling apart. There was no air."
Rose crouches down with them and the Doctor stands back up and next to Layla. Rose gripes Toby's arm and helps him stand up. "Come on. Up you get. Come and have some protein one."
The Doctor snorted. "Oh, you've gone native."
"Oi, don't knock it. It's nice. Protein one with just a dash of three."
"Uh, yeah Rose, that food you had earlier did not look edible at all." Layla pointed out with humor.
Xxxxxx
The crew plus the three tag-a-longs trail into habitation three but can clearly see that there is no Scooti around. "There's no sign of her. The biochip says she's in the area. Has anyone seen Scooti?"
Toby shakes his head rapidly. "No, no, no, I don't think so."
Ida wrings her hands together in worry. "Scooti, please respond. If you can hear this, please respond."
"Nowhere here. Zach? We've got a problem. Scooti's still missing." The worry in Jefferson about Scooti was very high.
"It says habitation three." Zach was just as worried.
The Doctor's heart clenched and he tightened his grip on Layla's hand. She looks at him and then to where he was looking and gasps in shock. The Doctor's voice is somber. "I've found her."
Everyone looks to the Doctor and then upwards like he was. Rose raises her hand to her mouth. "Oh my god." They all see as Scooti was drifting away from the base and towards the blackhole.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The Doctor understands what they are going through. He knows what it is like to lose a friend.
Jefferson sighs heavily and swallows hard. "Captain. Report Officer Scootori Manista PKD, deceased. Forty-three K two point one."
Ida is rapidly blinking to clear the tears in her eyes. "She was twenty. Twenty years old." She doesn't want to see what will happen to Scooti and feels like they shouldn't watch. She pulls the lever to close the shutters.
"For how should man die better than facing fearful odds? For the ashes of his father and the temples of his gods." Jefferson quotes quietly.
Everyone has a moment of silence for the deceased crew member. In this silence they also hear the silence in the base. Ida looks around. "It's stopped."
"What was that? What was it?" Rose asked the Doctor.
"The drill." He simply tells her.
"We've stopped drilling. We've made it. Point zero." Ida was still upset about Scooti, but this is what they had worked for. It was why they were there and while she is heartbroken that Scooti will miss this discovery, Ida was excited to explore.
Xxxxxx
Layla is helping the Doctor put on his space suit and was feeling a mixture of emotions. She was amused because of the Doctor in his spacesuit and worried about what he is going to do. "Are you sure about this, Sweetheart? We don't know what is down there."
He looks at her with shining eyes. "I know! Isn't it exciting? A hidden, ancient, civilization. How could I pass this up?"
Layla looks around looking for Rose. She sees that she is talking to Danny with her back facing them. She raises her hands to the Doctor's cheeks and pulls him in for a kiss. "Just be careful and come back to me. Promise me?"
This time he raises his hands to her cheek and rubs it tenderly. "Always, love."
"Good, now let's go get you signed up for exploration." She grabs his hand and pulls him towards Zach.
The Doctor gives him a goofy salute. "Reporting as a volunteer for the expeditionary force."
Zach looks at him amused. "Doctor, this is breaking every single protocol. We don't even know who you are."
"Yeah, but you true me, don't you? And you can't let Ida go down there on her own. Go on. Look me in the eye. Yes you do, I can see it. Trust."
"Besides, he would just chatter your ear off until you give in. He is like a child and wants to explore new surroundings." Layla giggles as the Doctor squeezes her sides.
"I should be going down." Zach tells him with conflict.
The Doctor shakes his head. "The captain doesn't lead the mission. He stays here, in charge."
"Not much good at it, am I?" He asks them uncertainly. However he shakes himself and moves on. "Positions! We're going down in two. Everyone, positions! Mister Jefferson! I want system enhancement."
"Oxygen, nitro balance, gravity. It's ages since I wore one of these." The Doctor was giddy with excitement and it brings a smile to Layla's face.
Rose walks over and takes his helmet from him. "I want that spacesuit back in one piece, you got that?"
He gives her a half ass salute. "Yes, sir."
Rose puts his helmet on him and then gives the glass a kiss. Layla clenches her hands and her teeth in anger. The Doctor curls his lip up in disgust. Rose is totally oblivious to their reactions. She is feeling smug about her bold move.
"I'll see you later." He tells her stiffly.
Rose smirks. "Not if I see you first." She walks off to go talk to Zach about how she would be able to communicate with the Doctor while he was down there.
The Doctor turns towards Layla and grabs her hands. "I am so glad I have this suit on. Had she done that without it… blegh. I don't even want to think about it."
Layla takes a deep breath and lets it out in a sigh. She wraps her arms around him and gives him a tight hug. "I love you, Doctor."
The Doctor hugs her back just as tightly. "I love you too."
"Capsule active. Counting down in then, nine, eight, seven, six…" Zach leads the countdown, anticipation thrumming through him. The Doctor and Ida go inside the capsule and Jefferson closes the door. "Five, four, three, two, one. Release." The capsule goes down the cable at a steady and quick pace. When they get a to a certain depth, Zach warns them. "You've gone beyond the oxygen field. You're on your own." The Doctor and Ida turn on their life support systems.
"Don't forget to breath. Breathing's good." Rose says into the comm.
"Rose, stay off the comm." Zach tells her.
"No chance." Rose was fearing for the Doctor's safety. She was nervous about him going on the expedition. Everyone can feel the shaking and watch on the monitor as the capsule drops faster than usual. "Doctor? Doctor, are you alright?" Layla rolls her eyes at Rose and the concern she is only showing for the Doctor. Layla loves the Doctor, but he wasn't there by himself and she is worried about both, the Doctor and Ida.
They see that the capsule has reached Point Zero and they have yet to say anything. Zach was slightly worried about the lack of communication. "Ida, report to me. Doctor?"
"It's alright. We've made it. Getting out of the capsule now." Everyone breathes a sigh of relief with the Doctor's words.
"What's it like down there?" Rose asks into the comm wanting to hear the Doctor talk to her. She felt a little superior to Layla because she has the comm and therefore access to the Doctor.
"It's hard to tell. Some sort of cave. Cavern. It's massive."
"Well, this should help. Gravity globe." They hear Ida say. A few seconds later they can hear the wonder in her voice. "That's, that's. My god, that's beautiful."
"Rose, you can tell Toby we've found his civilization." The Doctor was a little annoyed at Rose though. He had a feeling that she was monopolizing the comm so Layla couldn't talk to him. He wishes that him and Layla were at the stage in their bonding where they could communicate telepathically.
Rose looks towards Toby. "Oi, Toby. Sounds like you've got plenty of work."
"Good, good. Good." Layla looks at Toby in concern at his reaction. She would have thought that he would be more excited. He would be the first archaeologist to explore this place and he looked more… grim? She also noticed how he kept looking at his hands and was wondering why.
"Concentrate now, people. Keep on the mission. Ida, what about the power source?" Zach was excited about the possibilities that lay before them, but the whole reason they came here was for a power source. He has to focus more on that than exploring uncharted territories.
"We're close. Energy signature indicates north, north west. Are you getting pictures up there?" Ida wishes that she had a camera to take pictures of this place they are exploring.
Unknowing to her, Zach shakes his head. "There's too much interference. We're in your hands."
Ida was bummed that the others couldn't see what they have been working towards this whole time, but shrugs. "Well, we've come this far. There's no turning back."
The Doctor snorts in amusement and remembers something that Layla has said to him a few times. "Oh, did you have to? No turning back? That's almost as bad as nothing can possibly go wrong, or this is the best Christmas Walford's ever had."
Layla snorts in amusement when she hears this and mutters. "You're one to talk, Doctor. You say things like that all the time." Jefferson, who had been standing by her, hears her and snickers.
"Are you finished?" Was Ida's dry response.
"Yeah. Finished."
Danny comes over the comm next. "Captain, sir. There's something happening with the Ood."
Zach raises his brows. "What are they doing?"
"They're staring at me. I've told them to stop, but they won't."
Zach rolls his eyes in exasperation. "Danny, you're a big boy."
"But the telepathic field, sir. It's at basic one hundred. I've checked. There isn't any fault. It's definitely one hundred."
"But that's impossible." Zach denies.
Rose turns towards the crew. "What's basic one hundred mean?"
Danny is the one to answer her though. "They should be dead."
"Basic one hundred's brain dead." Jefferson informs the girls helpfully. Layla bites her lip in worry. Between this and what happened with the Ood earlier, things are starting to not look good.
"But they're safe? They're not actually moving?" Zach comms to Danny.
"No, sir."
"Keep watching them." Zach commands. "And you, Jefferson? Keep a guard on the Ood."
"Officer at arms!" Jefferson and the guards turn their body's and guns towards the Ood in the room.
"You can't fire a gun in here. What if you hit a wall?" Rose asks him.
"Don't kill them! There has to be something that can be done to help them." Layla was annoyed at these humans. She was all for protecting one's self, but they could do other things besides killing the Ood. They could send the Ood to another room until they figured out what the problem was.
"I'm firing stock fifteen. It only impacts upon organics. I won't fire unless I have to, to protect us. There isn't a lot we can do right now without knowing the problem and we may have to defend ourselves before we figure it out." Jefferson answers Rose and tells Layla at the same time. He looks towards the guard that was next to him. "Keep watch. Guard them."
"Yes, sir."
"Is everything alright up there?" The Doctor asks into the comm. The crew up top had not turned off their comms so he and Ida were able to hear what they were saying about the Ood.
"Yeah, yeah." Rose answers shakily.
"It's fine." Zach echoes. He doesn't want Ida and the Doctor to be distracted.
"Great." Danny says sarcastically because he was freaked out and sees this as a bigger problem than the others seem to.
"We've found something. It looks like metal. Like some sort of seal. I've got a nasty feeling the word might be trapdoor. Not a good word, trapdoor. Never met a trapdoor I liked." The Doctor informs them and rambles.
Ida gets closer to the markings on the metal like thing. "The edge is covered in those symbols."
Zach was wondering if this trapdoor led to the power source. "Do you think it opens?"
Layla snorts at the Doctor's matter of fact tone. "That's what trapdoors tend to do."
"Trapdoor doesn't do it justice. It's massive, Zach. About thirty feet in diameter." Ida tries to paint a bigger picture for the crew.
"Any way of opening it?"
"I don't know. I can't see any sort of mechanism."
The Doctor pursed his lips. "I suppose that's the writing. It'll tell us what to do. The letters that defy translation."
"Toby, did you get anywhere with decoding it?" At Zach's questions, everyone turns towards Toby.
"Toby, they need to know that lettering. Does it make any sort of sense." Rose asks him, ready to relay the information to the Doctor.
Toby was sitting on his bum on the floor and not looking at anyone. He was staring at the floor and slightly rocking. "I know what it says."
Layla looked at Toby suspiciously. Rose doesn't seem to notice anything wrong. "Then tell them."
Jefferson seems to have similar thoughts as Layla. He wasn't even looking at it; how would he know what it says? Especially after listening to him complain for weeks about not knowing what it meant. "When did you work that out?"
Rose waves his question off. "It doesn't matter, just tell them."
Everyone's eyes widen as Toby stands and they see that his eyes are red and there are symbols all over him. Toby looks at them menacingly. "These are the words of the beast. And he has woken. He is the heart that beats in the darkness. He is the blood that will never cease. And now he will rise."
Jefferson grabs Layla's arm and pulls her back towards him and away from Toby. He raises his gun and aims it at Toby. "Officer, stand down. Stand down."
The Doctor heard what Toby had said and the tone he had and felt his hearts thump harder at the possibility that Layla was close to danger. "What is it? What's he done? What's happening? Layla? Rose? What's going on?"
Zach was also concerned. "Jefferson? Report. Report!"
Jefferson doesn't answer him though. He didn't want to take the time to respond and be vulnerable. "Officer, as Commander of Security, I order you to stand down and be confined. Immediately!"
Rose grips the comm tightly and stutters into it. "He's come out in those symbols all over his face. They're all over him."
Toby turns his head to the side slightly and stares Jefferson down. "Mister Jefferson. Tell me, sir. Did your wife ever forgive you?"
Jefferson pales a little bit and denies. "I don't know what you mean."
Toby gives him a smirk. "Let me tell you a secret. She never did."
Jefferson's face tighten and he clenches his teeth together. "Officer, you stand down or be confined."
Toby just looks at him with amusement. "Or what?"
Gripping his gun tightly, Jefferson swallows harshly. "Or under the strictures of Condition Red, I am authorized to shoot you."
"But how many can you kill?" Toby opens his mouth as if he was screaming and the symbols leave him and go towards the Ood. When it touches them they jerk slightly and their eyes turn red. When all of the symbols leave Toby, he falls to the floor like his strings were cut.
"We are the Legion of the Beast." All of the Ood say as one.
"Layla? Rose? What is it? I'm coming back up." The Doctor was getting a bad feeling and his instincts are usually pretty good. The excitement of exploring a new place has faded with his worry over his Promised One and friend's safety.
"Report, Report! Jefferson, report. Someone, report!" Zach felt helpless. Without someone telling him what was happening, he was flying blind. He couldn't do anything to help if he was unaware of what the problem was.
"The Legion shall be many, and the Legion shall be few." The Ood said as one again.
"It's the Ood." Rose says into the comm. She feels Layla grabbing the back of her arm and pulling her behind Jefferson.
Jefferson finally decides to let his captain know what is going on. "Sir, we have contamination in the livestock."
Rose hadn't let go of the comm though. She kept a tight grip on her connection to the Doctor. "Doctor, I don't know what it is. It's like they're possessed."
"He has woven himself in the fabric of your life since the dawn of time. Some may call him Abaddon. Some may call him Kroptor. Some may call him Satan or Lucifer."
"Captain, it's the Ood. They're out of control." The hear Danny shriek.
"Or the Bringer of Despair, the Deathless Prince, the Bringer of Night. These are the words that shall set him free."
"Back up to the door!" Jefferson commands those around him.
"I shall become manifest."
"Move quickly!" Jefferson is pushing them with one hand and keeping his gun aimed at the Ood with the other. Rose is helping Toby through the door. Layla is helping where she could, ignoring the feeling of wrongness to be of use.
"I shall walk in might."
Feeling that the Ood were getting too close and those behind him were being too slow, Jefferson raises his voice slightly. "To the door! Get it open!"
"My Legions shall swarm across the worlds."
Down in the cavern, the Doctor is feeling totally helpless. He fears for Layla and Rose's safety. He can hear the Ood and the ominous words. He suddenly starts to stumble around as the ground starts to shake. He looks around for Ida hoping that she is okay. Her voice draws his eyes to her.
"Doctor, it's opening!"
Zach is looking at the monitors and his eyes widen at what he sees. Great, first the Ood and now this. "We're moving! The whole thing's moving. The planet's moving."
"I am the sin and the temptation and the desire. I am the pain and the loss and the…"
The rest is cut off as everyone can hear Jefferson yell over their words. "Get that door open!"
Zach looks around in a panic trying to figure out what to do. "The gravity field! It's going. We're losing orbit! We're going to fall into the black hole!"
"I have been imprisoned for eternity. But no more."
Rose and Layla are pounding on the door trying to get it open but it isn't cooperating with them.
Door sealed.
"Come on!" Rose screeches.
"Toby can you override it or something?" Layla asks him. She isn't too sure about Toby right now, but she is hoping that he will help them get out.
Toby grabs his head and winces. "I don't know. I can't think straight right now. My head feels like it went through a meat grinder."
Door sealed.
The Ood stop talking but they hear a more menacing voice bellow through the base. "The Pit is open. And I am free. Hahahahaha!"