A/N: Thank you for your lovely comments.
—
Kathy, now one thousand four hundred, approaches Central Park in New York. She feels sombre as she looks out at the sight in front of her.
There are hundreds of tiny houses scattered about or rather shacks made out of whatever a person could find and place together to make a shelter to sleep in. Some are made out of tin scrap while others are nothing more than sticks and cloth strung together. There is a haze of smoke around the area as many have fires going either to help keep the chill of early autumn away or to cook a meal to eat. Hundreds of people milling around the fires or shacks, all wearing tattered clothing that appears to be something they have worn for days on end. Kathy glares up at the Manhattan skyscrapers that loom up above.
"Mrs Davis!" The children cry as they run over. She receives a few gapped tooth smiles.
Kathy beams at the group of children in front of her.
There's Marvin, the oldest of the group at the ripe age of eleven, with a very lanky body, mousy-brown hair that is slick to the side, a small cap on his head, and a dirty boy's suit jacket over his white button up shirt. Next to him is Philip. He is about as tall as Marvin but is younger by a year. He has on a pair of wired round glasses which had tape in the centre from being broken, a large cap on his head with his blonde hair tucked neatly into it and a dirty grey button-up shirt with braces over his shoulders keeping up his brown trousers. Then Charlie, the youngest of the group. He is only six, but rather scrappy in personality. He wears a cap that barely stays above his eyes, his brown hair is about the same always hanging around his eyes, and also a grey buttoned shirt that is always tucked in crookedly into his trousers. And lastly, there's little Alice, small in size at eight years old. Her dark brown curly hair is tucked into the large cap that balances on her head. She wears a brown buttoned shirt, braces over her shoulders and black trousers with matching boots along with a large navy-blue boys jacket that Kathy had gifted her to keep her warm.
They remind her of the Thin Ice crew she met and looked after over a century ago. She feels sad thinking about it.
"Hello! And I told you to call me Kathy!" She admonishes.
"No can do, Mrs Davis." Solomon rebuffs as he approaches them, sporting a warm smile. "We might have lost everything, but we still have manners."
Kathy smiles at him softly. "Of course."
"What do you have this time, Mrs Davis?" Marvin asks eagerly.
"Well, I thought you might enjoy some sandwiches, some of those 'band aids' you to enjoy, Alice," the little girl beams, "and The Story of Dr Dolittle!"
The children cheer and Solomon thanks her.
Kathy waves him off. "It's common decency. Everyone should be helping out."
"Hmm." Solomon glances over at the not-fully-completed Empire State Building. "You tell them that."
They're interrupted by some yelling.
"Another fight." Solomon sighs. "I gotta take care of that." He quickly leaves.
A tug on her arm causes her to look down to see Charlie and Alice gazing up at her, wide-eyed. Marvin and Philip have moved on, sharing out the food Kathy had brought.
"Can you read us a book, Mrs Davis?" Charlie asks.
Kathy's heart practically melts. It's strange to think Carlyle was this small and her lost grandchildren too. Her eyes water as she thinks of them.
She lets out a shuddery breath. "Of course!"
—
She's sitting down, reading to the children when she hears two familiar voices.
"I suppose that makes you the boss around here."
Kathy looks up to see the Tenth Doctor plus Martha gathered around the fire by Solomon's tent, talking to said man. Ah, she thought she had felt the familiar faint snap of the mental link she shares with the Doctor.
"And, er, who might you be?" Solomon questions.
"He's the Doctor. I'm Martha." The companion answers.
"I'm just going to say hi to some new people." Kathy tells the two children, stroking their hair. "I'll be back soon."
"You'll finish the book?" Alice asks.
Kathy sighs. "Maybe this chapter but then I've got to go." She knows things are going to kick off now the Doctor and Martha are here.
"But tell me. Doctor, you're a man of learning, right? Explain this to me." Solomon is saying, walking towards the opening in the trees where the Empire State Building can be seen clearly. "That there's going to be the tallest building in the world. How come they can do that, when we got people starving in the heart of Manhattan?"
"I wonder that every day." Kathy remarks. The Doctor and Martha turn around.
"Kathy!" The Time Lord grins.
Kathy grins back. "Hi Doctor," she turns to the companion, "Martha."
"Kathy… hi." Martha wraps her in a tight hug. Kathy blinks in surprise before returning it. She considers her and Martha good friends but not this close though she hopes that'll be the case. What happened? She can't think of anything significant. She had last seen the two with Shakespeare and then the Doctor is meant to have taken Martha to New New York before they come here, all under the pretence of just one trip as a thank you. Other than Jack sadly dying, which Martha didn't know it was him nor had she met younger Jack, so what?
Before Kathy can question, Martha pulls back and looks around them, frowning. "Do you live here?"
"No, Mrs Davis here comes by now and again, giving us some supplies. Food, medicine…" Solomon explains.
"Books too, which reminds me…" Kathy turns to see Alice and Charlie watching intently, "I've got a chapter to finish, just wanted to say high."
"Of course." The Doctor says, giving Martha a pointed look. Odd.
—
"We've got to tell her." Kathy hears Martha say as she goes back over to them. She slows down slightly.
Charlie and Alive had grumbled about not getting any more of the story but Kathy had told them that they could try doing some of the reading on their own and tell Kathy all about it when she next comes with supplies.
"We can't. I've told how the timelines work." The Doctor retorts.
"You said, but—" Martha pauses when she spits Kathy causing the Doctor to do the same.
Kathy plasters a smile on her face. "Tell who what?"
Martha opens her mouth but the Doctor interrupts, "Nothing!"
Kathy frowns at them suspiciously then shakes it off. If it's important, she'll find out. "So, Hooverville mystery pull you in?" Might as well keep them on track.
Martha glances at the Doctor, irritated, before flashing Kathy a brief smile. "Yeah, know anything about that?"
"Come with me." They approach Solomon again next to his tent. "Solomon, these two are wondering about the missing people."
"Is it true?" The Doctor asks.
Solomon sighs. "It's true all right." He gestures for them to follow him into his tent.
"But what does missing mean?" The Doctor questions as they follow. "Men must come and go here all the time. It's not like anyone's keeping a register."
"This is different." Solomon looks at the paper the Doctor had been holding.
"In what way?" Martha asks.
"Someone takes them, at night. We hear something, someone calls out for help. By the time we get there, they're gone like they vanished into thin air."
"And you're sure someone's taking them?" The Doctor asks.
"Doctor, when you got next to nothing, you hold on to the little you got. Your knife, blanket, you take it with you. You don't leave bread uneaten, fire still burning." Solomon counters.
"Have you been to the police?" Martha asks.
Kathy scoffs but not unkindly. "Trust me, we've all had a go, but they don't care. To them these lot are just deadbeat. Who cares if some of them go missing?"
"So, the question is, who's taking them and what for?" The Doctor wonders.
"Solomon!" Comes Frank's cry before the lad pokes his head through the tent. "Solomon, Mr Diagoras is here."
—
Mr Diagoras stands in the centre of Hooverville, gathering workers again, volunteers to go down into the sewers. Many scoff at him for the dollar-a-day pay, seeing the dangerous job as not worth it for the small pay.
"Any hints?" Kathy hears the Doctor ask.
"Be a volunteer."
"You don't need the work?" Diagoras retorts. "That's fine. Anybody else?" The Doctor raises his hand with Kathy following quickly. "Enough with the questions."
"Oh, no, no, no." The Doctor quickly replies. "We're volunteering. We'll go."
Martha raises her hand. "I'll kill you for this."
"Anybody else?"
Frank and Solomon join them.
—
"Turn left. Go about a half a mile." Diagoras instructs them once they have reached the sewers. They all gather around with torches in hand within the dark, damp, and filthy tunnels which run throughout the underground of the city above. Diagoras points down the direction they are meant to 'fix' the tunnels. "Follow tunnel 273. The fall's right ahead of you, you can't miss it."
"And when do we get our dollar?" Frank asks the man.
Diagoras gives the young man a cold stare. "When you come back up." He answers.
"And if we don't come back up?" The Doctor questions, giving the man an even and strict gaze.
Diagoras returns the stare, looking rather smug as well. "Then I got no one to pay."
"Don't worry, we'll be back." Solomon declares.
"Let's hope so." Martha murmurs as they begin moving off.
The Doctor and Kathy stare into Diagoras' eyes for a few moments, suspicious, as the others start down the tunnels. Gradually, both turn and follow after their group as they hear the man behind them retreat up the ladder to the city above.
Kathy walks silently with the group as Martha and Frank chat, the latter talking about how he arrived in Hooverville while the Doctor gathers more information about Diagoras. Her mind races, thinking over what she can and cannot change. She knows there is little she can change what is to occur this day. She hopes, however, that while she will be unable to save some lives, at least not all will be lost, and she might save some.
"Whoa!" The Doctor suddenly exclaims.
Kathy rushes forward to see, just as she expected, a luminous green jellyfish lying on the ground in front of them on the wet brick ground of the tunnels. The Doctor points his torch at it, crouching down to examine the strange object closely. Martha and Kathy come around to kneel next to him.
"Is it radioactive or something?" Martha asks curiously.
The Doctor sets his torch down. Placing on his glasses, he picks up the strange anomaly. It loses its green glow the moment it is pulled from the ground, going clear in colour. The Doctor ignores Martha's grumbles and Kathy's grimace and gives it a quick sniff.
"Shine your torch through it." He urges and Martha does so. "Composite organic matter. Martha? Medical opinion?"
"It's not human. I know that." Martha says, looking like she's about to gag.
"Nope. Defiantly not human." Kathy nods in agreement.
The Doctor nods. He frowns some in thought, standing up from his crouch. "And I'll tell you something else. We must be at least half a mile in." He notes. He takes off his glasses and glances around some. "I don't see any signs of a collapse. Do you? So why did Mr. Diagoras send us down here?"
"For something other than a collapse." Kathy tells them, shining her torch down the tunnels. "For something far more dangerous as well." She stands up slowly with Martha following the action.
"What do you mean?" The companion asks her.
"We'll see soon enough." Kathy mumbles. She starts forward, ready to keep them moving. They need to catch up with the time if events are going to play out right.
—
"We're way beyond half a mile," Solomon speaks up after some time as they continue walking. He leads the group currently. He points his torch around. "There's no collapse, nothing."
"That Disgoras bloke, was he lying?" Martha wonders aloud.
"Yep. Lying through his teeth and has been for some time now." Kathy responds, shining her torch down the tunnel and waiting to spot a certain creature.
"So, why'd he want people to come down here?" Frank questions.
"Solomon, I think it's time you took these three back. I'll be much quicker on my own." The Doctor instructs.
Kathy scoffs loudly. "As if." She retorts. She points her torch at him, frowning sternly. "We're not going anywhere, and you're an idiot thinking we'd ever leave you behind on your own."
There is a sudden loud squeal that echoes through the tunnels. All jump, startled by the noise. They gaze around the tunnels rapidly, searching for the source of the sound.
"What the hell was that?" Solomon asks.
Kathy turns her torch down a certain tunnel, slowly walking forward.
"Hello?!" Frank yells, trailing after Kathy. The other three hiss at him to be quiet. "What if it's one of the folk gone missing? You'd be scared and half mad down here on your own."
"Do you think they're still alive?" The Doctor asks.
"Heck, we ain't seen no bodies down here. Maybe they just got lost."
It is then Kathy finds the right direction and her torch lands on a huddled figure up ahead.
"Doctor." Kathy calls calmly, getting the Time Lord's attention. He walks down some to her, seeing the figure. The others point their torches down the tunnel, staring curiously.
"Who are you?" Solomon asks loudly, trying to get the figure to look up to them.
"Are you lost?" Frank asks kindly. The figure merely grunts some in response. Frank shifts on his feet, trying to move forward around Solomon. "Can you understand me? I've been thinkin' about folk lost down here." The Doctor holds out his hand, keeping Frank from moving any closer. Kathy, however, moves forward calmly.
"Kathy, just stay back." The Doctor orders.
"It's fine, Doctor. He isn't going to harm us." Kathy says.
The Doctor shifts forward, moving with her. They point their torch to the creature's face, and the Doctor sees it is no person. Or at least, not anymore. It is a pig creature of sorts. The body of a human, but the face of a pig. Its eyes are human and show deep sorrow and misery clouding them. It shifts some, looking nervous and frightened by their presence. The poor person that had once been had been turned into a pig slave for the Daleks. But even though their features changed, Kathy knows it still holds the person within.
"Hey, it's all right. We're not going to hurt you." Kathy says kindly, crouching down and holding the creature's hand softly.
The Doctor observed the creature closely. "Oh, but what are you?" He asks quietly as he crouches down as well.
"Is that, uh... some kind of carnival mask?" Solomon questions from behind them.
"No, it's real." The Doctor responds. He stares sadly at the creature. "I'm sorry. But listen. I promise we can help."
Kathy glances over, seeing the other pig slaves heading towards them. "Doctor, time to go." She breathes quickly. She gives the sad pig slave one last kind squeeze on its hand before standing up, dragging up the Doctor with her.
He stares down with her, seeing the army of aggressive pig slaves shuffling towards them. They both back up slowly to their group.
"Right, then." The Doctor says, keeping his torch aimed at the pig creatures. "Kathy, Martha, Frank, Solomon."
"What?" Martha asks in fright. The group back up as the pigs grew closer, staring threateningly at them.
"I think, um... basically... run!" The Doctor shouts, rushing them all back down the tunnels.
They run as fast as they can. The pigs squeal angrily behind them as they charge after. Kathy doesn't need to glance to know that they are close on their tails.
"Where are we going?!" Martha shouts in alarm when they hit a junction of tunnels.
"This way!" The Doctor tells them, rushing around the group to lead the way down a main tunnel.
They sprint fast, hearing the pigs close in behind them. Kathy halts the Doctor at one point, making them rush down another tunnel to where she knows the ladder will be.
"Over here! Ladder!" She yells. She whips out her sonic, the red light glowing in the tunnels. She climbs the ladder and aims the sonic at the manhole above. Getting it to open, she climbs up in a rush. She jumps out of the way immediately, making room for the rest.
The Doctor comes up. Followed closely by Martha. Then lastly Solomon. Frank is the remaining one. He tries climbing up quickly, but the pigs grab him. It is a brief struggle between the pigs, and Solomon and the Doctor pulling on Frank. But in the end, the pigs manage to capture Frank and drag him off.
Solomon pushes the Doctor away as the pigmen start to climb the ladder, slamming the lid shut. "We can't go after him." He states regretfully.
The Doctor slams his hands on the lid of the manhole. "I've got to go back down! We can't just leave him!" He shouts angrily.
Solomon pulls him back from the manhole. "No! I'm not losing anyone else!" He yells firmly. "Those creatures were from hell, from hell itself. If we go after him, they'll take us all." He pants some, looking grave and sorrowful. "There's nothing we can do. I'm sorry."
"Doctor, it's fine. We'll get Frank back later. I promise." Kathy assures him.
The Doctor stares at her quickly. "Are you sure?" He asks sceptically.
"Positive." She nods curtly.
Kathy hears shuffling feet just behind her. She turns around and sees Tallulah stepping out from behind a rack, pointing a revolver at them.
"All right, then, put 'em up." Tallulah orders threateningly. Everyone puts up their hands quickly. Only Kathy keeps hers down, smiling at her. Tallulah cocks the gun hurriedly, pointing it firmly at Kathy. "Hands in the air, and no funny business."
"Oh, no, wouldn't dream of giving you funny business." Kathy says lightly. She rocks on her feet, smiling away and keeping her hands down. "But, um, next time, find a better prop. You can see the chipped paint on the side. Just there." She points to a white patch on the 'revolver'.
Tallulah turns the prop to the side, seeing the white spot. She huffs, tossing the toy gun aside. "Fine, it's a prop." She states. She points harshly at them. "But I want to know what you schmucks have done with Laszlo?"
"Who's Laszlo?" Martha asks after her and the others put their hands down.
Tallulah blinks in surprise, looking around at them. "You don't know who Laszlo is?" She asks carefully. They all shake their heads. She sighs heavily, looking disappointed. "All right, fine. Follow me. I'll tell you." She turns and leads them out of the prop room.
—
She takes them to her dressing room. She sits down at her mirror dresser, staring sadly at her reflection.
"Laszlo's my boyfriend," Tallulah begins to explain before pausing for a second, thinking her words over, "was my boyfriend. Until he disappeared, two weeks ago, no letter, no goodbye, no nothing. And I'm not stupid. I know some guys are just pigs, but not my Laszlo. I mean, what kind of guy asks you to meet his mom before he vamooses?"
"What do you think happened to Lazlo?" Martha questions.
Tallulah huffs. "I wish I knew. One minute he's there, the next, zip. Vanished."
"Listen, ah, what's your name?" The Doctor asks.
"Tallulah."
"Tallulah—"
"Three Ls and an H." Tallulah cuts in.
"Right." The Doctor mutters, trying to get back on track. "We can try to find Laszlo, but he's not the only one. There are people disappearing every night."
"And there are creatures. Such creatures." Solomon adds.
"What do you mean, creatures?"
"Look, listen, just trust me. Everyone is in danger. I need to find out exactly what this is." He brings out the jellyfish thing from his pocket. "Because then I'll know exactly what we're fighting.
Tallulah grimaces at the sight of it. "Yuck."
Same Tallulah, same.
—
The Doctor and Kathy go to the back room; ready to begin to work on whatever device the Doctor needs building. Solomon follows along, but he remains lingering by the doorway. The man still seems haunted by what had occurred down below. Still upset that he had lost Frank. Martha stays behind with Tallulah, helping the New York girl prepare for another show that night.
Kathy starts gathering up different parts that she knows the Doctor needs. She wishes she could just tell him what exactly the blob creature's true identity is. But something tells her things will not go well if she speeds up the day's events. So, Kathy simply helps as much as she can.
"I forgot to ask, where have you've been to lately?" The Doctor asks as he examines a few parts. He gives her a curious glance. "Anywhere in particular?"
"Spoilers." Kathy remarks. "What about you? New New York, right?"
The Doctor pauses, flashing her a strained smile. "Yeah."
Odd…
He must be upset over the Face of Boe even though he didn't know it was Jack. Kathy winces at that, the thought of losing Jack. Not looking forward to it that.
"So… you need anything else?"
"Uh, no, no, I'm fine." The Doctor answers quickly, not looking at her.
Right…
Kathy moves to leave the room, giving a small smile to Solomon as she passes. She goes looking for Martha and Tallulah. Seeing all the hubbub and the scurrying around in red sparkling flapper outfits tells Kathy that the show's nearly starting.
"Hey, Kathy. Aren't you supposed to be helping the Doctor?" Martha asks, walking over to her.
"He had it covered. I came to hang out with you some." Kathy explains. Also, he was acting odd. "Besides, I wanted to see the show."
"Oh, you're gonna love it," Tallulah says brightly, skipping out of her dressing room, wearing her own outfit. More flapper angel than the devil costumes the other women are wearing. She grabs both Kathy and Martha's hands, leading them to the stage. She leaves them in the wings off the stage as she joins the others waiting in excitement for their cue to start the show.
Martha shifts on her feet awkwardly causing Kathy to glance at her. "Martha?"
"Kathy… I, um, can I ask you something?"
Kathy nods encouragingly. "Of course."
"I-if someone knew what was going to, erm, happen to you, would you want to know?" Martha questions.
Kathy sighs. "Martha, I'm guessing this is what you and the Doctor was talking about before and it's about me…"
"Maybe." Martha looks down.
"Look," Kathy puts a gentle hand on the companion's upper arm, "me and the Doctor don't always meet in the same order as you know. There's things about him I don't tell and there's things about me he knows but doesn't tell."
Martha frowns. "Doesn't that drive you mad? Wouldn't you want to know?"
Kathy contemplates for a moment, shrugging. "Sometimes but then if it was something terrible, would you really want to know? I don't because how can I enjoy myself with everyone I meet and the time I have when I'm thinking about how it's all going to fall apart or end or God knows what, you know?"
"Or the space time continuum is going to explode as the Doctor says." Martha rolls her eyes.
Kathy laughs. "Or that."
The music starts so Kathy and Martha turn to watch the performance. Nothing happens until suddenly Martha steps out, trying to sneak across the stage by hiding behind the dancing performers.
Kathy looks at her in bewilderment. "Martha?" She calls out to the girl.
Martha does not hear her over the loud music and the complaining performers when she steps on their costume's tails. She even manages to knock one woman over. Tallulah confronts her, demanding what she is doing on stage and ruining the performance. To which Martha then points towards the opposite wing and the women on stage scream with fright. That's when Kathy sees poor Laszlo. Only halfway formed into a pig. He had managed to fight off the Daleks and escape the full transformation. She had forgotten that he would make an appearance to watch the show.
Laszlo takes off with Martha giving chase. Kathy's eyes widen in shock. She tries to go after the girl, but Tallulah holds her back.
"What is that thing?!" Tallulah cries out in alarm. "Is that one of the creatures you guys were talkin' about?"
"Yes, but it's gone. It isn't going to hurt you." Kathy tells her, trying to calm the woman down. She has to go after Martha to make sure the girl is all right.
Kathy rushes off the stage. Tallulah follows since the show is ruined and has to be put on hold.
—
They all crowd around the backstage area. Kathy looks around, trying to remember where Martha and Laszlo had run off to.
The Doctor comes up to them quickly, looking panicked. "Kathy, where's Martha?" He asks in a rush.
"She took off when she spotted Laszlo." Kathy tells him.
"Wait, Laszlo? Laszlo was here?" Tallulah questions them.
They all turn their head down the hall when they hear Martha's terrified screams. The three of them run down the hall, rushing to save the girl.
They arrive back in the manhole area. The sewer grate is open, not having been put back properly. The Doctor quickly grabs his coat and throws it on. Kathy is already climbing down the ladder in a rush, ready to save their companion. The Doctor follows after her with Tallulah right behind.
"No, no, no, no, no way. You're not coming." The Doctor tells her.
"Tell me what's going on. What did she mean by Laszlo?" Tallulah demands from him, pulling a fur black coat around herself as she gazes at the tunnels around them.
"There's nothing you can do. Go back." The Doctor orders her, remaining firm.
"Let her come along, Doctor." Kathy says, trying to get them to hurry along. There is no time for them to sit around and argue.
"I'm not letting one else get hurt or taken." The Doctor responds sternly.
"It's her boyfriend on the line." Kathy replies. Plus, if everything goes right, Tallulah will be fine. She pulls out a torch, handing it to Tallulah. "She's coming along. End of discussion. Come on, Tallulah. Let's go get your Laszlo."
Tallulah grins and they begin to make their way through the tunnels, the Doctor grumbles behind them.
—
They travel through the tunnels quickly, trying to reach their destination in time. Tallulah had to skip every few steps to keep up with the two. It is hard for her to way through the sewers in heels.
"When you say, 'they've taken her,' who's 'they,' exactly?" Tallulah asks them after some distance. "And who are you two, anyway? I never asked."
The Doctor and Kathy shush her quickly when they see a shadow coming down towards them. A familiar shadow of a Dalek cast on the wall.
Both grab the woman hurriedly. The Doctor slaps his hand over her mouth to keep the woman from making a sound as they drag her back around a corner. They hide in a service alcove as the whirling machinery comes down the way. They all tense as they watch the Dalek pass by slowly. They wait until it is safely past and away before moving out of the recess.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no." The Doctor breathes out in dread as he watches the Dalek go around a distant corner, glaring at it. "They survive. They always survive, while I lose everything."
"That metal thing? What was it?" Tallulah asks quietly, staring warily down the tunnel the metal creature at gone.
"It's called a Dalek." The Doctor says through gritted teeth. "And it's not just metal. It's alive."
"You're kiddin' me." Tallulah laughs in disbelief.
"Do I look like I'm kidding?" The Doctor snaps at her.
Kathy stares at him carefully as he tightens his hands into fists, the build-up of his rage obvious. The Oncoming Storm fumes in his eyes.
She begins to feel uneasy as he continues to speak through gritted teeth. "Inside that shell, there's a creature, born to hate, whose only thought is to destroy everything and everyone that isn't Dalek, too. And it won't stop until it's killed every human being alive."
"But if that's not a human being, that kind of implies it's from outer space," Tallulah speaks up. The Doctor and Kathy stare steadily at her, unblinking. She gulps nervously. "Yet again, that's a no with the kiddin'. Oi! Well, what's it doin' here in New York?"
The Doctor remains silent, glaring off to the tunnels. The last time he had seen the Daleks had been at Torchwood. Kathy knows that was not a good day for him, for anyone and God knows how it'll go for her.
Kathy shifts, touching his arm lightly. "Doctor, it's worse than that." She speaks up quietly, making him look at her. "It's the Cult of Skaro." He tenses immediately, sucking in a sharp breath.
He turns around, staring angrily at her. "Why didn't you tell me it was them?" He demands. "And don't say spoilers!"
Kathy swallows thickly. "Because I couldn't tell you. You would have charged down here, guns blazing, and they might've killed you." She replies, keeping her gaze even to his. "Look, it doesn't matter. What matters is that we find Martha and stop them."
He reluctantly nods. He turns to Tallulah, grabbing her arm. "Right, you." He pulls her along the tunnels. Kathy doesn't protest as she follows. "Every second you're down here, you're in danger. I'm taking you back right now."
They round the corner and come face to face with a pigman who immediately tries to hide as Tallulah screams. Laszlo.
The Doctor angrily stormed over to him. "Where's Martha?! What have you done with her?" He shouts at him, demanding to know. He comes over to face the pig's face, pointing the torch light harshly at him. "What have you done with Martha?"
"I didn't take her." Laszlo answers quickly.
"Lay off him, Doctor. It's not his fault. He didn't know he was being followed." Kathy tells the Time Lord. She walks over, touching Laszlo's shoulder kindly.
The Doctor relaxes, looking at him curiously. "Can you remember your name?"
"Don't look at me." Laszlo begs.
Tallulah walks forward. "Do you know where she is?"
"Stay back! Don't look at me." Laszlo cries.
"What happened to you?" The Doctor questions.
"They made me a monster."
"Don't say that." Kathy says sternly. "You're no monster. The Daleks are the real monsters here, not you."
"The Daleks. Why?" The Doctor questions.
"They needed slaves. They needed slaves to steal more people so they created us. Part animal, part human. I escaped before they got my mind, but it was still too late." Laszlo sombrely explains.
"Do you know what happened to Martha?" The Doctor questions, giving the man a gaze of pity.
"They took her." Laszlo tells him. "It's my fault. She was following me."
"No, it's not your fault. You didn't know." Kathy says, rubbing at his shoulder. She wishes dearly to ease his woes in some way. But she also knows the only true person to do as such will be the human behind them.
"Were you in the theatre?" Tallulah asks.
Laszlo hesitates before speaking. "I never... yes." He answers her.
"Why? Why were you there?" Tallulah asks quickly.
Kathy can see she's beginning to clue into who this pigman really is. Kathy lets go of Laszlo's shoulder, stepping back to let Tallulah come up to him.
"I never wanted you to see me like this." Laszlo explains remorsefully.
"Why me?" Tallulah questions him. She slowly starts to go towards him. "What do I got to do with this? Were you following me? Is that why you were there?"
Lazlo hesitates but slowly turns around to face her. "Yes." He sighs in response.
"Who are you?" Tallulah asks, taking small steps toward him.
Lazlo stares at her with misery in his eyes. "I was lonely."
Tallulah's voice starts to break. "Who are you?"
"I needed to see you."
"Who are you?"
Laszlo simply lets his gaze drop woefully. "I'm sorry." He tries to turn around, but Tallulah holds him back.
"No, wait. Let me look at you." Tallulah makes him face her, so she can look deeply into those eyes. She brings his face more into the light, tears well up in her eyes. "Laszlo? My Laszlo?" She gently touches his face. "Oh, what have they done to you?"
"I'm sorry." Laszlo stares sadly back. "I'm so sorry."
The Doctor walks forward, gently. "Laszlo can you show us where they are?"
"They'll kill you."
"If we don't stop them, they'll kill everyone." Kathy argues.
"Then follow me." Laszlo reluctantly agrees.
—
They come around a corner to see a group of people up ahead surrounded by pig slaves, Martha and Frank amongst them. They then hear the command from a Dalek coming down the tunnels. Ducking behind a corner, the Doctor and Kathy peek around the wall to see the Dalek making the people form a line. Another Dalek comes up then, giving a brief report of what is happening back in the laboratory.
The main Dalek begins to gather prisoners for selection. Scanning each human brain, sorting through the lineup. Low intelligence will become a pig slave and high intelligence go for the final experiment. They can hear Martha yelling at the Dalek after it finishes scanning her and the others. The Dalek simply dismisses her, making the human group march to the laboratory.
They duck back around the corner, pressing their backs up to the wall as the group begins to move towards them. Laszlo makes Tallulah go back to the theatre and she reluctantly leaves. The rest of them stay behind, waiting for the Daleks to pass before jumping in line with the other humans and pig slaves. Kathy feels glad to see both Martha and Frank are safe. While she knows that should be the case, it feels great to see it confirmed.
"Oh! I am so glad to see you both." Martha whispers as they walk along.
"Are you all right, Martha?" Kathy asks her in a hushed tone. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"
"No, I'm okay. At least for now." Martha replies, looking frightfully around at their current situation.
"Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine. I promise." Kathy assures her, gripping the girl's hand to keep her calm. Martha nods in reply.
—
They come into the underground laboratory of the Daleks. It is nicer built than the sewers around. Clean concrete flooring and walls, with large steel beams holding up the ceiling. Kathy glances up, unable to actually see the ceiling. It is too high and dark to tell. She can see chemicals everywhere throughout the room. A genetics lab waiting to be used.
The Daleks don't seem to realise they have two extra prisoners as they begin discussing Dalek Sec. Said Dalek seems to be going through some troubles. The armour has smoke pouring out from within and it shakes constantly.
"Report." One member of the Cult of Skaro cries.
"Dalek Sec is in the final stage of evolution." The other replies.
"Scan him. Prepare for birth."
"'Evolution'?" The Doctor questions quietly.
Martha leans over to them so only the Doctor and Kathy will hear. "What's wrong with old Charlie boy over there?" She asks them.
"Ask them." The Doctor replies.
"What, me? Don't be daft." Martha scoffs.
"Kathy and I can't get noticed. Ask them what's going on."
Kathy is surprised by that. She's only interacted with them disparagingly, has she built up such a reputation? Or maybe that's yet to come.
She's only interacted with them a bit in the museum with Eleven, Amy and Rory and barely at all with Clara, Eleven, Ten and the War Doctor. Suppose her biggest is when she helped allow the flux to engulf an entire Dalek fleet.
"But say it forcefully, like an order." Kathy advises, pushing past her worries and focusing on the here and now.
Martha swallows before striding forward. "Daleks, I demand to be told. What is… this Final Experiment? Report!"
"You will bear witness." One answers.
"To what?"
"This is the dawn of a new age."
"What does that mean?"
"We are the only four Daleks in existence, so the species must evolve a life outside the shell. The Children of Skaro must walk again." It explains.
Kathy feels her stomach drop as Sec's shell stops smoking and the light goes out in its eye stalk, powering down. The casing opens to show a curled-up figure within. The figure is the body of Diagoras that the Dalek had used. It steps out, the casing shuts and the creature straightens.
It still holds the man's suit and physical body type. But the rest of the body has changed. The hands are withered and look like smaller tentacles. The head holds the features of a Dalek, having the larger tentacles around and above the mouth. The one eye sits in the centre of the head as a Cyclops. The brain can be seen sticking out on top in a hump shape.
It takes a deep breath and speaks with Diagoras' accent. "I am a human Dalek. I am your future."
Kathy only wishes that Dalek Sec, with his new humanity coursing through him, will succeed in this day in bringing a better life for the Daleks. A new path to make things right. No longer set upon death and destruction. But alas, she knows things will continue on course. There is no new path for the Daleks. Nor will there ever be.