The Rebel Flesh
It was a pretty relaxing day in the TARDIS. Amy and Rory were playing darts near the door. Annabelle was standing by acting as referee. The Doctor and I were standing at the console doing some work..
Rory threw his last dart of the round, Annabelle walked up to the board and counted the points, "46."
"Rubbishy rubbishy rubbish," said Amy.
"Hello, it's a double top."
Annabelle shook her head, "Nope, It's just kissing the wire on the wrong side."
Rory look at his wife as she got ready to throw, "You're on the oche, Red."
Amy laughed, "No, I'm not. Stop trying to put me off."
It had been almost seven months since Amy told us she was pregnant and then she wasn't. We continued to scan Amy for any changes in her condition and every day for nine months the scans continued to be inconclusive. We need to look into what was going on with Amy and we had a lead we need to check out but we didn't want to take Amy and Rory with us. So, The Doctor turned the music off, "Who wants fish 'n' chips?" he asked. Rory raised his hand, "We'll drop you two off. Take your time. Don't rush."
"Uh, What about you three?" asked Rory.
"We have things to do…" I said, "things involving... other things…"
"Well, we'll stay with you," said Amy, as she, Rory and Annabelle walked up to the console, "We'll do the other things."
"Nope," said The Doctor.
"Whatever you're up to, I, personally, would like to be a part of it," said Amy. The Doctor and I looked at each other then back to Amy, "What?" she scoffed.
Just then a klaxon started to blares and the TARDIS began to rock back and forth. Rory grabbed on to a rail while Amy and Annabelle clung onto the console. While The Doctor and I tried to get out of the what was going on. I looked at the monitor, "Solar Tsunami. Came directly from the sun. A big tidal wave of radiation." I said.
"Ohh, my tummy's going funny," said Rory.
"I'm not surprised," said Annabelle, "the gyros are dissipated. Target-tracking is out…"
With a grunt, The Doctor threw a lever on the console that didn't do anything then he called out. "Assume the position."
With a scream, Amy ran and sat on the jump seat, hunched over, her head between her legs and her hands over her head. Rory droop to the floor and covered his head with his hands. Us Time Lords crouched beside the console and braced ourselves. Then, the TARDIS jolted to a sudden stop. We all look up as The Doctor jumped to his feet, "Textbook landing." I stood up and resisted the urge to slap him upside the head.
We walked out of the TARDIS and saw a large monastery looming over us. The Doctor looked up at the weathervane at the top of the spire, "Behold! A cockerel. Love a cockerel. And, underneath, a monastery, 13th-century."
"Oh, we've gone all medieval," said Amy.
"I'm not sure about that," said Rory.
"Really? Medieval expert, are you?"
"No, it's just that I can hear Dusty Springfield."
Sure enough in the background, "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" by Dusty Springfield was playing. We started to walk to a nearby stairway. We looked and saw the monastery sat on an island. As we walked we saw several holes in the ground. I did a quick scan with my sonic, I looked at the reading and said, "These fissures are new. The Solar Tsunami sent out a huge wave of gamma particles. This was caused by a magnetic quake that occurred just before the wave hit."
"Well, the monastery's standing," said Amy.
The Doctor took a snow globe out of his pocket and shook it, "Yeah, for now." he looked at the globe and put it away.
"Look." said Rory. He pointed to a white pipe in one of the holes, with the words, 'DANGER Corrosive' printed on the side.
"It's a supply pipe," said Annabelle as she scanned the pipe, "Ceramic inner lining. Obviously something corrosive. They're pumping something nasty off this island, to the mainland."
"My mum's a massive fan of Dusty Springfield." said Rory.
"Who isn't?" asked The Doctor, "Right, let's go. Satisfy our rabid curiosity." The Doctor climbed the wooden stairs while the rest of us followed. While we walked I let Annabelle know, telepathically, why we really came to this island and not to let Amy and Rory know. She agreed. We walked into the courtyard of the monastery and saw that some of the buildings were in ruins but a large portion of the building was inhabitable, "So, where are these Dusty Springfield-loving monks, then?" asked Amy.
I did a quick scan with my sonic, "I think we're here. This is it."
"What are you talking about, Teddy?" asked Rory, "We've never been here before."
We followed The Doctor up another set of steps, "We came here by accident," said Amy.
"'Accident'?" said Doctor, "Yes, I know. Accident."
Rory touched one of the pipes running alongside the stairs then quickly pulled his hand away, "Ah! Ow!" he said.
"Acid," said The Doctor, "They're pumping acid off this island. That's old stuff. Fresh acid? You wouldn't have a finger."
We continued walking when an alarm started to go off, "Intruder alert." announced a warning system, "Intruder alert."
We went back to Amy and Rory and The Doctor said, "There are people coming. Well, almost."
"Almost coming?" asked Amy.
"Almost people," I said.
Then we headed inside. I heard Rory call out, "I think we should probably go."
"Come on!" said Amy.
"I'm telling you, when something runs towards you, it's never for a nice reason."
We all ran into a room and stopped when we saw five human-shaped harnesses, in the window alcoves four were occupied by people in orange jumpsuits. "What are all these harnesses for?" asked Amy.
"Uh, the almost people?" guessed Rory.
"What are they, prisoners? Or are they meditating, or what?"
"Well, at the moment, they fall into the 'or what' category." said Annabelle.
"Halt and remain calm," announced a computer voice.
"Well, we've halted. How are we all doing on the "calm" front?"
Just then a young man, an older man and a woman entered the room. The men had lances and pointed them at us, "Don't...Move!" ordered the older man.
"Stay back, Jen. We don't know who they are." said the young man
"So let's ask them," said Jen, "Who the hell are you?"
My uncle spoke up, "Well, I'm the Doctor. Theses are my nieces Teddy & Annabelle and these our friends Amy & Rory and it's all very nice, isn't it?"
Amy looked back and forth at the men pointing lances at us and two of the men in the harnesses. Then she said, "Hold up. You're all — what are you all, like, identical twins?"
Just then another man and woman in armor-like suits came from behind us, "This is an Alpha-grade industrial facility," said the woman, "Unless you work for the military or for Morpeth Jetson, you are in big trouble."
"Actually, you're in big trouble," said The Doctor as he showed the woman his psychic paper.
"Meteorological department, since when?"
"Since you were hit by a solar wave."
"Which we survived."
"Barely, by the look of it," I said, "And there's a bigger one on the way."
"Which we'll also survive. Dicken, scan for bugs."
The man in the suit held up a scanner and said, "Backs against the wall. Now."
We all did as ordered and Annabelle said, "You're not a monastery. You're a factory. 22nd-century, army-owned factory."
"You're army?" asked Amy.
"No, love, we're contractors and you're trespassers," said the woman.
Dicken finished his scan, "It's okay, boss."
"All right, weatherman, your I.D. checks out," said the woman, "If there's another solar storm, what are you going to do about it, hand out sunblock?"
"Ha ha ha ha," The Doctor fake laughed, "I need to see your critical systems."
"Which one?" asked the woman.
"You know which one," I said.
They took us to a room with a large vat on a raised platform. In front of it on the floor was an open tub the size of a person. We heard liquid bubbling in the vat. The Doctor and I walked around to the opposite side and we looked down at the white liquid inside. "And there you are." said The Doctor.
"Meet the government's worst-kept secret — the flesh," said the woman who we learned was named Cleaves, "It's fully programmable matter. In fact, it's even learning to replicate itself at the cellular level."
"Right. Brilliant. Lost," said Amy.
"Okay. Once a reading's been taken, we can manipulate its molecular structure into anything, replicate a living organism, down to the hairs on its chinny-chin-chin. Even clothes, and everything's identical — eyes, voice."
"Mind, soul," said The Doctor.
"Don't be fooled, Doctor," said Cleaves, "It acts like life, but it still needs to be controlled by us from those harnesses you saw."
"Wait, whoa-oa-oa, hold it. So... You're flesh now?" asked Rory.
"I'm lying in a harness back in that chamber. We all are, except Jennifer, here. Don't be scared. This thing? Just like operating a forklift truck."
"You said it could grow," I said, "Only living things grow."
"Moss grows," said Cleaves, "It's no more than that. This acid is so dangerous, we were losing a worker every week. So now, we mine the acid, using these doppelgangers, or "gangers." If these bodies get burnt or fall in the acid…"
"Then who the hell cares? Right, Jen?" said the young male Ganger.
"Well, the nerve endings automatically cut off, like airbags being discharged, except we wake up and get a new ganger," said Jennifer.
"It's weird," said the older male Ganger, "But you get used to it."
"Jennifer, I want you in your ganger," said Ganger Cleaves, "Get back to the harness."
The Doctor used his sonic to scan the Flesh as Jennifer left.
"Hang on, What's he up to?" asked the young male Ganger, "What are you up to, pal?"
I noticed The Doctor was struggling to move his arm away from the Flesh, "Stop it. Ahh!" Then he pulled his arm back and looked at me, "Strange. It was like, for a moment there, it was scanning me." He put his sonic back in his pocket and reached his hand out to touch the top of the liquid with his palm.
"Doctor," said Ganger Cleaves.
"Ahh." screamed The Doctor. His hand shook and he couldn't pull it away.
"Get back, Doctor. Leave it alone!"
I reached out and took his arm to help him pull his hand away, "Ahh! Ah! Ah! Gah!" Then he pulled his hand away, "I understand." He looked at me and said telepathically, "Do you want to know what I learned?"
"Of course," I replied telepathically.
He took my head his hand, closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to mine while I did the same. "Wow…" I looked over at Annabelle and said, "Come here."
She did and then we did a information transfer, "That's amazing…" she said.
"Doctor, are you all right?" asked Amy.
"Incredible… You have no idea. No idea. I mean, I felt it in my mind," said The Doctor, "I reached out to it and it, to me."
"Don't fiddle with the money, Doctor," said Ganger Cleaves.
"How can you be so blind?" I asked, "It's alive. You're putting your lives and personalities, directly into it."
Just then there was a crash of lighting. The Doctor took out his snow globe again as the ground started to shake. "It's the solar storm," said The Doctor, "The first waves come in pairs — pre-shock and full shock — it's close."
Ganger Cleaves looked at the young male Ganger, "Buzz, have we got anything from the mainland yet?"
"No, the comms are still too jammed with radiation." said Ganger Buzz.
"Okay, then we'll keep pumping acid until the mainland says stop. Now, why don't you stand back and let us impress you."
A few seconds later, Flesh started pouring into the tub. Once the tub was full we all stepped up to the tub and watched as a face started to form. The mouth first and then the eyes. The Flesh then forms itself into Jennifer except the face wasn't fully defined. Then, she sat up with a gasp, fully formed. "Well, I can see why you keep it in a church," said Annabelle, "It's the miracle of life."
"No need to get poncey. It's just gunge," said Ganger Buzz.
"Guys, we need to get to work, said Ganger Cleaves.
"Okay, everybody. Let's crack on," said the other male Ganger as he helped Ganger Jennifer.
"Did I mention the solar storm?" asked The Doctor, "You need to get out of here."
"Well, where do you want us to go? We're on a tiny island."
"Well, we can get you all off it," I said.
"Don't be ridiculous," said Ganger Cleaves, "We've got a job to do."
"It's coming," said Annabelle.
Just then an alarm went off, "That's the alarm," said Ganger Jennifer.
"How do you get power?" I asked.
"We're solar and we use a solar router," said Ganger Cleaves, "The weather vane."
"Big problem," said The Doctor.
"Boss, maybe if the storm comes back, we should get underground," said the other male Ganger, "The factory's seen better days. The acid pipes might not withstand another hit."
"We have 200 tons of acid to pump out," said Ganger Cleaves, "We fall behind, we stay another rotation. Anyone want that?"
"Please," The Doctor grabbed the woman by the arm, "You are making a massive mistake here. You're right at the crossroads of it. Don't turn the wrong way. If you don't — if you don't — prepare for this storm, you are all in terrible danger, understand?"
"My factory, my rules," she walked away.
"We need to check the progress of the storm," I said. Then I looked at Ganger Jennifer, "Where's the monitoring station?" she didn't say anything. Then, I repeated myself, "Where's the monitoring station?"
"Three lefts, a right, and a left. Third door on your left," she answered.
"Thank you." then we headed out of the room.
As we walked into the room the building shook from the storm. In the center of the room was a circular bank of instruments. We walked up to the instruments and The Doctor said, "The wave's disturbing the earth's magnetic field. There is going to be the mother and father of all power surges. You see this weather vane, the cock-a-doodle-doo? It's a solar router, feeding the whole factory with solar power. When that wave hits, kaboom. We've got to get to that cockerel before all hell breaks loose." The Doctor and I headed for the door but The Doctor stopped in the doorway and chuckled, "I never thought I'd have to say that again. Ah. Amy, breathe." he said.
"Yeah! I mean, thanks, I'll try."
The Doctor and I headed to the roof of the monastery while Annabelle went with Amy and Rory to the flesh room. We got to the top and saw the sky an orange color, then we ran to the tower the solar router was sitting on. We both went up the ladder that led to the power box on and The Doctor opened it. He started to mess with the interworkings of the power box when the tower was hit by lighting and we were blown off it.
The Doctor and I woke up and saw were thrown a good distance from the base of the tower and the top of the vane was gone. We quickly got up and ran down the stairs. When we got to the courtyard we saw Cleaves standing their looking out of it, "Cleaves, you're not in your harness!" said The Doctor.
"I'm sorry, Doctor. You were right," she said.
"You've lost all power to the factor," I said.
"Doctor, I abandoned my team."
"Then let's go get them," said The Doctor. He took Cleaves by the hand and we headed inside.
"How long would you say we were unconscious for, Cleaves?" I asked.
"Not long. A minute, two minutes," she said.
"I think we were out a little bit longer than that."
"Well, how long?"
"An hour…"
"I've seen whole worlds turned inside-out in an hour," said The Doctor, "A lot can go wrong in an hour." Then he headed to the harness room.
When we arrived at the harness room we saw Amy and Annabelle checking on Buzz, Dicken, and the third man we learned was named Jimmy. Rory was comforting a very upset and trembling Jennifer.
"Doctor, look, these are all real people," said Amy, "So where are their gangers?"
"Don't worry," said Cleaves, "when the link shuts down, the gangers return to pure flesh. Now, the storm's left us with acid leaks all over, so we need to contact the mainland. They can have a rescue shuttle out here in no time."
Just then we heard Dusty Springfield again, "That's my record," said Jimmy, "Who's playing my record?:
"Your gangers," said The Doctor, "They've gone walkabout."
"No, it's impossible," said Cleaves, "They're not active — cars don't fly themselves, cranes don't lift themselves, and gangers don't —"
The workers took us to the dining hall of the monastery. We heard the record was playing as we walked through the thick plastic strips over the door. The room was a mess, things were moved, opened and lying around. Someone had been going through their things, "No way," said Buzzer.
"I don't — I don't believe this," said Cleaves.
"They could've escaped through the service door in the back," said Jimmy.
"This is just like the Isle of Sheppey," said Buzzer.
The Doctor sat down at the table and looked at a house of cards, "It seems the storm has animated your gangers." I said as I walked up behind him.
"They've ransacked everything," said Cleaves.
"Not ransacked, searched," said The Doctor.
"Through our stuff?"
"Their stuff," said Annabelle.
"Searching for what?" asked Jimmy.
"Confirmation. They need to know their memories are real."
"Oh, so they've got flaming memories now," said Buzzer.
"They feel compelled to connect to their lives," I said.
"Their stolen lives," said Cleaves.
"No, bequeathed. You gave them this. You poured in your personalities, emotions, traits, memories, secrets — everything. You gave them your lives. Human lives are amazing. Are you surprised they walked off with them?"
"I'll say it again — Isle of Sheppey," said Buzzer, "Ganger got an electric shock, toddled off, killed his operator, right there in his harness. I've seen the photos. This bloke's ear was…"
"Even if this has actually happened," interrupted Jimmy, "they can't remain stable without us plumbed into them — can they, boss?"
"I guess we'll find out," said Cleaves.
Jennifer gasped and Rory was at her side, "Are you okay? Do you need some water?" he asked.
"I feel funny. I need the washroom," then Jennifer left.
"I'll come with you," said Rory as he followed.
Dicken sneezed "Sorry,"
The Doctor leaned forward and studded the house of cards, "That's me," said Buzzer, "It's good to have a hobby. So, what, my ganger did that, all on its own?"
"Who taught you to do this?" asked The Doctor.
"Me granddad."
"Well, your ganger's granddad taught him to do it, too. You both have the same childhood memories, just as clear, just as real."
"No," said Buzzer, then he knocked down the house of cards.
"They're scared, disorientated, struggling to come to terms with an entire life in their heads," said The Doctor.
A little while later the remaining workers were gathered around the table while the Doctor stood by the microwave., "We need to protect ourselves." said Jimmy.
The Doctor put a container of food in the microwave, "Are you a violent man, Jimmy?
"No."
"Then why would the other Jimmy be?"
"Don't tell me you can eat at a time like this, Doctor," said Cleaves.
"You told us that we were out cold for a few minutes, Cleaves, when, in fact, it was an hour," I said.
"Sorry, I just assumed…"
I smiled at her "That's all right, it's not your fault. Like The Doctor said, they're disorientated. Amy, when you got to the alcoves, who was in harness?"
The timer on the microwave went off and The Doctor took the plate out using a towel, "Um, Jimmy and Dicken were helping Buzzer out." said Amy.
"And Jennifer?"
"She was standing on her own when we got to her."
The Doctor handed the plate to Cleaves and she held it in her bare hand, "It's hot." said The Doctor.
Cleaves hissed and dropped the plate and it shattered on the floor, "Ah."
"The transmatter's still a little rubbery," said The Doctor as he examined Cleaves' hand, "The nerve endings are not quite fused properly."
Ganger Cleaves pulled her hand away, "What the hell are you talking about?"
"It's okay," said Annabelle.
"Why didn't I feel that?"
"You will. You'll stabilize," I said.
"No, stop it," said Ganger Cleaves, "You're playing stupid games. Stop it!" she turned her back on us.
We carefully approached her and The Doctor said, "You don't have to hide. Please, trust me. I'm the Doctor."
She turned back around with a hiss. He face was in a half-formed state. Buzzer grabbed a knife from the table and headed towards herm but Jimmy held her back ,"Where's the real Cleaves, you thing?!" said Buzzer, "What have you done with her?!"
"That's it, good," said The Doctor, "You remember. This is early flesh, the early stages of the technology. So much…" He reached out a hand to touch her and she shuddered, "to learn."
"What's happened to her?" asked Amy.
"She can't stabilize," I said, "she's shifting between half-formed and full-formed. For now, at least."
"We are living!" shouted Ganger Cleaves. Then she lunged at The Doctor with a grown then ran from the room screaming.
"Let her go," said The Doctor.
"Doctor, Rory." said Amy.
"'Rory'?"
Amy turned around with her arms up, "Rory!"
Then I remembered that Rory was with Jennifer and from what we just learned there was a chance that the Jennifer he was with was an unstable Ganger, "Oh no… Rory!"
"Rory! Always with the Rory!" said the Doctor.
Us Time Lords went with Amy and Jimmy to find Rory and Jennifer. We walked out of the building and we saw our way was blocked by a pool of acid on the ground, "The explosion must've ruptured the acid feeds," said Jimmy, "We're going to need the acid suits."
"No, no, no, we haven't got time. Back, back, back." said The Doctor as we went back inside.
Jimmy took us the long way to the washroom and we saw a hole in the stall door, "Rory!"
I looked in the sink and saw a blob of white "I think this proves it," I said, "That Jennifer meet in the harness room was a ganger."
"Doctor, you said they wouldn't be violent," said Amy.
"But I did say they were scared and angry," said The Doctor.
"And early technology, is what you said. You seem to know something about the Flesh," said Jimmy.
"Do you?" asked Amy, "Doctor? Teddy? Annabelle?"
"You're no weatherman. Why are you really here?"
"We have to talk to them," said The Doctor, "We can fix this." Then we ran out of the room with Amy following close behind.
Jimmy followed us as well and called out, "Wait! What's going on? Where's the real Jennifer?!"
Jimmy caught up to the rest of us when we reach the top of a set of stairs and started down a tunnel. Steam busted from a pipe and acid fell on the ground, "It is too dangerous out here with all these acid leaks!" I said.
"We have to find Rory," said Amy.
"I agree that's why The Doctor and I are going back to the TARDIS. You three go back to the dining hall and wait for us. We need to stay together." I looked at Amy, "We don't need any more people wandering off."
"And what about Rory?"
"Well, it would be safer to look for Rory and Jennifer with the TARDIS," said The Doctor as he walked away. I followed him and of course we were going the wrong way. We went back and Jimmy was taking some distress flares out of a box on the wall. He closed the box and was startled by The Doctor. "Exit?"
"Keep going straight, can't miss it," said Jimmy, "But you're never going to get your vehicle in here."
"I'm a great parker," I said with a smile. Then we left. As we headed out we quickly ran into the Flesh room. The Doctor flashed it quickly with his sonic then we ran out of th room.
We got out to where we left the TARDIS and we saw the ground had become saturated with acid and the TARDIS was almost completely sunk into the ground. It was almost to the roof the 'POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX' sign at the top was half in the ground, "Oh. What are you doing down there?" he asked the TARDIS. I stayed on the steps while my uncle in his infinite wisdom decided to get closer. "Really!" he said as he reached into his pocket but he stopped when he realized he was standing in a puddle of acid and the substance has been eating away at his boots. I put my hand to my head and then shook my head back and forth. The Doctor left his boots behind and we headed back inside.
We decided to search the monastery for the gangers and on our search we found the acid storage room. We went inside and saw the brown armor-like acid suits laying beside the vat of acid. Then, we saw the half-formed Gangers standing beside it. "Hello. How are we all getting on?" asked The Doctor.
"Why don't you tell us?" said Ganger Cleaves.
"Look, we have two choices here," I said, "The first is to tear each other apart, which wouldn't be my first choice and the second is to bear down and work together. All of us need to try to work out how best we can help you." The Gangers agreed and we led them out of the acid room. Before we walked out they became fully formed
As we walked through the tunnels, The Doctor said, "Now, I know it's hard for you to hold your fully human form, that's why you keep shifting between the flesh stages, but do try — it'll make the others less scared of you."
We reached the dining hall and we heard voices talking. We heard Amy say, "Okay, let's not do anything at all"
We walked into the room and The Doctor and Amy said together, "Until The Doctor and Teddy get here."
"Hello." said The Doctor.
"This is…" said Jimmy as he looked at his Ganger.
"You're telling me," said Ganger Jimmy.
"All right, Doctor, Teddy, you've brought us together — now what?" asked Ganger Cleaves.
"Before we do anything, I have one very important question — has anybody got a pair of shoes I could borrow?" asked The Doctor, "Size 10. Although I should warn you — I have very wide feet."
Once The Doctor got a new pair of tan work boots he sat down on the edge of the dining hall table. Amy stood behind us Time Lords. While The original workers sood on one side of the room and the Gangers and Rory stood on the other. "The Flesh was never merely moss," I said, "These are not copies."
"The storm has hardwired them," said The Doctor, "They are becoming people."
"With souls?" asked Jimmy.
"Rubbish. Ah-choo!" sneezed Dicken.
"Bless you," said Ganger Dicken. Ganger Cleaves glared at him, "What?"
"We were all jelly, once. Little jelly eggs, sitting in goop," said The Doctor.
"Yeah, thanks," Amy grimaced, "Too much information,"
"Not all of us started that way…" said Annabelle, as she crossed her arms across her chest.
"Anyway," I said, "We're not talking about an accident that needs to be cleaned up. We are talking about sacred life. Do you understand?" I looked around at the group. "Good."
"Now, the TARDIS is trapped in an acid pool," said The Doctor.
"How did the TARDIS get trapped in an acid pool?" asked Annabelle.
"Not now…" I said.
"Anyway, Once we can reach her, we can get you all off this island, humans and gangers, eh, how does that sound?" asked The Doctor.
"Can we get home for Adam's birthday?" asked Jimmy.
"What about me? He's my son, too," said Ganger Jimmy.
"You? You really think that?"
"I feel it."
"Oh, so you were there when he was born, were you?"
"Yeah. I drank about 8 pints of tea and they told me I had a wee boy and I just burst out laughing," Ganger Jimmy laughed, "No idea why. I miss home. As much as you."
""Look, I'm not going to lie to you," said The Doctor, "This It's a right odd mess, this. But, as you might say up north, 'oh, well, I'll just go to t' foot of the stairs.' Ha ha ha. Eh, bye-bye, gone. Or not. Good. Right."
I cut in, "The first step is to get everyone together, then get everyone safe, then get everyone out of here."
"But we're still missing Jennifer and Cleaves," said Annabelle.
"I'll go and look for them," said Jimmy then he started to head for the door.
"I'll give you a hand, if you like," said Ganger Jimmy as he joined him, "Cover more ground."
"Yeah. Okay. Thanks."
Then we heard Cleaves' voice, "This circus has gone on long enough!"
We saw Cleaves with a device in her hand that cracked with electricity, "Oh, great. You see, that is just so typically me," said Ganger Cleaves.
"Doctor, tell it to shut up." said Cleaves.
"Please, no. No! No!" said The Doctor.
"Circuit probe. Fires about, oh, 40,000 volts. It would kill any one of us, so I guess she'll work on gangers, just the same."
"It's interesting you refer to them as 'it,' but you call a glorified cattle prod a 'she,'" said Annabelle.
"When the real people are safely off this island, then I'll happily talk philosophy over a pint with you…."
"What are you going to do to them?" asked Amy.
"Sorry, they're monsters, mistakes," said Cleaves, "They have to be destroyed."
"Give me the probe, Cleaves," I said, as I stepped forward.
"We always have to take charge, don't we, Miranda?" asked Ganger Cleaves, "Even when we don't really know what the hell is going on."
Ganger Buzzer charged at Cleaves and she fired at him three times. Then he fell to the ground. The Doctor and I ran over to him and knelt next to him, "Stop! Oh! Ah! He's dead!" said the Doctor.
"We call it 'decommissioned.'" said Cleaves.
"You stopped his heart," said The Doctor, "He had a heart! Aorta, valves — a real, human heart! And you stopped it."
"Jen?"
I looked at Ganger Jen and I saw her eyes change, "What happened to Buzz will happen to us all, if we trust you!" she shouted.
I stood up, "Wait, wait. Just wait."
"No!" Rory shouted as he rushed at Cleaves, knocked her to the ground, and he took the probe from her. The Gangers took advantage of the situation and ran from the room.
"You idiot!" shouted Cleaves.
"Wait!" shouted The Doctor.
Rory and Cleaves got up, "Just look at what you've done, Cleaves." I said
"If it's war, then it's war," said Cleaves, "You don't get it, Teddy. How can you? It's us and them now." She turned to Jimmy, Dicken and Buzzer, "Us... And them."
"Us and them," said Dicken
Jimmy sighed, "Us and them."
The Doctor sighed and I shook my head. I couldn't believe how bad things had gotten.
We had broken into three groups. Each group was having it's own conversation. Amy and Rory were one. Buzzer, Jimmy and Cleaves were another. Annabelle, The Doctor and me were another. We knew the Gangers were coming so The Doctor and I decided to put Annabelle in charge for the moment. "We need to go to the fortified and defendable room in the monastery. Cleaves! Where is the most fortified and defendable room in the monastery?"
Cleaves turned to us, "The chapel."
"Thank you," said Annabelle.
"Only one way in, stone walls, 2 feet thick."
"You've crossed one heck of a line, Cleaves. You've killed one of them. They'll be coming back. In a big way."
INT. MONASTARY, TUNNELS, NIGHT
Annabelle lead us through the tunnels to the chapel. Once we got there Jimmy asked, "What about the flares?"
"We'll worry about the flares when we're locked inside," said The Doctor as the three worker headed inside. "Rory Pond."
We heard Jennifer scream and Rory hesitated, "Rory? Come on." said Amy.
"Jen's out there. She's out there and she's on her own," Rory started to head back don the tunnel.
"Well, if she's got any sense, then she's hiding," said Annabelle, "Come on Rory, get inside!"
"I can't leave her out there!"
"Rory!" said The Doctor.
"I know you understand that," said Rory
"Get in here," ordered Amy, "Get in here!"
Just then we saw the Gangers in the acid suits walking toward us. Rory ran down a side corridor, "There they are!" said Cleaves.
"Come on Amy," I said as I pulled her by the arm in to the chapel.
"Rory!" shouted Amy as The Doctor slammed the door shut.
The Doctor held Amy by the arms as Annabelle and the others worked to block the door with what ever they could find. "Amy, Amy, they are not after him, they're after us." said The Doctor.
From one of the dark corners came a voice, "Why? Why?"
"Show yourself," shouted The Doctor, "Show yourself!"
"Ah!" groaned the voice.
While the others were building the blockade against the door. The Doctor and I cautiously walked toward the corner. "Doctor! Teddy!" called Amy.
"Pass me the barrel," said Cleaves.
"We need something heavy." said Dicken.
"Anything you can find," said Annabelle.
"This is insane. We're fighting ourselves." said Jimmy, with a laugh.
"Yes, it's insane and it's about to get even more insanerer," said The Doctor. Amy walked over to us, "Is that a word?" He asked her. Then he looked back to the corner, "Show yourself! Right now!"
"Doctor!" Amy shouted, "We are trapped in here and Rory is out there, with them. Hello! We can't get to the TARDIS and we can't even leave the island."
The DOCTOR speaks but his lips don't move. He seems just as stunned as the others.
"Correct, Pond," said The Doctor. But it didn't come from my uncle. It came from the corner. "It's frightening, unexpected, frankly, a total, utter, splattering mess on the carpet, but I'm certain, 100% certain, that we can work this out." Then out from the shadows stepped a half formed Ganger Doctor. He straighten his bowtie, "Trust me. I'm the Doctor."
A/N: Hey everyone. We are almost to the point where we find out who River is to the Time Lords. I can't wait for the next two chapters. So far everyone who's guessed has been wrong. If you want to take a shot at who you think River is to the Time Lords send me a guess in the box below. Follow and Favorite if you haven't yet. Also, check out my other story, Liv and Maddie's Adventures in Time and Space. Plus, check out my friend John Chubb's story, Teddy Duncan: Time Lady- Hunters of the Burning Stone.