And here we have World Enough and Time!
Next part will be the second part - the Doctor Falls
Enjoy!
The group woke up slowly the next morning, enjoying the peace and quiet before returning to what had become the new normal of watching emotionally charged videos featuring their past adventures. Most of the group was sitting in the kitchen/dining area enjoying some breakfast or a cup of tea/coffee, but a few members of the group were still missing.
The Master hadn't emerged from his room yet, but that was to be expected. He'd appear when the next video was ready to start.
The Doctor's absence was more noticeable after her swift departure the day before. Which was why Rose was lurking in the corridor, waiting for an unexpecting Doctor to appear. She'd been standing around (admittedly rather impatiently) for at least fifteen minutes at the point and she was starting to get rather bored of it. Distantly she saw Martha down the corridor heading her way, before Jack interrupted her movement and pulled her aside, she faintly wondered what was going on there when the Doctor's door finally opened.
The Doctor poked her head out, saw Rose who had whipped around to face the door as soon as she heard it open, and then tried to shut the door again.
Rose was quicker.
She put her foot in the door to stop it being closed, and crossed her arms, "You're not getting out of this that easily Doctor."
"I don't know what you're talking about." The Doctor tried to claim ignorance; the door still mostly closed with only Rose's foot keeping it open.
Rose just sighed in response. "Can I come in Doctor?"
There was silence for a moment so she continued, "It's that or we do this in the corridor where everyone can hear it."
Funnily enough the door was opened slowly after that comment. The Doctor gave her a sheepish grin as she beckoned her in, glancing down the corridor to see if anyone had spotted the pair before closing the door behind them.
Rose took a moment to appreciate the Doctor's room, she'd never seen their room in the Tardis (no one had, at least that she knew of, it was the Doctor's only private space) but she imagined this was what it would look like.
There was a dark oak bed against the back wall, a desk was to the side with papers strewn everywhere. The ceiling was dark with painted stars across it. There was a Tardis blue rug in the middle of the room, and a cupboard with the doors wide open, clothes and various hats and accessories strewn across the surrounding area.
Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to the matter at hand. She followed the Doctor to the final feature of the room, a pair of lush armchairs facing across from each other. The Doctor was already settled in one as Rose joined her, trying to decide how to go about the conversation they needed to have.
"So, what do you want to talk about?" The Doctor continued to play the ignorant card.
Rose just raised her eyebrow, "I think you know Doctor."
The Doctor shuffled in her seat, likely trying to decide whether to keep trying to stall the conversation or give in. Rose didn't give her a chance to decide, pushing on.
"What happened after I left Doctor?"
"You didn't leave Rose." The Doctor snorted degradingly.
Rose just sighed, "Maybe not by choice but there wasn't anything we could do about it."
"You found a way back." The Doctor attempted to argue, not even knowing what point they were trying to make.
"I did, and in the end I still went back. I don't belong here the same way I used to. We both know that."
Based on the look the Doctor gave her, she knew but didn't necessarily have to enjoy that fact.
"Poor Martha having to deal with you." Rose crossed her arms, trying to get to the crux of the matter. "Why did you take my departure so bad, Doctor? I'm hardly the first person to leave you."
The Doctor took a deep breath, eyes anywhere but Rose, she seemed reluctant to answer but Rose was patient and willing to wait.
"I don't know."
"We both know that's a lie. You may not know, but you have a good idea why you reacted the way you did." Rose prodded with a stern look telling the Doctor they weren't leaving until she got an actual answer.
"After the Time War, when I thought I'd killed everyone, I spent a lot of time on my own. Eventually the silence eats away at you." The Doctor started slowly, eyes still not meeting Rose's. "Then I met you, and you reminded me of who I was before the war. Of all the people I'd travelled with and loved. You reminded me what it was like to be the Doctor. So, I latched on tight. When you went, I think I was scared I would lose myself again."
Rose nodded, not saying anything to interrupt the Doctor's story.
The Doctor continued, "Then I met Martha. And she was brilliant. Absolutely amazing but young and naïve in a way many of the people I travel with are at the beginning. She was distracted with her crush, and I was trying to use her to remind myself to be the Doctor but I could never shake the fear that I was lost alongside you. Martha was right when she said we weren't healthy for each other. I didn't treat her right. Things might be different now, we've both grown as people, but I guess we'll never know."
"Oh Doctor." Rose whispered, unsure what exactly to say to her declaration. Then she knew, "I understand. When I was first stranded on the other world, I struggled to figure out what to do. Working out a way to get back here took over everything, it distracted me from feeling anything for a while. Then after everything and I was stuck there for a second time, I felt lost. Not sure what to do with myself. For so long I'd been doing these incredible things and seeing amazing places with you, it took me a while to work out how to just be myself again. How to enjoy life. It's difficult but I did it, and you did too. These things just take time."
The Doctor finally met her eyes, a small smile peaking at her lips. "We're just a bit broken, aren't we?"
Rose shook her head, "No, it is called being human. There's nothing wrong with feeling things, you just have to learn how to deal with your feelings in a healthy way."
The pair sat in a comfortable silence for several moments, enjoying the brief moment of peace away from the rest of the world. It had been a long time since it was just the two of them.
"We should probably go join the others." The Doctor sighed, breaking the silence.
"We should." Neither moved.
"Doctor?" Rose broke the silence that had settled on the pair again, "You should tell Martha. She deserves an explanation."
"She deserves a lot more than that." The Doctor agreed with a sad smile.
Giving an approving nod, Rose finally stood, moving to exit the room. Reaching the door, she glanced back to make sure the Doctor was coming.
The Doctor was right behind her, "Let's see what the Tardis has in store for us next."
With that the pair left to re-join the rest of the group in the movie room.
Further down the corridor, Martha was on a mission. Apparently, the last talk she'd had with the Doctor wasn't enough, after the last video they needed to talk. She was marching down the corridor, noticing Rose lurking around the Doctor's room, then Jack was in her path.
His sudden appearance made her freeze in her path confused, and before she really registered it, he'd pulled her away into a side room (which she suspected had just conveniently appeared – and knowing the Tardis it probably had).
"Jack?" Martha finally registered what had happened.
"Can we talk?" Jack looked worried in a way she'd rarely seen. His serious tone made all thoughts of her conversation with the Doctor to leave her mind – she could deal with them later, whatever Jack needed was more important.
"Sure, is everything alright?"
"I don't know." Jack admitted, an indeterminable expression now on his face.
Martha frowned, "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Am I the face of Boe?" Jack asked bluntly, no more delay, as his stare dug into Martha's soul.
"Jack …" Martha tried to start, unsure how to answer but Jack interrupted her.
"Please Martha. I need to know." Jack almost begged, "I noticed the glances you and the Doctor kept giving me throughout the video, and it made me remember the way you both reacted when I told you about the name after ... the Year. So, please. Was that me we just watched die on screen?"
Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes for a moment to brace herself she reopened them and met Jack's gaze. "Yes. We didn't realise until you told us after the Year. We were never sure how to tell you."
Jack choked, rare tears starting to drip down his face.
"Jack! Are you alright, I'm sorry!" Martha rushed to comfort him.
Jack waved her off, "No, no. Don't worry Dr Smith, I'm not upset."
"You're crying!" Martha protested.
"Happy tears," Jack managed a smile, "I've been so scared for so long that I'd be stuck wandering the universe forever. To know that I will die one day is a relief. Thank you, Martha."
"Oh, Jack. Come here." Martha pulled the other into a tight hug, not giving him any options. Jack was all too happy to accept the hug.
After several moments they pulled away, and Jack wiped away the tear tracks. He didn't want to explain why he'd been crying to anyone.
"Can I ask why you didn't bring this up earlier if you were suspicious?" Martha asked quietly.
"I didn't want to bring it up in front of everyone else." Jack admitted, "And it took me embarrassingly long to make the connection."
Jack hesitated as if he wanted to ask something else but didn't know how to.
"Just ask Jack." Martha prodded.
"The message. You are not alone. I meant Yana, didn't I?" Jack sighed.
Martha nodded, "We think so. Or maybe that he hadn't destroyed Gallifrey as well. Only you will ever know."
Jack just nodded; a bit lost in thought.
"You sure you're okay with everything?" Martha asked with a soft smile.
Jack grinned, "I am, really Martha. Knowing you and the Doctor will be there with me in the end is a comfort."
"I'm glad." Martha grinned back.
"Thank you, Martha." Jack said earnestly, before glancing back at the entrance to the little room they were in. "We should go join the group."
Martha nodded in agreement. "That we should Captain. Let's go."
The group slowly settled back into the movie room, finishing their conversations and getting comfortable back in their seats.
The Doctor and Rose gave each other a grin as they entered the room and split up to sit in what had become their seats. A few moments later, Jack and Martha joined the group.
The Doctor glanced their way and noticed the subtle red lines that signalled Jack had been crying, giving him a little frown, Martha caught her eye and shook her head. Don't ask, all sorted. The Doctor gave Jack a little smile as he settled back next to her, he nodded back with a grin.
Finally, the Master scuttled into the room, glaring at the group as he sat back in his armchair. The group were all ready.
Not a moment later, the screen went blank and the next title was displayed to the group.
"World Enough and Time?" Donna read, "That makes no sense."
"Any ideas Doctor?" Rose asked, with a glance their way.
The Doctor frowned at the screen, "Not really. Guess we'll have to watch and see."
With that the video started to play.
The Tardis materialises into a snowstorm and the twelfth Doctor steps out, falling to his knees as he starts to regenerate. He cries out in pain and shouts no to the snow
"Ah, one of those videos then." River grimaced.
Bill's eyes had widened drastically, glancing quickly at the Doctor as she realised what this video was likely about. "Doctor! Do you think this is…?" She trailed off.
The Doctor grimaced, "I think so." If it was then this wasn't going to be fun for either of them.
Clara raised an eyebrow, concern prominent in her gaze, "Care to share with the class?" She'd immediately recognised Eyebrows and if he was in a bad enough state to be near regenerating, something had gone down.
The Doctor glanced around the room at all the worried faces before sighing. With a final glance at Bill and Nardole (and a quick hidden glance at the Master) she answered; "Do you remember that video near the start. The one where Eyebrows regenerated? We think this is the lead up to that."
"This video isn't going to be fun, is it?" Rory looked worried.
"No, it's really not." The Doctor turned back to the screen as the video continued. She wasn't looking forward to this. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the Master glance at her, but before she could meet his gaze, he purposely turned away again.
In space, a spaceship with massive engines blasting tries to escape a black hole as space debris zooms past it and into the hole
"That's a big ship." Ryan muttered.
"That's an understatement Ryan." Yaz snorted.
We move into the bridge of the ship where the Tardis materialises under the eyes of a CCTV camera. The Tardis opens and a familiar Edwardian woman prances out complete with hat and parasol - Missy
"Missy." Clara announced at the familiar sight of the Master's last regeneration. "Of course, they're involved." The Master just gave her a smirk, while the Doctor, Nardole and Bill shared a long look.
Missy declares she's Doctor Who and calls Bill and Nardole her plucky assistants, thing one and other one, as they follow her out. They all have earpieces in
"Erh … what?" Mickey asked perplexed about what Missy was up to, and why Bill and Nardole were going along with it.
Bill grumbled, crossing her arms with a put-out look. "Just watch. It's complicated."
Nardole corrects her on their names but Missy continues saying they picked up their distress call and are there to help, adding a twirl for the camera. Bill protests they aren't assistants, so Missy asks what he calls them then, companions? Pets? Snacks?
"Snacks?" Graham leaned away from the Master in the room, aware they were likely teasing but not willing to risk it.
A red light comes on and an alarm sounds, Missy comments someone is watching and dances along to the rhythmic alarm commenting on the beat. Nardole suggests moving on
"A blaring red alarm usually doesn't mean anything good." Rose nodded with Nardole's assessment.
Bill agrees and adds he calls them friends. Missy tells the Doctor to think of the age gap, and over their earpieces the Doctor tells her to stop mucking about and concentrate as Missy dumps her parasol and unpins her hair
"Oh, so you are there." Donna declared with a pointed look at the Doctor. So, it wasn't Missy kidnapping Bill and Nardole, the Doctor was a part of it too. She was starting to see what Bill meant about it being complicated.
In the Tardis, the Doctor is sitting with his feet up, eating a pack of crisps
"You were eating!" Bill pointed at the Doctor in triumph, to which the Doctor replied with a sheepish shrug.
The Doctor tells Nardole to do something non-irritating and he agrees. Missy continues that Time Lords are friends with each other, everything else is cradle-snatching, she checks her make up as Nardole is at a computer terminal
River scowled at the pointed glance the Master in the room shot her. The Doctor just sighed; very aware this video was going to be a headache for several reasons.
Nardole tells them it's a big ship - four hundred miles long, and a hundred miles wide
"That's a very big ship." Mickey mimicked Ryan's earlier declaration.
"Question is what's it for?" Martha added on, with a curious look at the ship.
The Doctor remarks that is big even for a colony ship, before asking if there is anything else. Nardole looks up through the observation dome and spots the black hole as the Doctor says finally
"Doctor." Clara sighed disapprovingly, her lessons on manners really hadn't stuck.
Nardole says it is heading towards a blackhole, and Missy and the Doctor, both correct him, that it was heading that way
"It's trying to reverse away from the blackhole." Jack connected the dots. "And it's not going well."
The Doctor glanced at Bill and Nardole, "That's putting it lightly."
Bill snorted, muttering quietly mostly to herself. "That's the least of their problem."
Missy continues now they're trying to reverse away from it, pointing out the engines on reverse thrust, as someone must have noticed the blackhole
"How do you not notice the giant black hole until you're that close?" Rose asked incredulous. The Doctor just shrugged, there were several options that she wasn't going to get into now.
Nardole says it is succeeding and Missy agrees but very slowly. Bill says that explains the distress call
"I wish that was all it was." Bill grimaced, murmuring quietly enough that no one else would hear. They'd all see soon anyway.
The Doctor is holding a scanner as he walks down the steps in the Tardis, remarking on the situation and asking if they're having fun yet as he puts the scanner back on the console
"Doctor!" Several people exclaimed in a mix of emotions – largely exasperation or frustration. None of them were against fun, and couldn't deny situations like this were sometimes fun, but with Missy in play none of them would describe this situation as 'fun'.
A screen comes to life, and Jorj appears asking who is there and for a status report, Missy says hello
"People." Rory's eyebrows creased as a thought occurred, "Actually why is this the first person they're seeing? Surely in a ship this big there is a big crew?"
No one missed the pointed look that Bill, Nardole and the Doctor shared, or were surprised at the lack of direct answers.
Missy asks what they have here as the Doctor crunches on chips. She continues he's probably handsome, so congratulation on his relative symmetry
"And I thought the Doctor was bad at talking with people." Donna snorted amused. She remained one of the few not to have a direct interaction with the Master outside of the video room, allowing her to watch videos like this without the trauma of past interactions influencing her.
Jorj asks who they are and Missy declares herself a mysterious adventurer in all of time and space known as Doctor Who and her disposables, Exposition and Comic Relief. Nardole argues they aren't functions and Missy corrects him to those being genders
That startled a snort out of Yaz who'd been watching Missy pretend to be the Doctor with crossed arms. Missy was acting different to the Master she knew best, but it didn't make her want to trust them but she couldn't deny Missy was entertaining (if not completely insane).
Jorj tells them to stay where they are for their own safety and Missy says he likes her, as Jorj continues he's coming through. Missy attempts her version of human flirting to Nardole and Bill's annoyance
"Really?" The Doctor gave the Master an exasperated look, very aware Missy had been playing it all up to annoy her, Bill and Nardole.
"I thought I was doing quite well, dear." The Master smirked back unrepentant. The Doctor decided better of arguing.
Bill asks why she keeps calling herself Doctor Who and Missy replies she's pretending to be him as that is the point of the stupid exercise. The Doctor corrects her it is a test not an exercise, still crunching on chips
"Are you going to explain that by the way?" Amy asked with a raised eyebrow.
The Doctor frowned, with a glance at Bill and Nardole. "It's a long story."
"Then simplify it." Amy pushed determined for at least some answers.
"Missy and I spent a considerable amount of time in one place, she proved herself a few times so we decided to try redemption." The Doctor summarised drastically.
"That redemption apparently didn't end well." Ryan remarked with a glance at the Master in the room with them who had been proven to be decidedly un-redeemed.
Missy asks if he is eating, the Doctor lies he isn't
"Yes." The Master glared at the Doctor pointedly. It was the Doctor's turn to smirk to the Master's annoyance.
He puts the packet down as Missy says not to test her. Bill asks about the name thing again as he's called the Doctor, Missy replies that's what he says and then they say Doctor Who? So, she's cutting to the chase, streamlining, saving them actual minutes
"I hate that so much." Ryan muttered to Yaz, referring to Missy's tone and movement more than the actual words.
Yaz chuckled, leaning in closer to respond quietly, "I know, she sounds a bit like Graham when he'd trying to be hip."
Bill says whatever before Missy adds it is also his real name causing Bill to ask it's what?
"I second that, what?" Clara gave the Doctor a pointed look.
The Doctor sighed, making sure to give the Master an annoyed look, before she turned back to answer the curious eyes of the rest of the room. "It isn't really. It's more like a nickname or elongation of it. It has become more a part of it as time has gone on."
The Master pointedly rolled his eyes at the Doctor's avoidance, which went unnoticed by the majority of the group.
Missy says to look at the screens and the Doctor comments on her being slow. She sits in the command chair, realising all the screens have been angled to a single viewpoint
"One person is controlling everything." River realised, "This big of a ship, one person in control."
"Something is very wrong." Jack made the same connection River just had.
Missy continues they weren't originally as they've been moved. The Doctor directs her, asking what it means and Missy says giant ship, single pilot but not designed that way so something has happened to the others
"Brilliant." Martha snorted, "Just what you need."
The Doctor agrees sand says now it is time for them to figure out what, the CCTV cameras shift to the group's notice
"Someone's got their eyes on you." Mickey noticed with a wary eye at all the cameras.
Nardole says someone else has noticed them. Bill is caught up on the Doctor's real name, asking what Missy means as no one knows the Doctor's real name. Missy counters she does as she grew up with him and his real name is Doctor Who
"Master." The Doctor sighed, aware of the enjoyment Missy had gotten out of pushing the issue (especially as it wasn't exactly true).
The Doctor tells Bill Missy is trying to wind him up, as Missy continues that he chose it himself to sound mysterious before dropping the Who when he figured it was too on the nose
Bill glanced between the screen, the Master and the Doctor still unsure of Missy had been telling the truth or teasing her like the Doctor suggested. Watching them now didn't exactly give her any more clues.
The Doctor tells her to stop teasing and focus while Bill asks if she is serious. They're interrupted by a door opening and a blue-skinned man entering, weapon in hand. Nardole comments on him being blue, saying he should go back to blue. Jorj tells them to stay where they are
"He's not particularly friendly." Donna raised an eyebrow.
Rose shrugged, "No, he's very frightened."
"Question is why." Martha nodded at Rose's observation.
The Doctor warns them to stay calm as he's very frightened. Missy says she thought he was handsome but he's gone all cross and pointed a gun at her, is this the emotion the humans call spanking?
"Ew." Clara grimaced; she'd thought her own interactions with Missy were bad. She gave Bill a sympathetic look, the younger woman was also grimacing.
Jorj asks if there are only the three of them and if any of them are human. Missy asks what happened to the ship and how long has he been alone as he looks sick. Jorj says it has been two humans, asking Missy if she's human
"He's fixed on that question." Rory remarked curiously.
"He's not human." Amy theorised, "Maybe that's why he's still here."
"So, what happened to the humans?" Rory asked the question on everyone's minds.
No one missed the knowing look exchanged between The Doctor, Bill and Nardole.
Missy disagrees vehemently. Jorj asks how they got on board asking if the Tardis is their capsule, Missy says yes as the Doctor says no. Jorj goes up to the screen and sees three lifts ascending fast, saying they're coming
"Who's coming?" Graham worried.
Nardole asks what is in the ship and what's coming, as Missy comments on the super-fast inertia lifts. Jorj replies things, he doesn't know where they came from but one of them must be human as they only come up if they detect human life signs
"Why?" Yaz asked, "What would want humans to – oh." Her eyes widened as she connected the dots. A quick glance at the smirking Master and the reluctant nod the Doctor gave her confirmed her suspicions. This video really wasn't going to be pleasant to watch, for anyone.
Bill asks what for and Jorj says they take them away. Nardole points to the lift doors saying that's where they come out and the Doctor says he'll be right with them
"About time Doctor." River raised a pointed eyebrow at her wife, who shrugged with a sheepish smile.
Jorj insists, asking which of them is human. The Doctor comes out of the Tardis as Bill admits she is the human, she's the only one, just her
"No, Bill!" Clara shook her head; this wasn't going to go well.
Nardole and the Doctor shared a miserable glance at Bill. Bill, in turn, was bracing herself in preparation of what she knew was to come. How the others would react, she couldn't say exactly but it wasn't going to be pretty or quiet.
The Doctor asks him to stop this, to stop right there, worried
The group started tensing up as they registered the Doctor's rising panic at the danger Bill was in. Several people kept glancing at Bill in concern.
Jorj apologies but says she's the reason they're coming, the Doctor pleads with him to put the weapon down, but Jorj continues they won't come if she's dead
"No, no, no. Not a good idea." Martha shook her head, as the room grew more and more tense.
The Doctor tells him he doesn't need to do this as he can get her off the ship, or shield her life signs. Bill tells the Doctor, she knew it was a bad idea
"And I was right, as usual." Bill muttered, not bitterly. She didn't miss the Doctor's wince, but couldn't catch her eye to try and reassure her she didn't mean it like that.
The lifts get closer. The Doctor pleads with Jorj to put the weapon down, telling him to look at him and saying the mad woman in the chair isn't the Doctor, his name is Doctor Who. Nardole says it's not, isn't it
"Not important right now, Nardole." River chided lightly, even as her eyes never left the screen.
The lift is slowing as it reached single digits, the Doctor close to Jorj
"You're running out of time." Jack glanced between the Doctor, Bill and the screen.
The Doctor says he likes it, and Jorj doesn't know it yet but in a short time he will trust the Doctor with his life and he will save him and everyone on the ship. One day he will look back and wonder who he was and why. The lift arrives, and Jorj flinches, firing his weapon. Bill's face is horrified as the Doctor turns to look at her, finding she was a big hole right through her chest
"NO!" Several people screamed out, even jerking forward in their seats in shock.
Bill winced at the sight, a hand reaching towards the former hole in her chest at the reminder of the pain. She glanced away from the screen, unable to bear the sight of the gaping wound in her chest on screen.
"What?"
"But how?"
"Bill!"
People spoke over each other, becoming increasingly panicked as Bill, Nardole and the Doctor remained silent. No one noticed the Master avoiding looking at the screen as well.
"Quiet!" River shouted over the top of everyone. The room went silent, all eyes turned to River as they waited to see what she would say. "Lovely, thank you. Now, why don't we let the people who were actually there explain." River glanced at Bill for a second, before changing her gaze to the Doctor who tried to avoid eye contact.
It didn't last long. The Doctor winced, glancing quickly at Bill herself before she turned to the room at large, eyes cast low. "I don't know what you want me to say."
"An explanation would be great Doctor." Donna raised her own voice, arms crossed.
"I don't have one." The Doctor answered honestly, if not a bit hoarsely. "You saw what happened. I made a mistake, and Bill paid the price."
Bill interrupted before anyone else could speak, "I agreed to go, Doctor."
"After I persuaded you. You told me it was a bad idea; I didn't listen." The Doctor argued.
"You never listen Doctor," Bill smiled softly at the Doctor, "We didn't know what we were getting into, but it wasn't your fault."
"Not that I'm not glad but how is Bill alive … and not holey?" Mickey interrupted the pair who were having a silent conversation.
Bill, Nardole and the Doctor shared a grimace, all resisting the urge to glance at the Master.
"It might be better to just watch." The Doctor glanced at the frozen screen, then back at Bill, and finally to the group watching.
Bill nodded along, "Just a warning … it gets worse." Bill glanced at the Doctor and winced, between her fate, Nardole's and the Doctor's it hadn't been a very successful adventure. Although, on the upside she did get to see Heather again. Silver linings and all that.
"Brilliant. Just what I wanted to hear." Amy sighed; it was never promising when a video started like that. How could the video get worse, when they'd started with Bill being killed? Guess they didn't have a choice but to watch and find out.
Back in the past, on university grounds, Bill tells the Doctor it is a bad idea
"Oh, so we get to see the lead up to this mess." Clara shook her head; she couldn't wait to hear the Doctor's excuses.
The Doctor insists it is a good idea, a test run as Missy thinks she can be him so let her try. Bill asks why
"Good question." Rose raised an eyebrow at the Doctor. The group's opinions of the Doctor's plan tainted by the fate they knew awaited Bill.
The Doctor argues she got them home from Mars
"I want to know the story behind that one." Martha mumbled, snorting in disbelief at the idea that the Master could be helpful.
The Doctor winced, "It might show up at some point." She couldn't help but think about Martha's reaction when the Master she was familiar with showed up. There was no way Martha or Jack were going to be calm about his reveal, especially with everything he did to Bill.
Bill counters she's a murderer, and the Doctor asks if she's enjoying her bacon sandwich as it had a mummy and daddy, telling her to tell a pig about her moral high ground
"It's not the same." Mickey argued, arms crossed.
The Doctor just raised her eyebrow, "Isn't it?"
In a kitchen, Bill is peeling potatoes as the Doctor continues trying to persuade her, saying he'll pick a scenario and they'll drop her in and see how she does
"You didn't pick a very good scenario." Jack pointed out.
"I'm aware." The Doctor's tone said everything, eyes never leaving the screen. Jack and River shared a look above her head, there was more going on here than just Bill's death (as horrible as it was).
Bill asks how it would work and the Doctor says they use the Tardis to graze for distress calls and pick one, their usual Saturday. Bill drops potatoes in the deep fat fryer
"Shouldn't you be doing something instead of bothering Bill at work?" Clara raised an eyebrow, othering Bill a sympathetic smile for having to put up the Doctor.
"I didn't have any classes." The Doctor shrugged unrepentant.
"Classes? Oh, this was when you were working at that university, right?" Rose remembered the other video they'd seen with Bill in it.
"Yes." Bill answered for the Doctor, "He didn't have anything better than to bother me with his latest crazy idea."
"Happen a lot?" Amy grinned knowingly.
"Like you wouldn't believe." Bill grinned back, all of them ignoring the Doctor's protests.
Bill asks what if she just walks out and kills everyone for a laugh and the Doctor explains he'd be monitoring them the whole time, as she and Nardole can be her companions. Bill says no way, forget it
"Smart." Martha nodded approvingly at the younger woman. Learning how to deal with the Doctor's crazy ideas was an important skill. However, seeing as they already knew Bill was going to go along with the mission it seemed she'd caved to the Doctor's plans this time.
The Doctor counters Nardole agreed and Nardole argues he didn't, the Doctor says he did in his head which is good enough
"Doctor." River sighed in disapproval; the Doctor just shrugged.
Bill asks him why he wants to do this and the Doctor says she's his friend, his oldest friend in the universe
The group couldn't help but glance at the Master, who in turn was watching the Doctor. It was a rare occurrence that they could actually see emotion (other than anger and pride) on the Master's face. He was quiet, looking more fragile than normal (and several of them had seen the Master 'die').
The Doctor was noticeably avoiding his (and everyone else's') gaze, her own eyes locked onto the screen. Bill glanced between the pair, very aware of what was still to come, and curious despite herself to see how the Master would react. She'd learned more of the pair's background through these videos which gave her some more contexts of their relationship (not to say she'd ever understand it), but she'd certainly got a different experience to some of the other companions.
Bill argues he has lots of friends, better ones, so what is special about her. The Doctor says she's different but says he doesn't know when Bill asks how
"Liar." Clara disputed, not unkindly.
Bill pushes that he does and he admits Missy is the only person he's ever met who's remotely like him
"You finally admit it." The Master was practically shaking as he dragged out the words, eyes glaring into the Doctor's head.
"For better or worse." The Doctor spoke softly, still ignoring the group's stares.
Bill says so he wants her to be good more than anything
"I don't do good." The Master spat the last word, tone full of anger and distain. His whole demeanour getting more frustrated as the Doctor continued to ignore him.
Nardole asks if he is having an emotion as the Doctor says he knows he can help her, and Nardole continues to look at his face, he's having an emotion, he's doing emotions
"Nardole." River sighed disapprovingly. The Doctor and Nardole really did deserve each other. While it seemed that their relationship consisted of the Doctor bulling Nardole, Nardole in fact gave back as much as he got.
Bill says to leave him alone as Nardole asks to take a selfie with him
Despite the tension in the room, Nardole's remark still earned a few humoured snorts.
On the University's roof, during the night, the Doctor and Bill sit on a bench eating chips. The Doctor shares she was his first friend, always brilliant from the first day at the Academy, so fast and funny, his man crush
Now it was the Master's turn to avoid the Doctor's gaze. His whole body had flinched at the Doctor's admittance, eyes locking onto the screen. The Doctor frowned at the side of his head, thoughts unconsciously drifting to the memories of the Academy so long ago. She's almost expected more of a reaction from the Master at her words, but apparently not.
At least the rest of the room had made the silent decision to ignore that fact outside of the look River and Jack were sharing above her head.
The Doctor continues that he thinks she was a man back then, as was he he's fairly sure but it was a long time ago. Bill asks about the Time Lords being flexible on the whole man-woman thing
"Very casual." Bill answered her past self with a glance at both the Master and Doctor who had changed gender since she'd last seen them.
The Doctor argues they're the most civilised civilisation in the universe, billions of years beyond the human obsession with gender and associated stereotypes
"But very behind in other regards." Jack muttered with a glance at the Doctor who didn't refute the claim. They were both aware of the stories that circled the universe about Gallifrey.
Bill points out they call themselves Time Lords, and the Doctor tells her to shut up
"It's a rough translation." The Doctor one-heartedly defended it with a shrug.
The Doctor shares they had a pact, the two of them, every star in the inverse they would see them all. But he thinks Missy was too busy burning them and he doesn't think she saw anything
"I saw a lot." The Master argued hauntingly, eyes locked on the screen.
The Doctor gave him a sad look, "You saw, but you didn't experience." The Master clenched his jaw in answer.
Bill asks that he thinks if she did, she'd change and the Doctor claims to know she would. Bill says he's a bloody idiot, he knows that yeah?
"That's right, tell him Bill." Amy grinned; glad Bill wasn't afraid to tell the Doctor how much of an idiot they were even as she gave into his latest crazy scheme.
"They need a reminder every so often." Donna nodded in agreement with a wide grin. The Doctor just sighed at the pair teaming up on her (again).
The Doctor says of course, and Bill admits Missy really scares her, so asks the Doctor to promise her one thing – just promise he won't get her killed
The group all winced in sync at Bill's words. Another promise the Doctor had broken, intentionally or not, and it ended with Bill's death.
Back in the present on the bridge, Jorj says he's sorry
"You should be a hell of a lot more than sorry." Jack glared at the alien on screen. They'd been terrified, yes, but that wasn't an excuse. The Doctor had been offering them options, but they'd gone straight for murder.
Back at the university in the past, the Doctor counter he can't promise her that. Bill thanks him sarcastically, as the Doctor continues that she's human, and humans are so mortal
The group grimaced; it was rough hearing the pair joke around when they knew how it had gone in reality. However, in some ways it was good that the Doctor hadn't given an empty promise, they had tried to keep Bill aware of the danger involved, even if it hadn't stopped either of them.
The Doctor adds they pop like balloons, one heart – it's their most important organ and they've no back up. Bill slowly topples backwards in the spaceship
The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. The pairing of Bill and the Doctor's conversation with the visual reminder of Bill's fate was hard to watch. Many of the group found themselves glancing between the screen and Bill, to remind themselves that she was with them, safe and altogether lacking a giant hole in her stomach.
Bill says he'll try and keep her alive and the Doctor agrees within reason, Bill thanks him again
"It wasn't enough." The Doctor whispered hoarsely to herself, only Jack and River even noticing she'd spoke.
On the bridge, the Doctor is kneeling by Bill's body when the three lift doors open and figures appear wheeling IV drips, they have ribbed knitted bags over their heads. Nardole asks what they are
Bill, Nardole and the Doctor shared a knowing glance, all very aware of what those things were. Yet, the Doctor couldn't find it in themselves to regret their choice too much. Did they regret not reaching Bill fast enough? Of course. But actually, allowing them to save her? No.
The Doctor tells them they're late and she's already dead, telling them to not touch her. A figure taps at a computer keyboard and a robotic voice says to stand away as she will be repaired. A slower lift arrives and a gurney is wheeled out by two more of the figures. The Doctor asks repaired?
"Strange word choice." Martha pointed out cautiously, everything in her telling her something was very wrong with these people despite the desperate the hope at the idea Bill could be saved.
The figure repats to stand away. The Doctor pushes that they can help her, is that what they mean? Bill is placed gently on the gurney as the Doctor asks where they are going and what are they going to do with her. They repeat repair
"They're not very keen on answers, are they?" Ryan said, watching the figures carefully. They were giving him bad vibes to say the least.
Jorj tells him not to try and stop them as they'll snap him in half. The Doctor asks when they will bring her back and the figure declares they will not
"I think the Doctor's going to disagree with that one." Rory crossed his arms. Getting between the Doctor and a hurt friend was never a good idea if you wanted to survive.
The lift doors close and the Doctor touches the central one leaving Bill a telepathic message to wait for him. Missy asks what he is doing and the Doctor tells her he is leaving a message in her subconscious
Bill's gaze shot to the Doctor who'd been watching her with sad eyes. Bill; nodded in acknowledgement, glad to hear she hadn't been going crazy every time she thought she'd heard the Doctor say those words in the long years she was about to relive.
Jorj asks how as she is dead but the Doctor argues the figures are going to repair her so clearly, she isn't. The Doctor and Missy activate their sonic devices and aim at the three main lifts – a screwdriver and parasol
"Sonic parasol." River remarked, "And I thought the sunglasses were bad."
The comment earned her a glare and scoff from the Master, "It's far better than a screwdriver. Much better reach, more versatile. Good for whacking someone too."
Missy says assumption, the Doctor counters deduction. Missy shoots back hope as the Doctor argues faith. Missy calls him an idiot and the Doctor says always
The group rolled their eyes at the pair, none of them were ever going to understand their relationship, no matter how many videos they watched.
Jorj points his gun at the Doctor telling him to step away from the doors as they'll bring them back
"Ooh, mate. I don't think you want to do that." Mickey shook his head, Jorj was already in dangerous territory with the Doctor, they really didn't want to push their luck.
Missy turns her parasol on Jorj asking why he cares as they aren't even interested in him. Jorj swears to the Doctor, he'll kill him if he doesn't step away from the lift
"You might want to listen to him Doctor," Jack spoke up eyes locked on the screen as if Jorj was an active threat, "He's already killed Bill and he's clearly terrified of those things. He means it." The Doctor didn't answer, just waved to the screen.
The Doctor says don't as he'll only make him angry and Missy says to listen to him. The Doctor asks why and Missy declares if someone kills her and it isn't her, they'll both be disappointed. She then asks what the things were
A few people had to resist the rather strong urge to make a comment about the Master caring about the Doctor, deciding it wasn't worth the risk to their life no matter how safe the Tardis said they were. Still, it went to show that maybe the Doctor wasn't entirely crazy about Missy at least.
Jorj says he doesn't know, lowering his gun. The Doctor asks how he can't know as they're on his ship but Jorj argues the ship was supposed to be empty
"That is decidedly not empty." Graham pointed out redundantly, "How does an empty ship just get people in it?" No one answered him.
Nardole argues it is a colony ship and Jorj explains it is brand new and the colonists hadn't arrived yet. They were on their way to pick them up, a skeleton crew of fifty
"Fifty people down to one." Rose said.
"Question is, what happened to the other 49 people." Martha followed on from Rose's comment, asking the question they were all thinking.
"My bets on it having something to do with the bandage people." Amy decided to add her thought into the discussion.
Bill, Nardole and the Doctor shared a knowing glance but offered no answers to the tense and frustrated group.
Nardole uses the console, bringing up a graphic of the ship with lots of dots mostly at the bottom. Nardole points out it isn't empty now, there are thousands of life readings
"How do you go from fifty to thousands?" Yaz asked, eyebrows furrowed in thought.
"Maybe they were boarded?" Rory offered a theory.
Clara shook her head in disagreement, "Surely they'd notice that?"
"Maybe not with how big the ship is, and the imminent danger of the black hole." Donna offered even as she didn't sound entirely convinced on the matter.
Jorj declares two days ago there was nothing and the readings came out of nowhere
"Two days is a very short time for that many people to appear." Ryan said, the mystery continued to deepen.
Missy says obviously they were boarded and Jorj says no even as Missy continues that their ship was taken over and it happens. The Doctor agrees no, saying this is worse than he thought, much worse. He says there were fifty of them taking a new ship to pick up some colonists, then two days ago they almost bump into a black hole, asking Jorj what they did then
"Oh, oh!" River made the same connection the Doctor just had, eyes darting to the Doctor for confirmation. Her silent question got her a nod of confirmation.
"Care to share River?" Amy raised an eyebrow at her daughter.
River glanced at the Doctor again before answering, "I'm sure the Doctor's just about to explain." No point in having it explained twice.
Jorj says they tried to reverse out of it, and the Doctor adds they sent a team to the other end of the ship to reverse the rear thrusters. Jorj agrees and when the Doctor asks how many, he says about twenty. The Doctor continues they never heard from them again, and then the whole ship just lit up with the new lifeform, right?
"Something happened to the group then." Clara narrowed her eyes, only getting more confused as the Doctor laid out the situation.
Jack's eyes on the other hand lit up as he made the same connection River had moments ago.
Jorj says exactly. The Doctor asks what happened then and Jorj says the creatures arrived and took the rest of the humans. They weren't interested in him, and he tried to fight but they were too strong
"Only one non-human in the crew of fifty. Bit odd." Mickey muttered. He'd have thought there would be more, but apparently not.
Nardole suggests something came out of the black hole but Missy argues nothing comes out of a black hole
"That we're aware of yet, at least." Jack shrugged. They'd all seen a lot of crazy things during their time travelling time and space, you never knew when the universe was going to present something new.
The Doctor says nothing boarded the ship and he's afraid they'll never see the crew again. A black hole and a four-hundred-mile spaceship - it's a matter of time
"Very literally." Bill muttered in disdain; the whole experience had been painful in many ways for her.
He pulls his sonic apart to reveal a magic marker pen telling the group to pay attention
"You know, I can see you as a university lecturer now." Martha snorted, Eyebrows with the whiteboard screamed teacher.
Bill perked up slightly. She was kind of interested in seeing the explanation in normal time, seeing as she'd only experienced it very slowed down, it's be cool to see it in actual time and with audio.
Down the other end of the ship, in a conversion theatre. Every room's door has a display with two relative times: Floor 0000 day 02 10 hours 45 minutes 17 seconds. Floor 1056 day 365034 12 hours 31 minutes 2 seconds and counting. Bill's eyes open slowly
"Time is different across the ship." Rose realised as she saw the timers. The Doctor had implied it but not outright explained how yet.
"Bill!" Yaz cheered at seeing her open her eyes. The whole group was happy to see her alive at least, though how they weren't sure and the consequences (because there was always consequences) hadn't presented themselves yet.
A surgeon greets her, telling her not to try and speak, just relax she'll be fine as full conversion wasn't necessary yet, just sleep now
"Conversion?" Ryan muttered; eyebrows furrowed in thought. He didn't like the implications of that word.
Bill grimaced at the reminder of what was still to come. Nardole and the Doctor shared a look, they'd been so close to getting down in time, but they'd been just too late to save Bill.
In the recovery room as little later, Bill is semi-conscious and spots a shadowy figure flit by – a man with beard and long hair, Razor
Bill scowled at the sight of Razor, she was going to be watching this and trying to see all the signs that hinted to Razor's real identity. All the clues she'd been blind too at the time. She purposely ignored the smirk that the Master sent her, the knot in her stomach unwinding slightly when she realised the Doctor was glaring him down for her.
The Doctor glared at the Master until he turned his attention back to the screen, she was hoping that no one made the connection to Razor's identity yet. Though she was sure Martha and Jack were going to have a fit when they realised.
Razor says awake is it, good, settle. He leaves and Bill struggles to sit up finding a box-like structure on her chest roughly where the hole was. She grabs at it through the opening in her robe and we can see lights in it
"What have they done to you?" Martha asked shocked at the sight of the box.
Bill rubbed at her chest unconsciously as she answered Martha with a grimace, "They repaired me."
She finds the Doctor's implanted message to wait for him, and calls to the Doctor thinking she can see him but he vanishes
"The message. It worked." Rory commented more to himself than anything. At least Bill knew the Doctor would be trying to come get her, how long it would take though was the issue.
A robotic voice chants pain
"Sounds like fun." Amy grimaced.
Bill gets out of bed and takes hold of her IV as she looks at the time display, waking out into a corridor which runs to the conversion theatre past several doors. There is a red light glowing outside and a faint drill sound from the theatre
"Very creepy." Mickey muttered, eyeing the screen warily. The whole hospital vibe was giving him the creeps.
An emotionless voice repeats pain, Bill looks into a ward with people lying in beds. The sign above the door says IN, the opposite one says OUT
"Remind me to never visit." Donna declared; arms crossed at the sight. How Bill had survived anytime in the place was escaping her.
Bill enters the out ward; patients are slumped in wheelchairs with their heads covered in bags fastened to their necks by metal collars. One patient at the far end jabs his pad with his finger
"What is wrong with all of them?" Graham asked, getting more and more horrified as Bill continued her exploration of the hospital-like place.
The only answer the group got was the dark look Bill, Nardole and the Doctor exchanged. No one noticed the Master's smirk.
Pain. Pain. On repeat
"Can they say anything else?" Mickey asked with a grimace.
"Why isn't anyone helping them?" Martha elbowed her husband, to correct him.
Bill leans towards it and it reaches back for her but a nurse comes in asking who is making all the noise. Bill hides behind the floor-length curtain as a well-built woman and hairy man enter (Razor)
"Ah the age old, hide behind the curtain trick." Jack chuckled to himself. To be fair to Bill there wasn't really many other options for hiding.
The nurse approaches the patient asking what's wrong with them making all the noise. Razor notice Bill's IV by the curtain and when she looks out, he gestures for her to hide
Bill sighed quietly; Razor had done so much to gain her trust only to betray her in the end. She hadn't had anyone else to rely on, so she'd leaned so heavily on her and she paid for it. Of the three Master regenerations she'd known (either during her travels or from being in the room) Missy was her favourite, which wasn't saying much but she was at least much better than Razor.
The nurse adjusts the knob on the patient's drip saying that's better before turning to Razor to say they may as well do the rounds, Razor agrees
"So, he works there?" Rory asked, curiously.
Bill and the Doctor shared a look, before Bill answered. "You could say that."
Bill looks out again and he gestures for her to hide as he closes the ward doors following the nurse out. Bill comes out and sees the patient still jabbing his keyboard but there is no sound. She looks to the top of the drip and sees a volume knob, turning it back up
"Did the nurse just mute him?" Yaz asked appalled. The nurse hadn't tried to help the poor figure, just muted them so they couldn't share their pain. She could understand why Bill was hiding from the nurse.
The voice repeats pain, Bill apologises and turns the volume down again
The group grimaced but couldn't disagree with Bill's choice, they likely would have done the same in her place.
She apologises again before crossing to the patient opposite and turns up the volume on that one, the patient says kill him repeatedly
"That's horrible. What is this place?" Rose asked getting increasingly horrified about where Bill had ended up. Still the group received no answers.
Bill says sorry, then goes to the window and looks out to the dirty high-rise city to the ceiling labelled 1056. The second patient gets up behind her unseen, reaching for her neck before collapsing as Razor stands behind it having hit it in the back of the head, he grins and asks if she would like some tea
"What have you got yourself into this time Doctor?" River stated, not glancing away from the screen. The group was starting to understand why Bill and the Doctor kept saying things only got worse.
The Doctor, contrarily, was split between watching Bill and the screen. They hadn't had much time for in depth explanations of everything that happened between them being separated and the reunion, so the Doctor was morbidly curious to see what had happened with Bill and Razor in the time between.
Razor leads Bill down the corridor as she asks about the patient, Razor reassured her it is alright as they don't feel pain
"I would disagree heavily with that statement." Martha grimaced.
Bill thinks they do and Razor admits they do, saying it was a clever lie when she asks. Bill asks what they are and Razor tells her they're people
"People." Amy mused, "The old crewmembers and their descendants."
Bill asks him what they are doing to them and Razor says they're curing them, scuttling down the corridor and showing her his home
"Curing them from what?" Yaz mumbled, eyes on the screen. She had a very good guess what those patients were going to be, but that didn't mean she knew why they needed to be 'cured'.
In Razor's room there are lots of shelves and tacks with odd bits and bobs. Razor asks if she wants the good tea or the bad tea, Bill asks the difference, and Razor admits he calls one good and one bad
"Ah, it's that kind of place." Donna snorted.
Bill says she'll take the good one and Razor says great, positive attitude which will help with the horror to come
"Oh great." Martha declared, voice dripping with sarcasm at Razor's declaration. No one noticed the look that Bill and the Doctor shared.
Bill asks what horror and Razor says mainly the tea. She asks where she is, and Razor tells her the hospital
"That really clears things up." Clara snorted with little humour.
Bill pushes where and Razor says she's on the ship, confusing Bill as the ship she was on wasn't like this. Razor explains she was at the top and now she's at the bottom of the ship
"Which means it should be easy for the Doctor and Nardole to find her, right?" Ryan asked giving the Doctor a hopeful expression, the Doctor couldn't even hide their pained look.
Bill is still confused so Razor brings out a tin of beans for show and tell, explaining again. Bill asks how she got there
"The elevators must go right across the ship." Rose reasoned, seeing no other way they could have taken Bill down. Theoretically that meant Nardole and the Doctor only had to take the elevator down to the floor Bill was on, but she had the feeling it wouldn't be that easy.
Razor says she was very sick, heartbroken, now she has a new heart, it's good isn't it
"A very literal broken heart." Rory frowned at the description.
"More like an incinerated one." Amy couldn't help but comment as she thought back to the visual of Bill with a hole through her chest. Then she winced, "Sorry Bill." Bill just waved her off with a shrug, it was true.
Bill admits she hasn't dared look yet; Razor tells her it is shiny and good and she can carry it off and not everyone can, some look very vending machine. He hands her a mug and tells her to drink it while it is very hot as the pain will disguise the taste
"Sorry have they given you a robotic heart or something?" Mickey blinked, not having registered the meaning of Razor's words initially.
"Or something." Bill grimaced but refused to elaborate. They'd all see shortly. The rest of the room shared a worried glance, this video really wasn't a pretty one.
Bill asks how long she's been there and Razor says many weeks, maybe months
"I'm sorry what?" Rory asked, still confused about the time thing on the ship.
"The Doctor will explain … eventually." Bill gave him a sympathetic look.
Razor says it is good as she gets strong but Bill argues she came there with people, her friends. Razor says they don't look bad, gesturing to the screen
"Security cameras! You can watch them." Rose perked up interested at the development.
Bill laughed, "Yep, trust me very entertaining." That earned a few laughs of agreement from the wider group while Nardole and Bill shared a look.
Bill realises it is her friends, Razor says he knows and made the picture for her. Bill asks where they are now and are they okay, Razor says they're fine, just look. Bill pushes again asking if they are okay now
Bill didn't look away from the screen, conscious of the weight of the Doctor's eyes on the side of her head and aware of what expression the Doctor was going to be giving her. She didn't want to see it right now.
Razor sits at a desk and explains that is them now, live. Bill argues the picture is frozen and Razor says no, Bill continues it is as they're not moving
"No." Clara realised, "They're just in slow motion. Time moves faster at one end of the ship!"
The Doctor gave her a small proud smile, though it wasn't the entire story.
Razor says her friends are at the top of the ship which is very slow and they are at the bottom which is very fast, laughing. Bill doesn't understand, and Razor realises she doesn't know, Bill asks about what?
"I echo that question." Ryan admitted, glancing between the screen and the Doctor still confused.
Back on the bridge, we're back with the Doctor using his pen to draw on a glass screen
"Time for that explanation." Jack grinned.
"And a whole lot of showing off." River added with a knowing look at her wife.
The Doctor explains the short version is the black hole causes time to move faster at one end of the ship than the other due to gravity. The gravity slows down time and the closer you are to the source of gravity the slower times moves. Jorj looks confused. The Doctor says if you stand in your garden, your head is travelling faster through time than your feet, don't they teach them this stuff at space school?
"Be nice Doctor." Clara sighed.
With Razor, the scanner shows the end of the scene. Bill is now in a baggy woollen jumper as Razor sits in an armchair reading. Bill points out the Doctor's raised eyebrow saying that's his sarcasm face, so he's making a joke
"Oh, Bill." The Doctor muttered sadly. She'd been so alone that she'd had to rely on Razor and the very very slowly moving video of them at the top of the ship. If only she'd been quicker with their explanation than maybe they would have made it in time to save Bill before it was too late. Bill kept her eyes on the screen in an attempt to ignore the sympathetic and pitying looks she knew she was getting.
Razor counters he's been raising the eyebrow for a week. Bill asks when he's going to tell her, and Razor asks tell her what, Bill says how she can get back up there
The group winced at the idea of Bill being stuck down in the creepy hospital largely alone for so long, and her only companions being the Doctor (and Nardole) on screen, and Razor who wasn't answering her questions.
Razor apologises but he already told her she can't leave. The nurse comes in asking what Bill is doing there and Razor says she works for him now. The nurse counter everyone there works for her an there is a floor out there needing cleaning
"You became a janitor?" Mickey asked curiously.
Bill shrugged, "It killed some time." And kept her in the nurse' good books largely.
Bill sarcastically says she's running all the way. The nurse says she knows she dreams of leaving; Bill says her? Never. The nurse taps Bill's chest telling her it is her heart now and outside the hospital it will stop working
"Well, that's oddly convenient." Amy narrowed her eyes, "For them anyway."
Bill mutters it is a good thing they have all those locks in case she wanders off, adding she better get mopping and telling Razor to not change the channel. Razor says a week, raising his eyebrow, why would he change it
"Is there even anything else on?" Rose wondered. Bill shrugged; she hadn't even really considered it.
The Doctor's attention, however, was on the Master. He'd been watching them for all this time, preparing for their arrival. Had he even known for sure about Missy? Had Bill told him about them? So many questions, but none she could ask Bill right now.
On the bridge, Jorj admits he's basically the janitor and the Doctor says that is a good job but he has to concentrate more. In Razor's room, more time has passed as the screen shows the Doctor flipping his screwdriver. Bill says he's doing an explanation and that always takes a while
"Hey!" The Doctor protested in good nature, barely hiding her grin as Bill cheered up. Other members of the group joined in on the laughter at the Doctor's expense, glad for any excuse at this point.
Razor says the months will fly by. On the bridge, the Doctor explains a black hole is superman gravity and the best way to slow down time, the trouble is one end of the ship is closer to the gravity than the other
"So basically, black hole gravity makes time funky across ship. Top is slow, bottom is fast." Martha summarised, earning a bit of a reluctant nod from the Doctor at the crude wording.
Bill is mopping the floor. On floor 0 it is Day 2, 10 hours, 45 minutes, and on Bill's floor it is day 365433, 10 hours, 2 minutes, 21 seconds. She sees the doors at the end of the ward are slightly open and the patients turn their heads to watch, alarms beeping. She shuts the door stopping the beeping. Bill sees the Doctor's message again and asks how much longer, how many more years?
"Years?" Yaz asked solemnly, "How long was it for you Bill?" She couldn't help but ask the other woman.
Bill sighed, glanced once at the screen than at the Doctor before she met the expectant eyes of the group. "Ten years."
No one knew what to say to that, contemplating it silently as the video continued in the background.
On the bridge, Jorj asks about the lifeforms, what are they and where did they all come from? The Doctor explains they are the descendants of his crewmates, what has been two days for him is generations for them
"A lot of inbreeding eventually." Mickey couldn't help but comment, "What?" He responded to the looks he was given from the rest of the group, surely, they were thinking it too. Twenty people having kids together would eventually lead to inbreeding.
Jorj starts to ask something else and the Doctor says look before grabbing his arm and spins him into a summersault
"Was that really necessary?" River sighed, shaking her head at her wife.
The Doctor grinned unrepentant. "Yep."
In Razor's room, Bill is standing in the doorway watching a hooded figure standing outside the conversion room, she asks why he won't ever explain and what kind of treatment it is
"That's a long time to go with no explanations." Rose muttered with a frown.
Razor counters he does explain and those are special patients. Bill asks when the bags come off their head and Razor says they don't as conversion is permanent. Bill asks why and Razors says they are dying, all of them on the ship
"I mean everyone is technically dying. What are these people dying of that requires this weird treatment?" Martha asked, the doctor in her at full alert.
Bill, Nardole and the Doctor shared a knowing glance but provided no answers to the rest of the group. Though some people were getting more and more suspicious, as things got more familiar.
The nurse leads a group of patients down the corridor as Razor continues that they are the cure, the future. One of the patients holds out its hands and says die, me, die on repeat
"Sounds like a great future." Ryan grimaced. Those things would never fail to give him the creeps.
Razor finishes that to survive they all must become that, and he will show her. He hands her a scarf and coat as she asks where they are going. Razor tells her outside, and waits for her to hurry up as she remembers the Doctor's message
The group all perked up, very curious to see the outside of the hospital that Bill had remained trapped in for so long.
"Wait, I thought the nurse said you couldn't leave with your heart?" Rory spoke up worried
Bill gave him a reassuring smile (or at least attempted one), "I'd be fine for a short amount of time as long as I didn't go too far."
They enter the city with inhabitants slouching about streets, hanging their heads. Bill comments on how sick everyone seems.
"Real cheery place, that is." Graham remarked with a frown.
Razor explains it was a good place once, centuries ago with the first settlers but the ship is old and everyone is dying. They must evolve to survive but evolution is not fast enough, the special patients are strong and soon they will all be upgraded like them
"Upgraded?" Clara muttered quietly to herself, a sinking feeling in her stomach. She was starting to think she knew what was happening to those special patients.
A queue of citizens is escorted by patients to the hospital as Bill says they're in pain. Razor tells her the pain will be cured and exodus will begin. Bill asks about exodus and Razor explains the operation to leave the city by climbing the ship and taking command
"I mean it's just the one guy. I don't think it will be that hard." Mickey pointed out. Excluding the Doctor, Nardole and Missy of course, but they were too busy trying to save Bill.
Bill says they can just go up now but Razor counters they have to be strong. Bill points out there are lifts but Razor persists there are many dangers
"On a formerly empty ship?" Donna raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Razor definitely wasn't telling Bill everything.
Bill says she's been up there and there is a friend of hers that could help. Razor argues she doesn't understand and many years ago there was an expedition to floor 507, the largest solar farm, and they never came back, something is up there and they must be strong
Bill, Nardole and the Doctor shared a look, they were very aware of what was on those upper floors.
An alarm buzzes and Bill gasps in pain
"Time's up." Martha frowned. Bill's time away from the hospital being limited was not going to make a rescue attempt easy.
A voice tells her to return to the hospital and Razor points out she must be strong to leave the hospital and she will be soon, very soon
Bill grimaced at the reminder of what 'Razor' meant about being strong.
On the bridge, Jorj lands on his back with a thud as the Doctor apologises as they're pressed for time
"And yet you're dragging out the explanation." River rolled her eyes at her wife. However instead of the sheepish expression she was expecting, the Doctor's face darkened making her pause. Something was about to go seriously wrong.
Nardole comments that was good and the Doctor remarks it was Venusian Akido
The Master rolled his eyes, speaking up from his little corner for the first time in a while. He'd been watching the ongoing video with mixed emotions as he could remember being both of the versions on the ship and they'd had very different motives for everything, yet they'd ended up the same way. "I thought I'd finally escaped your love for that stupid martial art."
The Doctor just gave him an unabashed grin that made him roll his eyes again at her antics. Some things really didn't change.
Nardole thought four arms were needed for it and the Doctor counters he has many hidden talents as well as hidden arms
"One of those yes, the other no." Jack called out the Doctor's nonsense with a chuckle.
His sonic calls the central lift, as down below Razor is cooking and Bill is yawning seeing the trio by the lift in the scanner
"About time." Bill muttered quietly. She'd accepted what had happened on that ship a long time ago, but having to relive it like this and see everything she hadn't experienced the first time made it hard.
On the bridge, Nardole points out it has been ten minutes so Bill must have been down there for years, the Doctor knows. Nardole suggest they take the Tardis and go back and get it right just as the lift arrives, the Doctor counters that he'd never be able to pilot her accurately this close to a blackhole
"As if you ever pilot her correctly." Donna stated loudly, eyebrows raised in disbelief at the Doctor's statement.
The Doctor pouted, "Yes, well. Fine, it would be almost impossible to land anywhere near Bill. The lifts were the only option."
In Razor's room, Bill asks if he thinks they're coming down, and if so where does the lift arrive, just asking. Razor declares she is dear to him, the dearest person, she is like -
Bill scowled at the floor; Razor's act was far more obvious now that she knew who he really was. She couldn't help but feel embarrassed for having fallen for it for so long, she'd just been so lonely.
Bill says she knows and Razor finishes with a mother to him
The statement surprised laughs and chuckles out of the tense group. They all had the foreboding feeling that things were just about to really kick off, and based on the little Bill, Nardole and the Doctor had shared so far – that wasn't going to end well.
Bill counters definitely not a mother, and argues against aunt too. Razor says that is a question she must not ask, as if she does, he might tell her
"Well now she's going to ask." Mickey pointed out. Though whether that was a good thing the group was still left to wait and see.
Bill hugs him and then apologises as guess what she is about to do, Razor tells her not to but Bill says she is going to ask again. Razor comments it hurts his heart when she hugs him
"I bet it does." Just not in the way she'd first thought he'd meant it.
Bill says it is sweet but Razor corrects her that her chest unit digs in
Another round of surprised chuckles distracted them from the look Bill and the Doctor shared.
In the corridor, Razor wears a domino mask as Bill asks if he is sure about the mask, Razor argues it is a burgling mask
"Why does he have that?" Rory asked perplexed.
"He likes disguises." Bill answered through gritted teeth, doing her best to not glance at the Master in the room with them. The Doctor let out a quiet snort that went unnoticed by the still confused group, Bill's answer hadn't cleared up much for them, in fact it left them with more questions.
Bill asks why and Razor says just in case, he shushes her the next time she asks a question. Bill shines a torch down the corridor towards the conversion theatre
Bill shook her head at her past self on screen, she'd been so naïve and trusting. She hadn't suspected anything until it was too late. If she'd just held on a little bit longer the Doctor would have arrived in time, and who knows how things would have gone.
The Doctor tensed in her seat; eyes latched onto the screen as she realised what was about to happen. Jack and River noticed her change in manner and exchanged a look over her head, both sharing the same thought. Things were about to get a whole lot worse.
Bill argues it is locked and Razor holds up a key
"Convenient." Clara narrowed her eyes at Razor on screen. Something about him and this whole situation wasn't sitting right with her.
Bill asks where he got it and Razor claims to have burglary skills as they don't let anyone wear a mask like that. Bill points out the key has his name on the label and Razor admits he has the key as he cleans up on Wednesdays
"He's had it the whole time?" Amy asked, joining Clara in narrowing her eyes at the screen. Suspicions building, "Why only use it now? What's changed?"
Bill and the Doctor shared a look, they both knew what had changed. The Doctor and Nardole were on their way, Razor's game was only just beginning.
In the conversion theatre, Bill sees a pair of patients slumped motionless by the wall and gasps, Razor grabs her. He says it is alright and they are a work in progress. Bill asks where to find the lifts and Razor says it is through there somewhere, saying he likes the patient's hat
"You'd think he'd know exactly where they are seeing as he's worked here so long." Rose pointed out. The whole group was getting suspicious of where exactly this was going; something just didn't feel right about the whole thing.
He taps the top of the patient's head and comments he will ask for a hat when it is his turn, Bill asks about his turn
Bill snorted, there was never going to be a turn for Razor.
The light comes on and reveals an operating table with lots of surgical instruments laid out. A surgeon declares he's afraid it is Bill's turn, thanking Razor for bringing her
"No!" Several people exclaimed at the same time. They didn't know what the surgery actually meant but they all knew it was bad. Bill couldn't go through it.
Bill's eyes were locked firmly on the screen, jaw clenched. She had to see this through, for better or worse.
The two patients stand up and take hold of Bill, as Razor says the surgeon sees through his mask, taking it off. Bill begs him to tell her he didn't but Razor tells her it is for her own good, to make her strong and ready for exodus. The surgeon apologises for the deception as it is best to get people there without them knowing why, they don't want screaming in the main part of the hospital
"That's all he has to say after betraying you?" Mickey shouted in disbelief, angry at Razor's betrayal after having supposedly looked after and kept Bill company for a decade. The Doctor was so close!
Bill tells them not to touch her, the surgeon continues her unit won't last forever and she needs the full upgrade. Bill declares they aren't going to make her into one of those things and the surgeon tells her he is rebuilding her to survive in a world not made for flesh
A few members of the group gasped, eyes widening as they finally pulled all the puzzle pieces together to complete the jigsaw. Humans only. Conversion. Upgrade. Non-flesh. Things were starting to make horrifying sense.
Bill tells him to look at them, as they're screaming in pain every second they're alive, the surgeon says they have something for that now. He picks up a handle-like piece saying it won't stop her feeling pain but will stop her caring about it, and it fits over their heads
"Cybermen." Rose announced, voice lacking any emotion. "They're Cybermen."
The revelation shocked the group into silence, leaving them to watch the horror unfold onscreen unable to do anything and unsure what to say. They'd all tangled with the Cybermen during their travels with the Doctor but none of them had ever come this close to actually being converted into one.
It also gave them too much hope for Bill's escape seeing as she was very much not a Cybermen in the room with them.
Outside, the lift arrives and the Doctor gets out first
"Come on Doctor. No time to spare." Clara muttered, urging the Doctor on screen to hurry up for once. No one pointed out that it was in the past and there was nothing they could do, all sharing the same urge as Clara.
He welcomes the other two to the new time zone, and not knowing the differential he doesn't know how much time has passed so they need to find out more about the ship. Nardole says he's on it but the Doctor tells Missy to do it as Nardole is with him, Nardole argues he's the computer guy, that's his job
"Oh, poor Nardole." Bill tried to break the tension, teasing Nardole.
It didn't work.
The Doctor apologises but she's clever, Nardole adds she's more evil and Missy says it is the same thing
"Not really." Yaz argued.
The Doctor counters it really isn't, Missy says it is a little bit. Nardole tries to interrupt and Missy thanks him as the Doctor calls for Nardole, walking away
"Quick! Find Bill!" Amy waved at the Doctor on screen as if it would make a difference.
Nardole follows the Doctor out of sight, and Razor peeks round the corner at Missy working on the computer console. He says hello and Missy says it back telling him to maintain a distance of at least three feet as she's trying not to kil anyone today and keeping his major arteries out of reach would be very helpful
Missy's statement earned a few raised eyebrows from the group, the majority of them unused to a Master that didn't immediately start with the killing. The Doctor had a quick smile, proud of Missy, before it dipped as she remembered what was about to unfold.
Razor laughs saying he's so been looking forward to meeting her, Missy sarcastically says she's happy for him. Razor continues he was watching her on the screen and it took him a while to work out who she was
"How does he know who Missy is?" Martha asked, eyes narrowing at Razor in suspicion. Now that she looked closely, he seemed oddly familiar.
Jack frowned, "I think the better question is who is Razor?"
Bill, Nardole and the Doctor all exchanged a knowing look. This wasn't going to be pretty.
The Doctor and Nardole enter the conversion theatre through a back door, the Doctor sonics the main light on as Nardole turns and gasps at the patients, again slumped against the walls. The table is now empty of instruments
"Come on, come on. Don't be too late." Ryan urged the Doctor and Nardole. The empty operating table and Razor being busy either meant Bill had escaped, they had arrived just in time, … or they were too late. They all knew which one they'd prefer.
Nardole remarks there is always a scary thing with him isn't there and the Doctor replies he's only just getting that now
"You'd have thought you'd have learnt that by now, Nardole." Bill mumbled with a raised eyebrow. This adventure had been particularly bad but it wasn't the only scary one they'd undertaken.
With Missy, she finds some information saying it is interesting as she assumed the ship was from Earth, full of squishable humans, but it isn't
"But they're human?" Rose asked confused, that was why Bill had been taken.
The Doctor nodded, "Yes, but this is far in the future. Humans don't just live on Earth at this time."
Razor says she doesn't remember him, does she
"Remember him?" Clara frowned, things were somehow simultaneously making a lot of sense and no sense at all.
Missy is looking at an image of a planet similar to Earth, saying it is an earth-like planet but not Erath itself, a twin if planets had one
"Mondas." River's eyes widened, making the connection from Missy's clues.
Razor continues she doesn't remember being here before, does she
The Doctor glanced at the Master in the room with them, Razor had clearly put together the pieces of Missy's identity and that she'd come after him in terms of regeneration. Yet, whatever happened to Missy and Razor after they ran off together had contributed to locking away Missy's memories of the repeat event. Alongside the effect of there being two of them in one place – that always made memories of the younger regeneration fuzzy.
Missy counters she's never been there before and will he stop wittering or she'll have to splat his brains for finger print. Razor says she has been there before and she can really trust him on that
The group was tense, leaning forward in their seats, hands clenched. The mystery was killing them; they'd already worked out the patients were Cybermen but they still weren't positive on Bill's fate and Razor's identity was only serving to confuse them further.
Missy mutters about which planet as Nardole is doing his computer thing in the conversion theatre. He shares there is a lot of genetics and bio-engineering plus some stuff about something called Operation Exodus. Another door opens to reveal a pair of silver boots and the Doctor moved to look at it, lights flicker in a plastic box further up the body and it moves forward awkwardly
"Doctor!" Amy exclaimed at the familiar sight of a Cybermen. The Doctor on screen was unaware of the danger present in the hospital, so he wouldn't be expecting the Cybermen to emerge.
The Doctor just frowned; eyes misty as she glanced over at Bill. No one made the connection, more out of stubbornness than out of naivety.
Missy finally gets a planetary ID, saying to look at that, the ship is from Mondas. In the conversion room, the silver figure stomps forward and the Doctor declares it is a cyberman, a Mondasian cyberman
"Run!" Yaz urged. The origin of the Cybermen wasn't important, getting away from it before it decided to shoot was.
Missy calls for the Doctor and Razor mocks her, pointing a gun at her
Martha narrowed her eyes at the screen. That voice and face was very familiar actually, where did she know it from? It was on the tip of her tongue.
Missy says to listen to her as she may be about to take the silly gun from him. Razor remarks he'll never forgive him, never set you free, not when he discovers what she did to his little friend
"Missy hadn't done anything. She was with the Doctor." Clara argued. Why she was attempting to defend Missy she wasn't sure.
Missy says she hasn't done anything to his silly little friend, Razor apologies but she did, a long time ago
"No." Martha's eyes widened in horror, gaze flitting to Jack who shot straight up having made the same connection.
"Doctor…" Jack grounded out; teeth gritted. His eyes not leaving the screen even as he questioned the Doctor.
"I'm sorry Jack." The Doctor whispered hoarsely. The video was bad for her, Bill and Nardole for obvious reasons; but it was also going to be bad for Martha and Jack who had to have the reminder of what the old Master had done to them. The video continued before anyone else could say anything, or question the three.
The Doctor comments the cyberman is brand new, fresh out of the factory and not ready for a fight. Nardole argues it does look a little ready and the Doctor asks about Bill Potts, where is she? The cyberman says Doc-tor
"Oh God." Rose's hand slept to cover her mouth; eyes wide as she realised what had happened to Bill. The Doctor didn't have any clues to suggest what had happened to Bill yet, but the video had shown them all they had to know to make the connection.
"No, Bill." Yaz's eyes latched onto Bill who was frowning at the floor.
"But how are you-?" Rory asked, waving at Bill's very much non-Cybermen state.
Bill finally looked up, giving the group a sad smile; "Just watch. It will explain everything … I think." She wasn't ready to explain the rest of the mess yet to come to the group. They'd have to watch to find out.
The Doctor says it knows her, the cyberman says he is her Doc-tor. Outside the lift, Missy asks if she is supposed to know what he's talking about and would it help him focus if she extracted some of his vital organs to make a lovely soup. Razor counters she'd never be so self-destructive
"Oh." Clara's eyes widened at that comment, "Oh, no." That put a whole new dangerous twist on this mess. The Cybermen were bad enough, two Master's was not what the group needed.
Yaz, Ryan, and Graham exchanged a horrified look also making the connection of Razors identity. The Master seemed to like complex plans involving the Cybermen, and that wasn't something that had started with their Doctor if this video was to be believed. The Doctor and Bill were right about this video not being a pleasant one.
Missy says so what, and Razor adds neither would he, tossing the gun aside
The lack of (obvious) weapons was not reassuring to anyone. All those that had made the connection (those that had known a version of the Master) knew all too well how dangerous the Master was without any weapons, two of them was a nightmare waiting to happen. Or rather, currently happening on video to Bill, Nardole and the Doctor in the past.
The Doctor backs away as the cyberman advances, he tells her to listen as they mean her no harm, they're passing through looking for his friend Bill Potts. The cyberman repeats Bill Potts and the Doctor agrees, saying she is part of the neural net, can she find her
"Oh Doctor." River closed her eyes briefly. The Doctor wasn't going to take it well when he found out the Cybermen was Bill.
Outside the lift, Razor declares he loves disguises, does she still like disguises? He adds it is obviously necessary when you happen to be a former Prime Minister, he pulls off his mask to reveal Harold Saxon, or the Master
"The Master." Martha announced through gritted teeth for the few who hadn't made the connection already (due to not having the experience of dealing with any version of the Master).
The Master in the room gave her a smirk, "Bringing back fond memories, Dr Jones?"
Martha levelled her own glare at him, "That's Dr Smith to you." She turned away from him, refusing to give him the attention he craved.
"How is he alive Doctor?" Jack turned to the Doctor for answers.
The Doctor grimaced, managing a sympathetic smile for Jack and Martha as she answered, "I don't know the exact details, but I'm sure they'll answer for me." If the Master had mentioned it during one of their monologues, they didn't remember. There had been quite a lot of things on their mind at the time.
"Two Masters, the Cybermen, and a giant ship with messed up times." Clara listed off the problems the Doctor, Bill and Nardole were currently facing on screen, "This is bound to go well."
The cyberman accesses the records as Nardole tells the Doctor to get back from it. The cyberman locates Bill Potts, she is Bill Potts
Despite already having worked out what had happened to Bill, they still let out gasps from hearing it said out loud. There was no room left for doubts or hope anymore.
Still, a sliver of hope lingered. Bill wasn't a Cybermen currently, so something had to have happened. They could only hope that the videos revealed what exactly.
Outside, the Master greets Missy and introduces himself saying he's very worried about his future, give him a kiss
That earned grimaces and groans from the group at the thought of the pair of Masters flirting with each other. Things were going to be bad enough, having to watch them flirt the whole time was something else.
The Doctor tells Bill to talk to him, what have they done to her? Nardole says it is operation exodus whatever that is. Missy interrupts that it is the wrong name to start, she stands on Cyber-Bill's right shoulder
"So much for being good." Clara muttered; arms crossed. The second she met herself or given a choice Missy went straight back to choosing evil. How the Doctor kept giving them chances no one would understand.
The Doctor, however, frowned. She thought back to their first arrival in the room here, the Master had claimed they'd been coming back, it seemed this video would reveal if she really had been.
Cyber-Bill says she waited. Missy continues it isn't really an exodus, more of a beginning. The Master moves to stand by Cyber-Bill's left shoulder, adding he'd call it a genesis
"Forget the angel and devil on your shoulder. That's just two devils." Amy snorted. The image of the two Master's on either side of Cyberman-Bill really summarised the mess they'd managed to get into, in a reasonably short amount of time (for the Doctor and Nardole anyway).
Missy comments he's met the ex as the Master continues specifically the genesis of the cybermen. Cyber-Bill reaches for the Doctor repeating she waited for him
"I'm sorry Bill." The Doctor whispered; eyes closed tight briefly.
We zoom into a weeping eye behind the blank round lens of the Cyberman helmet, it leaks out to form the Cybus Cyberman eyepiece design
"Wait, it's just done?!" Yaz protested, arms waving as the screen went black.
The Doctor blinked in surprise, "Apparently this is another one that's been split into two. Anyone want a break? Stretch your legs, get a drink?"
She was met with a series of raised eyebrows and determined looks from the group, as none of them even moved an inch.
"You really think any of us are going to be able to have a break with that cliff-hanger of a mess hanging over us?" Donna snorted with no humour, "You're very much mistaken Doctor. Play the next one."
"Bill?" The Doctor glanced at the young woman, concerned for how she was doing having to relive all of this, and aware of what was still to come.
Bill managed a tight smile which came out more of a grimace than anything. "I'm alright. Let's get this over with."
The Doctor nodded; eyes soft as she watched Bill. "Okay, guess we're continuing then."
