Halfway Out Of The Dark || The Doctor

Rise of the Cybermen

"Okay, that's weird." Rose said as she stepped back, "But he's real!

"Trust me on this." the poster continued.

"He's a success!" Rose laughed, "He was always planning these daft little schemes; health-food drinks an' stuff. Everyone said they were useless, but he did it!"

The Artist put her hands on Rose's shoulders and turned the blonde to look her in the eye, while the Doctor positioned himself to block Rose's view of the poster. "Rose, listen to us." the Artist said gently but firmly, "That man is not your father. Your father died when you were six months old."

"She's right." the Doctor added, "That is not your Pete, but a Pete. For all we know, he's got his own Jackie, his own Rose. His own daughter who is someone else, but not you." he told her firmly.

"You can't see him, Rose." the Artist finished, "Not ever." Rose gave a tiny nod and the Artist flashed her sonic screwdriver at the poster to shut it up before leading Rose away.

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The Time Lords left the humans at the bench they'd landed by and went inside the TARDIS to see if there was anything they could do. Presently, Mickey came in. "We told you to keep an eye on her!" the Doctor scolded.

"She's alright." Mickey waved him off. He'd had enough of hearing Rose whinging on and on about her dad, so had gone inside to get a break from it.

"She goes wandering off, parallel world, it's like a gingerbread house!" the Doctor said pointedly, "All those temptations calling out."

"Oh, so it's just Rose then?" Mickey glared, "Nothing out there to tempt me?"

"I'm sure there's loads out there to tempt you, Mickey." the Artist told him, "But we know you have more sense than that." Mickey felt better at that. The Artist had always treated him better than the Doctor did.

The Doctor turned to the inactive console. "If I could just get this thing to..." he grumbled, kicking the console in frustration, then walked over to the jump seat, scowling.

"Did that help?" Mickey asked sarcastically.

"Yes." the Doctor grunted.

"Did that hurt?"

"Yes. Ow!" the Doctor groaned, sitting down and clutching his foot.

"Serves you right." the Artist told him, "You wanna hit the console, use the mallet, that's what it's for."

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Meanwhile, Rose was strolling along the river bank and settled down on a bench, deep in thought. Airships were chugging softly in the sky overhead. Rose looked up to see one fly right above her, a prominent logo on it's underside. Rose's phone bleeped and she took it out of her pocket to see the home screen display the message; Welcome- free trial period. Rose accepted it and the screen now showed a news broadcast.

"And it's good news for Great Britain as John Lumic returns to the country of his birth." the newsreader said, "Mr Lumic, the inventor of high-contact metal has denied allegations of ill health."

The footage changed to show an ill-looking elderly man sitting in a wheelchair. "We're all flesh and blood, but the brain is making us human." he said, "And my mind is more creative than ever."

The footage then returned to the newsreader, who talked about shares in something called Cybus Industries then talked about a Torchwood Institute. Rose tuned all this out and looked at the airship flying above her again. She recognised the logo on the bottom as the Cybus Industries logo that the news feed was displaying and realised that this John Lumic was on board that airship.