Baby Pond

Cold Blood

(Same outfit as last chapter)

Lizzie holds onto the Doctor's hand as they walk through the city "This place is enormous and deserted. The majority of the race are probably still asleep. We need to find Amy. Looking for heat signature anomalies." the Doctor tells Lizzie and Nasreen. "But Doctor, how can all this be here? I mean, these plants." Nasreen asks. "Must be getting closer to the centre of the city." the Doctor tells her. "You're sure this is the best way to enter?" Nasreen asks him. "Front door approach. Definitely. Always the best way." the Doctor says. Suddenly alarms start blaring "Hostile life forms detected area seventeen." the computer says. "Apart from the back door approach. That's also good. Sometimes better." the Doctor tells them. "Hostile life forms detected area seventeen." the computer repeats. "Doctor." Nasreen says as warriors approach from both sides. "Hostile life forms detected area seventeen." the computer continues. "We're not hostile. We're not armed. We're here in peace." the Doctor tells them. A warrior steps forward and gasses them with its weapon, Lizzie falling next to the Doctor as they pass out.

Lizzie wakes up to immense pain, making her scream in pain. The Doctor screams himself "How can they have escaped? This proves all prisoners should remain under military guard." the military commander tells the scientist. "I'm sure you'd prefer to be in charge of everything and everyone, Restac, but we rank the same. Is there any word from Alaya?" he asks. "No." she responds. "It's fine to show concern, you know. She's part of your gene-chain. I'm decontaminating now." the scientist says. "Decontamination? No, no, no. No! Argh!" the Doctor cries out, Lizzie screaming again. "It's all right, it won't harm you. I'm only neutralising all your ape bacteria." the scientist tells them. "I'm not an ape. Look at the scans. Two hearts. Totally different. Totally not ape! Remove all human germs, you remove half the things keeping me alive." the Doctor tells him. The scientist turns off the decontamination machine "No, complete the process." the commander tells him. "Oh, that's much better, thanks. Not got any celery, have you? No. No, not really the climate. Tomatoes, though. You'd do a roaring trade in those. I'm the Doctor. Oh, and there's Lizzie and Nasreen. Good." the Doctor says. Lizzie smiles weakly at him, the Doctor frowning in confusion when he realises that the decontamination process was hurting her "Oh, a green man." Nasreen says, waking up.

"Hello. Who are you?" the Doctor asks. "Restac, Military commander." the commander responds. "Oh dear, really? There's always a military, isn't there?" the Doctor frowns. "Your weapon was attacking the oxygen pockets above our city." the scientist explains. "Oxygen pockets, lovely. Ooo, but not so good with an impending drill. Now it makes sense." the Doctor realises. "Where is the rest of your invasion force?" Restac asks. "Invasion force. Me and lovely Nasreen? No. We came for the humans you took. And to offer the safe return of Alaya. Oh wait, you and she, what is it, same genetic source? Of course you're worried, but don't be, she's safe." the Doctor assures her. "You claim to come in peace, but you hold one of us hostage." Restac sneers. "Wait, wait, we all want the same thing here." the Doctor tells her. "I don't negotiate with apes. I'm going to send a clear message to those on the surface." Restac tells him. "What's that?" Lizzie asks in confusion. "Your execution." Restac responds. "Yes." the Doctor says as they get released. Lizzie walks alongside the Doctor "Why was the machine affecting me like that?" she asks him. "I don't know, I'd have to see the scans for myself. I'll work it out though, promise." the Doctor responds.

The three of them follow the commander and Malohkeh, the scientist, through the gardens "These must be the only ones awake. The others must still be in hibernation." the Doctor says. "So, why did they go into hibernation in the first place?" Nasreen asks. "Their astronomers predicted the planet heading to Earth on a crash course. They a built life underground and put themselves to sleep for millennia in order to avert what they thought was the apocalypse, when in reality it was the moon coming into alignment with the Earth." the Doctor explains. They all come to a stop, Malohkeh and Restac looking at the Doctor "How can you know that?" Malohkeh asks. "Long time ago, I met another tribe of Homo Reptilia. Similar, but not identical." the Doctor responds. "Others of our species have survived?" Restac asks. "The humans attacked them. They died. I'm sorry." the Doctor apologises. "A vermin race." Restac glares, leading them through the gardens.