As Brittle As Quicksilver (Fourth in The Creators Saga)

Silence in the Library

"Well, maybe everyone's really, really quiet," Donna suggested.

"Yeah, maybe, but they'd still show up on the system," the Doctor shook his head, checking the computer.

Donna frowned. "Doctor, why are we here? Really, why?"

"Oh, you know . . . just passing."

"No, seriously, it was all 'let's hit the beach!' then suddenly we're in a library. Why?"

"Now that's interesting," the Doctor blinked as a screen came up.

"What?"

"Scanning for life forms. If I do a scan looking for your basic humanoids - you know, your book readers, few limbs and a face, apart from us - I get nothing. Zippo, nada. See? nobody home. But if I widen the parameters to any kind of life . . . a million million." They watched the number max out, then read error. "Gives up after that. A million million."

"But there's nothing here," Donna said in confusion, looking around. "There's no one."

"And not a sound," the Alchemist nodded. "A million million life forms, and silence in the library."

"But there's no one here," Donna shook her head. "They're just books. I mean . . . it's not the books, is it? I mean, it can't be the books, can it? I mean, books can't be alive."

The Alchemist narrowed her eyes at one book, reached out to grab it -

"BOO!"

She actually screamed, flinging the book away from her, right at Donna, who fumbled to catch it. The Alchemist spun around and fumed at the Doctor, who was now laughing hysterically. "You bozo!" she screeched, chasing after him when he ran back into the library. "What the hell was that for?!"

Donna sighed and rolled her eyes to the sky. "Why can't they just get married already?" she asked no one in particular as she replaced the book, going after them.

She found them in front of a humanoid sculpture with a female face on it, which was talking. " - zero slash aqua. Please enjoy the Library and respect the personal access codes of all your fellow readers, regardless of species or hygiene taboo."

Donna stopped, eyes wide. "That face, it looks real."

"Yeah, don't worry about it," the Doctor shook his head.

"A statue with a real face, though? It's a hologram or something, isn't it?"

"No, but really, it's fine. It's a Courtesy Node."

"Additional," the Node said. "There follows a brief message from the Head Librarian for your urgent attention. It has been edited for tone and content by a Felman Lux Automated Decency Filter. Message follows. Run. For God's sake, run." The Time Lords looked at each other oddly, then back at the Node. "No way is safe. The Library has sealed itself. We can't - Oh, they're here. Argh. Slarg. Snick. Message ends." Donna looked at the Time Lords to see both of them with narrowed eyes. "Please switch off your mobile comm units for the comfort of other readers."

"So that's why we're here," the Doctor frowned. "Any other messages, same date stamp?"

"One additional message. This message carries a Felman Lux coherency warning of five zero eleven - "

"Play it," the Alchemist ordered.

"Message follows. Count the shadows. For God's sake, remember, if you want to live, count the shadows. Message ends."

The Alchemist's eyes narrowed further. "Donna?"

"Yeah?" she asked.

The Alchemist looked around, reaching under her jacket for her blaster. "Stay out of the shadows."