𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙊𝙛 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚 ✧ 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 Ⅱ [✓]

Hungry Earth Pt. 3

"Is everyone ok? Is anyone hurt?" Rory asks.

"I'm fine."

"Me too" there's a big rumble.

"Doctor, {Y/N}, what was that?" Rory asks.

"It's like the holes at the drill station," Mack says.

"Is this how they happened?"

"It's coming through the final layer of Earth" {Y/N} says.

"What is?" silence falls.

"The banging's stopped."

"Where's Elliot? Has anyone seen Elliot? Did he come in? Was he in when the door was shut? Who counted him back in? Who saw him last?"

"I did" {Y/N} says.

"Where is he?"

"He said he was going to get headphones."

"And you let him go? He was out there on his own?'

"Mum! Grandpa Tony! Let me in!" Elliot shouts from outside.

"Elliot!"

"Let me in."

"He's out there. Help me!"

"Open the door. Mum! There's something out here."

"Push, Elliot. Push, Elliot. Give it a shove."

"Mum. Hurry up. Mum."

"Come on," Mack says as the door finally opens.

"Elliot! Where is he? He was here. He was here. Elliot!"

"Ambrose, don't go running off!" the Doctor says.

"Ambrose!" Mack shouts, the Doctor, Mack, {Y/N} and Rory follow her.

"Elliot, it's Mum" she finds his headphones on the ground "No!" something knocks her over "get off me!" Mack grabs it from behind. It wriggles free. He shines his torch on a human-sized reptilian biped. It flicks its extensible tongue and hurts his neck, then gets away "Dad!"

"What happened?" {Y/N} asks running up to them, the Doctor and Rory a few steps behind.

"My dad's hurt."

"Get him into the church now" {Y/N} says,

"Elliot's gone. They've killed him, haven't they?"

"I don't think so. They've taken three people when they could've just killed them up here. There's still hope, Ambrose. There is always hope" {Y/N} replies.

"Then why have they taken him?"

"I don't know. We'll find Elliot, we promise. But first, we've got to stop this attack. Please, get inside the church."

"Come on, Dad."

"So, what now?" Rory asks.

*Time skip*

The Doctor dons a pair of infra-red sunglasses. He spots a dark shape moving through the bushes.

"Cold blood. I know who they are" he whispers something to {Y/N} who nods and goes to the van and gets the CO2 fire extinguisher, before heading back and handing it to the Doctor. Something hisses nearby and he lets it off. It screams. Rory bursts out of the back of the van, and he, {Y/N} and the Doctor bundle it inside.

"We got it" Rory says.

"Defending the planet with meals on wheels," the Doctor says, his and Rory's high five is interrupted by another rumble.

"What was that?" Rory asks.

"Sounds like they're leaving" {Y/N} says.

"Without this one?" the energy dome becomes transparent, letting the sunshine in "looks like we scared them off."

"I don't think so. Now both sides have hostages" {Y/N} says.

"So, I think we've met these creatures before. Different branch of the species, mind, but all the same. Let's see if our friend's thawed out" the Doctor says taking {Y/N}'s hand and walking off followed by Rory.

*Time skip*

"Are you sure? By yourselves?" Rory asks.

"Very sure" {Y/N} responds.

"But the sting?" Rory asks.

"Venom gland takes at least twenty-four hours to recharge. Am I right? We know what we're doing. We'll be fine" the Doctor says, Rory looks at the two before he leaves. Their prisoner moves out of the shadows, her chains rattling "I'm the Doctor this is {Y/N}. We've come to talk. {Y/N}'s going to remove your mask" the mask looks like a reptile face, with very big black eyes. {Y/N} removes it gently.

"You are beautiful. Remnant of a bygone age on planet Earth. And by the way, lovely mode of travel. Geothermal currents projecting you up through a network of tunnels. Gorgeous. Mind if we sit? Now. Your people have a friend of ours. We want her back. Why did you come to the surface? What do you want? Oh, I do hate a monologue. Give us a bit back. How many are you?" {Y/N} asks.

"I'm the last of my species."

"Really. No. Last of the species. The Klempari Defence. As an interrogation defense, it's a bit old hat, I'm afraid" the Doctor says.

"I'm the last of my species."

"No. You're really not. Because we're the last of our species and we know how it sits in a heart. So, don't insult us. Let's start again. Tell us your name" the Doctor says.

"Alaya."

"How long has your tribe been sleeping under the Earth, Alaya? It's not difficult to work out. You're three hundred million years out of your comfort zone. Question is, what woke you now?" {Y/N} asks.

"We were attacked."

"The drill."

"Our sensors detected a threat to our life support systems. The warrior class was activated to prevent the assault. We will wipe the vermin from the surface and reclaim our planet."

"Do we have to say vermin? They're really very nice" the Doctor says.

"Primitive apes."

"Extraordinary species. You attack them, they'll fight back. But, there's a peace to be brokered here. We can help you with that."

"This land is ours. We lived here long before the apes."

"Doesn't give you automatic rights to it now, I'm afraid. Humans won't give up the planet."

"So, we destroy them."

"You underestimate them" {Y/N} says.

"You underestimate us."

"One tribe of homo reptilia against six billion humans? You've got your work cut out."

"We did not initiate combat, but we can still win."

"Tell us where our friend is. Give us back the people who were taken" the Doctor says.

"No."

"We're not going let you provoke a war, Alaya. There'll be no battle here today" {Y/N} says.

"The fire of war is already lit. A massacre is due."

"Not while we're here."

"I'll gladly die for my cause. What will you both sacrifice for yours?"

---

~Bread 🍞