Chapter Seventeen: Going Under
[Church porch]
"Where's Mo?" Ambrose demanded. "Is he with you?"
"This flaming door." He grumbled. "Always sticking. I thought you were having it fixed."
"Dad!"
"Something's happened to him, hasn't it?" Elliot guessed sadly.
[Church]
Inside the church was nice with a pretty stained glass window behind the altar, but the small building was just used for storage now.
"So we can't get out, we can't contact anyone, and something, the something that took my husband, is coming up through the Earth." Ambrose summarised.
"Yes. If we move quickly enough, we can be ready."
"No, stop. This has gone far enough. What is this?" She demanded, looking to her other team members.
"He's telling the truth, love." Mack told her.
"Come on. It's not the first time we've had no mobile or phone signals. Reception's always rubbish."
"Look, Ambrose. We saw the Doctor's friend get taken, okay?" The Doctor flinched slightly, but continued working. "You saw the lightning in the sky. I have seen the impossible today, and the only person who's made any sense of it for me, is the Doctor."
She looked at the Doctor dubiously. "Him?"
"Me." He replied.
"Can you get my dad back?" Elliot asked him.
"Yes. But I need you to trust me and do exactly as I say from this second onwards, because we're running out of time."
"So tell us what to do."
"Thank you. We have eight minutes to set up a line of defence. Bring me every phone, every camera, every piece of recording or transmitting equipment you can find."
Everyone started scrambling off find find what he instructed.
"Every burglar alarm, every movement sensor, every security light. I want the whole area covered with sensors."
[Church]
The equipment had been set up and the dots were still heading up towards the surface on the computer screens.
"Right, guys, we need to be ready for whatever's coming up. I need a map of the village marking where the cameras are going." The Doctor ordered.
"I can't do the words. I'm dyslexic." Elliot told him disappointedly.
"Oh, that's all right, I can't make a decent meringue. Draw like your life depends on it, Elliot."
"Six minutes forty." Mack called.
There was roughly only five minutes to go. The new CCTV array was ready.
"Works in quadrants. Every movement sensor and trip light we've got. If anything moves, we'll know." Mack announced.
"Good lad."
[Cwmtaff]
Four minutes left, and the Doctor was examining the inside of Ambrose's meals on wheels van.
"Oi!" She called. "What're you doing?"
"Resources." He replied. "Every little helps. Meals on wheels. What've you got here, then. Warmer in the front, refrigerated in the back."
Ambrose put an armful of rifles and a cricket bat on the seat.
"Bit chilly for a hideout, mind."
"What are those?" He inquired.
"Like you say, every little helps."
"No." He refused. "No weapons. It's not the way I do things."
"You said we're supposed to be defending ourselves." She defended.
"Oh, Ambrose, you're better than this. I'm asking nicely. Put them away."
[Church]
Less than three and a half minutes. Elliot ran in with his map.
"Look at that. Perfect. Dyslexia never stopped Da Vinci or Einstein. It's not stopping you."
"I don't understand what you're going to do."
"Two phase plan." The Doctor explained. "First, the sensors and cameras will tell us when something arrives. Second, if something does arrive, I use this to send a sonic pulse through that network of devices. A pulse which would temporarily incapacitate most things in the universe."
"Knock 'em out. Cool."
"Lovely place to grow up round here."
"Suppose. I want to live in a city one day. Soon as I'm old enough, I'll be off." He said excitedly.
"I was the same where I grew up."
"Did you get away?" Elliot asked curiously.
"Yeah."
"Do you ever miss it?"
"So much." The Doctor replied nostalgically.
"Is it monsters coming? Have you met monsters before?"
"Yeah."
"You scared of them?"
He grinned. "No, they're scared of me."
"Will you really get my dad back?"
"No question."
"I left my headphones at home." Elliot said after patting his pockets. He ran outside to get them.
One minute.
[Graveyard]
"How're you doing?" The Doctor asked.
Amy and Rory were completing the sensor array.
"It's getting darker. How can it be getting dark so quickly?"
"Shutting out light from within the barricade. Trying to isolate us in the dark. Which means-"
The ground rumbled.
"-It's here."
[Church]
"They're close to the surface now." Nasreen informed.
She put her hand on Mack's and they embrace. He then kisses her, taking her by surprise.
"Tony." She breathed.
"Like you didn't know."
Zero.
The dots stopped moving.
[Church porch]
"I can't open it." Am rose complained. "It keeps sticking. The wood's warped."
"Any time you want to help." The Doctor called to Rory.
"Can't you sonic it?"
"It doesn't do wood."
"That is rubbish."
"Oi, don't diss the sonic."
Three shoulders forced the door open.
[Church]
The ground started shaking and stacked objects begun to tumble.
"See if we can get a fix."
The lights exploded.
"No power." Mack told him.
"It's deliberate."
"What do we do now?" Amy asked.
"Nothing." The Doctor replied. "We've got nothing. They sent an energy surge to wreck our systems."
"Is everyone okay?" Rory asked, ever the nurse. "Is anyone hurt?"
"I'm fine."
"Me too."
Everyone stopped as there was a massive rumble.
"Doctor, what was that?"
"It's like the holes at the drill station." Mack added.
"Is this how they happened?" Nasreen asked.
"It's coming through the final layer of Earth." The Doctor explained.
"What is?"
Silence falls. Nobody moved.
"The banging's stopped." Amy whispered.
"Where's Elliot?" Ambrose demanded. "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?"
The Doctor raised his hand. "I did."
"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!" Ambrose yelled, running to the door.
"Let me in."
"He's out there. Help me!" She ordered hysterically.
"Open the door. Mum! There's something out here."
"Push, Elliot."
[Church porch]
Something flashes past him.
"Push, Elliot. Give it a shove."
"Mum. Hurry up."
A darkened figure looked down on Elliot.
"Mum." He whispered.
[Church]
"Come on." Mack grunted.
The door finally opens and they spill out on to the porch.
"Elliot! Where is he? He was here. He was here. Elliot!" She yelled, running off.
"Ambrose, don't go running off!" The Doctor called to her.
"Ambrose!"
[Graveyard]
"Elliot, it's Mum." Ambrose yelled.
She searched around desperately and found his headphones, just lying on the ground.
"No!"
Something knocked her over.
"Get off me!" She screeched.
Mack grabbed it from behind but it wriggled free. He shined his torch on a human sized reptilian biped and it flicked its extensible tongue and hurt his neck, disappearing into the night.
"Dad!"
"What happened?" The Doctor questioned.
"My dad's hurt." Ambrose replied.
"Get him into the church now." He ordered.
"Elliot's gone. They've killed him, haven't they?" She sobbed.
"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."
"Then why have they taken him?" She pleaded.
"I don't know." He admitted. "I'll find Elliot, I promise. But first I've got to stop this attack. Please, get inside the church."
"Come on, Dad."
"So what now?" Rory asked as the pair left.
[Cwmtaff]
The Doctor donned a pair of infra red sunglasses and spotted a dark shape moving through the bushes.
"Cold blood." He announced. "I know who they are."
He goes to the van and gets the CO2 fire extinguisher. Something hisses nearby and he lets it off. It screams. Rory bursts out of the back of the van, and he and the Doctor bundle it inside.
"We got it."
"Defending the planet with meals on wheels."
Their high five is interrupted by another rumble.
"What was that?"
"Sounds like they're leaving." The Doctor replied.
"Without this one?"
They look up to the sky and watch the energy dome become transparent, letting the sunshine in.
"Looks like we scared them off." Rory said.
"I don't think so. Now both sides have hostages.
[Underground]
Emily woke up in a glass coffin like case, dazed and frightened.
"Let me out." She yelled. "Can anybody hear me? I'm alive in here! Let me out! I know you're out there. My name is Emily Pond and you'd better get me the hell out of here or so help me I will slap you into next week. Please!"
She jumped back, startled, as a dark figure leaned over her in her coffin casement.
"Shush." It told her.
"Did you just shush me?" She asked, trying to disguise her fear. "Did you just shush me?"
Gas started streaming into the coffin through tubes and, getting drowsy, she started coughing.
"No, no, no. No, don't do that. No gas. No gas!"
Emily coughs violently one last time and passes out, still standing in her glass coffin.
[Graveyard]
"So, I think I'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 said, making his way across the graveyard.
[Crypt]
"Are you sure? By yourself?" Amy asked him.
"Very sure."
"But the sting?" Rory questioned.
"Venom gland takes at least twenty four hours to recharge. Am I right? I know what I'm doing. I'll be fine."
Amy and Rory reluctantly leave him and their prisoner moves out of the shadows, her chains rattling.
"I'm the Doctor. I've come to talk. I'm going to remove your mask."
The mask resembled a reptile like face, with very big black eyes. He 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 I sit?" He rambled. "Now. Your people have a friend of mine. I 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?"
"I'm the last of my species." She said robotically.
"Really. No. Last of the species. The Klempari Defence. As an interrogation defence, it's a bit old hat, I'm afraid."
"I'm the last of my species." She repeated without missing a beat.
"No. You're really not. Because I'm the last of my species and I know how it sits in a heart. So don't insult me. Let's start again. Tell me your name." He demanded calmly.
"Alaya." She reluctantly answered.
"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?"
"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?" He complained. "They're really very nice."
"Primitive apes." She spat.
"Extraordinary species. You attack them, they'll fight back. But, there's a peace to be brokered here. I can help you with that."
"This land is ours." Alaya insisted. "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." He warned.
"You underestimate us." She countered.
"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 me where my friend is. Give us back the people who were taken."
"No."
"I'm not going let you provoke a war, Alaya. There'll be no battle here today."
"The fire of war is already lit. A massacre is due."
"Not while I'm here." He said darkly.
"I'll gladly die for my cause. What will you sacrifice for yours?" She challenged.
[Church]
"You're going to what?" Amy demanded.
"I'm going to go down below the surface, to find the rest of the tribe, to talk to them."
And get back Emily.
"You're going to negotiate with these aliens?" Ambrose asked incredulously.
"They're not aliens. They're Earth-liens." He explained. "Once known as the Silurian race, or, some would argue, Eocenes, or Homo Reptilia. Not monsters, not evil. Well, only as evil as you are. The previous owners of the planet, that's all. Look, from their point of view, you're the invaders. Your drill was threatening their settlement." He moved topic. "Now, the creature in the crypt. Her name's Alaya. She's one of their warriors, and she's my best bargaining chip. I need her alive. If she lives, so do Elliot and Mo and Emily, because I will find them. While I'm gone, you four people, in this church, in this corner of planet Earth, you have to be the best of humanity."
"And what if they come back? Shouldn't we be examining this creature? Dissecting it, finding its weak points?" Mack questioned.
"No dissecting, no examining." The Doctor said angrily. "We return their hostage, they return ours, nobody gets harmed. We can land this together, if you are the best you can be. You are decent, brilliant people. Nobody dies today. Understand?"
Everyone nodded silently and Nasreen applauded his speech.
[Graveyard]
Nasreen followed the Doctor to the Tardis, but he stopped her before she could enter.
"No, sorry, no. What are you doing?" He asked.
"Coming with you, of course." She replied. "What is it, some kind of transport pod?"
"Sort of, but you're not coming with me."
Mack came up behind them. "He's right. You're not."
"I have spent all my life excavating the layers of this planet, and now you want me to stand back while you head down into it? I don't think so." She said firmly.
The Doctor rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I don't have time to argue."
"I thought we were in a rush." She countered.
"It'll be dangerous." He warned.
"Oh, so's crossing the road."
"Oh, for goodness sake." He relented. "All right, then. Come on."
"Hey." Mack called to Nasreen. "Come back safe."
"Of course." She said, walking through the Tardis doors and closing them behind her.
[Tardis]
"Welcome aboard the Tardis." The Doctor announced. "Now, don't touch anything. Very precious."
Nareen looked around in amazement. "No way. But, but that's, this is fantastic. What does it do?"
"Everything. I'm hoping, if we're going down, that barricade won't interfere."
The Tardis shook violently and they get knocked off their feet.
"Did you touch something?" The Doctor demanded.
"No. Isn't this what it does?"
"I'm not doing anything." He said checking the scanner. "We've been hijacked. I can't stop it. They must've sensed the electro-magnetic field. They're pulling the Tardis down into the Earth."
[Tunnel]
The Tardis came to a sudden stop, throwing the Doctor and Nasreen out to the floor.
"Where are we?" She asked.
Loose soil was gently raining down from the hole above the Tardis.
"Looks like we fell through the bottom of their tunnel system." The Doctor said, examining his surroundings. "Don't suppose it was designed for handling something like this."
"How far down are we?"
"Oh, a lot more than twenty one kilometres."
"So why aren't we burning alive?" She asked nervously.
"Don't know. Interesting, isn't it?" He replied, excitement sparkling in his eye.
"It's like this is everyday to you."
"Not every day. Every other day."
[Laboratory]
When Emily woke up agin, she was strapped to a near vertical examination table.
"Don't struggle." Mo warned. "Close your eyes and don't struggle."
"What? Where am I? Why can't I move my body?" Emily asked, terrified.
"Decontamination, they call it. They did it to me while I was conscious." He told her.
"Okay, you're freaking me out now. Did what? Who did?"
"Dissected me." He answered solemnly.
Emily looked down and saw a fresh scar running from sternum to naval.
"No." Emily whispered.
"He's coming. I'm sorry. I wish I could help you." Mo apologised.
A Silurian scientist approached her with a scalpel.
"Doctor, please. Hurry up."
[Tunnel]
"We're looking for a small tribal settlement probably housing around a dozen Homo Reptilia? Maybe less." The Doctor informed Nasreen.
She nodded and went down a side passage, stopping in amazement.
"One small tribe." Nasreen repeated, unconvinced.
"Yeah." He confirmed absentmindedly.
"Maybe a dozen?" She hinted.
He followed her down the passage. "Ah."
They look down on a vast chamber.
"Maybe more than a dozen." He admitted. "Maybe more like an entire civilisation living beneath the Earth."
They stood there taking in the sight of an entire city. How were they going to find the others? How was he going to find Emily?
Emily, I'm coming.
•|•
Not an overly long chapter, I don't think, and not much Doctor/Emily action, but the up coming chapters. . .
You might as well get rid of your hearts right now, because you won't need them.
Uh, nothing much else to say really.
I mean, not the anyone ever answers, but what do you think'll happen next? The Silurian are an old race. Perhaps they know something about what Emily is? Ooo, now that's intriguing.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope you enjoy the next.