Loud music reverberates through the TARDIS. Rory and Amy are playing darts, the Doctor and I stand at the console.
"Forty-six. Rubbishy, rubbishy, rubbish" Amy says.
"Hello? It's a double top" Rory says.
"Wrong side of the wire, mister."
"You're on the oche, Red" the scanner still cannot decide whether Amy is pregnant or not. The Doctor turns off the music.
"Who wants fish and chips?" the Doctor asks, Rory raises his hand.
"We'll drop you both off. Take your time. Don't rush."
"Er, and you two?" Rory asks.
"Things to do. Things involving other things" the Doctor says.
"Well, we'll stay with you. We'll do the other things" Amy says.
"Nope," the Doctor says.
"Whatever you're both up to, I'd personally like to be a part of it. What?" Amy asks an alarm blares, then we get thrown around.
"Solar tsunami. Came directly from your sun. A tidal wave of radiation. Big, big, big!" I say siding along the glass floor and trying to keep a hold of the console.
"Oh Doctor, Alex, my tummy's going funny" Rory says.
"Well, the gyrator disconnected. Target tracking is out" I say as the TARDIS heads for Earth.
"Assume the position!" the Doctor shouts, Rory looks around for a moment before he and Amy put their heads between their knees, then it all goes still, the Doctor and I get up from the floor
"textbook landing" we all walk outside "behold a cockerel! Love a cockerel."
"And underneath, a monastery. Thirteenth century" I say.
"Oh, we've gone all mediaeval" Amy says.
"I'm not sure about that" Rory says.
"Really? Mediaeval expert, are you?" Amy asks.
"No, it's just that I can hear Dusty Springfield" Rory replies, the Doctor and I inspect a hole in the ground with a pipe running through it. The pipe is labelled Danger Corrosive.
"These fissures are new. Solar tsunami sent out a huge wave of gamma particles. This is caused by a magnetic quake that occurs just before the wave hits" I say.
"Well, the monastery's standing," Amy says, the Doctor takes a snow globe out of his pocket and shakes it.
"Yeah, for now," he says.
"Alex, Doctor, look," Rory says.
"Yeah. It's a supply pipe. Ceramic inner lining. Something corrosive. They're pumping something nasty off this island to the mainland" I say.
"my mum's a massive fan of Dusty Springfield," Rory says.
"Who isn't? Right, let's go. Satisfy our rabid curiosity" the Doctor says.
"So where are these Dusty Springfield loving monks, then?" Amy asks.
"I think we're here. This is it" I say.
"Alex, what are you talking about? We've never been here before" Rory says.
"Hmm?"
"We came here by accident," Amy says.
"Accident? Yes, I know. Accident."
"Ow!" Rory starts shaking his hand.
"Acid. They're pumping acid off this island. That's old stuff. Fresh acid, you wouldn't have a finger" the Doctor says.
"Intruder alert. Intruder alert."
"There are people coming. Well, almost" I say.
"Almost coming?" Amy asks.
"Almost people," the Doctor says.
"I think we should really be going," Rory says.
"Come on!" Amy says.
"I'm telling you. When something runs towards you, it is never for a nice reason" Rory says as Amy drags him behind her, people are reclining in harnesses in the alcoves, as we run through.
"What are all these harnesses for?" Amy asks.
"The almost people?" Rory says.
"What are they, prisoners, or are they meditating, or what?"
"Well, at the moment they fall into the 'or what' category" I say.
"Halt and remain calm."
"Well, we've halted. How are we all doing on the calm front?" the Doctor asks.
"Don't move!"
"Stay back, Jen. We don't know who they are."
"So, let's ask them. Who the hell are you?" Amy looks around at the same people in the harnesses.
"Well, I'm the Doctor, she's the Seer, and this is Amy and Rory, and it's all very nice, isn't it?"
"Hold up. You're all. What are you all? Like identical twins?" Amy asks, two more people walk in wearing acid suits. The woman seems to be in charge.
"This is an Alpha Grade industrial facility. Unless you work for the military or for Morpeth Jetson, you are in big trouble."
"Actually, you're in big trouble" the Doctor gets out the psychic paper.
"Meteorological Department? Since when?"
"Since you were hit by a solar wave" I say.
"Which we survived."
"Just, by the look of it. And there's a bigger one on the way" I say.
"Which we'll also survive. Dicken, scan for bugs."
"Backs against the wall. Now" Dicken says.
"You're not a monastery, you're a factory. Twenty-second century army-owned factory" the Doctor says.
"You're army?" Amy asks.
"No, love. We're contractors, and you're trespassers."
"It's clear, boss."
"All right, weatherman, your ID checks out. If there's another solar storm, what are you going to do about it? Hand out sunblock?"
"We need to see your critical systems" I say.
"Which one?"
"You know which one."
*Time skip*
"And there you are," the Doctor says pointing to the bubbling milky liquid.
"Meet the government's worst kept secret. The Flesh. It's fully programmable matter. In fact, it's even learning to replicate itself at the cellular level" Cleaves says.
"Right. Brilliant. Lost" Amy says.
"Ok. Once a reading's been taken, we can manipulate its molecular structure into anything. Replicate a living organism down to the hairs on its chinny chin chin. Even clothes. And everything's identical. Eyes, voice..."
"Mind, soul?" I ask.
"Don't be fooled, Seer. It acts like life but it still needs to be controlled by us, from those harnesses you saw."
"Wait, whoa. Hold it. So, you're Flesh now?" Rory asks.
"I'm lying in a harness back in that chamber. We all are, except Jennifer here. Don't be scared. This thing, just like operating a forklift truck."
"You said it could grow. Only living things grow" the Doctor says.
"Moss grows. It's no more than that. This acid is so dangerous we were losing a worker every week. So now we mine the acid using these doppelgangers. Or Gangers. If these bodies get burnt or fall in the acid."
"Then who the hell cares, right, Jen?"
"Nerve endings automatically cut off like airbags being discharged. We wake up and get a new Ganger."
"It's weird, but you get used to it."
"Jennifer, I want you in your Ganger. Get back to the harness" Jennifer leaves, I scan the Flesh.
"Hang on, what's he up to? What you up to, pal?"
"Stop it. Strange. It was like for a moment there it was scanning me" I say.
"Doctor" Cleaves says, my hand is pulled to the surface of the Flesh "get back, Seer. Leave it alone" I finally yank my hand back with the help of the Doctor.
"I understand" I mutter, the Doctor grabs my hand looking at it.
"Alex? Are you all right?" Amy asks.
"Incredible. You have no idea. No idea. I mean, I felt it in my mind. I reached out to it, and it to me" I say.
"Don't fiddle with the money, Seer."
"How can you be so blinkered? It's alive. So alive. You're piling your lives, your personalities directly into it" there's a bang and a flash.
"It's the solar storm. The first waves come in pairs. Pre-shock and fore-shock. It's close" the Doctor says.
"Buzzer, we got anything from the mainland yet?"
"No, the comms are still too jammed with radiation."
"Ok. Then we'll keep pumping acid until the mainland says stop. Now, why don't you stand back and let us impress you?"
A smaller tank is filling with Flesh. A face appears in it and a few moments later a new Jennifer sits up.
"Well, I can see why you keep it in a church. Miracle of life" the Doctor says.
"No need to get poncey. It's just gunge."
"Guys, we need to get to work."
"Ok, everybody, let's crack on."
"Did I mention the solar storm? You need to get out of here" I say.
"Where do you want us to go? We're on a tiny island."
"Well, we can get you all off it," the Doctor says.
"Don't be ridiculous. We've got a job to do."
"It's coming" I say.
"That's the alarm."
"How do you get power?" I ask.
"We're solar. We use a solar router. The weathervane."
"Big problem," the Doctor says.
"Boss, maybe if the storm's back we should get underground. The factory's seen better days. The acid pipes might not withstand another hit."
"We have two hundred tons of acid to pump out. We fall behind, we stay another rotation. Anyone want that?"
"Please, you are making a massive mistake here. You're right at the crossroads of it. Don't turn the wrong way. If you don't, if you don't prepare for this storm, you are all in terrible danger. Understand?" I ask.
"My factory, my rules."
"We need to check the progress of the storm. Monitoring station? Monitoring station" I say.
"Three lefts, a right and a left. Third door on your left."
"Thank you" the Doctor and I walk out of the room Rory and Amy following.
*Time skip*
A big storm lights up the sky.
"Waves disturbing the Earth's magnetic field. There is going to be the mother and father of all power surges. See this weathervane, the cock-a-doodle-do? It's a solar router feeding the whole factory with solar power" the Doctor says.
"When that wave hits, ka-boom. We've to get to that cockerel before all hell breaks loose. I never thought I'd have to say that again. Amy, breathe" I say.
"Yeah! I mean, thanks. I'll try" Amy says, as the Doctor and I head up the spiral staircase to the tower top. The weathervane is spinning very fast. Up in the air, the Doctor opens the Danger High Voltage box and starts pulling relays. There is a strike and he is thrown off the ladder taking me with him. After a short time, the Doctor wakes, I wake shortly after and I gasp pushing him off me. The weathervane has been destroyed. The monastery goes dark.
*Time skip*
"Cleaves, you're not in your harness," the Doctor says.
"I'm sorry, Doctor, Seer. You were right."
"You've lost all power to the factory" I say.
"Seer, Doctor, I abandoned my team."
"Then let's go get them" a while later the Doctor speaks up again "how long would you say we were unconscious for, Cleaves?"
"Not long. A minute, two minutes?"
"I'd hazard we've been out a teensy bit longer" I say.
"Well, how long?"
"An hour. We've seen whole worlds turned inside out in an hour. A lot can go wrong in an hour" I say a short time later we run into the harness room.
"Alex, Doctor, these are all real people, so where are their Gangers?" Amy asks.
"Don't worry. When the link shuts down the Gangers return to pure Flesh. Now, the storm's left us with acid leaks all over, so we need to contact the mainland. They can have a rescue shuttle out here in no time" Cleaves says, the Dusty Springfield song starts up once again.
"That's my record. Who's playing my record?" Jimmy asks.
"Your Gangers. They've gone walkabout" the Doctor says.
"No, it's impossible. They're not active. Cars don't fly themselves, cranes don't lift themselves and Gangers don't..." the song continues and we all walk towards where it's coming from.
*Time skip*
"No way," Buzzer says.
"I don't, I don't believe this."
"They could've escaped through the service door at the back."
"This is just like the Isle of Sheppey."
"It would seem the storm has animated your Gangers" I say.
"They've ransacked everything."
"Not ransacked, searched," the Doctor says as he and I sit at the small table.
"Through our stuff!"
"Their stuff" I say.
"Searching for what?" Jimmy asks.
"Confirmation. They need to know their memories are real" I reply.
"Oh, so they've got flaming memories now," Buzzer says.
"They feel compelled to connect to their lives," the Doctor says.
"Their stolen lives."
"No, bequeathed. You gave them this. You poured in your personalities, emotions, traits, memories, secrets, everything. You gave them your lives. Human lives are amazing. Are you surprised they walked off with them?"
"I'll say it again. Isle of Sheppey. Ganger got an electric shock, toddled off, killed his operator right there in his harness. I've seen the photos. This bloke's ear was all hanging" Buzzer says.
"Even if this has actually happened, they can't remain stable without us plumbed into them, can they, boss," Jimmy says.
"Guess we'll find out" Cleaves responds.
"Are you okay? Do you need some water?" Rory asks.
"I feel funny. I need the washroom" Jennifer says.
"I'll come with you" Rory follows Jennifer out. Dicken sneezes and makes Amy jump.
"Sorry" I examine a card tower on the table.
"That's me. It's good to have a hobby. So, what, my Ganger did that all on its own?" Buzzer asks.
"Who taught you to do this?" I ask.
"My granddad."
"Well, your Ganger's granddad taught him to do it, too. You both have the same childhood memories, just as clear, just as real."
"No."
"They're scared, disorientated, struggling to come to terms with an entire life in their heads."
*Time Skip*
"We need to protect ourselves," Jimmy says as the Doctor pops a meal into the microwave.
"Are you a violent man, Jimmy?" I ask.
"No."
"Then why would the other Jimmy be?" I look at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't tell me you can eat at a time like this, Doctor" Cleaves says.
"You told us we were out cold for a few minutes, Cleaves, when in fact it was an hour," the Doctor says.
"Sorry, I just assumed."
"Well, it's not your fault. Like I said, they're disoriented. Amy, when you got to the alcoves, who was in harness?" the Doctor asks.
"Jimmy and Dicken were helping Buzzer out" Amy responds.
"Jennifer?" I ask.
"She was standing on her own when we got to her" the microwave dings. The Doctor hands the plate to Cleaves, she looks at him.
"It's hot" Cleaves drops the plate "trans-matter's still a little rubbery. Nerve endings not quite fused properly" the Doctor says.
"What are you talking about?"
"It's ok" I say.
"Why didn't I feel that?"
"You will. You'll stabilise" I reply.
"No, stop it. You're playing stupid games. Stop it!" Cleaves shouts turning around.
"You don't have to hide. Please, trust me. I'm the Doctor" the Doctor says, Cleaves turns around with a Ganger face and hisses. Buzzer grabs a knife and Jimmy holds him back.
"Where's the real Cleaves, you thing? What have you done with her?" Buzzer asks.
"That's it. Good, you remember. This is early Flesh. The early stages of the technology. So much..." the Doctor puts his hand out, ever so slightly touching Cleaves' face who moves away "...to learn."
"Alex, Doctor, what's happened to her?" Amy asks.
"She can't stabilise. She's shifting between half-formed and fully-formed, for now at least" I say.
"We are living!" she runs out of the room, screaming.
"Let her go," the Doctor says.
"Alex, Doctor, Rory," Amy says.
"Rory?"
"Rory!"
"Oh, Rory. Rory! Always with the Rory!" the Doctor says.