Alyssa landed in the same Tardis once again, but in the same place, she jumped from. Alyssa walked to the console room just as the Tenth Doctor piloted them off. She saw Donna right before the Tardis started shaking. Alyssa stumbled as the Tardis jerked around; the Tardis landed soon,
"Set the controls to random. Mystery tour. Outside that door could be any planet, anywhere, anywhen in the whole wide u. Are you all right?" the Doctor said, pointing to Donna, who had a terrified expression on her face.
"Terrified. I mean, history's one thing but an alien planet?" Donna said
"History and an Alien planet sometimes go hand in hand, Donna," Alyssa said, and they both whipped around to look at her; she smiled. The Doctor rushed over to her and was about to take her in a hug before she backed away.
"What's wrong?" he asked, "Where did you just come from?"
"Cardiff, 1869."She said, and the Doctor paled,
"Alyssa," he started, but Alyssa cut him off,
"So, Donna, are you ready? Or should we take you home?"
"Yeah, don't laugh at me," Donna said, as she walked over to her and took her into a hug,
"I know what it's like. Everything you're feeling right now. The fear, the joy, the wonder? I get that." the Doctor said, as he stared at Alyssa,
"Seriously? After all this time?" Donna asked
"It's why he keeps going," Alyssa said,
"Oh. All right then, you and me both. This is barmy. I was born in Chiswick. I've only ever had package holidays. Now I'm here. This is so. I mean, it's. I don't know, it's all sort of. I don't even know what the word is." Donna said as she began walking over to the door, soon walking out as the Doctor grabbed his jacket and put it on. Just as Donna left the Tardis, Alyssa following. They walked out onto an icy planet where it was snowing.
"Oh, I've got the word. Freezing." Donna said, as the Doctor exited the Tardis and looked up at the sky with glee,
"Snow! Oh, real snow. Proper snow at last. That's more like it. Lovely. What do you think?" The Doctor said,
"Bit cold," Donna said,
"Look at that view." The Doctor said as the view was, in fact, beautiful,
"Yep. Beautiful, cold view." Donna said,
"Millions of planets, millions of galaxies, and we're on this one. Molto bene. Bellissimo, says Donna, born in Chiswick. All you've got is a life of work and sleep, and telly and rent and tax and takeaway dinners, all birthdays and Christmases," The Doctor said as he walked forward, as Alyssa watched Donna go back into the Tardis after she shivered "and two weeks holiday a year, and then you end up here. Donna Noble, citizen of the Earth, standing on a different planet. How about that, Donna?" The Doctor said before he turned around and only saw Alyssa standing there.
"Where did she go?"
"Tardis to get a jacket," she said just as Donna exited the Tardis again with a black jacket on a hood covering her ears.
"Sorry, you were saying?' She said,
"Better?' The Doctor asked,
"Lovely, thanks," Donna said,
"Are you comfy?" Alyssa asked,
"Yep." She said,
"Can you hear anything inside that?" The Doctor said,
"Pardon?" Donna said as she and Alyssa walked over to where the Doctor was standing,
"All right, I was saying, citizen of the Earth" The Doctor started only for a rocket to fly over their heads.
"A Rocket. Blimey, a real proper rocket. Now that's what I call a spaceship. You've got a box. He's got a Ferrari. Come on, let's go see where he's going."
"Oi, don't diss the Tardis!" Alyssa said, Donna only laughing, as the Doctor looked back at the Tardis; Alyssa started following Donna before she stopped and looked back at the Doctor. "You coming?" she said, and the Doctor started following her. Donna leading them following the rocket,
"Alyssa, I am really sorry," the Doctor said,
"Didn't you hear me before? It will take a lot more than I'm sorry to fix this; you literally told me you didn't trust me."
"I know, and I was stupid back then, but I do trust you. Please don't let this ruin how you thought of me. Where did you jump before Cardiff?" the Doctor said,
"France and the Spaceship," Alyssa admitted,
"Here, if you don't believe my apologies believe this, Alyssa, I was a fool back then, and I didn't see that you were only trying to help. I was angry; I thought that when it came to you, you would agree with me when it came to the Gelth, and realizing that you didn't agree made me angry. Still, I didn't mean it," he said; he took her hand, "Please forgive me," Alyssa glanced up at him and saw that he was staring at her with an unreadable expression; she let out a sigh.
"What is the answer to the question I asked you back then?"
"You trusted me even in your first regeneration, and you trusted me that day, and I almost shattered that trust." The Doctor said,
"You didn't almost shatter that trust, Doctor, but it will take time for me to forgive you," Alyssa said, and the Doctor nodded, they crossed a bridge the Doctor and Alyssa leading, and they all laughed as they reached the end of it. A singing filled Alyssa's ears, and she glanced around. Noticing that the Doctor heard it too.
"Hold on, can you hear that? Donna, take your hood down." The Doctor said as he glanced around,
"What?" Donna said as she took her hood down,
"That noise is like a song." The Doctor said, and Alyssa's face fell as she saw what was making the sound, an Ood in the snow.
"Over there," she said, and the three rushed over, Alyssa digging through her pockets before she brought out her stethoscope. She kneeled in front of it as she tried to find it's heartbeat,
"What is it?" Donna said,
"An Ood. He's called an Ood." The Doctor said as he kneeled down by Alyssa,
"But it's face," Donna said,
"Donna, don't. Not now. It's a he, not an it. Give us a hand."
"Sorry," Donna said as she kneeled down by them,
"I don't know where the heart is. I don't know if he's got a heart." Alyssa said, looking up at the Doctor as she moved the Stethoscope around
"Talk to him, keep him going." The Doctor said as he took the Stethoscope from Alyssa and took her place
"It's all right, we've got you. Er, what's your name?" Donna said,
"Designated Ood Delta 50," Delta said, the globe he was holding lighting up,
"My name's Donna," Donna said into the orb.
"No, you don't have to do that, Donna," Alyssa said,
"Sorry. Oh, God. This is the Doctor. Just what you need, a doctor. Couldn't be better, hey?" Donna said as Alyssa and the Doctor realized why he was weak and dying.
"You've been shot." the Doctor said,
"The circle," Delta said,
"No, don't try to talk," Donna said,
"The circle must be broken," Delta said
"What Circle Delta 50, what do you mean?" Alyssa said before he suddenly sat up, his eyes glowing red
"Get back!" the Doctor said, as he grabbed Alyssa and pulled her back. Donna pulling herself away from Delta 50 as well. Delta 50 stayed sitting up only for a few seconds before he fell back into the snow dead,
"He's gone," Donna said, walking towards him, kneeling down by him,
"Careful." the Doctor said, his hands falling from Alyssa's arms,
"There you are, sweetheart. We were too late. What do we do, do we bury him?" Donna said,
"The snow will take care of that." The Doctor said,
"Who was he? What's an Ood?" Donna said,
"They're servants of humans in the forty-second century. Mildly telepathic. That was the song. It was his mind calling out." The Doctor said,
"I couldn't hear anything. He sang as he was dying." Donna said; before standing up as Alyssa stared at the body, realizing something. She looked up at the Doctor,
"His eyes turned red." She said, and the Doctor looked at her, realizing the trouble,
"What's that mean?" Donna said,
"Trouble. Come on." The Doctor said, taking Alyssa's hand, and they walked away from the body. "The Ood are harmless. They're completely benign. Except, the last time I met them, there was this force, like a stronger mind, powerful enough to take them over." the Doctor said as they continued walking.
"What sort of force?" Donna said,
"Depends on the force could be anything powerful enough," Alyssa said,
"Do you have an example? " Donna said
" Long story, can't tell you one of the examples," Alyssa said,
"Long walk," Donna said,
"It was the Devil." The Doctor said,
"If you're going to take the mickey, I'll just put my hood back up."
"It's true, but he was sucked into a black hole; it must be something different this time," Alyssa said,
"Something closer to home." The Doctor said before the three ran up a hill. "Ah-ha! Civilization," he said as a building was now seen before they rushed down to the building right when someone was giving a tour to other visitors.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Ood Sphere. And isn't it bracing? Here are your information packs, with vouchers, 3D tickets, and a map of the complex. My name's Solana, Head of Marketing. I'm sure we've all spoken on the vidphone. Now, if you'd like to follow me." Solana said just as the three joined the group, as Ood began handing out plastic containers to the other guests,
"Sorry, sorry, sorry. Late. Don't mind us. Hello. The guards let us through." The Doctor said,
"And you would be?" Solana said,
"The Doctor, Alyssa Smith, and Donna Noble." The Doctor said, introducing the three, holding up his psychic paper,
"Representing the Noble Corporation PLC Limited, Intergalactic," Donna added,
"Must have fallen off my list. My apologies. Won't happen again. Now then, Doctor Smith, Mrs. Smith, Miss Noble, if you'd like to come with me." Solana said, and the Doctor squeezed Alyssa's hand as she opened her mouth to say something, only to grunt when his grip hurt her hand, and he loosened it.
"here are your information packs, vouchers inside." Solana said, handing one of the plastic containers to Alyssa, who looked down at it in interest, "Now, if you'd like to come with me, the Executive Suites are nice and warm." Solana said, addressing the whole group, walking over to a door the entire group following. Solana opened the door just as an alarm sounded,
"Oh, what's that? That sounds like an alarm." The Doctor said,
"Oh, it's just a siren for the end of the work shift. Now then, this way, quick as you can." Solana said, and the group went inside the building. They walked into a room where pictures of Ood were on the wall, and Solana went to a pedestal as Ood walked around serving the other guests,
"As you can see, the Ood are happy to serve, and we keep them in facilities of the highest standard. Here at the Double O, that's Ood Operations, we like to think of the Ood as our trusted friends. We keep the Ood healthy, safe, and educated. We don't just breed the Ood. We make them better. Because at heart, what is an Ood, but a reflection of us? If your Ood is happy, then you'll be happy, too." Solana said, and the other guests started clapping. Alyssa glanced around and at the Ood
"Something isn't right about this," Alyssa whispered, and the Doctor nodded as Solana walked away from the pedestals going around to answer questions before addressing the whole group once again,
"I'd now like to point out a new innovation from Ood Operations. We've introduced a variety package with the Ood translator ball. You can now have the standard-setting. How are you today, Ood?" Solana said as she stood in front of an Ood.
"I'm perfectly well, thank you." The Ood she was standing in front of said, and Solana walked to the next one in the line,
"Or perhaps after a stressful day, a little something for the gentlemen. And how are you, Ood?" She said,
"All the better for seeing you." The Ood said in a female voice, making all the men expect the Doctor laugh as Alyssa clenched her teeth, and Donna rolled her eyes. Before Solana walked to the last one in the line,
"And the comedy classic option. Ood, you dropped something." Solana said,
"D'oh." the Ood said with a Homer Simpson impression,
"All that for only five additional credits. The details are in your brochures. Now, there's plenty more food and drink, so don't hold back." Solana said, before she left, the Doctor and Alyssa jumping into action, walking over to a control panel, and The Doctor started using it to find out where they were, "Ah, got it." The Doctor said as the place they were was revealed, "The Ood Sphere, I've been to this solar system before. Years ago. Ages. Close to the planet Sense Sphere. Let's widen out." He said before the screen moved, and red dots started appearing on the screen before they connected to each other and the planet in the middle. "The year 4126. That is the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire."
"4126? It's 4126. I'm in 4126." Donna said,
"Isn't it great, Donna?" Alyssa said as she racked her brain for whether or not this was an episode or not,
"What's the Earth like now?" Donna asked,
"Bit full. But you see, the Empire stretches out across three galaxies." The Doctor said, as he gestured to the dots and how they were connected,
"It's weird. I mean, it's brilliant, but. Back home, the papers and the telly, they keep saying we haven't got long to live. Global warming, flooding, all the bees disappearing."
"The bee's disappearing is odd," Alyssa said,
"But look at us. We're everywhere. Is that good or bad, though? I mean, are we like explorers? Or more like a virus?" Donna asked,
"It depends on what the humans do when they get to the other planets," Alyssa said, and Donna looked at Alyssa, confused. "Well, you said it yourself Global warming, that takes decades to start, but you humans sped it up with all your factories and cows. If they did that to their own planet, what is stopping them from doing it to another planet? Human history isn't that great, Donna, No offense."
"None taken; what are the red dots?" Donna said, looking back at the screen,
"Ood distribution centers." The Doctor said,
"Across three galaxies? Don't the Ood get a say in this?" Donna said before she walked over to an Ood, "Er, sorry, but." She started before she tapped the Ood's shoulder, and it turned to face her. "Hello. Tell me, are you all like this?"
"I do not understand, Miss." The Ood said as the Doctor and Alyssa joined her,
"Why do you say Miss? Do I look single?" Donna said,
"Get back to the point, Donna," Alyssa said,
"Yeah. What I mean is, are there any free Ood? Are there Ood running wild somewhere, like wildebeest?" The Ood said,
"All Ood are born to serve. Otherwise, we would die."
"That's bull," Alyssa started. "No one is born to serve anyone; weren't you free before the humans came along?"
"The circle." The Ood started,
"What do you mean? What circle?" The Doctor said,
"The circle. The circle is" The Ood said, and before it could say anything, Solana came back into the room,
"Ladies and gentlemen. All Ood to hospitality stations, please." Solana said, and the Ood they were talking to you walked away,
"I've had enough of the schmoozing. Do you fancy going off the beaten track?"
"Are we finally sneaking away? Took too long." Alyssa said as the Doctor pulled out a map,
"Rough guide to the Ood Sphere? Works for me." Donna said as she glanced at the map,
"Yeah." The Doctor said as he took Alyssa's hand, and the three sneaked out,
They soon came across a gate, and the Doctor sonicked it open as a man said over some intercoms, "Ood shift eight now commencing. Repeat. Ood shift eight now commencing." as the three ran upstairs to get a high viewpoint of the whole compound. Their eyes falling upon Ood, marching surrounded by armed guards. One fell over, and what of the arm guards walked over " Get up. I said get up." the Guard said before he cracked the whip in his hand,
"Servants? They're slaves." Donna said,
"Get up!" The Guard said, cracking his whip as the Ood that fell over got to his feet again. "March."
"Last time I met the Ood, I never thought. I never asked." The Doctor said as the Ood started walking again,
"That's not fair, Doctor. We were distracted trying to save our own lives," Alyssa said,
"That's not like you," Donna said,
"We were busy. So busy I couldn't save them. I had to let the Ood die. I reckon I owe them one." The Doctor said as some people entered the clearing they were watching,
"That looks like the boss," Donna said, and Alyssa nodded,
"Let's keep out of his way. Come on." The Doctor said before the three continued investigating the compound
They kept walking, not noticing when Donna had stopped until she whistled, making the two wince at it. Before they turned around and walked over to her, as she jerked her head towards the door. "Where'd you learn to whistle?" The Doctor said as he brought out his screwdriver to open the door,
"West Ham, every Saturday," Donna said, right when the Doctor unlocked the door, and the three went inside. It was a ginormous room filled with many crates.
"Ood export. You see?' The Doctor said, pointing up at a claw that was moving around the building. "Lifts up the containers, takes them to the rocket sheds, ready to be flown out all over the three galaxies."
"What, you mean, these containers are full of?" Donna said, gesturing to one of the crates,
"What do you think?" Alyssa said as the three walked over to one of the containers, and Alyssa used her pen to open it. The Doctor pulled the door open, and they walked in to see Ood packed inside.
"Oh, it stinks. How many of them do you think there are in each one?" Donna said,
"Hundred? More?" The Doctor said,
"A great big empire built on slavery," Donna said,
"It's not so different from your time." The Doctor said,
"Oi. I haven't got slaves." Donna said,
"Who do you think made your clothes?" the Doctor said, and Alyssa did the one thing she hadn't done in ages, reached up and slapped the back of his head; he winced as he rubbed the back of it.
"Is that why you travel around with a human at your side? It's not so you can show them the wonders of the universe; it's so you can take cheap shots?"
"Sorry." The Doctor said
"Don't, Spaceman. I don't understand; the door is open; why don't you just run away?"Donna said to the Ood.
"For what reason?" The Ood in the front said,
"You could be free," Donna said,
"I do not understand the concept." The Ood said,
"What is it with that Persil ball? I mean, they're not born with it, are they? Why do they have to be all plugged in?" Donna said,
"Tell me, Does the circle mean anything to you?" Alyssa said,
"The circle must be broken." All the Ood in the container said,
"Oh, that is creepy," Donna said,
"But what is it? What is the circle?" The Doctor said,
"The circle must be broken." All of the Ood said again,
"Why?" The Doctor asked,
"So that we can sing." The Ood said they were about to ask more questions before an alarm sounded,
"Oh, you have got to be kidding," Alyssa said,
"Oh, that's us. Come on." The Doctor said, and the three started running, Donna stopping in front of a door
"Doctor Alyssa, there's a door!" Donna said before it opened, revealing guards. As the Doctor and Alyssa kept running before they realized that Donna was gone.
"Where've you gone?" The Doctor said, looking around before they heard a voice behind them
"Stay where you are." The voice said, and they glanced behind them to see that Donna was grabbed by some guards. The two continued running,
"Donna? Where are you?" The Doctor called as they ran around the storage facility. They stopped running for a second before the claw they saw before raced towards them, "you have got to be kidding." Alyssa said as the two ran to a container trying to get it open. Before they realized it was hopeless and continued running from the claw, the claw almost getting them once. They continued running before the claw suddenly descended upon them. The two rolling out of the way,
"You really have got to be kidding," Alyssa said as the Doctor pulled her to her feet, and they continued running. They were knocked over by the claw, the Doctor grabbing Alyssa as they flew over some containers and twisted the two around, so Alyssa landed on the ground, the Doctor on top of her; she let out a breath as she whispered, "you really got to stop doing that." before she looked around his head and saw the claw had stopped. Guards soon pulled them apart, and they were dragged through the storage facility.
"Doctor, get me out of here," Donna yelled from inside one of the containers,
"If you don't do what she says, you're really in trouble. Not from me, from her." The Doctor said,
"Unlock the container." The apparent leader said, and the container was unlocked. Donna ran out. The guards let go of the Doctor, and he gave her a hug,
"There we go, safe and sound." The Doctor said,
"Never mind about me. What about them?" Donna said as the Ood also left the container and used their orb to kill one of the guards.
"Red alert. Fire!"The leader said, and the guards started firing at the Ood, giving the Doctor, Alyssa and Donna enough time to escape. They ran outside, Solana following them. They ran for a while before they stopped, Alyssa bringing her gun and watching for any Ood.
"If people back on Earth knew what was going on here," Donna said,
"Oh, don't be so stupid. Of course, they know." Solana said,
"They know how you treat the Ood?" Donna asked,
"They don't ask. Same thing."
"That is not the same thing, that is them being ignorant. I think the human race would care enough about their supposed servants to know how they are treated," Alyssa said, glancing over her shoulder at Solana before returning to watch for any Ood heading their way.
"Solana, the Ood aren't born like this. They can't be. A species born to serve could never evolve in the first place. What does the company do to make them obey?" the Doctor asked,
"That's nothing to do with me," Solana said,
"Oh, what, because you don't ask?" Alyssa said, "Ignorance is not bliss, Solana."
"That's Doctor Ryder's territory," Solana said,
"Where's he? What part of the complex? I could help with the red-eye. Now show me." The Doctor said, holding out the map towards her; Solana hesitantly pointed where they had to go,
"There. Beyond the red section." Solana said,
"Come with me. You've seen the warehouse. You can't agree with all this. You know this place better than me. You could help." The Doctor said, and Solana stared at him, Alyssa finally turning around,
"They're over here! Guards! They're over here." Solana said, making the three run off. Running away from the guards as they went, Alyssa put her head in her hand as loud singing filled it, "Alyssa?" the Doctor said
"Can't you hear it?" she said, and the Doctor paused before his eyes went wide and the three ran to a door,
"Oh, can you hear it? I didn't need the map. I should have listened." The Doctor said as they sonicked the door open, and they ran inside. The Doctor sonicking the door closed behind them.
"Hold on. Does that mean we're locked in?" Donna said, and Alyssa held up a hand.
"Listen. Listen, listen, listen, listen." The Doctor said as they made their way down following the singing, Alyssa putting her head in her hand as it became too much.
"My head," Alyssa said, and the Doctor took her hand, as he also had become overwhelmed,
"What is it?" Donna said, looking at the two confused,
"Can't you hear it? The singing?" The Doctor asked as he shined the flashlight he had towards a cage, revealing hunched over Ood. The Doctor walked over and flipped a switch turning on the lights, and the Ood looked up at them; the Doctor switched off his flashlight. The Ood returned to their hunched over position, their hands covering something. The three walked over and kneeled in front of them,
"They look different to the others," Donna said,
"That's because they're natural-born Ood, unprocessed before they're adapted to slavery. Unspoiled. That's their song." the Doctor said, as Alyssa stared at the Ood sadly as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I can't hear it," Donna said,
"Do you want to?" the Doctor asked,
"Yeah," Donna said,
"It's the song of captivity," Alyssa warned,
"Let me hear it," Donna said,
"Face me." The Doctor said, and Donna turned to face him, and the Doctor put his fingers to his head,
"Open your mind. That's it. Hear it, Donna. Hear the music." the Doctor said, and Donna turned back to the Ood and started crying as well.
"Take it away," Donna said,
"Sure?" The Doctor asked,
"I can't bear it," Donna said, and the Doctor turned to her and took what made it so she could hear the song away. He turned back to the Ood. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay." The Doctor said,
"But you can still hear it," Donna said
"Yes, all the time," Alyssa said,
The three soon stood up and walked over to the gate door, and the Doctor started sonciking the door to unlock it. As sounds from the floor above them started.
"They're breaking in," Donna said,
"Ah, let them." the Doctor said as he finally got the door open, and the three walked in. Alyssa instantly kneeling by them.
"Can you show me what you are holding?" Alyssa started, but the Ood didn't move. "We're friends," She gestured to herself and the others. "Friend, Alyssa." She started and stated that the other two were friends as well. The Ood in the back looked up and started walking over to her,
"That's it," she smiled, "let me see," and the Ood opened his hand to see a small brain and a tentacle that lead back to them.
"Is that?" Donna said,
"t's a brain. A hindbrain. The Ood are born with a secondary brain. Like the amygdala in humans, it processes memory and emotions. You get rid of that, you wouldn't be Donna anymore. You'd be like an Ood. A processed Ood." the Doctor said,
"So, the company cuts off their brains?" Donna said,
"And put on the translator," Alyssa said, anger filling both her and the Doctor,
"Like a lobotomy. I spent all that time looking for you, Doctor, Alyssa, because I thought it was so wonderful out here. I want to go home." Donna said, and a crash sounded behind them as some guards came into the room.
"They're with the Ood, sir." One of the Guards said, and the three stood up. The Doctor closing the cell door,
"What you going to do, then? Arrest me? Lock me up? Throw me in a cage? Well, you're too late. Ha!" the Doctor said,
They were soon taken to the office of the leader and handcuffed to some pipes, they had learned who they were talking to and Halpen the person they thought was the leader."Why don't you just come out and say it? FOTO activists." Halpen said,
"If that's what Friends Of The Ood are trying to prove, then yes," Alyssa said,
"The Ood were nothing without us, just animals roaming around on the ice." the man said.
"That's because you can't hear them." The Doctor said
"Are you really that stupid?" Alyssa said, "they were not like you, they lived differently than you, and when you find them, you decide that they should be slaves? How would you feel if some alien race you've never seen before comes and forces you into servitude? Forces you to live a different way, and takes away the one thing that makes you, you!"
"They welcomed it. It's not as if they put up a fight." Halpen said
"You idiot. They're born with their brains in their hands. Don't you see, that makes them peaceful. They've got to be because a creature like that would have to trust anyone it meets." Donna said,
"Oh, nice one." The Doctor said,
"Thank you," Donna said,
"The system's worked for two hundred years. All we've got is a rogue batch. But the infection is about to be sterilized." Halpen said before he brought up a communications device and activated it, "Mister Kess. How do we stand?"
"Canisters primed, sir. As soon as the core heats up, the gas is released. Give it two hundred marks and counting." Kess said,
"You're going to gas them?" The Doctor asked,
"Kill the livestock. The classic foot and mouth solution from the olden days. Still works."
"You Bastards." Alyssa spit out, "The Red eyes isn't some disease that you need to cure. It's the fighting back! And why wouldn't they with how you treat them!" The man walked over to her and slapped her. Her head jerked to the side, but she didn't stop glaring at him as he walked away. Soon an alarm sounded,
"What the hell?" The man said before they left the room, leaving Alyssa, the Doctor, and Donna. They soon came back in as they found out what had happened. "Change of plan." the man said as he entered,
"There are no reports of trouble off-world, sir. It's still contained to the Ood Sphere." a man wearing a white coat said,
"Then, we've got a public duty to stop it before it spreads." The leader said,
"What's happening?" The Doctor said,
"Everything you wanted, Doctor. No doubt there'll be a full police investigation once this place has been sterilized, so I can't risk a bullet to the head. I'll leave you to the mercies of the Ood."
"But Mister Halpen, there's something else, isn't there? Something we haven't seen." The Doctor said, and Halpen stopped and faced them,
"What do you mean?" Donna said,
"A creature couldn't survive with a separate forebrain and hindbrain, they'd be at war with themselves. There's got to be something else, a third element, am I right?" The Doctor asked,
"And again, so clever," Halpen said,
"But it's got to be connected to the red-eye. What is it?" The Doctor said,
"It won't exist for very much longer. Enjoy your Ood." Halpen said before they left,
"Come on." The Doctor said as the three started trying to get out of the handcuffs,
" Well, do something. You're the one with all the tricks. You must have met Houdini." Donna said as they continued messing with the handcuffs,
"These are really good handcuffs." The Doctor said,
"Oh well, I'm glad of that. I mean, at least we've got quality." Donna said before a door opened and three Ood with red eyes walked in and started advancing on them,
"Doctor, Alyssa, Donna, Friends" Alyssa started glancing at the Doctor, who began chanting as well,
"The circle must be broken." Donna started,
"Doctor, Alyssa, Donna, Friends," the Doctor and Alyssa said together,
"The circle must be broken," Donna said, and the three began repeating themselves as the Ood advanced on them, the Orbs almost touched their heads before they stopped, And the light on the orb switched off, and they clutched their heads for a second before they straightened their eyes no longer red.
"Doctor. Alyssa. Donna. Friends." The Ood in the center said, and Alyssa let out a sigh of relief
"Yes. That's us. Friends. Oh, yes." the Doctor and Donna said together, the Ood uncuffed them, and they started rushing out of the room. The Doctor scanned the chaos of the Guards and the Ood fighting before letting a groan of frustration,
" I don't know where it is. I don't know where they've gone." the Doctor said, as Alyssa scanned the battlefield, as they ran off,
"What are we looking for?" Donna said, following after them
"It might be underground, like some sort of cave, or a cavern, or," The Doctor said as they continued running. An explosion happened behind them, and they all fell to the ground; the Doctor put his hand on Alyssa's back as the three looked up. "All right?" He asked the two, and they both nodded. They glanced behind them to see an Ood whose eyes were glowing red.
They followed the Ood as it led them to a warehouse, the Doctor using his screwdriver to open the door, they rushed in and down some stairs and into a bright red room. They looked down, and there surrounded by an electric field, was a brain,
"The Ood Brain. Now it all makes sense; that's the missing link. The third element, binding them together. Forebrain, hindbrain, and this, the telepathic center. It's a shared mind, connecting all the Ood in song." the Doctor said, chains rattled, and they looked up to see Halpen holding a gun. Alyssa wasted no time whipping hers out and pointing it at him,
"Cargo. I can always go into cargo. I've got the rockets, I've got the sheds. Smaller business. Much more manageable, without livestock." Halpen said as he walked over to them. Alyssa's gun not leaving him,
"He's mined the area." the scientist said,
"You're going to kill it?" Donna said,
"They found that thing centuries ago beneath the Northern Glacier." Halpen said,
"Those pylons." The Doctor started,
"In a circle. The circle must be broken." Donna said,
"Damping the telepathic field. Stopping the Ood from connecting for two hundred years." Alyssa said, her gun focused on Halpen,
"And you, Ood Sigma, you brought them here. I expected better." Halpen said as Sigma was behind them,
"My place is at your side, sir." Sigma said, walking over to him,
"Still subservient. Good Ood." Halpen said, his mouth getting caught with the last word,
"If that barrier thing's in place, how come the Ood started breaking out?" Donna said,
"Maybe it's taken centuries to adapt. The subconscious reaching out?" The Doctor said,
"But the process was too slow. It had to be accelerated. You should never give me access to the controls, Mister Halpen. I lowered the barrier to its minimum. Friends Of The Ood, sir. It's taken me ten years to infiltrate the company, and I succeeded." Ryder said as he joined Halpen
"Don't you dare." Alyssa hissed out, as he was about to throw him off the edge, "I am the Golden Angel, and I have seen all of this before. It just took me this long to remember this, now back away from him." Alyssa said as she advanced on him and disarmed him quickly; Halpen backed away from Ryder,
"You kept a whole race locked away for 200 years; it's time someone stopped it." Alyssa said, as she tossed the gun away and brought her own gun up,
"Alyssa, lower the gun." the Doctor said, as he walked up behind her,
"No." Alyssa said, but Sigma, who was by Halpen, took a step up and pushed the gun down. Before he turned to Halpen,
"Would you like a drink, sir?" Sigma said, and Alyssa didn't raise the gun as she stared at Sigma confused,
"I think hair loss is the least of my problems right now, thanks." Halpen said, as the Doctor grabbed Alyssa's shoulders and pulled her back; as Sigma moved in front of them,
"Please have a drink, sir." Sigma said,
"Oh, let her shoot me. What else could be worse" Halpen said,
"Please have a drink, sir." Sigma said,
"Have, have you poisoned me?" Halpen said, as his body started shaking,
"Natural Ood must never kill, sir." Sigma said,
"What is that stuff?" The Doctor said,
"Ood graft suspended in a biological compound, sir." Sigma said, and Alyssa let out a quiet 'Oh' as the last details of the episode came to her,
"What the hell does that mean?" Halpen said,
"Oh, dear." The Doctor said as he realized what was happening to Halpen,
"Tell me!" he said,
"Funny thing, the subconscious. Takes all sorts of shapes. Came out in the red-eye as revenge, came out in the rabid Ood as anger, and then there was patience. All that intelligence and mercy focused on Ood Sigma."
"Mercy can be a funny thing, , and it doesn't always happen in the way you think. How's the hair loss?" Alyssa said as she put her gun away and smiled as she crossed her arms. Halpen reached up and took his hand away to reveal a clutch of hair,
"What have you done?" Halpen said,
"Oh, they've been preparing you for a very long time. And now you're standing next to the Ood Brain, Mister Halpen, can you hear it? Listen." The Doctor said,
"What have you? I'm not." Halpen said before he reached up to his head and peeled off a layer of skin; before tentacles came out of his mouth, he straightened as an Ood.
"They, they turned him into an Ood?" Donna said
"Yes," Alyssa said,
"He's an Ood." Donna said, looking at the Doctor,
"I noticed." he said, as he Halpen groaned before he sneezed out a small brain into his hands,
"He has become Oodkind, and we will take care of him." Sigma said, glancing at Alyssa and the Doctor,
"It's weird, being with you two. I can't tell what's right and what's wrong anymore." Donna said,
"It's better that way. People who know for certain tend to be like Mister Halpen." The Doctor said before a beeping started. "Oh!" he said as he rushed to the side and turned off the explosives, "That's better. And now, Sigma, would you allow me the honor?" The Doctor said, talking about turning off the barrier that kept the brain weak, as he rushed over to the controls,
"It is yours, Doctor."
"Oh, yes!" The Doctor whipped around and started messing with the controls. "Stifled for two hundred years, but not anymore. The circle is broken. The Ood can sing." before the electric field around the brain shut off, and singing filled the air, and
"I can hear it!" Donna said as the three smiled.
They made their way back to the Tardis, some Ood coming with them. "The message has gone out. That song resonated across the galaxies. Everyone heard it. Everyone knows. The rockets are bringing them back. The Ood are coming home." the Doctor said,
"We thank you, Doctor Donna, Golden Angel, friends of Oodkind. And what of you now? Will you stay? There is room in the song for you." Sigma said,
"Oh, I've, I've sort of got a song of my own, thanks." The Doctor said,
"I think your song must end soon," Sigma said before he turned to Alyssa, about to say something else,
"Meaning?" The Doctor said, stopping Sigma,
"Every song must end," Sigma said,
"Yeah. Er, what about you? You still want to go home?" The Doctor said, addressing Donna.
"No. Definitely not," Donna said,
"Then we'll be off." The Doctor said,
"Take this song with you," Sigma said,
"We will," Donna said,
"Thank you," Alyssa said,
"Always." The Doctor said,
"And know this, Golden Angel, Doctor Donna. You will never be forgotten. Our children will sing of the Doctor Donna, and the Golden angel, and our children's children, and the wind and the ice and the snow will carry your names forever." Sigma said; the Doctor and Donna started towards the Tardis, and Donna entered before the Doctor realized Alyssa wasn't following them.
"Alyssa, you coming?" The Doctor said,
"Yeah, just give me a second." Alyssa said, and the Doctor went in the Tardis, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have tried to take your revenge, mercy away from you."
"Thank you, Golden Angel, but what you fear most of all might be happening sooner than you think."
"What do you mean?" she said,
"You know what we mean," Sigma said, and Alyssa only nodded before she turned around and entered the Tardis. The Doctor smiled at Alyssa as he piloted the Tardis away from the planet.
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Author's Note: the Next chapter is going to come very soon, however it will start different then how all my other ones start for a very specific reasoning. If you have seen the episode before you might be able to get why very soon in the chapter.