Connecting the souls (2)

Chapter 2 - New Earth

Maddie walked up to the Doctor. “Hey, i just said goodbye to my parents. So we need to wait for Rose?”

“Yes.” The Doctor replied.

Maddie looked at him. “You know, I remember some bit and pieces.”

“What do you remember?” The Doctor's voice went high.

“Daleks turning to dust and that you kissed me to out the Time Vortex.”  Maddie replied to him.

The Doctor blushed. “Yes.” He said high as then he coughed. His voice went to normal. “I had to do that, i had to save you.”

“I know. I fainted shortly after.” Maddie nodded. “I have been reading a book from the library.”

The Doctor looked at her. “I know and i have been known for a while. It the Time War.” He told her.

Maddie nodded. “Yeah, that’s right. The Tardis let me right to it.”

“Cheeky thing.” The Doctor looked at the console. “She does things like that. She must have already known that we are soulmates.”

Maddie smiled at him. “Yeah.”

Just then Rose entered the Tardis. “So where are we going?”

“Further than we've ever gone before.” The Doctor replied to them.

---------------------

The Tardis had materialised across the river from a massive city. Flying cars zoom overhead. “It's the year five billion and twenty three. We're in the galaxy M87, and this? This is New Earth.”

“Wow.” Maddie comment, smiling.

Rose looked around. “That's just. That's just...”

“Not bad. Not bad at all.” The Doctor interrupted her.

“That's amazing.” Rose comment. “I'll never get used to this. Never. Different ground beneath my feet, different sky.” Then she smelled. “What's that smell?”

“Apple grass.” The Doctor replied.

“Oh, that’s nice.” Maddie comment. “Love the smell.”

Rose blinked. “Apple grass.”

“Yeah, yeah.” The Doctor nodded.

“It's beautiful. Oh, I love this. Can I just say, travelling with you, I love it.” Rose comment. “And you, uh, too, Maddie.”

“Me too.” The Doctor grinned.

“Me three.” Maddie added.

“Come on.” The Doctor told to the girls.

------------------

The Doctor, Maddie and Rose were relaxing on his long coat looking at the city. Maddie sat on the Doctor’s lap as they missed the look from Rose. “So, the year five billion, the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted.”

“That was our first date.” Rose comment sarcastically.

“Fish and chips.” Maddie told them.

“We had chips. So anyway, planet gone, all rocks and dust, but the human race lives on, spread out across the stars. Soon as the Earth burns up, oh yeah, they get all nostalgic, big revival movement, but then find this place. Same size as the Earth, same air, same orbit. Lovely. Call goes out, the humans move in.” The Doctor rambled.

“Lovely.” Maddie looked at him with a smile on her face. “What's the city called?”

The Doctor grinned. “New New York.”

“Oh, come on.” Rose comment in disbelief.

The Doctor looked at them. “It is. It's the city of New New York. Strictly speaking, it's the fifteenth New York since the original, so that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York.” Rose blinked at Jim as he noticed it. “What?”

“You're so different.” She replied.

The Doctor grinned. “New New Doctor.”

“Yes, indeed.” Maddie grinned also.

“Can we go and visit New New York, so good they named it twice?” Rose asked.

The Doctor pointed at the hospital. “Well, I thought we might go there first.”

“Why, what is it?” Rose asked.

“Some sort of hospital.” The Doctor replied. “Green moon on the side. That's the universal symbol for hospitals. I got this. A message on the psychic paper.” Which said - Ward 26 Please Come. “Someone wants to see me.”

“Oh, that’s interesting.” Maddie comment.

Rose looked at the paper. “Hmm. And I thought we were just sight-seeing. Come on, then. Let's go and buy some grapes.”

------------------

They walked into the Hospital reception. A massive area, courtesy of the Wales Millennium Centre. The Doctor had just said that he doesn’t like hospitals. Maddie snored after hearing that. “Doc!”

“Bit rich coming from you.” Rose added.

The Doctor looked around him. “I can't help it. I don't like hospitals. They give me the creeps.”

Maddie snored. “Why do you call yourself Doctor then?”

The Doctor gave her a look. “You know why, Mads.”

Maddie walked over to him. “Oh, Doc. I was just teasing you.” She had a cheeky smile as the Doctor pouted. Then she kissed his cheek. “Pouty Doctor.” She teased him.

“The Pleasure Gardens will now take visitors carrying green or blue identification cards for the next fifteen minutes. Visitors are reminded that cuttings from the gardens are not permitted.”

“Lovely.” Maddie muttered.

“Very smart. Not exactly NHS.” Rose comment.

Then the Doctor pouted. “No shop. I like the little shop.”

“You and your shop.” Maddie told him, smiling.

“I thought this far in the future, they'd have cured everything.” Rose comment frowning.

“The human race moves on, but so do the viruses. It's an ongoing war.” The Doctor told her.

Rose finally noticed the faces of the nursing staff in their nun-like wimples and habits. “They're cats.”

“Now, don't stare.” The Doctor told her. “Think what you look like to them, all pink and yellow.” Then he pointed at a wall. “That's where I'd put the shop. Right there.”

“Oh, doc.” Maddie comment as she shook with her head.

The Doctor grabbed Maddie’s hand as then they walked into the lift. “Ward 26, thanks!”

They heard Rose shouting. “Hold on! Hold on!”

“Oh, too late. We are going up.” The Doctor called.

“It's all right, there's another lift.” Rose called to them.

“Ward 26.” The Doctor called. “And watch out for the disinfectant.”

“Watch out for what?” Rose asked.

“The disinfectant!” Maddie replied.

“The what?” Rose asked confused.

“The disin...” The Doctor trailed off. “Oh, you'll find out.”

“Commence stage one disinfection.”

The Doctor and Maddie were drenched by a spray. Maddie shrieked as the Doctor laughed at her. “Oi!” She slammed into his arm.

“Sorry, sorry.” The Doctor told her, grinning.

The next stage was a blow dry. The Doctor enjoyed it. Maddie didn’t.

-------------------

“Please report to reception.”

The Doctor and Maddie were escorted by a veiled nurse. “Nice place. No shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop. Not a big one. Just a shop, so people can shop.”

The nurse removed her veil. “The hospital is a place of healing.”

The Doctor looked her. “A shop does some people the world of good. Not me. Other people.”

“Doc.” Maddie face palmed.

The Doctor shrugged. “What?!”

“You are a child sometimes.” Maddie replied.

“New new Doctor, love.” The Doctor comment happily.

“The Sisters of Plentitude take a lifelong vow to help, and to mend.” The cat told them.

They passed an open cubicle. “Excuse me! Members of the public may only gaze upon the Duke of Manhattan with written permission from the Senate of New New York.”

The Doctor looked at the Duke. “That's Petrifold Regression, right?”

“I'm dying, sir.” The Duke replied. “A lifetime of charity and abstinence, and it ends like this.”

“Any statements made by the Duke of Manhattan may not be made public without official clearance.” Someone said.

“Frau Clovis! I'm so weak.” Duke groaned.

“Sister Jatt. A little privacy, please.” Clovis told to Jatt.

Jatt looked at the Doctor and Maddie. “He'll be up and about in no time.”

“I doubt it.” The Doctor frowned. “Petrifold Regression? He's turning to stone. There won't be a cure for oh, a thousand years? He might be up and about, but only as a statue.”

“Have faith in the Sisterhood.” Jatt looked at them. “But is there no one here you recognise? It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient.”

“No, I think I've found him.” The Doctor replied. A large face in a container by the picture window with a view of the city. And there was a woman there as well.

“Oh.” Maddie comment.

“Novice Hame, if I can leave this gentleman and lady in your care?” Jatt asked to her.

“Oh, I think our friend got lost.” The Doctor looked at Jatt. “Rose Tyler. Could you ask at reception?”

“Certainly, sir.” Sister Jatt leaves.

Hame looked at them. “I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep. That's all he tends to do these days. Are you friends, or...”

“We met just the once on Platform One.” The Doctor looked at him. “What's wrong with him?”

The woman walked towards them. She’s a blonde haired and had green eyes. Maddie frowned at the woman as Hame replied to them. “I'm so sorry. I thought you knew. The Face of Boe is dying.”

“Of what?” Maddie asked worried.

“Old age.” Hame replied. “The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions, although that's impossible.”

“Oh, I don't know.” The Doctor put his hand on the glass. “I like impossible. I'm here. I look a bit different, but it's me, It's the Doctor.”

Then Maddie looked at the woman. “Who are you?”

“I’m Luna.” She replied.

“I’m Maddie.” Maddie nodded as then she looked at the Face of Boe. “Who are you to him?”

“I’m his wife.” Luna replied.

“Different species?” Maddie asked to her. “You and him?”

Luna looked at her. “Yes.”

“Ah, what for species are you?” Maddie asked.

“Ah, that would be spoilers as my friend used to say.” Luna replied as she had a sad smile.

Maddie looked at her. “Used?”

“Yes, she is dead.” Luna replied.

“Did she die in this hospital?” Maddie asked sad.

Luna shook with her head. “No, somewhere else.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for you loss.” Maddie told her sadly.

Luna had a small smile. “Thank you.”

---------------

“Hope, harmony and health. Hope, harmony and health.”

The Doctor brought Hame, Maddie and Luna a cup of water. “That's very kind. There's no need.” Hame told him.

“You're the one working.” The Doctor told her.

“Thank you.” Luna told him. “But I’m just visiting.”

“You are his wife right?” The Doctor asked to her.

Luna nodded. “Yes, I’m guessing you were ear dropping.”

“Yeah, sorry.” The Doctor looked sheepishly.

Then Hame spoke up. “There's not much to do, just maintain his smoke. And I suppose I'm company. I can hear him singing, sometimes, in my mind. Such ancient songs.”

The Doctor glanced at Maddie. “Are we the only visitors? Besides his wife.”

“The rest of Boe-kind became extinct long ago.” Hame replied to him. “He's the only one left. Legend says that the Face of Boe has watched the universe grow old. There's all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his great secret, that he will speak those words only to one like himself.”

“Our two.” Luna added. “There many different stories, but they end the same way.”

The Doctor frowned. “What does that mean?”

“It's just a story.” Hame replied, shrugging.

“Tell us the rest.” Maddie comment.

“It's said he'll talk to a wanderer. To the man without a home. The lonely God.” Hame told them.

“And a woman from two worlds.” Luna added. “She’s his other half.”

----------------

Not much later the Doctor called to Rose. Maddie stood next to him. “Rose, where are you?” Pause. “Where've you been? How long does it take to get to Ward 26?” Pause. “You'll never guess. I'm with the Face of Boe. Remember him?” Pause. “I'd better go. See you in a minute.” He hung up. Then they saw the Duke of Manhattan was very happy.

“Didn't think I was going to make it.” Duke looked at them. “It's that man and woman again! They are my good luck charms. Come in. Don't be shy.”

Clovis looked at them. “Any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute a form of legal contract.”

“Winch me up.” Duke comment. “Up! Look at me. No sign of infection.”

“Champagne, sir, ma’am?” A waiter asked them.

Maddie grabbed a glass. “Oh yes, thank you.” She took a sip.

“No, thanks.” The Doctor declined, he glanced at Maddie. Then he looked at the Duke. “You had Petrifold Regression, right?”

“That being the operative word.” Duke smiled. “Past tense. Completely cured.”

The Doctor blinked. “But that's impossible.” As Maddie took another sip, but then the Doctor grabbed it from het as she pouted.

“My bloody drink!” She pouted still.

“Later.” The Doctor whispered to her.

Maddie looked at him. “Is that a promise, Doc?”

The Doctor blinked and blushed. “Yes... Maybe... We will see.” He stuttered.

“Primitive species would accuse us of magic, but it's merely the tender application of science.” Casp told them.

The Doctor frowned. “How on Earth did you cure him?”

“How on New Earth, you might say.” Casp quipped.

“What's in that solution?” The Doctor asked.

“A simple remedy.” Casp replied.

Then Maddie spoke up. “Then tell us what it is.”

“I'm sorry.” Casp told them. “Patient confidentiality. I don't believe we've met. My name is Matron Casp.”

“I'm the Doctor and this is Maddie.” The Doctor introduced themselves.
Casp looked at them. “I think you'll find that we're the doctors here.”

“Matron Casp, you're needed in Intensive Care.” Jatt called.

“If you would excuse me.” Casp and Jatt walked away.

----------------

“Ambient temperature stands at fourteen degrees. This temperature is designed to promote healing and well-being.”

The Doctor and Maddie were going round all the cubicles. One had a person floating in mid-air. Then they saw Rose. “There you are.” Maddie noticed that something was wrong with Rose, she’s different. She had this look that was weird for het, well if they were alone and Rose was being jealous. “Come and look at this patient. Marconi's Disease. Should take years to recover. Two days. I've never seen anything like it. They've invented a cell washing cascade. It's amazing. Their medical science is way advanced. And this one.” An man as white as his bed gown. “Pallidome Pancrosis. Kills you in ten minutes, and he's fine. I need to find a terminal. I've got to see how they do this. Because if they've got the best medicine in the world, then why is it such a secret?”

“I can't Adam and Eve it.” Rose replied in a weird voice.

Maddie frowned as the Doctor asked. “What's, what's. what's with the voice?”

“Oh, I don't know.” Rose replied. “Just larking about. New Earth, new me.”

“Well, I can talk. New New Doctor.” The Doctor comment.

“Mmm, aren't you just...” Rose grabbed the Doctor and kissed him, long and hard. “Terminal's this way. Phew.”

“Yep, still got it.” The Doctor muttered in a high voice.

Maddie looked very angry. “I’m gonna kill her in many ways.” She hissed.

The Doctor had heard her, he blinked. “Oh, oh.” Then he rushed away. Maddie went after him.

-------------

At the computer terminal, by the lift. “Nope, nothing odd.” The Doctor told them. “Surgery, post-op, nano-dentistry. No sign of a shop. They should have a shop.”

“You and your shop.” Maddie muttered, still angry. She wacked him.

“Ow.” The Doctor exclaimed.

“Your own fault.” Maddie comment sarcastically.

“No, it's missing something else.” Rose looked at the Doctor. “When I was downstairs, those Nurse Cat Nuns were talking about Intensive Care. Where is it?”

The Doctor looked at her. “You're right. Well done.”

“Why would they hide a whole department?” Rose frowned. “It's got to be there somewhere. Search the sub-frame.”

“What if the sub-frame's locked?” Maddie asked to them.

“Try the installation protocol.” Rose replied.

“Yeah. Of course. Sorry. Hold on.” The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver on the interface, and the whole wall slides down to reveal a corridor. “Intensive Care. Certainly looks intensive.”

Their actions were noticed by Novice Hame.

-------------

Rose lead the way down a good old-fashioned staircase. The whole place was lined with the cells, thousands of them. The Doctor opens one at random. It contained a very sick looking man. “Oh, what happened to him?” Maddie asked worried.

Rose looked disgusted. “That's disgusting. What's wrong with him?”

“I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.” The Doctor closed the door and moved on to the next. It contained a young woman.

“What disease is that?” Rose asked.

“All of them.” The Doctor replied to her. “Every single disease in the galaxy. They've been infected with everything.”

“Oh, my God.” Maddie gasped.

“What about us? Are we safe?” Rose asked worried.

“The air's sterile. Just don't touch them.” The Doctor closed the door.
“How many patients are there?” Rose asked to him.

The Doctor looked angry. “They're not patients.”

“But they're sick.” Rose exclaimed.

“They were born sick.” The Doctor hissed. “They're meant to be sick. They exist to be sick. Lab rats. No wonder the Sisters have got a cure for everything. They've built the ultimate research laboratory. A human farm.”

“Why don't they just die?” Rose asked.

Maddie frowned. “Plague carriers. The last to go.”

Hame walked towards them. “It's for the greater cause.”

The Doctor looked at her angry. “Novice Hame, When you took your vows, did you agree to this?”

“The Sisterhood has sworn to help.” Hame replied.

“What, by killing people?” Maddie asked in disbelief.

“But they're not real people.” Hame replied to them. “They're specially grown. They have no proper existence.”

“What's the turnover, hmm?” The Doctor asked angry. “Thousand a day? Thousand the next? Thousand the next? How many thousands? For how many years? How many!”

“Mankind needed us.” Hame replied to him. “They came to this planet with so many illnesses. We couldn't cope. We did try. We tried everything. We tried using clone-meat and bio-cattle, but the results were too slow, so the Sisterhood grew its own flesh. That's all they are. Flesh.”

“But these people are alive!” Maddie exclaimed.

“But think of those Humans out there, healthy and happy, because of us.” Hame argued.

“If they live because of this, then life is worthless.” The Doctor hissed.
Hame looked in disbelief. “But who are you to decide that?”

“I'm the Doctor.” The Doctor replied. “And if you don't like it, if you want to take it to a higher authority, then there isn't one. It stops with me.”

“And I will help him.” Maddie added.

Rose stepped forwards. “Just to confirm. None of the humans in the city actually know about this?”

“We thought it best not.” Hame replied.

“Hold on.” The Doctor held his hand up. “I can understand the bodies. I can understand your vows. One thing I can't understand. What have you done to Rose?”

“I don't know what you mean.” Hame replied confused.

The Doctor looked at her. “And I'm being very, very calm. You want to be aware of that. Very, very calm. And the only reason I'm being so very, very calm is that the brain is a delicate thing. Whatever you've done to Rose's head, I want it reversed.”

“We haven't done anything.” Hame told him.

“Of course you have.” Maddie comment.

“I'm perfectly fine.” Rose told them.

“These people are dying, and Rose would care.” The Doctor told her.
“Oh, all right, clever clogs.” She smirked. “Smarty pants. Shy lady. Lady-killer.”

The Doctor looked at her. “What's happened to you?”

“I knew something was going on in this hospital, but I needed this body and your mind to find it out.” She replied.

Maddie frowned. “Who are you?”

“The last human.” She replied.

The Doctor blinked. “Cassandra?”

“Wake up and smell the perfume.” She squirted the vial up his nose, and he passed out. She did the same with Maddie, she also passed out.

-----------------
Maddie woke up with a killer head ache. “Oh, my head.” Then she felt someone behind her, she glanced up and it was the Doctor. He woke also up.

“Maddie?!” The Doctor exclaimed.

“Yeah.” She hissed at his volume.

The Doctor looked at her. “Are you alright?” He asked her.

“No, I have a head ache.” Maddie replied.

Then the Doctor called out. “Let us out! Let us out!”

“Aren't you lucky there was a spare?” Cass-Rose smirked. “Standing room only.”

“You've stolen Rose's body.” The Doctor told her seriously.

“Over the years, I've thought of a thousand ways to kill you, Doctor.” Cass-Rose told him. “And now, that's exactly what I've got. One thousand diseases. They pump the patients with a top-up every ten minutes. You've got about three minutes left. Enjoy.”

“Just let Rose go, Cassandra.” The Doctor told her calmly.

“I will.” Cass-Rose smirked “As soon as I've found someone younger, and less common, then I'll junk her with the waste. Now hushaby. It's showtime.”
Then Maddie zoomed out as then the chaos began and they freed, she felt someone grabbed her and was put on the back from the Doctor. Then they were running as Cass-Rose freed the others and left Chip behind. Then they rushed into the basement room. Cass-Rose ran to the back door but there were people there, too. “We're trapped! What am I going to do?”

The Doctor put Maddie down as then he soniced her. “You are gonna be okay in a few minutes.” Then he looked at Cass-Rose. “Well, for starters, you're going to leave that body. That psychograft is banned on every civilised planet. You're compressing Rose to death.”

“But I've got nowhere to go. My original skin's dead.” She wined.

The Doctor shrugged. “Not my problem. You can float as atoms in the air. Now, get out. Give her back to me.”

“You asked for it.” She took a deep breath and blows energy out to the Doctor. Then Rose grabbed her head. “Blimey, my head. Where'd she go?”

“Well, i guess to the Doctor.” Maddie face palmed as she stood up again.

“Oh, my. This is different.” Cass-Doctor comment.

Rose blinked. “Cassandra?”

“Goodness me, I'm a man.” Cass-Doctor comment happily. “Yum. So many parts. And hardly used. Oh, oh, two hearts! Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!”

“Oh, my God.” Maddie exclaimed.

“Get out of him.” Rose added.

Cass-Doctor wobbled. “Oo, he's slim, and a little bit foxy.” He looked at Rose. “You've thought so too. I've been inside your head. You've been looking. You like it.” Just then the diseased people burst in. He panicked. “What do we do? What would he do? The Doctor, what the hell would he do?”

“Ladder. We've got to get up.” Maddie told them.

“Out of the way, blondies!” Cass-Doctor rushed past them.

“Please, help us. Help.” A woman called.

---------------

They were climbing up in the lift shaft. “If you get out of the Doctor's body, he can think of something.” Rose suggested.

“Yap, yap, yap. God, it was tedious inside your head. Hormone city.” Cass-Doctor complained.

“Oh, my God.” Maddie muttered.

“We're going to die if...” Rose was interrupted. Matron Casp grabbed her ankle. “Get off!”

“All our good work.” Casp told them. “All that healing. The good name of the Sisterhood. You have destroyed everything.”

“Go and play with a ball of string.” Cass-Doctor told her rudely.

“Everywhere, disease. This is the human world. Sickness!” A diseased arm reached up and grasps Casp's ankle. She fell, screaming.

“Move!” Maddie called.

“Maximum quarantine. Divert all shuttles.”

The doors on the next level will not open. “Help us.” A man called to them.

“Now what do we do?” Cass-Doctor asked.

“Use the bloody sonic screwdriver.” Maddie replied grumpily.

Cass-Doctor held it up. “You mean this thing?”

“Yes, I mean that thing.” Maddie replied.

“Well, I don't know how. That Doctor's hidden away all his thoughts.” Cass-Doctor told her.

“Give it to me.” Maddie held out her hand.

Just then Rose spoke up. “Cassandra, go back into me. The Doctor can open it. Do it!”

“Hold on tight.” The energy transfered. “Oh, chavtastic again. Open it!”

“Not till you get out of her.” The Doctor told her seriously.

“We need the Doctor.” Cass-Rose told him.

“Bloody hell.” Maddie comment sarcastically plus grumpily.

“I order you to leave her!” So Cassandra swapped back again. “No matter how difficult the situation, there is no need to shout.”

“Cassandra, get out of him!” Maddie shouted

“But I can't go into Rose, he simply refuses. He's so rude.” Cass-Doctor told her.

“I don't care.” Rose looked angry. “Just do something.”

“Oh, I am so going to regret this.” Cassandra transferred to the lead woman on the ladder below them. “Oh, sweet Lord. I look disgusting.”

The Doctor opened the lift doors and climbed out. “Nice to have you back.”

“No, you don't.” Cassandra's energy went up as then Maddie saw it and took Rose’s place as then everything went black.

----------------

The energy transfer took place and Maddie collapsed into the Doctor's arms. “Oh! You all right? Whoa! Okay?” He asked worried.

Maddie nodded. “Yeah. Hello!”

“Hello.” The Doctor smiled at her. “Welcome back.”

“Oh, sweet Lord.” Cass-Chip looked at her arm. “I'm a walking doodle.”

The Doctor looked at her. “You can't stay in there. I'm sorry, Cassandra, but that's not fair. I can take you to the city. They can build you a skin tank and you can stand trial for what you've done.”

“Well, that would be rather dramatic. Possibly my finest hour, and certainly my finest hat, but I'm afraid we don't have time. Poor little Chip is only a half-life, and he's been through so much. His heart is racing so. He's failing. I don't think he's going to last...” Cassandra fell to her knees.

“Are you all right?” The Doctor asked worried.

Cass-chip breathed heavily. “I'm fine. I'm dying, but that's fine.”

“I can take you to the city.” The Doctor told her.

“No, you won't.” She told him. “Everything's new on this planet. There's no place for Chip and me any more. You're right, Doctor. It's time to die, and that's good.”

“Come on.” The Doctor told her. “There's one last thing I can do.”

Just then Luna walked towards Maddie. “Be aware of the Wolf, your parents will worried if something happen to you.”

“What do you mean?” Maddie asked.

“Spoilers.” Luna replied as then she beamed away.

---------------

The Tardis materialised out of sight of the party. “Thank you.” Cass-Chip thanked them.

“Just go.” The Doctor told her. “And don't look back.”

“Good luck.” Rose smiled.

Maddie looked at her. “Good luck.”