The Other Tyler - rewrite

Nestene Consciousness

Mei and Rose followed the Doctor down the steps and stood back as he used the Sonic screwdriver to open the manhole. Red light and smoke poured out, causing the girls to jump back slightly. The Doctor however, dived straight in.

"Oh well," Mei shrugged, following him down the ladder, then squealed when she felt hands on her hips, "Oi, I'm in a skirt, get out from under me!"

"Sorry, sorry," the Doctor apologised, ears turning as red as the lights as he backed away.

Shaking her head, she jumped down the last little bit and dusted her hands off, moving to stand beside him as Rose came down.

"Thanks for trying to help though," Mei said, "Just . . . not when I'm in a skirt."

"Yeah, I got that," he murmured, looking around at all the chains.

He pointed to a door, leading the girls over. Through it, they found a large open chamber, still covered in chains with multiple stairways and at the base, in a great big vat was what looked like a huge orange wobbling jelly. Mei would have compared it to Lava, except it was too gooey looking.

"The Nestene Consciousness, that's it, inside the vat," The Doctor explained, "A living, plastic creature."

"Well, then. Tip in your anti-plastic and let's go," Rose ordered.

"Again, you miss the LIVING part of this situation," Mei scowled.

"She's right, I'm not here to kill it." The Doctor agreed, stopping the glare Rose was giving her older sister, "I've got to give it a chance."

Following him down the steps, Mei glanced around to try and find all exit options. The Doctor paused some way down and leaned over the rail.

"I seek audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract. According to convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation."

The words confused Mei, and one look at Rose said the blonde was confused as well. The consciousness wobbled around a bit and made a gurgling noise as if responding.

"Thank you," The Doctor said, making Mei jump, "If I might have permission to approach?"

It gurgled again, but Mei paid more attention to Rose who ran off. It was only then that she noticed Mickey curled up on a lower level. She turned back to the Doctor just in time to see him roll his eyes.

"Oh, my God! Mickey! It's okay! It's alright!" She crouched next to him as Mei followed the Doctor down some more levels.

"That thing down there, the liquid, Rose, it can talk!" Mickey whimpered.

"Some people just can't take it," Mei muttered, causing the Doctor to grin over his shoulder at her.

"You're stinking! Doctor, they kept him alive!" Rose exclaimed, not knowing he had already noticed.

"Yeah, that was always a possibility. Keep him alive to maintain the copy," Came the Doctor's reply and Mei covered her mouth so she didn't laugh.

"You knew that and you never said?!" Rose demanded, angry.

Without much care, the Doctor asked, "Can we keep the domestics outside, thank you?"

Standing on the lowest platform, Mei followed the Doctor toward the edge, carefully eyeing the orange liquid plastic. She didn't want to know what would happen if someone fell in.

"Am I addressing the Consciousness?"

There was another gurgle that Mei took to be a reply as an almost-face formed in the vat.