Storm: Storm is Brewing

Rebel Flesh 2

The Doctor slowly woke up, his eyes fluttering open, before he bolted upright. He sat, staring at the sky – still orange and flashing light – and the now completely burnt weathervane. Or more like, vanished weathervane. The force of the solar lightning had completely eroded it, leaving only a smoking pipe where the cockerel had been connected to the tower.

His eyes snapped immediately to his side as Terry groaned beside him, and he called urgently: "Terry, love? Angel?"

"Ow." She moaned as she slowly sat up, the Doctor reaching down to help her. "Really, I see Rory's point now. For want of a better word, ow!"

"Rory?" The Doctor asked confused, and Terry waved it away as she replied dismissively: "He'll say it. Said it. Whatever, he says it."

"Are you all right?" The Doctor asked in concern, and she nodded.

"But right now, we've got bigger things to worry about." Terry said worriedly, glancing back towards the door.

The Doctor understood, and he helped Terry up before the pair dashed down the steps. The whole monastery was dark now, having lost all power after the storm, and Terry pursed her lips. Things were just beginning.

They spotted a figure in the courtyard as they reached the bottom of the stairs, and the Doctor called in surprise: "Cleaves, you're not in your harness."

"I'm sorry, Doctor, Terry." Cleaves said contritely as the pair screeched to a halt before her. "You were right."

Terry just gave her an even look while the Doctor glanced around at the dark monastery and he pointed out: "You've lost all power to the factory."

"Doctor," Cleaves interjected in a small voice, "I abandoned my team."

"Then let's go get them." The Doctor replied determinedly, grabbing Cleaves's arm and tugging her to follow after him and Terry.

They hurried down the corridors and towards the Harness room, while the Doctor questioned: "How long would you say we were unconscious for, Cleaves?"

"Not long." Cleaves replied with a shrug. "A minute, two minutes?"

"Maybe a little longer." Terry corrected, and Cleaves frowned.

"Well, how long?" Cleaves asked, puzzled, and the Doctor replied bluntly: "An hour."

They stopped for a moment while the Doctor gazed blankly into space as he murmured: "I've seen whole worlds turned inside out in an hour. A lot can go wrong in an hour."

He glanced at Terry, and she nodded at him. The Doctor took her hand, leading them both onwards while Cleaves stared after them, sighed in exasperation, but followed nonetheless.

They hurried into the Harness room, Terry raising a brow as she saw Rory hugging Jennifer in comfort. The man meant nothing by it – it was just how compassionate Rory was and why he made an excellent nurse – but she also knew the dangers that would come from his attachment to this Jennifer. Not only was there what was to come... but Terry could see from Amy's face that the redhead was not happy, even as she tried to act like she didn't care.

The Doctor missed all of that, instead focusing on the room and Amy as the redhead said quickly: "Doctor, Terry these are all real people, so where are their Gangers?"

Cleaves ran up behind them, and she explained: "Don't worry. When the link shuts down the Gangers return to pure Flesh."

The Doctor's eyes narrowed and he slowly turned on the spot to re-examine the room carefully while Cleaves said determinedly: "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."