The Other Tyler - rewrite

The Controller And Her Masters

It only took a few minutes for Mei to explain to the others what she had learned in the Tardis, and by that time they were arriving at floor 500. Jack exited first, making sure to show off his very large gun.

"Okay, move away from the desk! Nobody try anything clever. Everybody clear. Stand to the side and stay there," he ordered, the workers scurrying to do as they were told.

"Whose in charge of this place?" the Doctor asked, walking straight up to the woman wired in.

Mei and Rose followed behind him, listening to the woman rattle off numbers but not reply to or even acknowledge the Doctor. Both girls kept an eye on the workers as well, just in case any of them tried anything.

"This satellite's more than a game station," he continued, waiting for an answer, "Who tried to kill my friends?!"

Mei huffed when the woman rattled on about a solar flare and turned to workers. A young man flinched back under her gaze, giving her the impression he had seen her power display.

"Why's she not answering?" She asked him.

He cleared his throat, looking a little surprised, "Um, the - the Controller is linked to the transmissions. The entire output goes through her brain. You're not a member of staff so she doesn't recognise your existence."

"That's ridiculous," Rose scoffed, "She can see us, she can hear us. Why's she all wired up like that? What's her name?"

The man gave a shrug, "I don't know. She was installed when she was five years old. That's the only life she's ever known."

"Five?!" Mei shrieked, "You wired up a child to a machine?!"

Jack interrupted, though shooting the workers a heavy glare as he announced, "Door's sealed. We should be safe for about ten minutes. The guards following us don't seem to be all that interested in catching us, what with Mei's little temper tantrum."

"How rude," the brunette pouted, grinning when Jack winked at her and her little sister giggled.

The Doctor shook his head at the two of them with a small smile of his own, before gesturing to the workers, "Keep an eye on them."

He and Mei moved over to one of the computers, getting a look at the logs and the transmissions and signals. The male worker that had been speaking before scurried over as rose took a few steps back to stand with Jack, arms crossed.

"But that stuff you were saying about something going on with the Game Station. I think you're right. I've kept a log. Unauthorised transmats, encrypted signals, it's been going on for years."

Mei gave him an appraising look, "Show him, now." She then turned on her heel and pointed to the door that the Tardis was behind, "Rose, Jack, go and see if she's found anything? She was running scans when i left."

"On it," Rose grinned, hurrying over with Jack right behind her.

As the Doctor and the man went over the records, Mei studied the Controller. The poor woman, she thought, listening to her continue to rattle of numbers. She was distracted by one of the female workers coming forward.

"What?" she asked before the woman could speak, her lips pulling into a scowl.

The woman just huffed, "If you're not holding us hostage, then open the door and let us out. The staff are terrified."

The Doctor snapped his head up, fixing the woman with a glare, "That's the same staff who execute hundreds of contestants every day." 

"That's not our fault. We're just doing our jobs," she waved it off, causing the Doctor and Mei to bristle.