The Doctor and The Nightingale {1}

the impossible planet 8.3

Everyone was in the habitation area. The Doctor and Nova both began to examine the script they had saw earlier, while Rose and Tate stood off to the side. Zach's voice broke through Danny's wrist-com. "Danny, check the temperature in Ood Habitation. It seems to be rising"

With a sigh, Rose parted from Tate. She was feeling a bit peckish so she decided to get some food. She joined Scooti at the serving area. "Help yourself" She welcomed Rose. "Just don't have the green. Or the blue"

Rose grabbed a tray and went over to the serving window. Of course, there was an Ood serving the food. She peeked her through the window so she could see the choices. "Er, bit of that, thanks" Rose pointed towards the blue one.

The Ood put a spoonful of the blue goop on Rose's tray. "Would you like sauce with that?" the Ood politely offered.

"I'll have a go, yeah" The Ood grabbed a bottle of sauce and poured it into the space beside the blue goop. "I did that job once. Tate too. I was a, a dinner lady, and he was a dinner boy" Rose thought back to their adventure back at the school. "Not that I'm calling you a lady. Although, I don't know, you might be. Do you actually get paid, though? Do they give you money?"

"The Beast and his Armies shall rise from the Pit to make war against God"

Rose stared blankly at the Ood. "I'm sorry?"

The Ood tapped it's sphere before speaking again. "Apologies. I said, I hope you enjoy your meal"

"Yeah" Rose walked back over to Tate. She joined him at the empty table he was sitting at. She took a seat across from him.

He looked down at her tray the moment she returned, and cringed in disgust. "What the hell is that?" He referred to the blue goop.

"I don't know. It's blue" Rose mumbled with a shrug. "The Ood that's serving said something very strange"

Tate quirked an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "What did it say?"

"Something about a beast and its army rising from the pit, and starting a war against God"

"Yeah, that is strange" Just as he said that, The Doctor and Nova joined them. The Doctor sat beside Tate, while Nova sat beside Rose.

"What's strange?" Nova asked. Just as she did, the lights began to flicker.

Ida spoke into her wrist-com. "Zach? Have we got a problem?"

"No more than usual. Got the Scarlet System burning up. Might be worth a look" Zach responded.

"You might want to see this" Ida turned off her wrist-com and directed her attention towards the two Time Lords. "Moment in history" She pulled down a lever, opening up the shutters above them. "There. On the edge. That red cloud. That used to be the Scarlet System. Home to the Peluchi, a mighty civilization spanning a billion years, disappearing forever. Their planets and suns consumed. Ladies and gentlemen, we have witnessed its passing" Ida went to close the shutters.

"Er, no, could you leave it open?" The Doctor pleaded with her. "Just for a bit. I won't go mad, I promise"

"How would you know?" That earned Ida a grin from him. "Scooti, check the lockdown. Jefferson, sign off the airlock seals for me" Scooti and Jefferson went off to do their respective tasks. Ida also left the room.

"I've seen films and things, yeah" Rose began. "They say black holes are like gateways to another universe"

"Not that one. It just eats" The Doctor stated.

"Long way from home"

"Go that way, turn right, keep going for er, about, er, five hundred years, and you'll reach the Earth"