The Doctor and The Nightingale {1}

the impossible planet 8.4

"Everyone all right?!" The Doctor checked in with everyone once the quake ceased. "What happened? What was it?"

"Hull breach" Jefferson answered. "We were open to the elements. Another couple of minutes and we'd have been inspecting that black hole at close quarters" Toby was down on the ground, gasping for breath. Rose crouched down to help him.

"That wasn't a quake" Nova concluded with a shake of her head. "What the hell was it?"

"And what caused it?" The Doctor added.

"We've lost sections eleven to thirteen" Zach's voice broke through Jefferson's wrist-com. "Everyone all right?"

"We've got everyone here except Scooti" Jefferson responded. "Scooti, report" No answer. "Scooti Manista? That's an order. Report"

"She's all right" It wasn't Scooti who responded but Zach yet again. "I've picked up her biochip. She's in Habitation three. Better go and check if she's not responding. She might be unconscious" When no one was looking, Toby glanced down at his hands. It was as if there was something that was previously on his skin, but it wasn't there anymore. "How about that, eh? We survived"

"Habitation three. Come on. I don't often say this, but I think we could all do with a drink. Come on" Jefferson began walking and everyone followed after him. Well, everyone except Toby, and the TARDIS team. Toby was still on the ground. Rose was still crouched beside Toby. Tate remained standing, looking down at him. The two Time Lords crouched in front of Toby. They could tell he had seen something troubling. 

"What happened?" The Doctor asked him.

"I don't. I don't know" Toby sputtered. "I was working and then I can't remember. All that noise. The room was falling apart. There was no air"

"Come on. Up you get" Rose said as she helped Toby to his feet. "Come and have some protein one" They all began walking down the corridor.

"Oh, you've gone native" The Doctor commented.

"Oi, don't knock it. It's nice. Protein one with just a," Rose clicked her tongue. "dash of three"

______

The TARDIS team entered Habitation 3 with Toby. When they got in there, everyone seemed to be arguing about the whereabouts of Scooti. Turns out, she wasn't in Habitation 3. Jefferson spoke into his wrist-com. "Zach, We've got a problem. Scooti's still missing"

"It says Habitation 3" Zach replied.

"Yeah, well, that's where I am, and I'm telling you she's not here"

The Doctor glanced upwards. The shutters were still open, which meant the black hole was on full display. Something else, however, caught his eye. "I've found her"

Rose gasped, putting her hand over her mouth. "Oh, my God" She stumbled backwards, nearly tripping over her own feet, but Tate placed a hand on her back to steady her.

There was Scooti, right above them, drifting away towards the black hole. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" The Doctor apologized.

"Captain" Jefferson turned on the wrist-com again. "Report Officer Scootori Manista PKD, deceased. Forty three K two point one"

"She was twenty" Ida lamented. "Twenty years old" She pulled the lever that closed the shutters.

Jefferson began to quote Horatius by Thomas Babington Macaulay. "For how should man die better than facing fearful odds? For the ashes of his father and the temples of his Gods" There was a moment of silence between everyone, but it wasn't for remembrance. There was a whirring sound that had come to a halt.