Fixing The Problems

Stones Of Venice - Continue From Part Two

Priests were chanting about Estella in the background. The Time Lords and Churchwell were in a boat. Celestia's head was in The Doctor's shoulder, their fingers intertwined.

"At least they've got a nice laparetto. We're travelling in style today, Celestia, Churchwell." The Doctor told them.

"We're stuck with them now, Doctor. Stuck with the whole retinue of mad chanting priests, on a boat. All of them worshipping a body that isn't even where they think it is." Churchwell said.

"Keep your voice down. We don't want them to know, do we?" The Doctor asked him.

"But they must know already. They must." Churchwell said, shaking his head.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, Churchwell." Celestia said.

"They wouldn't desecrate the tomb. As far as these dupes are concerned, Estella's still inside the thing. They'll get a nasty surprise when they expect her to come tripping out." The Doctor said. "Did you notice the clock?"

"What about it?" Churchwell asked.

"It was ticking down the hours and the minutes to dawn. Presumably that's when it all happens." The Doctor guessed.

"We're all going to die horribly, aren't we? One way or another." Churchwell said.

"I should never have let you get mixed up in all of this, Celestia. I should have just called your brother to pick you up so I could come back for you when all of this was over." The Doctor told the Time Lady.

"Well, you know I would never leave you behind especially in a dangerous situation." Celestia told him, looking up.

"Behold, the Ducal Palace." The man shouted.

"We have nothing to fear from the Duke, Doctor, Celestia. These idiots are taking us to safety. He's my friend. He won't betray us." Churchwell said.

"How can you be so sure? I don't like what I've heard about him so far." The Doctor asked him.

"Oh, they're delivering us to safety, Doctor, I'm sure of it. And you can find your ship, the one you told me about, and we can leave this doomed city in time with all the paintings. We can rescue the whole collection, can't we? Can't we, Doctor, Celestia? You said yourselves it would be a crime if the paintings were spoiled. We'll be safe, won't we?" Churchwell asked again and again.

"I'll get us all to safety, Churchwell, you'll see." The Doctor said.

"And you can trust him on that, Churchwell." Celestia told the man, giving him an assuring smile.

"They're taking us in. The carnival is at its height." Churchwell said.

"Prepare yourselves, servants of our Lady. Make ready to set about your tasks." The man shouted.

"Why do religious types always regale you with histrionic comparatives? It's hard to get any kind of decent conversation out of them." The Doctor remarked.

"Silence, Doctor!" The man shouted again.

"That's the other thing. They always shout." Celestia muttered.

"Silence." The man said again.

"As if they're the only ones worth listening to. Fanatics always get on my nerves." The Doctor said.

"Oh, don't aggravate them, Doctor." Churchwell said.

"I can't see what they want some old portrait for, anyway. Are they very keen on art?" Celestia asked, frowning.

"I told The Doctor about it. There are dark powers at work here." Churchwell said.

"Great. That makes me much happier." Celestia said, rolling her eyes. They heard chanting from cultists in the background.

"There's something here I'm not quite piecing together, something I've missed." The Doctor said. "Celestia, can you see it?" He looked down at her.

"Not really, no." She looked up at him apologetically.

"I wouldn't worry your head." Churchwell told them.

"Hang on, hang on." The Doctor paused. "You?" He pointed to the leader of the group who frowned. "Yes, you." He confirmed.

"Are you addressing me?" The man said.

"What do you think you can accomplish with this portrait, hmm? Or do you just want to see what the old girl looked like?" The Doctor asked.

"You blaspheme. You are not fit to mention her name." The man said, angrily.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed, Theta?" Celestia asked telepathically.

"Of course not." He told in her mind then spoke aloud: "Oh, probably not. I'd just like to know what you think you're up to, that's all." He said.

"You will do my bidding, and that is as much as you need to know." The man said.

"All right, all right. Say you manage somehow through the forces of sorcery and devilment and so on to revive Estella from the dead. What happens then, hmm? What's she going to do?" The Doctor questioned.

"She will save us all. She will make the city rise from the sea again." The man explained.

"Oh do they seriously believe that?" Celestia spoke in his mind.

"That's humans for you." He said before talking to the man again. "That's a pretty tall order for someone just back from the dead. Celestia and I should know. It's a very taxing business. Usually it's as much as you can do to remember your name. I wouldn't expect any more than this. I imagine she'd feel rather tired and confused." The Doctor said.

"The legend has come down to us from the last century. Three generations of priests have handed down the tale. We know what is ordained to happen." The man insisted.

"Really, a century, isn't that long for a legend. It isn't that long at all. Come on, you must have some doubts, surely, niggling away. Don't you think you're going to look a little foolish?" The Doctor asked.

"You know nothing. How can you know anything about us? How can you understand a century's worth of worshipping our Lady?" The man questioned.

"I've never been very religious it's true, but I think you are going to be" The Doctor was cut off by the alarmed shouts. "To be disappointed. What's going on?" He asked. Celestia lifted her head from his shoulder to look around.

"It's the priests. They've seen something." Churchwell said.

"What? Stop, you fools. Control yourselves." The man shouted.

"What is it? What can they see?" Celestia asked.

"Doctor, Celestia, look." Churchwell said, pointing at something. "There's something under there. Just under the surface of the water." He said.

"We're being attacked. They're coming up from under the boat." The Doctor said.

"Kill them. Get them away from us." The man said.

"What are they?" Celestia asked.

"Amphibians. Trolls. Myrmidons." The man said.

"Celestia, Churchwell, give me your hands." The Doctor said as he took Celestia's hand.

"Gondoliers!" Churchwell shouted.

"Churchwell, grab my hand. The others, the priests, they're being dragged down." The Doctor insisted.

"They'll kill us all. The Gondoliers, they've gone mad. They'll drag us all down into the depths!" Churchwell exclaimed.