To Be Forgotten

Chapter 8 - Cold Blood

Cold Blood, part 2 -

Malokeh led them to a pod that Elliot was in, attached to several cables.

"Elliot, there you are", the Doctor looked through the glass.

"If you've harmed him in any way-", Mo started.

"Of course not", Malokeh interrupted him, "I only store the young."

"But why?", the Oracle asked, looking at the screen he was working on.

"I took samples of the young, slowed their lifecycles to a millionth of their normal rate so I could study how they grew, what they needed, how they lived on the surface", he told them with a curiosity that the Oracle knew from her husband as well.

"You've been working down here, all alone?", the Doctor asked him with a smile.

"My family, through the millennia, and for the last three hundred years, just me", he turned away from the Time Lords to look at Mo, "I never meant to harm your child."

The Oracle smiled sympathetically, "Malokeh, I rather love you."

The man smiled back and shook her hand, "It's safe, we can wake him."

He turned away and the Doctor nudged the Oracle, "Should I be worried?"

"After your drama with Elisabeth the First? All the time", she smirked at him but kissed his cheek before turning to check on Elliot as well.

Malokeh was detaching cables from a slowly waking Elliot as he chuckled to himself a bit. He left the pod and told Mo, "Come."

Mo went inside and smiled at his son, "Elliot? Ell, it's Dad."

"Huh?", Elliot was still a little out of it, "Dad."

Mo pulled him close, "You're safe now."

"Where are we?", he asked.

"Well, I've got to be honest with you, son. We're in the centre of the Earth and there are lizard men."

Elliot looked at the three looking into the pod, all smiling as Malokeh waved and quietly said, "Hi."

"Wow", Elliot told his dad with a smile.

"Elliot", the Oracle, closely followed by the Doctor, stepped up to him, "We're sorry. We took our eyes off you."

"It's okay", he hugged her, "I forgive you."

He shook the Doctor's hand who smiled back with what could be interpreted as pride. Then the Doctor led them out.

"You go on, Oracle, Doctor. I'll catch up", Malokeh told them.

They turned back to give him a reassuring smile and then they led the way back to the courtroom. They walked in when they were about to reach common ground.

"If we work together, this planet could achieve greatness", Eldane finished.

"Okay", Nasreen smiled, "Now, I'm starting to see it."

"Oh yeah", Amy smirked.

When the Time Lords entered they applauded the group. The Doctor spoke up, "Not bad for a first session. More similarities than differences."

There was an electrical weaving in the background and Eldane explained, "The transport has returned. Your friends are here."

They waited for a few moments until Rory entered the courtroom first.

"Here we are", the Doctor spread his arms happily.

"Mum", Elliot ran forward when he spotted Ambrose.