Until We Burn | Dr Who

Chapter Forty: Judoon Platoon Upon the Moon

The Judoon march into the lobby and remain still, apathetic towards the panicked innocents around them. Their giant heads are hidden by bulky helmets and a red-rimmed socket marks the centre of their chests. The leader removes his helmet to reveal a wrinkled face of thick, grey skin. Sharp horns protrude from the bridge of his nose like that of a rhinoceros. Mean, crimson eyes pierce into his surroundings.

At the sight, more screams are heard. The Doctor, Martha and I creep across the first-floor landing, taking refuge behind some plant pots where we remain unnoticed by the creatures below.

The leader parts his lips to reveal blunt, yellow molars. "Bo. Sco. Fo. Do. No. Kro. Blo. Co. Sho. Ro."

At the command, they take out their guns. The humans huddle, clinging to each other, some uttering words of reassurance they certainly don't mean. Morgenstern — the blond boy from Martha's class — stands up. "Erm, we are citizens of planet Earth. We welcome you in peace." Grunting, the Judoon leader shoves him against one of the pillars of the lobby, holding a red stick to his face that beeps softly. Despite it, he speaks again with admirable calmness, "P-Please don't hurt me. I was just trying to help. I'm— I'm sorry. Don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me."

The device repeats, "P-Please don't hurt me. I was just trying to help. I'm— I'm sorry. Don't hurt me."

The leader inserts it into the socket on his chest and grunts, "Language assimilated. Designation: Earth English. You will be catalogued." Another scanner shines a blue light into his face. "Category: human." Taking the boy's hand, he draws an x with a marker. The soldiers put their guns away again. "Catalogue all suspects."

Their work begins, an echoing repetition of "Human" occasionally heard over the chaos. The Doctor watches the scene below with alarming amusement before he finally identifies the cause, "Aw, look down there, you've got a little shop! I like a little shop."

"My Gods, I literally bought you chocolates this morning! Get with the programme, dear."

"Never mind that! What are Judoon?"

His smile quickly fades and he nods, refocused. "They're like police."

"They are police," I interrupt.

"Police for hire. More like interplanetary thugs."

"Again," I sigh, peering around the leaves of a potted palm, "they are police. Bastards, mind."

His focus darts over to me for a moment but he doesn't have a chance to question it before Martha continues, "And they brought us to the moon?"

He nods. "Neutral territory. According to Galactic Law, they've got no jurisdiction over the Earth, so they isolated it. That rain and lightning? That was them using an H2O Scoop."

"What are you on about, 'Galactic Law'? Where'd you get that from?" Her question goes unanswered as he moves around the corner to get a view of the Judoon at another angle. Martha follows. "If they're police, are we under arrest? Are we trespassing on the moon or something?"

"No, but I like that! Good thinking," he mutters, sending me an odd look as I try to pull the collar of my jacket up over my head. An irritated glare is enough to deter him from inquiring about my attempts to remain well hidden. "No, wish it were that simple. They're making a catalogue. That means they're after something non-human, which is bad news for us."

"Why?" Her question is answered with a glance. "Oh, you're kidding me." He arches an eyebrow and I sink further into the shelter of my jacket. "Don't be ridiculous." Her playful smile quickly vanishes and she pleads, "Stop looking at me like that."

"Come on, then."

—

"What did you do?"