"And maybe this is why when Pandora opened the box that carried such calamities which inflicted all of mankind, gentle hope emerged too."
- an excerpt of Nikita Gill's poem "Where Hope Comes From"
or in which
the timechild is saved and finds the...
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seventeen: and then there were three
The Doctor has said that this desolate planet was 'the end of the universe' and of course with her rotten luck Pandora was gonna get eaten by some tattooed, tooth filed, clinically insane cannibals; and god only knew the extent of her healing, for all she knew she was some all you can eat buffet for these guys.
They had caught up with another hunt, doubling the number of cannibals and adding another victim, a man who struggled to keep up with the group, turning to glance at the hunters all too often.
"This was the worst idea you have ever had Jack Harkness!" She used his name like a swear, reaching a large gated area with people with guns pointed at them. "Run for our lives just to get shot. God I hate you." She turned her glare on Jack who was still running on the adrenaline from the chase. He laughed boisterously. "No you don't."
"Show us your teeth!" One of the guards spoke his rifle still pointed at the group. Pandora bared her teeth at them showing her perfectly human set. "Alright get in!" The guard snapped ushering in the group of five before opening fire at the feet of the hunters.
"Well you don't tell him to put his gun down." Jack snarked. "He's not my responsibility." answered The Doctor with a shrug. Jack quirked an eyebrow "and I am?" He asked. "Looks like things haven't changed."
"That was close." Pandora spoke looking between The Doctor who was all too relaxed and Jack who was still out of breath from the chase.
"We were fine." The Doctor replied waving off her concern which just rubbed Pandora the wrong way. She crossed her arms glancing at the tall Alien man with a look of annoyance.
"Alright," the guard who had all too large of a weapon for Pandora to be comfortable with considering how small her own gun was shoved into the back of her jeans. "Let get you all inside."
Three seconds into safety and The Doctor was already asking someone about retrieving the TARDIS. "There's a box, a big blue box says police, I need it back." The Doctor explained to the man who nodded. "We are going out for our last water run soon, I will see what we can do." That was acceptable in The Doctors eyes, he nodded.
The room they were ushered into was dimly lit, with rusted metal walls that seemed to vibrate from the pressure of the ship's engines. Pandora kept her arms crossed, her body tense, eyes darting around the unfamiliar space. It was strange how quickly everything had gone from a chaotic chase to this uneasy safety, even if it was temporary. Jack, of course, was still trying to charm his way through the situation, his grin wide as he tried to talk to the guards. But Pandora wasn't fooled. Not yet.
She glanced at The Doctor, who was already engrossed in the console, fiddling with buttons and switches that Pandora couldn't even begin to understand. He was muttering under his breath, absorbed in whatever problem he was trying to solve, completely unaware of the imminent danger.
"This is bad, Doctor," Pandora muttered under her breath, more to herself than to anyone else. "Very bad."
Pandora's thoughts kept drifting back to the locket, its warmth, and the strange feeling she had when The Doctor had touched it. Something wasn't right about this place, about her... and whatever connection she had to the universe's last days.
"Pandora," The Doctor's voice broke through her thoughts, sharp with an urgency that pulled her attention away from the locket. "Where did you get that?"
Pandora hesitated, twisting the locket between her fingers, its warmth still unnerving. "I told you," she said slowly. "It's been in my family for generations. Passed down. I don't really know what it is, just that it's... important."
The Doctor was already stepping closer, his eyes narrowing with interest. "Important? Hm. Interesting."
Before Pandora could react, a loud noise echoed from the hallway outside, followed by the heavy footfalls of guards. The door to their room slid open with a hiss, and the guard from earlier stood in the doorway.
"You all need to move," he ordered gruffly, his gun raised slightly. "We don't have much time. The raid is coming, and you need to be inside."
Pandora exchanged a look with Jack, who had already straightened up, his usual cocky grin plastered on his face. The Doctor, of course, didn't seem concerned in the slightest.
"Lead the way," The Doctor said cheerfully, walking toward the door without hesitation, his hands in his pockets.
"Good luck with that," Jack muttered under his breath, following him. Pandora followed behind, trying not to draw attention to herself. As they made their way down the metal hallway, the sound of distant shouting and clanging grew louder, and Pandora couldn't shake the nagging feeling that they were walking right into a trap.
They reached a large, fortified door, heavily guarded. Pandora's stomach twisted as they were ushered into a large, crowded room. Dozens of people were already inside, all of them looking as if they'd given up hope. Some sat in huddled groups, others wandered aimlessly, their faces hollow with exhaustion.
"This doesn't feel right," Pandora muttered, glancing around the room. "We're not safe here."
The Doctor, as usual, seemed unbothered. He scanned the room with wide eyes, his mind clearly working on overdrive as he took in the surroundings.
"Well, we're certainly not in Utopia yet," he said, his voice more to himself than anyone else. "This isn't the ideal place to land, but it'll do for now. We'll figure something out."
Pandora wasn't so sure. The air was thick with anxiety, and she couldn't shake the feeling that the raiders weren't their only problem.
She turned to Jack, who was already trying to strike up a conversation with the other survivors. "I don't trust this place, Jack. Something's off."
Jack gave her a sly grin. "When has that ever stopped us?"
Before Pandora could respond, a massive roar echoed through the complex, and the walls vibrated in response. The sound of something enormous—alive—filled the air. The Doctor froze, a look of realization dawning on his face.
"Not now," he muttered, before running toward the exit.
The guards rushed to their posts, their weapons raised, and the atmosphere in the room shifted from uneasy tension to outright panic.
"Get back!" one of the guards shouted, pushing them away from the door. "You don't know what's out there!"
Pandora's heart raced. She glanced back at The Doctor and Jack, but they were already moving, already prepared to face whatever came next. And Pandora? She wasn't sure what she was prepared for, but the locket around her neck seemed to hum with a strange energy, as if it knew more than she did.
"Doctor!" Pandora shouted, rushing to catch up. "What is that sound?"
The Doctor didn't turn around but called back over his shoulder, "Worse than anything we've seen so far."
As they moved toward the exit, the floor beneath them shook again, and Pandora could feel the ground trembling beneath her feet.
Jack's usual bravado was gone. His face was serious, and his hand gripped Pandora's arm tightly. "We need to move," he said, a rare edge to his voice. "Whatever's coming... it's bad."
Pandora's mind raced, but there was no time to think. She just followed, instinct and adrenaline guiding her as they prepared to face whatever nightmare waited outside.
And somewhere, in the chaos, the Doctor's voice echoed back to them. "Welcome to the end of the universe!"
