Winnie Is Not Okay

1.18

"Cathica, I'm going to miss you", Suki hugged Cathica on her way to the lift and when she stood in front of it turned to the travellers, "Floor five hundred. Thank you."

They smiled kindly, happy for the sweet woman, but still slightly confused, "We didn't do anything."

"Well, you're my lucky charm", she opened her arms for a hug.

"All right. I'll hug anyone", the Doctor happily hugged her.

"Wouldn't say no to that", Winnie grinned and hugged her, too, "Good luck on the new job."

"Thanks", the lift dinged to show her that she needed to go, "Oh my god, I've got to go. I can't keep them waiting. I'm sorry. Say goodbye to Steve for me. Bye!"

The lift closed with Suki inside and Cathica immediately turned away, "Good riddance."

Winnie and the Doctor walked after her, "You're talking like you'll never see her again. She's only going upstairs."

"We won't", Cathica kept walking, "Once you go to Floor five hundred you never come back."

The travellers looked at each other confused, then the Doctor asked, "Have you ever been up there?"

"I can't. You need a key for the lift, and you only get a key with a promotion. No one gets to five hundred except for the chosen few", she tiredly sat down for lunch, "Look, they only give us twenty minutes maintenance. Can't you give it a rest?"

They sat down opposite her, "But you've never been to another floor? Not even one floor down?"

"I went to floor sixteen when I first arrived. That's medical. That's when I got my head and then I came straight here. Satellite Five, you work, eat and sleep on the same floor. That's it, that's all", she shrugged.

"That's sad", Winnie said and then she and Cathica stared at each other.

Realisation dawned on her and she pursed her lips, "You're not management, are you?"

"At last. She's clever", the Doctor beamed.

"Yeah, well, whatever it is, don't involve me. I don't know anything."

"Don't you even ask?"

"Well, why would I?"

The other two both tilted their heads. With a raised brow Winnie said, "That's your job. You're a journalist."

Before Cathica could protest, the Doctor asked, "Why's all the crew human?"

"What's that got to do with anything?", she was more irritated than before, if that was even possible.

"There's no aliens on board. Why?"

"I don't know", she shrugged but she seemed to be thinking about it now, "No real reason. They're not banned or anything."

"Then where are they?"

"I suppose immigration's tightened up. It's had to, what with all the threats."

"Threats?", Winnie tilted her head in the other direction, "What threats?"

"I don't know all of them. Usual stuff", Cathica crossed her arms and shrugged, "And the price of space warp doubled so that kept visitors away. Oh, and the government on Chavic Five's collapsed, so that lot stopped coming, you see. Just lots of little reasons, that's all."

"Adding up to one great big fact and you didn't even notice", the Doctor stepped almost uncomfortably close to her.

"Doctor, I think if there was any kind of conspiracy, Satellite Five would have seen it. We see everything."