Dreaming of a Blue Box ✧ Doctor Who ¹ ✓

37 - The Long Game (Part III)

Continuing from 'The Long Game - Part II'

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CATHICA WAS WHINING YET AGAIN as the Doctor worked on prying open a pair of doors with this sonic. "We are so going to get into trouble," Cathica warned them. "You're not allowed to touch the mainframe. You're going to get told off."

"Lily, " The Doctor called over his shoulder. "You're the sassy one. Shut her up."

"You can't just vandalize the place!" Cathica exclaimed before Lily had the chance to speak. "Someone's going to notice!"

The Doctor laughed in delight as the doors opened, revealing a room filled with bunched-up thick wires. "Yes!" He took a step up and inside, working on the wires next.

Cathica groaned in annoyance and turned to leave. "This has nothing to do with me. I'm going back to work."

The Doctor waved her off while Rose and Lily began assisting him as best they could. "Go on, then. See you!"

Cathica sighed, turning back. "I can't just leave you, can I?"

"Look, dear?" Lily smiled at Cathica. "If you want to be useful, get them to turn the heating down. It's boiling." She turned back and paused her help. "What's wrong with this place? Can't they do something about it?"

"I don't know." Cathica shrugged. "We keep asking. Something to do with the turbine?"

"Something to do with the turbine." The Doctor mocked then ended it with a snort.

"Well, I don't know!"

"Exactly. I give up on you, Cathica." He pointed his sonic to Lily. "Now, Lily. Look at Lily. Lily is asking the right kind of question."

"Awe." Lily grinned. "Thank you."

"Yeah," Rose agreed. "Why is it so hot?"

"One minute you're worried about the Empire and the next it's the central heating!" Cathica snickered.

"Well, never underestimate plumbing." The Doctor advised. "Plumbing is very important," After a bit more work he pulled out a monitor with a schematic on it. "Here we go! Satellite Five, pipes and plumbing." He stepped out of the room which allowed Cathica a better view. "Look at the layout."

"This is ridiculous!" Cathica laughed, grabbing the screen to look closer. "You've got access to the computer's core. You can look at the archive, the news, the stock exchange and you're looking at pipes?"

"But there's something wrong." The Doctor pointed out.

"Why?" Rose asked. "What is it?"

"The ventilation system." Cathica confirmed, pointing out, "Cooling ducts, ice filters, all working flat out channeling massive amounts of heat down."

"All the way to the top." The Doctor nodded.

"Floor 500." The sisters whispered in unison.

"Something up there is generating tons and tons of heat." The Doctor announced.

Lily nodded and stood, patting a hand on the Doctor's back. "Well, I don't know about you, but I feel like I'm missing out on a party. It's all going on upstairs. Fancy a trip?"

"You can't!" Cathica protested. "You need a key."

"Keys are just codes." The Doctor told her, holding up his sonic. "and I've got the codes right here." He pointed it to the screen and it started changing, switching through various number combinations. "Here we go. Override, two one five point nine."