Dreaming of a Blue Box ✧ Doctor Who ¹ ✓

38 - The Long Game (Part IV)

Continuing from 'The Long Game - Part III'

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THEY STRUGGLED AS THE ZOMBIES CLASPED MANACLES ONTO THEIR WRISTS, now standing side by side with the Doctor in the middle. "Create a climate of fear . ." The Editor circled them. "and it's easy to keep the borders closed. It's just a matter of emphasis. The right word in the right broadcast repeated often enough can destabilize an economy, invent an enemy, change a vote."

When he stopped in front of them Rose squinted. "So all the people on Earth are like slaves?"

"Well, now, there's an interesting point." He pointed at her with a curious gaze. Is a slave a slave if he doesn't know he's enslaved?"

"Yes." Lily hissed at him.

"Oh?" The Editor turned his attention to her, mere inches from her face. She wished she could lean back and get away from his hot breath. "I was hoping for a philosophical debate. Is that all I'm going to get?" When he grinned, Lily's eyes shot daggers into his. "Yes?"

"Yes."

"Get away from her." The Doctor menacingly warned him with a slight growl in his voice that made Lily shiver.

The Editor frowned at him. "You're no fun." And with one last once over of Lily, he backed away.

"Let me out of these manacles." He suggested with anger. "You'll find out how much fun I am."

"Oh, he's tough, isn't he?" The Editor laughed over in Rose's direction. "But, come on. Isn't it a great system? You've got to admire it, just a little bit."

"You can't hide something on this scale," Rose told him. "Somebody must have noticed."

"From time to time, someone, yes." The Editor admitted. "but the computer chip system allows me to see inside their brains. I can see the smallest doubt and crush it. Then they just carry on, living the life, strutting about downstairs and all over the surface of the Earth like they're so individual when of course, they're not." He was taking his sweet time explaining everything that Lily's arms started to hurt, having them in the position they were in. "They're just cattle. In that respect, the Jagrafess hasn't changed a thing."

"What about you? You're not a Jagrabelly." Lily spoke.

"Jagrafess." He corrected her.

"Whatever," Lily rolled her eyes. "You're not a Jagrafess. You're human."

"Yeah, well, simply being human doesn't pay very well."

Rose frowned. "But you couldn't have done this all on your own?"

"No." He shook his head, laughing. "I represent a consortium of banks. Money prefers a long-term investment. Also, the Jagrafess needed a little hand to install himself."

"No wonder, a creature that size." The Doctor commented as the Jagrafess snarled above them. "What's his lifespan?"

"Three thousand years." The Editor said casually.

"That's one hell of a metabolism generating all that heat. That's why Satellite Five's so hot. You pump it out of the creature and channel it downstairs. Jagrafess stays cool, it stays alive. Satellite Five is one great big life support system."

"But that's why you're so dangerous." The Editor pointed out. "Knowledge is power, but you remain unknown." With a snap of his fingers, the manacles surged with electricity, and the trio withered in pain. "Who are you?"

When the torment paused the Doctor started speaking in urgency. "Leave them alone. I'm the Doctor, they're Lily Carter and Rose Tyler. We're nothing, we're just wandering!"