Touch The Sky: Doctor Who/Studio C [Book 3]

Planet of the Ood (Part 2)

"I'd now like to point out a new innovation from Ood Operations," Solana said, moving toward a line of Ood standing at attention. "We've introduced a variety package with the Ood translator ball. You can now have the Standard Setting..." She turned to the first Ood. "How are you today, Ood?"

"I'm perfectly well, thank you," the Ood answered politely.

"Or perhaps, after a stressful day, a little something for the gentlemen." She moved to the next one. "And how are you, Ood?"

"All the better for seeing you," the Ood said in a seductive, feminine tone.

Matt choked.

"And the classic comedy option," Solana continued, moving to the third. "Ood, you dropped something."

"Doh!"

The reps in the room laughed.

"All that for only five additional credits. The details are in your brochures. Now, there's plenty more food and drink, so, don't hold back." She left the room, allowing the rest of the company to mingle.

The Doctor, however, had no intention to mingle, and immediately put on his specs and moved to a control panel sticking up from the floor. A large, curved panel, not unlike a TV, changed to display a picture of the solar system they currently occupied as Donna and Matt made their way over. "Ah! Got it. The Ood Sphere, I've been to this solar system before, years ago, ages! Close to the planet Sense Sphere. Let's widen out..." The screen zoomed. "The year 4126. That is the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire."

"4126. It's 4126," Donna said. "I'm in 4126."

"It's good, isn't it?" the Doctor said with a grin.

"What's the Earth like these days, Doctor?" Matt asked.

"Bit full," he answered. "But you see, the Empire stretches out across three galaxies." He gestured to the red lines across the map on the screen.

"It's weird," Donna declared. "I mean, it's brilliant, but... back home, the papers and telly, they keep saying we haven't got long to live. Global warming. Flooding. All the bees disappearing."

"Yeah, that thing about the bees is odd," the Doctor said.

"But look at us! We're everywhere. Is that good or bad, though? I mean, are we like explorers? Or more like a virus?"

"Sometimes I wonder," the Doctor said.

Matt stepped closer to the screen. "What are the red dots?"

"Ood distribution centers," the Doctor said.

"Across three galaxies?" Donna asked. "Don't the Ood get a say in this?" She moved away from the screen, stopping by one of the Ood. "Um, sorry, but..." She paused when it seemed the Ood hadn't noticed her and cautiously tapped what appeared to be his shoulder. It turned toward her with polite interest. "Hello. Tell me, are you all like this?"

"I do not understand, Miss," the Ood answered.

"Why d'you say Miss, do I look single?" she said sharply.

"Back to the point," the Doctor said.

"Yeah. What I mean is, are there any... free Ood? Are there Ood running wild somewhere? Like... wildebeest?"

"All Ood are born to serve," the Ood said simply. "Otherwise, we would die."

"But you can't have started like that. Before the humans, what were you like?"