Doctor Who and the Eternity Cage (The Future Doctor Chronicles Part One)

Chapter Ten

The Doctor stared at the tomb a grim expression on his face, he thought he's seen the last of the tomb centuries ago when he'd helped to seal it up. The Grand Curator stood beside him and spread his arms wide. 

"Isn't it astonishing Doctor and so well preserved. It was rescued with the computer systems intact." 

The Doctor faked a smile. 

"Yes very impressive." 

"Unfortunately," the Grand Curator sighed "we've had limited success reviving the specimens." 

"What exactly do you mean by limited success?" 

"It'll be easier to show you rather than explain." 

The Grand Curator walked over to the capsule and entered a four digit code into the keypad, with a hiss the panel slid across.  

The Doctor couldn't do a thing to hide his shock at what he now saw in front of him. The cold metallic features of the cyber leader stared back at him, there was no movement, no sign of life. 

"This Doctor, is the only living specimen of an original cyberman." 

"He's alive." the Doctor exclaimed. 

"Absolutely, although he's not very active at the moment Doctor. It took..." 

The Grand Curator tailed off as the cyber leader began to emit strange croaking noises, which formed into slow rasping robotic words. 

"The Doctor..." he turned his head as much as the restraints would allow and looked directly at him. 

"The Doctor is an enemy of the cyber race, he must be destroyed." 

The Doctor visibly paled before addressing the cyber leader. 

"Nonsense, we've never met before." 

"The Doctor arrived on Telos in a blue box and sealed us back in our tomb." 

The Grand Curator turned to face the Doctor. 

"Is this true?" 

The Doctor sighed, there was no point in lying. 

"Yes it is," he pointed to the cyber leader "and you have to freeze him again. They can never be allowed to exist, they'll make everyone like them until there's no one left." his voice began to rise in volume "My actions on Telos kept them at bay for centuries." 

"But Doctor you must understand that all we want to do is study them. As you can see they can be kept securely." 

"Don't underestimate their intelligence." the Doctor warned. 

"With respect Doctor we don't need your permission but we would like your help. Our dilemma is that we don't wish to harm them unnecessarily but we haven't been able to work out the correct reanimation sequence." 

"You must be joking. I absolutely will not help you. I've seen what they're capable of and believe me you don't want to experience that. They have no emotions, which makes them very dangerous indeed." 

"I'm sorry you feel that way Doctor, I really am." 

The Grand Curator reached into his pocket, brought out his communicator and pressed a red button on the side. Seconds later out of the corner of his eye he saw two attendants enter the room and stand silently either side of the Doctor. They produced metal rods from their inside pockets and touched them to the Doctor's neck, he instantly crumpled to the ground.