Doctor Who - 02 - The Art of Forgetting

.16. Theta

Unexpectedly all began happening at once. There was a gentle "diiing" of one at first, and then of hundreds of alarms. Chambers' locks depressurised with a hiss of the air sucked in. Subdued light in corridors flashed brighter. Instrumental muzak, usually accompanying Emporium's guests when outside their chambers, sounded with an unpleasant slip. Hundreds of robots poured out of their boxes at the maintenance level, and crawled along the corridors, loaded with clean towels and bed linen, pushing trolleys with drinks and food, blinking green lights of medical services. The song of human minds exploded with a sudden crescendo of surprise, fear, happiness and relief.

Theta stepped out into the corridor driven by an atavistic urge to see all these people, whose minds buzzed inside his skull, with his own eyes. He was starring into an empty green tunnel, when somebody jostled against him unexpectedly, pushing him on the wall. Theta hunched his shoulders and looked back, at the girl, standing still now, her eyes bulging in shock. Her opened mouth formed little, round "o" of terror.

Theta slowly reached for his translator ball and unhooked its catch from the grey shirt's pocket.

"How can I be of service?" he asked gently, faultlessly recognising blind panic in the girl's song. His strategy proved to be spot on.

"Oh," the girl said. "I'm... You're an Ood, aren't you?"

"I am an employee of the Adventure Emporium, the Emporia Moon, Triangalla System," recited Theta. "How can I help you?"

"For a moment there I thought..." She shook her head. "Can you get me out of here? Please. I want to leave."

There were only isolated notes of hysteria in her voice, but in her song there was a symphony. Involuntarily Theta looked towards the door of the Penthouse One Thousand.

"Of course," he said. "Where would you like to go?"

"To..." she hesitated. "I just want to get out of here!"

"To the departure lounge?" Theta suggested. He had no idea if shuttles were to resume flights, but if all the people wanted to get out of Emporia as soon as possible, they were bound to gather in the lounge.

The girl nodded quickly. "Yes, please."

Theta glanced towards the Doctor's chamber again.

"Just let me check something," he said. "I'll only take a minute."

The girl surprised him, sliding her hand into the crook of his arm. She clung close to him.

"Uhm," she mumbled. "Just don't leave me."

He turned his large, almond-shaped eyes at her.

"My name is Theta," he said. Never before did he say such words – human words – but now they sounded quite right.

"Katje," the girl whispered back. "Nice to meet you, Theta."

She looked up into his face, with a pale smile he couldn't even return. In her song there was no usual repulsion or aversion most people sung when confronted with his countenance. Katje was happy to be close to a living, feeling creature, and she didn't even notice any differences. For a while the Ood felt something resembling physical pain; a keen emptiness in a space left by a broken thread. He was certain that he would forget that feeling in a while; deprived of his hind brain, he couldn't preserve it, understand it, or attach it to his precisely recorded memories. He closed his eyes, savouring the emotion while it still lasted.

"Theta?" the girl said.

He opened his eyes.

"There is somebody in that chamber..." he started, but he stammered uncertainly. "My friend is in that chamber," he said. "Let me just check if... if everything is fine."

Oh, he was just adapting to her preferred method of communication, wasn't he? But, how did he know those were the right words?

A friend.

He clipped the translator onto his pocket and with his fingers he pushed the lock's door. They didn't budge. He picked the Penthouse One Thousand's cryskey and slid it into a slot. Nothing happened. He took the key out and slid it in again. To no effect.

"What's going on?" Katje asked anxiously.

Within a second Theta analysed a hundred of possible answers.

"Oh, I think I picked the wrong key," he said with some effort, choosing the answer which wouldn't cause another wave of panic. He knocked at the door. "Doctor?"

"Doctor?" Katje repeated. "There was a man there; a slim man in the suit; and they called him the Doctor. He was the last she brought with her. She seated him on the chair. He didn't look all that good..." Katje laughed nervously. "I'm sure I didn't look too good as well. I could see and hear everything, you know, but I couldn't... I couldn't... I couldn't think."

"Doctor?" Theta said. The only answer was silence.

"Maybe he's not there?" Katje suggested. She shook her head suddenly, as if remembering something. "Leena. I've completely forgotten. She should be in the chamber 316. We couldn't book a double room, so we played on-line. I should try and find her. Don't you think...?"

Theta tilted his head, looking at her questioningly.

"Who's Leena?"

"My friend," Katje answered immediately. She hesitated and bit her lips, as if analysing something. "I should be more worried, huh?" she muttered.

"If I show you her chamber on a map..." Theta began.

"No, no, no!" the girl exclaimed. "Please, I don't want to be alone! Come with me, Theta, come with me, maybe we'll find the Doctor on our way. Please! Please!"

Lights in the corridor twinkled. Just for a moment, but it was an unmistakable warning. The Ood looked at the Penthouse One Thousand's door and then moved his eyes to Katje.

"All right," he said. "Let's go."