Doctor Who - Incarceration

Part Five - Revelations

Jenny leant against the wall with folded arms and watched as the Doctor scanned the door for what felt like the hundredth time. "What are you hoping to find?" she asked.

"I don't know," he muttered. "An opening, a control panel, a doorbell, anything!" He turned to glare at her. "Are you going to help me or just stand there?"

She walked over and pushed at the door. "If I had a gun..." she mused.

"Then the shot would ricochet off the door and walls and at best wound or kill us; at worst it would announce our presence to every criminal in the area," he snapped. "And anyway we don't have a gun."

"That's right. We have a screwdriver," she shot back. "How's that working out?"

The Doctor pointed a finger at her and opened his mouth to reply, then thought better of it. After one last quick wave of the screwdriver he turned away, tapping it against his thigh. "We should keep on going," he said. "This way. We'll meet up with her again soon."

"How can you be so sure?" asked Jenny, running to keep up with him. "If the prison's in lockdown then surely either she's locked in and we're locked out, or the other way round. Either way, given this seems like the mummy and daddy of all high security prisons, that doesn't look good odds to me."

"I'll find her," said the Doctor. "I always do."

"Always?" Jenny frowned. "She's not the one you were with before, when I was born--where's she?Does it always work out that you find them again?"

"Yes. Well, usually. Most of the time. Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"In Vascancera? I was helping smuggle some people out of a war zone near Siria Beta Three when I was picked up by some sort of space cops. They hauled me in front of a court on some trumped-up charges, and before I knew it I was in here."

"Trumped up?" said the Doctor. "So you were innocent?"

"Yes, well, kind of." She winked at him.

"Hmm. Wait a minute--what were you doing in another war zone? I thought I taught you something about the stupidity of wars."

"You did. The planet was being blockaded by some bloodthirsty warlords. I was helping a bunch of innocent civilians escape before they were killed. That's what I do these days--help the innocent, fight evil, explore the galaxy; I thought you'd approve."

"Yes, well, I do. I suppose. Although you should be careful--there are some dangerous people out there."

"I know," she said as they rounded a corner. "I've killed a few."

They each put a hand out to stop the other as they were confronted with a sight which resembled a charnel house from hell. The corridor was drenched in blood of various hues, whilst scattered across the floor were the barely recognisable remains of maybe a few dozen people. Each and every one had been mercilessly torn to pieces, such that the only way they could really tell how many individuals there had been was to count the clothing.

"Not forgetting there are a few dangerous people in here, too," Jenny muttered. "Any ideas?"

"We need to find whatever did this and stop it, before too many more die," the Doctor said, his face as hard as his words.

"I was thinking more that we find Clara and run, before it does the same to us," said Jenny. "After all, they're all criminals. Probably had it coming to them."

"In the eyes of this place, we're criminals too," he said, shaking his head. "Who knows how many others don't deserve to be in here. In any case, no one deserves this; no matter what they've done."