The Littlest Timelord: Cracks in Time

Chapter 9

They entered the Tower and Elise immediately ran over to where the tentacles were flailing against metal bars. Tears filled her eyes again as she listened to the creature scream.

"Doctor, where are we?" Amy asked.

The Doctor leaned down and stroked Elise's hair. "The lowest point of Starship UK. The dungeon".

A man stepped forward and addressed Liz 10. "Ma'am".

"Hawthorne. So this is where you hid yourself away. I think you've got some explaining to do".

A couple of children were walking around the dungeons.

"There's children down here. What's all that about?" the Doctor asked.

"Protesters and citizens of limited value are fed to the beast. For some reason, it won't eat the children. You're the first adults it's spared. You're very lucky", Hawthorne told him.

"Yeah, look at us. Torture chamber of the Tower of London. Lucky, lucky, lucky. Except it's not a torture chamber, is it? Well, except it is. Except it isn't. Depends on your angle". The Doctor walked over to a device shocking the brain of the creature.

"What's that?" Liz 10 asked.

"Well, like I say, it depends on the angle. It's either the exposed pain center of big fella's brain, being tortured relentlessly", the Doctor explained.

"Or?"

"Or it's the gas pedal, the accelerator. Starship UK's go faster button".

"I don't understand".

Elise felt her anger rising. Didn't they realize what they were doing to the creature?

"Don't you? Try to. Go on. The spaceship that could never fly. No vibration on deck. This creature, this poor, trapped, terrified creature. It's not infesting you, it's not invading, it's what you have instead of an engine. And this place down here is where you hurt it, where you torture it, day after day, just to keep it moving".

Liz 10 just looked at him.

"Tell you what. Normally, it's above the range of human hearing". He ran over to where Elise sat with the tentacle and pulled the metal grating off, freeing it. "This is the sound none of you wanted to hear". The Doctor soniced the tentacle and everyone could hear the creature screaming.

Elise put her hands over her ears. She didn't want to hear it anymore.

"Stop it. Who did this?" Liz 10 asked.

"We act on instructions from the highest authority", Hawthorne told her.

"I am the highest authority. The creature will be released, now. I said now! Is anyone listening to me?"

"Liz. Your mask", the Doctor told her, holding the mask in his hands.

"What about my mask?"

He tossed it to her. "Look at it. It's old. At least two hundred years old, I'd say".

"Yeah? It's an antique. So?"

"Yeah, an antique made by craftsmen over two hundred years ago and perfectly sculpted to your face. They slowed your body clock, all right, but you're not fifty. Nearer three hundred. And it's been a long old reign".

"Nah, its ten years. I've been on this throne ten years".

"Ten years. And the same ten years, over and over again, always leading you here". The Doctor took her hand and led her over to a chair and TV.