Time Book I

New Earth

CHAPTER 34| OH MY! SHE KISSED YOU!

   Cassandra walks into Ward 26. "There you are. Come and look at this patient. Marconi's Disease. Should take years to recover. Two days. I've never seen anything like it. They've invented a cell washing cascade. It's amazing. their medical science is way to advanced. And this one," the Doctor says taking her over to another patient. "Pallidome Pancrosis. Kills you in ten minutes, and he's fine. I need to find a terminal. I've got to see how they do this. Because if they've got the best medicine in the world, then why is it such a secret?"

   "I can't Adam and Eve it," Cassandra says bored.

   "What's-what's-what's with the voice?"

   "Oh, I don't know. Just larking about New Earth, new me."

   "Well, I can talk. New New Doctor," he smiles at her.

   "Mmm, aren't you just?" the Doctor becomes confused at her change in facial expressions. Cassandra grabs his face and presses Y/n's lips against his. They are there for about twenty seconds before Cassandra pulls away. "Terminal's his way. Phew." Rose who was standing a little ways away walks up to the Doctor.

   "Oh, my God!" Rose says watching the shocked Doctor stand there.

   "Yep, still got it," his voice is squeaky as he speaks. Rose begins laughing as they follow who they think might be Y/n.

~~~

   "Nope, nothing odd. Surgery, post-op, nano-dentistry. No sign of a shop. They should have a shop," the Doctor says looking at a computer terminal.

   "No, it's missing something else. When I was downstairs, those Nurse Cat Nuns were talking about Intensive Care. Where is it?" Cassandra says.

   "You're right. Well done," the Doctor watches her for a second before going back to the terminal.

   "Why would they hide a whole department? It's got to be there somewhere. Search the sub-frame."

   "What if the sub-frame's locked?" the Doctor tests.

   "Try the installation protocol."

    "Yeah, of course. Sorry. Hold on," he turns to Rose talking quietly. "Rose, go and get out of here. Get to the TARDIS. We'll meet you back there soon."

   "But, Doctor what's going on?" Rose asks quietly.

   "It's fine, I just have a promise to keep and I need you to go," he uses his sonic screwdriver to unlock the sub-frame, opening a door.

   "Well, you guys look like you have a handle on things I'm going to go back to the TARDIS," Rose walks out of the hospital.

   "Intensive Care. Certainly looks intensive."

   Cassandra and the Doctor walk down the long old-fashioned staircase. The whole place is lined with cells, thousands upon thousands. The Doctor stops opening one and examines him.

   "That's disgusting. What's wrong with him?" Cassandra asks.

   "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," the Doctor ignores her, closing the door.

   "What disease is that?

   "All of them. Every single disease in the galaxy. They've been infected with everything."

   "What about us? Are we safe?" the Doctor rolls his eyes.

   "The air is sterile. Just don't touch them."

   "How many patients are there?" Cassandra asks looking around.

   "They're not patients."

   "But they're sick."

   "They were born sick. They're meant to be sick. They exist to be sick. Lab rats. No wonder the Sisters have go a cure for everything. They've built the ultimate research laboratory. A human farm."

   "Why don't they just die?"

   "Plague carriers. The last to go."

   "It's for the greater cause," Novice Hame, one of the leading cat nurses, says walking over to the two.

   "Novice Hame, when you took your vows, did you agree to this?"

   "The Sisterhood has sworn to help."

   "What, by killing?"

   "But they're not real people. They're specially grown. They have no proper existence."

   "What's the turnover, hmm? Thousand a day? Thousand the next? Thousand the next? How many thousands? For how many years? How many!" the Doctor says progressively getting more upset.

   "Mankind needed us. They came to this planet with so many illnesses. We couldn't cope. We did try. We tried everything. We tried using clone-meat and bio-cattle, but the results were too slow, so the Sisterhood grew its own flesh. That's all they are, Flesh."

   "These people are alive."

   "But think of those humans out there, healthy and happy, because of us."

   "If they live because of this, then life is worthless."

   "But who are you to decide that?"

   "I'm the Doctor. And if you don't like it, if you want to take it to a higher authority, then there isn't one. It stops with me."

   "Just to confirm. None of the humans in the city actually know about this?" Cassandra asks.

   "We thought best not to," Hame tells her.

   "Hold on. I can understand the bodies. I can understand your vows. One thing I can't understand. What have you done to Y/n?" the Doctor says.

   "I don't know what you mean."

   "I'm being very, very calm. You want to be aware of that. Very, very calm. And the only reason I'm being so very, very calm is that the brain is a delicate thing. Whatever you've done to Y/n's head, I want it reversed." 

   "We haven't done anything," Hame says getting frightened of how aggressive the Doctor had become.

   "I'm perfectly fine," Cassandra butts in.

   "These people are dying and if I know Y/n, and I do very well, she would care," the Doctor says.

   "Oh, alright," Cassandra turns the Doctor facing her. "Clever clogs. Smarty pants." She gets close to his ear whispering the last one, "Lady-killer."

   "What's happened to you?"

   "I knew something was going on in this hospital, but I needed a body. I wanted to get Rose Tyler but this one is a lot more beautiful, don't you think?"

   "Who are you?"

   Cassandra draws him close, "The last human."

   "Cassandra?"

   "Wake up and smell the perfume!" She pulls the vial from between Y/n's breasts, squirting some of the liquid in the vial into his nose. He falls to the floor.

   "You've hurt him. I don't understand. I'll have to fetch Matron!" Hame says running off.

   "You do that, because I want to see her. Now, run along. Sound the alarm!" Cassandra yells after the Cat. She looks down at the Doctor. "Hmm," She noises, smiling lightly. "He is pretty cute."