The Tenth Doctor: The Eye of Space By Gabriel Keogh

Father Endeavour sat down to pray in a moody, candle-lit abode. The flickering flames cast a disruptive shadow on the stone ridden surface of the planet Plaith. Father was a traditional priest, as traditional as they came on the planet as he prayed to the eye which rolled around every 730 years. Just hung around in space like a relative that comes around every so often but has a dysfunctional relationship with the rest of the family. This was a year where the eye was due to visit. No priest could interpret the portal. Or so was it believed to be. That the eye was a portal to a paradise. A paradise of love and bliss, softer ground, brighter skies, vibrant colours and music. Renewal. A literal passage into another life. Father arranged his telescopes in accordance with the predictions until, faintly, then more pronounced when the priest used his better eye: the Eye of Space. There it was! Alluring and attention seeking in how it spread itself amongst nebulas and stars, the eye! Endeavour was absolutely certain. He found no doubt and he immediately ran to his horn and blew. He was to share the announcement to the world, to the Plaithers, the eye was in sight, time to celebrate, it was here!

***

The time rotor rose and fell as quickly as Donna’s anger when the Doctor told her something absurd. This was one such moment.

“So, where are we off to then?”, Donna quizzed the Doctor, “Amelia Earhart? Abraham Lincoln? Space diners?”

“What is it with you and America?” asked the Doctor in response to Donna’s rising anticipation

“I went there every year I was with Lance”, explained Donna, “and America was the best bit of the holiday!”

The Doctor and Donna shared a grin. The Doctor understood and as the engines came to a standstill and the TARDIS settled in its parking spot, the Doctor simply sat down. On those brown, ancient, battered seats that belonged to a junkyard, in fact, that’s where the Doctor could have sworn he’d got them.

“So... America?!” gasped Donna

“No, it’s more like the Royal Albert Hall” explained the Doctor

“Are we going to the flipping proms?!” cried Donna

“Royal Albert Hall in space” protested the Doctor

“Space proms. I don’t want to go to a prom of any kind” retorted Donna

“Okay. Well, it is a ceremony. Not about music. Although music may come with it. Its a ceremony to bid good luck to a group of explorers venturing out into space toward an eye. The legend goes that the eye is a portal in space to another life” curated the Doctor

“Where did you hear about that one then?” puzzled Donna

“Off eye witnesses” said the Doctor

“Literally?” mused Donna

“Yeah. Like Jehovah’s witnesses, they are the eye’s witnesses” the Doctor went on to say

“Okay, I didn’t literally mean literally, literally. Anyway, why can’t you take them in the TARDIS?” Donna asked the Doctor

“Ruins the excitement. It only happens every 730 years. Allons-y!” replied the Doctor

Donna rightly pointed out that the Doctor could but didn’t have to wait 730 years for the event but he had leaped out of his chair and sprinted to the doors and out before coming to a stop to admire the ceremonial hall facade and that meant to Donna that the game was afoot...

***

Inside the stunningly beautiful palace that went by the name of The Trebla Tisimorp, hundreds of raucous plaithers with their insectoid build and attentive, attractive golden eyes were gathered to witness beasts do battle with their humongous claws and spiky layering of skin leaping at each other, wrestling with each other, fighting each other like gladiators in the Nebula Arena. In the upper Scorgen Galleries that peered down on the fight below, noble priests and priestesses sat cross legged like they were meditating when in fact they were monitoring the eye through telescopes with horns beside them to alert and summon crowds. The indoor Cralum Concourse, named after famed scientific pioneer Cornelius Cralum, which surrounded the arena played host to dancing children, singing choirs, snacking tourists, family competitions and games and the huge spectacle of the fire swifts that intertwined with each other and dazzled visitors and sped down the mighty, high roofed hallways that had architecture like cathedral cloisters. The fire swifts crackled and spat and flew around like an excited child. Below, the underground Vanapen Vaults, home to the most avid and dedicated drinkers in the land that knocked back drink after drink in the smoke and projection fronted taverns. One of which, the Urlog Tavern, was host to many reviewers due to its unfair publicity beforehand. Elsewhere in the brickwork vaults underground markets thrived off travellers who had made their way to the event including the Doctor and Donna Noble. Map in hand, Donna announced she was off to enlist in a spot of stargazing believing the space version to be better than what she knew on Earth while also intending to get the best seats in the house for the below fights that were always taking place. With Donna gone, the Doctor continued to browse for a souvenir he could flaunt to Charles II later on when Donna was back home but he was interrupted when a stranger approached with an unusual request.

‘Pick a number!’ he drunkenly roared

The Doctor gave a number only to be met with bellowing and chants from the nearest pub. The next thing he knew, the Doctor was swept of his feet by a giant creature whose hands were like Donna’s driveway, gravelly and stony. The Time Lord was flipped over the stone skinned being’s back like the Doctor was recreationally receiving a piggyback. While dodging the speakers that hanged loosely from the roof as it broadcast the news from what was announced to be the Oidar Network, the Doctor figured he had lost a bet to a plaither in league with this... thing. It transported the bet loser to a metal stall. The grunts of ‘Stony’, as the Doctor had affectionately named him, woke the station holder.

‘Put him down’ announced Stony

The Doctor felt like repeating that at the rock ridden thing. But then he realised...

***

Meanwhile, up in the Scorgen Galleries, Donna gasped in repulsion at being shoved against a wall while trying and failing to hold her breath in the sweat infested atmosphere. The railings that

observed the arena were infested with Plaithers that wriggled through crowds to gain an upper hand on another position. Donna was no longer interested in using stargazing as a viewing platform of the Nebula Arena. She had her map knocked out of her hand by another alien onlooker.

‘‘Scuse me mate!’ retorted Donna

An announcement came through the speakers that annoyed Donna even more. It made her wonder exactly who and how she had come to travel across time and space.

‘Next into the Nebula Arena its... the Tamare! And facing the beast from the east is... the next unlucky tavern dweller, the Doctor!!’

Donna was completely bemused

***

Elsewhere, a tall, dark haired man in an astronaut suit dashed down a circular glass link to the rocket launcher. He was prepared for his mission and greeted his fellow crew with glee and anxiety all at the same time. They clambered into the rocket. They took their positions. They readied themselves and the controls and they were readying for take off.

***

Donna was also barged into a stargazing position that she was increasingly frustrated at having asked for. She obediently observed the eye to search for blue gas emitting itself which would be a sign of the sky preparing itself for visitors.

She found a sign of something far worse. Something that spelled danger in capital letters. She could never understand the comparisons in looks to an eye and she had just found out why.

She downed the tools and barged the bewildered spectators out of the way before sprinting as fast as she could through the clammy galleries and down to the arena below. She needed to inform the Doctor of something huge.

***

Down in the Nebula Arena with the beast, the Tamare, the Doctor eyed up the high walls that trapped him. He stared up at the endless space that teased him and behind him at the daunting guards that discouraged him.

He danced and pranced around. His method of fighting was to reach the gate that he was being lured away from. The Doctor then leaped into action. Feigning to go one way, he instead went the other, grabbing a handful of dust from the slippery brown floor beneath that looked like the floor of an animal cage. The dust went flying into the bear like creature’s eyes and the Doctor seized his opportunity to pelt toward the locked cell like door. The guards assumed positions and prepared their guns. The Doctor soon put the weapons out of action from a go of the sonic screwdriver sending sparks and then guards flying. With his discouragers repelled, the Doctor unlocked the metal door with his sonic before promptly running for his life.

It wasn’t long before Donna came at him. She needed to tell him something but he had pulled her into the TARDIS.

***

The Astronauts were in position. They locked themselves in. They nodded to each other a sign of good luck. They were ready for take off.

***

In the mission control room, a brown and bushy haired humanoid woman dressed in red was overlooking proceedings. She smiled to herself before addressing the insectoids in the room.

“Alright boys, fire it up. We are ready for take off. Lets make it a good one. The good thing about the Doctor and his companions is of course that if you can’t bump them off in a gladiator fight you can expect them to swan off. Too easy. Hahaha. Run the final checks.” She cunningly said.

***

Donna pulled at the Doctor only for him to shrug her off and career toward the controls to the ship. He set the TARDIS in motion and they were off. Donna scowled at him.

“Listen to me!” protested Donna

“Alright! I was trying to escape a gladiator fight thank you. That bear nearly had me. And so did the guards.” Replied the Doctor

“It isn’t safe! None of it!”

“I gathered” joked the Doctor

Donna sighed

“I mean the eye. The big portal? The flippin enormous circle in the sky?” questioned Donna

“The Eye in the Space. Yes.” Answered the Doctor

“Well it isn’t an eye at all, dumbo. Its none other than a bloomin black hole! I saw it in the telescope!” exclaimed Donna

“Oh dear” worried the Doctor

“Exactly. There is a team of astronauts in a rocket about to jet off towards a black hole! We need to go back and stop them!” announced Donna

“Your right! Oh that is brilliant Donna Noble! Well done! But hold tight. Just need to turn her around!”

And he does so flicking every switch and pulling every lever on the console...

***

The lady in red has a massive beaming smile plastered over her face.

“Good luck boys. You’ve got this. Commence the countdown to take off.”

“10” announces the computer which is counting down to the last leg of the astronauts lives.

9. As the countdown neared 8, the lady pulled her gun from her holster as she heard the all too familiar noise of the TARDIS materialising. It settles in its place and out steps the Doctor! 8. He has to duck as the gun is fired at his head. He swerves the bullet’s advance. 7. He takes out the gun with his sonic screwdriver but the lady stands firm. 6.

“You never have been able to get rid of me have you. You never have. I stitched you up. I stitched you all up all along.” Explained the lady

5. Awful realisation dawned on the Doctor’s face.

“The Rani?!”

4.

“Remember losing that bet? You would never have won.” Teased the Rani

“You bet!” screamed Donna as she came storming out of the TARDIS

3

She had her handbag in her hand. She launched it at the Rani knocking her back.

2.

The Doctor seized upon this and used his sonic screwdriver on the control panel

1

As the computer blared out one, it groaned. The whole control system sighed. The whole thing died instantly. The mission was over. The Doctor and Donna had done it. Well, almost.

“Doctor!” screamed the Rani!

The Time Lord whispered in the ears of two Plaithers. They marched toward the Rani and dragged her off. The Doctor ran back into the TARDIS opening up a few caps to reveal plugs. He opened both the TARDIS doors and ran out to the control room taking the plugs (that were still attached to the console by wires) with him. He plugged them into plug sockets on the control panel. A scientist at work like he was preparing an experiment. He pressed a few buttons inside the TARDIS. As the computer screens in the control room glowed back into life everybody realised what was happening. The Doctor was using the TARDIS to power up the controls! But why? That’s what Donna was thinking. That was until the screens relaying footage from inside the rocket showed the astronauts exiting and the Rani being dragged and locked inside! The Rani was being strapped in like a child being strapped into a car seat! The Doctor had words with more Plaithers who set to work on the controls.

“But you’re as bad as her! You are gonna kill her!” exclaimed Donna in complete shock

“Nope. Just you wait. I have a plan” announced the Doctor.

Blast Off. The computer made it clear and the engines rumbled into life sending the Rani inside the rocket into space!

“Right everybody, get out of here now! Come on Donna, into the TARDIS. There’s one more thing to do. In just a moment, after...” said the Doctor

The Plaithers did as they were told and evacuated. Then, the Doctor and Donna watched on from the TARDIS as the control room exploded! The cables and plugs retracted into the TARDIS console out from the fire that raced like a greyhound at the TARDIS stopped in its tracks by the Doctor clicking the doors shoot. Silence and then, they were off once more. Zooming back out to space. Donna sat in thought. In contemplation. Everything a blur including the Doctor’s phone call. At the

conclusion of that call, the time traveller set the ship in flight mode and wandered over to the ginger haired Chiswick temp.

“The plan worked. But that phone call. I got an old friend to leave something in his wake.” Said the Doctor

“But the Rani, you killed her.” Said Donna, very concerned.

“No. Like I said, the plan worked.” Explained the Doctor

“Yeah but how, what is this plan?” Asked Donna

“No more questions I have something to show you.” Said the Doctor

***

“The Rani tricked these poor people into making them believe the eye was a portal instead of a black hole. I just realised.” explained the Doctor

The two were standing outside the ceremonial hall once again but this time staring up at the sky

“The Rani doesn’t look old enough to do that though” pointed out Donna

“She is the same as me. Same race, same biology. She can regenerate as well. And time travel.” Explained the Doctor

In the sky, a message: The eye is out of bounds. It is no longer safe. Do not visit the eye. I repeat, do not visit the eye.”

“Written in stardust. A simple enough message. Stargazing. You could teach them. I mean, it did you the world of good.” Joked the Doctor

“I’m not their resident expert on stargazing. Trust me.” Laughed Donna

“Do you want a proper holiday?” asked the Doctor

“Are you sure about this one?” asked Donna back

“Fairly sure. Its a place called Midnight” answered the Doctor

“I’m up for it. To the stars once more?” asked Donna

“To the stars once more” replied the Doctor

And together they walked back to the TARDIS ready to venture out to the planet, Midnight.