The End of the World
Tardis…
The Doctor, Rose, Blake, Yang, and Jared are lit in green light from the time rotor.
"Right then, Rose Tyler, Jared Shay, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long, you tell me. Where do you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time. It's your choice. What's it going to be?" The Doctor asked.
"Let's go forwards." Yang said, looking between Blake and Jared. "What do you think?"
"Definitely going back to the future." Jared said, smiling, as he looked at Rose. "What do you think?"
"Yup." Rose said, as she looked at Blake. "Blake?"
"Yeah. Sure. Why not?" Blake asked.
"How far?" The Doctor asked, looking between the four.
"One hundred years." Rose said, and there is a few seconds of time travel.
"There you go. Step outside those doors, it's the twenty second century."
"You're kidding." Rose said, finding it hard to believe.
"One hundred years, Doctor." Yang said, smirking. "Bit boring, when it comes to us humans. Especially the ones that are from Remnant in the TARDIS. Not much of an advancement. Can we go further into the future?"
"You have the same mindset as me, Bumblebee." The Doctor said, looking at Rose. "What do you think? Do you want to go further?"
"Fine by me." Rose said, smiling.
"Ten thousand years in the future. Step outside, it's the year 12005, the new Roman Empire."
"You think you're so impressive."
"I am so impressive."
"You wish."
"Right then, you asked for it. I know exactly where to go. Hold on!" The Doctor said, as the Tardis zooms down a time vortex.
"Where are we? What's out there?" Rose asked.
"Now this is gonna be fun, Blake, Yang." Jared said, running towards the TARDIS doors. "Come on!"
"What are you so excited about?" Blake asked.
"The Doctor and Rose's first date!" Jared said, happily, with the two members of Team RWBY behind him. "That's what!"
"You calling this a first date is…" Yang said, looking at Jared. "The date is the end of the world…"
"You could tell by the way I'm acting." Jared said, as Yang looks as attractive as ever. "For Rose, that's spoilers."
Gallery 15…
Rose, Jared, Blake, and Yang, goes down a flight of steps and a large shutter in the wall descends to reveal an orbital view of the Earth.
"You lot, you spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. And you lot from Remnant, you think about fighting Grimm and the White Fang. But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive. This is the year five point five slash apple slash twenty six. Five billion years in your future, and this is the day…" The Doctor said, as he looks at his wrist watch. "Hold on." The sun flares and turns red. "This is the day the Sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world."
"The end of the world." Blake said, looking at Jared. "This is what you call a first adventure."
"You could say that it's a first for everyone." Yang said, walking away with Blake and Jared. "Come on, Doctor, Rose."
Space…
A pair of small spaceships approach a large cruciform space station hanging in Earth orbit.
"Shuttles five and six now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for fifteen thirty nine…" A computer said.
Platform One…
"Followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite." The computer said.
The Doctor, Rose, Blake, Yang, and Jared walk along a corridor.
"So, when it says guests, does that mean people?" Rose asked.
"Five billion years into the future." Blake said, letting out a sigh. "Never realized how small it must be. With us being spread out across this universe."
"You could say that humanity as a species is universal…" Yang said, coming up with another bad pun. "So, is there anything I can punch my way through it?"
"Not yet, Yang." Jared said, taking out his iPhone 6 Plus to listen to the RWBY soundtrack on Spotify. "And don't listen to this soundtrack. It contains major spoilers. Since you guys are up the middle of Volume One."
"Hang on, Volume One?" Blake asked. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well, you were an anime." Jared said, listening to From Shadows on his phone with his Beats headphones in his ears. "To me, that is."
"The rich people are gonna watch the Earth burn." Yang said, frowning. "How crazy is that? That's not cool at all."
The Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver on a wall panel.
"What for?" Rose asked.
"Fun." The Doctor said.
Observation gallery…
A large area with a few display cases and a view of space to the front and above.
"Mind you, when I said the great and the good, what I mean is, the rich." The Doctor said.
"But, hold on. They did this once on Newsround Extra. The sun expanding, that takes hundreds of years." Rose said.
"Millions, but the planet's now property of the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved. See down there? Gravity satellites holding back the sun."
"The planet looks the same as ever. I thought the continents shifted and things."
"They did, and the Trust shifted them back. That's a classic Earth. But now the money's run out, nature takes over."
"That is not what Earth looks like for us." Blake said, crossing her arms. "Remnant, it's futuristic. A bit more technologically advanced than 2005."
"Well, the Earth will go out with a Yang." Yang said, making bad puns left and right. "So, how long does the Earth have till it's gone?"
"About half an hour and then the planet gets roasted." The Doctor said.
"Is that why we're here? I mean, is that what you do? Jump in at the last minute and save the Earth?" Rose asked.
"I'm not saving it. Time's up."
"But what about the people?"
"It's empty. They're all gone. No one left."
"Just us, then."
"You said that one team had more than enough blondes back in Remnant." Yang said, looking at Jared. "What do you mean by that? Should I join that team?"
"No, no, no, no." Jared said, waving his hands about. "Don't join that team. Team RWBY is the best team you could ever be in."
"You are definitely something." Blake said, as a blue-skinned person with golden slit eyes strides towards them. "Something I can't put my finger on."
"Who the hell are you?" The steward asked.
"Oh, that's nice, thanks." The Doctor said.
"But how did you get in? This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked. They're on their way any second now."
��That's me. I'm a guest. Look, I've got an invitation. Look. There, you see? It's fine, you see? The Doctor plus four. I'm the Doctor, this is Rose Tyler, Jared Shay, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long. They're my plus four. Is that all right?" The Doctor asked, as he puts away the psychic paper.
"Well, obviously. Apologies, et cetera. If you're on board, we'd better start. Enjoy." The steward said, as he goes to a podium.
"The paper's slightly psychic. It shows them whatever I want them to see. Saves a lot of time." The Doctor said.
"Now that's something I would want to take to a bar." Yang said, winking at Jared. "You and me, drink, later?"
"Us dancing in a bar. You kicking some bad guy butt. Yes...please!" Jared said, excitedly.
"I wonder how you'll deal with some Grimm without a weapon." Blake said, looking at Jared. "Especially those two. None of you have weapons except us."
"We have in attendance the Doctor, Rose Tyler, Jared Shay, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long. Thank you. All staff to their positions." The steward said, and alot of small people appear. "Hurry, now, thank you. Quick as we can. Come along, come along. And now, might I introduce the next honoured guest? Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have trees, namely, Jabe, Lute and Coffa." A bark-skinned woman enters with two larger male escorts. "There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace. If you could keep the room circulating, thank you. Next, from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, we have the Moxx of Balhoon." Another blue alien, this time mostly head and body, sitting on a transport pod. "And next, from Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme." A group of black-robed bipeds. "The inventors of Hypo-slip Travel Systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen. Thank you." Fur clad reptilians. The announcements of variations on the biped theme continue. "Cal Spark Plug. Mister and Mrs Pakoo. The Ambassadors from the City State of Binding Light."
The trees go up to the Doctor.
"The Gift of Peace. I bring you a cutting of my Grandfather." Jabe said, as she gives the Doctor a rooted twig in a small pot.
"Thank you. Yes, gifts. Er, I give you in return air from my lungs." The Doctor said, as he breathes gently on Jabe.
"How intimate."
"There's more where that came from."
"I bet there is."
"From the Silver Devastation, the sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe." The steward said, as a large glass case barely makes it through the doorway.
"Captain Jack Harkness." Jared said, as the glass case contains a giant humanoid head with straggly hair and squinting eyes. "Can't believe I couldn't save you from this."
"Captain who?" Yang asked, looking at Jared. "Who is that?"
"Oh, the leader of Torchwood Three." Jared said, smiling. "Handsome Jack, immortal man. And a badass combined with being a massive flirt. He reminds me of you in a way, except that he is the team leader."
"So, he's like me. But does he make any bad puns?" Yang asked.
"Nope."
"So that means that I'm better than him."
"Yup." Jared said, laughing a lot. "You are!"
"You're saying that Yang is better than this Captain whatever he is called." Blake said, studying Jared closely.
"Yup." Jared said, nodding his head. "She is."
"And last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen, and trees and multiforms, consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the last Human. The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen." The steward said, as a face in a piece of thin skin stretched in a rectangular frame is wheeled in by two men hidden in top-to-toe hospital whites.
"Oh, now, don't stare. I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference. Look how thin I am. Thin and dainty. I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturise me. Moisturise me." Cassandra said, and one of her attendants uses a pump spray on the skin. "Truly, I am the last Human. My father was a Texan, my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth and were the last to be buried in its soil. I have come to honour them and say goodbye. Oh, no tears, no tears. I'm sorry. But behold, I bring gifts. From Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg. Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils. Or was that my third husband? Oh, no. Oh, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines. And here, another rarity."
"Is she just flattened to death?" Blake asked, looking at Cassandra with a disgusted face. "What else is there about her?"
"Nothing really." Jared said, as Rose has walked round the back of Cassandra to see just how thin she is, and a 50's juke box is wheeled in. "And she totally has her history wrong. Since that's a juke box. It's not really a rarity back home for me."
"According to the archives, this was called an iPod. It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers. Play on!" Cassandra said, while one of the little attendants presses a button, a 45 is selected and the strains of Tainted Love by Soft Cell ring out.
"The irony in that." Yang said, smiling. "This song is catchy."
"Refreshments will now be served. Earth Death in thirty minutes." The steward said.
Rose finally can't take all the aliens, and runs out. The Doctor goes to follow her, but gets intercepted.
"Doctor?" Jabe asked, as she took a picture from a device she is holding. "Thank you."
"A gift of peace in all good faith." An adherent said.
"No, you're very kind, but I'm just the Steward." The steward said.
"A gift of peace in all good faith."
"Well, yes, thank you. Of course." The steward said, as he takes the proffered ball.
Jabe consults her camera, which twitters like a bird, she then spoke, "Identify species. Please identify species. Now stop it. Identify his race. Where's he from? It's impossible."
She hurries away. One of the Adherant's gifts has been placed on a shelf in a display stand. It opens, and a four-legged metal spider scurries away.
(Jared's POV)
Hallway…
"So, the year five billion." Yang said, looking at me. "What's the best thing about this adventure anyway?"
"The Doctor and Rose eating potato wedges at the end of this. Since we're here, we could just hang out for the time being." I said, eating some chocolate chip cookies. "I am hungry after all."
"You happened to pack those inside your backpack." Blake said, looking at me, and my backpack. "Why?"
"I do love my snacks." I said, still snacking on my cookies. "Wish I had bigger on the inside pockets, though."
"What could you do with pockets that could hold a lot of things?" Blake asked.
"Maybe hide a lot of snacks, video games, and weapons." I said, grinning. "That's what."
"You're definitely like my baby sister." Yang said, as I nodded my head. "Who acts like a little kid. Well, what will we do now?"
"Any hints?" Blake asked.
"We can't change events. But I know a few people will die." I said, dropping my box of chocolate chip cookies. "Just can't remember who, though."
"You're no help." Yang said, frowning. "How can you not remember?"
"Keeping track of RWBY and Doctor who episodes can be a pain sometimes." I said, looking at Blake and Yang. "It will be hard to distinguish between the two."
"You're keeping things the same." Blake said. "In terms of events."
"Pretty much, yeah." I said, grinning. "A plumber will die, though."
"Plumbers aren't that important." Yang said. "Everything might be automated more in the future."
"Would the owner of the blue box in private gallery fifteen please report to the Steward's office immediately. Guests are reminded that use of teleportation devices is strictly forbidden under Peace Treaty five point four slash cup slash sixteen. Thank you." The Steward said, his voice going throughout Platform One.
"We left Ruby, Weiss, and Team JNPR inside the TARDIS. Didn't we?" Blake asked, looking between Yang and I.
"Yup…" I said, rubbing the back of my head. "We did!"
"They'll be fine. We can find Rose if it's that easy." Yang said, as they're running throughout Gallery 15. "Where is she?"
"Somewhere called Gallery 15." I said, as I'm holding Yang's head. "It's hard to wrap my head around this being all real."
"Earth Death in twenty five minutes." The computer said, throughout the space station.
(Open POV)
Gallery 15…
Rose is playing with the ball.
"Earth Death in twenty five minutes." The computer said.
"Oh, thanks." Rose said, as she puts the ball down and picks up the plant pot. "Hello. My name's Rose. That's a sort of plant. We might be related. I'm talking to a twig."
The ball hatches.
"I find it kind of funny how we have two people named Rose that's traveling in the TARDIS." Jared said, laughing as he entered the room with Blake and Yang. "Ruby Rose and Rose Tyler. Team Rose, right there. Now if we add Amy Rose from Sonic the Hedgehog, now that'll be the three musketeer of roses."
"We get it." Blake said, crossing her arms. "You like roses and flowers."
"Thanks for making me feel bad." Jared said, letting out a sigh. "I really appreciate it."
"At least you didn't make fun...wait, you called me 'top heavy'." Yang said, angrily, as she punched Jared hard on the elbow. "You deserved that!"
"Oww…" Jared said, rubbing his shoulder. "Sorry."
Outside Gallery 15…
The little assistants are wheeling the Tardis away.
"Oi, now, careful with that. Park it properly. No scratches." The Doctor said, angrily.
One of them hands the Doctor a ticket. It says on one side….Have A Nice Day. A pair of spiders scuttle along the ceiling.
Gallery 15…
The spider scans Rose's hand then scuttles away when the Doctor calls out.
"Rose? Jared? Blake? Yang? Are you in there?" The Doctor asked, as he entered the room. "Aye, aye. What do you think, then?"
"Great. Yeah, fine. Once you get past the slightly psychic paper. They're just so alien. The aliens are so alien. You look at 'em and they're alien." Rose saidz
"Good thing I didn't take you four to the Deep South." The Doctor said, happily.
"You said that we'll meet someone called Penny, when we get back to Beacon." Yang said, looking at Jared. "Is she…?"
"I really need to know how to keep my mouth shut." Jared said, letting out a groan of annoyance. "Of spoilers that I'll reveal."
"You are such a chatterbox." Blake said. "No wonder you never keep still."
"Why would I stay in one place for too long? I'll get bored."
"Says the one who loved to stay home on most days. When you're in college." Blake said, crossing her arms.
"Me, I would love to party." Yang said, smiling. "I saw this place on your phone. It was called Las Vegas. Can we go there?"
"No, I'm not taking you to Vegas for you to party and get drunk!" Jared said, looking away for a moment. "And to gamble! Even if I like you."
"You can say I like to party like no tomorrow." Yang said. "The Doctor said that the TARDIS, it can travel anywhere in time and space. So is Vegas not a possibility?"
"It is." Jared said, letting out a sigh. "And Blake, there's this planet called the Library. This planet, full of books. It's called the Library. You might like it."
"Does it have my favorite author there?" Blake asked. "You know which one."
"Maybe." Jared said, excitedly. "I don't know! I haven't been there yet!"
"Next you'll tell me that a dog wrote some of my favorite books." Blake said, bored.
"Spoilers…" Jared said, in a sing-sung voice. "Not telling you…"
"You could say that you like peeking at the end." Yang said, smirking. "Which is a bad thing for us."
"Obviously." Blake said, as if it is obvious. "Why are we traveling with a fan of us and the Doctor again?"
"Earth Death in twenty minutes. Earth Death in twenty minutes." The computer said.
"All right. As my mate Shareen says, don't argue with the designated driver." Rose said, taking out her cell phone. "Can't exactly call for a taxi. There's no signal. We're out of range. Just a bit."
"Tell you what." The Doctor said, taking Rose's phone apart. "With a little bit of jiggery pokery."
"Is that a technical term, jiggery pokery?"
"Yeah, I came first in jiggery pokery. What about you?"
"No, I failed hullabaloo."
"Oh. There you go."
Rose phones home.
"Hello?" Jackie asked, her voice coming out of Rose's phone.
"Mum?" Rose asked.
"Oh, what is it?"
The Tyler flat...
Jackie is emptying the washing machine.
"What's wrong? What have I done now? Oh, this red top's falling to bits." Jackie said.
Gallery 15...
"You should get your money back. Go on."
The Tyler flat...
"There must be something, you never phone in the middle of the day."
Gallery 15...
"What's so funny?" Jackie asked.
"Nothing. You all right, though?" Rose asked.
The Tyler flat...
"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"
Gallery 15...
"What day is it?"
The Tyler flat...
"Wednesday, all day. You got a hangover?"
Gallery 15...
"Oh, I tell you what. Put a quid in that Lottery syndicate. I'll pay you back later."
"Yeah, er, I was just calling 'cos…"
The Tyler flat...
"I might be late home."
"Is there something wrong?"
Gallery 15...
"No. I'm fine. Top of the world." Rose said, ending the call with Jackie.
Jackie rings off.
"Think that's amazing, you want to see the bill." The Doctor said.
"That was five billion years ago. So, she's dead now. Five billion years later, my mum's dead."
"Bundle of laughs, you are." The Doctor said, and the space station shakes. "That's not supposed to happen."
"Obviously." Jared said, walking into the hallway with the Doctor, Rose, Blake, and Yang. "What could possibly go wrong?"
Hallway...
"You had to jinx us." Blake said, sadly. "Now something will go wrong."
"This is the Whoniverse." Jared said, smiling. "Nothing will go wrong, unless the Doctor does something stupid."
"You've known us for how long exactly?" Yang asked, looking at Jared.
"Give or take four months." Jared said, shrugging his shoulders. "Someone else is gonna die, I think. Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me due to getting older. I am 19 after all."
"You're not that old." Blake said. "You're around the same age as us."
"What are you gonna do after this?" Yang asked. "Ask some girls on a date?"
"Noooo…" Jared said, looking away embarrassed. "I won't…"
"Ha! Caught you. You definitely plan on asking one of us out." Yang said, raising her hand proudly. "But who?"
"Yang, sometimes I wish you weren't such a massive flirt and a badass." Jared said, rolling his eyes. "And being such a pun queen…"
"Come on, the Doctor and Rose are ahead." Blake said, running with Jared and Yang. "Let's go!"
Observation gallery…
"Indubitably, this is the Bad Wolf scenario. I find the inherent laxity of the on-going multiverse…" Moxx said.
The Doctor, Rose, Blake, Yang, and Jared enter.
"That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that. What do you think, Jabe? Listened to the engines. They've pitched up about thirty Hertz. That dodgy or what?" The Doctor asked.
"It's the sound of metal. It doesn't make any sense to me." Jabe said.
"Where's the engine room?"
"I don't know, but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite, I could show you, your wife, and your friends." Jabe said, looking at Rose, then at Blake, Yang, and Jared.
"She's not my wife."
"Partner?"
"No."
"Concubine?"
"Nope."
"Prostitute?"
"Whatever I am, it must be invisible. Do you mind? Tell you what, you four go and pollinate. Yang and I are going to catch up with family. Quick word with Michael Jackson." Rose said, and she and Yang go to talk to Cassandra.
"Don't start a fight." The Doctor said, as he offers Jabe his arm. "We're all yours."
"And we want you home by midnight." Rose said.
"Why do I have such a bad feeling that Rose and Yang will lose their tempers?" Blake asked, looking at Jared.
"Because they're blondes. And Yang's semblance is a temper tantrum." Jared said, nodding his head. "This won't end well for either of them."
"Earth Death in fifteen minutes. Earth Death in fifteen minutes." The computer said.
Maintenance duct...
A multitude of spiders scuttle out of sight behind the swags of wiring and piping.
"Who's in charge of Platform One? Is there a Captain or what?" The Doctor asked.
"There's just the Steward and the staff. All the rest is controlled by the metal mind." Jabe said.
"I think you mean the computer." Blake said, with Jared behind her. "We're in a time period where everything is advanced. Automated. So, who controls that?"
"The Corporation. They move Platform One from one artistic event to another." Jabe said.
"But there's no one from the Corporation on board." The Doctor said.
"They're not needed. This facility is purely automatic. It's the height of the Alpha class. Nothing can go wrong."
"Unsinkable?"
"If you like. The nautical metaphor is appropriate."
"You're telling me. I was on board another ship once. They said that was unsinkable. I ended up clinging to an iceberg. It wasn't half cold."
"The Doctor means the Titanic." Jared said, smiling. "Long story. But I can explain later, Blake. That ship was supposed to be unsinkable."
"Of course you know everything." Blake said. "You had a lot of free time in your hands."
"Says the one who's a bookworm."
"So, what you're saying is, if we get in trouble there's no one to help us out?" The Doctor asked.
"I'm afraid not." Jabe said.
"Fantastic."
"I don't understand. In what way is that fantastic?"
Observation gallery...
"Soon, the sun will blossom into a red giant, and my home will die. That's where I used to live, when I was a little boy, down there. Mummy and Daddy had a little house built into the side of the Los Angeles Crevice. I'd have such fun." Cassandra said.
"What happened to everyone else? The human race, where did it go?" Rose asked.
"They say mankind has touched every star in the sky."
"So, you're not the last human." Yang said, looking at Cassandra. "There are loads of humans out there."
"I am the last pure human. The others mingled." Cassandra said.
"I mingle with guys all the time. When I'm at the bar. If one of them cuts my hair, or make me angry. I could break their legs, if I wanted to." Yang said.
"Oh, they call themselves New humans and Proto-humans and Digi-humans, even 'Humanish, but you know what I call them? Mongrels." Cassandra said.
"Right. And you stayed behind." Rose said.
"I kept myself pure."
"Pure, yeah, right." Yang said, crossing her arms, and getting a bit angry. "You're not even pure."
"Yang, now is not the time. So, how many operations have you had?" Rose asked.
"Seven hundred and eight. Next week, it's seven hundred and nine. I'm having my blood bleached. Is that why you wanted a word? You could be flatter, Rose, Yang. Both of you have got a little bit of a chin poking out. And Yang, you are top heavy. Revealing that much skin, have you ever thought of buttoning up your jacket?" Cassandra asked, looking at Rose and Yang.
"I'd rather die." Rose said.
"And I really want to tear you into pieces." Yang said, getting as mad as Rose. "Don't you ever call me 'top heavy'. And telling me to hide that much skin. When I see you again, I will find you, and I will kill you."
"Honestly, it doesn't hurt." Cassandra said.
"I'll show you hurt." Yang said, moving her hand towards Cassandra. "Like, right now!"
"No, I mean it. I would rather die. It's better to die than live like you, a bitchy trampoline." Rose said, placing her hand on top of one of Yang's gauntlets.
"Oh, well. What do you know." Cassandra said.
"We were born on that planet, and so was my mum, and so was my dad. Yang's sister, father, uncle, and mother were born on that planet. Jared was born on that planet, as well as Weiss, Blake, and all of Team JNPR. And that makes us officially the last humans being in this room, 'cos you're not human. You've had it all nipped and tucked and flattened till there's nothing left. Anything human got chucked in the bin. You're just skin, Cassandra. Lipstick and skin. Nice talking." Rose said, as she left the room with Yang.
Maintenance duct…
"So tell me, Jabe, what's a tree like you doing in a place like this?" The Doctor asked.
"Respect for the Earth." Jabe said.
"Oh, come on. Everyone on this platform's worth zillions."
"Well, perhaps it's a case of having to be seen at the right occasions."
"In case your share prices drop? I know you lot. You've got massive forests everywhere, roots everywhere, and there's always money in land."
"All the same, we respect the Earth as family. So many species evolved from that planet. Mankind is only one. I'm another. My ancestors were transplanted from the planet down below, and I'm a direct descendant of the tropical rainforest."
"The Amazon rainforest." Jared said, smiling. "Or was it Rio De Janeiro?"
"Both of them sound like amazing rainforests." Blake said. "Have you been to either of them?"
"Excuse me." The Doctor said, as he scans a door panel marked Welcome to Platform One. Guide of Platform One Do You Need Assistance.
A keypad labelled Maintenance log in, then Access denied.
"And what about your ancestry, Doctor? Perhaps you could tell a story or two. Perhaps a man only enjoys trouble when there's nothing else left. I scanned you earlier. The metal machine had trouble identifying your species. It refused to admit your existence. And even when it named you, I wouldn't believe it. But it was right. I know where you're from. Forgive me for intruding, but it's remarkable that you even exist. I just wanted to say how sorry I am." Jabe said, as she puts her hand on his arm, and the Doctor puts his hand over hers. A tear drops from his eye. He gets the door open.
Engine room…
It runs the whole depth of the Platform. The Doctor and Jabe are by a catwalk that runs through a series of large fans.
"Is it me, or is it a bit nippy?" The Doctor asked.
"It is a bit hot in here." Jared said, taking off his hoodie to wrap it around his waist. "Thank goodness Ruby and Weiss aren't here. They won't be able to handle the heat wearing their combat skirts."
"Yeah…" Blake said, agreeing with Jared. "They won't."
Hallway…
"So, you have gauntlets on your wrist." Rose said, as she is walking down a hallway with Yang. "That shoots out bullets. And people in your world have abilities called semblances that matches with their personalities."
"Pretty much." Yang said, happily. "Yeah. And people here don't?"
"Not that I know of. No." Rose said, as she and Yang are met by the Adherents. "And you're the strongest of Team RWBY, yeah?"
"Yup." Yang said, as the Adherents knocked her and Rose out by pistol whipping them with a weapon. "I…"
The Adherents dragged Rose and Yang into a room.
Engine room...
"Fair do's, though, that's a great bit of air conditioning. Sort of nice and old fashioned. Bet they call it retro." The Doctor said, as he scans a panel. "Gotcha." He pulls it off. A spider scuttles out and up the wall. "What the hell's that?"
"It's a spider." Jared said, looking at the spider. "A metallic one. Cool!"
"Is it part of the retro?" Jabe asked.
"I don't think so. Hold on." The Doctor said, and he aims his screwdriver at the spider, then Jabe lassoes it. "Hey, nice liana."
"Thank you. We're not supposed to show them in public."
"Don't worry, we won't tell anybody. Now then, who's been bringing their pets on board?"
"Spoilers..." Jared said, in a sing-sung voice.
"What does it do?" Jabe asked.
"It's sabotage." Blake said, sadly. "I used to do this sometimes with Adam. When I was a part of the White Fang."
"Earth Death in ten minutes." The computer said.
"And the temperature's about to rocket. Come on." The Doctor said, running away with Jabe, Jared, and Blake.
"Earth Death in ten minutes."
Hallway…
"Going to the year five billion was your best idea." Blake said.
"I know, I know." The Doctor said. "I should have seen this coming."
"It does make a good first date for you and Rose, Spaceman." Jared said, looking at the Doctor. "I like it!"
Outside the Steward's office…
Smoke from the room is filling the corridor and the glare is coming through a small glass panel in the door. The little assistants have gathered.
"Hold on. Get back." The Doctor said, as he scanned another small panel with his sonic screwdriver.
"Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising." The computer said.
"Is the Steward in there?!" Jabe asked, terrified.
"You can smell him. Hold on, there's another sun filter programmed to descend." The Doctor said, running away with Blake and Jared.
Gallery 15…
"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending." The computer said.
Yang woke up, and she ran over to Rose and woke the other blonde up for them to see the deadly glare begin to fill the room.
"Oh no, this is bad." Yang said, looking at Rose. "The metal is too warped, and that's bad for my gauntlets."
"Since they're also made of metal." Rose said, and she hammers on the door. "Let us out! Let us out!"
"Sun filter descending." The computer said.
Outside gallery 15…
"Let us out! Let us out!" Rose said, angrily.
Gallery 15…
"Let us out!"
"Sun filter descending."
Outside gallery 15…
"Sun filter descending."
"Anyone in there?" The Doctor asked, as he works on the door panel.
Gallery 15…
"Let us out!" Rose said, angrily.
Outside gallery 15…
"Oh, well, it would be you two." The Doctor said, annoyed.
"The two blondes in one room." Jared said, laughing a lot. "Is it my birthday?"
"Jared, this isn't the time for jokes." Blake said. "Yang's in there. With Rose."
Gallery 15…
"Open the door!" Rose said.
Outside gallery 15…
"Hold on. Give us two ticks." The Doctor said.
Gallery 15…
The scorching rays reach the top of the door.
"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending." The computer said.
Outside gallery 15…
"Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."
Gallery 15…
"Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."
Outside gallery 15…
"Sun filter descending."
"Just what we need." Blake said, annoyed. "Out of all the times for something to get hacked."
Gallery 15…
"Yeah, the computer's getting clever." The Doctor said.
"Stop mucking about!" Rose said, angrily.
Outside gallery 15…
"I'm not mucking about. It's fighting back." The Doctor said.
Gallery 15…
"Just open this goddamn door!" Yang said. "Punching my way out won't be good for my hands!"
"I know!" The Doctor said.
Rose and Yang run down the steps away from the glare as it moves down the door.
"This is not the time to be incinerated!" Yang said. "And that lock…"
Outside gallery 15…
"The lock's melted!" Rose said.
"Sun filter descending. Sun filter…" The computer said.
Outside gallery 15…
"...descending. Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising." The computer said.
Rose and Yang run back up to the door.
"The whole thing's jammed. I can't open the doors. Stay there!" The Doctor said.
Gallery 15…
"Don't move!" The Doctor said.
"Where are we going to go, Ipswich?" Rose asked.
"Earth Death in five minutes." The computer said.
Observation gallery…
"The metal machine confirms. The spider devices have infiltrated the whole of Platform One." Jabe said.
"How's that possible? Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturise me, moisturise me." Cassandra said.
"Summon the Steward." Moxx said.
"I'm sorry." Blake said, frowning. "But the Steward is dead."
"Who killed him?" Moxx asked.
"You'll find out soon." Jared said, smirking. "Not saying when."
"This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe. He invited us. Talk to the Face. Talk to the Face." Cassandra said.
"Easy way of finding out. Someone bought their little pet on board. Let's send him back to master." The Doctor said, as he puts down the spider that Jabe was scanning, and it scuttles off to Cassandra and scans her, then goes to the black gowned group.
���The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. J'accuse!" Cassandra said, angrily.
"Well, me being someone from the early 21st century, this is my comfort zone." Jared said, walking around. "It is obvious as to who started this craziness." He walked over to the Adherents, with their leader trying to hit the fanboy, and he pulled off its arm. "Memes are repeated over and over again, on the internet. They're just ideas people come up with when they're bored. After all, they're just ideas."
Jared pulls one of the wires dangling from the arm, and the Adherants all collapse.
"Remote controlled Droids. Nice little cover for the real troublemaker. Go on, Jimbo. Go home." The Doctor said, and he gives the spider a nudge, and it returns to Cassandra.
"I bet the both of you were the school swots and never got kissed. At arms!" Cassandra said, while her attendants raise their spray guns.
"What are you going to do, moisturise us?" The Doctor asked, as Jared nodded his head.
"With acid. Oh, you're too late, anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you all carried them as gifts, tax free, past every code wall. I'm not just as pretty face." Cassandra said.
"Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it? How stupid's that?"
"I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous."
"Five billion years and it still comes down to money." Blake said. "Instead of freedom, it's money…"
"Do you think it's cheap, looking like this? Flatness costs a fortune. I am the last human, Doctor. Me. Not those freaky little kids of yours." Cassandra said, looking at Blake and Jared.
"Arrest her, the infidel…" Moxx said.
"Oh, shut it, pixie. I've still got my final option." Cassandra said.
"Earth Death in three minutes." The computer said.
"And here it comes. You're just as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies and they'll triple in price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go? Burn, baby, burn."
"Well, you'll burn with us if you're here." Blake said.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders, activate." Cassandra said, as there is a series of explosions through the Platform. "Forcefields gone with the planet about to explode. At least it'll be quick. Just like my fifth husband. Oh, shame on me."
"Safety systems failing." The computer said.
"Bye, bye, darlings. Bye, bye, my darlings." Cassandra said, and she teleported out with her attendants.
"Heat levels rising." The computer said.
"Reset the computer." Moxx said.
"Only the Steward would know how." Jabe said.
"We could do it by hand." Blake said, looking at Jared. "There could be an off switch."
"Yup." Jared said, nodding his head. "We could fix everything. And do a system reboot."
"Jabe, Jared, Blake, come on. You lot, just chill." The Doctor said, as he ran off with Jabe, Jared, and Blake.
"Heat rising." The computer said.
Space…
"Earth Death in two minutes. Earth Death in two minutes." The computer said.
Maintenance duct…
"Heat levels critical."
Engine room…
"Heat levels critical."
"Oh. And guess where the switch is." The Doctor said.
"Great, a switch behind some fans." Blake said, as she looks at the other side of the turning razor sharp fans. "My semblance could come in handy here."
"But if your timing is off Blake…" Jared said, looking at Blake. "You could die, die before I know when it's supposed to happen."
"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising." The computer said, and the Doctor pulls a breaker lever and the fans slow a little, but it resets as soon as he lets go of it. "External temperature five thousand degrees."
Jabe pulls the breaker and holds it down.
"You can't keep the lever down." Blake said, looking at Jabe. "The heat will warp the insides of this place. And it's basically like a vent for all these fans."
"I know." Jabe said.
"Jabe, you're made of wood." The Doctor said.
"You're gonna die if you stay here." Jared said, agreeing with the Doctor and Blake.
"Then stop wasting time, Time Lord." Jabe said.
"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising." The computer said.
"Blake, your semblance could come in handy." Jared said, looking at Blake. "You need to take Jabe's place."
"Right." Blake said, pushing Jabe out of the way, for the tree ambassador to fall to the ground. "Go! Back to the observation gallery! I've got this!"
Jabe nodded her head and she ran off, with Blake holding down on the breaker with Jared next to the Faunus. The Doctor makes it past the first fan.
"He made it past the first fan." Jared said, looking over at Blake. "When you think you can't hold it much longer, I can take over."
"Thanks…" Blake said, still holding down the breaker. "I really appreciate it."
Gallery 15….
The window begins to crack.
"Shields malfunction. Shields malfunction. Shields malfunction." The computer said.
"Come on Blake, Jared…" Yang said, holding Rose's hand. "Save the day…"
Random pieces of deadly glare lance into the room.
Engine room…
"Heat levels critical. Heat levels critical." The computer said.
The Doctor looks back at Blake and Jared, then times his run past the second fan.
"Okay, he made it through fan number two." Jared said, as Blake nodded her head, leaving behind one of her copies on the breaker, for the fanboy to run over to it, and hold onto it. "Phew, made it just in time.���
"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising." The computer said, and Jared's hands starts sweating a bit.
"Man, is it hot in here?" Blake asked, as Jared lets go of the breaker for a moment due to the heat. "Don't know why we chose to wear black on a day like this. I should have stayed in the TARDIS with Yang and the others."
"Ruby wouldn't have fared much either." Jared said, with the fans speed up to faster than before until they are just a blur. "With her outfit having a lot of black right now. Weiss could, but her being the ice queen, I'm not so sure if we need a roasting."
"True…" Blake said, nodding her head. "Let me take over again."
"He's almost there…" Jared said, looking back at the Doctor for a moment. "I think…"
"Planet explodes in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five…." The computer said, and the Doctor shuts his eyes and walks past the last fan. "Four."
The Doctor opens his eyes, realises he is safe and dashes for the reset breaker, he then spoke, "Raise shields!"
Gallery 15…
"One." The computer said, with a forcefield envelopes Platform One as the Earth starts to boil, then explodes. "Exoglass repair. Exoglass repair. Exoglass repair."
Rose and Yang opens their eyes as the cracks in the window vanish, and they see the fractured remains of home floating by.
"Exoglass repair." The computer said.
"They did it…" Yang said, looking at Rose. "I guess you could say that they turned up the heat...Huh, huh?"
"No…" Rose said, letting out a sigh. "Just...no…"
Engine room…
The fans have slowed right down for the Doctor to walk back easily to Jared and Blake.
"Both of your hands." The Doctor said, looking between Blake and Jared. "They're burned."
"It was either Jabe staying here and dying. Or one of us taking her spot." Jared said, frowning a little. "But on the bright side, we saved her."
"Never do that again." The Doctor said, looking at Blake and Jared.
"We really can't make any promises." Blake said, as Jared nodded his head. "Let's get back to the others."
Observation gallery…
Rose and Yang enters. The Moxx of Balhoon had got fried by the glare. The Doctor enters and walked over to Jabe and the other two trees. Happy that they're okay.
"You all right?" Rose asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm full of ideas, I'm bristling with them. Idea number one, teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two, this feed must be hidden nearby." The Doctor said, and he smashes open the alleged ostrich egg to reveal a small device. "Idea number three, if you're as clever as me, then a teleportation feed can be reversed."
"Oh, you should have seen their little alien faces." Cassandra said, and she is beamed back in. "Oh."
"The last human."
"So, you passed my little test. Bravo. This makes you eligible to join, er, the Human Club."
"People have died, Cassandra. You murdered them."
"It depends on your definition of people, and that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries. Take me to court, then, Doctor, and watch me smile and cry and flutter…"
"And creak?" Blake asked.
"And what?" Cassandra asked.
"Creak. You're creaking." Blake said, with Jared and Yang nodded their heads. "It looks like the last human got their death wish."
"What? Ah! I'm drying out! Oh, sweet heavens. Moisturise me, moisturise me! Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!" Cassandra said, panicking.
"You raised the temperature." Yang said, now coming up with a bad pun. "You could say that you have the heat for Fahrenheit!"
"Have pity! Moisturise me! Oh, oh, Doctor. I'm sorry. I'll do anything."
"Help her." Rose said, feeling bad for Cassandra.
"Everything has its time and everything dies." The Doctor said, sadly.
"I'm too young!" Cassandra said, when she exploded.
Space...
"Shuttles four and six departing. This unit now closing down for maintenance." The computer said.
Observation gallery…
Only Rose, Blake, Yang, Jared, and the Doctor are left, looking at the asteroids that were once the Earth as they float past the red giant Sun.
"This is just…" Blake said, holding one of Yang's hand and one of Jared's hand. "Now I know what she meant by 'Burn Baby Burn.'"
"I guess you could see why 'I burn'." Yang said, as Jared laughed a little. "Can't hold me now. You got nothing that could stop me…"
"The irony in that though." Jared said, and he lets out a sigh. "It's still sad though."
"The end of the Earth. It's gone. We were too busy saving ourselves. No one saw it go. All those years, all that history, and no one was even looking. It's just…" Rose said, sadly.
"Come with me." The Doctor said, leading Rose away, with Jared, Blake and Yang following the Time Lord and Bad Wolf Girl from behind.
London...
A baby cries, a man laughs. The Doctor, Rose, Jared, Blake, and Yang, stand in the middle of teeming people going about their daily lives.
"Big Issue! Big Issue!" A man said, selling some newspapers.
"You think it'll last forever, people and cars and concrete, but it won't. One day it's all gone. Even the sky. My planet's gone. It's dead. It burned like the Earth. It's just rocks and dust before its time." The Doctor said.
"What happened?" Blake asked.
"There was a war and we lost."
"A war with who? What about your people?" Rose asked.
"I'm a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. They're all gone. I'm the only survivor. I'm left travelling on my own 'cos there's no one else." The Doctor said.
"There's me." Rose said, giving the Doctor a bit of hope.
"And there's me." Jared said, happily. "You also got Teams RWBY and JNPR by your side."
"You've seen how dangerous it is. Do you want to go home?" The Doctor asked.
"Home? There's no way I'm going...home alone." Yang said, coming up with another bad pun.
"I don't know, but I just can't abandon my friends here." Blake said, looking at the Doctor. "Who are in the TARDIS too."
"Traveling with you, I love it." Jared said, smiling. "I don't think I'll ever give this up. Rose, do you want to go home? The rest of us don't."
"I don't know. I want. Oh, can you smell chips?" Rose asked.
"Yeah. Yeah." The Doctor said.
"I want chips."
"Me too."
"Fries are good." Jared said, grinning. "Have them with a burger and a milkshake, and I'm all set."
"Bring us to a bar." Yang said, happily. "What's it called here?"
"A pub." Jared said, looking at Yang. "You want to drink."
"Right then, before you get us back in that box, chips it is, and you can pay." Rose said, looking at the Doctor.
"No money." The Doctor said.
"And I have US currency. Don't know about these guys from Remnant." Jared said, laughing a lot. "They could not have a currency at all."
"What sort of date are you? Come on then, tightwad, plus three, chips are on me. We've only got five billion years till the shops close." Rose said, as she wrapped her arm around the Doctor's.
"Ruby and Weiss would have loved this." Blake said, and she wrapped her arm around Jared's and Yang's. "They would have. If Ruby didn't want to make cookies."