THE HIVE
Chapter Thirteen Owen let out an enraged yell and hit the wall. "You should have stopped them!" he screamed at Jack. "How, Owen? That bitch was tormenting her!" Jack retorted, "I had no choice but to let Rose go with them, she would have killed her if I didn't!" "So, now what? We call the Doctor then?" Jack sighed. "I can't. Rose has the mobile, and I have don't have his number." "So, we can't warn him either, wonderful." "The Doctor can handle himself, no matter what happens, he and Rose will be okay." "And if he can't handle it, he and Rose get turned into those wasp things?" Jack swallowed hard. "They won't be. I have faith in them," he said in a hushed voice, "they'll both escape and come back to us." Rose let out a grunt when Jeremy dropped her onto the rock floor. She got to her knees and looked around at the cave that served as Swarm's hive. Thanks to an eerie phosphorescent light coming from gel blobs stuck to the walls, Rose was able to see her surroundings pretty well. She could see at least twenty wasps flying around the cave, flitting in and out of openings, busying themselves with varying tasks. Rose got to her feet. Suddenly, she heard the queen's voice in her head. You will follow my subject. If you resist, he will sting you. Do you understand? "Yes," Rose replied. Good. Then, obey. Rose sighed, resigned to her fate for the moment. Jeremy flew ahead of her, and she followed him deeper into the cave. The further she went into the cave, the more activity she saw. She looked around, trying to take a head count, but the wasps were moving so fast, she soon gave up. By her estimation, there were at least forty wasps. It terrified her, knowing those were the ones she could see. She wondered how many there really were. Then, she decided she really didn't want to know. Jeremy led her into a huge cavern. Rose looked around. The walls were lined with gigantic honeycombs. Wasps were crawling all over them and going in and out of individual ones. It was the most bizarre thing she had ever seen. She felt like she was inside an interactive nature documentary. Jeremy led her to the back of the cavern. Rose saw a huge wasp resting quietly on an outcropping of rock a few feet off the floor. The insect looked into Rose's eyes, as she drew nearer. So, Rose Tyler, at last we meet face to face. Rose swallowed hard. The queen was twice the size of her subjects, which meant if she stung her, she was likely to die from the wound before she could transform, which didn't seem like a bad option to her considering Jeremy was little more than a mindless slave now. Jeremy brought her within a few feet of the queen and stopped. You may leave us, my loyal subject. Go and assist your brothers and sisters. Jeremy turned and flew off. Rose watched him go while the queen studied her intently. You care for him. You care for the creature he once was. You think there is still a chance he can become human once more. I assure you, Rose, that the human part of him is now dead. Now, he is nothing more than a part of Swarm. Rose glared at her. "Why are you doing this?" she demanded. Isn't it obvious? I'm ensuring the survival of my kind by rebuilding my hive after it was decimated, and my children slaughtered by creatures much like yourself. Every creature has a right to exist, isn't that what your Doctor believes? "He meant that you have a right to exist if you don't violate the rights of others!" But, don't your kind do exactly that? When you settle in an area, don't you build your cities and drive away or kill every other animal that was there first? Don't you disrupt the natural order of things in order to satisfy your own needs? Rose was dumbfounded, freaked out that a giant alien wasp had that much insight into human beings. I sense shock. You are amazed I know your kind so well, but my children are out roaming through the countryside and cities. I see what they see. Not to mention I have complete access to their thoughts, just as I have access to yours. All minds on this planet are open to me, save one. The one you feel love for. The being who calls himself the Doctor. Rose gasped when she felt her head began to throb. Where is he, Rose? Where is the Doctor? "I'll never tell you!" Rose felt the queen searching her mind. She tried to block her thoughts, but the throbbing only intensified. Resistance only brings pain, Rose. Tell me where the Doctor is, and the torment will cease. "Never!" Rose gritted her teeth when the throbbing became unbearable. He is in a warehouse in London. I know you don't know where he is, but you can talk to him on your communication device. Contact him, Rose, and tell him to surrender. "No!" Rose screamed. She felt like her brain was going to explode. Tears ran down her cheeks, as she held her head. Rose, this is unnecessary. Surely, the Doctor wouldn't want you to suffer like this for his sake. "I'll never betray the Doctor, never!" Rose screamed out. Very well, I will have one of my children sting you. You will be put into a honeycomb while you transform and when your metamorphosis is complete, you will be under my control. Then, I will send you out to search for the Doctor until you find him or die from exhaustion. Would your Doctor want that to happen to you? Would he rather surrender than see you become a part of this hive? What would he want you to do, Rose? Rose sobbed. She knew the Doctor would surrender before something happened to her. She felt the pressure on her mind let up, and she took a shuddering breath, as the pain subsided. What is your decision, Rose? Will you contact the Doctor, or will you become one of us? "I'll…call the Doctor," Rose said, her shoulders sagging in defeat. Then do it, Rose. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, Rose reached into her pocket, grabbed the mobile, and searched for the Doctor's number. Finding it, she pushed the talk button and waited. The phone rang a couple of times before she heard him pick up. Her eyes widened when she heard him singing to her. "Aaaaah, sugar, doo, doo, doodoo, doo, doo. Aaaaaah, honey, honey, doo, doo, doodoo, doo, doo. You are my candy girl, and you got me wantin' you." "Doctor?" Rose said, confused. "Hey, Rose, just kicking back, listening to an oldies station on a little portable radio. I saw it was you, and I thought I'd serenade you a bit with my fantastic singing voice." Rose bit her lip, listening to his cheerful voice. She squeezed her eyes shut, knowing that the cheerfulness wouldn't last much longer. "So, angel, what's up? Jack and company behaving themselves? Did you find anything out about the location of the hive?" A rueful laugh escaped her mouth. There was a short pause. "Um…I'm not quite sure what you meant by that laugh. Would you mind enlightening me?" he finally said. "Doctor, I…" She trailed off. She couldn't bring herself to betray him. "Rose? What is it? What's wrong?" Tell him, Rose. "No, I can't. I won't!" Another short pause. "Rose? What's going on? What won't you do?" "Doctor, forgive me, please forgive me." "Rose," the Doctor said, gently, "what's happened? Where are you? What's going on?" Tell him, Rose. "No." Rose screamed, as the unbearable pain returned. "Rose! Rose, what is happening to you? Where are you? Tell me!" The pressure eased up. Rose sobbed. "Rose…is Jack there?" "No." Another short pause. "She has you." It was more a statement than a question. "The queen has you, doesn't she?" "Yes," Rose sobbed out. "Where are you? Are you at the Hub?" "No." The Doctor sighed angrily. "Doctor, I'm sorry. Please don't be angry at me." "I'm not angry at you, angel. I'm angry at the queen. Is she near you?" "Yes." "Can she hear us?" "Yes." "Hold the mobile up to her; I want to speak to her." "Alright." Rose held the mobile up next to the queen's head. The Doctor was silent a moment before he spoke. "I assume, since you kidnapped Rose, that you want me to surrender to you." The Doctor felt the queen reaching out through the mobile, searching his thoughts, but he had the presence of mind to throw up a mental block beforehand. He smirked when he sensed the queen's frustration at not being able to delve deep into his mind. Finally, she thought back to him. You assume correctly, Time Lord. "Then these are my terms. I will surrender if Rose remains unharmed, and you allow her to go free. If you do that, you can have me free and clear." That is all I have to do to obtain your surrender? Leave Rose alone? The Doctor sensed her incredulity at that. "Obviously, being an insect, you don't have a concept of caring deeply for another." Yes, you are right. I do not. I expected more of a fight from one such as you. I am disappointed that Rose's capture is all it took to get you to surrender. "That is the difference between your species and mine. I feel love for others while you only view your subjects as tools to be used at your discretion. If they get injured or die, you don't care." And, caring deeply for this one, that makes you better? "It doesn't make me better, it just makes me different," the Doctor clarified. It makes you foolish, Time Lord. Because I threaten the life of one simple human, you are willing to surrender your freedom to me. It seems that my way of thinking is better since I do not care about her or you, nor would I give my life in exchange for your safety. The Doctor sighed. "Look, we could argue Gallifreyan verses insect all night long, but I really don't want to, and I'm sure you don't either. So, do you want me or not?" Yes, I want you. "Then, Rose goes free." Not until you are brought here before me. I want to see you with my own eyes before I release Rose. "Deal." You are a fool, Time Lord. "Yeah, whatever, where do you want me to go, so I can be picked up?" Is there a huge structure or landmark near you that my children can see? "Yes, Nelson's Column." What is that? The Doctor described it to her. Very well. Go to this Nelson's Column and wait there for my children. When they come, you will not resist, or I will sting Rose and turn her into my subject. Is that clear? "Crystal," the Doctor snarled. Very well, say your final goodbyes and obey me before I change my mind about Rose. "Rose!" the Doctor yelled. Rose put the mobile back to her ear. "Doctor, don't do this!" she begged. "I'm not worth it. Please, save yourself!" "Shhh, I won't do that, not when your life is at stake. Don't worry about me. I'll be alright. I'll see you soon, my angel. Don't be afraid. I won't let anything happen to you. Just have faith in me." "I do." "Good. Now…let me go, so I can get to Nelson's Column, okay? Goodbye, and I'll see you when I get to the hive." "Be careful." "I will. Bye, Rose." "Goodbye, Doctor." Rose bit her lip when she heard him hang up. Slowly, she put the mobile back in her pocket, praying with all her heart that everything would turn out all right.
Back Home Doctor Who Main Page Next