The Impossible Planet (TV story)

"The Beast and his armies shall make war against God"

Synopsis
The TARDIS lands in a base on the planet Krop Tor orbiting the Black hole K37J5, an impossible situation that stumps even The Doctor. The base crew are drilling to the centre of the Planet, to claim the power that keeps it in a stable orbit for themselves. However, an ancient evil is down there too, and he is awake…

Plot
The TARDIS uneasily lands in a small metallic room. As the lights inside flicker the door opens and the Doctor and Rose emerge, the Time Lord commenting that the ship seems a bit queasy, as if it didn’t want to land. Rose suggests that if there is a sign of trouble they could get back in the TARDIS and leave. They both think for a second then laugh, mocking the idea. They calm down and the Doctor looks around, theorising that they have landed inside a cupboard.

He opens a large heavy door before him and steps out into a corridor. He notes that they are in some kind of base. He reels off a list of bases; moon base, sea base, space base; before commenting that these were all built out of kits. As he goes to open another door Rose looks around her and listens to the howling wind outside. She tells her friend that she’s glad they landed indoors; it sounds like a storm outside.

As they emerge in a long corridor they walk along, the Doctor explaining how humans tend to have a lust for kits; telling her that the base was put up like a flat-pack wardrobe only bigger. And easier.

After passing through another door into a large room full of tables and chairs, the Doctor realises that they are in a sanctuary base, used for deep space exploration. After realising they have flown right to the edge of the universe the Doctor notes there is a faint sound below them; someone is drilling.

Rose replies by saying, “welcome to hell”. The Doctor muses that it isn’t that bad but Rose laughs, explaining that it is written on the wall opposite. The Doctor turns to see the message scrawled across the wall, with lots of symbols scrawled underneath. He walks forward and crouches by the wall, claiming it odd that it won’t translate. Rose comments that she thought the TARDIS could translate writing as well as speech and that they should be seeing English. The Doctor concludes that if the writing will not be translated it must mean the text is old, very old, impossibly old.

He springs to his feet and tells Rose they must find out who is in charge. He begins to open another of the doors by turning a large wheel lock, like one from a submarine, to let them through. He explains that they have travelled beyond the TARDIS’ knowledge and that is not a good idea. He opens the door and he and Rose turn to the area behind it, where a group of aliens are waiting for them. They stand looking at the travellers through slit-like eyes inside a domed head fronted by tentacles for mouths. They are dressed in dark drapes and hold large glowing globes in their hands.

The Doctor greets them and comments on what a nice place the base is. The creature closest to them clicks on his globe, which glows and as he does so he tells them “we must feed”. Rose realises the creatures are talking about them and as the creatures begin to repeat the phrase the travellers run back to the door they came through, but more of the creatures are already walking through it, as well as the other doors leading into the room.

The Doctor takes out his sonic screwdriver and aims it at their attackers as Rose picks up a chair to fend the creatures off as they advance, chiming “we must feed”… The creature closest to them repeats itself, only this time taps his globe and finishes it’s sentence: “we must feed you if you are hungry”. The Doctor asks them to repeat and the creature apologises, explaining that their speech systems have been interfered with by electromagnetic impulses. It then offers the speechless Doctor and Rose refreshment. The Time Lord lowers his sonic screwdriver and Rose puts down the chair as one of the doors hisses open.

A middle-aged man enters flanked by two guards. Astounded by the Doctor and Rose’s existence. He approaches them and talks into a radio in his watch, contacting the captain. He tells him that he may not believe him but there are real humans with him, out of nowhere. The captain replies, telling him that that is impossible but the man tells him to tell the two people that.

Rose reasons that the space base must have visitors once in a while but the man simply ponders that the two really don’t know where they are. The Doctor confirms his suspicions, they don’t have a clue where they are, but it’s more fun that way. Another voice over an intercom tells them all to prepare for impact, they have an incoming. As the ground begins to shake the man opens another of the doors and tells the Doctor and Rose to get through, quickly.

He ushers them along another corridor, forcing them to move on as jets of smoke and pools of sparks engulf them. They emerge in another large room, lined with computer banks and tables surrounded by people. They all look up at the Doctor and Rose and one of the men, by the sound of his voice the same man on the intercom, states that the man who found them was not lying. Another young woman marvels at the sight of real people and the Doctor claims that they really are real, followed by Rose who introduces the two of them to the people around them.

A young man sitting at a desk gets up and approaches them, rationing that the base’s oxygen must be offline and they are hallucinating. He looks at them but realises he is wrong; they are real.

The captain, now seated at one of the computer banks, tells the others to pull themselves together. He addresses the young man as Danny and tells him to strap in, there will be an impact in thirty seconds. He turns to the two new arrivals and tells them to hold on to something, he doesn’t care what but just hold on. He addresses the aliens who found the Doctor and Rose, calling them Ood, and asks if they are fixed for impact. The creature thanks him for his kindness in the situation as the Doctor asks what the planet they are on is called.

Another woman, older than the first, tells them that it doesn’t have a name, it couldn’t have a name. As she realises the two of them really have no idea where they are the captain yells out as the impact occurs. There is a large jolt as the room shakes and everyone is thrown back into their chairs or against walls. The disturbance dies down and the Doctor gets up, claiming it wasn’t that bad. However before he can finish a much larger field of disturbance hits the base and again everyone clings for life as the Doctor is thrown to the ground. Jets of flames and smoke coupled with more bursts of sparks continues around the room until the vibrations die down and the guards run about with fire extinguishers.

The captain asks if everyone is all right, asking each of his colleagues in turn. The Doctor almost mockingly tells him that he and Rose are OK as they get to their feet. The captain explains that the surface of the planet has caved in, but he has deflected the blast onto storage units five to eight, which have been lost completely. He tells another man, called Toby, to check the rocket link and when he protests that it is not his job tells him to do it anyway.

As the man leaves the crew check that everything is working Rose asks what is going on outside, guessing it is a hurricane. The young woman tells her that an atmosphere is needed for a hurricane and there is no air outside. Rose asks what is going on outside and the older woman ponders that she really doesn’t know.

She calls for introductions, telling the Doctor and Rose that she is Ida Scott the science officer. Then she introduces the acting captain Zachary Cross Flaine, Mr Jefferson, head of security and the man who first found them surrounded by the creatures, then Danny Bartock of the ethics committee and the man who claimed the two of them were illusions. Before Ida moves on Danny points out his job is not as boring as it seems, then allowing the introductions continues. She tells them the man who just left was Toby Zed, head of archaeology and the young woman who explained about the planet’s lack of atmosphere is Scooti Mallister of trainee maintenance.

Ida then moves over to one of the walls and tells the travellers that this is home. She reaches for a lever and pulls it down. Zachary tells them to brace themselves; the sight that they are about to see can drive some people mad. Above their heads the metal ceiling splits and slides away leaving an observation port. Outside stand the depths of space, blocked out by a large glowing ring of light surrounding a plot of nothingness. Around it rocks and debris are being sucked inside, and Rose realises immediately that they are facing a black hole. The Doctor, stunned, tells her that it is impossible.

Zachary mutters that he warned them but the Doctor continues, explaining they are standing over a black hole before Ida corrects him, explaining they are in orbit around it. Again the Doctor claims that it is not possible and repeats himself when Ida again tells him that nevertheless they are in orbit. She goes on to state that the planet, a lump of rock, is held in perfect geo-stationary orbit around that hole without being sucked in. She opens the topic for discussion and Rose asks the Doctor if the situation is bad. He tells her that it is and explains to her that a black hole is a star that collapses in on itself before the matter inside becomes so dense it pulls in everything around it. Nothing can escape, not light, gravity nor time itself. Everything gets pulled in a crushed.

Rose points out that they must not be able to be in orbit, they should be being pulled inside. The Doctor confirms that they should be dead and Ida cuts in, telling him that they are here, beyond the laws of physics. She welcomes them onboard and Rose asks what is the debris around the black hole and Ida explains it is lumps of rock, dust clouds. The crew witness the collapse of complete galaxies above their heads, being pulled in. Rose mockingly comments that it is just a bit worse than the storm she envisaged, and Ida mockingly agrees; just a bit before Rose copies her. As more pockets of turbulence rock the room the winds howl outside between the mountains and valleys of rock, dwarfing the tiny base below.

In one of the corridors Toby, holding rolls of paper stumbles as the base is shaken about by the disturbance. As he continues to walk a ghostly voice echoes, calling his name. The lights dim and then power up again and Toby looks round, asking who is there. He looks around a corner and calls out to Danny, suspecting him. He looks around again then continues on his way.

In the control room the crew including Toby, along with the Doctor and Rose are gathered around one of the control panels. Zachary punches up a holographic image of the black hole, giving it’s designated name of K37Gen5. Ida explains that in the scriptures of the Valtino the planet is known as Kroptor, the bitter pill. The black hole was supposed to be a mighty demon that was tricked into devouring the planet but spat it out because it was poison.

As Rose claims her approval of the planet’s name and meaning, the Doctor marvels how far out they are in the drifts of the universe. He asks how the crew arrived and Zachary explains that they flew in. He punches up a new image, this time a net of the planet with a large red cone issuing from the middle. He explains that the planet is generating an unexplainable gravity field that is keeping it is constant balance against the black hole. He points of the funnel of gravity, reaching out in space from deep beneath the planet’s surface. Rose joyfully marvels that they flew down the cone like a roller coaster and Zachary explains that by rights the ship should have been pulled apart. He tells them that during the landing they lost their captain, which left him in charge. Ida assures him that he is doing a good job.

Danny explains that if the funnel closes there is no way out. Scooti mockingly points out that they have a lot of fun speculating about that and Danny playfully taps her on the head with a roll of paper also mockingly saying how he’d not thought of calling it fun. The Doctor meanwhile ponders that the amount of energy needed to generate the field would be enormous, off the scale. He asks Ida if he can use her calculator-like device and she welcomes him to it, as one of the creatures that first found the travellers hands Rose a cup of drink. Rose thanks it and asks it it’s name but it replies that none of its species have names.

The creature walks off and Rose asks Danny what species the creature is called. He simply asks where she has been; everyone has got one. Rose tartly tells him that she does not then asks again and this time he tells her that they are called the Ood. Rose ponders over the name. “That’s Ood”. Danny plays along not very enthusiastically. He tells her that the creatures are very useful as they help run the mineshaft and drilling, supervising the maintenance. As he tells her that the creatures were born for work Rose sips her drink but after tasting it stops, pulling a sour face.

Danny comments that the Ood are a basic slave race. Rose reaffirms in distaste what he has said and Scooti tells her not to start, she sounds like one of the protesters who fight for the Ood’s rights. Rose tells her that maybe she is, and asks since when humans needed slaves. Danny tells her that they actually offer themselves as slaves; if they are not given orders then they just crawl away and die. Another of the creatures joins them and Rose asks if they really like being ordered about. It replies, explaining it is all they crave; they have nothing else in life. Rose explains that she used to think that too, a long time ago.

The Doctor has finished his calculations and explains that to generate the gravity field and the funnel it would take a power source with an inverted self-extrapolating reflex of six to the power of six every six seconds. Rose joins him and points out that that is all of the sixes and he continues, telling her it is impossible. Zachary tells them that it took the crew two years to work that out and the Doctor tells him that he is very good.

Ida cuts in and tells him that that is the reason they are on the planet. The power source is ten miles below the surface under the solid rock and they are drilling down to try and find it. Zachary explains it is giving off enormous amounts of energy and Ida tells the travellers that they could use that power to revolutionise modern science. Jefferson claims it could be used to fuel the empire and the Doctor cuts in saying it could be used to start a war.

Toby explains it is buried beneath them, in the darkness waiting. Rose looks over at him and asks if his job is chief dramatist. The Doctor flashes her a smile and Toby continues, telling them that whatever is down there it is not a natural phenomenon. Eons ago, before the human race had learned to walk the planet supported life. The Doctor realises that the marking on the wall belonged to those creatures and asks if Toby is behind them. He explains that he is and tells him that he got them from fragments unearthed by the drilling but he has been unable to translate them. The Doctor explains that he has not been able to either, and that is saying something.

Toby reveals his theory that the civilisation once buried something, and now it is calling out, drawing others in. The Doctor happily comments that the crew answered the call and as Zachary turns off the hologram, Ida comments that there was no way they couldn’t have. The Doctor continues, telling them that they came, despite the danger and the odds, they still came just because it was there. He marvels at the human race then turns to Zack, and asks if he can hug him. He tells him that he can and the Doctor embraces him, commenting how amazing the human race is. He thanks Zack and then tells the crew that beyond that they are mad, they should pack their bags and leave. Ida asks how the Doctor and Rose arrived and the Doctor cobbles together an explanation about the TARDIS and how it just sort of appears. Rose remembers that they landed in Inhabitation Area 3 and Zack worriedly points out that that is storage area six.

The Doctor admits it was a bit like a cupboard and then realises what Zachary said about the disturbance earlier being diverted to storage areas five to eight. He rushes out of the control room, followed by Rose. They retrace their steps through the corridors and back to the room with the graffiti. Rose calls to her friend to tell her what is going on and soon they arrive at the door leading to the room where they landed. The Doctor tries to open it but it is locked. He opens the portal above the lock and looks out, stunned.

Again Rose asks what is going on and the Doctor explains that the TARDIS is gone. As the base computer informs them that the door is out of commission, the Doctor explains the earthquake destroyed the section with the ship inside. Rose ponders that the ship must be outside somewhere but when she looks out and down to the surface she finds that there is nothing there, only a cavern leading deep below the surface.

Some time later, back in the control room the Doctor is telling the crew that the TARDIS must have fallen into the heart of the planet but they can use the drilling facilities to go down and find it. Zack cuts in and tells him they cannot divert the drilling and when the Time Lord protests, explaining that the ship is the only thing he has, he tells him that they only have the facilities to dig one hole. There must be no diversions and no exceptions. He reasons that the machine is lost and all he can offer the Doctor is a lift somewhere if they ever get off the planet’s surface and that is the end of the matter. He walks off and Ida turns to the Doctor, telling him that she will put him on the duty roster; they need someone in the laundry. She too leaves and the Doctor is left alone with Rose and an Ood going about its business.

He tells her that he’s trapped her on the planet but she tells him not t worry about her. As more disturbances gently rock the base Rose summarises that they are on a planet which shouldn’t exist standing above a black hole with no way out. She pauses then tells him she’s changed her mind and he can start to worry about her. She laughs nervously and the two of them embrace.

The base computer announces that it is now the night shift and the chosen music track for transition is the Bolero. As the music fades in the Ood busy themselves all around the base, mainly in the mineshaft as Jefferson goes about his business. He looks down onto the surface of the planet as Scooti, decked in a spacesuit, tends to machinery out in the open. She contacts the others via radio and tells them she is on her way back, whilst Danny stands inside, counting the Ood as they walk along the corridors and in his room, Toby examines some of the artefacts found on the planet’s surface.

In the silence the ghostly voice from the corridor calls his name. He turns slightly then returns to his work as the voice tells him that it can see him. He turns again and, thinking it is Danny, tells him to stop it, as it’s not funny. He gets up and opens the door of the room to check the corridor, explaining he is trying to work but finding no one there. Again he calls out to Danny and tells him to stop it as the lights dim again. He prepares to go inside as a jet of smoke issues from the floor. He takes one last look outside before going back to his room and closing the door.

The Doctor and Rose are in the living quarters with the symbols written on the wall. Whilst the Time Lord examines the writing Rose looks around and Zack announces over the intercom that the temperature in Ood habitation is rising and someone needs to check it out. Rose walks over to the far side of the room where the Ood are serving food. She picks up a tray and Scooti tells her to help herself, just not to try the green food, or the blue. She smiles and walks off as Rose chooses her meal. The Ood fills her tray and offers her sauce. She accepts then remembers the time she used to work as a dinner lady. She quickly breaks off and apologises to the Ood, explaining she wasn’t claiming the creature was a lady. She changes the subject and asks the Ood if it gets paid for its work. In reply the creature tells her that the beast and its armies shall rise from the pit to make war against God.

Rose is taken aback and the Ood taps its communicator globe. It apologises and explains it meant to say, “enjoy your meal”. Rose looks on slightly confused then takes her tray to go and sit down.

In the control room Zack sits at his computer bank, watching the holographic display, which details the progress of the drill head. He orders it to maintain pressure then stands up and walks off to make himself a drink. As he does so the picture changes from the net diagram of the planet to a picture of an imposing beast with a horned head, which roars. As Zack turns the picture reverts back to normal. He looks around then returns to his business.

In one of the corridors Danny begins to try and lock one of the doors. The base computer begins to talk, saying, “he is awake”. Danny asks the computer what it said and when it continues to talk it is its normal constructive tone, telling him to close the door.

In his room, Toby is examining more of the artefacts. Once again the ghostly voice calls out to him but before he can react it tells them not to turn around. Speechless, Toby mumbles that the voice isn’t Danny’s then asks whom the voice belongs to. It replies, telling him he has so many names. Again Toby makes to turn around but the voice tells him that if he looks at him he will die. Again he asks who he is and the voice tells hi that he is behind him. Again he orders him not to turn around; one look and he will die. He tells him that he is reaching out, he is so close and he must not look round. He lavishly tells him that he can almost touch him but before any more can be said Toby turns round. He looks behind him but there is noting there bar the glowing wall of his room.

He turns back to the desk and looks at the fragments of pottery he has been examining but realises there are no markings on them. He puts them down and slowly removes his gloves, and when he turns his hands to see his palms he finds the symbols etched onto his skin. He scrambles around and reaches for a mirror. He picks it up and looks at his reflection; all across his face are the ancient markings, lining his glowing red eyes. He writhes in agony and falls to the ground, unconscious.

In the inhabitation quarters the lights flicker and Ida contacts Zack, asking if there is a problem. He explains there is no more than usual and tells her that the Scarlet System is burning up outside and it might be worth a look. He signs off and Ida addresses the others, telling them this is something worth looking at, a moment in history. She walks over to a wall and pulls a lever opening the observation dome above them.

Around the black hole swirls a red cloud, which Ida explains used to be the Scarlet System, home to the Polushi; a mighty civilisation spanning a billion years disappearing, their planets and suns consumed. She addresses the others and tells hem that they have witnessed it’s passing. She makes to close the observation dome but the Doctor asks that she leave it open. She agrees then tells Scooti to check the lock down and Jefferson to check the air lock seals.

Rose talks to the Doctor, and comments how in films she has seen it was said that black holes were gateways to other universes. He tells her that the one before them is not, it just eats, swallowing things up. Rose ponders that they are a long way from home, and the Doctor points out to her the journey they would take to get back to Earth, which is over five hundred years away. Rose checks her mobile phone and notes that it has no signal; it’s the first time they’ve gone out of range. She realises that even if she were to phone Jackie she wouldn’t know what to tell her now they are stuck.

She asks the Doctor if he can build another TARDIS but her tells her that the ships were grown, not built and with his home planet gone they’re stuck. Rose comments that it is not that bad as the crew offered them a lift. The Doctor asks what they will do after that but she claims she does not know; they could find a planet and get a job, live a life like everyone else. The Doctor comments worriedly that he would have to settle down, live in a house with doors and carpets. He jokily tells his friend that that is genuinely terrifying and she replies, teasing him by chanting and telling him that he’d have to get a mortgage. The Time Lord denies it and claims it is all over. Rose sympathises by telling him that she’d have to get one too, then points out that they could get one together.

She sheepishly ends the conversation saying they’d have to see what happens and the Doctor merely mumbles something similar. He then tells Rose that he promised Jackie he would always return her daughter home but Rose points out that everyone leaves home in the end, and being stuck with the Doctor isn’t that bad. Her phone rings and she answers it, on the other end is the ghostly voice that confronted Toby. It merely tells her “he is awake” and Rose immediately throws the phone to the floor.

Some time later the Doctor and Rose arrive in Ood habitation where Danny greets them and asks how they are settling in. The Doctor asks how the Ood communicate with each other, and Danny explains that they are empaths, they are surrounded by a low level telepathic field, but it doesn’t do them any good because it leaves them as a herd race. The Doctor asks if they can pick up messages, and Rose tells him that when she was having her dinner in the canteen the Ood said something odd. Danny scoffs at the idea of an odd Ood before Rose tells him about the message on her phone.

He tells them that above them there are entire star systems breaking up, with many stray transmittions and if there were anything wrong then they would know, because they monitor the telepathic field, it’s the only way to look after them because they never tell their masters anything, not even when they are ill. The Doctor looks at the machine, which monitors the telepathic field whilst Danny explains that the Ood operate at a low level of basic five. As he speaks the level begins to rise and the Ood begin to look up from their laps. The doctor warns Danny as Rose tells them of what is happening below the gantry they are standing on.

As the level reaches thirty Danny claims that the change is impossible, and Rose looks on as the Ood turn to face them. She asks what basic thirty means and Danny explains that it means they are shouting inside their heads. The Doctor notes that it could be something shouting at them and Danny asks what Rose heard in the canteen. She explains something about the beast and the pit and when he asks her about the message on her phone she tells him what she heard; “he is awake”.

“And you will worship him”. The Ood, holding their communicators address the people above them. The Doctor repeats what Rose said and the Ood reply in the same manner. The Doctor asks whom the Ood are talking about but they do not arrive.

Elsewhere, Scooti arrives in Toby’s room with his accounts but he is nowhere to e seen. She hears the opening and closing of door forty-one in the distance and she realises there is something wrong. She rushes back to the door and asks the base computer if the door has been opened and it confirms her suspicions. Scooti explains that that is the airlock and no one is allowed out during the night shift. She asks if anyone has gone outside and again the computer confirms it.

Scooti then asks whose space suit has been signed out but the computer tells her no suit has been taken. She contacts Zack and tells him the door may be broken, and explains about the apparent expedition onto the surface. The communicator however does not work and Scooti is forced to ask the computer to trace the fault, but it maintains there is nothing wrong. It then goes on to tell her that “he is awake” and when Scooti asks what that means the computer tells her “he bathes in the black sun”.

Scooti backs away then walks to an observation window looking out onto the planet’s surface. There, amongst the flowing dust clouds stands Toby, embracing the rocky landscape before him. He turns to see Scooti through the window, his face alive with a manic grin with his eyes glowing and his skin covered in the ancient symbols. She comments that there is no air out there on the surface and he can’t survive out there. He beckons to her to join him outside and slowly she begins to raise her arm towards him. As he continues to beckon she realises what she is doing and brings her arm to rest by her side.

She yells in protest and his grin falls. He clenches his fist and the glass between them begins to crack. Scooti realises what is going to happen and runs back to one of the doors, screeching for it to open to no avail. The door remains closed as Toby throws open his clenched fist and the glass shatters.

In the Ood habitation room the ground begins to shake. The Ood remain still as the computer reports the breech. From the control room Zack warns the others via the communicators that the base is open and they must reconvene near the living quarters. Across the base the crew rush for safety, all arriving in the corridor outside the living quarters, including the now unmarked Toby. The Doctor asks what has happened and Jefferson tells him of the hull breach. The Doctor asks what caused it but Zack cuts in over the communicator explaining they have lost sections eleven to thirteen. He asks if everyone is all right and Jefferson explains everyone has arrived apart from Scooti. He calls over the communicator for her to report but he gets no reply.

Zack tells him to check inhabitation unit three, the one Rose and the Doctor arrived near. As Toby checks his now clean hands, Jefferson tells the others to come with him, they could all do with a drink. The others move on but the Doctor remains behind to help Toby, who has sunk to the floor. He asks him what happen and he replies that he was working when the room began to fall apart and there was no air. Rose helps him get to his feet and tells him to come and get some protein one. The Doctor remarks that she has settled in and Rose tells him that it’s quite nice; protein one with just a dash of three.

They arrive in the living quarters to find the other crew members looking for Scooti and reporting on their communicators. As they look around Jefferson calls Zack and tells him that Scooti cannot be found. Zack insists the computer is telling him she is in inhabitation three but Jefferson tells him she is not there. The Doctor speaks up, telling the others he has found her and when they follow his gaze they reel back in shock. Above them, beyond the observation dome is Scooti, or rather her body. Her dead lifeless form floats in the heights of space, drifting towards the black hole. The Doctor apologises to her as Jefferson reports to Zack, telling him that Scooti Mallister is dead. As Ida simply states that Scooti was only twenty years old she closes the observation hatch leaving Scootie’s body to drift ever closer to the black hole, whilst Jefferson laments with a poem:

For how should man die better Than facing fearful odds For the ashes of his father And the temples of his gods.

Around them a noticeable whirring noise, which echoes around the entire base, comes to a halt and Ida notes it has stopped; the drilling is completed, they have reached the power source of the gravity field.

Whilst Zack announces over the intercom that all Oods are to be confined, Ida is in the main mining facility standing in a spacesuit, telling the others that a capsule has been established to take her down to below the surface. As she orders for all of the systems to be put online the Doctor arrives, also decked out in a space suit reporting as a volunteer to go down in the capsule. Zack tells him that he cannot allow him, as it breaks every protocol and nobody really knows who he is. The Time lord smiles at him and tells him that he trusts him and he cannot allow Ida to go down alone. He admits he sees a glimmer of trust in the captains eyes and when Zack tells him that he should be going down himself the Doctor tells him that a captain should stay in the base, not go down in the mission.

Zack realises that he is not going to be able to change the Doctor’s mind and says nothing, merely turning and making sure everything is ready for descent. The Doctor checks the settings on his spacesuit as Rose approaches him, explaining it has been a long time since he wore one. She jokily orders that he bring it back in one piece but in her voice there is a trace of worry in her voice.

As the Doctor dons his helmet Rose admits that people back on Earth don’t realise how tough space travel is, they think it’s all teleports and anti-gravity. The Doctor tells her he will see her later and she smiles, claiming not if she sees him first. She leans forwards and kisses his helmet.

Meanwhile, in the Ood habitation unit Danny and an armed guard are standing on the gantry facing the seated creatures. Danny uses the telepathy device to order the Ood not to move and that no command can override his instructions.

In the control room Zack activates the capsule and counts down as the pod prepares to depart. Jefferson saluted the Doctor and Ida and as the countdown reaches zero Rose stands and watches as the pod slides below the surface. Toby looks on, crouched in a corner examining his hands and as the machinery whirs, the pod disappears from sight.

Zack monitors their progress from the control room and warns them when they reach the limit of the oxygen field, they are own their own. Inside the pod the Doctor activates his oxygen pump and on the surface Rose advises them to keep breathing. From the control room Zack warns her to stay of the intercom but she tells him there is no chance.

Inside the capsule the ride begins to get bumpy and in the Ood habitation centre the creatures stand up in unison, facing Danny and the guard. The base soon shudders as the pod touches down and Rose and Zack asks if everything is OK. The Doctor reports back claiming everything is fine. Rose asks what they can see but the Doctor admits it is too dark to see. Ida launches a gravity ball which illuminates them, revealing that they are standing in a large cavern, surrounded by grand arches and statues. Ida marvels at the beauty of the sights around them as the Doctor tells Rose to tell Toby that they have found his lost civilisation.

On the surface, Rose tells Toby he’s going to have a lot of work to do and he unenthusiastically agrees, still examining his hands. Zack warns them to stay focused and asks Ida to find out where the power source is. She is using a locator to find it, and asks if their video links are being reported to the surface but Zack admits they are not, there is too much interference. Ida explains that there is no turning back now, and the Doctor protests, saying phrases like that are usually not helpful, as are others such as “nothing could possibly go wrong” or “this is the best Christmas Walford’s ever had”. Ida asks if he has finished rambling. He apologises and they continue their journey, as on the surface Danny reports to Zack.

He explains the Ood are staring at him and wont stop when he tells them to. Zack explains he is a big boy now and can take being stared at. Danny goes on to explain that the telepathic field is now at basic one hundred and there isn’t a fault. Rose asks Jefferson asks what that means and he explains that at basic one hundred they should be brain dead.

Zack orders Danny to keep watching them and orders Jefferson to keep an eye on the other Ood. He arms his gun and despite Rose’s protests explains the ammunition he is using seeks organic life only. The Doctor calls from below ground asking if everything is all right and they all reply, lying that it is fine.

He explains that he and Ida have found something, a giant round metallic hatch engraved with the ancient symbols. The Doctor has a nasty feeling it is a trap door and when Zack asks if it will open he admits that’s what trap doors usually do. Ida claims trap door does not do the object justice, it’s too big, around thirty feet in diameter. Zack asks if there is any way of opening it but Ida admits there appears to be no way of doing so, only the un-decipherable symbols surrounding it can do that.

On the surface Rose asks Toby what the lettering means and he explains that he does. Despite Jefferson asking when he managed to do that Rose asks him to tell them in the ghostly voice that once stalked him he tells them that these are the words of the beast, and he has risen. He gets up from the floor to reveal that he is now once again covered in the symbols and his eyes glow red once more. He continues, explaining he is the heart that beats in the darkness and he will rise. Jefferson aims his gun at him and tells him to stab at him as the Doctor and Zack demand to know what is going on. The communicators begin to fail but Rose manages to tell the Doctor about Toby’s transformation.

Toby turns on Jefferson and asks if his wife ever forgave him. The guard claims he has no idea what he is talking about but Toby knows he does. He decides to share a secret with him, she never did. Jefferson orders him to stand down and allow himself to be confined, and tells them that if he doesn’t he will be forced to shoot him. Toby looks at him and asks how many he can kill. He stands tall and yells, letting the symbols on his face dispel into the air and take over the Ood standing around them, which then spread around the rest of the creatures via the telepathic field.

As the now clean Toby faints the Ood chant that they are the legion of the beast. The Doctor tries to ask Rose what is going on but to no reply. Zack does the same but again to no avail. In the mineshaft launch station the Ood talk in the voice of the beast, claiming the legion shall be many and the legion shall be few. Rose reaches for her communicator and admits they are possessed whilst Jefferson reports they are not listening to them any more. In the holding area the Ood prepare to move, claiming the beast has woven himself in the lives of man since the dawn of time. Some call him Abbadah, some may call him Satan…

As one of the Ood advances towards him Danny reports that things are going awry. As the creature approaches them it stands before the guard and launches it’s communication globe at him. It attaches to his forehead and electrocutes him, until he falls to the floor dead. Danny runs for his life, whilst the Ood advance on Rose, Jefferson and another of the guards. Jefferson keeps his gun raised whilst Rose continues to hold her communicator. They try to get through the door at the end of the corridor whilst the Ood chant that the legion of the beast shall spread across the universe.

Down below the surface the cavern trembles. The trap door begins to open, the middle sections falling away one by one. As the whole planet starts to shake Zack begins to look at the holographic computer, and from the net plots he sees he realises what is happening, he opens the observation hatch and it confirms what he feared, the planet is moving. Meanwhile in the cavern the rest of the trap door is sliding away to reveal the pit beyond.

Above ground Rose, Jefferson and the guard struggle to open the door whilst the Ood channel the voice of the beast, which calls itself the sin, temptation and desire; the pain and loss.

As Ida and the Doctor struggle to see into the pit, Zack realises the gravity field is gone, the planet is moving and is about to be sucked into the black hole. As he struggles to keep control the Ood continue to advance on Jefferson and Rose, still channelling the voice of the beast which tells them it has been trapped for eternity, but no more.

In the cavern the ghostly voice echoes throughout the ancient underground world. The pit is open, and the beast is free…

Cast

 * The Doctor - David Tennant
 * Rose Tyler - Billie Piper
 * Mr. Jefferson - Danny Webb
 * Zachary Cross Flane - Shaun Parkes
 * Ida Scott - Claire Rushbrook
 * Toby Zed - Will Thorp
 * Danny Bartock - Ronny Jhutti
 * Scooti Manista - MyAnna Buring
 * The Ood - Paul Kasey
 * Voice of the Beast - Gabriel Woolf
 * Voice of the Ood - Silas Carson

Crew
to be added

Story Notes

 * Gabriel Woolf previously played (and voiced) Sutekh in Pyramids of Mars.

Ratings

 * 6.31 million viewers

Myths
to be added

Location Filming
to be added

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors
to be added

Continuity

 * A similar devil like creature appeared in TW: End of Days.

DVD Releases

 * This was released on a vanilla DVD along side The Satan Pit and Love and Monsters.
 * It was also released as part of the Series 2 box set.