Chapter Five

“The Star of Africa?” Donna repeated, her eyebrows raised in a What the hell are you talking about kind of way. “What’s the–”
“It’s a diamond.. A BIG diamond..” the Doctor looked at Donna, lowering his voice slightly and speaking in that rushed way he did when something was important. “These aliens travel through Time and Space, finding the Universe’s precious gems and taking them soon after they’re discovered. It’s like stealing from Museums, but easier” Donna nodded, and he continued “Usually, planets have defences against them, but obviously Earth in 1905 doesn’t even know aliens exist”
“Right.. so what do we do?” Donna asked him concerned “Because I’m sure in my time that.. this diamond.. probably sits in some museum or something?”
“It’s in the Tower of London, part of the Crown Jewels” he told her
“You have a plan, right? Tell me you have a plan”
“I have a plan” he grinned, continuing to fiddle with the wires. Donna glanced sideways at Zina, who still had a look of confusion and shock written on her face.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“The plan?”
“Oh right.. Well, if I can configure this little system” he lifted up the mass of wire and metal he was fiddling with “it can pull them into this” he lifted up a small diamond, the type sold in engagement rings in the present day “and keep them locked there forever..”
“Sound like a plan.” Donna smiled
“Though..”
“Though?”
“We.. well.. the thing is.. I’m going to have to be stood between them for it to work.”
“What? But..” Donna frowned “You’ll be pulled in.”
“Yeah”
“Isn’t there another–”
“No, Donna, this is it. If they get hold of these diamonds, they could do colossal damage” the Doctor explained, his eyes fixed on Donna, though occasionally glancing at Zina. The girl looked as though she was still in shock, though the Doctor didn’t know whether it was over the TARDIS or the loss of her love.

The zebra carcass lay on the African floor, ripped open with it’s internal organs missing. Chapivosh and Ophamech sat watching the mine’s entrance as Sir Thomas Cullinan, the mines owner, left after one of his regular visits, licking the blood from their lips.
“Told you we’d find something else” Chapivosh grunted, licking the traces of Zebra heart off his fingers. Ophamech merely grunted.
“Are we close?” Chapivosh continued, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, before looking at his smaller companion
“Only 60 minutes to go..”
“Brilliant” Chapivosh grinned, his thin, sharp teeth forming a cruel smile.