The Bradbury Method (Eleven/Emilie)

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"It is my duty as the head librarian to complete the goals for the library. Alexandria is meant to host the world's knowledge. That's why we have rights to claim and copy all books that pass through here."

He paused and gave the Doctor a humorous look.

"We keep the originals, of course. But we have perfected the art of copying. And why stop with books? Are not our lives stories?"

Emilie edged towards the Doctor despite his words to stay put. Tugging on his shirt, she repeated insistently, "The cure of the soul, Doctor. Do you see them?"

She pointed towards the others in the corner of the room he had found her in. Eyes blank and in various states of sanity, a few were whimpering.

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"We keep the originals, of course. But we have perfected the art of copying. And why stop with books? Are not our lives stories?"

"You're turning people into living books?" The Doctor could barely process it, "That's madness. You're depriving people of creating more memories, so that they can recite the ones they already have."

As Emilie pointed to the people who were suffering. The Doctor felt sorrow. This was one of those times that he had to look at humanity and feel ashamed. Ashamed of what they were capable of doing to one another. He glared at the insane librarian, "You will return everyone to normal. People are not books. People are people. You have no right to do these things."

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"You're turning people into living books?" The Doctor could barely process it, "That's madness. You're depriving people of creating more memories, so that they can recite the ones they already have."

"Everyone's a critic,"Eustarchus snapped, looking ruffled that his work was not being properly appreciated. "There is so much knowledge here. So much information that is dangerous in the wrong hands. The Library will keep that safe. Those that have more to contribute are kept here in safety. And the others are stored."

"You will return everyone to normal. People are not books. People are people. You have no right to do these things."

"People are the sum of their stories. Stories belong where? In the library. We've collected from all over. Even from those so very far far away like your young friend. It's how we wrapped the room in lightning. An electrical circuit. My fellows think it magic, but you and I... we know it is science. Science the world cannot be trusted with yet."

Emilie kept tugging at the Doctor's sleeve, not registering that he had already looked. It was so hard to tell anything still. She could hear the librarian's words in her head still. On edge from the yelling, Emilie muttered under her breath.

"The ephemeral must be stored. The library keeps the shells. But the shells keep burning. Always burning."

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The Doctor's rage was building, "You're a lunatic Eustarchus. A mad dog who's been let off his leash. No, a mad dog can be pitied. A mad dog doesn't even realize he's harming another. You are far, far lower than a mad dog. There are few as low as you."

He continued, "You've taken one of the greatest libraries in human history, and perverted it. Changed it from a place of knowledge and learning, into a prison of mind." The Doctor pulled Emilie in against him, as if he were trying to ease her mind by holding her close.

"You are not a librarian, you are a butcher. You may not cut, may not make a person bleed. You butcher people's souls," The Doctor glared at the madman, "And I will not let such a place, nor such a person exist any longer."

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"I have made this the greatest library in human history," Eustarchus countered with a deepening anger. The others knew better than to question him.

It would have been so nice if he could simply compel this Doctor as he had the others, but the little he could glean from the beginning stage with the woman hinted he was not of this earth. Or at the very least, further away than he had ever seen. Eustarchus knew with certainty that if he tried to touch the Doctor's mind, it would be his mind that burned.

"I free them of the encumberance of a soul, so that they may truly know."

As he spoke, the bitter scholar had decided to edge out of the room, making it out just before two assistant librarians came to the door.

"Preparations for the next stage are ready," one reported. The other looked between Eustarchus and the simmering anger on the pale man uncertainly, moving to touch Emilie's shoulder lightly. It was not meant violently, more to check on her condition, even if it was more as a scientist would regard a test subject he needed to be healthy.

"The Roman soldiers have taken in more refugees, sir, and it is said Caesar is displeased with something."

Eustarchus gave the two a passing glance, fury still in his eyes, "I have no need for politics."

Before he could say anything else, Emilie had lashed out against the foreign touch, elbowing the man hard in the gut and dashing out of the room as fast as her regaining focus and sanity could carry her.

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The Doctor had to follow Emilie out, but before he did, he tried to rouse the other people, "This man is controlling you!" He started, "Break free, get up, and leave with me now! Come on, get up now!" The Time Lord waited as long as he could before dashing out, he had to keep up with Emilie.

He had to make sure that his friend was alright, and that she wasn't just running off like a mad woman. The Doctor had a feeling that Emilie was coming back to normal, if she wasn't already, but he had to be completely sure before he could go back into that library.

The sinking feeling of knowing this library was close to it's destruction was setting in, The Doctor pretty much already knew that he was likely the one would have to destroy it.

Such a place should not exist.

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One of the librarians shouted after him, but Eustarchus was distracted by the high pitched screaming of a test subject. He paused just long enough for the Doctor to leave his sight as well. And while Eustarchus signalled for the two to be followed, the Library of Alexandria was immense.

Emilie had headed straight towards one of the back exits of the library. Forehead pressed to the wall, her fists were bunched as she stood stock still. She knew the Doctor was worried about her, but she needed the time to recover her composure.

How could I have let that happen? she thought angrily, resentful towards the man who had messed with her mind. Emilie could still remember his words to an extent, but they no longer held power over her.

It was still frustrating, and truthfully more than a bit embarrassing. Emilie was not quite prepared to face the Doctor. He had thought she was clever, and then within a few words, she had gone around the twist.

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Just a moment after Emilie sat down, The Doctor popped his head out and smiled, "Hello Emilie. Feeling better?" His voice was cheerful, by now, he could tell she was back to normal. The Time Lord's grin slowly faded, "Emilie? What's the matter?"

He walked up to her to kneel at her side, "You're back to normal, so why are you still moping?" The Doctor was obviously worried for her, "We've still got work to do back in there. More people to save." He smiled, "Now, buck up. You're not the first to fall for a bit of mind control. I'll save those stories for later."

Preparing to head back in, The Doctor stood, turning back toward the door, "Now then, let's get going. Usually, we run from the danger, today, we're running away, then back in. Hardly new for me, but it's your first go."

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Why am I moping? It was more not wanting to show her emotions. It was fine to show happiness or curiousity or any of the milder expressions. But anger?

It had taken her a moment to compose herself, around the time he had knelt down beside her. So perhaps she had appeared brooding or moping as she tucked away the loose thoughts of gold and fire.

Standing, mouth quirked slightly, she nodded to the Doctor, ignoring the sounds of footsteps.

"What's the plan?"

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"What's the plan?"

The Doctor grinned and said, "There must be some kind of device that's being used to control those people. We'll go back in, find it, and destroy it." He smiled to Emilie and said, "Now then, shall we get in there and take care of this?"

He looked back inside, there was no one in the immediate area searching for one. The Doctor was confused, "Where are all the guards?"

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Straightening her shoulders, Emilie took a few steps away. She highly doubted Eustarchus was going to just let them go.

"I didn't see any machinery, Doctor. Maybe he has something, or maybe he's just... he knows something. Because he spoke to me, and it was like I had to listen."

Then again, being under his influence was like losing and gaining at the same time. Submerged in a story, but one that was her own life up until that point. The sum of her experiences...

Still, the Doctor was certainly more experienced than her in such matters. Only time would tell, and he had plenty of that, a thought that rather amused her. But where would Eustarchus have learned to make such a device? Or perhaps, it had been litter from some other traveller like themselves?

Checking around the corner brought Emilie's thoughts sharply away from such amusements, however. Because she could know see precisely why they were not being followed. The librarians had bigger worries.

"Roman soldiers at three o' clock," Emilie reported, leaning on the balls of her feet in preparation to run again if necessary.

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"I didn't see any machinery, Doctor. Maybe he has something, or maybe he's just... he knows something. Because he spoke to me, and it was like I had to listen."

The Doctor thought about it and said, "We'll have to get a hold of him. Someone needs to stop him." He thought about it and then as they reentered the building, The Doctor asked Emilie about her experience.

"Can you remember any of it Emilie? Tell me what he did, or said, what was it that put you under his control?" He couldn't just let Eustarchus continue as he was. Butchering people's minds, making them into living books, only someone truly made would even concieve such a plan.

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Since the Doctor did not seem worried by the soldiers, Emilie followed his lead back inside. The beauty of the place still stunned her, knowing it burned... hurt.

Like the empty ones, she thought sadly.

"Can you remember any of it Emilie? Tell me what he did, or said, what was it that put you under his control?"

Emilie hesitated before answering him, a little uncertain on her memory.

"He did something with his hands, some motion, and I could feel him holding me still by my neck, and I felt a snap... And then I was gazing into... something. His eyes? My eyelids? I don't know. It was dark at first, so dark, dark enough I thought I had been swallowed. But then I could hear him talking. Quiet at first but louder as the light returned.

"Welcome home. We've been waiting for you such a long time. But you don't have to wait any more. Relax, talk to me. I'm here to help," she mimicked, closing her eyes as she unconsciously began to use the same cadence Eustarchus had. "Now. You aren't going to run. Look into the gold. You can see it now, your story? Concentrate, it is imperative you don't lose it. Concentrate on that gold."

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"He did something with his hands, some motion, and I could feel him holding me still by my neck, and I felt a snap... And then I was gazing into... something. His eyes? My eyelids? I don't know. It was dark at first, so dark, dark enough I thought I had been swallowed. But then I could hear him talking. Quiet at first but louder as the light returned."

The Doctor listened intently. Was there something in the man's hands that he was using to control people? It had to be. You had to use something to hypnotize with, let alone perform mind control. That had to be it. Which, of course meant that they would have to get close to Eustarcus again.

"Welcome home. We've been waiting for you such a long time. But you don't have to wait any more. Relax, talk to me. I'm here to help," The Doctor paid close attention to what she was saying. Obviously she was drawing back memories form the hypnotisim. This would be very helpful.

"Now. You aren't going to run. Look into the gold. You can see it now, your story? Concentrate, it is imperative you don't lose it. Concentrate on that gold."

"That's it!" The Doctor cried out, "Brilliant memory of your's Emilie. Excellent work. Obviously he's using some kind of gold. Let's go track down our lunatic. Time to fix everything."

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She probably should not be preening over remembering her hypnotism so well, but... Emilie was anyway. At least it meant that awful blip of time had been helpful in some way.

"But gold what, Doctor?"

Emilie refrained from asking how he was going to fix things just by knowing gold was involved. Instead, she ducked down the aisle that ran closest to the study room where everyone was kept.

She could hear voices in an argument, one referring to Caesar, it appeared the soldiers were in the library as well now.