The Doctor's POV

Transylvania in its earlier years was less peaceful than it is now. The lawns were overgrown with weeds and thickets were springing up everywhere.

Today, however, is the two decade anniversary of the Bloodbath Wars. In other words, the day that the Transylvanians declared their independence from the Collective.

For you simple minded people, it's the Transylvanians Independence Day.

I lead Martha up the road to the market. she casually ties her hair into a bun and instinctively takes my hand. Giving it a squeeze, she pulls me to the side of the road.

"Look out!" Martha yells. a steel cart barrels up the road from behind us. the driver's dark hood flaps wildly in the breeze. the jugs the cart is carrying jiggle a little before the cart quickly turns around the corner.

"Be careful! You could have gotten hurt!" Martha scolds. I just grin at her as we approach the marketplace.

"Blood Banks, Blood Banks, aha! Down there!" I call. she follows me down the road as I sprint.

"Chancellor Dohrety! How lovely to see you again!" I say to the balding man behind the desk.

"Doctor? Is that you?" The old man places two fingers on my neck as he examines me. "it is! And you've brought along a companion!"

"Martha, this is Chancellor Dohrety. Chancellor Dohrety, my Companion, Doctor Martha Smith."

"Pleased to meet you." she says politely. the Chancellor places two fingers on Martha's neck.

"Custom greeting. Place two fingers on his neck." I instruct her. she places two fingers of her right hand on his neck.

"Well, doctor, what brings you here?" The chancellor asks, dropping his hand.

"Well, my friend is in desperate need of some pure A positive human blood. would we be able to get a loan?" I ask.

"Have you any to give back?" He replies.

"A pint of A positive for a pint of O positive. Human for human." Martha says.

"Deal. I will need a sample so we can get an accurate match." Chancellor Dohrety tells her.

"On it. Doctor, Chancellor, if you'll excuse me." she hurries down the road to collect a sample from Kelsey.

"So, Independence Day, hm?" I ask, talking my fingers on the desk.

"Yes. Without your help all those decades ago, we would not be able to help your friend." He sighs. "but there is talk of rebellion in the streets. there are rumors that the collective has returned, and that they will ruin the festival."

"Oh, well I'm not sure that'll happen." I console him.

Just then, the alarms decide to blare.

"Those were the alarms for the vault. someone has broken in!" He runs fast for an older gentleman and quickly opens the vault.

A pale man in a dark hood is standing above two racks of barrels. His steel cart sits in the hole in the wall and he stares at us, shocked.

"Good afternoon, chancellor." the man says in a shaky and weak voice. "just a spontaneous inspection of the cartons."

"Shame on you, Dillon! Stealing from a blood bank!" The chancellor scolds him. I sneak over to one of the barrels by the cart and scan it.

"Sir, I was acting on orders!" Dillon protests.

"Whose orders?" I ask. "cause I reckon that the liquid in these containers isn't blood." I pry open the top. "its ketchup"

"Ketchup?" Dillon asks. "nonsense! I was acting on orders from the highest authority! That there is Slitheen blood, not ketchup."

"Now then, whose authority were you acting on?" Chancellor Dohrety asks Dillon.

"Orders from Chancellor Doyle." Dillon replies.

"Chancellor Doyle? Wasn't he one of the..." I think out loud.

"Collective general officers." Chancellor Dohrety stammers. "I told the senate we shouldn't have a former collective in our system!"

Martha's POV

The needle enters the vein quickly.

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow" Kelsey clenches her teeth and grips Mickey's arm as I extract the blood.

"Just a bit more, and, all done!" I say. I quickly swipe away the excess blood oozing out.

"Finally." She groans and leans back on the bed.

"It's okay, just lay down and rest for now." I instruct. She obeys and I head off to bring the sample to the bank.

Chancellor Dohrety is running around once I arrive.

"Doctor, what's going on?" I ask.

"It seems the Collective has returned in the form of Chancellor Doyle." he informs me.

"Um, who's Chancellor Doyle? And The Collective?" I roll the vial of blood around in my hands.

"Chancellor Doyle was a Collective General Officer who worked his way into the bank system; Dohrety and I found a young man, Dillon, contaminating the blood stores with ketchup on Doyle's orders."

"Looks like you've got an investigation to conduct, doctor. I've gotten your sample, chancellor, could you match it quickly?"

"Of course, dear. I'll put the fate of my race on hold to save a measly human." he snaps.

"When Transylvanians are stressed, they like to insult species." The doctor explains. "I'll match Kelsey's sample, would you go keep an eye on her?"

"Sure." I pass him a a small vial of red liquid and run off to the TARDIS.

The Doctor's POV

After analyzing and matching the sample, I return to the chancellor.

"Everything alright?" I ask quietly.

"Oh yes, everything's fine." He sighs. "Dillon and Doyle have been arrested, but the Shadow Proclamation got dragged into it. they're demanding an explanation, so I have to write the report."

"Alright then. I've gotta go..."

"Go ahead, Doctor. I'll call if I need you." he shoos me away and returns to typing.

Kelsey's POV

A needle is poked into my forearm. I grit my teeth as the Doctor wipes the blood.

"So, ready to tell me where we are?" I sit up, swing my legs over the edge of the bed and brush my hair from my eyes.

"I thought I told you, Transylvania." he explains, sitting in the plastic chair next to me.

"Can I go look around? I feel a lot better." I practically bounce on my bed.

"Kels, no. you're still a bit sick." he shakes his head. "I promise, the second you're better I'll take you on a real adventure."

"Okay." I slump my shoulders, defeated.

"No, no, no, don't do that." he complains. " I can't stand it when you do that!"

"But there's no action in here. I'm boreddddd." I drag out the last word to annoy him. it works, since he grips his hair in frustration.

"What if I took you to the stimulator." he tries. "you could have an adventure in there. or maybe the ice rink. oh! I know! A full tour of the TARDIS from top to bottom." A grin grows on his face and he jumps from his chair, extending his hand to me. "come on!"

************************
6 HOURS LATER

"DOCTOR YOU'VE GOTTA TRY THIS!" I yell from the milkshake machine in his 2-mile long kitchen. he comes sprinting, well, springing over in brown converse with springs attached to the bottom.

"What is it?" He asks, that goofy grin of his spreading across his face.

"It's called a Ninja Fruit smoothie. Try it." I pass him the glass and he takes a sip.

An alarm blares before he can respond in words, but I can tell he likes it from the twinkle in his eye.

"Hold that thought." he bounces away. the console room somehow moved next door to the kitchen, and I carry my smoothie with me as I follow him.

"Chancellor Dohrety! What brings you to the TARDIS?" Martha's voice pipes up from beside the classic wooden door.

"Where is The Doctor? I need The Doctor." the old man's voice is creaky as he hurries in and shuts the door behind him. The old man paces around the console as he, Mickey, and Martha wait. I climb up the staircase and join them.

"Hello, I'm not sure we've met. I'm Kelsey Williams." I extend my hand to him, and he shakes it firmly, still muttering to himself.

"Oh! Kelsey, this is Chancellor Dohrety." Martha hurries over and makes the introduction.

"Please, sit down." I help him over to the jump seat. "can I get you anything?"

"Thank you, Miss Williams. Yes, could I get some tea, earl grey, hot?" He looks up at me.

"Of course. Martha, anything for you and Mickey?"

"Just water for me, thanks." Martha replies.

"I'm fine." Mickey nods.

"Okay then. I'll be back." I run back to the kitchen, quickly making a glass of ice water and a steaming cup of earl grey tea.

"Here you are." I pass out their drinks just as The Doctor runs in, carrying a gold plated sword and wearing some sort of bronze armor.

"Hello, chancellor! Didn't expect you here." he says, absentmindedly staring at me. I straighten the black lace apron I put on earlier and shoot him a look.

"Right, sorry, Minotaur. labyrinth." he shudders. "Kelsey, are you still taking drink orders?" I give a small nod. "hot cocoa, mini marshmallows, please. we'll be in the conference room." he shrugs off the armor and flings the sword into the treasure chest near his left. "chancellor, would you like to follow me?"

"Please, doctor." he stutters, gripping my wrist. "help us."

I place the tray next to me on the floor and kneel near him. "what's wrong, chancellor?"

"It's...it's...horrible out there." he sobs. "I don't think...I..."

"What happened. was it the shadow proclamation?" The doctor asks, coming to kneel next to me. I quickly untie my apron and offer it to him as a hanky. he blows his nose.

"No....it's the...collective." He chokes out the words. "they've gotten into the senate." he stares at his shoes. "I need your ship, doctor, for evacuation to a new planet, before this one is destroyed."

The Doctor sighs. "alright. we will help."

"How do we tell the infected from the non infected?" Martha asks.

"The Collective have visible black veins on their forearms." Dohrety explains. "their eyes are red as blood and they are pale, so pale, and their teeth..."

"Like knives." I whisper silently. "doctor I know what's going on. he tried invading storm cage once but failed because Ellington caught him and banished him!"

"What is it?" Dohrety asks, panicked. "Who is it!!"

"They're vampires." I explain. "with Dracula as their leader."