Pest Control (Zalatar, Clara)

Earlier, as the school bell was about to ring, inside the junkyard not too far away the cats were hissing when something large lumbered towards them. They all scampered off as the armored Ice Warrior looked over the junk they were gathered around, more scarps of left over human food and all. He searched through it for certain parts before finding an old radio that he tore up to find the right bolts and wiring.

Afterwards Zalatar, the exiled Ice Warrior, made his way back into the center of the junkyard where he was meant to stay while under the command of Clara Oswald. It had only been a week since she had found him in hiding around Loch Ness in Scotland, discovering his dishonorable origins and his need to see the Doctor to seek redemption. As Clara was just as lost as he was on finding the Doctor, Zalatar had no choice but to accept her as commander until the time of his restored honor. However the more he stayed on Earth the more he began to second guess.

Back in the center of the junkyard, where Zalatar had established a small base for himself, were scraps and remains of the food brought to him by Clara during his stay. There was also a lot of parts and wires being connected to a crude looking communication device he had created. When he returned he used the parts and attached to where he needed, soon using his armor capabilities to boost the signaling.

He was trying to pin-point any odd alien signals or sightings on Earth, a means of finding the doctor. This time he was lucky to find something very base and crude, but certainly alien in origin. He perked with interest, a confident hiss escaping through his teeth, before looking towards the school. he had to inform his commander.

Zalatar was careful not to be seen by any of the humans as he made his way to the school but was more out in the open by the time the children left. At that point he was peering through the windows trying to find Clara's classroom.

Zalatar had finally located Clara, but she was not alone. Two human children were with her but thankfully given that it was a small amount meant that they would not be as great a threat as many. Zalatar actually wondered if Clara would command him to silence them both permanently. Either way he would be satisfied.

Not familiar with how Earth doors worked Zalatar pushed the door down instead of opening it. When he realized it was broken he looked back to Clara and replied "Apologies, Commander Clara. You door is malfunctioned."

He watched as the children were dealt with, both being let go instead of destroyed. While it was not something he agreed with it was his commander's wish, and so he would follow it. As the boy child left Zalatar hissed at him to scare him off when he kept staring at him and calling him a 'robot'. He then turned when Clara as addressing the girl, waiting to hear her commands given to her. Due to this he believed she was already a commander in her own rights, though of children and not warriors.

Zalatar looked down at the human girl and was susprised she was not running in fear or gawking at him. She was like Clara, obviously having some sort of past experience with his people or things unnatural to Earth. In any case when she introduced herself Zalatar only gave a Martian salute.

"While you may not carry the honor of a warrior, Ellie of Earth, you still garner my respect from one of Commander Clara's subordinates to another." He then waited until she left and Clara demanded an explanation that he said "I have found an odd signal coming from the region you refer to as 'Car-diff'. It is alien in origin and, perhaps, could lead us to the Doctor."

While Clara would think on this Zalatar looked around the classroom. He examined the desks and everything hanging on the walls, seeing this was a different military room, at least in his eyes, to the ones on Mars. He was about to question were the weapon racks were.

Zalatar followed his commander out of the school and waited until the transport was ready, Meanwhile one of the school janitors had arrived and seen what was done to the door, wondering what the hell had happened.

Eventually the two were driving towards Cardiff with Zalatar secured in the back of the truck. A trap was laid over him to avoid anyone seeing and, being a good soldier, he stayed still during the entire trip. As they traveled he was trying to figure what the signal was, being that there were only so many forms and species familiar to him.

Once freed from the tarp, Zalatar looked around while explaining to Clara "We must locate the source of the transmission. It is crude and basic, yet it is possible the Doctor is using it to hide himself from enemies. In any event we must investigate, Commander Clara."

He was able to lift himself up and off the truck before surveying the area. As he did he used the trap and tired it around himself to act as a cloak of sorts. He managed it around his head and shoulder and it dropped down far enough to only cover down to his waists. His armored legs were exposed and obviously his red eyed visor stuck out along with his size and shape.

Not seeing this himself he looked to her and asked "Is this disguise sufficient, Commander?"

He looked around while answering her question by explaining "I can use the systems in my armor to locate the signal. Though even from here it is still very feint." After looking around a little more he stopped and looked ahead before saying "If you will allow me to lead, Commander Clara." with a hiss.

he lead her away from where they parked and through a few alleys and back streets, this way they avoided any more attention than they caught. Often Zalatar would get second glances and stares from a few people, but not so many to warrant any real attention. At the very least the cloak covered the more frightening parts of him from them.

When they came to one spot close to where the signal was Zalatar stopped and pointed out something to Clara in the alley they found themselves in. It was a dead body of a homeless man. It looked like an animal had bit into his neck and let him bleed to death before anyone else had found him.

"There is a deceased human in front of us, commander." he said to her so she could see. "It would appear he was attacked. Does this aid into our investigation or should I dispose of it instead?"

Zalatar looked back, seeing that his commander was troubled by something, but did not ask. He thought perhaps it was because she was taking in the sight of a human corpse, not something any race could usually stand to see: a fallen member of their species. But a soldier like Zalatar was trained to not think of it as death, but rather a dying honor in battle. Though the corpse before them obviously did not die so.

He walked over and picked up the body by the arm as he examined it. He held it up and looked over the wounds, obviously not being very careful with how he handled it. Eventually he discovered the bite wounds and examined them, even hissing a little.

"This human was attacked by something. It had ripped part of his own throat out before he bleed to death." With that he dropped the body and looked back to Clara and said "There are a number of creature native to your planet that could do this. Though I doubt any are present in Car-diff to make this sort of wound."

Zalatar hissed while looking down at the body before saying "Perhaps it is whatever alien species is using the signals. There is a possibility if we continue to follow we may yet find the source of both the signal and the creature that did this."

With that he let Clara follow him as they came closer to the source. They stopped at where Zalatar did, right over a manhole leading down into the sewers. Even the Ice Warrior looked at the small covering and realized that the signal was underground.

"This would explain why it is feint." he said. "The location is underground." he then looked to Clara and stated "I am afraid I cannot follow. I would not fit with my armor on, Commander Clara."

Zalatar looked to her when she refused to go alone. He wasn't sure if it was fear of being alone or just fear of facing whatever was down their. In any case he looked back to her and hissed, seeing as how they needed a different way down into the sewers now. He thought for a moment before kneeling down.

"I would ask you step back, Commander." he said before pounding his fists into the ground.

He continued causing loud bangs as he used his suit's strength to eventually lift the portion of the sidewalk off. Now the hole was bigger, only it left a big gaping hole in the middle of the alley. He then looked to Clara and gave a small toothy Martian smile.

"I shall go first." he hissed before jumping down and landing with a loud thud.

Zalatar had looked back when she entered. He hissed as he breathed and looked around for any signs of anything out of place, particularly the creature that attacked the human above. His visor made it easier for him to see than for Clara, and when she told him to lead on he gave a Martian salute before doing so.

As they walked further into the sewer system Zalatar wasn't exactly trying to be sneaky at all. He walked and stomped as he normally walked while hissing as he breathed. One arm stayed up with his blaster primed if anything should suddenly leap out and attack. All the while the signal he'd picked up before was becoming a bit more clear and easier to track.

He stopped when shadows on the walls in front moved. He aimed his weapon forward and held it there while making sure Clara was behind him.

"I fear, commander Clara, that we are not alone." he hissed.

A sudden shrill noise came from the darkness, making Zalatar hiss again when he heard something from upfront. Clara could not see but there was something, several somethings, heading towards them the font. Zalatar wasted no time and started firing towards the large group of creatures coming towards them. He fired and some fell while others still kept running at them.

"Hide yourself, Commander." he said while still firing. "You cannot defend yourself. There are far too many."

He kept firing while, behind Clara, something else was moving in the shadows. It was looking at the human girl while her giant Ice Warrior bodyguard still attacked what was coming up towards them.

Given the uproar that Zalatar was making he didn't notice Clara being snatched away. Instead he'd charged forward into the group of aliens approaching before seeing what they really were: thoosomes/weevils. He wasn't that familiar with the species itself but knew that they weren't dangerous enough to him as much as Clara.

He hissed and growled as he smacked some away before punching or choking others. They tried attacking him through the armor but everything they did, banging with their fists or trying to hit him with a pipe or something, proved useless. Zalatar had already killed half a dozen before the remaining batch finally ran off.

The Ice Warrior hissed as he watched them leave before saying "I am not as familiar with the species, Commander. But I know they are no threat to..." He turned and realized Clara was gone, making him shout "Commander Clara!?!"