Non Trek Fic - Doctor Who - The Many Doctors

[USS Fardell]

Chapter 17 – The Lazarus Experiment Part 1

2 December 2008
London, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Martha Jones was not impressed that the Doctor had apparently picked up someone else whilst he had been away. This 'Felicia' person was not explaining herself, but was clearly was not comfortable around the Doctor.


“Why, if you are concerned about what that person said on the TV, did you pick up someone else?” she asked. The Doctor did not know how to answer. At least not right away.


“There was a problem with the TARDIS. A future version of it connected with the current version somehow. I somehow travelled between them,” Felicia said.


“I suppose so,” Martha said, after some thought. Felicia did not sound like she was lying.


“So, tell me what is going on with the scientist,” Felicia requested.


“I guess I should call Tish,” Martha said, referring to her sister.


“You had better do that,” the Doctor said.




Later that night the Doctor, Martha and Felicia were approaching the Lazarus Laboratories building.


“Black Tie. Why do I have to wear it?” the Doctor pondered.


“It looks good. In a James Bond kind of way,” Martha said.


“James Bond!” the Doctor exclaimed in a mock offended tone.


“Not really. It is more Jack Bauer,” Felicia said.


“That is even worse,” the Doctor said.


“Sorry,” Felicia said.




Meanwhile on the top floor of the Lazarus Laboratories building, Letitia Jones was delivering the guest list to Professor Lazarus.
“You wanted to see the guest list for tonight?” she asked.


“Yes Letitia,” Professor Richard Lazarus said.
He came very close to her as he took the guest list off her.


“Interesting fragrance,” he said.


“It's Soap!” Letitia snapped and turned around. It may have appeared that she walked calmly out of the office, but she was seething inside. Professor Lazarus was very creepy...




Downstairs, the Doctor, Martha and Felicia entered the building and were met by Letitia.


“Tish!” Martha said as the sister's hugged.


“You look great. So, what do you think? Impressive, isn’t it?” Tish asked.


“Very,” Martha said as she nodded.


“And two nights out in a row for you—that’s dangerously close to a social life.”


“If I keep this up, I’ll end up in all the gossip columns.”


“You might, actually. Keep an eye out for photographers. And Mum—she’s coming too, even dragging Leo along with her.”


Martha was incredulous. “Leo in black tie? That I must see.”


Tish then glanced at the Doctor and Felicia.


“This is the Doctor,” Martha said.


The Doctor held out his hand. “Hello.”


“And Felicia.”


“Hi!” Felicia said.


“Are they with you?” Tish asked.


“Yes,” Martha answered.


“But they're not on the list. How did they get in?”


.”They're my plus three,” Martha explained.


“There's no plus three,” Tish objected.


“There was in my case.”


The Doctor interjected. “So, this Lazarus, he's your boss?”


“Professor Lazarus, yes. I'm part of his executive staff.”


“She's in the PR department,” Martha explained.


“I'm head of the PR department, actually.”


Martha was even more incredulous. “You're joking.”


“I put this whole thing together,” Tish said to her sister.[


“I guess Martha didn't know that,” Felicia said to the Doctor.[


“Something may be going on...” the Doctor said to Felicia. He then seemed to be in thought. He then said to Tish. “So do you know what the professor's going to be doing tonight? That looks like it might be a sonic microfield manipulator.”


The words went over Tish's head. “He's a science geek, I should have known. Got to get back to work now. I'll catch up with you later.” Tish left.


The trio walked further into the lobby. “Science geek? What does that mean?” the Doctor asked.


'I'll let Martha answer,' Felicia thought.


“That you're obsessively enthusiastic about it,” Martha answered.


“Oh, nice!”




When they entered the main room, Felicia looked around it. There was equipment with many dials and switches sitting near the back wall, and a chamber around which a large device was installed. She supposed that this was the 'incredible device' that was supposed to 'change what it means to be human'. The lighting in the room was accentuating the device, making it stand out much more than anything else in the room. She also saw that the room was getting crowded as more people arrived to see the revelation of the device and the 'miracle' it was supposed to produce.


Soon, Martha saw her mother with her brother. She ran and hugged her mother. “Mum!”


“All right, what's the occaision?” Francine Jones asked her daughter.


“What do you mean? I'm just pleased to see you, that's all.”


“You saw me last night.”


“I know. I just miss you. You're looking good, Leo."


“Yeah. If anyone asks me to fetch them a drink, I'll swing for him,” Leo said.


“]You disappeared last night,” Francine said.


'She suspects something...' Felicia thought.


“I just went home,” Martha said.


“On your own?” Francine asked.


“These are friends of mine, the Doctor, and Felicia.”


“Doctor what?” Francine asked, taking no notice of Felicia, but focusing on the Doctor.


“No, it's just the Doctor. We've been doing some work together,” Martha said, trying to defuse the situation.


“You all right, mate?” Leo asked.


“It's lovely to meet you, Mrs Jones. Heard a lot about you,” the Doctor said.Have you? What have you heard then?”


“]Oh, you know, that you're Martha's mother and. Er, no, actually, that's about it. We haven't had much time to chat. You know, been busy,” the Doctor said.


“Busy?” Francine asked. “Doing what, exactly?”


“Oh you know. Stuff,” the Doctor answered.


Felicia shot him a look as if saying. 'That's not helping!'


The sound of tapping on a glass drew the attention of everyone in the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Professor Richard Lazarus and tonight I am going to perform a miracle. It is, I believe, the most important advance since Rutherford split the atom, the biggest leap since Armstrong stood on the moon. Tonight, you will watch and wonder. Tomorrow, you will wake to a world which will be changed forever."


Technicians flipped switches as the device powered up and began to spin around the chamber, seeming to produce some sort of visible vibrations in the air.


Suddenly alarms blared and the smell of burning electronics permeated the room. With mechanical squeals growing louder as it spun, the device was clearly beginning to overload!
“Something's wrong. It's overloading,” the Doctor said. He leapt into action, dodging through the startled crowd. He leveraged himself over the outer ring of equipment surrounding the chamber to access the controls. He flipped a few of the switches that he had seen the technicians flip earlier as he watched several dials and monitors. Then he kicked the machine with the biggest dial as the dial continued to move further into the red!


One of Lazarus's investors, Lady Thaw said. “Somebody stop him. Get him away from those controls!”


“If this thing goes up, it'll take the whole building with it. Is that what you want?” the Doctor asked. He finally pulled out a big power cable and the contraption slowed down.


Martha and Felicia rushed to the chamber. “Get it open!” the Doctor said. Martha opened the door and Lazarus clambered out.


“My name is Richard Lazarus. I am 76 years old and I am reborn!” he said in a clear voice.

He held up his arms triumphantly, a smug look on his face.


He looked decades younger...



“It can't be the same man. It has to be a trick,” Martha said.


“Oh, it's Lazarus alright,” Felicia said.


“You're right, it is Lazarus,” the Doctor said to Felicia. “But I wish it was a trick,” he said to Martha.

“]What just happened then?” Martha asked.


“He just changed what it means to be human,” the Doctor said.


Lady Thaw had approached Lazarus.


“Excuse me. That was the most astonishing thing I have ever seen. Look at you,” she said, holding her hands up to his face.


“This is only the beginning. We're not just making history, we're shaping the future too,” Lazarus said.


"]Think of the money we'll make. People will sell their souls to be transformed like that. And I'll be first in line,” Thaw said.


Lazarus stiffened and gasped. He grabbed a tray from a passing waiter and proceeded to all all of the food on it.


“Richard!” Thaw exclaimed.


“I'm famished.”

]The Doctor stepped in. “Energy deficit. Always happens with this kind of process.”


"You speak as if you see this every day, Mister?"

"Doctor. And well, no not every day, but have some kind of experience with this kind of transformation."

"That's not possible,” Lazarus objected.

"Using hypersonic sound waves to create a state of resonance. That's inspired."

“You understand the theory, then?”

“Enough to know that you couldn't possibly have allowed for all the variables.”

“No experiment is entirely without risk.”

“That thing nearly exploded. You might as well have stepped into a blender.”

“You're not qualified to comment,” Thaw interjected.

“If I hadn't stopped it, it would have exploded,” the Doctor said.

"Than I thank you, Doctor. But that's a simple engineering issue. What happened inside the capsule was exactly what was supposed to happen. No more, no less.”

"No have no way of knowing that until you've run proper tests,” Martha said.

"Look at me. You can see what happened. I'm all the proof you need.”

"This device will be properly certified before we start to operate commercially,” Thaw said.

"Commercially? You are joking. That'll cause chaos,” Martha said.

"I don't remember anything about this happening in the late naughties,” Felicia said to the Doctor.
"
Time can be rewritten,” the Doctor said to her.

"Not chaos, change. A chance for humanity to evolve, to improve,” Lazarus said.

"This isn't about improving. It's about you and your customers living a little longer.”

"Not a little longer, Doctor. A lot longer. Perhaps indefinitely.”

"Richard, we have things to discuss, upstairs.”

"Goodbye, Doctor. In a few years, you'll look back and laugh at how wrong you were,” Lazarus said. He kissed Martha's hand and left with Lady Thaw.

"Oh, he's out of his depth. No idea of the damage he might have done,” the Doctor said."

"That'll be right,” Felicia agreed.

"So what do we do now?” Martha asked.

"Now? Well, this building must be full of laboratories. I say we do our own tests,” the Doctor suggested.

"Lucky I've just collected a DNA sample then, isn't it?”

"Oh, Martha Jones, you're a star.”

Felicia followed them as they went to look for a laboratory.

 

[USS Fardell]

Chapter 17: Part 2


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Soon they were looking at Lazarus's DNA. “Amazing,” the Doctor said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]What?” Martha and Felicia said at the same time.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Lazarus's DNA.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]I can't see anything different,” Martha said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Look at it,” the Doctor said.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Then, something flashed on the screen. The DNA strand was changing.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]O, Did that just change? But it can't have,” Martha said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Look's like it did,” Felicia did.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Doctor nodded.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]It's impossible.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Clearly, Lazarus has done something to make it possible,” Felicia said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]That's two impossible things we've seen so far tonight,” the Doctor added.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]That means Lazarus has changed his own molecular patterns.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Hypersonic sound waves to destabilise the cell structure, then a mutagenic program to manipulate the coding in the protein strands. Basically, he hacked into his own genes and instructed them to rejuvenate.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]But they're still mutating now!” Martha said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]That doesn't sound good,” Felicia said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]You're right. He's missed something. Something in his DNA has been activated and won't let him stabilise,” the Doctor said. “Something that's trying to change him.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Change him into what?” Martha asked.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]I don't know, but I think we need to find out.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]That woman said they were going upstairs,” Martha said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Let's go,” the Doctor said.[/FONT]




[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Doctor, Martha and Felicia entered Lazarus's office. “This is his office all right,” Martha said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]So where is he?” the Doctor asked.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Don't know. Let's try back at the reception,” Martha said.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Felicia found something behind the desk. The remains of Miss Thaw. “Over here!” The Doctor and Martha came over. “I think it's Thaw...”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Used to be, now it's just a shell. Had all the life energy drained out, like squeezing the juice out of an orange,” the Doctor said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Lazarus?” Martha asked.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]I hope not!” Felicia said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]I'm afraid that it could be,” the Doctor said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]So he's changed already?” Martha asked.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Not necessarily, the DNA was fluctuating. The process must demand energy. This might not have been enough.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]So he might do this again?” Martha asked as they headed back towards the lifts.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]As they went down in one lift, another one came up, containing Lazarus.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]And Tish...[/FONT]




[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Doctor, and his two companions arrived back down in the reception room. “I can't see him,” Martha said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Neither can I,” Felicia reported.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Keep looking,” the Doctor directed.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Martha's brother came up to them. “Hey, you all right, Marth? I think Mum wants to talk to you,” he said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Have you seen Lazarus anywhere?” Martha asked.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Leo hesitated. “Yeah, well, he was getting cosy with Tish a couple of minutes ago.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]With Tish?” Martha asked in surprise.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Sounds creepy, given his actual age,” Felicia commented.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Yeah,” Martha agreed.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Where did they go?” the Doctor asked.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Upstairs, I think, why?”[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Doctor ran passed Francine, who was calling his name. “I'm speaking to you!”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Not now, Mum!”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]I don't think we have time,” Felicia said a she went passed.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Are you Martha's friend?”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Actually, I only met her today,” Felicia admitted before she followed the other two.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Francine sighed heavily.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]I think you need one of these...”[/FONT]




[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Doctor and his companions returned to Lazarus's office. It was empty. “Where are they?” Martha asked.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver. “Fluctuating DNA will give off an energy signature. I might be able to pick it up.”[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]He soon home in on the signature. “Got him!”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Where?” Felicia asked.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Doctor pointed upward.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Isn't this the top floor?” Felicia asked.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The roof!”[/FONT]




[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]When they got onto the roof, they saw Lazarus and Tish looking over at Southwark Cathedral. “...hard to believe the moment's finally arrived,” Lazarus was saying.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Falls the Shadow,” the Doctor quoted as he approached.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]So, the mysterious Doctor knows his Eliot. I'm impressed,” Lazarus responded.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Martha, what are you doing here?” Tish asked.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Tish, get away from him.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]What? Don't tell me what to do/[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]I wouldn't have thought you had time for poetry, Lazarus, what with you being busy defying the laws of nature and all.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]You're right, Doctor. One lifetime's been too short for me to do everything I'd like. How much more I'll get done in two or three or four?”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Doesn't work like that. Some people live more in twenty years than others do in eighty. It's not the time that matters, it's the person.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]But if it's the right person, what a gift that would be.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Or what a curse. Look at what you've done to yourself.”[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]'Seem's like the Doctor's talking from experience,' Felicia thought. She decided to talk to him later.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Who are you to judge me?”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Over here, Tish.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]You have to spoil everything, don't you? Every time I find someone nice, you have to go and find fault.”[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Lazarus then spasmed, and fell.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Felicia screamed.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]That's a bit melodramatic isn't it?” Tish asked.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]No, turn around!” the Doctor said.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Tish turned and saw Lazarus, or rather, what he had turned into... “What's that?”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Run!” the Doctor shouted.[/FONT]




[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]As they re-entered the building, the Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to fuse the door shut. Marth turned to Tish. “Are you OK?”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]I was going to snog him!”[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The lights flickered as Lazarus tried to break in. “I don't think this is time to be talking about that,” Felicia remonstrated.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Security one, security one, security one.”[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The lights then all went out and doors closed. “What's happening?” Martha asked.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]An intrusion. It triggers a security lockdown. Kills most of the power. Stops the lifts, seals the exits,” Tish explained.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]He must be breaking through that door. The stairs, come on!” the Doctor said.[/FONT]




[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]As soon as they reached the stairs, they heard the door crash down. “He's inside!” Martha called out.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]We haven't got much time!” the Doctor said.[/FONT]




[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]They soon reached the reception room.[/FONT]
“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Tish is there another way out of here?” the Doctor asked.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]There's an exit in the corner, but it'll be locked now.”[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Doctor turned to Felicia. “You know how to use this?” he asked holding up the sonic.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]A little,” Felicia admitted.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Doctor threw it to her. “Setting 54. Hurry,” he said.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Felicia moved into action and began sonicing the security console.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Doctor turned to the crowd. “Listen to me! You people are in serious danger! You need to get out of here right now!”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Don't be ridiculous,” a woman objected. “The biggest danger here is choking on an olive!”[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Then Lazarus appeared, still in his altered state, and jumped down. The crowd became paniced![/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Mum, get back!” Leo shouted.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Leo!” Francine shouted as a table sent flying by Lazarus hit him.[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Martha ran to attend to her brother.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Over here! Everyone, downstairs now! Hurry!” Felicia called.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Lazarus stood over a petrified woman. “No! Get away from her!” the Doctor cried.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Unfortunately, Lazarus used his tail to suck the woman dry![/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Francine turned to her son. “Leo! Leo!”[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Lazarus turned.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Lazarus! Leave them alone!” the Doctor called as Martha ran to her family.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]She cradled Leo in her arms. “Come on, stay with me. You're OK.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]What's the point? You can't control it. The mutation's too strong. Killing those people won't help you. You're a fool. A vain old man who thought he could defy nature. Only Nature got her own back, didn't she? You're a joke, Lazarus! A footnote in the history of failure!” He gestured to Felicia. She handed the sonic over to Martha and followed him as lead Lazarus down a corridor.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]What are they doing?” Tish asked.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]They're trying to buy some time. Let's not waste it...”[/FONT]




[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Doctor and Felicia were down in the basement with Lazarus. “It's no good, Doctor. You can't stop me.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Is that the same arrogance you had when you swore nothing had gone wrong with your device?”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The arrogance is yours. You can't stand in the way of progress,” Lazarus said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]You call feeding on innocent people progress? Your delusional!”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]It is a necessary sacrifice,” Lazarus said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Who are you to make that decision?” Felicia called out.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]It's not yours!” the Doctor added.[/FONT]




[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Meanwhile Tish found that the guests were trapped. “We can't get out we're trapped!” she said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]There must be an override switch. Where's the security desk?” Martha asked. Her sister wasn't responding. “Tish!”[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Tish pointed to it. “There!”[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Martha ran and jumped over the desk and waved the sonic over the console. The doors opened, and the crowd streamed out.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Once out Martha knew she had to go back. “I have to go back!”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]You can't! You saw what that thing did! It'll kill you,” Francine objected.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]I don't care. I have to go.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]It's that Doctor, isn't it. That's what happened to you. That's why you've changed.”[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]They were buying us time, Martha. Time for you to get out too,” Tish said.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]I'm not leaving him!” Martha said as she turned away.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Martha!”[/FONT]




[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]The Doctor and Felicia were in a laboratory. The Doctor had exposed the electric wiring in the light fittings, while Felicia had opened all the gas taps.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]More hide and seek, Doctor? How disappointing. Why don't you come out and face me?” Lazarus asked as he entered the laboratory.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Felicia dashed out.[/FONT]


“[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Have you looked in the mirror lately? Why would I want to face that, hmm?” the Doctor then dashed out after his companion. He hit the light switch as he did so.[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]KABOOM! The gas went up.[/FONT]

 

[USS Fardell]

Chapter 17: Part 3

Martha heard the explosion and rounded a corner, almost running into Felicia. “What are you doing here?” the Doctor asked.

Martha held out the sonic. “I'm returning this. I thought you might need it.”

“How did you...”

“I heard the explosion. I guessed it was you,” Martha said.

“We blasted Lazarus!” Felicia said, with shortness of breath.

“Was he killed?” Martha asked.

As if on cue they heard Lazarus cry out.

“More like angered, I'd say,” the Doctor said.


The Doctor, Martha and Felicia came back to the device that had altered Lazarus. “What now? We've just gone round in a circle,” Martha said.

“We can't lead him outside. Come on, get in,” the Doctor directed.

“Is this such a good idea?” Felicia asked as she got in.

“Are we hiding?” Martha asked.

“No, he knows we're here. But this is his masterpeice. I'm betting he won't destroy it, not even to get at us.”

“But we're trapped,” Martha objected.

“Well, yeah, that's a slight problem,” the Doctor admitted.

“You mean, you don't have a plan?” Martha asked.

“Yes, the plan was to get inside here.”

“Then what?” Felicia asked.

“Well, then I'd come up with another plan.”

After a brief struggle, the Doctor brought the sonic screwdriver out of his pocket.

“What're you going to do with that?”

“Improvise,” the Doctor answered. He slid down to the floor and opened a panel.

“I still don't understand where that thing came from. It is alien?” Martha asked.

“No, for once it's strictly human,” the Doctor answered, not pausing in his work.

“Hard to believe,” Felicia whispered.

“How can it be human?”

“Probably from dormant genes in Lazarus' DNA. The energy field in this thing must have reactivated them. And it looks like they're becoming dominant.

“That's some throwback!” Felicia said.

“Some option that evolution rejected for you millions of years ago, but the potential is still there. Locked away in your genes, forgotten about until Lazarus unlocked it by mistake.”

“It's like Pandora's box?” Martha asked.

“Exactly,” the Doctor said, then complimenting both Martha and Felicia on their shoes.

Suddenly a sound came from outside.

“Is that what I think it is?” Felicia asked.

“Yes. He has switched the machine on!” the Doctor said.

“And that's not good, is it?” Martha asked.
“Well. I was hoping that it was going to take him a little bit longer to work that out.” the Doctor answered.

“I don't want to hurry you, but...” Martha said.

“I know, I know. Nearly done!” the Doctor said.

“What are you doing?” Felicia asked.

“I'm trying to set the capsule to reflect energy rather than receive it.”

“Will that kill it?” Martha asked.

“When he transforms, he's three times his size. Cellular triplication. So he's spreading himself thin.”

“We're going to end up like him!” Martha said in panic.

“Just one more!”


Outside, the capsule reflected the energy, knocking the monster, that Lazarus had become, out.

The Doctor and his companions exited the capsule. “I thought we were going through the blender then,” Martha said.

“It was quite close,” Felicia added.

“Really shouldn't take that long just to reverse the polarity. I must be a bit out of practice,” the Doctor remonstrated.

“Here he is,” Felicia said as they came to the corpse of Richard Lazarus. Human again, but still young looking.

“Oh, he looks so human again. It looks kind of pitful,” Martha commented.

“Eliot saw that, too. This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.”


Outside, as the paramedics loaded what was left of Lazarus into a waiting ambulance, Francine Jones confronted the Doctor.
“Ah, Mrs. Jones, still haven't finished our chat.”

Francine slapped him hard across the face. “Keep away from my daughter!”

Martha was scandalised. “Mum, what are you doing?”

“All of the mothers, every time,” the Doctor complained.

“You're not meeting mine,” Felicia murmured, uncertain what her mother would make of any of his incarnations she had met so far...

“He is dangerous. I've been told things,” Francine said.
“What are you talking about?” Martha asked.

“Look around you. Nothing but death and destruction,” Francine answered.

The Ambulance left.

“It would have been worse without him!” Felicia said.

“He saved all of us!” Martha said.

“And it was Tish who invited everyone to this thing in the first place. I'd say technically, it's her fault,” Leo said.

Tish elbowed her brother in the ribs.

The Doctor ran off as he heard the ambulance crash, Felicia right behind him.

“Leave him,” Francine directed.

Martha shook her head and followed.

“Martha?” Tish asked.

“Not you too!”

“Sorry,” Tish said.


The Doctor, Felicia, Martha and Tish soon found the ambulance, empty of life. Empty of Lazarus, but not of corpses...
“Lazarus, back from the dead. Should have known, really,” the Doctor said.

“Where's he gone?” Martha asked.

The Doctor's gaze followed the path of destruction that Lazarus had left behind. “That way, the church,” he said.

“Cathedral. It's Southwark Cathedral. He told me,” Tish said.


They soon entered the Cathedral.

“Do you think he's in here?” Martha asked.

“Where else would he be?” Felicia asked.

“He's looking for sanctuary, where else would he go?” the Doctor asked.

Carefully, they go deeper into the Cathedral...


They eventually find him up the nave to the altar.
“I came here before, a lifetime ago. I thought I was going to die then. In fact, I was sure of it. I sat here, just a child, the sound of planes and bombs outside.”

“The Blitz,” the Doctor said.

“You've read about it.”

“I was there.”

“You're too young.”

“So are you.”

Lazarus laughed. His body made cracking sounds. “In the morning, the fires had died, and I was still alive. I swore I'd never face death like that again. So defenseless. I would arm myself, fight back, defeat it.”

“That's what you were trying to do today?” the Doctor asked.

“That's what I did today.”

“What about the other people who died?”

“They were nothing. I changed the course of history.”

“Any of them might have done too. You think history's only made with equations? Facing death is part of being human. You can't change that.”

“No, Doctor. Avoiding death, that's being human. It's our strongest impulse, to cling to life with every fibre of being. I'm only doing what everyone before me has tried to do. I've simply been more successful.

“Look at yourself. You're mutating! You've no control over it. You call that a success?” the Doctor shot back.

“I call it progress. I'm more now than I was. More than just an ordinary human.”

“There is no such thing as an ordinary human.”

Lazarus convulsed!

“He's going to change again any minute,” Martha said quietly to the others.

“I know. If I can get him into the bell tower somehow, I've got an idea that might work,” the Doctor said.

“The bell tower?” Felicia asked/

“You're so sentimental, Doctor. Maybe you're older than you look.”

“I'm old enough to know that a longer life isn't always a better one. In the end, you just get tired. Tired of the struggle, tired of loosing everyone that matters to you, tired of watching everything turn to dust. If you live long enough, Lazarus, the only certainty left is that you'll end up alone.”

“That's a price worth paying,” Lazarus replied.

“Is it?” the Doctor asked.

“I will feed soon!”

“I'm not going to let that happen!”

“You've not been able to stop me so far.”


“Leave him, Lazarus! He's old and bitter. I thought you had a taste for fresher meat,” Martha taunted.

“Martha, no!”

Lazarus lunged at Martha. She ran, followed by Tish and Felicia.

“What are you doing?” Martha asked.

“Keeping you out of trouble,” Tish said.

“I'm not sure this is a good idea!” Felicia said. “But we have to stop him! Somehow.”

“Doctor! The Tower!”


…

“Take him to the top. The very top of the bell tower, do you hear me?” the Doctor called.

“Up to the top!”


…

The three young women managed to get to the top of the bell tower ahead of Lazarus in his mutated form.

“Great, we're bait!” Felicia said.

“Can we trust him?” Tish asked.

Felicia nodded.

“We have to,” Martha said.

“He knows what he is doing,” Felicia said.


The Doctor started playing the organ.


The Mutant attacked the trio, lashing out at Martha with his tail...


Ultimately, Lazarus fell from the bell tower.

“Martha? Tish? Felicia?”

“We're okay!” Tish said as Felicia helped Martha back onto the wooden walkway.

“Thanks,” Martha said to Felicia.

“You're welcome, but it's the Doctor who really defeated him,” Felicia said.

“Who is he?” Tish asked.

“He's,” Martha paused and looked at Felicia.

Felicia shrugged.

Martha turned back to her sister. “He's the Doctor.”


Back on the floor of the Cathedral. Lazarus had turned back into his older self upon death. Martha came up, as the Doctor closed his eyes. “I didn't know you could play?”

“Oh, well, you know, if you hang around with Beethoven, you're bound to pick a few things up,” the Doctor said.



TARDIS
“There we are, on our way,” the Doctor said to Martha and Felicia, as the TARDIS dematerialised from Martha's flat.

“I hope I didn't influence your decision,” Felicia asked Martha.

“No, no, I guess I wanted his invitation,” Martha said.

“Sure.”

“And we're on our way, looking for your Doctor, Felicia.”

“Cool.”

The Doctor flipped a switch on the console. “Allon-sy!”

 

[USS Fardell]

The Many Doctors – Chapter 18 – Thirteen Meets Eleven
The TARDIS (Thirteenth, with Daniel, Jia'hale, Sabrina, Sigrun and Tamsin)
It had been days, possibly over a week, since the Doctor and his companions had meet the previous Doctor and Tamsin had started travelling with them.


Tamsin and Sabrina entered the console room. “Jia'hale is still withdrawn. I still don't know why the absence of Felicia has affected her this way,” Tamsin said.


“I have no idea either,” Sabrina said. “She'll come around.”


“I hope so, she spends all her time in either, her room, the kitchen or the gymnasium, and she's still as bare as ever!” Tamsin shook her head.


“That is annoying. The Doctor should really talk to her about it.”


The Doctor was already there. “I already have. I even offered a holographic clothes capsule. She turned it down. As long as she remains in the TARDIS there is nothing I can do.”


“Surely she would require some Vitamin D eventually?” Tamsin asked.


“Good question. But there are places aboard where one can get the requiste radiation. In addition the milk stocks are low,” the Doctor said. A tone emanated from the console. “Ah! We're closer. Listen.”


“... Doctor, Who? Doctor, Who? Doctor, Who? Doctor, Who? Doctor, Who? Doctor, Who? Doctor, Who? Doctor, Who? ...”


“What's that?” Tamsin asked.


“The Time Lords. Sending a message throughout time and space. Seeking the attention of my previous self.”


“Why?” Sabrina asked.


“The were trying to get back in the universe after the conclusion of the Time War,” the Doctor explained. “That is merely the translated version. Poor old Handles...”


“Handles?” Sabrina asked.


“The remnant of the cybernetic portion of a Cyberman's cranial unit. He expired part way through my stay on Trenzalore. Which is what that message lead to.” He manipulated the console again.


Soon the “... Doctor, Who? Doctor, Who? Doctor, Who? Doctor, Who? ...” was replaced by a bell-like sound.


The Doctor could see that Tamsin was going to ask. “That's the untranslated version.”


“Ok then...” Sabrina said.


“Just trying to get to the right place in the probability waves of the universe,” the Doctor said.


“Huh?” Tamsin asked.
“It's timey-wimey, Tam.”


Tamsin sighed.


“And now. Let's find Clara and I. More likely to be with myself and Clara, rather than the complication that was myself and the Ponds...”


“The Ponds?” Sabrina asked.


“I don't know. Maybe we'll ask the Doctor, the Eleventh maybe.”


“We'll be there, in ten minutes, go and find Daniel and Sigrun. We may need them.”






26 August 2014
London, England, United Kingdom
The TARDIS landed in Totters Lane, outside the junkyard where the Doctor had originally landed with his granddaughter all those years ago. The door opened and the Doctor, Sigrun, Tamsin, Daniel and Sabrina emerged.


“Why are we here?” Daniel asked.


“Clara's a teacher at Coal Hill School, that's near here.”


“And you'll be there?” Tamsin asked as she closed the TARDIS doors.


“There were a few times. The school's a weirdness magnet. There was a time when my seventh self faught Daleks on the grounds...”


“That's not this time, is it?” Sabrina asked.


“Don't worry. It was the '80's.”




Coal Hill School
Clara Oswald re-entered her staffroom. The Doctor had fought off the intelligent mice invasion with his usual exuberance. “That's over, isn't it?” she asked him.


“Yes. They have retreated back to their haunts below London. They won't trouble the school again any time soon,” he said.


“It's going to take a while for the school to get back to normal,” Clara said.


The Doctor looked at her.


“You know what I mean, normal for the school.”


There was a knock on the door. Clara answered it. “Ms. Oswald?” A student asked.


“Yes.”


“There's a Doctor asking for you.”


“Impossible, he's already here.”


“And yet someone is asking for you.”


Clara looked at the Doctor.


“Could be something important,” he said.


“Send him in.”




The Doctor, Tamsin, Daniel, Sabrina and Sigrun entered the room, crowding it. “Hello, Doctor,” the older Doctor said.


“Impossible!” the younger Doctor said.


“Does the name 'Felicia' mean anything to you?”


“Now I remember, but it's impossible.”


“Spoilers.”


“Don't imitate River like that, it's infuriating.”


“You'll find out,” the older Doctor said, with a glance at Clara.


“So we're too late again?” Sabrina asked.


“Jia'hale won't like this,” Sigrun said.


“I don't know anyone named Felicia, apart from a student here by that name, but I don't think you mean her,” Clara said.


The younger Doctor sat down. “You are definitely too late. I met Felicia before I met Clara.” He looked at her. “This Clara I mean. I met her after I met the Victorian Clara. I don't know how I would have reacted if I had met her before that.”


“Yes, the post-Pond funk, that wasn't good,” the older Doctor said.


“Post-Pond funk?” Tamsin asked.


“You don't want to know,” the older Doctor said.


“I met Felicia, we went to Bisonville. Then to Babylon 5, and finally to Ilaran.”


“I found meeting Twelve that Felicia changed the timeline.”


“One of us travelled a lot longer with him than otherwise,” Daniel said, trying not to look at Tamsin.


“I don't think anything changed. Neither Kellie nor Grefrew Kra travelled with me away from Bisonville. They arrived with River and left with her.”


“That's right, but what about B5?”


“I doubt anything changed there, other than Felicia drawing Garibaldi's attention.”


“That could have changed a lot.”


“I guess you would have to go there and find out.”


“No, I could get further cought up in that War with those 'Shadows'.”


“Shadows?” Clara asked.


“I never found out much, other than that they were an ancient race that manipulated the younger races into attacking each other, so that they would adapt and evolve,” the younger Doctor said.




“I guess we are looking for number Ten?” Tamsin asked after a pause.


“Yes,” The older Doctor said.


“Nice meeting you,” Clara said. “I didn't see any later than him in the timestream.”


“Timey-Wimey, Clara.”




After a strained goodbye, the older Doctor and his companions made their way back to the TARDIS.

 

[USS Fardell]

Chapter 19 - Twelve Searches Part 1

Twelfth Doctor's TARDIS
As soon as the the older Doctor and his companions (including Tamsin) had left the TARDIS, he set it in motion, leaving the Heights of Oranui behind.


He turned to Laranna. “I guess we should search for Felicia too. What do you think?”


Laranna responded with an exaggerated shrug, as if saying 'I don't know!'. She quietly left the console room.


The Doctor sighed. She was impossible.




Hours later, the TARDIS landed again.


Laranna was in the console room with the Doctor. “You want to help me search for Felicia?” the Doctor asked.


Laranna nodded.


“Good. Let's go.”






7 June 2614
Talliton, February, Brittannia II, Terran Empire of Planets
The TARDIS had materialised in a forest near a town.


Laranna emerged first. 'I'm going to miss Tamsin,' she thought. The Doctor understood her, but Tamsin did moreso. 'I hope Felicia understands when we find her.'


The Doctor didn't take long.


“We're on Britannia II,” he said.


Laranna looked at him.


“I know just said that, but listen. But this isn't the usual Britain derived colony,” the Doctor said.


Laranna shrugged her shoulders.


“There were many Non-Terran colonists here too,” the Doctor said.


Laranna nodded.


“Let's go,” the Doctor said. He clicked his fingers and the TARDIS doors closed.




It was many hours later, that the Doctor and Laranna returned to the TARDIS. They had solved some mysteries, but had come no closer to finding Felicia.


“Still, there is practically no chance on the first try,” the Doctor said as he opened the TARDIS.


Laranna ran up to the console and punched in some commands. A picture of the earlier Doctor came up.


“You want us to find my previous self.”


Laranna nodded and left the console room into the corridors.


“I guess so,” the Doctor mused as he set the TARDIS in motion.






8 June 1996
Leadworth, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The TARDIS materialised in the Pond's back garden. Amelia soon came running out, but the Doctor remained aboard. “It would be too confusing for her, if she sees me in this incarnation,” he said. The TARDIS printed out a picture of Felicia. He handed it to Laranna


She nodded and left the TARDIS.


Amelia Pond was surprised when the strangely clad woman exited the Raggedy Man's box. “Where's the Raggedy Man?”


The strangely clad woman pointed to the box.


“He's inside?” Amelia asked.


The woman nodded. She produced a picture of a young woman.


“Who is this?”


The woman pointed to the box again.


Amelia wasn't sure what to make of the woman. She hadn't said a word. “The Raggedy man wants something?” she asked.


The woman nodded. She pointed to the picture.


“Oh? I don't know who that is. Does he want me to know who she is?”


The woman pointed to the box again.


“Raggedy Man wants to know where she is?”


The woman nodded.


“Right...”


The woman waved goodbye, turned and went back to the box.




The Doctor turned to Laranna as she walked up to the console. “You handled that well. Now, Amelia, and therefore Amy, will look out for Felicia.”






20th June 2012
Leadworth, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The TARDIS materialised near the Pond's house again.


“Hold it, Laranna. We're too early. Let's try again...”






10 June 3295
Starship UK
The TARDIS materialised near Liz 10's throne room.


“You want to know about this place?” the Doctor asked Laranna.


Laranna nodded.


“This is a country on top of a space whale,” the Doctor said.


Laranna shrugged as if saying. 'OK...'


“Amy and I freed the Space Whale from being enslaved by the British. It turned out that that Space Whale had volunteered to carry them to a new home after Earth was roasted by Solar flares,” the Doctor answered.


“That's right,” Queen Elizabeth X said as she entered the room.


“Hi, Liz.”


“Doctor number twelve I presume,” she said.


“Yes. I am looking for someone. She may be here, or have been here.”


“Right, come to a computer terminal,” Liz 10 said.




The computer terminal scanned the picture.


A minute later information came up.


[FONT=Courier New, monospace]Felicia Sophia Barbara Belinda Lovell[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]Born 12 May 2002[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New, monospace]Last seen 15 August 2025[/FONT]


“I should have asked my older self, or Felicia herself, about that. I don't know if that's correct or not.”


“The computer says that she hasn't been here,” Liz 10 said soon afterwards.


“It was worth a try,” the Doctor said.




When they returned to the TARDIS, they found Mandy Tanner waiting in front of the door. “You've regenerated,” she said.


“How do you know that?” the Doctor asked.


“After what happened, I released UNIT's records to the public. The information on your regenerative ability was part of it.”


“That was foolish,” the Doctor commented.


“That's right,” Mandy said in reply to the Queen's comment.


“Why are you here?” the Doctor asked.


“I'd like to travel with you,” Mandy said.


“It would be dangerous,” the Doctor said.
“I can take care of myself,” Mandy said.


The Doctor sighed. “Welcome aboard.”


“You can take her,” Liz 10 said.


The Doctor indicated Laranna “This is Laranna.” He indicated Mandy. “Laranna, Mandy.”


“Hi,” Mandy said.


Laranna waved back.


The Doctor gave Mandy the picture of Felicia. “We'll be looking for this person, for my next incarnation,” he said as he lead her to the TARDIS.


“Bye, Doctor,” Liz 10 said.




“Next incarnation?” Mandy asked as Laranna followed them into the TARDIS.


“Felicia normally travels with my next self. She has started travelling into earlier versions of the TARDIS. She may be with the version of myself that you're familiar with.” the Doctor said.


“Right,” Mandy said.






13 June 1941
London, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
It was day time when the TARDIS materialised in Whitechapel.


“Where are we, again?” Mandy asked.


“London, during the Second World War,” the Doctor said.


“Who are we looking for?”


“Winston Churchill. It may take some time...”




Two hours later, the Doctor, Mandy and Laranna returned to the TARDIS. Felicia hadn't been with the Doctor and Amy when they had run into the Daleks with Churchill. Nor had she been seen by the PM since. Still, Churchill would look for her....


“Let's try again...” the Doctor said as he set the TARDIS in motion.






15 June 1580
Venice, Most Serene Republic of Venice
The TARDIS landed on the bank of the Grand Canal.


Laranna and the Doctor looked at the data on the scanner. “We're a here a few days after Amy, Rory and I defeated the Fish Vampires,” the Doctor said.


“Fish Vampires?” Mandy asked, confused.


“They were fish from another world, who came to Venice to recover. They also turned locals into beings like themselves,” the Doctor answered.


Laranna shuddered.


“That's wrong!” Mandy said, also shuddering.


“We defeated them,” the Doctor said.




The trio searched the city, questioning various people. By nightfall, the Doctor was sure that Felicia hadn't been there.


When they returned to the TARDIS, Laranna hesitated.


“What is it?” the Doctor asked.


Laranna shrugged uncertainly.


“You're uncertain?”


Laranna nodded.


“Let's go,” the Doctor said.


Laranna reluctantly entered the TARDIS.






21 June 1890
Arles, France
The TARDIS materialised near Van Gogh's residence.


“Van Gogh?” Mandy asked.


“Yes,” the Doctor answered.


“Cool,” Mandy said. “I'll ask him about his earlier works!”


Laranna turned around in a silent huff.


Mandy turned to the silent woman. “What's up?”


Laranna just exited the console room.


Mandy turned to the Doctor. “What's up with her?”


“I have no idea.”


“I guess Vincent, and Felicia, can wait.”


“What?” the Doctor asked.


“Something is bothering her. It may have something to do with Vincent, or it may not,” Mandy considered.


“For a young girl you're very perceptive,” the Doctor said.


“Thanks.” Mandy thought for a moment. “It's been a few days since we left Starship UK. I haven't heard her speak.” She turned to the Doctor. “Have you?”


“No,” the Doctor said.


“She just snuck aboard?”


“No, she did ask me, just not verbally.”


“You mean, in writing?”


“Yes.”


“She's very mysterious.”


“Yes. You'd have to talk to Tamsin, she got close to her.” the Doctor said. “That may be it. She's missing Tamsin.”


“Tamsin?” Mandy asked.


“She was travelling with me when Felicia arrived. She continued travelling afterwards, until we met my next incarnation, with whom she is now travelling, looking for Felicia,” the Doctor explained.


“Right,” Mandy said.


The Doctor thought for a moment. “I'm going to find her. If Vincent comes, let him in.”


“Sure,” Mandy said. She watched the Doctor go into the corridors.




The Doctor quickly found Laranna, in the library. She was reading a Gallifreyian encyclopedia. He came up to her, and sat down, just to let her know that he was there. It was up to her to make a move.


Fifteen seconds later, Laranna looked up. She pushed the encyclopedia aside. She knew what the Doctor would ask.


She grabbed another copy of the encyclopedia and opened it to the article on Van Gogh. She pointed to a subsection that dealt with his mental issues.


'Right,' the Doctor thought. 'She's worried about that, so am I, but his fate is fixed.' He grabbed one of her hands. The glove was warm to the touch. “Don't worry. He handled the situation last time. As for his fate, Amy tried to change it. She failed, but she did.”


That didn't seem to inspire Laranna with confidence. But she seemed to brighten.


“Do you miss Tamsin?”


Laranna nodded.


“We may meet her again. Time will tell.”




Unknown to the Doctor, Laranna rolled her eyes. (Later, she would inform someone of that fact...)




At the same time, Mandy saw Vincent Van Gogh approach the TARDIS. When he came up to the door, Mandy opened it.


“Oh, I'm looking for the Doctor,” Van Gogh said.


“The Doctor is here, in the TARDIS, he will be back soon,” Mandy said. She stepped aside, allowing Vincent into the console room.


“He has made a lot of changes,” Vincent said as he approached the console.


“That he has,” Mandy said, still not sure what to make of the famous painter.


“Is Amy here?”


“She isn't here.”


“Oh,” Vincent said sadly.


“The Doctor can explain,” Mandy said. “There is something else. He is... different.”


“Different? How?”


“When he is near death, something happens...” Mandy said as she began to explain regeneration to him.

 

[USS Fardell]

Chapter 19 - Part 2


Soon, the Doctor and Laranna returned to the console room. “Ah, Vincent. You're here,” the Doctor said.


“Hi, Doctor,” Vincent said. “Mandy here, says that Amy isn't here?”


“Yes... She's found the person she lost...” the Doctor switched on the scanner screen, to a picture of Felicia. “Was this person with myself and Amy?”


“Wouldn't you know?”


“Not necessarily,” the Doctor answered.
“No. I've never seen this girl.”


“That is alright. I'll keep searching.”


“Could I come with you? I'd like to see Amy again.”


“That would be difficult,” the Doctor said.


“Can you bring me to her.”


“There is a way, but it will be a while.”


Laranna shook her head, and ran out of the console room.


The Doctor turned to Mandy. “She'll be in the library,” he said.


As Mandy left, the Doctor shook Vincent's hand. “Welcome aboard. There is a room where you can paint while you wait.” He then set the TARDIS in motion.






TARDIS in flight
Mandy entered the Library. “Laranna, you're here?” She saw Laranna waving and went over to her.




“What's wrong?” Mandy asked when she sat down.


Laranna had the encyclopedia from earlier, still open to the article on van Gogh. Again she pointed to the section about his mental issues.


“Oh, but the Doctor knows right?”


Laranna nodded.


“Then don't worry about it.”


Laranna nodded again and walked off.


'Quite difficult to communicate with her,' Mandy thought as she started to read the encyclopedia herself.






23 June 2010
Colchester, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The TARDIS materialised on Craig Owen's street.


The Doctor looked at Laranna. (Both Mandy and Vincent were sleeping after their previous adventure.) “You want to know about what happened here?”


Laranna nodded.


“A protoTARDIS created by the Kovarian Chapter had been luring people off the street in search of a proper pilot, until I stopped it.”


Laranna approached the doors and dramatically lifted her hands towards it, as if saying. 'Ok, after you!'


“Sure,” the Doctor said.




Craig Owens was surprised when he heard the knock on the door. He answered it. “He...” he interuppted himself as he took in the strangely clad woman before him.


She held up a picture of a young woman with the caption:


[FONT=Courier New, monospace]Have you seen this girl?[/FONT]


beneath it.


“No, is she missing?”


The woman nodded. She produced another card.


[FONT=Courier New, monospace]I know the Doctor[/FONT]


“Oh, tell him I haven't seen her. Why did he send you, rather than coming himself?”


The woman shrugged. She produced another card.


[FONT=Courier New, monospace]Later[/FONT]


before walking off.


“Hey, wait!” Craig called. But the woman continued down the street. 'No use chasing, I'm sure the Doctor has a good explanation.




The Doctor was waiting outside the TARDIS. “Did Craig see her?”


Laranna shook her head.


“Let's try again...”






27 June 2010
Leadworth, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The TARDIS materialised near the Pond's house.


“Amy and Rory's wedding was yesterday. They're not there. Niether is River Song. But her family is here,” the Doctor told Mandy.


“You want me to ask her family if Felicia was at the wedding?”
“Yes,” the Doctor answered.


“I can do that,” Mandy said.




Augustus Pond answered the door. “Yes?” he asked the young girl.


She held up a picture of another girl. “A mutual friend would like to know if this girl was at your daughter's wedding yesterday?” she asked.


Augustus took the picture and scrutinised it. “Haven't seen her. Although that Doctor was here yesterday...”


“Yes,” Mandy said. “Thanks for your time.”


“Why are you looking here?” Augustus asked as he handed the picture back.


“Covering all the bases. She may be in Leadworth,” Mandy said.


“No problem. If I do see her, how do I get in contact.”


“Here,” Mandy said handing over the Doctor's TARDIS number.


“Thanks.”




Mandy soon returned to the TARDIS.


“On we go...” the Doctor said, as they dematerialised from Leadworth again.






27 December 4310
Sardicktown, Ember
Kazran Sardick, was grieving for Abigail, one of his childhood friends. She had died the day before. One of his servants interuppted him. “Sir, there is a man here to see you. He says he's the nineteenth century painter, Vincent van Gogh.”


'The Doctor must have brought him here,' Kazran thought. “Bring him here.”




“So, you're Vincent van Gogh. Why has the Doctor brought you to me?”


“Yes. I am. The Doctor wants to know if a certain individual has appeared here.”


“Who is this individual?” Kazran asked.


“Her name is Felicia,” Vincent said. He gave Kazran a picture of Felicia that he had painted.


'Of course it's in his style,' Kazran thought. “I'll get the search going,” he said.




The results soon came back. The most difficult part was getting the facial recognition software to adjust to van Gogh's style. There were no results.


“There you go. She hasn't been here. You can return to the TARDIS and tell the Doctor that.”


“I shall. Goodbye, Kazran.”






22 April 2011
Lake Silencio, Utah, United States of America
The TARDIS materialised after the 'fixed point' where the Doctor nearly died. It had been over a week since they had left Sardicktown. The Doctor and his companions had searched the places that the Doctor had taken the young Kazran and Abigail while attempting to change Kazran's mind.


“Right, my younger selves, both versions of River and Amy and Rory have gone, but Canton should still be here,” the Doctor said to Laranna and Mandy.


“Cool,” Mandy said.


“Remember, Canton may be suspicious, he was an FBI agent.”


Laranna nodded.


“Right,” Mandy said uncertainly.


“It'll be fine. If it goes south. I'm here, and so is Vincent.”




Canton Everett Delaware III saw the two girls approaching him in the distance.


“How may I help you?” he asked.


“Yes. We know that the Doctor was here,” the younger girl said.


“I imagine a lot of people would,” Canton said.


The older girl dressed in what Canon surmised was a 'steampunk' outfit handed him a picture of a third person in the style of van Gogh.


“Was that person here?” the younger girl asked.


Canton thought for a moment. “I didn't see anyone looking like this, but she could have stayed in the TARDIS,” he answered.


“Another question, did you see her in 1969?”


“I don't think I did, but I could be wrong.”


“Thanks for your time.”




“Canton didn't see her?” the Doctor asked, when Laranna and Mandy had reentered the TARDIS.


“No,” Mandy answered.


“On we go...”






27 July 1969
Washington DC, USA
President Nixon was surprised when the TARDIS materialised in the Oval Office.




It had been possibly a week, for the Doctor (although longer for each of the companions) since Mandy and Laranna had met Canton's older self at Lake Silencio. The Doctor was tired, ensuring that Vincent didn't run into any Silents was exhausting.


They still hadn't found Felicia, obviously.


“Ok, Mandy and Vincent, you can ask President Nixon if he has seen Felicia,” the Doctor said.


“Sure,” Mandy said.




The Secret Service had surrounded the TARDIS. The door opened and a man and young girl exited.


“I'm Vincent van Gogh, and I would like to talk to the President.”




“So you know the Doctor?” the President asked.


“Yes,” Vincent answered.


“And you would like to know whether this young woman has been seen anywhere in the United States in the last three months?”


“Yes,” Mandy answered.


“It would take some time,” the President said.


“We'll return in four years,” Vincent said.


“Sure,” the President said as the painter lead the young girl back to the TARDIS, which dematerialised...






27 July 1973
Washington DC, USA
The TARDIS materialised at the same time of day it had four years previously.


“Good, the President is here,” the Doctor said as he looked at the scanner screen. “And the Secret Service has surrounded us again...”




Laranna, Mandy and Vincent exited the TARDIS. “The office hasn't changed,” Vincent said.


Laranna cast a look at him. He was sure it was a glare.




“I have expected you,” the President said.


“The Doctor would like an answer,” Vincent said.


“You can tell him that that young woman, Felicia, hadn't been seen or heard of in those three months of 1969 in the southern and western regions of the United States,” the President said.


“We'll tell him that,” Mandy said.


“That doesn't mean that she wasn't in any of those places, just that the FBI and other agencies haven't found proof that she was there.”


“I understand,” Vincent said.




“No result,” Mandy said as she followed Vincent and Laranna into the console room.


“On we go...”






30 July 2011
Leadworth, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
“Leadworth again?” Mandy asked.


“Yes,” the Doctor answered. “We're in the crop circle that Amy and Rory created, one time to draw my attention.”


“OK,” Mandy said.


“Little did they know that their daughter had been there the whole time.”


“Who?” Vincent asked.


“River Song,” the Doctor answered. “It is less than an hour since my previous self departed here with them to go to Berlin, according to my memories, anyhow.”


“Berlin?” Mandy asked.


“Melody wanted to kill Hitler...”


“Ok, then.”


The Doctor opened the door. “Don't worry about the police tape. I have the psychic paper,” he said to Mandy.


“Good,” Mandy said.




The area around the TARDIS was empty. “Strange,” the Doctor said.


“How is it strange?” Mandy asked.


“The police should be here, Melody stole a car to follow Amy and Rory to this field. It's still here,” the Doctor said.


Laranna pointed towards Leadworth.


“You think something is happening in town?” the Doctor asked.


Laranna nodded.


“I hope it's not Prisoner Zero or Dalek puppets,” the Doctor murmured. “He clicked his fingers, closing the TARDIS door. “We'll go to the Pond house first.”




The Pond house was near the outskirts of Leadworth, facing towards the field. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.


“The car is here,” Mandy said.


“So it is,” the Doctor said. “Amy's family is home.”




Olivia 'Libby' Pond heard the knock on the door. 'Who could that be?'


At the door, there was an older man, “Is this the Pond residence?” he asked.


“Who's asking? Libby asked.


“The Doctor, your sister called me the 'Raggedy Man.'”


“Impossible, you don't look like the person who showed up at the wedding.”


“Things change.”


“Amy has gone with Rory to create a Crop Circle.”


“Actually, they're with my younger self. They won't be back for a while,” the Doctor said.


“Time Travel,” Libby paused. “Then you are him! Though the changing look thing, it's creepy... You can come in.”




Once introductions had been made... “Have you seen this person,” Mandy asked, handing over a picture of Felicia.
“I haven't,” Libby said, once she had taken the picture in.


“Something is happening here,” the Doctor announced.


“Is it?” Libby asked.


“There were no police at the crop circle when we got there.”


“And should they be?” Libby asked.


“Mels Malone had stolen a car and driven it there,” the Doctor said.


Libby took that in. “Oh, that girl, such a bad influence...”


“Would you like to help us investigate?” Mandy asked.


“Libby Pond,” she said introducing herself.




“So, he is the actually, real Vincent van Gogh?” Libby asked Laranna as she locked the door.


Laranna nodded.


'She hasn't spoken yet,' Libby thought. 'I guess she's shy.'




As they approached downtown Leadworth, they could hear sirens. “Sounds like something UNIT would be involved with,” the Doctor said.


“Oh, certainly,” Libby commented.


They could see a saucer ship rising above the common.


“Oh, no!” the Doctor said.


“What is it?” Vincent asked.


“Drahvins!” The Doctor said.


“Drahvins?” Libby asked.


“Yes, Amazonian supremacists...”


In the middle of the Leadworth town centre, surrounded by the local police and a small UNIT presence, was a small Drahvin saucer...

 

[USS Fardell]

Chapter 19 Part 3

“Right, I'm going to confront her, right now!”


“How do you know it's a her?” Libby asked.


“Remember, Amazonian supremacists...” the Doctor said.
“So it'll definitely be a female?” Libby asked.


“Yes,” he answered. “Here's the plan. We'll go directly into that saucer, and confront the Drahvin. There will be only one.”


“Sure,” Libby said. “She has no right to be in my hometown.”


“Yes,” Mandy said.


Laranna nodded as she adopted a fighting stance.


“I'll help you, Doctor,” Vincent said.




The Doctor introduced himself and told his plan to the UNIT officer in charge, and then lead his companions into the saucer. “Note the construction, a trashy tin alloy,” he said as he used the sonic to override the ships security. The airlock door opened.




In the middle of the saucer. The Drahvin was awoken by an alarm. Instantly she came to full awareness. “Footage,” she said.


An image of the Doctor and his companions breaking in came up. “Activate defenses!”




The Doctor heard a subtle shift in the ship's noises. “Booby traps! Be very careful!”


Laranna nodded. She moved very slowly.


Vincent froze. “Oh no!” he whispered.


Mandy and Libby moved together. “What next?” Mandy asked.


“As I said.” the Doctor said. He waved the sonic over one of the doors.


Laranna jumped aside, almost crashing into Mandy. Spikes errupted where she had been.


“Right, that's the right door. I just have to bypass the trap,” the Doctor said. He tapped the door and soniced some more.


Laranna again moved, this time grabbing Mandy and Libby and jumping forwards. High energy lasers occupied the space where they had been.


“Thanks,” Libby said. 'She's not even grunting!' she thought.


“Right, I have an interface,” the Doctor said. A holographic interface came up. “Of course, it's in Drahvin. No problem!” He turned to Laranna. “I'm going to need two people here.”




With Laranna's help, the Doctor overrode.the door locks. “And there is another corridor...”




The Drahvin was annoyed. The intruders had survived the defenses! “I have to take them on now!” she decided as she grabbed her sidearm. Then the door to the cockpit opened.




The Doctor looked at the Drahvin. She looked similar to all other Drahvins he had faced off against.


“How did you get in here?” she asked.


“Why are you on Earth?” he asked.


She just repeated her question, with her gun pointed at him for emphasis.


“I'm just that clever, note that for future reference.”


“I suppose,” the Drahvin said. She raised the gun.at the Doctor. “Now, leave!”


“No!”


The Drahvin fired, but the Doctor dodged the beam. Mandy, Vincent and Libby hit the floor. The Doctor nodded at Laranna, who took his place.


“Don't think that that outfit would protect you, Earth girl!” the Drahvin said.


Laranna just reached inside her cloak and took out a small object. Or rather it looked small, until she shook it lightly while holding in a button. With a hiss of compressed air, the baton extended into a half sized quarterstaff.


Laranna had angled it so that the expansion process knocked the energy pistol out of the Drahvin's hands.


“Ah!” the Drahvin said. “So it's melee is it? I can do that!” She grabbed a staff that lay at hand and leapt at Laranna.


Laranna was ready from the get go. Once the energy pistol was out of the Drahvin's hand, she adopted a defensive stance, and was ready for her blows. She parried the first blow, and the blow after that. The confined space of the cockpit was a disadvantage (she had to avoid hitting the Doctor and the other companions), but it was a disadvantage for the Drahvin also.




While the Drahvin was busy with Laranna, the Doctor turned to the control panel. “There has to be a way to reverse the drive,” he whispered.


“Huh?” Mandy asked.


“This seems to be a prototype time vessel. It'll be rather easy to make it return to it's point of origin...” the Doctor said.


“OK, do it,” Libby said, looking at the battle. The Drahvin was getting angrier.




Laranna knew that the Drahvin was getting angrier, but she was quite predictable. She, herself, had yet to tire.
A minute later, the Doctor found the commands. “Hey, Drahvin! You're about to leave,” the Doctor said. He used the sonic to initiate the return command, and then to summon the TARDIS.


Laranna heard the sonic's TARDIS summon sound and backed up against the other three companions.


As the TARDIS arrival became audible, the Doctor asked. “I usually like knowing my opponents names, what's your's?”


The Drahvin stared him the in eyes. “Kellira. Remember it!” She said just before the TARDIS fully materialised around the Doctor and the companions.


“Oh, I will, Kellira, Drahvin,” the Doctor said, as he reversed the TARDIS's course back to the field outside Leadworth.


Kellira seethed as the TARDIS dematerialised again. She looked at the control panel.


[FONT=Courier New, monospace]Course reversed[/FONT]


“No!”


The Saucer vanished from the Leadworth park.




The TARDIS was back in the field. Once the ship had landed again, Laranna had recompacted her staff. “Quite useful,” Libby commented. “Did you make it?”


Laranna nodded.


“You'd have to show me,” she said. She turned to the Doctor. “Could I join you in your journey through time and space?”


“Envious of Amy are you?” the Doctor asked.


“No!” Libby said, a little snidly. She paused. “OK, maybe a little.”


“Sure, I'll just move the TARDIS to the house...”




Libby stepped out of the TARDIS into her backyard. She turned around. “Amy's right about it being larger on the inside.”




Less than ten minutes later, the TARDIS left Leadworth again.






6 July 1938
Berlin, Germany
The TARDIS materialised near the Fuhrer's office. The Doctor and Laranna exited the ship. (Mandy and Vincent were giving Libby a tour of the ship. “OK, This is where we ended up after we left Leadworth, and where Mels regenerated into River Song,” the Doctor said.
Laranna nodded.


“We're going to do what we have been doing, but you have to stick with me. You don't want to be captured by the Nazis...”


Laranna shook her head.




An hour later, the duo returned to the TARDIS, Felicia hadn't been seen there. “Maybe I could track town that Tessalecta...” the Doctor pondered.


Laranna shrugged as she entered the TARDIS.






7 September 2011
Manchester, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
It was many days, possibly a week since Libby Pond had joined the Doctor and his companions when the TARDIS materialised at a council estate.


The Doctor and Mandy exited the TARDIS. “So, the child turned out to be non-human?” she asked.


“Yes...” He began to explain the situation to her.




They returned to the TARDIS fifteen minutes later. Alex, Claire and George hadn't seen Felicia...






20April 2011
Colchester, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The TARDIS materialised at Craig, Sophie and Alfie's (or Stormageddon's) place. It well over a week, possibly two since Libby had joined them in their travels.


The Doctor and Vincent exited the TARDIS. Craig was there. “Where's the Doctor?” he asked.


“I am the Doctor,” the Doctor answered.


“It's that regeneration thing isn't it?” he asked.


“Yes, but how...”


“It's on the internet,” Craig answered, interuppting the Doctor.


“Anyhow, Vincent.”


Vincent handed the Doctor a picture of Felicia, in his style. “I'm wondering if this girl was here, when I was here last?”


Craig looked a the picture. “Never met her,” he said. He realised where he had seen something similar. “You already asked me.”


“Yes, but I'm double checking,” the Doctor said.


“Why did you send that girl. She didn't say a thing, just showed those cards.”


The Doctor pondered his response. “Laranna... I haven't heard her speak either,” the Doctor said.


“Nor I,” Vincent said.


“Weird,” Craig said with a shake of his head.


“We better keep searching,” the Doctor said.


“Wait, why did you send her?”


“It would be confusing to encounter me out of order,” the Doctor answered as he turned back to the TARDIS.


“Maybe,” Craig said.






27 December 1941
Madge Arwell saw the Police Box and approached it. The Spaceman had come back!


She was disappointed when the door opened and a young red-haired woman stepped out. “Madge Arwell?” she asked.


“You're not the Spaceman,” Madge said.


“No, but I have been travelling with him,” the young woman said. She had a Scottish accent.


“Oh,” Madge said.


The Scottish lass held up a picture of another young woman. “Did you happen to see this woman a couple of days ago in that forest?”


“No, I have never seen her in my life.”


The lass's face dropped. “I see, I tell him that,” she said. She turned back to the Police Box.


“Why didn't he ask me myself?”


“He wanted me to ask you,” she said as she re-entered the Police Box.




The Doctor looked at Libby as she re-entered the TARDIS. “Madge hasn't seen her,” she said.


The Doctor set the TARDIS in motion once again. “On we go...”








8 July 1334 BC
Akhetaten, Egypt
The TARDIS materialised in the palace.


Laranna and Mandy exited the ship. “Right, the Doctor said that he took Queen Nefertiti less than an hour ago. We have to find some officials,” Mandy said.


Laranna nodded.




Another two hours later, they returned to the TARDIS. Felicia hadn't been seen there either.






8 July 2367
Indian Space Agency, Bangalore, India
Indira was surprised when the TARDIS materialised in her office.


The Doctor, Laranna and Vincent exited the ship.


“You've regenerated,” Indira said.


“Yes, it has been a while, hundreds of years in fact. But that is not why I am here,” the Doctor said.


“So, why are you here?”


“Did you see this young woman with the younger Doctor when you called him in to deal with that large ship?” Vincent asked as he handed over a picture of Felicia.


Indira looked at the picture. “I didn't.” She turned to the Doctor. “Wouldn't you know?”


“Timey Wimey. It's rather complicated,” the Doctor said.






8 July 1902
Masaai Mara, British East Africa
John Riddell and Nefertiti heard the sound of the TARDIS.


“What has happened now?” Riddel asked.


“Does something need to happen for him to come back?” Nefertiti asked.




The Doctor, Laranna and Libby exited the TARDIS. “What is this?” Riddell asked.


“When he's near death, he changes face,” Libby said.


“Is that true?” Nefertiti asked, as confused as her companion.


“Yes,” the Doctor said.


“So why have you returned?” Riddell asked.


Laranna handed Nefertiti a picture of Felicia.


“Have you seen that girl?” Libby asked.


They both looked at the picture. “No,” Riddell said.


“Not here, nor in Egypt before I left.”


“What about on the spaceship?” the Doctor asked.


“Besides, you, us, Brian, Rory and Amy, there was only that dispicable trader and his robots,” Nefertiti answered.


“Thanks,” the Doctor said.


“Why are you looking for her?” Riddell asked.


“She usually travels with my next self. Then she's started to travel backwards to earlier versions of the TARDIS,” the Doctor answered.


“Good luck,” Riddell said.


“Thanks,” the Doctor said.






11 July 1872
Mercy, Nevada, United States of America
The TARDIS materialised on the edge of the town. It was many days, possibly a week since they had left Riddell and Nefertiti.


Libby and Laranna exited the TARDIS. “I just have to do this parallel search and drop Vincent home, then I'll be back in an hour,” the Doctor said.


Laranna nodded.


“Sure, Doctor,” Libby said. They had both said their goodbyes to Vincent just before the TARDIS landed.


The Doctor closed the door and the TARDIS dematerialised.




TARDIS (Enroute: Mercy, Nevada – Indeterminate)
Once the TARDIS bad left Mercy behind, Mandy asked, “So why did we have to leave Libby and Laranna there?”


“Because, we're going to be looking for Amy and Rory. I don't want Libby, especially Libby at her current age, knowing her sister's fate,” the Doctor answered.


“Right,” Vincent said.
“And now, the ride is going to get bumpier. Temporal distortions prevent the TARDIS from landing in New York City during their lifetime, from the mid thirties, until the mid eighties. I'm going to try to land as close to the city as I can, as early as I can,” the Doctor said.


“Temporal distortions?” Mandy asked.


“You don't want to know the reason, just that they exist. You'll want to grab a hold of something!”


Both Mandy and Vincent took a hold of the console, and nodded.


“We are now in Pennsylvania in the 20's! And now!” The TARDIS started, juddering as the ship struggled against the temporal distortions.


“1930, 1931, 1932. That was when my tenth self and Martha defeated the Cult of Skaro!” The TARDIS moved closer. “Yes!”
However, the later it got, the rougther the distortions got. “1933! 1934! 1935! Almost there! 1936!” The Doctor was then knocked away from the console as the distortions threw the TARDIS aside. The Doctor regained the console. “Westchester! No! Closer! 1937!” The TARDIS noises grew more juddery...


“1938! We're drifting to the east. Connecticut! 1939! Come on old girl, earlier!” He attempted to make the TARDIS turn around, but was knocked away from the controls.


Mandy gained the controls. “1940!” she called out. “1941! 1942! 1943! 1944! 1945!”


“Thanks,” the Doctor said. “Just after the War...” He looked at the location. “Martha's Vinyard? No old girl, try at least Nantucket!” He tried to turn the ship to the west, but instead, she materialised...






11 October 1945
Chillmark, Martha's Vinyard, Massachusetts, United States of America
The Doctor and his companions emerged from the TARDIS coughing, the console room had filled with smoke. “It'll take her time to recover. Enough time for you to get to New York and back,” the Doctor said.


“You're not coming with us?” Vincent asked.


“You'll be able to find Amy and Rory by yourselves,” the Doctor said as he handed Mandy the psychic paper.


“I hope so,” Vincent said.


“What would you be doing?” Mandy asked.


“Repairs. The temporal distortions were rough on her,” the Doctor answered. “There may be some local mysteries I can solve.”


“Sure,” Mandy said.


“We'll need supplies,” Vincent said.


“You'll have to wait an hour, then you can gather them,” the Doctor said.




An hour and twenty minutes later, Mandy and Vincent said farewell to the Doctor and started on their journey to New York City.






19 October 1945
Manhattan, New York, New York
It had taken some time, but Mandy and Vincent (mainly Vincent, given that Mandy was still young), had gained the address of the Williams'. (Why the Doctor called them 'the Ponds' Mandy wasn't sure.)


It was early in the evening when Vincent knocked on the door.




Amy and Rory had finished dinner when they heard the knock.
“Who could that be?” Amy asked.


“I'll check,” Rory said.




A few seconds later... “Amy...”




Amy was surprised. River had come and gone a few times since they had arrived back in '36, but she hadn't seen any other temporal travellers. For a couple to come now...


“Are you actually Vincent van Gogh?” Rory asked once the visitors were sitting in the sitting room with them.


“Yes,” Vincent answered.


“I remember,” Amy said to Mandy, “You were there, on Starship UK, with the space whale.”


“Yes,” Mandy said.


“Good to meet you again, Vincent,” Amy said.


“You're welcome,” Vincent said with a smile.


“Space whale?” Rory asked. He had many things in his travels with the Doctor, but not that.


“Yes,” Amy said.


“Why are you here?” Rory asked.


“And where is the Doctor?” Amy asked. “That is, presuming that it was him, not River Song, who brought you here.”


“In Massachusetts. That's where we left him, anyway,” Mandy answered.
“That was as close as he could get?” Rory asked.


“Yes,” Vincent answered. “This is why we came,” he continued, handing over a picture.


“Who is this?” Rory asked.


“Her name, is Felicia Lovell. The Doctor wants to find her,” Mandy responded.




In a flash, Amy remembered...




The TARDIS had returned, and instead of the Doctor, a lady clad in some sort of intricate cloak had come out.


“Where's the Raggedy Man?” Amelia asked.


The strangely clad woman pointed to the box.


“He's inside?” Amelia asked.


The woman nodded. She produced a picture of a young woman.


“Who is this?”


The woman pointed to the box again.


Amelia wasn't sure what to make of the woman. She hadn't said a word. “The Raggedy man wants something?” she asked.


The woman nodded. She pointed to the picture.


“Oh? I don't know who that is. Does he want me to know who she is?”


The woman pointed to the box again.


“Raggedy Man wants to know where she is?”


The woman nodded.


“Right...”


The woman waved goodbye, turned and went back to the box.




“Amy?” Rory asked.


“The TARDIS appeared, and a strange voiceless woman came out and showed me the picture. I eventually got that I was supposed to look for the person in the picture. She then re-boarded the ship. I never heard a sound out of her, nor saw her face. I don't even know if she's human.”


“Laranna,” Mandy said.
“What?” Amy asked.


“That's her name, Laranna,” Mandy explained.


“Any,how I kept an eye out for the girl in the picture, ever since. I haven't seen her.”


“Wait, you know the person Amy described?” Rory asked.


“Not well,” Vincent admitted.


“She normally travels with the Doctor, we started travelling with him after he began to look for Felicia,” Mandy explained.


“Ah!” Rory stated.


“And if you're wondering, no, we haven't heard her speak or have seen her face either,” Mandy said.


“What now? You're going back to the Doctor in Massachusetts?” Amy asked.


“Yes,” Vincent said.


“Wait, you can stay overnight, if you want,” Rory invited.


“Sure!” Vincent said.






11 July 1872
Mercy, Nevada, United States of America
Laranna and Libby returned to where the TARDIS had dropped them off an hour before. The TARDIS then materialised, and Mandy opened the door.


“So, was she there?” the Doctor asked, as they approached the console.


Laranna shook her head.


“No one has seen her, not even the Gunslinger,” Libby said.


“This isn't working! We need another method of attack,” the Doctor said as he laid in a new course.


“Sure,” Mandy said.


“Where are we going?” Libby asked.


The Doctor set the TARDIS in motion. “Trenzalore.”

 

[USS Fardell]

Chapter 20: The 9th Doctor
The 9th Doctor's TARDIS, travelling through the Vortex

The Doctor was loping around the console room, when suddenly the Cloister Bell starting ringing.

“What is that?” Rose asked.

“The Cloister Bell. It signifies that the TARDIS is in danger!” the Doctor said. He looked at the scanner.

“How could it be in danger?” Rose asked.

“Any number of ways. Now let me think!” the Doctor said.

“Ok,” Rose said.

The TARDIS lurched, and then the Cloister Bell stopped ringing...

“That is impossible!” the Doctor said.

“What is impossible?” Rose asked.

“According to these readings there was another TARDIS close to this one in the vortex. And now it is insisting that there is another person here in the TARDIS,” the Doctor said.

“That would be impossible. The former, I mean,” Rose said.

“Definitely, Rose. Which means we have to go and find the person who has appeared in the TARDIS,” the Doctor said.

Rose followed the Doctor out of the console room.


Felicia stood up as she looked around. The corridors looked the same. 'Apparently the Tenth liked the Ninth's theme,' she thought.

She then could hear the Doctor and at least one other companion approaching.

“Hello, Doctor,” she said when he came into view.

“Who are you?” He demanded.

“Felicia Lovell. I normally travel with one of your future selves.”

“Really?” the Doctor asked. 'It didn't look like he believed her.

“Yes. I know that you are a Time Lord. The last of them, that is. I also know that this TARDIS is the last of its kind. Ask me anything else I will answer it,” Felicia said.

“Name my home planet,” the Doctor said.

'That's easy,' “Gallifrey.”

“That's true, but I don't trust you.”

“I have a TARDIS key.” She produced the key.

The Doctor took out the sonic screwdriver and scanned Felicia and the key that she was holding. “You are Human, and that is a TARDIS key...” he said.

“Yes...”

“Fantastic! I regenerate in the future,” he said in a dark tone.

“Isn't that obvious, but it could be of natural causes,” Felicia said, trying to cheer him up.

“Only once has it been due to natural causes.” the Doctor said.

Rose then arrived, having taken a different route after the TARDIS had changed the corridor configuration rather quickly. “Hi, I'm Rose,” she said.

“Felica, Felicia Lovell.”

“Rose Tyler.”

“So you are from Britain too?” Felicia asked.

“London, early 21st Century,” Rose said.

“Norwich, also the early 21st Century,” Felicia said.

“Right. But the question is why are you here? What is behind the anomaly that brought you here?” the Doctor pondered.

“Your future selves were wondering that too,” Felicia said.

“So, this wasn't the only time?” the Doctor asked.

“No, it was the fourth,” Felicia said.

“Oh, fantastic!” the Doctor said, as he realised that Felicia travelled with his final incarnation (and figuring that the Sisterhood had somehow given him an extra regeneration).

“What's wrong?” Rose asked.

“You don't need to know!” the Doctor said.

“Really?” Rose asked.

“You don't need to know,” the Doctor repeated.

“I'm not sure,” Felicia said when Rose looked at her. She was sure of what it was about, but didn't want to say anything. 'I'll let her find out from him,' she thought.

“There's plenty of room in the TARDIS anyway,” Rose said.

“Of course,” Felicia said.

They soon entered the console room. The Doctor went to the console. “A signal is drawing the TARDIS off course.”

“Seems like something to investigate,” Felicia suggested.

“Absolutely,” the Doctor said.

 

[USS Fardell]

Chapter 21: Dalek
The TARDIS materialised in a space that resembled a museum. The Doctor, Rose and Felicia emerged.

“Where is this?” Felicia asked.

“Earth. Utah, North America. About half a mile underground,” the Doctor answered.

“And when are we?” Rose asked.

“Two thousand and twelve,” the Doctor answered.

“God. That's so close I should be twenty six,” Rose stated.

“It's closer to my time,” Felicia said.

The Doctor flicked a switch.

“Blimey. It's a great big museum,” Rose exclaimed.

'You didn't notice this before?' Felicia pondered.

“A great big alien museum,” the Doctor clarified. “Someone's got a hobby.” He began to examine the exhibits. “They must have spent a fortune on this. Chunks of meteorite, moon dust. That's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship.”

Rose noticed something else. “That's a bit of Slitheen. It's a Slitheen's arm. It's been stuffed.

Felicia looked. Indeed there was a Rexacoricofalpatorian arm.

“Oh look at you,” the Doctor said.

Felicia looked. The Doctor was looking at a Cyberman's head.

“What is it?” Rose asked.

“An old friend of mine. Well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit. I'm getting old.

“Is that where the signal's coming from?” Rose asked.

“No, it's stone dead. The signal's alive,” the Doctor answered. He touched the display, causing an alarm to go off.

“Shouldn't have done that,” Felicia said, as guards rushed in, cutting them off from the TARDIS.

“If someone's collecting aliens, that makes you Exhibit A,” Rose said to the Doctor.


Henry van Statten was annoyed. He didn't like it when he was annoyed. People usually got their memories wiped when he was annoyed! While he was waiting for the three intruders to be brought to him, the 'English Kid' was showing him the items he had bought at auction.

“...paid eight hundred dollars for it,” the 'English Kid' said.

“What does it do?” van Statten said.

“Well, you see the tubes on the side? It must be to channel something. I think, maybe fuel,” the 'English Kid' said.

Van Statten took the device from the 'English Kid'. It was then that Diana Goddard brought the intruders into the office. “I really wouldn't hold it like that,” the male intruder said.

“Shut it,” Goddard said.

“Really, though, that's wrong,” the male intruder said.

“Is it dangerous?” the 'English Kid' asked.

“No, it just look silly,” the male intruder said as he reached for the device.

As the guards pulled their weapons, van Statten gave him the device. The male intruder stroked the device, causing soothing music to be produced. “You, just need to be, delicate.”

“It's a musical instrument,” van Statten commented.

“And it's a long way from home,” the male intruder stated.

“Here, let me,” van Statten said. He stroked the device. Music came, but not as soothing as before.

“I did say delicate. It reacts to the smallest fingerprint. It needs precision,” the male intruder explained.

It took a while, but van Statten did improve.

“Very good. Quite the expert,” the male intruder said.

“As are you,” van Statten said as he casually flung the alien instrument aside. (He didn't see much potential in it.) He approached the male intruder. “Who exactly are you?”

“I'm the Doctor. And who are you?”

Who hadn't heard of van Statten? “Like you don't know. We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artefacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake.”

“Pretty much sums me up, yeah,” the 'Doctor' said.

Felicia wasn't sure what to make of this 'van Statten'. 'At least he is focusing on the Doctor,' she thought. Then she heard him refer to Rose and herself as 'cat burglar accomplices'. 'We may be pretty, but the Doctor doesn't just collect people the way he's implying!' But before she get a retort in, Rose got the opportunity.

“One of them's going to smack you if you keep calling them, 'they',” she said.

“One of them's English too! Hey, little Lord Fauntleroy. Got you a girlfriend,” van Statten said.

Felicia rolled her eyes. “We're both English,” she said playing up her East Anglian accent.

“You can choose,” van Statten said.

'The pig!' Felicia thought.

“This is Mr. Van Statten,” the English boy said.

“And who's he when he's at home?” Rose asked.

“Mr. Van Statten owns the internet,” the English boy answered.

“Don't be stupid. No one owns the internet,” Rose objected.

'He could own a majority stake in a majority of the Service Providers,' Felicia thought. She didn't like the idea.

“And let's keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids?” van Stattem said.

“So you're just about an expert in everything except the things in your museum. Anything don't understand, you lock up,” the Doctor said.

“And you claim greater knowledge?”

“I don't need to make claims. I know how good I am.”

“And yet, I captured you. Right next to the Cage. What were you doing down there?”

“You tell me,” the Doctor said.

“The cage contains my one living specimen.”

“And what's that?” the Doctor asked.

“Like you don't know.”

“Show me.”

“You want to see it?” van Statten asked.

“Blimey, you can smell the testosterone,” Rose commented.

“Goddard, inform the Cage, we're heading down. You, English, look after the girls. And you, Doctor with no name, come and see my pet.”

'Just what is his 'pet'?' Felicia wondered.

Adam Mitchell led Rose and Felicia into his office.

“Sorry about the mess. Mr. van Statten sort of lets me do my own thing, so long as I deliver the goods.” He handed a piece of metal to Felicia. “What do you think that is?”

“A piece of debris?” Felicia answered.

“And not just any debris. It's from the hull of a spacecraft. The thing is, it's all true. Everything the UN tries to keep quiet, spacecraft, aliens, visitors to Earth. They really exist.”

“That's amazing,” Rose commented.

“I know it sounds incredible, but I honestly believe that the universe is just teeming with life,” Adam said.

“I'm gobsmacked, yeah. And you do what, sit here and catalogue it?” Rose asked.

“Best job in the world,” Adam answered.

“So you want to get out there?” Felicia asked. “Go out among the stars and see it for real?”

“Yeah. I'd give anything. I don't think it's going to happen. Not in our lifetimes,” Adam said.

“Oh, you never know. What about all those people who say they've been inside of spaceships and things and talked to aliens?” Rose asked.

“I think they're nutters,” Adam answered.

“Yeah, me too,” Rose agreed. “So, how'd you end up here?”

“Van Statten has agents over all the world looking for genius's to recruit,” Adam answered.

“Genius?” Felicia asked. “Prove it!”

“When I was eight. I logged onto the US Defense System. Nearly caused World War Three,” Adam said.

“I suppose...” Felicia pondered. That sort of thing wasn't really difficult, it just needed knowledge and persistence.

“Well, you should've been tehre just to see them running about. Fantastic!” Adam said.

Felicia huffed and left the room. 'Irresponsible!' she thought. Of course the same could be applied to van Statten himself. “Now, what sort of stuff does he have here...” She muttered as she decided to try to find his office again.


“What's up with her?” Adam asked Rose.

“No idea, I just met her today,” Rose said.

“Did you just meet the Doctor today?”

“No, we've been travelling together for a while, then Felicia sort of barged in.”

“Are you and him?”

“No, we're just friends.”

Soon, Adam patched through the comm system and he and Rose saw the 'Metaltron' being tortured...

Meanwhile, Felicia found a server room. She wasn't exactly proficient, but the technology was antiquated compared to her time. 'Too bad I don't have the sonic, that would make this easier,' she mused. Someone was sloppy, no one was in the room, but someone had their account open.



“Now... What is happening?”


Soon, Felicia saw van Statten torturing the Doctor. “Doctor!” she called out. Big mistake. That caught the attention of a guard. “Oops!”


Van Statten was still torturing the Doctor, when the guard brought Felicia. “Sir, I caught this intruder hacking in one of the server rooms,” he said.

Van Statten grabbed Felicia.

“Hands off her!” the Doctor directed.

“You can leave,” van Statten told the guard. As the guard left, he turned his attention to Felicia. “What were you doing there?”

“Digging up dirt on you! Then I saw you torturing the Doctor!”

“Corporate espionage, is a serious crime.”

“So's torture,” Felicia countered.

Van Statten turned to the Doctor. 'Fiesty, isn't she.”

Felicia slapped him. “You're lucky it's me that has been doing what I have been doing, and not Jia'hale!” she whispered in his ear.

“Fine, I'll stop referring to you and the other one in the second or third person! You're lucky that I don't want to put you in there,” van Statten said.

Then alarms started blaring, as the Dalek started to run amuck after Rose had touched the casing..

“Repeat, this is not a drill!”

The Doctor glared at van Statten. “Release me if you want to live,” he said.

Felicia's expression brooked no argument. “Whatever he said earlier, you should have listened,” she said.


Soon, van Statten, the Doctor and Felicia were in his office, and Rose and Adam were on the screen outside the 'Metaltron Cage'.

“You've got to keep it in that cell!” the Doctor directed.

“Doctor, it's all my fault.” Rose said.

“I've sealed the compartment. It's can't get out, that lock's got a billion combinations.”

“A Dalek's a genius. It can calculate a thousand billion combinations in one second flat,” the Doctor said.

'I didn't think that they were that smart. Then again, this was a Time War Dalek,' Felicia thought.

The Dalek escaped!

“Open fire!”

“Don't shoot it! I want it unharmed!” Van Statten directed.

“Rose, get out of there!” the Doctor ordered.


Soon the situation was getting worse...

The Dalek absorbed the power from the western half of the United States and downloaded the Internet. And then continued it's escape.

“Tell them to stop shooting at it!” Van Statten said.

“But it's killing them!” Goddard retorted.

“They're dispensable. That Dalek is unique. I don't want a scratch on it's bodywork, do you hear me? Do you hear me?

No response. The gunfire soon stopped. Not because they obeyed their Boss's orders, but because the Dalek had 'exterminated' them.


Goddard called up a schematic of the base and pointed at the screen. “That's us, right below the surface.” She pointed down further. “That's the cage and that's the Dalek.

“This museum of yours. Have you got any alien weapons?” the Doctor asked.

“Lots of them, but the trouble is the Dalek's between us and them,” Goddard said.

“We've got to keep that thing alive. We could just seal the entire vault, trap it down there,” van Statten directed.

The Doctor didn't like that idea! “Leaving everyone trapped with it. Rose is down there. I won't let that happen. Have you got that?” He pointed to a portion of the schematic. “It's got to go through this area. What's that?”

“Weapons testing,” Goddard answered.

“Give guns to the technicians, the lawyers, anyone. Everyone. Only then have you got a chance of killing it.”

Goddard nodded.


A short while later... “I thought you were the great expert, Doctor. If you're so impressive, then why not just reason with this Dalek? It must be willing to negotiate. There must be something it needs. Everything needs something,” Van Statten reasoned.

“What's the nearest town?” the Doctor asked.

“Salt Lake City,” van Statten answered.

“Population?” the Doctor asked, although he had an idea.

“One million.”

“All dead,” the Doctor paused, to let van Statten take that in. “If the Dalek gets out, it'll murdur every living creature. That's all it needs.

“But why would it do that?”

“Because it honestly believes that that they should die. Human beings are different, and anything different is wrong. It's the ultimate in racial cleansing and you, van Statten, you've let it loose!” the Doctor turned to the microphone. “The Dalek's surrounded by a force field. The bullets are melting before they even hit home, but it's not indestructible. If you concentrate your fire, you might get through. Aim for the dome, the head, the eyepiece. That's the weak spot.

“Thank you, Doctor, but I think I know how to fight one single tin robot.”

Felicia took the microphone from the Doctor. “Listen to him!”

“I have taken his information into account, miss!”

“Right,” Felicia said with some sarcasm.

The Doctor wondered what Felicia was thinking, but the thought was quickly quashed as he focused on the situation at hand.


Soon the Dalek massacred those forces.

“Perhaps it's time for a new strategy. Maybe we should consider abandoning this place,” van Statten said.

“Except there is no power to the helipad, sir,” Goddard said with slight snark. “We can't get out.”

“You said we could seal the vault,” the Doctor said.

“It was designed to be a bunker in the event of nuclear war. Steel bulkheads,” van Statten said.

“There's not enough power, those bulkheads are massive,”

“We've got emergency power. We can re-route that to the bulkhead doors,” Felicia suggested.

“We'd have to bypass the security codes. That would take a computer genius,” Goddard objected.

“Oh,” Felicia siad.

“Good thing you've got me then,” van Statten said.

“You want to help?” the Doctor asked.

“I don't want to die, Doctor. Simple as that,” van Statten retorted. “And nobody knows this software better than me.”

Goddard noticed something, “Sir.” The Dalek was on the screen.

'What is it doing?' Felicia wondered.

“I SHALL ONLY SPEAK TO THE DOC-TOR.”

The Doctor noticed the drizzle of water around the Dalek. “You're going to get rusty.”

“I FED OFF THE DNA OF ROSE TY-LER. EX-TRAP-OL-AT-ING THE BIO-MASS OF A TIME TRAVEL-LER RE-GEN-ER-AT-ED ME.”

“What's your next trick?”

“I HAVE BEEN SEAR-CHING FOR THE DAL-EKS.”

“Yeah, I saw, downloading the internet. What did you find?”

“I SCANNED YOUR SAT-TEL-ITES AND RAD-I-O TEL-ES-COPES.”

“And?” the Doctor prompted.

“NOTH-ING. WHERE SHALL I GET MY OR-DERS NOW?”

“You're just a soldier without commands.”

“THEN I SHALL FOLLOW THE PRIMARY OR-DER, THE DAL-EK INS-TINCT, TO DES-TROY, TO CON-QUER.”

“What for?” What's the point? Don't you see it's all gone. Everything you were, everything you stood for.”

“THEN WHAT SHOULD I DO?”

“All right then, If you want orders, follow this one. Kill yourself.”

'That's a bit extreem!' Felicia thought. She locked her gaze with that of Diana and shook her head.

“THE DAL-EKS MUST SUR-VIVE!”

“The Daleks have failed! Why don't you finish the job and make the Daleks extinct. Rid the universe of your filth. You won't you just die?” the Doctor said raising his voice as he ranted further.

“YOU WOULD MAKE A GOOD DAL-EK.” The Screen went blank.

The Doctor turned to van Statten. “Seal the Vault.”

“I can leech power off the ground defenses, feed it to the baulkheads. It's been years snce I had to work this fast.”

Felicia didn't like van Statten's tone. “Are you enjoying this?” she asked. She looked at the Doctor, she could tell that he was about to ask the same thing.

“Doctor, she's still down there,” Goddard said, referring to Rose.

The Doctor picked up the phone and dialed Rose's number. She replied. :”Where are you?” he asked.

A pause.

“You've got to keep moving. The vault's being sealed off up at level forty six.”

Another pause.

“I'm the one whose closing them. I can't wait and I can't help you.”

Felicia could see the pain on the Doctor's face.

“Now for Goodness sake, run.”

A short while later...


“Done it. We've got power to the baulkheads,” Van Statten said.

“The Dalek's right behind them,” Goddard said.

“We're nearly there. Give us two seconds,” Rose said.

“Doctor, I can't sustain the power/ The whole system is failing. Doctor, you've got the close the bulkheads,” van Statten said.

Felicia saw the pain on the Doctor's face.'I don't know if Rose survives, don't ask me!' she thought. “Do it,” she said.

The Doctor pressed Enter, causing the bulkheads to lower.

“The vault is sealed,” van Statten said.

“Rose, where are you? Did you make it?” The Doctor asked.

“Sorry, I was a bit slow. … See you then, Doctor. It wasn't your fault. Remember that, okay? It wasn't your fault.”

'It is my fault, just as it was at the end of the War,' the Doctor thought. He felt Felicia place her hand on his arm as a comforting gesture. She turned to her and saw that her eyes were moist with tears.

“And do you know what? I wouldn't have missed it for the world.”

“EX-TER-MIN-ATE!” With that, the line went dead.


Diana Goddard didn't like the situation one bit. The Doctor may have been blaming himself, but as far she was concerned, the blame fell one one person; Henry van Statten. Shr glared at him as Rose Tyler said her last works. As soon as the Dalek's battle cry was heard, Felicia Lovell burst into tears.

“I killed her,” the Doctor pronounced.

That seemed to cause Felicia more grief.

“I'm sorry,” van Statten said.

'No you're not!' Diana thought.

“I said I'd protect her. She was only here because of me, and you're sorry? I could've killed that Dalek in it's cell, but you stopped me.”

“It was the prize of my collection!”

“Your collection? Was it worth it? Worth all those men's death? Worth Rose? Let me tell you something, Van Statten. Mankind goes into space to explore, to be part of something greater.”

“Exactly! I wanted to touch the stars!

“You just want to drag the stars down and stick them underground, underneath tons of sand and dirt, and label them. You're about as far from the stars as you can get. And you took her down with you. She was nineteen years old.”

Felicia let out another burst of sobbing.


Felicia was still grieving when Adam entered the office. She was quick on her feet, getting to him before the Doctor could. “You,” her voice was breaking. “You left her behind!” She weakly hit both her hands on his chest, tears still streaming down her face. She felt the Doctor grab her at the sides.

“Easy girl, this is my job,” he said.

“I'm not the one who sealed the vault!” Adam objected, as he pushed her off him.

“Doctor, Felicia,” Goddard called.

Felicia turned, and saw that Rose was still alive. Her grief turned to joy and fear...

“OP-EN THE BULK-HEAD OR ROSE TY-LER DIES!”

“You're alive!” the Doctor exalted.

“Can't get rid of me.”

“We thought you were dead,” Felicia said.

“OPEN THE BULK-HEAD!”

“Don't do it!”

“WHAT USE ARE EMO-TIONS IF YOU WON'T SAVE THE WO-MAN YOU LOVE?”

“I killed her once. I can't do it again,” the Doctor said. He began to reverse the closure of the bulkheads.

Felicia stopped him. “No!” she said with a shake of her head. 'The Dalek being loose is worse than losing Rose!' she thought.

“I wouldn't forgive myself,” the Doctor said, as he opened the bulkheads.

Felicia sighed.

“What do we do now, you bleeding heart. What the hell do we do?” van Statten asked.

“Kill it when it gets here,” Adam suggested.

“All the guns are useless, and the alien ones are in the vault,” Goddard said.

“Only the catalogued ones,” Adam pointed out.

The Doctor perked up. “Lead the way,” he said.


Felicia had stayed behind in the office. She was trying to think of ways to stall the Dalek before it started killing. 'I admit, there aren't many options,' she thought as she looked around the office.

Soon the lift door opened, and the Dalek glided out. “Don't move, don't do anything. It's already questioning itself,” Rose said as she followed it out.

“VAN STAT-TEN. YOU TOR-TURED ME. WHY?”

Van Statten was, understandably, paniced. “I wanted to help you. I just. I don't know. I was trying to help.” The Dalek began to move again, causing him to go backwards. “I thought if we could get through to you, we could mend you.” Van Statten became more paniced as he was pushed against the wall, eyestalk to face. “I wanted you better. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I swear. I just wanted you to talk!” He had raised his voice to a higher pitch for the last word.

“THEN HEAR ME TALK NOW! EX-TER-MIN-ATE. EX-TER-MIN-ATE!” However, Rose intervened.

“Don't do it! Don't kill him. You don't have to do this anymore. There must be something else, not just killing.” Rose said.”What else is there? What do you want?”

“I WANT FREEDOM.”

Felicia waited before followed the Dalek and Rose out of the office. She stopped, and saw the Dalek... with it's casing open, and absorbing sunlight directly on its skin... 'That's unusual,' she thought.

The Doctor then arrived on the scene, holding a large gun. “Get out of the way. Rose, get out of the way now!”

“No. I won't let you do this.”

“That thing killed hundreds of people.”

“It's not the one pointing the gun at me,” Rose said.

Felicia walked up to the Doctor, slowly. “She has a point there.”

“I've got to do this. I've got to end it. The Daleks destroyed my home, my people. I've got nothing left.”

“Look at it,” Rose said.

“What's it doing?” the Doctor asked.

“It's the sunlight, that's all it wants,” Rose answered.

“But, it can't,” the Doctor objected.

“It couldn't kill Van Statten, it couldn't kill me. It's changing. What about you, Doctor? What the hell are you changing into?”

The Doctor thought. He tried to take in what Rose had just said.

“I couldn't. I wasn't. Oh, Rose, Felicia. They're all dead.

“WHY DO WE SURVIVE?”

“I don't know.”

“I AM THE LAST OF THE DAL-EKS.”

“You're not even that. Rose did more than regenerate you. You've absorbed her DNA. You're mutating.”

“IN-TO WHAT?”

“Something new. I'm sorry.”

“Isn't that better?” Rose asked.

“Not for a Dalek,” the Doctor answered sorrowfully.

“I CAN FEEL SO MANY IDEAS. SO MUCH DARK-NESS. ROSE, GIVE ME ORD-ERS. OR-DER ME TO DIE.”

“I can't do that,” Rose objected.

“THIS IS NOT LIFE. THIS IS SICK-NESS. I SHALL NOT BE LIKE YOU. ORDER MY DESTRUCTION! OBEY! OBEY! OBEY!”

Rose hesitated. “Do it,” she said sadly.

Soon the Dalek self destructed...

Shortly afterwards, they returned to the TARDIS, with the additon of Adam, who Rose had invited along, and were on their way, leaving Goddard (who had van Statten arrested, apparently) to seal the vault with cement, and to talk to the families of the dead personnel.

 

[USS Fardell]

Chapter 22: The Long Game Part 1
The TARDIS materialised. The Doctor, Rose and Felica stepped out. Rose turned around. “Adam? Out you come.”


Adam also emerged from the TARDIS and was immediately in awe. “Oh...”

“Don't worry, you'll get used to it,” Rose said.

“Where are we?” Adam asked.

“Good question,” Rose said. She looked around. “Let's see. So, er, judging by the arhitecture, I'd say we're around the year two hundred thousand. If you listen.”

“Yeah,” Adam said.

“Engines. We're on some sort of space station. Yeah, definitely a space station. It's a bit warm in here. They could turn the heating down. Tell you what – let's try that gate. Come on!” Rose said.

Everyone else followed Rose to a massive viewing window.

“Here it is. I'll let the Doctor describe it,” Rose continued.

“The Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. And there it is, planet Earth at it's height. Covered with Mega-cities, five moons, population ninety six billion. The hub of a galactic domain stretching across a million planets, a million species, with mankind right in the middle,” the Doctor said.

Adam fainted.

“He's your boyfriend,” the Doctor said.

“Not anymore,” Rose responded.

Felicia looked at the planet below. “There doesn't appear to be much nature left.”

“You're right,” the Doctor said. “But there are many planetoids where the ecosystems have been preserved,” he added.

“But do you know if all of them have been?” Felicia asked.

“Not sure, but certainly most,” the Doctor said.

“That at least is good,” Felicia said.


They entered the center of the station.
“...Come on Adam. Open your mind. You're going to like this. Fantastic period of history. The human race at its most intelligent. Culture, Art, Politics. This era has got fine food, good manners...

A man then barrelled past them. “Out of the way!” he said.

“Good manners?” Felicia asked.

Suddenly they see people everywhere, some of them hawking junk food.

“Fine cruisine?” Rose asked.

“My watch must be wrong,” the Doctor pondered. “No, it's fine. It's weird.”

“That's what comes of showing off. Your history's not as good as you thought it was,” Rose said.

“My history's perfect.”

“Well obviously not,” Rose retorted.

“They're all human. What about the millions of planets, the millions of species? Where are they?” Adam asked.

“Good, question. Actually that's a good question. Adam, me old mate, you must be starving,” the Doctor said.

“No, just a little time sick,” Adam retorted.

The Doctor found out how much a burger was and then soniced a nearby credit outlet. It produced three cards. He gave one to each companion. “There you go, pocket money. Don't spend it all on sweets.”

“How does it work?” Adam asked.

“Go and find out. Stop nagging me.The thing is, Adam, time travel's like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book, you've got to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers. Or is that just me? Stop asking questions, go and do it. Off you go, then.”

Rose, Felicia and Adam went off. The Doctor approached two ladies nearby. “This is going to sound daft, but can you tell me where I am?”

“All staff are reminded that the canteen ara now operates a self cleaning table system. Thank you!”

Rose handed something to both Adam and Felicia. “Try this. It's called Zaphic, it's like a, er, Slush Puppy,” she said.

“What flavour?” Adam asked.

Rose sucked on the straw. “Sort of beef,” she answered.

“Interesting,” Felicia said, as she sucked on hers.

“... It's like everything's gone. Home, family, everything.”

“The TARDIS can take you back,” Felicia said.

“But at this moment, its all gone,” Adam retorted.

“You can call home,” Felicia said.

Rose took out her mobile phone and handed it to Adam.

“The Doctor gave it a bit of a top-up.” Rose explained. “Who's back home, your mum and dad?”

“Yeah,” Adam said.

“Phone them up,” Rose said.

“But that's one hundred and ninety eight thousand years ago.”

“Honestly, true it. Go on.

“Is there a code for planet Earth?” Adam asked.

“Just dial,” Rose said.

“Sure,” Adam said. He input his parents number...


23 January 2013
Somewhere in England
A phone rang. An answering machine (the owners hadn't moved to the BT provided voicemail) answered the call coming in from the future. “I'm sorry, we're not in. Please leave a message. Thanks. Bye.”

“It's er. Hi. It's me. I've sort of gone travelling. I've met a few people and we've gone travelling together.”

23 January 20,000
Sattelite 5
“But er. I'm fine and I'll call you later. Love you. Bye,” Adam concluded. “That is so...” he began before an interuption happened. An alarm sounded and the venders started closing up shop.

The Doctor called the three of them over. They went over, Adam still holding onto Rose's phone...

 

[USS Fardell]

Chapter 22: Part 2
Soon...

“Now everyone behave,” the newswoman, Cathica said. “We have a management inspection. How do you want it? By the book?”

“Right from stratch, thanks,” the Doctor answered.

“OK. So, ladies, gentlemen, multi-sex, undecided or robot – my name is Cathica Santini Khadeni. That's Cathica with a C, in case you want to write to Floor Five Hundred praising me and please do. Now, please feel free to ask any questions. The process of news gathering must be open, honest, and beyond bias. That's company policy.”

“Actually, that's the law,” Suki said.

“Yes, thank you, Suki. Okay, keep it calm. Don't show off for the guests. Here we go.” Cathica sat in a central chair. “And engage safety...

The other newspeople place their hands on scanners around the edge of the chair. Cathica clicked her fingers and a portal opened in her forehead.

'Okay...' Felicia thought, 'that's quite obvious...'

“And three, two and spike...” A stream of light started streaming into Cathica's portal.

“Compressed information, streaming into her,” the Doctor explained. “Reports from every city, every country, every planet and they all get packaged inside her head. She becomes part of the software. Her brain is the computer.”

“If it all goes through her, she must be a genius,” Rose commented.

“Nah, she wouldn't remember any of it. There's too much. Her head'd blow up. The brain's the processor. As soon as it closes, she forgets.”

“So, what about all these people around the edge?” Rose asked.

“They've all got tiny little chips in their head, connecting them to her and they transmit six hundred channels. Every single fact in the Empire beams out of this place. Now that's what I call power,” the Doctor explained.

“Quite advanced,” Felicia commented.

“But not as advanced as it should be,” the Doctor commented.

“Supposed to be old hat?” Felicia asked.

“Yes,” the Doctor answered.

“But it's amazing!” Adam pointed out.

“But it's wrong!” the Doctor objected/

“Trouble?” Rose asked.

“Oh, yeah.”

Suki pulls her hand away as if stung by an electric shock. The information beam shuts down and Cathica's portal closes. “Come off it Suki. I wasn't even halfway. What was that for?”

“Sorry, it must have been a glitch.”

“Oh,” Cathica said.

“Promotion,” a tannoy said as a wall lit up with the word.

“Come on. This is it! Come on,” Cathica said. “Make it me. Come on, say my name, say my name, say my name.”

“Promotion for Suki Macrae Cantrell. Pleae proceed to Floor Five Hundred.”

“I don't believe it. Floor five hundred!”

“How the hell did you ,manage that? I'm above you,” Cathica objected.

“I don't know. I just applied on the off chance and they've said yes.”

“That's so not fair. I've been applying to Floor five hundred for three years.”

“What's floor five hundred?” Rose asked.

“The floors are made of gold,” the Doctor snarked.

Soon, they were over near the lift. “Cathica, I'm going to miss you. Floor five hundred, thank you.”

“I didn't do anything,” the Doctor said.

“Well, you're my lucky charm,” Suki said.

“All right I'll hug anyone,” the Doctor said.

Adam and Rose wondered off, and then Suki went into the elevator.

“Good riddance,” Cathica said.

“You're talking like you'll never see her again. She's only going upstairs,” the Doctor said.

“We won't. Once you go to floor five hundred, you never come back,” Cathica said, leading the Doctor and Felicia back to the cafeteria.

“Have you ever been up there?” the Doctor asked.

“I can't. You need a key for the lift, and you only get a key with promotion. No one gets to five hundred except the chosen few,” Cathica explained.

“I see,” the Doctor considered.

…

“Look, they only give us twenty minutes maintenance. Can't you give it a rest?” Cathica complained.

“No,” Felicia commented.

“What she said,” The Doctor said,” You've never been to another floor? Not even one floor down?” he asked as he sat in the broadcast chair.

“I went to floor sixteen when I first arrived. That's medical. That's when I got my head done, and then I came straight here. Satellite Five, you work, eat and sleep on the same floor. That's it. That's all. You're not management are you.”

“You guessed it,” Felicia said.

“Yeah, well, whatever it is, don't involve me. I don't know anything,” Cathica said.

“Don't you even ask?” the Doctor asked.

“Well, why would I?”

“You're a journalist,” the Doctor pointed out. “Why's all the crew human?”

“What's that got to do with anything?”

“There's no aliens on board. Why?” the Doctor asked.

“I don't know,” Cathica admitted. “No real reason. They're not banned or anything.”

“Then where are they?” the Doctor asked.

“I suppose immigration's tightened up. It's had to, what with all the threats,” Cathica answered.

“What threats?” the Doctor asked.

“I don't know all of them. Usual stuff. And the price of space warp doubled so that kept the visitors away...” Cathica said.

Felicia interuppted. “That doesn't explain it all,” she said.

“There's lots of little reasons, that's all,” Cathica continued.

“Adding up to one big fact, and you didn't even notice,” the Doctor said.

“Doctor, I think if there was any kind of conspiracy, Sattelite Five would have seen it. We see everything.”

“I can see better,” the Doctor returned. “This society's the wrong shape, even the technology.”

“It's cutting edge,” Cathica retorted.

“It's backwards. There's a great big door in your head. You should've chucked this out years ago.”

“So, what is going on?” Felicia asked.

“It's not just this space station, it's the whole attitude. It's what people think. The great and bountiful Human Empire's stunted. Something's holding it back.”

“And how would you know?” Cathica asked.

“Trust me, humanity's been set back about ninety years. When did Sattelite Five begin broadcasting?”

“Ninety one years ago.”

 

[USS Fardell]

Chapter 23
Thirteen Meets Ten
TARDIS (Thirteenth, with Daniel, Jia'hale, Sabrina, Sigrun and Tamsin)
It had been many days, possibly a week, since the Doctor and his companions had met the Eleventh incarnation of the Doctor and Clara Oswald at Coal Hill School.

“...And we have now left the Ood Sphere. We're on the right track,” the Doctor said.

“That's great!” Tamsin deadpanned. It had been over a week, possibly a fortnight, since she joined the later Doctor and they really hadn't got any closer to finding Felicia since then.

“She could have either joined me with Martha or Donna, I don't know how Rose would have responded.”

“Right...” Tamsin said.

“The Ood, creepy...” Sabrina commented.

“I agree. It makes no sense, having such a vital part of their anatomy so exposed,” Daniel said.

“It works, sure the weakness was exploited, but I dealt with those responsible...” the Doctor said.

“I don't want to know,” Sigrun commented.

Course plotted

“And the TARDIS has locked on.”

“I hope so. Is there any way to determine if Felicia is with your previous self without asking him?” Tamsin asked.

“I'm afraid not,” the Doctor said.

“So we're asking,” Daniel said.

“Yes,” the Doctor confirmed.

Tamsin heard a whisper from the door from the corridors. She turned and saw that it was Jia'hale. She beckoned her over.

“You heard?” Tamsin asked her fellow companion once they had gone down the corridor, out of earshot of the others.

“Yes. I know that it's a long shot. It may be months until we find her,” Jia'hale whispered.

“You can talk to me about it if you want. I wouldn't tell the Doctor, Sigrun, or the others.”

“I don't think so. I feel comfortable this way, even if no one understands. Even you don't.”

'That's true. I don't know how anyone would feel more comfortable without anything on. Sure her hair is longer than mine, but still,” Tamsin thought. “True,” she said.

“You can all talk to the younger and younger versions of the Doctor...”

“We'll find her.”

“I hope so.”


7 March 1399
York, England
The TARDIS landed in a deserted street near the Castle. “Where are we again?” Daniel asked.

“York at the end of the Fourteenth Century,” the Doctor said.

“Haven't been here before,” Sigrun said.

“I have, one or twice with my Doctor, and in my time,” Tamsin said.

“Sure,” Sigrun said.


The Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble, returned to the TARDIS after defeating the anachronistic presence of Parliamentarians (The Doctor had located and shut down a temporal portal in a nearby forest that had connected to itself over 240 years, he still wasn't sure how it had come to be there), to find it surrounded. “It's surrounded, Doctor!” Donna said.

“I see that!”

“Doctor?” One of them said.

“That's me,” the Doctor said. “Who are you?”

“Also the Doctor,” the older Doctor said.

“What do you mean?” Donna asked.

“I am a later version of him, D'na.”

Donna wasn't sure what to believe. “What?”

“When I'm close to death, I change, so I can survive,” the Doctor said. Seeing that Donna was taking that information in he turned back to his older self. “I suppose these are your companions?” he asked indicating the others. 'Two women and two men,' he thought.

“Most of them,” the older Doctor answered. There was a varience to his tone, as if he wanted to clue him in on something.

“Oh!” the Doctor realised. “You're looking for Felicia, aren't you?”

“Who?” Donna asked.

“A long story, D'na,” the older Doctor said.

The Doctor walked up to the TARDIS. “We'll continue inside,” he said.


Tamsin walked into the Tenth Doctor's version of the TARDIS. The console room was even more different than the Eleventh's. “This looks like coral,” she said.

“Yes,” the younger Doctor said.

The Thirteenth (she still thought of the Twelfth as hers) Doctor entered after her. “One thing you should know. Felicia has been altering our timeline as she goes back,” he said.

“I really don't know how she couldn't,” the younger Doctor said as he sat at the console.

“From D'na's reaction, I gather she met you earlier?”

“Yes, while travelling with Martha. In fact, while I was travelling back to her from the Eye of Orion.”

“Right before Lazarus.”

“Yes,” the younger Doctor said.

“Lazarus?” Sabrina asked.

“A scientist that wanted to 'change what it means to be human', and made himself into a monster in the process...” the younger Doctor answered.

“So that's what happened!” Donna said.

“You couldn't find out?” the younger Doctor asked her.

“The Master had got there before me,” Donna answered.

“Anyway. How did that end up?” the older Doctor asked.

“Lazarus was defeated,” the younger Doctor answered.

The older Doctor chuckled. “Obviously.”

“With the help of Martha, Felicia and Tish,” the younger Doctor said.

“Tish?” Sigrun asked.

“Martha's sister. I'm not sure if she was younger or older than Martha, but that's not important,” the younger Doctor said.

“I don't know either,” Donna said when Sabrina looked in her direction.

“Obviously,” Sabrina said.

“Lazarus secumbed to the Cathedral organ, after I enhanced it with the sonic,” the younger Doctor said.

“More details,” the older Doctor said.

“Martha, Tish and Felicia distracted him...”

“Mostly the same, just with Felicia. I guess she continued travelling with you after Lazarus?”

“Yes, to the ship falling into the living star, and then Voyager,” the younger Doctor answered.

“Both of those could have changed a lot.”

“Only Riley and Scannel survived aboard the Pentallian. Martha was going to fall into the star and I was temporarily possessed by the lifeform,” the Doctor answered.

“No difference?” Tamsin asked.

“None,” the older Doctor answered.

“As for Voyager, well we escaped the Borg, with Seven's help. Reminded me of the Cybermen, but less advanced.”

“True.”

The younger Doctor then explained more about what happened on Voyager.


After that the older Doctor and his companions left the younger Doctor's TARDIS. “You will keep searching?” the younger Doctor asked.

“Definitely,” the older Doctor said.

“Good luck,” the younger Doctor said.

“So, you travelled with the Twelth?” Donna asked.

“Yes, far longer than I would have apparently,” Tamsin said.

“I don't know why someone would stop travelling with him,” Donna said.

The older Doctor looked away from Donna.

“Things happen,” Tamsin said.

“Alright...” Donna said she started to ponder what those 'things' might be.

Soon, the Thirteenth waved goodbye to the Tenth.