"Stand down now! I will not repeat myself about this. You have two minutes to lay down your arms and surrender or you shall die. It will matter little to me, you are all murderers of children and not worthy of the blades and shields of Alesia! Now surrender!"
"We will never surrender to the likes of you! Killing your kind shall be a pleasure."
This was what greeted the Doctor and Martha Jones when they opened the door of the TARDIS. The scene before them was a field of battle. There stood one woman facing an army alone. The woman was the voice that demanded surrender.
"Doctor? What's going on?" He looked confused by what was playing out below them beneath the cliff the stood upon.
"I...seem to have miscalculated. This is not the Alesia Empire that I remember. I must have gone too far back."
"She said Alesia, I remember." But as the Doctor was thinking, the woman had taken a stance with her arms outstretched, palms facing the approaching army.
Time's up it appears!" With that shout, Martha gasped as flame poured forth from the woman's hands. Some were burning but some were falling down unscathed.
"Doctor?" Martha grabbed his arm. But by then it was over. The army lay decimated on the ground and the only soldier who had even come close to the woman had died about two meters from her. The woman let her arms drop to her sides and then she turned around, looking up at them.
"She's not supposed to be able to do that." Said the Doctor but he didn't say anything else. She stared for several moments before she collapsed.
"What was that? How do we get down to her?" Martha was already headed over to a slope leading to the field below.
"Martha, no. Oh, why do I bother? Martha!" The Doctor hurried to catch up. "This woman looked into my mind, but I don't know how she possibly could have done that." Martha reached the woman and kneeled at her side, beginning to go through that basics she had learned as a medical student.
"I can't find anything wrong with her; no wounds, and her heartbeat is strong." As Martha put her hands on the woman's head and the Doctor came to kneel on her other side, the woman's eyes snapped open. Her eyes looked to Martha's eyes but almost immediately switched to the Doctor. She grabbed his hand and when he tried to pull away she held tighter.
"What are you doing? Get out of my mind!" The Doctor kept trying to pull away with little success.
"Doctor? What does that mean?" This was the first thing she said. Her hands released his and her eyes began closing.
"It's my name. Who are you?" The Doctor turned her head back so she was looking at him.
"I am Theodosia."
"Now that's only part of who you are. Tell us all of it."
"If you know than why should I say it?"
"Because I said so, and you should know why."
"Impertinent. I am Theodosia Margaret Quinn, the Supreme General of the Shestalyian Army. I am the Fire-Keeper and the Seer. Now who are you?" As she said this she sat up. She looked a little green but that seemed to pass.
"Hello, Theodosia! I am the Doctor and this is Martha Jones."
"Hello to you too. Why are you here?" She slowly rose to her feet. Standing beside her, they could now see her true height. She was just a bit taller than the Doctor. She had a mane of red hair that seemed to match the fiery expression in her cat-like emerald green eyes. She was wearing tights, a tunic, and boots that reached her knees. Swung across her back was a blade of some length. Her clothes were dark browns and green but one thing that stood out was the emerald green silk sash around her waist that seemed to match the color of her eyes. All together, she was a rather imposing figure, though she only looked to be in her twenties.
"Oh we just popped in to see the scenery. But tell me about the conflict you are taking part in."
"That would take too long to just be standing here. There are enemy patrols crawling all over the place. Come with me back to my camp and I can tell you everything you need to know. Does that suit you, Doctor?"
"Well that sounds nice. We shall come, of course."
"Good, follow me."
After about an hour's walk they came up over a hill and there lay the camp. Martha looked stunned. It was a massive camp. Spread out as far as she could see were countless tents and fires blazed all over from cook fires.
"How many are there?"
"Somewhere around two hundred thousand I would say. We have two other camps of lesser size. This is the main camp with most of the military contingent under my command." They entered the camp and very quickly several people were running towards them, two women and a man.
"General, what happened? You are a day late. We were about to send scouts." One of the women said as the other woman stepped forward and hugged Theodosia. When she let go, the man stepped forward and laced a kiss on Theodosia's forehead.
"Hello Trista, Trenton, and Mara. Sorry about the delay, but I was waylaid by some enemy soldiers. However, I picked up some travelers. This is the Doctor and Martha Jones. Doctor, Martha, this is General Trenton MacMurrough, my husband, Brigadier General Trista Brianne, my sister, and Major Maraborne. Welcome to the Shestalyian Camp."
"You are most welcome," said General Trenton.
"Thank you! This is a pleasure for us."
"Tell me about this war. Tell us about the people. I can see that you are not the same as the others, or at least some of you."
"It started about fifty years ago. Women began bearing children, in particular, female children that were different; the slanted eyes, the pointed ears, and as was later discovered mental abilities and elemental powers. Fear swept through the country. Many were killed, too many. We were named the Shestalyia, which means "the damned." King Julian declared martial law. He tried to control the panic. Soon Queen Helene gave birth to twin daughters; one Shestalyian and the other normal. The Shestalyian was born first but was ordered destroyed. That was the last heard of her. When King Julian passed away, his daughter, Shara, ordered all Shestalyians be sent to camps in the Wasteland. She did not stop there; after some time she ordered all newborn Shestalyia drowned in the Sea of Sorrows. This pushed the Shestalyia over the edge. Rebellion broke out in the camps and we have been pushing east ever since. We are now camped two days journey from the capitol."
"You are leaving something out," said the Doctor. Theodosia's eyes flashed at this.
"You are very perceptive, Doctor. Indeed, I have left something out. I am the twin sister of Queen Shara. First-born, I am the rightful ruler. Trista is the daughter of a high-ranking lord and Trenton was one of my sister's generals until his newborn turned out to be one of us. She was taken and killed. We are the Trinity of the Shestalyian Army. What do you make of us, Doctor?"
"You shouldn't exist. You shouldn't be here."
"Well I really do not think you can have any say over it. We are here, and we are giving our lives for future generations everyday. We are winning this war. It could be over before the next moon is shadowed. No matter how we came to be here, we are. We can only choose to do something with the life we are given. However, answer me this, Doctor. Why is it that when I touched your hand I saw all of time? What are you?" The Doctor looked stunned for a moment.
"You have...have the ability to read people, even me." He seemed to mentally shake himself. "I am the last TimeLord."
"I gather from that title that you are a time traveler."
"Yes, General. I travel through space, time, and even dimensions once in awhile. Tell me, how strong a mind reader are you?"
"Strong enough to have seen all of your life or should I say lives. When I was in your mind I saw all that was, all that is, and all that ever will be." The Doctor's eyes turned iron hard at this.
"Stay away from those memories. I have visited your world several times before and I realize I have heard your name before. Tell me, General, what other hidden talents do you have."
"I control the five elements and occasionally I have the healing touch."
"Five elements? I know earth, water, air, and fire, but what is the fifth element?"
"The fifth element is life."
"You are telling me you can kill with a mere thought or give life back."
"You saw it today. I can only restore life when it is recently lost and I touch them."
"Does this work on you as well? Can you heal yourself?"
"I don't know."
"It's as if you are a TimeLord." Martha looked startled at this, remembering the words of the Face of Bo.
"Like you?"
"Yes. it is possible that the "evolution" is really tampering. You are the strongest with it. I think someone was trying to create a TimeLord and this is the result."