Ace McShane grumpily sat down in the nose bleed seats of the Bing Arena in an alternate New York. The crowd screamed it's blood lust as the two robots in the center ring went at it.

"Why on earth did you bring us here professor?" Ace asked the man in the cream colored jacket sitting next to her. "I didn't think you went in for this sort of sport?"

"Now Ace," The Doctor said "Consider this another lesson of your on going education."

Ace smirked "And what the title for this lesson plan?"

"How small actions can have major consequences." The Doctor replied, never taking his eyes off the action in the ring.

"So what small action is gonna have a major consequence?" Ace asked as she angrily watched the larger robot pummel the smaller one mercilessly. She did NOT like bullies and as far as she was concerned that's exactly what Zeus was. Even if he was only a robot.

"Well, to explain that I am going to have to give you a little bit of a future history lesson. And don't roll your eyes at me young lady!" The Doctor replied still keeping his his eyes on the fight at hand.

"Sorry Professor." Ace replied meekly.

"That's better. Now, believe it or not. Right here and now, this spectacle of mass entertainment is a tipping point for the future of this version of the human race."

The Doctor continued on. "You see, this earth is becoming more and more automated. People are starting to depend more and more on technology than themselves. They are even starting to medically augment themselves unnecessarily. This world is on the verge of losing it's humanity."

Ace looked around the arena. Except this time she really paid attention. Most of the people seemed like they were WAAAY to into the fight in front of them. As if feeling any human emotion seemed hard for them.

As if only watching the incredible display of horrifying violence could get them to feel any more.

She could also smell a thick cloying scent of various illegal narcotics wafting through the air. The ones who weren't screaming their heads off seemed to be lulled into a drug induced haze. So much so, that the fight in front of them barely registered.

"Now" The Doctor continued "Un-interfered with, Charlie Kenton and his son will win this fight hands down. They will beat Zeus quite handily, and go on to expound on the wonders of technology, and how without it they would have never won this fight. Which is true. They win ONLY because of the mish mash of technology inside the obsolete robot they found."

"Advertisers will unwittingly pick up on this thread and start to expound on how in order to be a winner you need technology on your side. People will swallow this hook line and sinker. So much so that 300 years from now, all that will be left of humanity will be cold wiring and synthetic parts.

"They will become this universes version of the Cybermen."

Ace shuddered as she remembered their past dealings with that cold autonomous race of cyborgs.

"And 100 years after that, they will cross over to your universe and your planet and convert it into another Cyber World."

"But what can you do to stop all that Doctor!" Ace asked. She looked to the man sitting next to her, Hoping that as usual the Doctor would once again save her world.

She wasn't disappointed.

"Just this." And with that, the Doctor Reached into his pocket and pulled out a thin silver tube with what looked like an emitter dish on one end. He pointed it at the duelling robots. He waited for what seemed like forever, suddenly Zeus grabbed Atom in a head lock and spun the smaller robot off his feet. At that precise moment, the Doctor pressed a button and an ear splitting whine was emitted from the device.

Atom suddenly seemed like he was punch drunk. Zeus backed him into a corner and began to mercilessly pummel on the smaller robot. Only the ringing of the bell for the end of the round saved him.

"Doctor! What did you do!" Ace shouted, horrified at the Doctor's actions.

"Shhhh, Ace. Now watch." The Doctor said as he put the slim device back in a pocket.

Ace pulled out a device the doctor had called a "Smartphone" and quickly flipped through the channels provided to the audience until she found the cam for the challengers corner.

"He's Done Max, he can't hear me." Charlie Kenton said as both him and his son entered the ring to look at the badly damaged Atom. "This is murder, he's had enough!."

His son scrambled around the smoking robot "So? I'll disable the voice recognition!"

"So!" He can't hear me!" His father shot back.

"But he can see you!" His son insisted.

"What?" Charlie replied clearly confused.

"I'm putting him in Shadow Mode," His son explained calmly. "Show him what to do, Without the voice recognition he'll be faster!"

Stunned his father replied back "No. No way!"

"Look at them!" His son replied forcefully "They're freaking out! Rich Girls ripping him a new one over there! Do you know why! Because they're scared! Because Atom can do things no other bot has ever done!"

"But I can't do it!" His father insisted!

"Yes you can!"

"I can't!

"Yes. You. CAN. Show him what do you. You have to fight the last round."

"No, no don't," His father replied anguish on his face.

"Charlie," His son begged. "Please. I beg you."

His father hesitated a moment, "Are you kidding me with those eyes!"

Forcefully taking off his jacket all his father said was "Damn!" But there was the beginnings of a fire in his eyes.

"Yessss!" His son replied triumphantly.

"You know it's rude to eavesdrop don't you Ace?" The Doctor whispered into her ear.

Startled, ace dropped the smartphone and it fell to floor, it's screen shattering.

The Doctor continued as Ace picked up the remains of the ruined phone. "Besides, the fight is about to begin." The Doctor said with a Cheshire cat grin as he leaned back into the plastic arena chair.

Ace watched as the small battered robot got unsteadily to it's feet. It's eyes seemed to lock onto Charlie. as he circled around the boxing ring to get into Atoms line of view.

But everything seemed to be not going well, Zeus had poor atom on the ropes, viciously hammering away at the antiquated sparring robot.

Ace almost couldn't bear to look, sure she was about to watch the smaller robot be destroyed.

But then something happened. Almighty Zeus, seemed to stumble back, as if he was tired of mercilessly battering away at Atom.

Charlie/Atom egged his opponent on. As if daring the bigger robot to come after them.

Sure enough Zeus went right back in and continued to batter and pummel on Charlie/Atom.

"Doctor he's killing him!" Ace shouted

The Doctor sighed heavily. "That's the problem with your generation Ace, no love of strategy! Now watch this!"

Suddenly everyone in the Arena began to chant, "Atom! Atom! Atom!."

Ace couldn't help herself and joined in.

Suddenly Zeus stumbled back once again. As if dazed.

"And... now." The Doctor said.

Charlie/Atom suddenly went on the attack, raining blow after blow down one their larger opponent.

Zeus stumbled back trying to deflect all the blows raining down on him. But they were coming from everywhere!

Even the masterful Mashido taking personal control didn't seem to help at all. Charlie/Atom was just to fast!

Left! Right! Left! And then from out of nowhere a sudden and powerful uppercut!

And Zeus was Down! The crowd went wild!

The count down began.

One!

Two!

Three!

But Zeus got back up.

And charlie proceeded to knock him back down! It looked for a moment like it was almost over...

When the final bell rung, signifying the end of the match.

With that the Doctor got up. "Come along Ace, we're done here."

"But professor!"

Ace.."

Alright." Ace gloomily replied. She got up and followed the Doctor out of the Arena.

So what was that all about?" Ace asked as her and the Doctor crossed the crowded parking lot heading towards the TARDIS.

"I mean, they didn't even win! It just seems so..."

"Pointless?" The Doctor finished for her. "Now Ace, are you forgetting you lesson plan so quickly? What was it's name?"

"How small actions can have major consequences." Ace replied.

"Exactly!" The Doctor stopped and turned to Ace.

"Remember the future history of this world I told you about. Tonight wasn't about who's robot beat who's. No Ace, Tonight was nothing less than the battle for humanity's soul if you will."

Turning and point back at the Arena, the Doctor continued on. "Tonight Charlie Kenton was this close to failure. But instead of crumbling like he normally did, the faith his son had in him enabled to him to dig deeper than even he thought possible. He found inside him the inner strength that humanity is starting to lack, to continue on even in the face of great adversity."

"So tomorrow, when they go on the talk show circuits, instead of expounding about the glory and power of technology, Charlie Kenton will quietly tell everyone who's willing to listen about the simple power of the human spirit. He will single handedly re-ignite humanity's will to stand tall in the face of adversity. Tonight, he may have lost the fight, but he saved humanity's soul. He truly is the Peoples Champion"

"But Professor, how did you know he would rise to the occasion?"

For a moment, the Doctor didn't reply. Instead he looked up into the night sky. "Ace, I really hope that someday, you will truly know how powerful the love a parent has for their child truly is."

They reached the TARDIS in silence. As the Doctor reached into his pocket for the key to the TARDIS, Ace asked one more question.

"But professor, just how did you know Atom would stand up to so much punishment?"

"Well... I may have gone back and did some...slight... modifications to Atoms chassis last night while you were asleep."

"Professor!"

"Anyways, come along Ace, somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice,"

Ace smiled back at him "And somewhere else the teas getting cold. I know professor. Well, lets go then, shall we? We have work to do!"

And with that, they both stepped into the TARDIS and disappeared from the parking lot of an alternate Earth.

FIN