DOCTOR WHO DAY 4
'Remember Me'
The Doctor looked around the icy cold world he was standing in. "So what's my task today?" The Doctor asked mischievously. "Thaw this planet?" The Doctor stuck a finger in his mouth briefly and held it up to the sky. "Oh and not just any planet but Telos? Let me guess, stop Cybermen?"
"There's no need to be so facetious Doctor." The Red Guardian spoke through Star. "Today's task is as hard or as easy as you make it. Behold."
Star gestures to the side. The Doctor scanned the area for a familiar face. Suddenly a figure appeared a short distance away. It's Zoe Heriot.
"What's she doing here?" The Doctor demanded.
Zoe looked towards The Doctor and Star and started heading their way.
"Whatever it is, the answer is no." The Doctor snapped.
"You have one hour to restore Zoe's memories Doctor." The Red Guardian said as if The Doctor hasn't said anything. "If you succeed then we will deal with the Cybermen. If you fail, you will be the one responsible for destroying them. Good Luck Doctor." The Red Guardian said.
"You can't!" The Doctor began he suddenly noticed Zoe standing next to him. "Zoe, how are you my dear." The Doctor said smiling.
"Who are you?" Zoe asked. "Both of you? And what am I doing here?"
"Don't panic." The Doctor said gently. "I'm the Doctor. You don't remember me except for our first adventure together on the space station. And this is Star. You've been brought here so I can restore your memories. It might sting a bit." The Doctor started walking towards Zoe as he said this.
Zoe backed away. "You stay away from me!" Zoe yelled. "I'm warning you."
The Doctor stopped cold in his tracks.
"I would never do anything to harm you Zoe." The Doctor said reassuringly. "You must believe that. No matter what happens, I would never harm you or allow anyone else to harm you. You were always someone special to me. So bright, so eager to help people. You were always a joy to have on board the Tardis."
"What's this Tardis, oh wait. There was a man on the space station who had a blue box called the Tardis." Zoe said recollecting her first encounter with the Second Doctor. "If you have the Tardis," Zoe began.
"Good Zoe." The Doctor said excitedly. Turning to Star. "This might be easier then I thought."
"If you have the Tardis, then that means you stole it from the Doctor." Zoe finished.
"Or not." The Doctor lamented. "No Zoe. I did not steal the Tardis, the Tardis is mine. I am the Doctor. I am the one you encountered aboard the space station. Remember me and Jamie?"
"There's no reason she should remember you now, Doctor." Star said matter-of-factly.
"Who are you?" Zoe asked again. "And don't give me any nonsense about being The Doctor. I met the Doctor. You don't look anything like him."
"No of course not." The Doctor agreed with her. "I've regenerated nine times since we last met. Regeneration completely changes the appearance and sometimes even the personality of the Time Lord. But of course you don't remember that because my people, the Time Lords, erased your memory."
"Actually they can't completely erase memories." Star said. "They can only block them."
"Really, well that puts a new spin on this." The Doctor said happily. "This means I don't have to plant my memories of our time together inside of your mind. That's a rather painful process."
"Now the first thing we did together after YOU stowed away aboard my Tardis young lady is," the Doctor stopped suddenly. "Wait a minute. I just remembered something. Star I want to talk to you over there for a minute." The Doctor said pointing to some nearby bushes about fifteen feet away.
Once they reached the bushes The Doctor looked deeply concerned.
Star reminded the Doctor. "I just remembered something." The Doctor said urgently. "The Red Guardian mentioned something about repercussions after completing my next two tasks. What repercussions? Will restoring Zoe's memory harm her in anyway? If so, then you can forget this mission. I'll take my chances with the Cybermen."
Star remained silent.
"Well?" The Doctor demanded.
"Are you forgetting what happens if you fail ANY task given you?"
"Oh yes." The Doctor said puzzled. "You go super nova. But if you go super nova then how could I stop," The Doctor stopped and thought for a second. "I get it. If I fail to restore her memories then my "quote unquote," way of stopping them would be by causing you to go super nova three days early. Oh the Guardians are just so clever aren't they?!" The Doctor shouted skyward. "Why not just blow her up and let's just be done with this!" The Doctor raged.
"And what of Zoe, Doctor?" Star asked simply.
The Doctor looked over at Zoe who stood there looking bewildered. The Doctor sighed. He knew when he was beat. At least for the moment.
The Doctor walked back over to Zoe followed by Star.
"Zoe, forgive me." The Doctor sighed. "Now, we begin."
Zoe looked confused. "What are you planning on doing. Look I demand whoever you are that you take me back to the space station."
"All in good time Zoe." The Doctor promised. "First we remove the block. You've lost almost an entire year of your life. I'm sorry the Time Lords did that. No one has the right to just remove a part of someone's life like that. Unless it's absolutely necessary." The Doctor quickly added recalling how he himself had blocked Donna Nobles memories of him in order to save her life.
"Look I don't know what games you're playing but I've had about enough of them." Zoe insisted. "Take me home."
"You were always head-strong weren't you Zoe." The Doctor said with great intensity. "You never liked to do as you were told. I would tell you to run and you'd stay. I'd tell you not to look and you'd have to look."
Zoe is shaking her head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"The Medusa Zoe?" The Doctor said. "Surely you recall her. The Statue that was slowly coming to life because you believed her to be real. Even though I kept telling you she wasn't?"
"I know Medusa isn't real." Zoe said adamantly. "I'm not a child, whomever you are."
"No, you're a grown woman who needs to remember our adventures together." The Doctor said emphatically. "Remember the Dominators? How we arrived for a rest after I transmitted a bunch of mental images into your mind?" After the Doctor said this he suddenly snapped his fingers. "That's it! I'll use telepathy!"
The Doctor gently held Zoe by the shoulders. "This shouldn't hurt. At least it didn't last time. You have a very strong mind." "
The Doctor proceeded to pour a series of images of The Dominator. The Second Doctor showing Zoe how the Dominators plan to convert the entire planet into a radioactive mass ideal for use in powering the Dominator fleet.
Next as the volcano erupted we sought refuge inside the Tardis. You and Jamie panicked. I thought about activating the fail-safe switch but hesitated because the consequences could be dire for the Tardis. But Jamie forced my hand down on the button and we wound up beyond time and space. We wound up where thoughts became reality. Remember Zoe? Remember the Unicorn? And the woods? And how Jamie's face had changed, by some freak accident?
Zoe head jerked. The Doctor noticed this.
"What's going on?" The Doctor asked Star.
"Her Subconscious reacted strongly to that." Star said frowning. "Doctor, be careful how hard you push her. I sense something's wrong. wrong."
"Yes, well we don't have time to do this delicately now do we?" The Doctor snapped. "Come on Zoe, let's continue with the one known as the master. He made fictional characters come to life. Think Zoe! Think!"
Zoe frowns as she slowly starts to see some fuzzy images inside of her mind.
Star is monitoring Zoe's progress.
"Excellent Doctor." Star said. "Zoe's memories are slowly starting to resurface. But be careful not to go too fast. Her mind could reject them and they would be lost forever."
"I know what I'm doing." The Doctor said. "I spent 20 years studying telepathy alone." The Doctor boasted.
"Focus Doctor." Star pleaded.
"Okay, Zoe. Remember the Master." The Doctor continued. "He would bring to life fictional characters. And how I didn't want you going out in the first place but you were so stubborn. Always had to explore."
Inside of Zoe's mind she sees faint images of herself wandering inside of a white mist. She hears someone calling her name. Zoe looks around. She sees the faint outline of a young male. He looked vaguely familiar. He slowly moved closer. It was Jamie. Zoe runs up to him. "Jamie! Where are we?" Zoe asked Jamie.
Jamie just looked at her without saying a word.
"What's wrong with you?" Zoe asked him.
Jamie would not answer. He was in a trance.
"Jamie, answer me." Zoe pleaded with him.
"No Zoe." The Doctor insisted. "You must remember."
"Who are you?!" Zoe backed away from him.
"I am the Doctor." The Doctor replied in a puzzled tone of voice.
"The Doctor I met was older and much shorter with dark brown hair." Zoe said in a frightened voice.
"I've already explained to you," The Doctor began exasperatedly. "I have regenerated. Look, you're a physicist, you of all people, should understand . The cells rejuvenate and reassemble in different formations for each regeneration. Sometimes I'm tall, sometimes I'm short, Sometimes I've got brown hair and sometimes I've got blond. I have no one set look. I keep changing. It's the nature of the beast. Unless," The Doctor started to say but left the end of his sentence hanging.
"Unless what?" Zoe demanded to know.
"Unless I had gone to the Time Lord Academy hundreds of years later when a young woman by the name of Romana went there. She had the most amazing control over the regenerating process." The Doctor started feeling nostalgic. "But never mind all that, you young lady need to see more of your missing year." The Doctor said abruptly.
He looked intently at Zoe. "Now remember. The Unicorn."
As the Doctor said this a white unicorn trotted by.
"Well that's not exactly right, but close enough." The Doctor quipped. "And now remember how we made our way through the woods? See it now." The Doctor ordered.
Inside of Zoe's mind she slowly saw some trees start materialize in the distance.
"Remember the trees were really giant words?" The Doctor asked. "Sayings? And then we captured by soldiers who led us to an area with a house." As the Doctor said this the unicorn trotted by again. "Yes, and then we entered the house. and we were in a cave. There were three different tunnels."
"Four." Zoe interrupted.
"No Three." The Doctor said with great certainty. "I have an excellent memory. It was,"
"Four Doctor." Star interrupted. "She's right. Continue."
"Fine four." The Doctor said exasperatedly. "Whatever the point is there were," The Doctor stopped suddenly. "Wait a minute! You knew there were four. How? Are you starting to remember Zoe?" The Doctor asked excitedly.
"I think so." Zoe said while feeling some mild discomfort in her mind. "Keep going. My memories. They're starting to come back! I remember everything! The Master, The Cybermen trying to invade Earth, and my posing for a photographer, The Krotons, Professor Daniel Eldred, The Ice Warriors, Being trapped inside of a piece of a beacon, The War Chief, The War Lords,..."
As Zoe's memories came flooding back to her, Zoe suddenly lets out a gasp.
Inside Zoe's mind something or someone is chasing her down the corridor of the Tardis. Zoe is running as fast as she can but she's as if in slow motion.
The Doctor notices Zoe has gotten awfully quiet.
"Zoe, what's wrong." The Doctor demanded to know as he gently shook her by her shoulders. "Zoe, talk to me. Come on. What's going on inside that brilliant mind of yours?"
The Doctor was becoming more and more agitated by the second. Star let out a gasp.
"Doctor!" Star yelled. "There's someone inside of Zoe's mind. Someone evil.
"I've just been inside of her mind." The Doctor insisted. "There was nothing there." Realizing what he just said he quickly amended it. "I mean, there was no one there beside Zoe."
"He's been haunting her sub-conscious for the past several months now. Giving her nightmares. Doctor you must enter into her mind." Star insisted to the Doctor as she grabbed his arm. "Your task is over. She does remember. Now you must help her face this evil intruder and then,"
"And then what?" The Doctor wanted to know.
"And then together you must expel this great evil." Star finished. "Here. I will help you go deeper into her mind. I will open the neural-pathways for a nano-second which will be just enough time for your mind to slip in. You must hurry Doctor. He will drive her insane if you don't." Star said with desperation in her voice.
"Okay, do it." The Doctor said braced himself mentally. "Whoever or whatever is in there messing with my friend's mind will soon regret it. Okay Star. Let's go."
Star focused her psychic energy and opened a pathway from the Doctor's mind into deep within Zoe's mind.
Zoe was still running from the nightmare creature down the endless corridors of the Tardis. She tripped and fell. She looked up as the creature slowly closed in on her. Zoe screamed. The Creature was standing right next to her and started reaching for her.
But before the creature could grab Zoe, a hand shot out and pulled Zoe out of the way and helped her to stand up. Zoe looked up and saw The Doctor.
"Who are you?" Zoe asked. "Look whoever you are, you must get out of here. This creature has a very powerful mind." Zoe pleaded.
"I'm the Doctor and I'm staying." The Doctor said firmly. "But for right now, run!" The Doctor said as he grabbed her hand and they started running down the corridors of the Tardis.
The creature gave chase. He growled as he got closer and closer to them. "Doctor . Not even you can save Zoe. Remember me Doctor? I am the Nightmare Child!"
The Doctor stopped cold in his tracks. He turned around and headed back down the corridor and turned the corner and came face to face with a being of pure black light.
"You're not possible!" The Doctor shouted. "You were locked inside the eternity of the time-lock!"
I escaped. We saw what was coming in those last days and we tricked you into thinking you had defeated us. Your arrogance led you to believe you were victorious and you moved on to others who dared to challenge the Time Lords as sovereigns over time and space." The Nightmare Child boasted.
"You're lying!" The Doctor shouted. "I would have sensed your presence"I escaped!" The Nightmare Child boasted. "In fact many of us ."
"Actually Doctor." Star said materializing a mental image of herself inside of Zoe's mind. "You've only focused on finding Time Lords, not the other beings who might of survived and escaped the Time Lock."
"I am proof of her words Time Lord." The Nightmare Child boasted. "I am stronger then my father. My mind can stretch across countless universes. I can torture numerous minds simultaneously. I can devour their minds until they are but an empty shell. You laughed in my face but now it is I who laughs in yours, Doctor."
The Doctor started backing away while holding Zoe's hand. She suddenly pulled her hand away and took off running. The Doctor followed her. The Doctor ran down several corridors until he caught up to Zoe.
"Zoe what are you doing?" The Doctor demanded. "We need to stick together. It will take both of us to defeat him. This is your mind. I'm only a visitor."
Star Materialized behind Zoe.
"I told you before but you didn't get my hint." Star said. "There is no reason she should know you now. She doesn't know this Doctor. She knows your younger self."
"So what do you suggest?" The Doctor asked sarcastically. "Regenerate back into him?"
"Not regenerate." Star Said.
"Well, then what?" The Doctor asked exasperatedly.
"Your inside of the Tardis?" Star asked innocently.
"Of course not!" The Doctor snapped. "It's just a memory...MEMORY! Of course! Thank you Star! I am thick!" The Doctor shouted.
The Doctor stepped back away from Zoe.
"Okay Zoe." The Doctor said gently. "Keep your eye on Star. And I will find YOUR Doctor."
"Zoe, look at me." Star said softly. "Don't be afraid."
Zoe turned to look at Star with a puzzled look on her face.
The Doctor looked deep inside of his mind and looked amongst his previous selves. The Doctor noted them in his thoughts. "I need the one who traveled with Zoe. No, not any my-selves after or during the time-war." The Doctor thought as he saw images of the tenth, ninth and eighth Doctors float by. He forced himself to remember further back. "Not the ones with question marks on the shirts or with umbrella's." As he saw the Seventh, Sixth and Fifth Doctor's float by. "Not the one with the long scarf." As The Fourth Doctor floated by. "Or the one with the velvet coat." The Doctor thought as the Third Doctor floated through his mind. Then he spotted his Second Self! "Yes!" The Doctor thought. "That's the me who traveled with Zoe. Must bring him back to life. Must focus. Must save Zoe." The Doctor channeled all his energy into remembering everything about him.
Zoe's curiosity was getting the better of her.
"Look why don't you want me to look behind? What is going on?" Zoe demanded as she spun around only to see...
The SECOND DOCTOR!
Zoe felt a rush of relief as she ran up to him. "Doctor! You came! I knew you'd come." Zoe threw her arms around the Doctor.
"Well, now where else would I be?" The Doctor asked. "Now what's all this about a creature known as the Nightmare Child Ay? Escaped from the time-lock. Most regrettably. Must deal with it."
"We must get out of here. That Nightmare Child could be here any minute." Zoe insisted.
The Doctor looked around. "Well why don't we pop into this room then, shall we?" The Doctor motioned for Zoe to go into the room.
The Doctor followed Zoe into the Room. The Doctor felt around his pockets.
"Doctor how are we going to fight this nightmare creature." Zoe asked.
"Quiet." The Doctor said suddenly.
The Doctor and Zoe listened at the door. They could hear the Nightmare Child approaching in the corridor.
"You really think a door will stop me?" The Nightmare Child called out mockingly. "I could reach my mind into that room and completely wipe your minds." He boasted.
"Then why doesn't he?" Zoe asked.
"Yes, why indeed Zoe." The Doctor pondered her question.
Star materialized inside of the room.
"Even powerful aliens have their limitations." Star said.
The Doctor quickly mulled over what Star said.
"Of course." The Doctor said as he snapped his fingers. "Don't you see Zoe? We're inside of your mind. His power is limited by your mind. He can only kill you if you believe he can."
"But he said he had all of this power." Zoe insisted. "If he get's in here we're doomed!"
"Zoe, listen." The Doctor insisted. "I need my sonic screwdriver. Surely you remember my sonic screwdriver don't you?"
"Of course I remember it." Zoe responded in a puzzled tone of voice. "You used it to drill holes and open doors."
"Quite so." The Doctor replied as he patted his pockets. "You haven't seen it, have you?"
"You always keep it in your inner right pocket." Zoe replied.
The Doctor smiled and reached inside of his inner right pocket and pulled out the sonic screwdriver of The Second Doctor.
"Well, it's a bit primitive but I suppose under the circumstances it will do." The Doctor grumbled slightly.
The Doctor aimed it at the door and locked it. Then he pulled out a recorder and played a few notes.
"Hmm, haven't played this for quite some time." The Doctor mused.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of jelly babies. He looked at them delighted.
"Haven't had one of these for years either." The Doctor said excitedly. "Have a jelly baby?" The Doctor asked as he offered one to Zoe.
"Oh Doctor." Zoe complained. "This is no time for jelly babies or your recorder. We have to stop the Nightmare Child."
The Nightmare Child's banging to steadily louder and the door looked as if it could break any minute.
"Question is how can he be here? The Doctor pondered. "His mind is so powerful, it should have already overwhelmed your mind by now." The Doctor's mind started racing looking for answers.
"Think of him like a dandelion." Star suggested.
"A dandelion?" The Doctor repeated irritably. "Oh yes, I see what you mean."
"What's a dandelion got to do with that awful creature just outside the door." Zoe demanded. "He'll break through that door any minute. Doctor, we have to get out of here!"
"Have you never seen dandelion seeds carried along by the wind?" The Doctor asked Zoe.
"Well of course," Zoe began when she suddenly understood. "I get it. You're saying that this creature sends something like seeds to take root inside of a person's mind in order to take it over?" Zoe theorized.
"Exactly!" The Doctor said happily. "So this isn't the entire creature, as it were, but rather a tiny fraction of it. A sort of psychic spore. So it's nowhere near as powerful."
"So how do we fight it?" Zoe asked.
"That's a good question." The Doctor said thoughtfully. "I got it! Zoe, he only exists so long as you allow him to exist inside of your mind." The Doctor said excitedly. "Look around, what do you see? hmmm?"
Zoe looked around the room feeling perplexed.
"I see a room inside of the Tardis." Zoe said.
"But why here?" The Doctor asked. "Why not someplace else?"
"Well, I suppose because it's in my memories." Zoe said venturing a guess. "Even though they were buried memories."
"That's the only thing that's saved you all these months." Star said.
"Why?" Zoe asked.
The Doctor mulled over what Star said.
"Of course! Don't you see? The Time Lords blocked your memories. So even though the memories were there, they just seemed like a dream. So as frightening as the nightmares were, you never truly took them seriously until...Oh." The Doctor stopped abruptly. "So this is one of the repercussions the Guardians were talking about, isn't it?" The Doctor asked Star.
"No Doctor." Star said. "Remember they had no idea the Nightmare Child was here. There is some evil that the good Guardians cannot see, unless they are specifically looking for it."
The door was beginning to give way.
"Oh Doctor look!" Zoe cried. "He's almost in! Do something!"
"Zoe, it's up to you." The Doctor said gently. "You must not believe his lies. You can fight him. You can repel him from your mind. You're strong Zoe. It's one of the things I've always admired about you." The Doctor said trying to boost her confidence level up.
"I can't Doctor." Zoe said fearfully. "I can't! He's too powerful."
"How do you know how powerful he is?" The Doctor demanded to know. "You've never faced him before now, have you? You always ran away. So how do you know?"
"Well if he can invade my mind and," Zoe began but started thinking about what the Doctor had said. "Do you think I could? Stand up to him, I mean?" Zoe asked the Doctor.
"Never a doubt in my mind." The Doctor said with a smile. "So let him do his worst, ay? A thousand may fall to my right," The Doctor began quoting an old poem when the Nightmare Child broke down the door.
A shimmering black light entered the room but Zoe was not frightened. She walked right up to it.
"You are NOT welcomed in my mind." Zoe said matter-of-factly. "So if you'd kindly vacate the premises."
"You dare doubt the power of the Nightmare Child?!" The Nightmare Child raged. "I shall destroy your mind!"
"No you won't!" Zoe shouted. "I won't let you!"
"You don't even know how." The Nightmare Child said in a mocking tone of voice."
He suddenly grabbed her and filled her with fear.
The Doctor leaped forward and tried to pry him off of her but he just pushed the Doctor away. Star just stood there, unsure what to do.
"Why don't you do something Star?" The Doctor demanded.
"Because Zoe must be the one to stop him." Star said. "Though she COULD summon other memories to help fight this creature." Star suggested.
Suddenly there is a loud shout from the doorway.
"Creag an tuire!" Followed by JAMIE rushing in with his knife and stabbing at the black light. "Ay, I'll teach you to mess with my friends." Jamie shouted.
The Nightmare Child is unhurt by Jamies knife but he lets go of Zoe nonetheless. He then flings Jamie into the wall.
"Jamie!" Zoe shouted as she rushed over to help him. "What have you done to him?" Zoe yelled at the Nightmare Child. "If you've hurt him, I'll," Zoe stopped unsure what she could do to this being of light.
The Nightmare Child went strangely silent during Zoe's tirade. The Doctor noticed this. The Nightmare Child began advancing on Zoe again.
"A nightmare is a terrifying dream in which the dreamer experiences feelings of helplessness, extreme anxiety, sorrow." Star said simply.
"I'm well aware of what a nightmare is thank you Star." The Doctor snapped.
Star continued as if The Doctor hadn't said anything.
"There can be a number of psychological triggers that cause nightmares in adults." Star said. "For example, anxiety and depression can cause adult nightmares. Post-traumatic stress disorder also commonly causes people to experience chronic, recurrent nightmares. Which is probably why we're in the Tardis in her dreams."
"Well thank you Dr Star, now if we can get back to..." The Doctor had a sudden thought. "Of course!" The Doctor said as he snapped his fingers.
The Doctor made his way past the Nightmare Child and gently grabbed Zoe by the shoulders.
"Zoe, what were you feeling just before the Time Lords took your memory away?" The Doctor asked her.
Zoe looked confused by the question.
"I don't know what you mean Doctor." Zoe said.
"Doctor whatever you're planning, it won't work." The Nightmare Child warned him. But the Doctor just ignored him and went on quizzing Zoe.
"Come now, Zoe." The Doctor said. "Think back to our last few minutes together? The Time Lords had us cornered. There was no escape. We had to part company."
Tears started streaming down Zoe's face.
"I was scared and angry." Zoe said as she recalled that fateful day. "I wanted to stay with you. I loved being aboard the Tardis. I got to travel the universe and help people and learn things. And they took it all away from me! How dare they?! What gave them the right?! I wanted to STAY!" Zoe screamed.
The Doctor pulled her into a hug.
"It's okay Zoe." The Doctor said. "You're right. My people hadn't the right. But I promise, now that your memories are back, there's no reason I can't come visit you. And maybe take you for a ride around the galaxy? Visit some different time zones? hmm?" The Doctor said.
Zoe lifted her head from the Doctors shoulder.
"Can you really do that?" Zoe asked hopefully. "Could I really travel again in the Tardis?"
"No!" The Nightmare Child yelled. "You can't Doctor! The Tardis is gone!"
"You just be quiet!" The Doctor snapped. "Yes, Zoe. I can and I will. Just as soon as I get done with a series of tasks, I've been assigned. It may be awhile, but I will come back. You have my word on it."
Zoe smiled and pulled away from the Doctor as Jamie stood up.
"Hey! What about me? I want to," Jamie suddenly disappeared.
"He was just a memory, wasn't he Doctor?" Zoe asked the Doctor.
"Yes, he was." The Doctor smiled. "But just like the real Jamie, he was there when you needed him. Feeling better?"
"Much better Doctor." Zoe smiled.
The Nightmare Child leaped at Star.
"This is your fault!" The Nightmare Child said as he grabbed her by the neck.
Zoe started forward but The Doctor just laughed and held her back.
"Good luck strangling a Star." The Doctor couldn't help mocking him.
"A Star?" The Nightmare Child repeated. "Do you take me for a fool?"
"I know I do." Star said simply as she increased the heat in her neck. "It's a good thing I don't breath like Humans."
Suddenly The Nightmare Child screamed and let go of her neck. He held his burned hand in pain.
"Never mess with a Star." Star taunted him.
"But you can't be here." The Nightmare Child insisted.
"Typical arrogance of these types of beings." Star complained. "Just because they don't have the technology to do something, no one can. How very sad."
The Doctor took a step forward.
"And now that your grip on Zoe is weakened." The Doctor said. "Star and I should have no trouble removing you once and for all. Star?!"
"Ready Doctor." Star assured him.
Together they focused their psychic energy on The Nightmare Child and forced him out of Zoe's subconscious mind.
Zoe woke up with a start. She looked up to see the face of the Eleventh Doctor staring back at her.
"What happened to the Doctor." Zoe demanded as she looked around.
"I'm right here Zoe." The Doctor said gently. "If you'll recall, It was I who helped get your memories back. How could I know all of those things if I wasn't him?"
"That's true." Zoe agreed. "But If your him, then why did you appear inside of my mind as him?" Zoe stopped as she tried to puzzle out what she just said.
"Oh Zoe, you're truly a gem." The Doctor laughed. "Since it was only a psychic image of myself inside of your subconscious, I was able to channel my energy into making myself appear and act as I once was. And I did it all for you." The Doctor said affectionately. "You know, I've always thought of you as a daughter."
"Thank you Doctor." Zoe said smiling.
Star suddenly turned somber.
"In case you've forgotten." Star began. "There are Cybermen about to emerge from their tombs early. I suggest you go hide behind those rocks over there while I go deal with them."
"Of course, the Cybermen." The Doctor said remembering. "I nearly forgot about them."
"I know." Star said. "Now go. Take cover."
The Doctor started to usher Zoe towards the rocks when he paused a moment to turn around.
"You know back there, inside of Zoe's mind." The Doctor said.
"Yes, Doctor?" Star asked.
"You didn't sound like yourself." The Doctor said approvingly. "You sounded tough. I think I'm starting to rub off on you."
"Yes, well, It was inevitable that I would pick up some of your bad habits." Star said mischievously.
"Very funny young lady." The Doctor said. "Are you sure you don't need any help? With the Cybermen, I mean?"
"Do you really think I can't handle a bunch of tin men, Doctor? This will be known as La Victoire Secrète." Star asked before adding mischievously. "However if I find myself in need of a pompous long-winded speech I'll let you know."
"So you heard about my speech at the Pandorica?" The Doctor shot back.
"Oh it's the stuff of legends, Doctor." Star teased him. "Now go hide."
The Doctor took Zoe's hand and ran for the rocks.
"My speech at the Pandorica, the stuff of legends." The Doctor mused.
"Doctor, I think she was joking." Zoe said.
"Oh." The Doctor said dejectedly.
Star Walked about Seven-hundred yards away from the rocks where the Doctor and Zoe hid. The Cybermen had broken free of their ice tomb. They advanced in the direction where Star Stood. As they drew close, the leader held up his arm.
"Halt." The Cyber-leader ordered his group. To Star he asked. "You will become as one of us."
"I've come to stop you." Star said simply.
"You?" The Cyberleader mocked her. "You are nothing but a Human creature. We will make into something better. Something stronger. We will conquer numerous worlds. We will be victorious." To the Cybermen. "Cybermen rise!"
"No!" Star shouted. "Cybermen BURN!"
Star suddenly started emitting heat. Soon the Cyberleader and Cybermen started feeling their circuits burning and their bodies melting. The Cybermen started screaming in agony.
Zoe could feel the heat.
"Doctor! What's happening?" Zoe asked loudly.
"She's using her heat to melt them." The Doctor responded.
"But how can she?" Zoe asked. "She can't really be a star. Can she?"
"Yes, she is." The Doctor replied. "I don't know how, but she is. The Guardians placed her inside of this body temporarily."
"What do you mean temporarily?" Zoe demanded.
"I mean, in a few days she's going to go super-nova." The Doctor said.
Zoe was clearly horrified by this.
"Doctor you can't let that happen." Zoe pleaded. "There must be someway to stop that from happening."
The Doctor didn't answer. Zoe looked at The Doctor and saw he was deep in thought.
"There is only one way to save yourself now Cyberleader." Star told him. "Go back to your tombs! Now!"
The Cyberleader signaled for the Cybermen to retreat. They headed back towards the door of their ice tomb. They marched inside and the Cyberleader slammed the door hard behind him.
Star cooled down. The Doctor and Zoe came out of hiding.
"Well done Star." The Doctor applauded her. "The Cyberleader slammed that door so hard that,"
"That it will take a strong man like Toberman to open it?" Star asked.
"Of course!" The Doctor snapped his fingers. "No wonder the door was stuck."
"You mean you've been here before." Zoe asked.
"Yes but not yet." The Doctor said mischievously.
"In other words, you were here but in the future." Zoe said smugly. "See? I understand the concepts of time travel."
Star cleared her throat.
"Time to say your good-byes Doctor." Star said.
"So soon?" The Doctor complained. "How about a few more hours? We have a lot of catching up to do. My past selves, some of my adventures."
"Very well Doctor." It was the Red Guardian speaking through Star.
"Doctor, what is going on?" Zoe asked her eyes wide open in shock.
"Nothing to worry about." The Doctor reassured her. "This is just one of the Guardians. They need me to perform a series of tasks for them. But I do get a few hours of rest in-between them. Only one per day?" The Doctor said pointedly.
"Of course Doctor." The Red Guardian said reassuringly. "But remember. Only two days left."
"Of course." The Doctor replied evenly. "Now, Zoe. where to begin."