Torchwood: Archangel

Chapter One: Downed Angel

She awoke to disorientation and a sense of freefall. In the distance she could hear warning claxons blaring. Then she remembered…The Great War. Creation versus the Daleks. Her masters, the House of Tovar, Majesties of the planet Nexain were helping the Gallifreyans fight what was becoming a losing battle.

Eva Tovar, Cybernetic Archangel of the House of Tovar, immediately ran internal diagnostics to assess damage to herself then to the ship. Accessing the ship's emergency mainframe, she cut the claxons. If any Kai were still alive, they pretty much knew they were in trouble without being made deaf by it. The ship, Prince Keln Tovar's THE REGENT, had taken a direct hit from the Dalek Crucible and was heavily damaged. The only reason they were not obliterated was because Eva had fired all main Anti-Proton canons at the beam coming from the Crucible. But as she looked around the command deck, the wreckage and silence of all the PDT's of the bridge crew made her realized it hadn't been enough.

On top of her, the captain's corpse lay. Reverently, she laid him on the floor. She remembered the captain had pushed her into his chair at the last second, telling her to take control of the ship as he threw himself on top of her.

A mere Kai protecting me, she mused as she leveled out the ship. THE REGENT was no longer in freefall, but she could not achieve proper altitude and the ship was listing terribly to the rear and port side. She began sifting through the wreckage of the main consoles; she needed to gain access to the Engineering computer mainframe to attain Ion Engine Control. Then she remembered; Engineering was located on that side. If Engineering was gone, then the ship was doomed.

Finding the diodes she needed, she jacked herself directly into all of the ship's computer mainframes. She was able to access Ion Control; but the system was badly damaged. She would need to remain in place in order to insure a proper firing sequence. Reports began coming in from all over the ship: massive system failures were scattered throughout. The Daleks were advancing on the remaining pockets of Kai resistance. Immediately, she began accessing ship diagrams, shutting down access blast door and dead-lock sealing them; attempting to save what Kai she could.

She then sent out secondary search programs: Acquire information from the Fleet and locate His Lordship. Locate any viable PDT's – locate viable lifesigns, sparks from others of the Archangel Detail.

Responses were immediate – and the information chilled her blood.

Captain and bridge crew – PDT's silent. Archangel Detail – PDT's silent. Engineering – PDT's and Computer Controls silent. Maintenance – PDT's silent. Battalion crews – PDT's silent. Only half of the ship's computer systems were answering – requesting orders.

The captain gave her command of THE REGENT – and with that, Eva was given all command codes to all systems. She gave them orders:

ALL SYSTEMS: MAINTAIN LIFE SUPPORT AND GRAVITY CONTROL WHERE KAI RESISTANCE IS STILL VIABLE. EXTINGUISH ALL ONBOARD FIRES WHERE CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS ARE STILL FUNCTIONAL. DEREZZ ALL DALEKS WHERE REMAINING KAI ARE IN DANGER. HAVE ALL REMAINING KAI TO CONVERGE ON BAY 07. CONTACT HAS BEEN MADE WITH THE FRIGGET IRADICATOR, SHE WILL TAKE ON SURVIVORS.

An emergency transmission suddenly broke through – his Lordship and half of his personal guard were acquired – PDT transmissions were confirmed! Three Daleks had them pinned three corridors and two levels above Bay 07. Eva Tovar did not hesitate.

ACTIVATE CORRIDOR ANTI-PROTON GUNS. NEUTRALIZE DALEK THREAT.

The Archangel felt a deep sense of satisfaction when confirmation of the Daleks' destruction was sent. She grabbed a few diodes from the destroyed comm unit in front of her and jacked them into her internal system.

MY LORD, she said reverently into her master's mind.

Eva, he responded. Status report.

THE REGENT IS FAILING. I AM RECEIVING REPORTS FROM WHAT IS LEFT OF THE FLEET. YOUR FATHER'S SHIP WENT DOWN WITH ALL HANDS, MY LORD. YOU ARE NOW KING KELN TOVAR, LEADER OF ALL PLANET NEXAIN. THE GALLIFREYANS ARE PREPARING TO DETONATE THEIR MASTER SOLUTION, MY KING. THEY ARE ADVISING ALL SHIPS TO VACATE THE AREA. I HAVE MADE CONTACT WITH THE FRIGGET THE IRADICATOR; SHE IS 100% OPERATIONAL AND HER JUMP SYSTEMS ARE FUNCTIONAL AND ONLINE. HER CREW'S PDT'S ARE ALL SILENT, BUT HER AI JACOPO IS ONLINE AND READY TO ASSIST.

Recommendations?

BOARD THE IRADICATOR IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE GIVEN HER PERMISSION TO DOCK AT BAY 07. HER ETA IS 25 MICRO-RELLS. I HAVE MADE A SAFE PASSAGE FOR YOU AND THE REMAINING KAI TO BAY 07. YOU MUST HURRY, MY LIEGE. THERE IS LITTLE TIME.

Understood, her master replied. Disengage from your location and meet us –

I REGRET THAT I CAN NOT FOLLOW THAT COMMAND, MY KING. I AM ALL THAT CONTROLS THE ION ENGINES AT THIS TIME. ION CONTROL WENT OFF-LINE WHEN ENGINEERING WENT SILENT. I CAN NOT RAISE ANY OF THE COMPUTER SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT ALL OF ENGINEERING OR MAINTENANCE. DUE TO THE SHIP'S PRESENT LISTING, I BELIEVE BOTH THOSE SECTIONS ARE OPEN TO SPACE – AND ALL WITHIN PERISHED.

It was at this point that she felt her Lord's sorrow…she had known him since he was a lad – she was created ten years after his birth, shortly before his mother, The Queen died. He jokingly referred to her as the sister he never had.

I AM SORRY TO HAVE SADDENED YOU, MY LORD. I HAVE FAILED IN MY DUTY TO YOU. FORGIVE ME.

You have nothing to be ashamed of, Archangel Tovar. My father gave you our family name, you were worthy of it then – and even more worthy of it now. You have served me well, my Dearest Eva. In the event that you should survive –

THERE IS A LESS THAN 10 PERCENT PROBABILITY, MY LIEGE.

Should you survive, my stubborn Archangel, her Lord continued. I remove all safeties within your mainframe. You will find a message from myself and one from Father. They are meant to guide you – you are the last of your kind, Eva. You will have the ability to pass your gifts to one Kai – choose wisely, my Archangel. The one you choose will be your mate throughout time – and as you will be their teacher, you will also be their student.

Eva was silent for a moment, processing this new information. Then it dawned on her. YOU HAVE FORSEEN THIS.

Yes. And so did Father. Your own Gifts will activate soon enough.

AND WHERE WILL I MAKE PLANETFALL?

The TimeLord called Doctor called the planet Earth. You may meet him there. You will be in the service of one of his former companions…several in fact.

AND THE COMPANION'S DESIGNATION?

The files will give you all the information you will need. Good hunting, my Archangel. Good life, Eva Tovar.

YOU ARE AT BAY 07. THE IRADICATOR IS DOCKED AND DEPRESSURIZED. ALL REMAINING KAI ARE ALREADY ON BOARD. JACOPO IS AWAITING YOUR ORDERS, MY LIEGE. ONCE YOU BOARD, ALL DESIGNATIONS AND CALL SIGNS WILL PASS FROM THE REGENT TO THE IRADICATOR, GIVING YOU COMMAND OF THE FLEET. BOTH YOU AND THE REMAINING FLEET SHOULD MAKE JUMP COORDINATES TO PUT YOU ON THE NIGHTSIDE OF NEXAIN.

She paused then, wiping a tear from her eye. She realized she would never see her master, her lord, her friend…again.

MAY YOUR RULE LAST ONE THOUSAND YEARS, MY LORD. MY LIEGE. MY KING. MY FRIEND. MY BROTHER.

Fare thee well, little warrior, came his quiet reply – and then he was gone.

When his mind disengaged connection – all the safeties within her internal mainframe systems dissolved. Information she was never privy to suddenly flooded her processing centers. She gasped, her hands reaching out to nothing as she began processing all the information…and suddenly a loud explosion behind her blew the dead-locked sealed blast doors out of its frame into the damaged bridge. Two Daleks rolled in as Eva turned her chair to face them.

'EXTERMINATE!' the yelled in unison, raising their weapons towards her and firing.

ANTI-PROTON GUNS FIRE, Archangel Eva Tovar, last of the Archangel Detail of the House of Tovar commanded.

One Dalek disintegrated on the spot. The other made a fatal mistake – and sealed the Archangel's fate.

'EMERGENCY SPACIAL-TEMPORAL SHIFT!'

And Eva leapt from the Captain's chair latching onto the Dalek's frame as the TimeLords activated their Master Solution Device - and she and the Dalek were thrown into the Rifts of Time and Space.