New York City, USA 2012

Sark Regellus bolted around a corner. How had he been found? His master would not be pleased. He had a simple job, track the signal of the Bellitium device and report back at once. How was he supposed to know the shimmer he was wearing would attract attention. How was he supposed to know that there were authorities on Earth that knew and acknowledged the existence of life not from their world. For the most part his intel told him that humans as a whole tended to shy away from thoughts of "aliens" as they called anyone not from their tiny mud ball. The alley Sark had turned down was tight but connected to another and still another, hopefully he could avoid his pursuers quickly and lose them in the labyrinthine back alleys of the Bronx.

Sark could still hear the footfalls behind him, hazarding a glance back he thought he saw a silhouette round the last corner. So preoccupied was Sark he didn't realize he turned a corner right into a large garbage truck blocking the alley.

'Imagine my surprise,' a calm voice said, Sark spun as a stranger leaned on the corner covered in shadows 'going into a coffee shop and finding a patron wearing a shimmer.'

Sark tried to assess his possible options, the damn truck was still positioning to back up and blocked the entire alley.

'I know what you're thinking and contrary to popular belief my advise to you is,' The stranger stepped out of the shadows, 'don't run.' He was slender, clothing was a bit dated as far as Sark could tell from Earth culture. His hair was in a newer style flopped to one side and he wore a tweed coat and maroon bow tie.

'You're not MiB.' Sark heaved with a genuine sigh of relief.

The stranger pursed his lips, 'Am-I-who?'

The garbage truck pulled away as headlights flooded into the alley. Both Sark and the stranger covered their eyes as two figures approached casting long shadows down the alley.

'MiB.' The taller figure answered. 'We'll take it from here.' The shorter stockier figure said. Together the two figures came together blocking the blinding light from their vehicle revealing two plain looking men in black suits. The first, the taller was African-American with a close cut and the other, an older caucasian man with an equally older hairstyle.

'Shit.' Sark muttered.

'I'm Agent Jay this is Agent Kay and we're gonna need to see your travel visa and or ID. Now.' Jay emphasized the last word with a tightening of his jaw.

'Uhhh...' Sark looked like any human stopped by the cops searching for something he didn't have on his person.

'Mm-hmm.' Jay sneered pursing his lips, 'I'm afraid you're in violation of section 374A of the Tyco Treaty.' Kay added.

'Sorry-travel visa? Tyco treaty?' The stranger stepped forward with a raised hand.

Kay turned his attention to the stranger, 'Section 374A of the Tyco treaty states: "Any life form choosing to reside within the borders of the planet Earth shall submit to MiB customs and declarations accordingly representing themselves, their species and planet of origin for the purpose of determining potential risk to indigenous population via threat, pathogen or unlikely misconduct due to error or omission."

The stranger blinked then broke into a self satisfied grin, 'You're like the TSA for aliens! All-be-it I trust without the minimally invasive cavity searches, then again some species I'm sure require a more thorough once over than your standard, Effluvex.'

Kay was stoic for a long moment before one side of his mouth curled upward and a snicker of a scoff escaped. Jay did a double take and put his hand up in Sark's face, 'Hang on HEEELL naw!'

Jay stood a step away from Kay, 'Did you just laugh at poindexter's TSA joke?' 'No.' 'I'm not playin with you man, did you just laugh at poindexter's TSA joke?'

'Poindexter?' the stranger said straightening his bow tie with a jerk of his chin.

Jay gave him his best "Really?" glance then looked back at Kay who leveled his best blank face, 'No slick, if you must know I scoffed at the Doctor's Effluvex snipe.' 'Doctor?' Jay said with surprise, 'Thee Doctor?' he asked looking at the stranger.

'I'm sorry,' the Doctor said, 'Have we met?'

'In a manner of speaking.' Kay said, 'Jay your suspect's getting away.' Jay whipped around, 'What!? Damn!' he took off at a dead sprint. Kay and the Doctor watched Jay sprint around the corner of the alley onto the main street. With a big sigh Kay removed a pair of black sunglasses from his lapel.

'I'm sorry but things don't always happen in the right order for me-' the Doctor began.

'I know. You're a time traveller. This however is not one of those instances. You're going to have to trust me when I tell you that all the answers you're looking for are located right here.' Kay lifted a small metal stick no bigger than a flash drive. The tip popped up and suddenly a blue flash filled the alley.

'Will there be anything else sir?' a barista at the coffee shop asked handing a cup to the Doctor.

He blinked, 'Excuse me?'

'Did you need anything else?' The barista repeated.

The Doctor took his coffee and turned around trying to catch his bearings, 'That's strange.'

All the way back to the TARDIS the Doctor retraced his steps. He'd landed in the Bronx in the early twenty-first century for a cup of coffee. According to his internal clock though that had been over three hours ago. The TARDIS chronometer agreed with his memory. Then it hit him or more precisely he hit it. A blank spot in his memory. His Time Lord mind treated things like memories differently than other sentient lifeforms. When necessary the Doctor could lay his memories out like sheaves of paper and where the last few hours landed the pages were blank.

'That won't do.' The Doctor said throwing a lever on the console and sending the TARDIS hurdling through time and space.

At an underground Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority a nondescript black four door sedan pulled up. Agent's Jay and Kay excited the vehicle and another man in identical black suit took their vehicle and drove off.

'So what's the move?' Jay asked.

Kay harrumphed, 'Don't be so hard on yourself.'

Jay stopped as Kay continued into the door, 'I'm not.' Jay said with a little more defensiveness in his voice than perhaps he would have liked to have used. He hurried to catch up.

The two agents walked across the main lobby with its enormous fan. The same elderly African-American agent that always maned the door, 'Tough luck Jay.'

'What!?' Jay didn't have time to argue Kay was already in the elevator.

The doors slid closed. Kay stood stoic as ever. Jay had a thin sheen of sweat across his brow. 'Look-' he began.

'Don't let it get you down kid, it happens.' Kay said emotionless.

Jay could feel his blood pressure rising, 'First, I'm not letting anything get me down. Second, exactly what happens?'

'Old age. We get tired, the game gets us down. You start slipping. It happens.' Kay could have been reading a grocery list for all the care he put into the words that sounded as if they were supposed to be caring.

'Okay damn that! I'm not old.' a beat, 'You might be old but I'm not old.'

'Whatever you say slick.'

Before Jay could reply the elevator opened onto the grand central station of MiB headquarters. On all sides aliens of every shape, size and type moved about from one terminal to the next shuffling from intake to security check points and even waiting areas. Interspersed were a myriad of agents from full senior agents on various cases to junior agents in short sleeved white shirts with ear communication devices.

Back up top the sentry agent read a newspaper. He didn't look up when a strange whistle came from the door and the lock released. He didn't look up when a thin figure slipped in the door and started with surprise at the agent being there. He didn't even look up when the figure crept forward and hesitated a moment in front of him.

When the figure cleared his throat the sentry glanced up with no semblance of surprise. 'Hello, I'm the-'

'Hey Doc,' the sentry interrupted, 'new face? It's been a while.'

The Doctor blinked, 'Yes, well...' 'Go on, they went down.' The Doctor looked toward the elevator then back at the sentry. Without a third glance he approached the elevator and it opened. Stepping in the doors closed behind him.

A long moment of silence preceded the doors closing before the sentry turned the page of his newspaper and muttered to no one, 'Same old Doc.'

Kay walked into the bullpen and sat at his desk. Jay sat across from him. 'Look Kay-' 'Kid, you gonna focus on this assignment or would you like me to make you an appointment with the MiB counselor so they can help you through this?' Jay tightened his jaw. 'The perp was wearing a shimmer, that's non-sanctioned alien technology on Earth but even worse it's outlawed by the Shadow Proclamation.'

Jay nodded, he needed to get his head in the game, 'Okay so this is big time.' It wasn't a question so much as a statement.

'There are only a few cultures in the universe that abide their use and none of them are friendly.' Kay added.

'So let's cross reference the species that use them and see if any have showed greater than normal interest in Earth.' Jay said leaning forward.

'About time that police training kicked in.' Kay said glibly. He pressed a button and making a tossing gesture the list flew up to the enormous holographic view screen at the center of the room. Kay walked around his desk, 'Everyone pay attention. These seven races have been known to use a device called a shimmer. I want them cross referenced with MiB intelligence to find any correlations between them and planet Earth.'

Jay looked at the list, 'Kylothians, Sycorax, Anguillians, Bugs, Korellans, Uvorex and-'

'Sonatarans.' a voice finished. Everyone turned around to see the Doctor leaning against a white column, 'Love the retro architecture of the place by the way.'

'Welcome back Doctor.' Kay said without a hint of surprise.

Jay looked around then back to the Doctor, 'Hey did anyone think to announce a security breach, anyone?'

'I'm assuming I've been here before.' The Doctor said.

'Follow me.' Kay said walking pass the Doctor leading the way.

Jay looked at the onlooking agents, 'Okay people y'all got stuff to be working on. Get on it.'

The Doctor followed Kay who brought him up to speed, 'In 1964 a stupid junior agent stationed in London happened upon a plot by an alien consciousness known as the Nestine.' 'Ungh...nasty business the Nestine, they don't like me much.' The Doctor added. 'So there he is, cornered by shop mannequins when a blue police box materializes out of thin air and a gentlemen in a fedora with a loud multicolored scarf identifying himself as the Doctor saved his life.'

Kay ushered the Doctor into a side room lined with sliding drawers. Pressing a hand against one of them a computer voice chirped, 'Identity confirmed, Agent Kay.' the drawer slid open and Kay removed a small leather bound book he handed to the Doctor.

The Doctor looked suspicious but he took the book and thumbed through it.

'Recognize the handwriting?' Kay asked.

The Doctor shrugged with a grin, 'I should, several different varieties and they're all mine.' 'Bingo.' The Doctor handed the book back, 'So the Men in Black police alien activity on the planet Earth. We've crossed paths several times.'

'Who do you think covered up the Master's assassination of the President a few years back.' Kay asked.

The Doctor had the good sense to look abashed. 'Okay right! Now to your problem-'

'Our problem?' Jay said entering the room.

The Doctor was in Jay's face in two long strides examining him, 'Indeed. You lost a man, no offense by the way could have happened to anyone. I on the other hand had the good sense to investigate my own memory loss. Crossing ones own timeline, tricky business for anyone but me.' Turning on his heel he pointed out the door and paced back toward Kay, 'That list was good, missing a few hundred species but I think what we're looking for is right here.' The Doctor held up a slender tube like device.

Jay drew his weapon, 'Hey hold it right there! Take it easy!'

The Doctor slowly looked over his shoulder at Jay. Kay slumped his shoulders and sighed heavily, 'You really should switch to decaf.'

'At ease slick, it's a screwdriver.' Kay said.

'Oh,' Jay said looking embarrassed, 'I knew that.'

'Okay as I was saying before I was interrupted, I say interrupted but it was more like threatened but I digress, the funny thing about this ole sonic of mine is that it can detect energy signatures. Know what it found?' The Doctor waited but Kay was patient and Jay wasn't risking embarrassing himself again. The Doctor activated the sonic and it shrilled with a high pitched sound. He held it to his ear and then waved it around the room in a seeking motion, 'It found an energy reading. A very interesting energy reading.'

Without another word the Doctor ran out of the room with Jay and Kay hot on his heels. His sonic swinging back and forth as it pinpointed the location. Agents moved out of his way as he ran down stairs and back out into the main lobby before cutting a hard left and dashing down a long hallway. At last he approached an enormous vault like door and pressed his ear against it. 'What's behind this door?'

Jay spoke first, 'That's MiB special section. All the nasty toys we pick up that aren't safe or cleared for use on Earth are contained in there.' 'How do we open it?' The Doctor asked backing away staring at the door as if by will he could see through it.

'Can't.' Kay replied, 'Takes a special key.'

The Doctor smiled, 'Then you're in luck, I just happen to have a special key.' The Doctor pointed the Sonic over his shoulder and the locking mechanism hissed as a pressure release valve opened. Lines suddenly appeared as the vault doors separated and slid in different directions revealing a room made of deep blue metal. Display cases throughout shown various alien objects and artifacts.

Meanwhile over ten million miles away.

'General Stow, the infiltrator has located the lost incubator.' The officer spoke through his blue helmet. He was small as lifeforms went but his musculature, genetically altered as it was made him stout. From the back of the command deck an identical looking being stepped forward carrying a staff that resembled a crop.

'Excellent, Commander-' 'Uh actually sir the infiltrator reports the device is in the custody of the MiB.' The Commander interrupted.

General Stow narrowed his tiny eyes with a deep frown spreading across his tubby head. 'There have been rumors of the Earth defense force that polices the planet's non-indigenous lifeforms. It will be a glorious encounter for the Eighth Sontaran legion.'

As one the command crew hit fists to their chest and began chanting, 'SONTAR-'

'HA!' The Doctor blurted pointing the screwdriver at a back corner of the vault. 'Oh that's interesting, where did you get a Sontaran incubation device?'

'That was refuse from the Atmos incident a couple years back.' Kay said.

'What's so important about it?' Jay asked offhandedly.

'It's first gen Sontaran technology.' The Doctor replied with a look that said Jay was drooling on himself, 'The Sontaran's are a clone species, bred for war. The first generation created these devices over two thousand years ago in order to terraform whole planets into cloning worlds to facilitate their war with the Rutans. Since then they have developed more advanced weaponry but the secrets of these devices were lost with the first generation.'

Kay stepped forward, 'Which makes this beauty something of significant value to the Sontarans, am I right Doctor?'

'Enough for a warrior race loathed of espionage to send an infiltrator to Earth to locate and possible secure it.' The Doctor looked deadly serious.

Jay was the first to react by grabbing his ear communicator from his lapel, 'This is Senior Agent Jay, I need security check points doubled and all remaining personnel to report to the security vault, stat!'

Kay walked out with that all too familiar look on his face. Jay jumped in step the Doctor followed suit, 'What's the play?' Jay asked.

'We need more intel.' Kay responded. 'Jeebs?' Jay asked. Kay opened a door for the others, 'Nope. Gus the Gill.'

Across town in in a subway terminal at the corner of 40th and Grande there's a little newsstand just before the entry gate. There a squat man wearing an out of place hawaiian button down that was stained with every manner of condiment sat on a stool that strained from the pressure of his weight. He mopped his forehead with a dirty rag as he scarfed down a hotdog overflowing with condiments. This, was Gus. So engrossed was he in the playboy he was reading that he never noticed Sark who stepped up to the window.

'Can I help you?' Gus asked before looking up with start. 'You look rough.'

'Is that supposed to be funny?' Sark wheezed, 'I've had MiB and some idiot in a bow tie after me. I thought you said this thing was untraceable!'

'Relax...your boss called anyway, they want your shimmer changed.' Gus reached up and pulled the front gate down. Sark walked around the stand into the side door.

Meanwhile Jay, Kay and the Doctor raced through traffic. Jay gripped the hand hold as Kay took a turn that sent the Doctor tumbling across the back. 'So tell me why we're not hitting up Jeebs on this one?' 'Jeebs is small time, he's stolen weapons and devices. Is the shimmer something he could have gotten ahold of? Yes. Is he capable of programming it? No.'

The Doctor whooped in the backseat, 'I'm loving this!' The Doctor leaned between the front seats, 'Never pursued a suspect before! Been one mind you but never in hot pursuit, it's so very American!'

Jay cast the Doctor a sidelong glance, 'So you're telling me British people are the only ones that make it to whatever future you're from?'

The Doctor laughed before dropping the pretext completely, 'Sorry don't get it.'

Jay gestured toward him, 'Well I mean you're obviously British-' 'Ewww British? Really!?' The Doctor looked as if he might be offended and then rethought about it, 'Well in fairness, English people do sound incredibly like Time Lords.'

Back at Gus the Gill's newsstand, Sark pressed a button and his body rippled and decompressed as the shimmer gave way to his true form. A reptilian shaped humanoid with slightly over large head, small tail and three digits on each hand and foot. Sark handed the small metallic wristband to Gus who inspected it. He reached through a rack full of crisps and pressed a hidden button. The entire back wall of the newsstand lowered into the floor revealing a secret area behind it with shiny metal walls and bright white lighting from both the floor and the ceiling.

Gus placed the band on a table that slid up from the floor and immediately the shiny black top lit up with digital glyphs in his own language a holographic readout showed a graphic. Gus whistled, 'Whoa man, this-this is big.'

From behind him, Sark snickered as he drew a weapon, 'You have no idea.'

Jay, Kay and the Doctor headed down the stairway to the subway landing when a gunshot rang through the landing. It wasn't a normal gunshot but something distinctly alien. Jay and Kay exchanged startled glances but the Doctor was through them, sonic screwdriver in hand. He pointed it at the turnstile which immediately let him through, the others hot on his heels weapons drawn. The three skidded to a halt at the corner just before the newsstand, their heads popping around the corner one atop the other.

The Newsstand door flew open and Sark, back in the original shimmer he had been caught in stepped out.

'Freeze!' Kay stepped out, weapon leveled at Sark.

Sark did precisely that as a train pulled into the station, Kay hazarded a blink in the train's direction and that was all Sark needed. From behind him he raised the gun he had concealed and fired. Jay snatched Kay out of the way as the Doctor pointed his sonic at Sark. With a gout of sparks the weapon ceased working and Sark angrily tossed it at the Time Lord and darted into the emerging crowd of bystanders that exited.

Kay stood up and placed a communicator in his ear, 'Oh, we need Clean Up and Crime Scene at the subway terminal at 40th and Grande.'

Jay meanwhile started herding people together, 'Can I have your attention please,' The crowd of onlookers that had gathered huddled together. The Doctor watched with rapt attention as Kay and the Jay both placed dark shades on. From his lapel, Jay took out his neuralyzer and pressing a button on the back a flash of blue light hit everyone in the crowd, then Jay took off his shades, 'You know how the guy at the newspaper stand is always telling you that this ain't a library?' The crowd gave him semi interested blank stares. Jay gestured behind him to the subway pillar that Sark's blast had put a basketball sized hole through and as if on cue a tile fell from the side and broke. His expression mirroring his mood. 'People in New York are crazy, don't read at the newsstand.'

A short while later the clean up crew and the MiB crime scene unit had arrived. Already Jay, Kay and the Doctor were inside the newsstand looking around. The Doctor waved the sonic around then flipped it open and studied it for a moment. 'Well?' Kay asked.

'Aside from the dead Garguantean there is little sign of what business your friend had with our attacker.' The Doctor looked around the small back room.

'Hey Doc,' Jay began, 'earlier when I flashed the crowd why didn't you need shades?'

The Doctor's eyes lit up, 'Oh that!' he held up a finger where a small twist of twine was tied.

Jay gave his best "Huh?" expression, 'I don't get it, you're telling me a piece of rope tied around your index finger protected you from the effects of a neuralyzer?'

It was the Doctor's turn to give Jay his best withering glare, 'Agent Jay, don't be ridiculous a piece of twine couldn't possibly do such a thing-' Jay scoffed as the Doctor continued, '-unless of course it were a forget-me-knot.' 'Forget-me-what?' 'Forget-me-knot, a gift I picked up a few regenerations ago in a little outpost in the Adulie Sector of space. Where do you think the superstition came from?'

'Yeah? How's it work?' Jay asked.

'Gentlemen, this conversation is fascinating but we've got a dead arms dealer, an escaped suspect on the loose with the means to look perfectly human and a sketchy idea that the target is a piece of alien technology we've got locked up in the office.' Kay was being more surly than usual.

'My bad.' Jay muttered.

'Sorry.' The Doctor said then he spun around arms wild, 'Still the funny thing about yammering on is it gives my mind the chance to sort through things.' 'Things.' Kay said with an upraised eyebrow. 'Lots of things!' The Doctor exclaimed, 'Things that don't make sense, things most others ignore at a glance. Things like why was the late Gus there murdered here? Why not over there?' Kay gave the Time Lord blank face, 'Isn't it obvious?' The Doctor pointed his sonic at the floor and a table lifted up.

Everyone backed up as the Doctor placed a hand on the table and the black top lit up with glyphs, a holographic readout floating above the table. Jay stepped up beside the Doctor, 'Can you read that?' 'I can read anything.' The Doctor replied offhandedly. Swiping his hand aside the readout changed.

'Our shimmer man has changed clothes.' The Doctor stood back as Jay and Kay took in the image before them.

'Damn.' was all that Jay could say.

Sark stepped off the elevator at MiB headquarters in his new shimmer. He kept his eyes down and hurried through the terminal passed several rows of new arrivals. He had the device on his scanner and his time was running out. If the agents that had stopped him at the newsstand were as good as they seemed, Sark felt it was only a matter of moments before they discovered his cover. Turning into a limited access hallway he pulled a small shiny disc out of his pocket. Depressing the side it split open revealing a small readout. Sark pressed the button and suddenly everything technological began flickering and blinking. He had four Earth minutes before the scrambler lost its charge. Until then no one could communicate in or out of the facility.

General Stow stood with arms behind his back. 'General,' A junior officer spoke grabbing the Sontaran officer's attention, 'The infiltrator has signalled he is preparing to acquire the device.'

The General opened his mouth to speak but another voice interrupted him, 'This is completely unlike a general of the Sontaran's.' Every member of the command crew turned to see a figure stride onto the deck.

'May I have your name?' General Stow asked.

'Why?'

'So that I may speak of your bravery and cunning in the days to come, before striking you down like the human vermin you are!' Stow tensed his jaw, the adrenalin rushing to his limbs as his warrior muscles ached for the thrill of combat.

'Ungh "human" really? I'm the Doctor,' Realization struck every Sontaran on the deck, 'and right now I'm all that stands between you and complete annihilation.'

A black sedan sped through New York at unbelievable speeds, 'Headquarters is dark, no response-no nothing!' Jay said slamming his fist into the dashboard.

Kay pursed his lips, 'The Doctor was right, this guy is on the move we know where he's headed we even know what he's after.' 'Now we just gotta get there in time.' Jay said his knuckles flexing around the upper side handle.

'The legends are true then,' General Stow said as he strode around the command deck, 'General Strolm lost honor for his entire clone batch after his failed attempt to take this world.'

'Then you know I'm no one to be trifled with. I know why you're here.' The Doctor dry washed his hands, 'I mean you no harm, this world means you no harm but I can't allow you to bring danger to them either.'

Stow glared at the Doctor, his jaw tensing with every word he desired to spit back swallowed. At last with a tremendous effort he heaved a heavy sigh, 'Doctor we mean no harm to your precious planet Earth. Albeit I would gladly leave it a burning cinder for the glory of the Sontaran Empire. Unfortunately our mission here is-what's the term?' Stow seemed to search when at last he said, 'one of desperation.'

The Doctor blinked, 'Beg your pardon?'

Sark watched from around a corner as MiB security moved about the chamber where the device's signal was located. Several minutes had passed, he had little more than a minute before the scrambler he had engaged died. It was now or never. Several agents walked by and Sark moved in behind them trying to blend in as best he could. The agents split then with several passing the large entry and two of them going the way Sark needed to go. He broke off with the latter.

The security guards at the door scrutinized the agents going into the area but never asked for ID's so Sark entered with them. As soon as they passed the entry Sark slid into a dark corner and dropped his shimmer. Once in his true form he climbed the walls scaling up to the roof and making his way to the far back corner where several agents stood watch over the device.

The device itself was clear, no agents stood within ten yards. Then a single female agent wandered up to it with a clipboard. She wrote several things all the while keeping her eyes on it. Time was running out. Sark had no choice.

A short distance away Cee and Esse talked in hushed tones when a grunt and sickeningly hard crunch made them spin around weapons drawn. Where Ex had been only a moment ago another agent the two didn't recognize stood looking around curiously.

'Ex?' Cee asked heading back toward the device they were assigned to protect.

'I think she went that way.' The agent said.

Cee was about to accept that as he began to turn back toward his post. Then his eyes caught something flesh colored from just around the large crate the device had been stored in. The unknown agent locked eyes with Cee and before he could react pointed a weapon and fired. Cee dove to one side as he heard Esse return fire. Drawing his own atomizer as he rolled he came up in a crouch and joined the fight.

Sark deactivated the shimmer giving him more mobility. Slapping a receiver onto the crate he activated the short range teleport-and nothing happened. Sark began to panic, checking the teleport he realized he had a few seconds left on his jamming device. Sark hit his head against the crate in anger and cursed in his native tongue.

As one agent Jay and Kay burst into the vault weapons at the ready. Kay stalked down the center of the rows of restricted alien tech. Jay looked up and began scaling the nearest shelf to get the high ground. Kay reached the stagin area where the device was kept. Esse stood to one side, Cee to the other and from where he stood Kay could see another agent down just behind the device.

'Give it up lizard lips.' Kay shouted.

Sark leaned out so he could see Kay better. 'Who you callin' lizard lips, ape sack!'

'Hey Kay!' Sark and Kay looked up to see Jay aiming his tiny gun at Sark from atop a nearby rack, 'How about a new belt?'

Sark looked panicked, 'You're ruining everything! I don't have a choice!'

A crack and boom of thunder followed by a flash of light heralded the Doctor's arrival, 'There's always a choice.' he said. From behind him stepped the leader of the Eighth Sontaran Fleet, General Stow.

'Doc?' Kay asked.

The Doctor raised a hand and turned toward Sark, 'I know you think there's no other way, no other choice but the truth is there is no version of this that ends well,' he raised his index finger, 'unless you surrender to me, right now.'

Sark was torn, 'I-I-I can't-' he began.

'You can and you will, they've agreed to give us the incubator without conflict.' Stow exclaimed.

'We have?' Both Jay and Kay said together.

'You have.' The Doctor punctuated holding a hand up to both men.

'Shut up!' Sark shouted at Stow leveling a gun at him. The Doctor confused but desperate to keep things from falling apart moved between Sark and the Sontaran General. 'I was going to say that I can't let them have this!'

Realization hit the Doctor like a ton of bricks, 'Who did you lose?' he asked solemnly, 'When the Sontaran's conquered you're world.'

Sark looked away for a moment finally his eyes locked onto the Doctor's and pain bled to the surface. The Doctor bit his lip with the rage he felt inside, 'My entire family was enslaved. He promised if I got this back they would be freed.'

The Doctor spun on Stow, 'Is that true?'

The General ground his teeth, 'It is.'

'Are they even still alive?' The Doctor demanded. The General looked nervous. 'Okay.' The Doctor spun on Sark, 'You want your freedom, fine this is the place to do it. No one else has to die today.' The Doctor looked back at Stow, 'No one.'

Kay stepped up beside the Doctor, 'I can take it from here.' The Doctor nodded. 'Right this way sir. MiB personnel will handle your protection and get you situated here on Earth as a productive member of our society.'

Sark looked from the Doctor to Kay and back at Stow, 'What happens to them then?'

The Doctor stepped forward, 'Look at him,' The Doctor moved aside giving Sark a clear view, 'they're dying. Desperately engaged in a civil war that may end their entire civilization. I've been to the future and you have to believe me it doesn't look bright for them.' Sark seemed to be considering the Doctor's words carefully, 'Trust me,' He said at last, 'I'm the Doctor.'

Sark nodded and handed the Doctor his weapon. Agents Cee and Esse escorted Sark out leaving Jay, Kay and the Doctor alone with Stow. A long moment of silence hung in the chamber before Stow asked, 'You're going to allow us to take the incubation device?'

Kay looked at the Doctor who said, 'I am. Now take it and go.'

Jay tore a sheet of paper off a small clip board and handed it to the General, 'What's this?' Stow asked.

'Ticket,' Jay replied, 'Your ship is parked illegally. It's just a warning.'

Stow pressed a button on his gauntlet, 'The device is prepared.' immediately a clap of thunder and a flash of light and the incubation device was teleported away. The Doctor turned to leave, 'Doctor,' Stow said and the Time Lord stopped facing away from him, 'what you told Sark, was it true?'

The Doctor slowly turned his head to the side, 'Leave General. Help your people, they're going to need you.'

The Doctor left the vault.

In the main MiB hanger the Doctor clapped his hands together, 'There she is!' He patted the TARDIS fondly, 'Miss me old girl?' Jay and Kay walked in a few moments later, 'The General on his way then?' he asked.

'Pulled out of orbit a few second ago.' Kay replied.

'I see, well thank you for bringing my TARDIS to me, I appreciate it.' The Doctor said glibly.

'Actually,' Jay said tearing a piece of paper off a small clipboard and handing it to the Doctor.

'What's this?' The Doctor asked incredulously.

'Ticket,' Jay said, 'you were double parked. It's just a warning.'

The Doctor smiled, 'Yeah well I appreciate the gesture then.'

'As usual Doc, it's a pleasure working with you.' Kay shook his hand.

'The pleasure Agent Kay is all mine. It does my hearts good to know someone is looking out for the world who isn't trying to kill everything on sight.' 'Torchwood we're not, Doctor.' Kay said.

The Doctor unlocked the TARDIS and turned back, 'Agent Jay, if memory serves you've never been inside the TARDIS before.' he remarked.

Jay exchanged looks with Kay, 'Yeah, so?'

The Doctor opened the door wide and stood aside. Kay shrugged and the Jay walked in. The Doctor smiled knowingly at Kay.

'DAMN! KAY!' 'Yeah kid?' 'You gotta see this, it's bigger on the inside-' 'You don't say.'