Blood of the Imani

by Dengirl

Is blood thicker than love? Last in this particular series, hence the length of this story. My next stories bring back a not so old enemy.

Chapter One

Fire raged around him, choking smoke filling his lungs, he saw everything through a black haze.

"Harkness," he heard himself snarl, saw the glitter of glass in his hand.

"No!" he cried as he saw himself kill his friend.

**************************************

Jack jumped when the Doctor cried out in his sleep.

In the days since the Doctor had come back, he had worked non-stop on that awful liquid. He would have kept going, if Owen hadn't physically dragged him from the lab and threatened to sedate the hell out of him, if he didn't he some rest.

But the Doctor's sleep had been restless, and several times in the last few hours, he had cried out and Jack did his best to try and calm him into a peaceful slumber.

Jack had wondered what he was reliving in his dreams, what horrors or guilt ridden memories plagued his slumber. He leant forward and stroked the Doctor's hair, when he whimpered at some unseen horror.

"Sssh, you're safe," he whispered, and brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead. He stopped when he felt how warm his skin felt, his concern turned to worry.

************************************

Jack fidgeted as Owen examined the Doctor.

"Well?" Jack asked.

"Give me a minute!" Owen snapped, acutely aware of the agitation radiating from Jack.

He unhurriedly finished his examination, and turned back to Jack.

"It's nothing serious, let's face it, the guy was dead for three days, and before that he was under a hell of lot of stress. His immune system is a little out of sorts, like I said lots of rest and sleep and try and get him to eat something."

"Thanks," Jack said, as he pulled the blanket back over the Doctor.

"No problem, I'm now going back to my not so warm bed. Just make sure he eats, yeah."

Jack nodded and settled back down in the chair, and watched the Doctor intently.

His mind wandered back to that kiss on the stricken cruiser. What did that kiss mean? Did it mean anything? Was it just a way of distracting him? Or was there the minutest hope that the Doctor had feelings for him?

Don't be stupid, he told himself. Don't go all love-sick puppy over what was a one-off moment.

************************************

"Jack," the Doctor moaned and twisted in his sleep.

Jack cursed himself at his reaction to the overtly wanton tone in the way the Doctor called his name.

"No please, I don't want," the Doctor's tone had turned from want to horror.

"No, stop, no….oh Rassilon …no!" he cried out, and his whole body stiffened.

Jack was up in an instant, gathering the sleeping Doctor in his arms.

"It's okay, it's okay," he said gently.

But the Doctor was lost in the nightmare, words tumbling incoherently.

"The blood… the blood," the Doctor said in an agitated tone, the words descending into wordless tears.

He struggled in Jack's arms, but he held him tightly.

"It's okay, sssh," he said and gently wiped away the tears.

**************************************

Seconds later, brown eyes misted with the remains of tears and dreams stared up at him.

"Tell me Jack, why are you cuddling me?" the Doctor's voice held that disapproving tone once more.

He extricated himself from Jack's arms, and put a frosty distance between them.

"Doctor I... you were dreaming," Jack stammered.

The Doctor took a deep breath, and held it for few seconds before breathing out. He regretted using that tone of voice, when he saw the hurt in Jack's eyes. How much more hurt would there be, before this thing was over.

"I'm sorry, thank you," he said in a softer tone, and smiled.

Jack brightened at the smile, and rubbed away the tears that were forming.

"Whoa, where do you think you are going?" he said, alarmed when the Doctor swung his legs and made to stand up.

*************************************

The Doctor looked down at the hand that was pressed against his chest, stopping him moving.

"Jack, I have to finish the elixir. The longer we wait, the further the box gets away from me."

He didn't dare mention the change that was going to happen. Even if they found the box, it didn't solve the problem of the Imani marker, for that he needed an Imani geneticist, and he didn't think one would be forthcoming.

The best he could hope for, when the inevitable happened, was that he didn't become a soldier. He really needed to find that box and remove the thing inside, before the Imani Imperative overrode his Time Lord self and he was lost.

**********************************

"Doctor?" Jack said, a frown creasing his brow at the far away look on the Doctor's face.

"Hmm, sorry, you were saying?"

"I was saying how would you like to join us for breakfast?"

"Thanks, but I'm not hungry. I have to finish the elixir."

Jack's face clouded. "That wasn't a request that was an order from a doctor. If you don't eat, Owens' going to stick a tube down your throat and force feed you."

The Doctor shuddered at that. "No thanks, they did to Emily's friend you know, nasty. Breakfast eh, I could eat."

**********************************

The Doctor had insisted on checking the lab first, and bumped into Solkar on his way out.

"Hello," he said brightly. "Sorry the old girl couldn't drop you home. I'll have to widen her parameters. Tell you what, why don't you join us for breakfast?"

Solkar looked a little bewildered, as the Doctor had said the whole sentence a speed, and in one breath.

"I would love to, but…." He began.

"But I don't think someone with blue fur and yellow eyes ordering a full English breakfast would be a good idea, just might cause a riot," Jack said as he caught the end of the conversation.

The Doctor blinked, as if seeing Solkar for the first time.

"Oh right, this is twenty-first century Earth, not quite ready for off-worlder tourism yet, sorry," he said. "I'll stay here and have breakfast.

"No, you go with your friends, you should make time for your friends. Besides I do not think I could watch you eat something that was once alive."

Jack looked at the Doctor for an answer.

"Vegetarian, have been for the last couple of thousand years. Quite right, can't eat things that are still looking at you when you eat them myself, lobsters…yuck!"

"And we're heading for the door, no-one eats until we get there." Jack said.

He pushed the prevaricating Doctor towards the Hub door. "Doctor breakfast, now," he said firmly, and shoved him out of the door.

****************************************

Solkar waited until the door hissed shut, and the Hub was quiet. He looked round to make sure, before pulling out a communicator.

"Signa Six to Signa Base."

"This is Signa Base, report Signa Six," a voice replied.

"Have infiltrated the human base." The programme is proceeding, the marker is in place."

"Well done Signa Six, stick with the Time Lord, Signa Base out."

Solkar hid the communicator and smiled, the Emperor would reward him well.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Two

Breakfast was turning out to be more interesting than usual. That happened when threw a time-travelling alien into the mix.

Gwen stared at the contents of the Doctor's breakfast, quite how someone could eat scramble, poached and fried eggs, followed by a banana split, was beyond her. In fact, it made her quite queasy thinking about it.

The Doctor however seemed to have a cast iron stomach, and was only stopped from drinking the melted ice cream by a 'don't you dare' look from Martha, who seemed otherwise unperturbed by the Doctor's eating habits.

"I've seen worse," she said when she saw the look on Gwen's face.

Jack was in the middle of a rather saucy tale, which he had cleared up somewhat, after the Doctor had raised a disapproving eyebrow at him, followed by a 'don't, just don't' shake of his head.

"Like I was saying, Arluvians have a thing for purple, something about their ancestors having purple stripes and mating rituals, it tells both sexes I'm fertile and willing."

Jack looked over at the Doctor, who was studiously contemplating his mug of tea.

"So we waltz into the busiest bar in the city, in the middle of their once in a century mating cycle. He's wearing a blue tie with purple flowers, and announces to the whole bar that he needs somebody. I tell you I've…."

"Anyway," the Doctor interrupted. "I think I should be getting back to the Hub, things to do, Pandora's Box to find. If you want to know I got six proposals of marriage, and over a dozen invitations to go behind the shuttle shed," he said, giving Gwen a cheeky wink as he stood up.

****************************************

The Doctor returned to the lab with Martha in tow. She wandered round the bubbling demy-johns and watched the honey coloured liquid flow through tubes and filters.

"So, this stuff," she didn't even attempt to pronounce the Gallifreyan name he had given it. "This stuff, too strong and it kills you, too weak and crazy boy wakes up."

"Got it in one, but if you dilute it right, it's a strong sedative. It takes longer to make without the help of the TARDIS, but she refuses to help me make any more," the Doctor said as he busied himself with a sample of the liquid.

"I don't blame her. Why would she help you kill yourself again," she said as she moved to stand next to him.

"So that thing inside could come back at any time, and it'll stay unless you get that wooden box?"

She was taken aback when the Doctor snapped, "Why should I need a common wooden box," in an imperious tone.

"What?" Martha said.

The Doctor blinked and looked round at her. "Sorry, yes, the box. It's similar to a snare, holds it until it can be dealt with," he answered her question as if he had said nothing untoward in between.

"Are you all right?" he asked when he saw her perplexed look.

"I'm fine, I just thought you said something," she lied.

"Ahh, there we are, perfect dilution. All I need to do is decant it, and we can be off," he said, grinning at Martha. "Now, where did I put that funnel?"

**************************************

It was decided that only Jack, Martha and Solkar, whom the Doctor said he would drop off on the way, should make this particular journey.

"The less people I take, the less I have to worry about," was the Doctor's reasoning, and he remained stubbornly silent in the face of the arguments that ensued.

Leaving Jack to sort out his team, the Doctor went down to where the TARDIS had landed.

His stomached fluttered with nerves, as he approached his ship. Would she accept him?

He had felt her recoil from his mind on the cruiser, felt her fear at what he had become.

He tentatively reached out and touched the wooden surface. He trembled slightly at the immense power he felt under his hand.

Would she reject him, when she found the marker interwoven in his DNA? He shivered when he felt her touch his mind, the caress almost sensual in its intensity.

"Hello, old girl," he said softly. "I know, I feel it too," he said in response to the worried query in his head.

"You can try, but time is against us, old friend."

He drew in a sharp breath as the TARDIS singled out the Imani marker, and tried to prise it away from his DNA matrix. He felt her panic as his hearts began to beat out of synch; he pulled his hand away with a gasp.

***********************************

"Hey, no flirting with the TARDIS, your rules," Jack said as he entered the storage area.

The Doctor took a few moments to compose himself before answering. "I wasn't, we weren't, we were saying hello," he finally managed to say.

Jack put his hands up in a placating gesture. "None of my business, it's your TARDIS, she's obviously missed you. So go ahead and flirt, don't mind me," he said, amusement shining in his eyes.

The Doctor cleared his throat, and turned his attention to Martha and Solkar, who were just entering the store room. "You can take that straight in," the Doctor said to Solkar, " the doors open."

Solkar hefted the box and put out a hand to push the door, but it didn't move. "It's locked, Doctor," he said.

The Doctor looked up. "It wasn't a minute ago." He crossed over and tried the door. "See, unlocked," he said as the door swung open.

Solkar hefted the box again, stepped forward, and nearly fell over when the door slammed in his face.

The Doctor was there in an instant, standing in front of the door.

"What are you doing? Is it the elixir? I'm sorry, but we have to. Come on, let him in."

There was a pause, and it seemed like the Doctor was listening to something.

"What do you mean no? There's nothing wrong with him. You let him on before, now open the door."

The door opened slowly, almost as if it was being done reluctantly.

"Sorry about that, she gets a little temperamental now and then," the Doctor apologised.

"It's all right, she doesn't really know me," Solkar said, and gingerly stepped over the threshold, the Doctor closing the door behind him.

Solkar carried the box up the ramp, and then dropped it on the grating. He turned and gave the console a hefty kick.

"I know you know, you ancient piece of space junk," he sneered. "I am going to enjoy taking you apart."

*********************************************

The Doctor looked round when the TARDIS rumbled. "It's time to go," he said, and ushered everyone into the TARDIS.

He busily ran round the console, flicking switches and adjusting levers. Finally, he placed his hand on one lever.

"Ready. Handbrake off and away we go."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Three

The TARDIS spun in the Vortex, following the course set by her pilot. She didn't want to go where he was taking them, but she had too. All she really wanted to do was eject that duplicitous Valaxian Solkar into space, and take her Time Lord far away from here.

******************************************

"So, the Imani never heard of them," Jack said.

"You don't want to, they're an ancient warrior race, nearly as old as my people are, were," he corrected himself. "Conquered several star systems before they were stopped. Last time anyone came in contact with they were a dying race, very xenophobic as I recall."

"They didn't look like a dying race to me," Martha said.

"And some of those soldiers were races I recognise," Jack said. "So, not so xenophobic now."

The Doctor said nothing, not sure how to tell them how the Imani swelled their ranks.

"So it would seem," the mused.

"Solkar, you said something about people being altered, turning against their own people?"

"Some kind of conditioning?" Jack said.

"Possibly, more likely blood control. Valaxian's all have the same blood group. Conditioning can be a bit hit and miss."

The Doctor was pretty sure it was blood control, easy and inexpensive to implement.

Whereas the Imperative Marker put inside him was expensive and prone to complication.

This worried him, if someone had gone to the expense and time to implant the marker, it didn't bode well, for him or his companions.

He knew from experience, that once the Imperative was dominant, nothing else would matter.

"So they use other races as cannon fodder," Martha said, the disgust clear in her voice.

"It's one way of avoiding extinction. Why risk your own sons, when you can use someone else's."

Both Jack and Martha looked at him sharply. They were used to his somewhat alien spin on morality, but this sounded positively callous.

****************************************

Any further conversation was halted by a ping from the console.

"Ah, we're here. Should be the Imperial Palace of whatisname the fifth,"the Doctor said, picking up his coat, and heading for the door. "For all their faults, the Imani know how to build a palace."

He flung the door open, stepped outside, closely followed by the others.

"Doesn't look like a palace to me," Solkar said.

In fact, it was as far removed from a city as you could get.

***********************************************

Sprawling in front of them, was a city, that to be fair, might have been at some time a city. Now it was ruins, overgrown with vegetation.

"No, the city," the Doctor said in a horrified whisper.

The others were too busy taking in the ruins, so they didn't hear his horrified whisper. His city, the palace, the royal garden, all gone.

"Doctor, what was this place?"

Jack's question broke his state of shock.

"This is, or was, the capital of the Imani Empire."

He pointed to a ruined building in the distance. "That, from what I recall of my only visit here, should be the Imperial Palace. This place should be… it's just….. "

"Looks like it's been this way for a long time," Martha said. "Maybe it was destroyed in a war."

"Or they abandoned it," Solkar said.

The Doctor looked round at the ruined city. "I would never….." he said, louder than intended.

"What would you never?" Martha asked, a twinge of concern gnawing at her. "Do you know what happened here?"

The Doctor didn't reply straight away. He seemed lost in thought, or was it memory.

"Doctor?" Martha said.

"No, I came here long ago, centuries in fact. It was the centre of the Empire. It was beautiful. There were towers that sparkled in the sunlight, gardens that were so peaceful, so not this," he spread his arm out wide.

Jack looked at the ruins, then at the Doctor. It almost sounded like there was just regret for the loss of the city. Where was his rant about the lives that might have been lost? Was the thing inside him returning? He had only given him a shot of the sedative this morning. So what was wrong?

*******************************************

The Doctor suddenly span round, as a flicker of movement caught his eye, a flash of clothing.

"Hey!" he shouted, and took off at a sprint.

Jack and Martha were both taken by surprise, so were a few paces behind him.

Except Solkar, who hung back.

He once again took out his communicator.

"Signa Six to Signa Base. The Imperative is active, I repeat, the Imperative is active."

He had only just pocketed it again, when Jack appeared from behind a ruined wall.

"Come on!" he yelled, and disappeared.

******************************************

"Wait!" the Doctor called as he caught another glimpse, this time of an actual person.

He increased his pace, and raced round the corner at speed, only to run into mid-air. He did a very effective impression of Wylie., arms windmilling uselessly, before dropping like a stone. Unlike the cartoon, he didn't spring back up again, but lay very still.

Suddenly there was a flurry of action as the hole into which he had fallen disappeared beneath foliage and bits of wood.

***************************************

Jack was the first to round the corner. He skidded to a halt, stumbling forward when Martha cannoned into him. He should have been able to see the Doctor, as there was only open space around them.

"Where's he gone?" Martha said, looking round in confusion.

"I don't…" he began, looking round when Solkar rounded the corner.

"What's happened?" he asked.

"He's disappeared," Jack said, the worry making his tone clipped.

"How could he just disappear?" Solkar said. "He must be around here somewhere."

Neither of the trio thought to look beneath their feet, as an unconscious Doctor was dragged away by tiny hands.

********************************************

"What is it?" the first voice said.

"Dead is it?" a second voice said.

"Nah, still breathing innit," a third voice said, and poked it with the end of a spear.

"Can we eat it?" the first voice said.

"Nah, skinny bones, no meat. It's a grown up, ain't it," the third voice said.

"Ain't no grown ups, it's an undead," the second voice said.

"Kill it," the third voice said.

"Nah, rules say, find it, take it back." the first voice said.

The owners of the voices jumped when the body shifted and made a noise.

"Tolds you we should kill it, how we gonna drag it back?"

"Nah, look, it's not moving. Get the vines, we can drag it. It's a skinny bones, s'not heavy."

"Yeah," all the voices agreed, and the sound of scurrying filled the tunnel.

***********************************

Jack was becoming increasingly frustrated; he had searched for what seemed forever. How could one person disappear without a trace, even if the Doctor did make a habit of it? But Jack thought, there would still be footprints.

To complicate matters, it was getting dark and he had to go back to where he had left the others. He carefully retraced his steps, and was nearly back when the ground beneath his foot started to sink.

He quickly pulled his foot back, and tested the ground with his toes. There was a hole underneath!

"Martha, Solkar!" he shouted, and began clearing away vegetation.

**************************************

The Doctor jerked awake, his head pounding like a set of drums. He blinked. Wait a second, that was drums.

He sat up and banged his head on something wooden, and it felt very unsteady. He shook his head to clear it of the buzz of unconsciousness.

He was in a cage, suspended in the air!

******************************************

"It's awake," what sounded like a child's voice shouted somewhere below.

There were several answering shouts, and the Doctor had to grab hold of the sides of his too small cage, as he was lowered, the cage swinging dangerously close to a solid stone wall.

As he was lowered to the ground, he could see, even in the firelight, dozens of children, all ages, crowding round the cage.

He couldn't be sure, but he was poked in the side by what looked like an eight year old boy.

"Oi! I am not a pin cushion!" he said.

There was a collective gasp, and most of the children stepped back, except of course, for the one that was poking him.

Another child, perhaps a few years older stepped forward.

"It ain't an undead, it has words. It's a grown up, innit."

With that a group of older, more than likely teenagers pushed through the crowd.

"Hey, it's a grown up, what's the rule about grown ups," said one of them, quite likely the leader.

"If you don't mind, I would really like to get out of this cage, "the Doctor said.

The older children seemed un-startled by the Doctor speaking.

"You don't look like a grown up, you don't have markings, you're an un-dead," the older boy said.

"No, I am not an un-dead and I don't have markings, whatever they are," the Doctor said, still crammed in the cage.

"It from the city, one of the gangs, we in trouble," said another.

"I say we kills it, leave for the un-dead."

"Nah, gangs'll know, kills us instead."

The Doctor was growing impatient. "I do not come from the city, nor am I part of a gang, and I really want out of this cage!" he yelled, kicking at the sturdy wooden frame.

"It ain't got no gang marks, don't sound like one."

"Cos' it ain't," a new voice said. "It's a Sky Lord."

There was silence, and perhaps a little fear rippled through the children, and someone hurriedly unlocked the cage.

The Doctor uncurled himself from inside the cage, and stared at the children.

"Is it really a sky lord?" the boy who the Doctor was pretty sure was the leader asked.

The girl studied the Doctor for a moment. "The truth giver will know, it knows everything," she said.

Cries of 'truth giver' rang around the crowd, and the Doctor was prodded once more by the over-zealous eight-year old into movement.

**********************************************

The tunnel that the trio found was narrow and not to tall. So they had to lean forward slightly as they walked along it. It was lit by torches, and the flickering light only made it seem more oppressive.

"Who uses this tunnel, the seven dwarves," Jack said.

"Whoever it is, the Doctor couldn't have walked down here," Martha said.

They stopped when Jack held up his hand, and crouched down on his haunches, his hand tracing the dirt floor.

"I think he was dragged, and by more than one person," he said, and straightened as much as he could.

"Be on your toes," he said as they walked forward.

***********************************************

The Doctor had been carried along by the crowd of children to a half burnt building.

He was quickly getting over being locked in a cage, and was becoming increasingly annoyed at who could even think about leaving children behind in a ruined city.

Here was another problem to add to his already busy schedule, and to make matter more urgent, he could feel the Imani marker starting to assert itself.

He turned round, and gave the boy who was poking him what he hoped was a stern fatherly look, but it didn't seem to work. He was rewarded by another sharp pain to remind him to keep walking.

The group stopped outside a makeshift door and the girl who had called him a sky lord, whoever they were opened it with something akin to reverence.

The Doctor was persuaded inside by another poke of a spear point.

He was pushed towards what looked like a dusty old dentist chair.

"It has to sit in the truth giver," all the children that had managed to crowd in the small room chorused.

*************************************

The Doctor was all but shoved into the chair, and was a little concerned when all the children moved.

He went to move, but metal restraints whipped from the chair, and began wrapping themselves round the Doctor.

There was an ominous hum from above his head.

He looked up, and recoiled in panic when he saw what was descending!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Five

The faint echo of a scream alerted Jack to trouble beyond the tunnel. He looked back at the others, who gave silent 'yes's', he increased his pace and soon came to the end of the tunnel.

He found himself on the edge of a small tented camp. He strained his hearing for anymore audible clues. He was pretty sure the scream and the emptiness of the camp were connected. He walked through the camp, and came across a fire and a wooden cage.

"This is not good," he said, as he looked at the trampled ground. Looking round once more, he gave a short whistle, and seconds later Martha and Solkar moved into the firelight.

Martha eyed the wooden cage. "This isn't good, is it?" she said.

"No, and I don't have a clue where to look," Jack answered.

As if to give them a very big clue, another cry rang out.

"I think we should look that way," Solkar said.

******************************************

The Doctor had looked up in horror as the device lowered from above. He tried to move his head away, but the device clamped itself to his temples. He knew as soon as he had seen it, it would be painful, extremely painful.

With clinical machine detachment, the device forced itself into the Doctor's mind and body. He couldn't help but cry out when tendrils wormed their way towards his hearts.

Sweat was beginning to pour off him; he was physically shuddering as the device went about its examination of him. White hot pain seared through him as the tendrils sank into his hearts. He knew he was screaming, but couldn't hear it.

As quickly as the device had begun its examination, it finished, tendrils ripping from the Doctor's flesh. The Doctor cried out again, and then his world went black.

******************************************

The children had been watching in awed silence, as the 'truth giver' had carried out its work. They were hoping that this grown up did not become dead. They had waited so long for someone to survive it, and take them away from the city.

Some of the younger children, who had not been in the camp long, began crying at the agonised cries coming from in front of them.

"Is it going to be dead?" one child sobbed.

The girl who had opened the door put an arm around the child. "Look, not dead yet, an undead would be."

They held their collective breaths as the 'truth giver' finished its work, and flinched at the cry the grown up gave as the tendrils tore from flesh.

The grown up was very still, even when the restraints retracted back into the chair.

The leader approached the Doctor and tentatively touched his face. He pulled back his hand sharply when the Doctor's eyelid fluttered.

The whole room jumped when the door burst off its makeshift hinges, and a very angry Jack barrelled in with a furious bellow.

************************************

The last cry had been enough to tip Jack over the edge into white hot anger. He'd had enough of hearing the Doctor's cries of pain, physical and emotional. "No more!" he yelled, and kicked in the door. He was about to tackle what he thought were warriors when he was halted by Martha's shout.

"Jack, no, they're children!"

As the blindness of rage cleared, he could see Martha was right, the whole room was full of children. Jack blinked and pushed his anger down, but raised his voice instead. "What the hell do you think you're doing!" he roared, as he caught sight of the Doctor, still slumped in the chair.

The stunned silence was broken by the movement of the children en-masse towards and out of the broken door. Jack looked round in confusion as the last child disappeared into the night, pursued by Solkar.

***************************************

Martha had approached the chair still occupied by the Doctor. She hissed through her teeth at the bloody welts on his temples, and the flecks of blood on his clothing. She looked up and saw the device, now swinging innocently above. She couldn't even begin to imagine what the device was or what it did.

She could, however, do something about the aftermath. "Jack, help me get him out of this thing," she said as she felt the side of his neck, finding a reassuring pulse.

"Is he okay?" Jack asked as he helped lift the Doctor of the chair and laid him down on the floor.

"Still alive at least, but that thing doesn't look like it was built for massage," she said.

Jack looked up and the scowl returned to his face. "That's a Level Eight Genetic Reader, they were banned over a century ago. How the hell did those kids get hold of one of those?"

"They didn't," a hoarse voice said weakly.

******************************************

The Doctor had come round and was struggling to sit up.

"Oh, no, you don't, mister," Martha said. "You stay put."

The Doctor as usual ignored her and sat up, instantly regretting it of course, swallowing down nausea. "I doubt they even know what it is."

He stopped talking for a second and did his own internal check up. The reader had done its job with precision. A small piece of each heart had been dissected, along with a DNA sample and some of his blood. Shaking his head to clear it, he tried to get to his feet but was promptly pushed down again by Martha.

"You are not going anywhere," Martha said in her best doctor tone.

"Martha, I have to find those children, they shouldn't be here. This city shouldn't be in ruins, they may know what happened," he said in his best pleading tone, matching it with his best let me look.

"Don't try that look with me," she said. "Jack and Solkar will find them."

"Oh, wonderful, that's all they need, two soldiers chasing them down," the Doctor said huffily. Ignoring Martha's protests, he scrambled up, stood for a few moments to regain his equilibrium, before striding towards the door.

"Jack," he called as he stepped outside into the night.

*********************************************

Jack was not having a good time. These kids were slippery. How could over a hundred children just disappear? To top it all, he had lost sight of Solkar, after he had made a grab for one child, only to miss him by millimetres.

He stopped when he heard a noise to his left. He moved quickly and quietly, circling round the noise. He heard what he thought was a muffled squeak, then he heard a noise that definitely wasn't a squeak. It sounded like an animal.

Jack's annoyance at not being able to catch one kid faded as he came across a scene from a horror movie. The child he had been chasing was caught in the grip of what he thought at first was an animal.

It was only when he yelled to distract it, and it turned towards him, that he realised it was a person. He didn't have time to think about as the person dropped the child, and ran, not away from him, but towards him!

******************************************

Jack steeled himself for the impact as the person snarled its intent at him and….. suddenly stopped in their tracks, and cowered. Jack risked a look behind him and saw a welcome sight.

The Doctor was standing, arm outstretched, sonic screwdriver glowing brightly. He walked slowly towards Jack, never taking his eyes of the cowering figure. "Jack, take the boy and get out of here. I can't hold it for long."

Jack didn't move at first, reluctant to leave the Doctor.

As the Doctor drew level, he spoke again. "Do as I say," he said in his no non-sense tone.

Jack moved forward, scooped the crying boy into his arms, and moved behind the Doctor.

"Go on, Martha's still at the reader, go!" the Doctor said rather too sharply.

"But..." Jack began to protest.

The Doctor's head snapped round, and his look told Jack he would brook no argument.

Without further protest Jack turned and disappeared into the darkness of the camp.

************************************

The Doctor advanced towards the cowering figure, who looked up at him with a face full of fear.

"It's okay," the Doctor said gently, his eyes radiating non-threat.

The figure came out of its crouch, seemingly entranced by the Doctor's soft tones, and the gentleness radiating from him.

The Doctor put a comforting hand on both sides of the figures face, and suddenly and savagely twisted, the snap audible in the emptiness of the camp. The Doctor looked down at the crumpled figure, a look of loathing and pure hatred twisting his features.

"Filthy half-breed," he snarled, before turning and walking away.

********************************

Martha looked up when Jack came in, carrying a crying child. He handed her the child.

"I'm going back to help the Doctor," was all he said, and ran out again.

She looked at the receding form of Jack and then at the crying child in her arms. "Hey, it's all right, sweetheart," she said and hugged the child closer.

"Don't wanna be undead," the child sobbed.

"Sssh, no-one's going to hurt you," she said and held the child tighter.

The child squirmed in her arms, and suddenly sank its teeth into her arm.

"Oww!" she yelled, and let go and the child dashed out of the building. She was still nursing the arm when the Doctor appeared at the doorway.

"That's the problem with vermin, they bite," he said, the disdain clear in his voice.

Martha had to do a double take at the Doctor's words. "Excuse me, did you say vermin?" she said, narrowing her eyes, unable to see the Doctor's face, half-hidden in the shadows.

It was then that she heard the scurrying and saw the rat like creature run across the floor. Of course, he was talking about the rat.

"Sorry, I thought you meant the child."

She couldn't see the expression on the Doctor's face, nor the subtle change when he own personality returned. "Anyway, I think we should go and find the others and get back to the TARDIS."

"What about the children?" she asked.

"I don't think they want to be caught. But first I have to destroy this thing." He strode over to the chair, and pointed the screwdriver at the device hanging above. A shower of sparks heralded its destruction, much to the Doctor's delight.

"There, that won't be used anymore," he said in a satisfied tone. "Right, let's go find Jack and Solkar."

It was then that sound of laser fire, mixed with the high-pitched screams of children, filled the air.

***********************************************

Martha and the Doctor raced out of the building into a scene of carnage. Children were scattering everywhere. A loud whine came from up above.

The Doctor looked up. "Martha, look out!" he yelled, and then everything turned to blinding white!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Six

Jack threw himself to one side, as another laser bolt burnt into the stone above his head. He had been making his way back to where he had left the Doctor, when the shuttle swooped out of the night sky.

Quickly covering the ground, he dodged behind a half tumbled wall. He looked up as another shuttle flew over. It nearly cost him his life as a soldier rounded the side of the wall.

Jack only just heard the low-key whine of a laser being charged, and dived for the ground, rolling away, before righting himself and sprinting away. Now he was crouching as low as possible behind a ruined house, after the last shot nearly clipped him. He was about to move, when he felt cold metal against his neck.

"If you want to live, don't move, not just yet," a voice whispered in his ear.

The chink of feet on rubble gave away the soldier's position, just before he appeared from his hiding place. Jack realised he would have been an easy target, if he had moved.

Once the soldier had passed, Jack felt the coolness of the metal leave his skin, and the person behind breath a sigh of relief. Jack spun round, only to find to find a laser aimed at his face.

"Now, why don't you tell me what you are doing in the ruins, off-worlder?"

****************************************

Martha came too with a gasp, she still couldn't see, her eyes still dazzled by the white light.

"Don't try to see, the light will clear soon," a female voice said.

"Where am I?"

"Answers later, you should rest."

Martha closed her eyes and the light faded away.

When she woke again, she felt a lot better. She sat up, and found that at least it wasn't a cell. She looked up as someone approached, carrying a tray.

"You look better, I've brought you some food."

"Where am I?" she asked again.

"Safe, you're in one of our hidden camps." The woman frowned at Martha's confused look.

"You're not one of the rebels, are you?"

The woman's eyes widened in surprise. "You're from that wooden box they found, aren't you?" With a little gasp she almost dropped the tray in her eagerness to get away, and before Martha could shout for her to stop, she was gone.

***************************************

Naah the Fifth was not known for his patience. He stood looking through the glass, fingers drumming on the ledge. He watched as medics scurried round the person lying bathed in light. He had waited for so long for this moment, waited so long for the right recipient for this particular DNA marker.

He straightened as a white coated figure stepped out of the room. "Well, Moisan, I hope for your sake he's not damaged."

"No, sire, whatever the machine did, there was no damage to the marker. The Imperative has asserted itself one hundred percent."

"Good, then I won't have to execute you. Did he pass the test?"

"Yes, sire, our operative saw it himself, he did it without hesitation."

"Good, inform me when he wakes up." Naah looked back at the figure behind the glass, before turning away.

*************************************************

Jack had started to explain at gunpoint as they walked. His captor hadn't said much, just pushed him along when he slowed down.

"You didn't come alone, there were three others with you?" his captor said.

"Yeah, and they'll be looking for me," he warned.

"I doubt it, the female was picked up by one of our patrols. The Valaxian will be shot on sight, he's an Imani spy." His captor smiled slightly at Jack's surprise. "You didn't know, of course, why should you, you're an off-worlder. Your other companion was taken by the Imani. Normally they shoot off-worlders' on sight, so that must mean. I'm sorry, your friend is dead, well sort of."

This time Jack whirled round, anger and confusion vying for attention on his face. "What the hell are you talking about?!" he yelled.

"Alright, alright! Keep it down. Your friend, has he been acting strangely, out of character?"

Jack frowned, and then realised that the Doctor had been acting out of sorts. He cursed himself for not noticing the Doctor slipping away.

His captor saw the realisation dawn on Jack's face. "You have noticed. I can't explain it here, we need to get back to our camp. There's someone who can explain better than I can."

Jack looked up as three more soldiers appeared carrying a body. He stared in horror when he saw it was the person that the Doctor had been holding back. The person's neck was at an angle that could only mean a broken neck.

"Oh, god, he killed him," Jack felt revulsion course through his body, more at himself for not being there to stop the Doctor from committing murder.

"It's not a person," his captor said.

"What, because it's not quite human," Jack spat.

"No, because it's a machine, a construct," his captor pressed something at the side of the body's head. A small panel appeared, revealing flashing diodes. "See, a machine. The Imani use them to test the Imperative has been successful, your friend has murdered nobody."

Relief flooded through Jack, but was tainted by what his captor had said. "You said tested, tested to prove what?"

"I can't explain it here, we have to go. Call the shuttle for a pick up, take that, our scientists will want to look at it."

Jack couldn't take it all in. What was wrong with the Doctor now, as if he didn't have enough problems to cope with, and why the hell hadn't he told him or Martha?

He remained silent as they boarded the shuttle, and through the entire flight, and when they hustled him into an underground landing bay.

His thoughts were disrupted by a cry of "Jack!" He looked up to see Martha running towards him. "Martha Jones!" he shouted and hugged her tight.

"Did they tell you about the Doctor?" she asked as she stepped back.

"I'm a little confused, is crazy boy back."

Martha looked at him, her eyes serious. "It's worse than that" she said.

**************************************

Naah could hardly contain his excitement. It had been so long, well, it seemed a long time, since the assaination. Now they had a worthy host, a Time Lord of all things.

He'd been delighted when he had heard the news. It was poetic justice that the last Time Lord should become the thing they despised the most.

He stopped outside the medical area door, suddenly nervous. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and walked in.

At first it seemed strange that this fine featured Time Lord should be host to the scourge of a thousand worlds. Then the thoughts were dispelled when the figure spotted him. That smile was definitely his brother's.

"Hello, Naah," he said.

"Hello, Hajor, little brother." Naah beamed happily.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Seven

Hajor looked at his reflection, took in the features of his host. This body was a little thinner than he liked, a physique built for speed and stamina. Intense brown eyes stared back at him from under expressive eyebrows. A strong jaw line denoted a streak of steel in an otherwise benevolent visage.

"I know you're still in there, Time Lord, I can feel you, trapped in there. I like this body, the memories it carries."

He smiled when he accessed a particular memory. "Ah, you do have an eye for the pretty girls. I shall enjoy meeting Miss Jones."

He laughed when he felt a spark of distress, straightened his uniform and turned away from the mirror. "Yes, I shall enjoy this body."

Deep inside his own mind, cut off from his conscious will, the Doctor stared out at his own face, twisted in a cruel smile.

He felt something he hadn't felt for a long time…….fear!

*******************************************

Jack followed Martha and his captor, who he now knew was called Mylas, down the crowded corridor.

"So, I take it this must be the rebel army," he said as he dodged another group of soldiers. "Don't look like much of an army to me."

"We've had a rough time lately, we do not have the resources of the Empire to call on, and we do not steal the bodies of others to swell our army," Mylas said sharply.

"Sorry," Jack said under his breath, and followed him into a spacious but modestly furnished office.

"The general will see you soon," Mylas said and left them alone.

"Think I touched a nerve there," Jack said. "Things not going too well then."

"I guess not, all I'm interested in is what they know about the whereabouts of the Doctor," Martha answered.

"Yeah, about that, you said something about another shuttle. I saw one just before I had to save my ass."

"Well, I heard it more than saw it. There was a flash of light, just after the Doctor pushed me behind a wall. After that I woke up here."

"So, he's probably been taken by the other side. That Mylas said something about an Imperative, whatever that is." Jack sighed.

"Yeah, I've heard that mentioned a lot. Whatever it is, I don't think it's a good thing," Martha said, chewing worriedly on a nail.

"I guess we'll have to wait for this general," Jack said, as they both fell into worried silence.

*********************************

The General looked at the information on the screen. "Are you sure, we must be sure," he said to the soldier sitting at the terminal.

"Yes, our operative confirms it, it is him."

"Unbelievable, that crazy fool Naah has gone and done it. He's brought him back, he's brought back Hajor. Then we must act sooner than later."

**********************************

Jack and Martha were starting to wonder if they were going to spend the rest of their lives in this office.

"Right, I've had enough of this. If this general won't come to me, I'll go to him," Jack announced and jumped up.

"You would never have got near me," the General said, as he walked through door, closely followed by a woman.

"Oh, I would have died trying," Jack muttered.

"You must be Captain Jack Harkness," the General smiled. "I am General Ishan, commander of the rebel army, such as it is."

The woman who had entered with the General gave a polite cough.

"Ah, yes, this is Dr. Iman, our Chief Medical and Science Officer."

"I don't mean to be rude, well I do, but what the hell is going on here, and what the hell has happened to our friend, and what the hell did that Mylas guy mean by not stealing other peoples bodies!" Jack snapped.

***************************************

The General didn't seem at all taken aback by the Captain's reaction. He was a soldier, like himself, no time for the niceties of manners.

"Quite right, you are concerned for your friend, and you should be. Please let the good doctor explain."

"Yes, do, and what it's got to do with our friend," Jack said.

"Please, at least do us the honour of using his name, our people have come across his kind before," the doctor said.

"To explain it quickly, our race, the Imani are a doomed race. Due to our extreme xenophobia, our race became sterile due to through centuries of in-breeding."

"Yeah, our friend, sorry, the Doctor said that," Jack interrupted.

"Anyway, within a hundred of your years, our people were on the brink of extinction, and the thought of inter-species marriage and children was abhorrent. Then their scientist made a discovery."

The doctor turned to Martha. "Do your people have a word for the genetic code that holds memory?"

Martha frowned. "Wait a minute, there was a theory about something called RNA, similar to DNA but carries memory."

"Yes, well they discovered that the Imani have what you would call genetic memory, passed down from parent to child. Then they found they could transfer the memory or what did you call it?"

"RNA," Martha repeated.

"They found a way of transferring the RNA to another person. They started by encoding captured soldiers with a simple memory by attaching it to there own DNA matrix. They called in the Imperative, absolute mindless loyalty to the empire. Eventually they managed to encode whole memories, and since then they've used other races to fight their wars for them."

Jack sat up at that. "Martha, that's what the Doctor said back on the TARDIS. Better someone else's son than theirs."

Martha looked at Jack, her face taut with shock.

"You mean they've grafted a genetic memory onto the Doctor's DNA."

"Yes," the doctor smiled, glad to have someone understand it without too many explanations.

"But," the General said, "the problem is, not that they've done it, it's who they implanted, and the implication of using a Time Lord."

"Not that abducting the Doctor and using him as a lab rat isn't a problem," Jack rumbled.

"To you perhaps it is the greater problem, but the use of a Time Lord is greater. Normally when the Imperative is activated, the whole of the host's personality is sub-summed, but a Time lord's personality would be the more dominant. They would have to have introduced a marker to suppress the Time Lord's conscious will, whilst allowing the implanted personality access to the other's memories" the doctor said.

"The problem is, the person they implanted was never the most stable of individuals, and the thought of this person with all the memories of a Time Lord at his fingertips, does not bode well for anyone" the General said.

"Wait a minute, you're saying they put a lunatic inside the Doctor's head, that's just great." Jack said.

The General smiled slightly. "I've never heard someone call the Emperor's brother a lunatic before, but it fits. Why is such a problem?"

"Because the Doctor has been having an instability problem himself of late. If you want bad, you're going to get bad," Jack said quietly.

*******************************************

The Doctor tested the strength of the marker holding him. It was too strong for him to break for him to break from inside.

From somewhere in his mind's consciousness a maniacal giggle rang out. He realised with horror, that the elixir would have left his system by now.

Rassilon, no……… the other was waking up!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Eight

Hajor walked down the line of soldiers, each one hand picked for their loyalty, apparently.

By the gods he thought, is this what our army has come to, using half breeds and off-worlders as soldiers. Still, if that was what he had to work with, fine, he'd work with it.

"You have been selected from amongst the ranks as the finest in your platoons. You each have the highest recorded number of kills in the field of battle, this affords a singular honour. You are to become my personal platoon, we will fight together against the enemies of the empire, what say you!"

The cheers that rang round the courtyard were music to his ears. He could feel their bloodlust, feel in his own blood. He stopped walking for a moment, there was something else, not the usual presence of the trapped Time Lord, but something else, darker, menacing, just at the edge of his own consciousness .

Whatever it was he liked the feeling, it gave him a sense of power and the freedom of what felt like madness. Yes, he would have to explore that part of his host's inner-self, he always thought that somewhere in the souls of the Time Lord's there beat warrior's hearts.

****************************************

Jack was doing his best to rein in his temper. All these 'rebels' wanted to do was murder the Doctor to get rid of this Hajor. All he wanted was the Doctor back, minus psychotic personalities.

"There's no way in hell I'm going to let you kill him in cold blood," he said, his temper starting to flare again.

Martha could see that this argument was going in circles. "There must be someway of removing this, Hajor. If it's a genetic implant, then there must be a similar way to remove," she said in a calmer tone than she felt.

Dr. Iman glanced at the general, a look that didn't go unnoticed by either Jack or Martha.

"There is a way, isn't there?" Jack said.

The doctor looked at the general again, as if asking permission.

The general nodded once. "Yes, there is a way, but it is experimental."

"Show us," Martha said.

****************************************

The Doctor heard the words that Hajor spoke, knew he could feel the other, and knew that this Hajor would welcome it. He knew he had to try and break free of the marker imprisoning him in his own sub-conscious, before the other could become dominant again. The thought of that and a self-confessed butcher combined filled him with cold terror. Forcing himself not to think about the consequences, he put what energy he could spare into weakening the marker.

******************************************

Hajor knew that this particular raid would be closely watched by his brother, it was another one of his stupid loyalty tests. As if, he snorted to himself, his loyalty was in doubt. Wasn't he the one who threw himself in the way of the assassin's first shot, whilst his brother's so called bodyguards ran in panic?

He really resented being tested on his loyalty.

"Quite right too," a voice that wasn't the Time Lord's whispered in his mind. "Your brother should be grovelling at you feet. You should be emperor."

Hajor smiled at that suggestion, and then frowned. Why was he listening to a voice inside his head?

"Don't listen to it," a voice that was definitely the Time Lord's spoke.

"Will the both of you shut up!" Hajor yelled, gaining odd looks from the soldiers cramped inside the shuttle.

"What are you looking at," Hajor snarled at the soldier opposite, his eyes becoming almost black to match his words.

The soldier bowed his head, not wanting to find himself on the receiving end of his lord's temper.

Luckily for the soldier, the landing of the shuttle distracted Hajor's attention, and he starting shouting at the platoon to disembark.

Hajor and his platoon weaved their way between the ruined buildings and bomb blasted roads. They had been handed a golden opportunity, when someone had informed them of the whereabouts of the rebel headquarters.

This wasn't to be a full on assault, not yet, they were here to assess enemy numbers, and infiltrate and do as much damage as possible. This had always been Hajor's speciality, hit and run, the one he enjoyed the most.

He was hoping to take a few scalps whilst here, notably the traitorous general that had thrown his lot in with the rebels, after assassinating half of Hajor's family in the process, including himself.

Revenge, he thought as he crawled up the incline, revenge is something worth waiting for.

**********************************

It was funny, Martha thought, wherever or whenever you went, hospital wards were the same.

But this ward was unusually quiet; none of the patients were moving.

"Are they all like this?" she asked as they walked down the ward.

"Some, most do not survive the procedure, I don't know which is worse, death or this," Dr Iman sighed sadly.

************************************

"So there's no way you can get to him inside the palace?" Jack said.

"It would be suicide to try, he would be too well protected," the general replied.

"How about drawing him out, sounds like he has an ego."

"Doubtful, he may have an ego, but he's no fool. He would smell a trap."

Jack went to speak again, when the dull crump of an explosion broke the silence in the ward.

"What the hell?!" Jack shouted as a soldier burst through the ward door.

"General, we are under attack. Imperial troops, they carry the colours of Hajor!"

Both the general and Jack lokked at each other, an unspoken agreement passing between them.

************************************

"Cut off their exit route, find the shuttle, bring it down if you have to!" the general yelled at the sergeant above the gunfire. He turned to Jack, flinching as laser fire strafed the wall behind their position. "There's only one exit point, if we can cut that off we have a good chance of containing them! If Hajor's troops are here, so will he be!"

"We need to get him on his own!" Jack yelled back.

"That will be easy enough, he was never one to lead from the rear, follow me!" the general said and moved off.

**************************************

Hajor watched the movement of his troops from his vantage point on a small rise. His troops had done a god job of drawing out the enemy.

"Isn't war glorious," that voice said again.

"Don't listen to him," the other voice said.

"Stop it, stop it!" Hajor shouted, and tried to ignore the whispers in his head. He swept the area again with his binoculars, only stopping when he saw a movement. "Well, well, the rat has come out of the sewer," he snarled, and started off down the incline.

***********************************

Jack tapped the general's arm, and pointed towards an incline. Even in a uniform, the Doctor cut a unique silhouette. "We need to draw him in," he said.

The general nodded and suddenly stood up, only to be pulled down just as quickly by Jack.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"Drawing him in, trust me, he won't be able to resist. See, he's moving."

***********************************

The Doctor had seen the familiar figure pull the general down through Hajor's mind….Jack!

The other had also noticed, and laughed. "You do know that Hajor is going to kill him and Martha Jones too, if she's lucky," it laughed.

"No. I won't let him," the Doctor said.

"How can you stop him, stuck behind that barrier," the other said derisively.

"It won't hold me forever," the Doctor said.

**********************************

Hajor skidded to a halt a few metres from Jack and the general's position. "I see you, Ishan, come out and face me, or are you going to shoot me down like a dog!" he shouted.

"Isn't that what they do with rabid dogs," the general replied.

"Why don't you come out and say that to my face!" Hajor snarled.

"Keep him talking, I'll get behind him," Jack hissed

***********************************

Jack skirted round a couple of half-fallen walls, and eventually found himself behind Hajor. There wasn't much cover between himself and Hajor; it would have to fast and brutal.

**************************************

The general stood up when he spotted Jack behind Hajor. "Like I said, rabid dog."

"Ishan!" Hajor growled and began to move.

Jack saw Hajor move, could see the murderous intent in it. Taking a deep breath, he launched himself from his hiding place. It seemed like time had slowed as he raced across the space between them, every yard seemed like a mile. He got within a yard when Hajor whipped round, a look of surprise followed by anger in his face.

**************************************

Jack and Hajor went down in a snarling, growling heap. Jack had forgotten that the Doctor's slender frame hid a very effective fighter. That, plus whatever training Hajor had, were starting to gain the upper hand.

The sound of weapons exchange filled the air around the struggling pair, laser fire strafing the ground around them.

Jack was struggling to keep Hajor down, as the Doctor's alien strength began to kick in.

Hajor smiled. "What's the matter, can't hold me down……. freak!" he snarled.

For a split second Jack's grip lessened, shocked to hear that word again. Hajor felt his opponent grip shift, and pushed harder. With a victorious cry, he heaved Jack away and scrambled for the shelter of a broken wall. He peered round the end and saw the other just getting up.

"Are you the best the general can muster, you're not even worth killing. I think I'll go and find Miss Jones instead."

"There's no need, I'm here," a voice said behind him, before his world went black.

**************************************

Martha and Jack watched as Dr Iman set up the equipment to try the extraction procedure. She had read the notes, and had weighed the risks against what the Doctor would want, this was the better option.

She looked round as Jack moved next to her.

"Do you think this will work?" he asked.

"I don't know, but it's better than leaving him like this."

*************************************

"Hold him, captain!" Dr Iman said sharply, as she tried to inject another serum.

Jack gritted his teeth, and tightened his grip on the Doctor's already bruised arms.

Hajor had woken up whilst they were trying to place restraints on him, and had been fighting them ever since. He only stopped when the doctor had injected the last batch of drugs.

"There, that's the last treatment, now we wait. You should get some rest, it has been a long night. I will let you know if anything happens," she said to an exhausted Jack and Martha.

They reluctantly agreed and left for some much needed sleep.

*************************************

Dr. Iman waited until the room was clear, before unhooking the equipment and waving a small bottle under the Doctor's nose.

"Welcome back," she said.

"Well done, doctor, they believe that the procedure will work?"

"Yes, my Lord Hajor."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Nine

"Wake up, Martha," a voice whispered gently in her ear.

She opened tired eyes. "Doctor?" she said sleepily.

"Come on, Martha, we need to go." A pair of brown eyes swam into view.

She was suddenly awake and hugging the owner of those eyes. "Doctor!" she cried, hugging him tighter, before letting go and smiling broadly.

"Hello, Martha Jones," The Doctor smiled back. "C'mon, we have to go," he said and held out his hand.

Martha frowned, but took the offered hand. "Why are we going? These people need our help?"

"I know, the best way we can help them, is to stop it at the source. I need to get back in the palace."

"Where's Jack?" she asked as they walked down the empty corridor.

"I asked him to stay behind. I need a reliable pair of eyes and ears. He told me there's an abandoned shuttle we can use to get inside the palace."

"So why are we sneaking around?" she asked as the Doctor cautiously opened the door to the shuttle hangar.

"Because we are!" the Doctor snapped, and dragged her across the empty hangar. Once they were outside and away from the rebel base, the Doctor stopped and turned back towards Martha. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. Still a little out of it from whatever they did to me. We need to get away, so I can see the whole picture."

Martha nodded. "Sorry, it's just that the doctor said she would wake us if you came round."

"Oh, I said not to bother, she looked so tired. Probably dead to the world by now," the Doctor said and smiled before turning.

Martha stared after the Doctor, something didn't feel right. She shrugged her shoulders, accepting his explanation, and followed him.

**************************************

Alarms shocked Jack from his sleep, adrenalin doing the rest. He ran out of his room, and into chaos. He spotted the general coming towards him. "What's going on?"

"Dr. Iman is dead, and your friend Martha Jones is missing."

"What about the Doctor?" Jack asked, trying to fight his rising panic.

"Gone too, and there was no sign of a struggle. I fear Hajor is still with us."

Jack digested the information, and then a horrific thought crossed his mind, what if it wasn't Hajor, but………dear god, he hoped not. "General, you'd better pray it's Hajor, or you'll have more than the empire to worry about."

************************************

Martha hurried to keep up with the Doctor; he wasn't measuring his speed like he normally did, so she could keep up. "Doctor, wait!" she called.

The Doctor stopped and turned, a look of irritation on his face. "Come on, Martha, keep up or I'll leave you behind," he growled, and moved again as soon as she caught up, but slowed his pace a little.

This time that niggling feeling of something not quite right, wouldn't go away. Play this carefully Martha Jones, she thought. She stopped as he came to an abrupt halt, and held up his hand for her to be quiet. He had flattened himself against a building, motioning for Martha to do the same.

A few seconds later the sound of marching feet filled the air, and the Doctor and Martha tried to melt into the shadows as the troops marched by.

"Aren't those rebel troops?" she said after the marching had faded away.

"Looks like it," the Doctor replied, already moving off. He turned back when Martha didn't move. "What now?" he said impatiently.

"I'm not going anywhere with you…Hajor," she said, and moved away.

The Doctor gave her a puzzled frown, and then his mouth formed a 'oh' of understanding.

"You mean his royal lowness, no, he's gone. Whatever they did, it worked, painful mind. It's me, Martha," he said, his eyes glittering in the moonlight.

Martha stepped closer and looked him in the eyes, searching for any hint of deceit in them. For a moment she thought she saw a shadow cross the brown, but it must have been a trick of the moonlight. "Sorry, just a little jumpy, I guess," she said.

"I don't blame you," he said softly. "I haven't exactly been myself lately, not with our friend still inside. Speaking of which," he said and pulled a hypodermic out of his bottomless pocket. He handed it to Martha. "This is the last one, I carried it as an emergency, Jack has the rest. We have to find that box, it's in the palace somewhere, I can feel it now princey boy has gone. "

"Can't we just take the TARDIS?" she asked as she injected the liquid.

"Can't risk crazy boy inside giving it to the Imani." The Doctor suddenly tensed, and put a finger to his lips. "I think there's another patrol coming."

************************************

Jack had lead a sweep of the base, and after a unfruitful search, he was now heading towards the ruins, acutely aware of the lead whoever the Doctor was now had on him, and he had Martha with him.

He decided to climb a set of steps attached to an empty shell of a house to get a better view of the ruins. He sighed as he looked round, but all he could see were ruins.

He was about to move off when he saw a flash of blue. "Solkar," he snarled.

**********************************

Solkar had managed to avoid the patrols, and was now heading for the shuttle that he had seen land. He froze when he heard a noise from above, just a piece of rubble falling. Then he heard it again, no not rubble, it sounded like feet on stone.

He looked up just in time to see a figure drop towards him. Dazed from the impact, he took a few moments to clear his head, he reached for his weapon.

"Looking for this?" a voice said.

Solkar whipped round to see his own weapon being aimed at him by Captain Harkness.

"Hello, Solkar," Jack growled.

Don't tell me, you're going to drag me back to face a trial." Solkar sneered.

"Actually no," Jack said and fired the laser. "Guilty as charged," he said to the smoking body, and then moved on.

************************************

Martha held her breath as she heard the footsteps come closer. She felt the Doctor shift beside her, and move towards the edge of the building they were hiding behind. She heard him mutter something, but couldn't quite catch the words.

****************************************

The Doctor shifted to the end of the building, and peered round the edge. He stiffened when he recognised the figure. "Harkness!" he snarled softly, and moved away. He quickly moved back to Martha. "We have to get to the shuttle, it's just the other side of this square. When I tell you to move, run. Run and don't look back," he said in an urgent whisper.

Martha tensed as the footsteps came closer; she looked at the Doctor.

"Go!" he said, and pushed her forward.

She sped off, not looking back. She dashed across the square and skidded round the corner.

The welcome sight of the shuttle gave her more speed, and she ran up the ramp, diving behind the nearest seat. She could hear the pounding of feet, no, two sets of feet.

The Doctor appeared in the doorway. "Stay down!" he said and whipped round to face his pursuer.

*************************************

Jack had just passed the small square when he heard the sound of someone running. He raced back and rounded the corner, just in time to see Martha disappear round the corner of the square.

But his attention was drawn to the figure standing in the middle of the square, black eyes glittering coldly in the moonlight, laser drawn. Jack dived to one side as the laser bolt raked the wall above him, chunks of building peppering him and the ground.

Waiting only moments, he popped up again, only to see the Doctor's coat tails disappearing round a corner. He sprinted across the square, skidded round the corner, saw the shuttle, saw the Doctor leap up the ramp, and whirl round. He pounded across the space between him and the shuttle saw the Doctor grin, wave and disappeared inside. Then he saw the ramp snap shut.

"No!" he yelled as he skidded to a halt by the shuttle. "Martha!" he yelled and pounded on the side of the shuttle, but his yells were lost in the roar of the shuttles engine. "Martha!" he yelled, and stumbled back when the shuttle began to rise.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Ten

Martha jumped at the pounding and the muffled yelling, but both were lost in the roar of the engine.

She tried to look out of the window, but the windows went dark.

"Shields up, hold on tight Martha, I haven't flown one of these for a while," he said, as he pulled on the steering column, causing the shuttle to tilt upwards alarmingly.

Martha gripped her seat until her knuckles were white with the effort.

"Doctor, are you sure you've flown one of these before!?" she said as the shuttle banked sharply.

The Doctor didn't turn to look at her, but gave her what could only be described a sly sideways look. That feeling of something not right, came back with a vengeance.

"Just a little rusty, that's all," he said tersely. "I never realised you were as critical as this."

Martha blinked at the annoyance in his voice. Could she put it down to the stress of the moment, or was it something else? She sat quietly, there was nothing she could do whilst they were in flight, play it cool she thought.

***************************

Jack yelled his frustration at the receding shuttle, as it disappeared into the night sky. It was like all his nightmares had come true at once. He'd lost the Doctor once again, he felt like he was drowning in shallow water.

With a cry of frustration and despair, he turned away and began making his way back to the rebel base.

********************************

General Ishan had finally managed to restore calm to the base, albeit that sort of calm you get before a storm arrives.

He looked up from the damage reports, at the sounds of angry raised voices.

"I don't care if he's up to his neck in crap, I'm seeing the general now!" a voice rose above the others.

That sounded like Captain Harkness he thought. His thought was confirmed when a very angry and dirty jack was bundled into the office by two equally angry soldiers.

"I'm sorry sir, he was caught trying to take one of the shuttles, wouldn't take no for an answer."

The general put down his paperwork. "It's okay, you can let him go."

Jack glared at the two guards as they released him.

"You can leave us," the general said.

"I take it your search did not go too well?" he asked.

"Oh, I found them," Jack said.

"It was still Hajor then?"

"You wish, it's something far worse, which is why I needed a shuttle. If I can't get to them in time, you're going to find yourself with a new emperor."

"How can it be worse that Naah and Hajor?" the general asked.

"I take you've heard about Time Lords and the power they had. Well, imagine something that has no inhibitions or moral compass with that power. Then add a whole empire at his beck and call." Jack said.

The general's eyes widened. "That would be…"

"Yeah, a problem for the whole universe," Jack finished his sentence.

"Then you must have a shuttle, and as many men as you need," the general said.

"No, you'll need them here, because the first thing he'll do is take out the opposition. But I'll tell you what you can do."

***************************************

The shuttle landed a few feet from its intended target. The pilot looked at the target incredulously.

"You came here in that, it's a bit small."

Jack just smiled and jumped out of the shuttle, and walked over to the familiar blue wooden box. He opened the door, slipped inside and picked up his discarded rucksack.

A soft rumble greeted his presence.

He stopped and looked up. "I know, you can feel him, can't you?"

There was another rumble, which sounded almost like a sigh.

"Me too, sweetheart, me too. Don't worry, I'll get him back."

*********************************************

Martha felt the shuttle start to descend. The Doctor had been quiet since her last question, yet she could sense his mood had shifted. There was an air of unspoken menace in the air, and she could almost feel the aggression radiating off him.

"Doctor…?" she began, but froze in horror, when his head snapped round, and she found herself staring at brown eyes slicked with oily black.

"Shut up, you stupid bitch, nag, nag. Be quiet or I'll shut you up," he snarled.

Martha recoiled at the words, realising she wasn't facing Hajor, but the thing that had been with him since the Labyrinth.

She could at least have reasoned with Hajor, but not with this.

She would have to take a different tack to survive.

As the shuttle landed, she stood up and slapped the Doctor across the face as hard as she could.

"Hey, don't talk to me like that!" she snapped back.

She braced herself for a similar retaliation, but the Doctor just laughed, and smiled a smile that made her skin crawl.

"Feisty, I like it. Martha Jones, you may come in useful after all," he said.

Fighting the feeling of disgust, she stepped closer, so close she could feel his warm breath on her cheek. She leant closer, right next to his ear.

"You know, I always had a thing for bad boys," she whispered huskily in his ear.

She almost pulled away when she heard his breath hitch, but if she wanted any chance of getting away, she would have to maintain the pretence.

"Naughty girl," he breathed, and drew in a deep breath. "And what is that perfume you're wearing," he whispered, his lips skimming her neck.

Realising she may have pushed it too far for now, he moved away.

"Don't you think we should be looking for that box you wanted?"

The Doctor smiled slyly.

"Martha Jones, you're such a tease. All right, business first, then definitely pleasure later," he said, the glint in those obsidian chips promising way too much.

"Yes, pleasure later," she said, trying to put as much promise into those words as she dare.

"Right then, let's go find us a wooden box," the Doctor said.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Eleven

Jack was waiting impatiently whilst they prepared his shuttle. "Come one, come on," he muttered.

"Let them do their work, captain, it would be remiss of us if the shuttle crashed because we missed something," the general said.

The shuttle was soon ready, and Jack set about loading the supplies the rebels had given him. He looked at the small wound on his right palm.

"The ID chip will get you into the city, but you will have to find your own way into the palace," the general said.

"Okay, and thank you, for everything. I'll try and get out before everything kicks off."

"Our pre-emptive strike will begin as scheduled. Once it has started, I cannot guarantee you or your friends' safety."

"I know," Jack said, and snapped a salute at the general before closing the hatch.

The general watched until the shuttle had cleared the hangar and the roof had closed. "Start the countdown, we attack in twelve hours," he said.

***************************************

Martha stared at the city that sprawled out in front of her; it looked like something out of Arabian Nights. Buildings topped with crystal towers sparkled in the already warm sun. From her vantage point on the hill, she could streets and gardens.

But her eyes were drawn to the building that dwarfed them all, as royal palaces went, it was none too shabby. She jumped as she felt a hand snake round her waist, and felt warm breath on her neck.

"If you like, you can have the whole city named after yourself, or I can destroy it and build you another one, if you don't like it," the Doctor said.

"No, I like it fine, tell me again what I can have," she said, trying to muster as must avarice into her voice as she could.

"Anything you want. All that power and wealth, and no-one with the brains, or the looks to use it."

She turned to face him. "You can keep the power, all I want is the wealth," she said and stepped away from him.

"Oh, Martha Jones, you could have so much, you could drown in it."

He closed the gap between them. "Now show me how much you want this wealth," he said, his voice low, his black eyes glittering. Without warning he grabbed her and kissed her full on the mouth, pulling her tight to him.

She tried to move away, but found she couldn't move, his hold on her too strong. She started to panic when she felt something cold fill her mouth and throat, so cold it burned, and then she found herself responding to the kiss, deepening it.

When they finally broke apart, the Doctor smiled at her, and ran a finger down her cheek. "There, that feels better, doesn't it, it's always better when you both think the same."

Martha looked up at the Doctor, who looked back into a pair of eyes as black as his.

"So, tell me again, what can I have," she said, the avarice now genuine in her voice.

*******************************************

Jack wished he still had his Tula warship. The shuttle seemed so slow. He had thought about taking the TARDIS, but perhaps it wasn't a good thing to get her too near the Doctor at present.

He looked over at the back pack that held the golden liquid. He felt a pang of guilt as he remembered stealing the un-diluted elixir. Sometimes he thought he was getting too Torchwood for his own good.

His thoughts were interrupted by the beeping of the monitor in front of him. He looked out of the window, and saw the other shuttle. He blanched…it was on fire!

***********************************

Landing the shuttle as quickly as he could, he jumped out and dashed to the burning craft. Black acrid smoke was pouring from inside the already melting structure. He heaved a huge sigh of relief when he saw two sets of footprints leading away from the shuttle.

It was then that the sounds of panic floated up the slope, carried by the same breeze that was fanning the flames. He went back to his shuttle retrieved his back pack, and headed down the slope. He could see the city in the distance, but his attention was drawn buy the buildings in the near distance.

A pall of black smoke was rising in a twisted column, and as he approached he could hear the panicked cries of women and children. His heart sank when he saw the footprints lead right into the buildings.

"That thing is so going to pay," he muttered as he approached what looked like the town square. He stopped dead when he saw two familiar figures in the middle of the chaos.

***************************************

The Doctor and Martha were standing on the wall of a fountain, locked in what could only be described as an x-rated kiss. They seemed oblivious to the carnage around them.

Jack was about to move, when an explosion shattered the air.

The noise distracted the pair, and the Doctor jumped down from the wall and stalked off in the direction of the sound.

Now's my chance, Jack thought, and he made his way towards Martha.

***********************************

Martha was enjoying the feeling coursing through her. It had started when the Doctor had set fire to the first building. She never knew watching mortals run could be such fun, and how pretty flames looked, a living painting of hell.

She watched as her Doctor disappeared into the black smoke, intent on seeing how much damage his explosion had done. She didn't even have to time to cry out, when a hand clamped over her mouth, and she was dragged off the wall and behind the only building not yet alight.

*******************************

Jack was expecting a grateful and relieved Martha. What he wasn't expecting was a scratching, biting and cursing Martha with eyes that matched the Doctor's.

"Not you too!" he groaned and with an apologetic smile, knocked her out with a solid punch.

Gathering her in his arms, he made his way round the building, when he heard the Doctor calling her name.

********************************

The Doctor had got bored watching the building burn, and returned to the fountain, only to find Martha gone. The cheeky little vixen, she must be off having fun without him.

"Can't have that," he said. "Martha!"

After a few times calling her name, his sense of humour began too fade. "Enough of the games now, my sweet, Daddy's patience is running out."

He stopped when he smelt a familiar smell over the smoke. "Harkness!" he snarled.

"Harkness!!" he roared.

******************************

Jack flinched as he heard his name used with such menace and fury behind it. He could hear the Doctor moving towards his hiding place. He had nowhere to go. He almost gave his position away, when a door opened slightly on the undamaged building.

"Quickly, in here!" a voice hissed urgently.

Jack didn't hesitate, and slipped through the open door.

*******************************

The Doctor had followed his nose, and rounded the corner of the building, but only found an empty alleyway, that lead out into open space. "Harkness!!!" he roared out again, and kicked a wooden crate in frustration. "You can't hide her forever, Harkness. When I find you, I'll make sure you never come back to life!" he shouted.

Snarling his frustration, he turned and walked back towards the ruined square, and began searching in another direction. His eyes held endless pain and torture for anyone who got in his way.

After finally giving up on finding Martha, his attention returned to the city. "Don't think I've given up Harkness!" he shouted, before turning his back on the burning buildings and heading for the city.

Revenge, he thought, revenge sometimes needed some thought, and oh, he had his own ideas on that.

*******************************

Jack let go a relieved breath and finally opened his eyes, only to find a very sharp pitchfork inches away from his face.

"Now, tell us who you are, and don't lie!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twelve

Jack stared at the pitchfork inches from his face. "At least let me put the lady down, beforeyou turn me into a hay bale."

There was a flicker of eyes towards Martha, and the pitchfork lowered.

"I don't suppose you have any rope, so I can tie her hands, she was a little feisty," he said, the words bitter in his mouth.

The figure hesitated for a second, before laying the pitchfork down, and disappearing to the back of the building. The figure turned out to be a blacksmith, Jack realised as he saw the bulk of then man. That and he was carrying a set of manacles, not something most people had in their barn.

"I have these, you can attach them to the hitching post over there." He handed Jack the manacles, plus some strips of fur. "You can use these to protect her wrists."

Jack nodded his thanks, and reluctantly chained Martha to the post. After he had done, he lifted one eyelid, saw that her eyes were no longer just black, but were flecked with her natural colour.

He sighed with relief. It hadn't transferred to her, but it meant it was still inside the Doctor. What worried him was how it had managed to do this to Martha. Had it been some kind of psychic link? Was it fading now there was distance between the Doctor and Martha? Did this mean it could be done to anyone? More problems, not enough time.

The blacksmith, who had refused to give his name, had gone to search the small village for survivors, and was just returning when Martha started to wake up.

********************************

Martha felt like she was swimming in thick molasses. She had seen herself revelling in the Doctor's anarchy, had recoiled when her body had enjoyed that kiss on the fountain wall. She had yelled and protested when she had seen herself fighting Jack.

*********************************

Jack had been trying to get a little rest when the blacksmith shook him awake.

"Your friend is waking up."

"Thanks, is there anybody left in the village?"

"No, they've all fled, probably to the city. Now your friend is awake, I must go and find my family. I hope you find your other friend."

Jack smiled. "Thank you for everything, I hope you find your family," he said as the blacksmith handed him the keys and a bag that he had filled with food and water.

With that the blacksmith left, and Jack wondered if they would meet again.

**********************************

Martha slowly opened her eyes, and her heart soared when there was no film of black over them. Jack's face swam into view, his smile showing his delight at the lack of black in her eyes.

It was then that she noticed she was manacled to a post. "Jack, why am I?" Then she realised why, when she saw the scratches on his face. "Oh, god, Jack, I'm so sorry," she cried.

"It's all right," he said as he unlocked her manacles.

Once free, she flung her arms around him and sobbed into his shoulder. "It was horrible, Jack, I couldn't stop myself, but I could see everything. We have to help him Jack, it must be killing him."

***********************************

The Doctor had watched helplessly as the other had taken control of Martha. His feeling of disgust when he forced himself on her, made him feel dirty and ashamed. He may never be able to look her in the eye again.

He could feel the prescence of Hajor, who was still kicking and screaming against his prison.

************************************

The other was strolling confidently through the street. To these people he was just another visitor; it would be different once he reached the palace.

He could feel the Time Lord slowly, but gradually wearing down the barrier that was holding him. He really didn't want to go back in that box.

"Afraid are we?" the Time Lord whispered.

"Shut up, shut up!" he said.

"You know the Death Eaters are coming," the Time Lord taunted.

"Not before I put you and his royal highness in the box," the other said.

"We'll see," said the Time Lord calmly.

"I'm not listening anymore," the other said, and turned off into an alley, just before the palace.

He felt suddenly tired, and slumped against the wall.

The presence of three consciousnesses was taking its toll on the Time Lord's body. The other tried and failed to control the trembling that had started. He had to find that box, before this body was finished.

*************************************

The Doctor felt the other's concentration slip, and took his chance, forcing the barrier down, taking the other by surprise. With a mental smile of triumph he returned his mind to its rightful place.

The thrill of being in control again was short lived. He could feel the damage to his body; all that energy had taken its toll. He had to act, and quickly.

Ignoring the dull ache that had begun to spread over his body, but he managed to control the trembling that had wracked his whole frame.

He needed help, and he needed it soon.

Taking several deep breaths, he closed his eyes, and using as much precious energy as he dare, he reached out with his mind.

He felt for the familiar thread of the TARDIS, but he was too weak to find it. Then he felt another familiar thread. He reached out and embraced it.

"Jack," he whispered.

***********************************

Jack and Martha had stopped to eat the food the blacksmith had given them, the heat of the day forcing them to stop. Jack was painfully aware of the clock ticking, ticking down to all hell being let loose.

"So, they're going to start bombing the city soon. I don't like it Jack, all those innocent people. I hate war," Martha said vehemently.

Jack was about to reply, when the voice echoed in his mind. He dropped his cup in surprise, spilling the liquid on himself.

"Jack, are you okay?" Martha said, seeing the now blank expression on his face.

*************************************

Jack found himself standing on a plain of red grass; he looked round and saw trees covered in silver leaves, reflecting an orange sky. Wherever he was, it was beautiful.

A soft breeze tickled his hair, and he felt there was someone behind him. He turned and saw the Doctor, dressed in his usual suit and coat.

"Jack," the Doctor said softly.

Jack moved back slightly, wary of a trap.

"Don't be afraid. Please, just listen, come and find me, I need you. I'll hold this link as long as I can. I'm in the city, near the palace, I think, just find me, hurry."

Jack blinked and found himself back at their makeshift camp, with a worried Martha looking into his unfocused eyes.

"Jack?" she was saying.

Jack blinked again, and felt an unfamiliar tickle in the back of his mind.

He blinked again, and his eyes cleared. "Martha, it's the Doctor," he breathed. "He's back, he's himself, I mean. He needs us," he said and stood up.

Martha grabbed his hand. "You're not going anywhere, you're not making any sense."

"He was in my mind, he needs us, we have to go."

"How do you know it's not a trap?"

"I just know," he said.

Martha looked him in the eyes, saw the truth of it and nodded. "We don't know where he is."

"I do, he's still in here," Jack said, touching his head as they walked.

***********************************

The Doctor sat in the alleyway, trying to conserve what energy ho could. It was taking a lot of effort to keep his two guests at bay, and keeping the link between himself and Jack was using energy he really didn't have.

He could feel the toll it was taking on his body. He probably didn't look his best, no matter.

Somewhere on the fringes of his mind, he could sense the approach of the Death Eaters. He had to get to that box, before they arrived. They would tear this planet apart to retrieve their property.

"Please hurry, Jack," he said quietly, closing his eyes, as another wave of tremors coursed through his body.

*************************************

Jack felt the already familiar tickle falter. Panic threatened to overcome him, as he threaded his way through the busy streets.

They had already wasted time arguing with a horrid little official over Martha's lack of ID chip. He was now virtually dragging Martha in his haste. He turned abruptly right, into a rubbish strewn alley.

At first he could see nothing but rubbish and abandoned crates. Then he saw a flash of white converse in the rubbish near a large crate. Pulling Martha with him, he ran up to the crate and stopped.

He heard Martha gasp beside, as she saw the state of the figure leaning against the wall.

"Hello, Jack," the Doctor said weakly, before slumping bonelessly sideways.

**********************************

Far out on the very edge of Imani territory, an armada of what looked like black shadows passed by the lone listening post.

No-one heard the last soldier scream into the SOS beacon as his soul was torn from him. The black shadows glided onwards soundlessly, towards the tiny speck that was their destination.

********************************

The Doctor came too with a sharp reminder of the approaching devastation. The Death Eaters' attack had been like a psychic slap across the face.

"No time!" he shouted and jumped up, causing Jack to jump in alarm. "We have to get going," he said.

Jack put a restraining hand of the Doctor's chest, his worried look taking in the dark circles under the Doctor's eyes, and his paler that usual complexion.

"Whoa there, it's going to happen, the bombing going to happen, no matter what."

The Doctor looked at Jack, a frown on his face. "What bombing?"

Jack gave the Doctor a puzzled look. "That's what you're on about, isn't it?"

The Doctor looked at Jack, and then looked up at the sky. "No, Jack, something worse….. Death is coming."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Thirteen

It wasn't the words that frightened Jack; it was the look on the Doctor's face, the frightened tone in his voice.

"We need to go, Jack, I need that box," the Doctor said, his tone urgent, and frowned when Jack didn't move his hand from his chest.

"Whoa, just a minute, what's happened to your house guests?"

"I'm holding them back, but I don't know how long I can keep them there. It takes a lot of energy, not even a Time Lord can handle three consciousnesses at once," he said plainly.

"Is that why you look so crap," Jack said bluntly.

The Doctor didn't respond to the comment. "My health's not important, getting that box is."

"It's killing you, isn't it?" Martha said softly, placing a hand on his arm.

""I said it's not important, the box is, and what's coming if we don't," the Doctor said. "C'mon, it's getting dark." He pushed past Jack, and didn't wait for them to follow. He walked towards the end of the alley, albeit a little unsteadily.

Jack and Martha looked at each other, shared concern on their faces, before running to catch up.

*******************************

Inside the palace, Naah was listening to the garbled SOS. He flinched when he heard the terrified screams of the sender. He had seen the footage of the silent black shadow ships, which had sailed past the station.

Naah was no soldier, but he knew an invasion when he saw it. "Where is Hajor?!" he roared.

"He hasn't been seen since the raid on the rebel base, sire."

"Then find him, and send for Moisan. Why am I surrounded by idiots?"

There was a knock at the door a few minutes later, and a person entered.

Naah could only think of one word to describe the person…weasel. "Well, Moisan, what do your trained idiots think these ships are?"

Moisan hesitated before speaking. "We are not sure, but the markings on the ship seem similar those on the box that I brought back from Valaxia."

Naah glowered at Moisan. "Then you'd better hurry up and be sure. I spared your head once, but I won't spare it twice."

Moisan bowed and retreated form the room, acutely aware that he was treading a fine line. Perhaps he should consider finding another employer.

**********************************

The Doctor peered round the corner of the wall that surrounded the palace.

"I still can't see why you can't just walk up to the gate. After all, they think you're his royal pain in the …."

"Anyway," the Doctor finished Jack's sentence. "I'd rather get in and out as quietly as possible, avoid too much contact if possible. I want to be in and out before…." he trailed off.

"Before what?" Jack asked. "What can be worse than thousands dying?"

The Doctor turned back to Jack. "There are worse things in the universe than death," he said darkly. His sentence ended in a lung wracking cough.

Jack and Martha had noticed he was getting progressively worse, though he stubbornly refused to show it.

"From what I can remember of princey boys' memories, the guard should be out on patrol any minute now. It takes about ten minutes to do a sweep. I haven't got my screwdriver, but I pretty sure I can pick the lock," the Doctor said.

Martha cleared her throat, and both men looked round. She was holding the sonic between two fingers. "I think I stole it when I was being a bad girl," she said, her face blushing at the thought.

The Doctor gave her a 'bless you Martha Jones' grin, and pocketed the device. "Right then, any minute now," he said, and moved back when the gate opened. "Move!" he said sharply and rounded the corner.

***********************************

The gates opened into the garden, and they used the foliage as cover, until they reached what looked like the main courtyard. Unfortunately, the courtyard was full of soldiers, all in what seemed to be a state of panic, albeit controlled panic.

"Something's got them rattled," Jack said.

"They must be nearer than I thought," the Doctor said quietly. "Look like we'll have to get in the hard way. Are you two up to a bit of cat burglary?" he said out loud.

***********************************

This Martha decided was not how she imagined entering a palace. In a pumpkin shaped coach, sure, but not being hauled through a window by an immortal ex-Time Agent, and trying not to step on a Time Lord's head in the process.

"Sorry," she said as she heard a muffled 'oww' as her heel connected with the Doctor's head.

She was sure she heard him mutter something about 'elephants' but she wasn't sure. She landed none too gracefully on the carpet, and had to move quickly when a set of arms and legs came towards her.

"Rapunzel you're not," the Doctor complained as he landed in a heap.

Jack shrugged his shoulders, and helped Martha to her feet. "I guess they don't go much on alarms, huh," he said as he eventually hauled the Doctor up.

"Most thieves tend not to steal from tyrants. I think it's the be-heading that does it, " the Doctor said sarcastically.

Once he was standing upright, the Doctor fiddled with the screwdriver for a few seconds. When he switched it on, it emitted a low pitched whine. "The box is definitely here, must be on the lower level, the signals pretty weak. How long have we got before they start bombing?"

"Not sure, a couple of hours," Jack answered.

The Doctor went to move, but Jack grabbed his arm. "There's something else, isn't there. When you said death is coming, you didn't mean the bombing, did you?"

"No," was all the Doctor said, and pulled away from Jack, striding away following the signal.

**********************************

The Doctor stopped again, to scan for the signal. He could feel the others struggling against there prisons. He used more precious energy to bolster them, knowing it was shortening his own body's existence.

He could also feel the Death Eaters coming closer, and that scared him more than his own body failing, and not having the energy to regenerate. He went to move, but a wave of dizziness overtook him, and if it hadn't been for Jack, he would have hit the floor.

Jack steadied the Doctor, concern written in every line of his face. "Rest for a minute," he said as he took in the Doctor's pale features.

The Doctor shook his head, and went to move, giving Jack a sharp look when he stopped him.

"No, just a minute," Jack insisted.

"No!" the Doctor's reply was venomous. He shouldered his way past Jack, anger in every stride.

"He's not going to stop, you know that," Martha said.

"Yeah," Jack sighed, and moved off after him.

*******************************

They stopped again at the top of a long flight of stairs. The signal was louder and more incessant.

"The box must be down there," the Doctor said, switching off the sonic. He didn't need it anymore; he could feel it.

The Doctor placed a hand on the handle, but didn't open it, frozen in mid-action, as a feeling of dread washed over him. He looked up when he saw a strong hand close over his. It was Jack's.

"Kinda scary, huh. No-one said opening Pandora's Box would be a walk in the park. Me and Martha are right with you." Jack smiled.

***********************************

Moisan had decided it was time he moved on. He was returning to his laboratory when he heard voices.

Stepping back, he spoke quietly into his comm. A few moments later, three guards appeared. He gestured for them to follow him, and they descended the stairs.

***********************************

The Doctor almost turned tail and ran when they entered the room, but the reassuring presence of Jack and Martha stopped him.

The box was sitting on a bench, only feet away, but to the Doctor it might as well have been a chasm.

The inscriptions on the box began to glow as the Doctor approached. He couldn't stop his hand trembling as he reached out towards it. His fingertips brushed the edge of the box, and fire exploded in his mind.

*************************************

Jack and Martha were totally not excepting what happened next. There was a crackle of energy as the Doctor touched the box, and the whole room lit up with blue light.

The Doctor had gone rigid, as blue tendrils twisted round him. With a cry that was cut short, he was thrown backwards, crashing into a wall, his body still twitching as blue light contracted around him.

"Doctor!" they both cried, and moved towards him.

"Please don't move or you will be shot," a voice came from behind them, and there was the ominous sound of weapons being armed.

***************************************

Jack tore his gaze from the still energy engulfed Doctor, and whirled around to face the owner of the weapons. He heard a gasp from Martha.

"Hello again, Miss Jones," Moisan said. He walked over to the now still form of the Doctor. "I see our implantation procedure need some work. No matter, it seems I have another bargaining chip." Moisan turned to the guards. "Put these two in the cage. Take this one to the machine, and tell my assistant to prepare him."

****************************************

"What machine!" Jack yelled as he and Martha were shoved in what was literally a cage. He yelled again as he saw the Doctor been taken into another room.

"What machine!"

"You don't want to know," Martha said in a small terrified voice.

Jack turned to Martha, anger and worry warring across his face. "Martha, what machine?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Fourteen

The Doctor had never felt such intense………… euphoria, as the blue tendrils had crept up his arms, almost caressing him. But soon it turned to discomfort, and then nerve-shredding agony, before his world became a hell tinged with blue.

*************************

The real world came crashing back painfully, and the Doctor came awake with a cry of pain.

That caught the attention of Jack and Martha who had been sitting despondently in their cage.

Jack leapt to his feet and pressed himself against the bars, desperately wanting to attract the Doctor's attention. "Doctor!" he called, but the Doctor either couldn't hear him or was unable to answer him.

"I don't think he can hear you," Martha said miserably.

Jack sagged away from the bars, and slumped back down opposite Martha. "We have to get out of this thing, this place is going to hell, and soon," he said, staring over at the room where they had taken the Doctor.

"The first place they'll hit will be the palace, I suppose," Martha said.

"I wasn't talking about the bombing; I think there's something else, something a lot worse. Whatever it is, it's got the Doctor spooked."

"It's all to do with that stupid box," Martha said.

Jack looked up when their captor returned, carrying said box. "You keep that thing away from him!" he yelled.

"Or what?" their captor smirked, before disappearing into the other room, ignoring Jack's threats of imminent pain and death.

**********************

"Ah, welcome back, Time Lord," Moisan said as he entered the room. He didn't fail to notice the look of fear that crossed the Doctor's face, when he saw the box. He moved closer to the Doctor, and raised an eyebrow when the inscriptions began to light up; he moved a little closer and the blue tendril once again began to snake towards the Doctor.

The Doctor tried to shift away, but his restraints wouldn't allow it.

"Interesting, it never did that before. You know I was just going to extract as much from you as I could, but this seems much more interesting." He gestured to an assistant, who pushed over a trolley. Moisan placed the box on it, and wheeled it right next to the Doctor.

"I'm thinking there's a connection between you, the box, and a certain fleet of ships that are heading our way. If the box did that to you before you even opened it, I wonder what it would do if it was opened. What do you say?" Moisan looked at the Doctor.

"You really don't want to open it," the Doctor replied, eying the now glowing box.

"Really, that confirms it then, there is a connection," Moisan said and placed his hand on the lid.

"Listen, you don't know what your doing, I'm asking you, don't open it," the Doctor said, a tinge of fear in his voice.

Moisan looked at the Doctor, gave him a cold smile and opened the lid, and stepped back.

The Doctor gave a cry of alarm. "I'm begging you, please, close the lid!" he yelled, trying to reach the box, even though he was tightly restrained.

Moisan stepped further back, a look of morbid fascination on his face.

****************************

At first nothing happened, but there seemed to be an air of something ominous building. Then the box seemed to grow and warp, the inscription started to glow sliver, then white hot and the box was soon engulfed in the white hot light.

The Doctor had frozen in sheer horror, as he saw the tendril snake out towards him. He could hear the other laughing manically, and then hiss chilling words.

"You think I am bad, now meet my brothers."

The Doctor suddenly arched in pain as the tendrils latched onto him, trailing fire up his arms.

He let out a terrified wordless scream as he felt himself overcome by hell itself.

**************************

Jack had reacted violently when he had heard the Doctor's agonised scream; the absolute terror in it had torn into his very soul. From somewhere, who knows where, the strength to kick the door of the cage open came.

Without stopping, he ran from the cage into the other room, but was halted in his headlong charge by an invisible barrier. He looked on in horror as the Doctor was engulfed in white hot light; his terrified screams gradually become weaker, until finally there was silence.

The light began fading away and finally disappeared, leaving just the Doctor standing with the box in his hand. Jack felt more than saw Martha join him, her hand finding his, feeling her tremble as she took in the sight.

"Doctor?" Jack said warily.

The Doctor let out a deep breath, more of a sigh. The Doctor opened his eyes and they were blazing with fire red light.

Jack and Martha recoiled.

"Your Doctor is no more, weep not for him, but for the sorrows to come."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Fifteen

"Fascinating, that sounds like multiple personalities, it's an advanced implantation device," a voice came from their right.

Jack turned to the voice. It was Moisan. "I'd shut up if I were you."

Moisan ignored him and walked towards the stationary Doctor.

"Don't," Jack said again.

Moisan gave him a scorn filled glance and stopped just out of arms reach of the Doctor.

"Fascinating, which one of you do I speak to?"

The Doctor, or whatever the Doctor was, tilted his head in what would have been a sign of curiousity, if he was still the Doctor.

"And what are you, little thing?" the Doctor asked.

"That depends on what you are?" Moisan replied.

"I know what you are……….snake!" the Doctor hissed.

"And you are?" Moisan said.

"Quiet," the Doctor hissed, and looked directly at Moisan.

********************************

Jack started when Moisan began to make choking noises. As much as he wanted the little weasel to choke, he couldn't let another life be added to the Doctor's conscience. "Hey!" he yelled. "I'd like to know who you are?!"

The Doctor's head snapped round, and Moisan dropped to the floor. Jack felt himself being pulled towards the Doctor, until he was staring directly into those fiery eyes.

"We are Death, we are War, we are Hate, we are Greed, we are Chaos."

"Bad mothers, huh. Funny you couldn't get out of a wooden box," he laughed.

The Doctor hissed and grabbed hold of Jack's throat. "You are nothing, do you think your immortality will save you when we are Death."

*******************************

The Doctor's hand began to close on Jack's throat, when the whole room shook. The distraction was enough to make the Doctor loosen his grip, allowing Jack to break free.

Another missile rocked the palace, and this time Jack saw the fire in the Doctor's eyes flicker.

"Not so sure you're in charge now," he taunted.

The fire in the Doctor's eye flared. "Stupid immortal, we are war, this is our food."

There was a blinding light, and when it had cleared, the Doctor was gone. Jack was blinded by the brightness, but could feel Martha's arms around him.

"Jack, are you okay?"

He blinked away the brightness and said in a hollow voice, "He's gone, he's gone. Martha, he's gone."

********************************

Martha looked at Jack and then at the empty space where the Doctor had been. She flinched as another missile hit the building. "Jack, we have to get out of here," she said and helped Jack up.

Martha looked over at the prone form of Moisan. "What about him?"

Jack glanced over at Moisan. "Leave him," he said coldly, and pulled Martha towards the door.

"We can't!" she protested.

"Leave him!" Jack said again, and almost pulled Martha off her feet as he took the stairs two at a time.

"Where are we going?" she asked as Jack pulled her along.

Jack turned back towards her. "You are going back to the TARDIS, she'll take you home."

Martha looked at him in consternation, then in anger. "No way, I'm not leaving either of you!"

Jack flinched as a piece of masonry fell a few feet from them. "Don't argue, you can't fight him."

"You can't either," she retorted.

"I've got more chance than you. Move, this place is finished."

******************************

Naah looked at the panic that had washed over the city; everything had happened far too quickly. First the bombardment had started, and then those black ships had appeared over the city. He ducked involuntarily as another missile flew over, and hit his once luxurious palace.

It was then that he noticed Hajor stalking towards him… wait, that isn't Hajor, he thought as the figure came closer. He backed away at the sight of those flame filled eyes.

"Where are you going, little thing?" the Doctor hissed as Naah backed away.

"Did you think we were your brother? He was such a little thing, gone now, kicking and screaming, trying to cheat death. Now death has come for payment."

The Doctor looked up at the black shapes moving across the sky. "Death is coming, for the whole world," he hissed. "Little thing, so scared of dying, stealing others to live a little longer. You are not gods, now you pay the price, payment is due," he snarled and reached for Naah.

***********************************

Jack and Martha were picking their way through the ruins of the city. The bombing had moved to outside the city, but the people left alive were still screaming.

Martha looked and froze, grabbing Jack's arm tightly. "My god, Jack, look!"

Jack looked up and saw a black shadow pass overhead, as noiseless as space itself. Their attention was drawn from the ships by nearby screams. They reacted by sprinting in the direction of the screams, but both stopped in horror at the scene unfolding in front of them.

Frightened people were running in blind panic, running from robed shadows, which glided across the ground. Martha watched in horror as a mother and child were cornered by a shadow. The mother tried in vain to protect her child.

Martha turned away as the pair seemed to twist and warp in silent agony, before dropping to the floor. She felt Jack pull her away.

"We can't help them, we have to find the Doctor."

Martha let Jack pull her along, unable to shake the horrific scene from her mind, and to make matters worse, the only person who be able to help, was probably working for the other side.

****************************

They came to the centre of the city, which was virtually destroyed, and was so far untouched by the shadows, they hoped.

The silence was un-nerving; not even the distant rumbling of the missile attack broke the malevolence that seemed to taint the air.

Jack stopped and gestured for her to stay put. He had seen a flash of familiar overcoat in the ruins. "Stay here, Martha," he said in a tone that brooked no argument, and for once Martha didn't disagree.

****************************

Jack cautiously edged his way round the ruined house, not that he thought he could sneak up on a god made flesh, if that's what those things were inside the Doctor.

Luckily, Jack didn't believe in gods, just disembodied aliens possessing a Time Lord. That he could deal with, not an omnipotent being. The house was on a small rise, and Jack could see the Doctor standing with his back to him, and his hope raised a little.

But it was dashed when the Doctor spoke in that weird multiple person voice. "There's no point in hiding, immortal thing, we rather think you will not attack us," he said and turned round.

Jack stared in disbelief; how was that possible!? Held by her throat, nearly unconscious was…..Martha!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Sixteen

Anger boiled inside Jack, anger at seeing Martha slowly being throttled. Anger at the thing, or things, possessing the Doctor. Anger at himself, for letting the Doctor end up like this.

"Hey!" he roared as he strode up the incline. "Can't pick on someone who can fight back."

The Doctor's face twisted into a sneer, but it had the desired effect that Jack wanted. He let go of Martha, who fell to the ground, taking in gasps of air.

"You think you can best us, little immortal. We could snuff you out in an instant."

"Sure, but you haven't, why is that?" Jack taunted. He knew he was playing a dangerous game, but he had to know, was there anything of the Doctor left at all. If there was just the glimmer of a hope, he would take it and run.

"You are nothing, an insect, a stupid ape," the Doctor said haughtily.

Jack's eyes widened slightly, there it was, that glimmer of hope. Those three words, only the Doctor, his Doctor would know. He took that glimmer, and ran with it.

He closed the gap between himself and the Doctor, risking the volatile nature of whatever was using the Doctor as a host, something that powerful shouldn't be taken lightly, gods or not.

************************************

Deep inside his own mind, the Doctor felt more than saw Jack approaching, crazy, stubborn Jack Harkness. He had to find a way of letting him know he was still here and fighting. Of course, something they wouldn't know, but Jack would, yes, those were the words.

Using as much energy as he dare, he forced the words into the maelstrom that was the minds of his unwanted guests. He knew that the box was lost, destroyed in the missile attack on the palace.

When the Death Eaters found him, he knew he could die, no regeneration, not from this, not so far away from his beloved TARDIS. He didn't fear it; he had been waiting a long time for Death to catch up with him. Why bother trying to fight, he thought. That was until he had felt that familiar thread that was Jack Harkness.

Now he was feeling something else. He was starting to panic. These things wouldn't hesitate in killing Jack, and the Doctor didn't know if Jack would come back this time. These things were older than this universe, from the Dark Times, before even his people were more than savages. He knew Jack was taking a huge risk, and he had to try and rise to it, even if he had to sacrifice himself to accomplish it. So he reached out and touched the dark edge of the Death Eaters, almost losing himself when he felt their cold touch.

*********************************

Jack walked right up to the Doctor and looked straight into those unearthly eyes. "Still haven't killed me, something stopping you?" he said as he stared into those unblinking eyes.

It was hard to think of this as the Doctor, his face twisted in a disdainful sneer, his eyes like molten lava. He could see the toll it was taking on the Doctor's body. A trickle of panic ran through him; would he loose the Doctor, no matter what he did.

It was then he heard Martha's frightened gasp, and then he saw why. The silent shadow of a Death Eater ship appeared over the rise, filling the sky, blotting out stars. A blinding light flashed out, and engulfed all three of them.

********************************

When Jack came round, he found himself bathed in light and floating at least fifteen feet from the ground, with no visible support.

"The impossibility is awake," a voice echoed around him.

He could just make out shapes in the shadows. He felt himself being lowered a few feet, and found himself face to face with a Death Eater.

"You are an impossible thing. Why are you such?" it asked.

"I'm not telling you anything, where are my friends?"

"The human female is of no consequence. Why are you such?" it repeated.

"What about my other friend!?" Jack yelled.

The Death Eater gestured to his right, and another area lit up, revealing a snarling, cursing Doctor, eyes now black and not molten. "He is ours, extraction is in process."

Jack's eyes widened in horror as the light surrounding the Doctor contracted, and the Doctor's snarls turned to cries of agony. Jack watched in stunned silence a person shaped shadow was torn from the Doctor's body. Jack's heart missed a beat as the Doctor's body was wracked with a bone breaking spasm. "Stop it, you're killing him!" Jack yelled.

"The extraction must continue, he knew the price that had to be paid," the Death Eater said without a trace of emotion in its voice.

"He already paid you a hundred years!" Jack yelled as he fought against his invisible bonds.

"He failed to return what was ours. He pays the price, as agreed."

"That wasn't his fault, if you're so powerful, you should see that!"

Jack recoiled as the light contracted around the Doctor again, and once more his heart was torn by the agonised screams of his friend and his pleas to stop were ignored by the Death Eater.

**********************************

Martha covered her ears, and tried to block out the screams she could hear echoing down the hall. She had shouted herself hoarse after she had been dragged away from Jack and the Doctor.

Now she tried to block out the screams of the Doctor, and Jack's cursing and threats of all sorts of violence. She had tried to get the attention of her captors, and was about to again when another shadow floated by.

"There's no point in shouting, they only ignore you," a voice floated through a small grille on the left wall of her cell.

Surprised at hearing another voice, she moved over to the grille. "They're torturing my friends," she said.

"So I hear, but I don't think they care. My name is Jaric. You don't sound Imani, are you an off-worlder?"

"Yes, my name is Martha, Martha Jones."

"Tell me, Martha Jones, if you are an off-worlder, do you know what they are?"

"No, but I've seen them before. One of my friends knows what they are."

"Perhaps that is why they torture him," Jaric said. "They were not interested in our people, they have been killing without mercy."

"So why have they kept you alive?" Martha asked.

"I know not, perhaps they have a need for slaves or weaponry, they seem to have spared all those that can make weaponry. I myself am a blacksmith, there are others in cells beyond mine. Are your friends such?"

"No, one of them is a soldier, the other is a doctor, but I don't think that's why they're doing this."

"No matter, it is good to hear another voice. Perhaps, if the gods are kind, we will see each other."

Martha heard the door of her cell being opened, and moved away from the grille, as a figure was pushed inside, and the door slammed shut behind them.

**********************************

The figure moved slightly and let out a groan.

"Jack!" Martha cried, moving over to the slowly sitting up figure. "Oh, my god, Jack, are you okay?" she asked, taking in the dark shadows under his eyes, and the pale shade of his face.

He looked up at her, his eye haunted by whatever had happened down the hall. "I'm fine," he said quietly.

"Where's the Doctor?"

Jack said nothing, his eyes refusing to meet Martha's.

"Jack, where's the Doctor?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Seventeen

The Doctor felt the first of his unwanted guests being extracted, and the pain was almost enough to end him there and then. He fought the pull of the extraction, using more precious energy to push the others towards the howling vortex that was the Death Eaters extraction process.

He'd been left suspended just feet away from the shimmering black space that had taken the others. All that was left was his own darkness, howling and screaming to be let free. Now that the others had been extracted, he could feel the agony, and hear the cries of the souls that had paid the price for his failure.

He had let himself get sidetracked by things that were not his concern. He should have just left after the Labyrinth, taken the box and returned it. Now people were paying for his lack of action, paying for it with something far worse than death.

He knew the Death Eater would be back soon; back to extract the price for not returning, and then losing the box. He had a good innings, all things considered; he'd lived more in ten lives than some Time Lords could live in twenty. All he could do was wait, and as always, it was the waiting that got to him the most.

***********************************

Jack couldn't bring himself to answer Martha's question, not yet. He still couldn't get the sounds of the Doctor's screams out of his head, or the sight of him convulsing in agony, as shadow after shadow was slowly and painfully pulled from him.

It had seemed to go on for an eternity, his pleas falling on deaf ears. He had tried to fight his way to the Doctor, when he had been lowered to the floor.

But the things they used as guards were faster and stronger than him, and he found himself in the cell with Martha.

"Jack, where's the Doctor, what are they doing to him?" Martha asked.

"Extraction," he finally managed to say, shrugging off Martha's concerned arm.

"What?" Martha said.

***************************************

"I have seen it," Jaric's voice floated through the grille again. "It is not something you forget."

"Then tell me," Martha said and returned to the grille.

"They remove the soul from the body, for what purpose I know not, but I fear it is for no good purpose. Your friend is in a living hell."

**********************************

The Death Eater floated upwards, until it was face to face with the Doctor. "Time Lord, you did not uphold your part of the agreement, the price must be paid."

The Doctor looked at the Death Eater, eyes never straying from the dark void that was the Death Eaters face. "I know," he said.

"Then you agree," the Death Eater said.

"Yes," the Doctor said quietly.

The Death Eater moved away, leaving the Doctor slightly confused. It wasn't like Death Eaters to delay anything.

It wasn't until the Death Eater returned, he realised the horrific reason why.

"No, no, you can't!" he cried out as he saw what price was going to be paid.

**********************************

Jack had been hauled back into the chamber, and was now being positioned in front of the shimmering black vortex.

"You agreed the price, Time Lord," the Death Eater stated.

"No… I wouldn't have… you never," the Doctor whimpered.

"We agreed a price, but not what the price would be. This immortal will feed us for a very long time."

"No, take me, I can give you the power to time travel, just don't," the Doctor begged.

"You are tainted with the madness, you are not acceptable. You are damaged goods."

"Please don't," the Doctor begged, but his cries were drowned out by the howling of the vortex.

*********************************

Jack knew as soon as he heard the Death Eater speak what the price would be. He had known when he felt one of them brush against his soul back on the Widow, knew they would be back for more. He now knew that they must have tricked the Doctor into this, knowing how desperately he needed that damn box, taking advantage of the Doctor's too trusting nature.

Now he knew what had to be done, as he looked into the black endless version of hell. He could feel it tugging at his very core, like cold fingers brushing over him. He could vaguely hear the Doctor's cries of despair, but the howling of the blackness in front of him became all encompassing.

The icy fingers tightened their grip, and tugged viciously at his core, he couldn't stop the cry of agony escaping.

*************************************

The Doctor stared numbly, as he watched Jack's immortality start to leave his body. Black tendrils mixed with gold stretched between the howling blackness, and Jack's convulsing body. Jack was dying, and there was nothing he could do about it.

He felt nothing, only the cold of fate, and fate was laughing at him. Somewhere, deep inside his own mind, something broke, cracking open like a long held dam, and whatever was inside boiled over and poured out into his very being.

Fire began to burn through his soul. Then something he hadn't dare feel for a long time flowed through his soul…..anger….red hot unforgiving anger!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Eighteen

Jack tried in vain to fight the icy fingers that were pulling the life from him. The icy cold of he vortex wrapped itself around hist core, and begun pulling harder.

He didn't know how much longer he could hold on; he could feel himself growing weaker. It was then that he felt something on the edges of his consciousness, a not very nice something, a cold but also white hot something.

He forced his head round, and wished he hadn't.

***************

The Doctor didn't fight the rage that boiled up inside him. He let it wash over him, a wave of primal unthinking rage, white hot and unforgiving.

No-one was going to use his captain as a payment for anything.

Reaching out with his mind, he took hold of the force field surrounding him and began to draw the energy from it. Then they would see who would pay the price.

*******************************

If Jack could have recoiled, he would have. He had seen the Doctor angry before, but not this kind of anger, nor did he want to.

The Doctor's face was expressionless, but his eyes showed every ounce of the rage that was flowing inside him. The light around the Doctor contracted and dimmed, and began to crack and splinter like glass.

Then, without warning, it shattered into myriads of pieces.

*******************************

At the same time, the black tendrils loosened their grip on Jack and receded into the vortex. He felt himself descending, and saw the light around him start to crystallize and harden.

He heard the Doctor whisper. "Safe, safe now."

*********************************

There was a flurry of activity around Jack, and a Death Eater rose out of the darkness to confront the Doctor.

"What are you doing, no-one can stop an extraction," it hissed.

The Doctor had been watching Jack descend, and looked up sharply when the Death Eater spoke. His eyes were as bright as the Death Eaters were dark. "I can, Time Lord," he snarled.

"You should not, it is forbidden. You should not harness the power."

"Really, is that because I'll become a god, or are you afraid I'll ruin you little plans for living forever. Jack Harkness is mine."

"You must stop, the power will destroy you, destroy us, destroy everything," the Death Eater said.

"Doesn't matter, as long as they are safe, now hush," the Doctor said, raising one eyebrow.

The Death Eater suddenly convulsed and shrieked horribly as it began to fold in on itself, until it was no more.

*******************************

Jack looked up from inside his crystal container. The Death Eater's shriek had reverberated inside it. He had watched as it crumpled and shrank to nothing, its dying shrieks scraping at his nerves.

He could see the other Death Eaters moving agitatedly around him. They seemed wary, frightened even of the figure still suspended in the air. When he looked up, he could see why.

******************************

The Doctor had moved in front of the vortex, and this time, the icy black tendrils were being drawn by the Doctor, and were attaching themselves to him.

Jack frowned and shook his head, was the Doctor growing in size.

He jumped when more shrieks filled the air, and more shadowy figures were being pulled upwards, convulsing in agony as they ascended.

The Doctor's voice echoed around the chamber. "Everything has its time, everything dies."

***************************

A sudden burst of light blinded Jack, and when his eyes cleared, he found himself back in the ruins of the city.

"Jack!" a familiar voice called out.

He looked round and saw Martha, looking similarly dazed, along with a dozen other people. Martha ran towards him, but stumbled when the ground trembled beneath panicked cries of the others drew Jack and Martha's attention skywards.

The Death Eater ship that was overhead had started to ripple and warp in the same way as the Death Eaters had.

"Everybody down!" Jack yelled, covering his head, tensing for the explosion.

After a few moments, it became apparent that there was not going to be an explosion. Jack cautiously lifted himself from the dirt, and risked turning round. There was no sign of the ship; it was like it had never existed, there was just space and stars, and the distance rumbling of what sounded like shelling.

He got up quickly and moved over to Martha, who was also staring at the empty sky.

"Where did it go, Jack?" she asked.

"Never mind that, where did the Doctor go?"

Another cry of alarm from the small group alerted them to something else.

"Look, look at the rest of the ships!" a broad shouldered man shouted.

Jack looked over at the man, and recognised him as the blacksmith from the village. He looked over to where he was pointing, and drew in a sharp breath.

Ship after ship was reacting in the same way as the first, warping and twisting into grotesque shapes. The distant shrieks of dying creatures could be heard, as the ships disappeared.

He looked down into the ruined city, and saw the same happening to the Death Eaters on the ground. But that wasn't the thing that was drawing his attention; it was the figure that was standing amidst the chaos and slaughter that did.

******************************

The Doctor was standing inside a growing vortex of blackness.

Everything around him was being slowly sucked in, Death Eaters, rubble, dirt, vegetation, and worst of all, survivors of the earlier attacks were suffering the same as the Death Eaters had.

The Doctor's voice thundered across the ruin. "All will pay the price! All will sacrifice!"

The Doctor seemed to be smiling at the screams of the terrified people, almost revelling in the suffering he was causing.

********************************

Jack looked on in horror. The Doctor had become the one thing he should never have become. He had used the power of that vortex to rescue him and Martha.

Now the power had turned him into an abomination…….. a vengeful god!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Nineteen

Jack stared in horror, to stricken with shock to move, as the Doctor continued destroying everything. Martha was the one who moved first, clambering down the rubble, towards the Doctor.

"Martha, no!" Jack cried.

Martha hadn't seen what had happened in the chamber, but she could see the results of it. She heard Jack's cry of alarm, but ignored it. As she reached level ground, she could feel the pull of the vortex, even at this distance.

She focused on the figure of the Doctor, standing arms outstretched, the force of the vortex whipping his hair and his long coat in chaotic patterns.

Black tendrils crackled over his body, casting shadowy fingers across his face. His skin was almost translucent, black energy creeping through his face like decaying veins, eyes no longer golden, but once again soulless black.

Martha moved closer, trying not to worry about her own safety. With more bravado than she felt, she planted herself, hands on hips, facing the Doctor. "Doctor, what are you doing!?" she shouted.

She tried not to flinch when he turned his attention to her; she braced herself as she felt the pull of the vortex increase.

"Go away, little human, I have no interest in you," the Doctor said.

"No, but I'm interested in you. I know you're angry, you want to make them pay, but innocent people are paying too."

"There are no innocents," he hissed. "Now, go away."

Martha didn't even have time to cry out, as she felt an invisible hand slam into her. She was propelled backwards, landing heavily against the rubble.

******************************

The sight of Martha's bone crunching landing stripped away the last of Jack's shock, and he went to move. A strong hand clamped itself onto his shoulder, followed by the blacksmith's voice.

"No, friend, he is lost, we must get as far away as possible, and find a way of this planet."

Jack tore away from the blacksmith's grip. "No, I can't!" he cried.

********************************

Jack's cry attracted the Doctor's attention, who moved away from the seething black vortex, tendrils following him like black lightning.

"Looks like I made a mistake in allowing any of you to live," he snarled as he reached for Martha. "I must have been weak to allow myself to care for such little things."

The Doctor stared directly at Jack, who stared in horror as black tendrils crept towards Martha and started to leech into Martha's skin, turning it a deathly grey.

"No!" Jack cried and ran towards them, dodging the strong arm of the blacksmith. He got only as far as the level ground before he found himself held by an invisible hand at his throat.

Martha fell to the ground, the black tendrils retracting from her and attaching themselves to Jack.

The Doctor moved back towards the vortex, dragging Jack with him. "Shall we leave this place?" he said, stepping into the vortex.

"Doctor, no!" Jack cried, struggling against the invisible hand. Jack felt the pressure on his throat lessen, and he though he saw the blackness of those eyes flicker back to brown. Yes, there they were, but they were brown eyes tinged with horror and panic and sorrow, but there was something else.

"Jack!" the Doctor groaned, a whole life's worth of sorrow poured into that one sound. "What have I done, Jack.." With a cry that would have broken anyone's heart, the Doctor stepped into the vortex.

Jack screamed in agony as the black tendrils forced their way into his skin, and burnt an icy trail up his arm, spreading through his body. He was dragged into the black spinning hell of the vortex, and then blackness descended.

*******************************

Jaric watched as the Doctor dragged Jack into the howling blackness, watched as the hole gradually contracted and eventually disappeared.

Once it had disappeared, he scurried down the rubble to the still form of Martha and dragged her to the relative safety of the rubble. He was no medic but he knew she was in a bad way, the sticky patch of blood at the back of her head, and her ragged breathing were testament to that.

He no longer had a med-centre to take her to, that had been destroyed, and any surviving medic had probably been killed by those shadows.

Then a thought came to him, the rebels. Carefully he lifted Martha up, aware that he maybe doing more harm than good, but he couldn't risk either the Doctor or more shadows returning.

Slowly but steadily, he made his way through the rubble, heading away from the shelling and towards what he hoped was the rebel camp.

********************************

Jack came too and found himself, not on a barren planet as he had expected, but in a very comfortable bed, with cool crisp cotton linen.

Sunlight streamed through a large window, a soft breeze blowing the curtains gently. A waft of roses and carnations, and a whole mix of summer flowers floated on the breeze.

He suddenly remembered the black tendrils and the vortex, and the Doctor's sorrow filled cry. He looked at his hands, and pulled up the sleeves of his silk pyjamas he noted absently. There was no sign of those horrible black tendrils.

He climbed out of the bed, four poster, what else, and moved over to the large mirror in the corner of the room. He could see no trace of the tendrils on his face, nor on any other part of his body.

He moved to the window, and pulled the curtain aside. He looked out on a vast expanse of greener than green lawn, that stretched way into the distance, where snow capped mountains framed the horizon.

A large fountain trickled happily in the centre of the lawn, and what looked like gardeners were tending to the large beds of flowers that bordered the lawn, across which two footmen were walking at least a dozen boisterous dogs, whilst a cat lazed in the warn sunshine that bathed the corner near the fountain.

He could have sworn he heard the sounds of horse s galloping in the distance, and the chime of a church clock.

"Alright, Doc, or whoever you are, I'll play your little fantasy for now," he muttered.

He was about to explore the bathroom when there was a knock at the door. "Come in," he said, and his jaw nearly hit the floor when a familiar figure entered the room carrying a tray.

"Gwen?" he said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty

"Gwen?" he said again as she placed the tray on a perfectly polished mahogany table.

"Sir John will be so glad you're up and about, he's been frantic since you took that tumble yesterday. He'll never forgive himself for letting you jump that six bar."

Jack blinked. "Gwen, don't you know who I am?"

Gwen smiled gently at him. "Doctor Harper said this might happen. You're Captain Jack Harkness, U.S Army attaché, stationed here at Sir John's request, I'll leave your breakfast," she said and left the room.

After she left, Jack sat down heavily on the bed. Where the hell was he, and what had the Doctor done?

Deciding to go along with whatever this was for now, he had breakfast, washed in the tastefully decorated bathroom, and then found his clothes, washed and neatly pressed in the wardrobe.

The landing and stairs were as luxurious and as tastefully decorated as his rooms. "You maybe crazy, Doc, but at least you've still got style," he said as he descended the stairs.

Downstairs was a flurry of activity, as servants went about their duties. The sounds of Glenn Miller drifted from somewhere.

Jack stopped a manservant. "Could you tell me where I can find Sir John?"

"Sir John is out on estate business, but should be back by lunch sir. He asks you to join the others in the sun room until then sir"

"The sun room is where?" Jack asked.

"Down the hall, through the library, sir."

"Thank you," Jack said and moved off.

*******************************

The library was as he expected. It was very much like the one in the TARDIS, shelves upon shelves of books. A large globe made of glass, with hand painted continents stood in one corner.

"This is all very nice, but it doesn't fool me," Jack said into the air.

"I wouldn't talk like that in front of Dr. Harper, he'll have you locked away," another familiar voice said.

Jack turned towards the sun room and found Toshiko sitting in a large chair, just out of his eye line. "Yeah, he would," Jack said and walked over to where she was sitting, and took the chair opposite. "So I tried to jump a six-bar gate?"

"Yep, but your horse said no and you kept on going, right on the noggin," she smiled.

"Right," Jack said slowly. "So you're a guest of Sir John's too?"

"Yes, he's funding my research at the observatory, the same with Mr Jones and Dr. Harper."

"And you all live here, in this house, with Sir John?"

"That fall really did scramble your noodle, you've been here six months. Speaking of funding, I really should go and earn mine. Hopefully I'll see you at lunch, Captain," she said and put her book down.

After Toshiko had left, he wandered into the sun room and found he was feeling very tired and sat down on one of the loungers.

*******************************

"Wakey, wakey, sleepyhead," a voice broke into his sleep.

He opened sleep heavy eyes and found a pair of intense brown ones inches from his face.

The owner of those eyes backed up as Jack sat up. Sir John was the spitting image of the Doctor, except for the uniform and the clipped English accent.

"Sir John, I take it?" Jack said.

"Really, Jack, we've known each other long enough not to be so formal." Sir John smiled. "It's good to see you on your feet, that was a nasty tumble you took. Lunch is in fifteen minutes, just enough time to freshen up. See you in the conservatory in fifteen."

Jack watched as Sir John walked out of the sun room, and out of earshot. "Okay, Doctor, enough of this!" he yelled.

*****************************

The whole room seemed to shimmer and the Doctor appeared, dressed in his normal outfit.

"Don't you like this?" he asked. "How about another season, winter, perhaps? How about Christmas?"

The room shimmered again and Jack found himself in a large drawing room, next to a crackling fire. A large Christmas tree dominated one corner, the sounds of carols being sung buzzed quietly in the distance.

All around he could see decorations and cards, and there were Toshiko, Owen, Ianto, Gwen and Sir John enjoying the fire and a glass of brandy.

"Is that better?" the Doctor asked, frowning when it was obvious it wasn't.

******************************

Jack turned towards the Doctor, his eyes sad. "This isn't real," he said.

"It can be, if you let it, you're safe here," the Doctor said.

"Safe, yes, but it's not real," Jack pressed.

"Please, Jack, I can keep you safe here."

"Safe from what, the universe?"

"No, from him," the Doctor said. "He was killing you, I couldn't…."

"What couldn't let him hurt me? Doctor, there is no him, only you," Jack said, guilt washing over him at his own cruel words.

Anger flashed in the Doctor's eyes. "What, you'd rather this!" he snarled.

******************************

The room winked out of existence and Jack found himself on the desolate planet he had been expecting. He saw himself, twisted in agony, falling to his knees. He saw the Doctor wreathed in black tendrils, black eyes glittering with nameless rage. All around him, Jack could see destruction and desolation.

The Doctor stood next to him. "You'd rather this. I don't want you to suffer, you can…. we can live a life, with you friends…. family, no pain, I….."

"What, love me too much to let me suffer? What kind of love would stick me in a cage, albeit a nice cage, but still a cage?"

"Please, Jack," the Doctor said.

"No, life is suffering, facing one's responsibilities, facing the pain. Love hurts sometimes!"

"No, please, stop it," the Doctor pleaded.

"No, Doctor, only you can stop it. I can't love someone who can't face reality," Jack said, turning away from the Doctor.

"Jack, please," the Doctor whimpered.

*********************************

The other Doctor let out a sudden cry, not of anger, but a cry full of despair, sadness, loss and finality. The black tendrils that surrounded him began to wither and fade.

*********************************

Jack blinked, and found himself back amongst the ruins, the black tendrils fading from his own body, and the swirling vortex shrinking to nothing.

A strangled sob drew his attention. The Doctor was curled in a tight ball, his body wracked with sobs. "No, no, no," he kept repeating.

Jack's heart ached at the repeated denials. He moved over to the Doctor and crouched down.

He went to put his arms round the sobbing Doctor, and almost fell over when the Doctor shoved him away with an inarticulate cry, before scuttling further away.

Jack moved again, determined to stop the Doctor moving again. But as he approached, the Doctor stood up, his face a mask of grief and sorrow.

"Go away, Jack!" he cried, and started scrabbling backwards up the rubble strewn rise.

"Where are you going?" Jack asked softly and moved again, risking the chance that the Doctor might take flight.

"Go away!" the Doctor cried again, his tone desperate, and this time he turned a fled up the rubble.

"Doctor!" Jack cried. He went to chase him, when the all too familiar sound of a missile filled the air and his world turned into a fiery hell.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty One

The Doctor ran. He had heard the missile land behind him. Concern for Jack flitted across his mind, but only fleetingly. He kept on running until his lungs began to burn from the effort, his hearts pounding in his chest.

He needed to get away, find his only true companion, that blue wooden box. She would never abandon him. Her love was constant, and her love was forever.

He ran through the ruined city, pushing himself, disappearing into the night.

***************************

Jack had dived as soon as he had heard that all too familiar sound, slamming himself into what was left of a wall. The world around him turned into fiery orange day, as the missile demolished what was already a pile of rubble.

He didn't wait for the rubble to finish falling. He was up and running in the direction the Doctor had gone.

He scrambled up what was left of the rubble and stopped. Where the had probably been a path or a road, there was now only a gaping smoking crater, with no way round that he could see.

"Doctor!" he shouted across the crater, but only his voice echoed back.

He tensed when he heard footfalls behind him. He forced himself to relax, just in case it was the Doctor. He finetuned his hearing, and realised it wasn't the Doctor. The footfalls were too heavy.

He tensed again as the footfalls came closer, coiled himself, ready to strike. The footfalls came as close as he dared them, before he whirled round, ready to strike.

He only just stopped himself when he recognised the figure as the soldier who had captured him back in the old city… Mylas wasn't it?

"Captain Harkness," Mylas breathed. "We thought you were dead, especially after what we were told, and Miss Jones's condition."

Jack's stomach flipped. "Martha, is she okay?"

"I've been told she's stable, but I'm no medic, so I don't know if that's good or bad."

Jack swallowed down his stomach. Now he was faced with a dilemma. Should he go and find out about Martha, or should he go after the Doctor. He decided to go after the Doctor, in the hope that Martha was maybe the thing that would bring him back.

"She'll be okay, I need to find the Doctor," he said and went to move.

"Wait!" Mylas said and pulled Jack back. "You can't go alone, there are still imperial troops on the loose. Let me radio base, they're starting a sweep of this and the old city for resistance. Give me a description, and they can help look for him."

Mylas spoke into his comm, whilst Jack itched to be moving, the Doctor could be anywhere by now.

"We have to move, if he gets to his ship, he'll leave," Jack said urgently.

"His ship, you mean the blue wooden box. One of our patrols found it, it's back at base." Mylas said.

Jack was relieved and panicked at the same time. Relieved that at least the Doctor couldn't get off-planet, but panicked at what it would do to him in his present fragile state.

"Right, at least he'll be planet-bound, come on, we have to find a way round this crater. I'm pretty sure he's heading for where his ship was."

Mylas nodded and joined Jack in picking a way round the still steaming crater.

************************************

The Doctor had to stop eventually; even he wasn't a marathon runner. He leant against a large boulder and drew in large lungfuls of air. He winced as his chest burnt with every breath; the black tendrils had done a lot of damage.

It didn't help that he was already weak from having multiple personalities warring inside him, using precious energy to fight them. Then the extractions had done further damage, and taking the Death Eaters power had compounded the damage.

Allowing only enough time to get some air into his lungs, he started off again, towards the old city.

************************************

Jack was glad he had kept his tracking skills honed. Tthe Doctor might be running away, but he wasn't leaving directions.

The Doctor was definitely heading towards the TARDIS, and Jack desperately wanted to catch him before he discovered it wasn't there, wanted to shield him from more hurt. He also had to think about the Doctor's physical state, you couldn't help but notice the bruising on his skin, and the dullness of eyes.

A cold thought ran through him, what if he died, with no TARDIS to help him? Could he regenerate, or worse, did he want to?

Yes, he had to find him; he wasn't going to lose another Doctor.

******************************

The Doctor approached the ruins of the old city; he stopped and closed his eyes, reaching for the TARDIS. He wasn't surprised when he couldn't connect, he didn't have much energy left to boost the link, plus how was she supposed to know if he was him.

Sighing, he moved into the ruins, unaware he was being watched.

******************************

"Lookit, that's the Sky Lord, innit, skinny bones."

"Yeah, he come back, nobody comes back, he gonna take us home."

"He don't look good, maybes gangs after him."

"Yeah, yous' get the Seer, we's stay and watch. Tells em' to watch for gangs or bounty trackers."

"Yeah, we's knowing what to do with 'em."

*****************************

The Doctor was getting worried now; he still couldn't feel the TARDIS, even though he knew he must be near it. "Why aren't you letting me in?" he muttered.

He was desperate to get inside his home, this body was failing. He needed to heal, feed of her energy. The he would run, run far away, far from people, so he wouldn't have to feel anything.

Maybe they had been right, those long dead Time Lords, he should never have seen them as nothing but pets. Perhaps if he had, his heart wouldn't have been broken so many times. Yes, that's what he would do; he would run away and become what he should have always been.

He round a corner, his hearts lifting in the knowledge that he would soon be away and alone. He stopped dead when he didn't see the familiar blue shape. "No, no!" he cried, and deep inside him something shattered and he sank to his knees, a silent tear ran down his face.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty Two

Jack and Mylas approached the old city; the Doctor had a good thirty minutes on them.

Mylas slowed as the entered the city. "We have to be careful, these ruins aren't empty."

"You mean the kids."

"If you can call them that, more like a feral pack. They'll skewer you given the chance."

"About those kids?" Jack asked.

"They belong to people that have been implanted, they're too young so they let them run wild kill they're old enough. Then there's the undead."

"The un-dead, zombies?" Jack said.

"Failed experiments of Naah's scientists, Moisan has a lot to answer for," Mylar spat.

"I think he may already have," Jack said.

They entered the ruin, their senses on high alert.

***********************

When the two figures that had been following the Doctor finally caught up, he was still kneeling in the same place. The two teenagers approached cautiously. One poked the Doctor's shoulder with a spear, but he didn't move. They moved round to face him, and the other reached out a shaking hand and touched the Doctor's tear stained cheek.

"I thinks he's broken," he said.

"We's got to take him to the tunnels, gangs or undead will get him," the other said

"How's we going to move him, can't carry him or drag him."

A low whistle caught their attention, as a group of children emerged from the shadows, led by three older teenagers.

"Sky Lord's broken Seer," the first teen said.

"Can't move him," the other added as the group crowded round the Doctor.

"Move away, don't crowds him," the Seer ordered and knelt down in front of the Doctor. "Sky Lord," she said gently, touching his face.

The Doctor blinked. "Sky Lord?" he whispered.

"He don't member he's a Sky Lord," one child said.

The Seer took hold of his hand. "We's have to move, yeah," she said.

"Yeah," the Doctor repeated and stood up, not noticing a child of about six take his other hand.

The gang of children surrounded him and herded him gently away from the clearing. Just as they were approaching the tunnel entrance, two youths ran up to one of the older boys.

"Bounty trackers, one's has gang colours. Josa said rest of gang is near the city, but the other gang is already here."

The older youth scowled. "Call the others, set the traps." He turned to the Seer. "Takes the Sky Lord, go to the caves."

The Seer nodded and led the Doctor away, still surrounded by the children too young to fight

. As they entered the tunnel, the sound of a horn rang out across the ruins, and in response, children of all ages carrying spears and bows started to appear from the ruins, heading towards the sound.

*****************************

Jack and Mylas looked up at the sound of the horn. They were waiting for the rebel patrol to catch up with them. They had received a report that surviving Imperial troops were in the ruins, and heading towards them.

"Now we're in trouble, those children have spotted us," Mylas said.

"Great, this is turning into The Lord of the Flies. I still have to get to the Doctor," Jack said.

"It might be best to wait, we've lost a lot of men to these children," Mylas warned.

"I'll take that risk," Jack said.

"He's that important, this Doctor of yours?"

"You'll never know how much." Jack smiled.

*******************

The group of children led the Doctor down a confusing twist of tunnels twist of tunnels, which opened into a large caver, decorated with furniture and furs.

"He don't look good Seer," one child said. "Is he gonna be dead?"

"Sssh, don' frighten the young uns', he needs sleep, that's all. He's a Sky Lord, theys' don' get dead. Go get some more furs, he feels cold."

The Seer pulled a fur over the Doctor's shoulder. "Rest Sky Lord," she said.

She turned back to the fire she had started to build, the Sky Lord may have been cold, but he was covered in sweat. She stepped away from the fire, and called another child over.

"Fetch my healing bag, and get some more fever-weed, yeah."

"Is the Sky Lord gonna be dead?" the child, a young girl asked, tears in her eyes. "I wanna go home."

"Jus' go and get them Cait yeah, and bring some more water. He'll be fine, I've seens' it."

The Seer returned to the fire, and used the last of the water to boil and steep the fever-weed.

She lifted the Doctor's head.

"Drink Sky Lord, it's not your time to be dead, I've seens' it, you gotta take us home."

The Doctor stirred against her hand. "Home," he moaned.

The Seer sat back; she knew how important the Sky Lord was. Her dreams had been full of him since they had put him in the truth giver, dreams of him leading them to a blue box. But where was the dark-haired soldier, she'd dreamt of him too, the Sky Lords' companion. If the Sky Lord was broken, then only the dark-haired soldier could fix him.

*******************

Jack and Mylas weaved their way through maze of ruined buildings and destroyed roads.

Jack was beginning to have a greater respect for these children. They'd come across several unfortunate Imperial soldiers caught in some very inventive if horrendous traps.

They stopped again as they heard another poor unfortunate fall foul of another trap somewhere in the ruins, and then the sound of laser fire in retaliation.

Jack could only think about the Doctor, hoping that he hadn't fallen victim. The thought of him broken or skewered turned his stomach.

"We can't be far from where we found his ship," Mylas said.

"How can you tell, this place is like a rat run," Jack said as they approached a small courtyard.

He stepped out, only his reflexes saving him as an arrow whistled past his face, embedding itself in a wall.

Jack flattened against the wall. "Mylas, stay back!" he hissed, looking round, only to find himself alone, a laser rifle the only evidence that Mylas had been there at all.

"No!" he hissed, and fuelled by adrenalin he dashed across the courtyard. He only made it halfway, before an arrow buried itself in his shoulder. He stumbled, let out a cry and landed heavily, cried out again as the shaft snapped, as he tried to roll away into the shadows. He heard more than felt the snap of the trap, as he was lifted into the air, entangled in a net that snapped around him.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty Three

The Seer was becoming increasingly worried about the Sky Lord; the fever-weed was not working as it should. The Sky Lord was plagued by awful dreams; she didn't have to be a Seer to know that, it was coming off him in waves.

She jumped when the Sky Lord suddenly cried out. "Jack, no!"

The Seer put a soothing hand on the Sky Lord's forehead. "Ssh now, it only a dream."

Where was the one who could walk in his dreams?

*****************************

Jack was painfully reminded of the arrow head still lodged in his shoulder, when the net was lowered and he hit the ground.

"It's the bounty tracker, we's kill him now?"

"Nah, the Seer says we takes em' back, makes em' talk."

Jack listened to the conversation, shocked to find his captor couldn't be more than twelve.

"Yeah, the Seer makes him talk."

Jack grimaced as the net was pulled away from him, and his hands were bound painfully behind him, whilst spear points were pointing a vital parts of his body.

"Maybes' the one who broke the Sky Lord," one said and jabbed Jack in the shoulder with his spear.

Jack's temper flared and he whirled round. "Hey, stop poking me!" he roared, pleased to see the poker scurry back in alarm.

"I says we kills him, he dangerous."

"Nah, gotta follow the rules, moves you," the oldest of the children snapped at Jack, re-enforcing it with a whack across his head with the shaft of his spear.

With a glare that would have killed at fifty paces, Jack walked in the direction he was pushed.

*****************************

The sounds of fighting began to move towards the little group as they made their way out of the courtyard. Jack could help but imagine there might be children killing and being killed out there, somewhere in the darkness of the ruins. He thought they were going to walk right into the fighting, but they turned right and entered an almost intact building.

The building turned out to be the entrance to a tunnel, in fact a confusing twisting well lit tunnel. After five minutes Jack had lost any sense of where or how far he was going. He tried to keep track of the twists and turn, but the shock of his injury was wearing off, along with the adrenalin his anger had given him. The pain and the blood loss were starting to take his toll.

Just as he felt himself starting to lose his balance, the tunnel widened into a cavern, with tunnels leading of elsewhere. He was shoved into the cavern and then pulled up when they reached a section separated by a piece of curtain.

******************************

One of his captors stepped inside, and he could hear words being exchanged. By now he was feeling distinctly unwell, wanting nothing but to collapse in a heap.

The exchange of words became heated and the curtain was pulled back. His captor was followed by an older girl, who stared at Jack, eyes narrowed. She barked out orders, and Jack was led over to a pile of furs, untied and left.

The girl approached, carrying a bowl of steaming water. "Sit," she said, placing the bowl on the floor by a small fire. She took a bag from a small girl, rummaged around in it for a few moments. "Takes your coat and shirt off, have to get the arrow out. But befores I do are you a bounty tracker? I knows if you lying," she said sternly.

Jack smiled at her bluff, despite his pain. He gingerly removed his coat and shirt, which were grabbed by two small boys.

"Don' worry bout them, you gets' em back. So are you's a bounty tracker? Don' smell like one."

"No, but I'm looking for someone, have you seen him?"

"Wot he look like?" she asked as she took out a blade and held it in the fire.

"Tall, skinny, really great hair." He paused when he thought he heard her breath catch.

"You his friend?" she asked.

"Yeah, but he ran away."

"Whys?"

"Because he didn't want to hurt me."

The girl didn't reply, but took the knife from the fire.

"This will hurt," she said simply.

*******************************

The child that was looking after the Sky Lord jumped when the cry echoed down the tunnel, and jumped again when the Sky Lord cried out in answer to it. He hurriedly tried to shush the Sky Lord, hoping the bounty tracker hadn't heard.

*******************************

But Jack did hear and shot up, ignoring the pain from the hot blade. He'd recognised that cry, he'd recognise it anywhere. He rounded on the girl. "Where is he, and what the hell are you doing to him!?" he roared.

To her praise, the girl didn't flinch at Jack's outburst.

Jack glared at the girl. "Where is he?" he repeated.

The girl stepped right up to Jack, and although she as a good foot shorter than him, she glared back at him. "Sit, I needs to finish," she said.

Jack matched her glare, but saw the sense of it. He wasn't going to find the Doctor without the girls help, so stay calm, honey, not vinegar.

**********************************

The girl quickly and efficiently removed the arrowhead and threw it into the fire. She dipped the cloth in the water. "This will sting, but it will take the pain away."

Jack hissed as whatever was in the water stung. "So, are you the tribe healer?"

"Yeah and the Seer, but soons I'll be too old and have to go with the gangs," she said.

A wave of disgust rolled over Jack; he knew what that meant. "You don't have to go with the gangs," he said. "If you let me see my friend, he can help you."

"We's knows the Sky Lord can help us."

"How do you know he's a …what did you call him?"

"Sky Lord," the girl said as she finished dressing Jack's wound, and as if by magic the two boys appeared with his clothes, the holes neatly sewn. The girl stood up. "Come, I'll shows you."

************************************

Jack followed the girl down the tunnels once more, trying to memorize the twists and turns. Eventually it opened into another cavern. This one, however, was decorated with what looked like fine silks, and strings of precious gems.

But what drew Jack's attention was the painting that the decorations surrounded, his jaw dropped. No…it couldn't be.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty Four

There could be no mistaking. There it was, in vivid colour: a painting of the TARDIS in all her glory.

Leaning against her nonchalantly was the Doctor, long coat, pinstriped suit, arms crossed, that look of amusement at the world on his face.

"Sky Lord's temple beens here long time. The first Seer hads' a powerful dream an' painted it."

"How many Seers have there been?" Jack asked as he stared at the impossible painting.

"I is the twentieth Seer," she said as she placed what looked like a very large emerald reverently on the small altar in front of the painting.

Jack did a quick calculation. If the average age of a Seer before they were taken by the Imani was eighteen, then that would mean the painting was nearly four hundred years old, but that would be impossible.

"Come, I takes you to see the Sky Lord," the Seer said, moving away from the altar.

Jack took one more look at the painting and shook his head in disbelief before turning away and following the girl.

********************************

The boy who had been looking after the Sky Lord looked round when the curtain was pulled back. "Im's sorry, Seer, couldn't keeps him quiet."

"S'alright, he's the Sky Lord's companion, go an' see to the young uns'."

Jack let the boy out before stepping in, and was at the Doctor's side in an instant. The Doctor didn't look good. He was awash with sweat, yet when Jack touched his skin, he felt icy cold.

The Doctor stirred against his hand, a low moan escaping his lips.

"He's broken, I trys to fix him, but he don' wanna be fixed. I thinks he dream sick."

Jack looked up at the Seer. "Dream sick?"

"Yeah, I trieds' to walk in his dreams, buts he shuts me out," she said and handed Jack a small bowl, that had an herby smelling liquid in it. "Fever-weed," she said as Jack sniffed it. "Helps the burning, but I knows its his dreams that makes him sick. Fix his dreams, fix the burning."

Jack lifted the Doctor's head, and forced some of the liquid into his mouth, but it just trickled from the corner. Jack turned away and looked at the Seer. "Tell me, how did you walk in his dreams?"

The girl rummaged in her bag once more, and took a handful of what looked like mushrooms. "Dream Seekers, we's use it for walking in others dream. I'd try, but is dangerous to use too much."

Jack looked at the mushrooms; they looked very similar to the ones the Native American Shamans used. "Let me try," he said.

"But, you's not a Seer, you jus' a person."

"Oh, I'm a bit more than that," Jack said.

The Seer looked Jack in the eyes, making him feel a little uncomfortable. She reached out and put one hand on his face and another on his chest. Her eyes widened in surprise. "You a Sky Lord, but not quiet."

"Yeah, you could say that," Jack said. "So can I try?"

The Seer thought for a moment, then stood up, opened the curtain and shouted. "Calls the tribe back, leaves the gangs, tells them to prepare for a Dream Seeking."

*************************************

Jack sat in what could be described as a sweat lodge. Across the steaming rocks from him were the Seer and two older boys, one he was told was the Tribal Chief, and the other was the War Chief.

The Seer was speaking. "All those that take part must be pure, all bad thought must be cleansed. The Dream Seekers will not listen to evil thoughts."

She handed Jack a bowl that contained a vile smelling liquid. "Drink, you must cleanse the body as well as the spirit."

The liquid tasted as vile as it smelt, and Jack felt very queasy seconds after drinking it. The queasiness turned to stomach cramps, and he couldn't stop himself from being sick. After vomiting steadily for at least five minutes, the stomach cramps ceased, and his head felt remarkably clear.

"Body is cleansed, spirit is cleansed," the Seer said.

One of the boys spoke. "Is your heart pure?"

"As pure as the crystal," Jack replied as the Seer had instructed him.

"Whys do you want to dream walk?" the other boy asked.

"To help the Sky Lord."

"Do yous do this out of love? Tells the truth or your spirit will knows," the Seer said.

"The Sky Lord is my soul, my heart," he replied.

There was a moment's silence, like a collective holding of breath.

"The truth is spoken," the Seer said. "Thens' you shalls dream walk."

*******************************

The steady thrumming of drums echoed around the cavern as Jack entered, flanked by the two tribal chiefs. The cavern was heavy with the smoke and smell of incense, making Jack a little light-headed. But that went away as he walked through the assembled tribe.

The Seer was standing in front of the altar that stood in front of that impossible painting. There was murmur from the crowd as the trio walked through them.

The Seer held up her arm, and the murmuring stopped. "Who seeks to Dream Walk?" she called.

"The one called Harkness," the two chiefs intoned.

"Then come, drink the Dreams Seeker, walks amongst the Sky Lord's dreams."

Jack stepped forward and took the bowl offered to him. The taste, he decided, was marginally better that pond water, but this time there was no queasiness or stomach cramps.

The Seer took a blade and grabbed hold of Jack's right hand and quickly drew it across it. She did the same to the Doctor who was lying on a cot on the altar. The Seer quickly bound them wrist to wrist, forcing Jack to kneel. "Walks among the Sky Lord's dreams, be pure of heart, finds the bad," she said and stepped back.

The faces around Jack began to blur and fade, sounds became faint, and then he wasn't in the cavern anymore. Wherever he was, it wasn't Kansas anymore.

************************************

Jack looked down at his feet, red grass brushed at his ankles, a breeze rustled silver leaves, and mountains framed an orange sky.

Now he knew where he was……..Gallifrey.

The sounds of children's laughter cut through his surprise, and coming to his senses he hid behind one of the trees.

Seconds later a young boy burst out from a clump of thick brambles. "Hurry up, or we'll lose it!" he shouted.

He was joined by another boy seconds later, who seemed nervous. "We're not supposed to go past the forest," he said.

"Who says, them? You said you were bored, so why not live a little."

As the two boys came into view, Jack let out a quiet gasp. One of the boys looked exactly like the Doctor would have looked like, if he had been a child, same intense brown eyes and inquisitive expression. The other boy looked like a young version of the Master. Jack was about to take a chance and step out when an adult's voice rang out.

"Now we're in trouble," the young Master said. "We're supposed to be at the Eye, come on," he said and tugged at the young Doctor's sleeve.

The young Doctor sighed and allowed himself to be pulled back into the brambles. Jack went to follow, but the scenery around him changed, and he found himself in………the Labyrinth!

*******************************

The roar of something echoed down the corridor. Jack was startled by a drawn out scream and went to move. He nearly collided with a young man who rounded the corner at speed, eyes wide in fear, sobbing almost hysterically, a voice hissing "Little Time Lord," after him.

Jack realised as the scene began to fade that he wasn't in the Doctor's dreams. He was in the Doctor's memories!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty Five

When the scene faded into existence again, he found himself in the TARDIS, the familiar golds and greens glowed warmly. The central column was rising and falling, so they were in flight.

Jack panicked when he heard footsteps, looked round, but found there was nowhere to hide, and he froze.

*******************************

The Doctor appeared carrying a large box, which appeared to be full of clothes.

Jack readied an explanation as to why he had appeared in the TARDIS in mid-flight, but the Doctor walked right past, placing the box on the pilot's seat.

"Right, it's time I did this," he said to himself. He started sorting through the clothes; they looked suspiciously like Rose's. "Attic, attic, attic, Rose Tyler, really, attic, attic."

He stopped when he picked up a purple jacket. "Not this one," he said and placed it on the railings.

The rest of the clothes were tossed back into the box. "I'll put them in the attic, later," he said, but was then distracted by a beeping.

He turned away from the console, and appeared to be looking at something Jack couldn't see.

"About five minutes, I'm burning up a star just to talk to you."

Jack realised with a sick feeling that he was witnessing the Doctor's farewell to Rose.

"Dalek?" Then he laughed.

Jack held his breath. Could this be a way to help the Doctor, stop him suffering the pain alone?

"Quite right too, and I suppose, if it's my last chance to say it, Rose Tyler I…" The Doctor broke off and a single tear ran down his face, he wiped it away and turned back to the console.

He suddenly looked up, and was staring directly at Jack. "What!?"

Jack went to speak, but the TARDIS winked out of view, and he found himself back on that desolate planet, facing a very angry Doctor.

*****************************************

"Go away, Jack!" the Doctor yelled. "You have no right to be in my memories, or my dreams!"

Jack felt himself being pushed away, but he pushed back. "Oh, no, you don't!"

"I said go away!" the Doctor repeated.

"Sorry, not this time," Jack said, taking a step forward, causing the Doctor to take a step back. Jack took another step, and found the pressure on him increasing. "You can't push me out, not like that girl."

"At least she has the manners to stay away!" the Doctor snapped, turning and started to walk away.

"Oh, no," Jack said and covered the ground between at a run, and grabbed the Doctor, spinning himaround.

Anger flashed in the Doctor's eyes, his face a sea of seething rage. "Why can't you just leave me alone? Stupid apes, always wanting to talk about it," he said quietly.

Jack knew that tone, the moment before the pot boiled over; the volcano blew its top.

"If you want me to talk, don't bother, I'm done talking. Why do my companions always want to talk? There's you with your innuendos, as if I would. Then Martha, all puppy eyes and notice me, and as for Rose Tyler, always wanting to talk, don't kill this, don't blow up that, can we go and see my mother, yap, yap! I've had it with you all!" the Doctor's voice was rising in intensity.

"You don't mean any of that," Jack said softly.

"Really, do you want to know how much I mean it?" the Doctor said harshly. The Doctor's face was twisted with anger, his whole body seemed to vibrate with rage, and yet, underneath Jack could see something else.

He saw the fearful eyes of the young man fleeing from the monster in the Labyrinth. The grief stricken face of a man holding a dying Time Lord, who hated him, even in death, dying rather than live a life with the Doctor.

He saw the horror stricken eyes as R'frax's body turned to ash in the claws of Myknar, all those people who had died. But most of all, he could see the loss of the one thing that had kept him sane.

As much as it hurt him, Jack knew he had to be cruel. "Yeah, well, life sucks sometimes. But unlike you oh so superior Time Lords, we stupid apes don't run away, and blame every other living thing for our problems."

The Doctor looked up sharply at Jack's words, as if he had been expecting sympathy.

*************************************

Jack noticed the look but pressed on. "You've had enough. Did you ever cross your mind, that we might have had enough of you, always interfering!" he snapped, his own words tasting like poison.

The Doctor's expression that had been so angry was turning to shock.

Jack steeled himself, and ploughed on. "I mean every time you come to Earth, people die. If anything we should be running from you!"

Jack could see the anger in the Doctor's face falter, but he knew it wasn't finished yet. Jack used his words like a whiplash.

"As for my innuendo, you'd just be another notch on the bedpost, number ten on the to do list, bed me a Time Lord. And Martha is so over you."

The hurt was beginning to show of the Doctor's face at the unexpected attack.

"What, did you expect me to be a shoulder to cry on? Hell, even your own kind committed suicide, so he didn't have to put up with you and as for Rose……."

He never got to finish the sentence as he found himself with a handful of angry, hurt Time Lord.

************************************

As the pair grappled, the scenery around them began to shift, not because the Doctor's memories were shifting, but the whole planet was moving.

The ground beneath the two struggling men began to roll and heave, causing them to over balance.

With an inarticulate cry, the Doctor pushed Jack away and ran, somehow keeping his feet as the ground rocked and rolled, and disappeared into a rocky outcrop.

Jack, however, took several seconds to gain his balance, before running after the Doctor. He ran into the outcrop, and found it wasn't just an outcrop, but led onto a deep ravine as he skidded to a halt.

He looked round frantically. Where was the Doctor?

A sickening thought flickered through his head, had the Doctor, running blind as he had, gone over. He looked down into the ravine, but it fell away into darkness.

Then he heard the sound of scree falling, and a cry of alarm to his right. He looked up, and saw a sight that made his blood run cold.

********************************

In the distance, too far for him to reach in time, the Doctor was being carried along on a sea of rocks and dirt. He was desperately trying to keep his footing, but the scree was like ice, and was carrying him towards the ravine.

Even though he knew he wouldn't make it in time. Jack ran, ran as though the hounds of hell were after him.

He hadn't gone more than fifty metres before the scree and the Doctor tumbled over the edge. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. He cried out in horror as he saw flashes of tan coat falling into the darkness.

"No, no!" he cried as he ran, skidding to halt at the edge, but he saw only darkness, and the sounds of things hitting hard ground far below.

"No!" he cried again, falling to his knees, tears falling unbidden and un-controlled. It couldn't end like this.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty Six

Jack stared in hollow disbelief down into the blackness, he couldn't be gone, it wasn't possible.

A horrifying thought crossed his mind, this couldn't be a memory, he and the Doctor had never fought like this, and it didn't feel like a dream.

Could it be, it wasn't possible, could this be reality, and they were back on that desolate planet?

As if to prove him correct, the ground rumbled again, and it was then that he heard a movement below.

Daring himself to look over, his heart soared for a few seconds, before reality kicked in.

If this was real, then the Doctor was in real danger.

*******************************

The Doctor was lying on a ledge about twenty feet below, and was already starting to stir.

The climb down felt more like two hundred feet, and by the time Jack managed to get both feet of solid if not safe ground, the Doctor was up on his feet.

"Go away Jack!" the Doctor shouted and backed away, dangerously close to the edge.

Jack heard the sounds of crumbling ledge under his feet.

"What are you doing? Come away from the edge," he said and put out a hand, and dared another step forward.

"Don't, I'll jump!" the Doctor yelled, his voice carrying none of the threat his actions did.

"Please, just step away," Jack couldn't keep the fear and panic out of his voice.

"Why, you said I was no good to anybody, I wasn't needed."

Jack knew those words would come back to haunt him, but not so soon.

"I was angry, you were being stupid. The universe needs you, the Earth needs you, those kids need you."

"And what about you, do you need me, or am I just a number on your to do list?"

Jack drew in a breath, there it was, the million dollar question. Never had his next words weighed so heavily in his heart, nor have been as important.

"I need you Doctor. You're the light in the endless darkness. Without you I'd be lost, we'd all be lost."

************************************

The Doctor looked at Jack, and saw the truth of it, and whatever it was inside him that had shattered, coalesced, filling the dark space it had left.

"Jack I…" he never got to finish the sentence, as the ground beneath Jack gave way and he fell.

"Jack!" he cried and dived, reaching desperately, clamping a fearful hand over the disappearing one of Jack's.

He felt Jack's weight as his downward progress was halted, but gravity defied him and he shifted forward. Fear and panic nearly overtook him, but by sheer force of will he fought it back, and tensing his body his stopped the forward motion.

***************************************

Jack's downward motion was stopped suddenly.

He looked up and a strong hand clamped round his, and the panic filled face of the Doctor staring down at him.

"You know, the same thing happened to me when the Seventh Princess of Hadra Six proposed to me. She somehow neglected to tell me she was already engaged. He was quite a nice chap actually, once he'd decided not to let me fall, after he'd thrown me over of course," the Doctor said.

"Thrilled as I am to hear that, could you please pull me the hell up!" Jack yelled.

The Doctor gritted his teeth and hauled Jack back over the ledge.

Jack got back to his feet, and eyed the Doctor warily.

"Are we good?" he asked.

The Doctor quirked an eyebrow, then smiled warmly.

"Yeah, we're good," he said softly, and threw his arm round Jack, in an embrace that lit up Jack's heart and soul, he had his Doctor back.

"Yeah, let's save the hugs for later," he said.

"Right, unstable planet, very deep ravine, earthquakes, I think we need transport," the Doctor said, and closed his eyes.

************************************

Both his hearts soared when the TARDIS answered his call, and he would have jumped for joy when she appeared, had it not been for the unstable planet, earthquake thing.

The TARDIS gave a happy welcome rumble, at the return of her Time Lord.

She grabbed hold of that delicate newly spun thread and entwined it in her heart once more.

She whispered a word in the tongue of her creators, and sighed.

The Doctor heard the echo of the word, and felt the sigh, and the tightening of the thread. He smiled and then began running round the console, before stopping and looking at Jack.

"Did you say something about children, and where is Martha?"

*************************************

The guards hadn't even had time to react to the TARDIS disappearing, before it appeared again, and a brown whirlwind breezed past them.

The General and the doctor looking after Martha both jumped, as the med-centre doors burst pen, and again a brown whirlwind breezed in, and came to a halt in front of Martha's bed.

***************************************

The Doctor looked down at Martha, took in the bruises around her throat, and the machine that was keeping her alive.

"Martha Jones," he said softly, yet everyone in the room could hear the regret and sorrow in his voice.

The doctor went to object when the Doctor began removing the tubes and wires, and received a look that would have cowed a thousand Daleks.

The Doctor placed one hand on Martha's head and one on her chest and closed his eyes.

The doctor went to move him away, but Jack clamped a hand on his shoulder.

After what seemed an eternity, the Doctor opened his eyes and stepped away, swaying slightly, but stubbornly refused a chair, until Martha let out a gasp and opened her eyes.

"Hello," he said softly, nervously, expecting to be rejected.

He leaned forward when she whispered something, and his eyes widened in surprise when she kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you, Martha Jones," he whispered.

He turned away from Martha, towards the General, all warmth gone from his eyes, replaced by a look Jack knew all too well.

"This ends now," he said.

"I agree, our forces have what's left of Naah's army cornered in the old city," the General said.

"No, no more. Withdraw your troops general," the Doctor said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said, withdraw your troops," the Doctor said quietly.

"Who are you to give me orders?"

The Doctor's face coloured and he stepped right up to the general, his face only inches away.

"I'm the one who could destroy this whole world, and at the moment I feel inclined to. So, withdraw your troops!" the Doctor hissed.

The general looked into the Doctor's eyes, searching for any weakness, but all he saw was he own possible death, reflected in those dark orbs. He nodded and stepped back.

"Good," the Doctor said. "By the way, do you have plenty of explosives?

**********************************

Jack finished loading the explosives; he had a pretty good idea of what they were for. He looked up when he heard the TARDIS door open, he was expecting to see the Doctor, but instead it was Martha, walking gingerly up the ramp.

"Martha, you shouldn't even be up," he said, and helped her onto the pilot's seat.

"I can't stay behind, he needs us both. You should no better that to believe his I'm fine act. Look at all these explosives, does that say I'm fine."

Jack sighed. "No, it doesn't, but I'm scared that if I say anything, he'll just up and run again."

"I'm scared too, but we have to be here, so he doesn't do something else he regrets. Even if it means losing his trust again."

Jack knew she was making sense, but his and the Doctor's friendship had a lot of cracks in it. It was as fragile as fine china, one wrong knock, and it would shatter into unfixable pieces.

The door opened again and the Doctor strode into the TARDIS. If he was surprised to see Martha, he didn't show it.

"Right, how would you two like to indulge in a bit of old- fashioned demolition?"

*******************************************

The TARDIS materialised inside what was left of the palace garden. The Doctor strode up to the main entrance, and banged loudly on the door.

"Hello, did someone order a missile attack, and a side order of demolition?"

He pushed on the door, and it fell inwards.

"Oops, someone's left it unlocked. Anybody could get, say a very angry Time Lord."

The trio walked through the empty palace and came to the stairs that led to the laboratory.

The Doctor hesitated, memories still raw, stopping his legs from moving.

Jack put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll go first."

The Doctor chided himself for being such a coward, and forced his legs to move and followed Jack down, with Martha just behind him.

There was no longer a door, so they stepped through, avoiding broken glass and equipment.

Jack noted absently that Moisan's body was no longer there, as he placed a charge inside the cage he and Martha had been in, before following the others into another room.

He hadn't had the dubious pleasure of meeting this piece of machinery, but he knew an evil thing when he saw it.

The Doctor and Martha were both standing and staring at it, hands tightly held together, before they placed a charge at either end of the machine.

"I just wish I could have got that bastard in it," Martha said.

"Martha Jones," the Doctor chided her, and silently added that he wouldn't have needed a machine.

"I think we're done," he said. "Let's go and find those children."

The trio left the palace, never looking back, hence they never saw the shuttle take off, and head towards the old city, its engines drowned out by the destruction of the palace and that machine.

********************************

The TARDIS re-appeared just outside the building that was the entrance to the tunnels.

The Doctor was eyeing the comm-unit Jack had in his hand suspiciously.

"You're going to wear it, cyber-phobia or not. Those tunnels are a maze," Jack said, his arms folded in his 'I'm not taking no for an answer' way.

The Doctor acquiesced, and reluctantly fitted the comm. To his ear, and opened the TARDIS, and stepped into a scene of carnage.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty Seven

The Doctor's temper was already on a slow burn, before he stepped into the TARDIS, now it was reaching boiling point, in fact it was boiling over.

All around were bodies, not of soldiers, which would have been marginally more acceptable, but the bodies of children were strewn across the ground, between the TARDIS and the entrance to the tunnels.

He hardly heard Martha's horrified gasp, as his rage was racing through his blood.

"Dear god," Jack said in a hushed tone, as Martha buried her head in his chest. "Doctor?"

The Doctor wasn't listening; he was going from body to body. Each one bore the same injury, laser burns.

They were too precise to be crossfire, this had been murder.

He brushed a stray lock of hair from the face of a young girl, who couldn't have been more than three. She was clutching the hand of an older girl, who could have been her sister.

The Doctor's anger had been burning hot in his blood, now it was cold, cold as death itself.

He didn't react when he heard the sound of feet on rubble.

"Doctor," Jack whispered.

The Doctor nodded once, and continued making his way from body to body, but towards the building it came from, whilst Jack worked his way towards a hole in the side.

*******************************

Jack squeezed his way through the hole, and into the semi-darkness of the building. He could see a figure silhouetted against the light, and began moving cautiously across the rubble strewn floor.

He cursed himself when his foot caught a pile of debris, the sound echoing all around.

The silhouette reacted by running out of the building, and straight in the Doctor.

*********************************

The Doctor found himself with a kicking biting and screaming teenage girl. He gritted his teeth against the pain, as she bit him for the second time.

"Stop it, I'm not the enemy," he grunted, as the girl squirmed in his grip, and kicked out.

This time her kick found its mark, and the Doctor let go in pain and surprise.

The girl dashed away, but only got a few yards before Jack rugby tackled her to the ground, flipping her over at the same time.

It was then that he recognised her, it was the Seer.

He grabbed the struggling girl's wrists, using his weight to stop her moving.

"Hey, it's me Harkness!" he said. "See."

The girls stopped struggling. "Sky Lord's companion," she said in a fear tinged voice.

"Yes, I'll let you up, if you promise not to run, okay?"

The girl nodded and allowed Jack to pull her up. She looked over to where the Doctor was just straightening, a worried Martha by his side.

She stared for a second, and then suddenly darted past Jack, and fell to her knees in front of the Doctor.

"Sky Lord," she sobbed. "I is sorry, I fails you. They kills us, we tried to stops them."

The Doctor stared down at the girl, a mixture of anger and sadness on his face.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, now get up, I'm not a god."

He held out his hand, and the girl hesitated slightly, before putting a shaking hand into his, and allowing him to pull her up.

"Now, tell me what happened here?" he said gently.

*********************************

The Seer told them through tears what had happened.

There had been panic when both the Doctor and Jack had disappeared, that was something he would think about later.

Herself and the two chiefs had just about managed to regain control and some sort of order, when the city gang had attacked.

"How did you know they were from the city?" the Doctor asked.

"By the colours, city gangs got the purple an' yellow stripe, mountain gangs all blue."

The city gang could only be the Imperial troops, and the mountain gang, the rebels.

"An' we knows the one who made the machine, the one that makes the undead."

That could only be referring to one thing.

"That son of a bitch is still alive," Jack said.

The Doctor held up a hand to silence Jack. "Go on," he said.

"We tried to fight, but too many, rounds us up, takes us here, thoughts we all be made undead. But he says to gang to kills somes an' takes the rest."

"He had them executed," the Doctor breathed, his anger almost tipping into rage.

"So, you managed to escape," Martha said.

"Nah, he lets me go, so I could tell the Sky Lord."

"Tell me what?"

"Says he won' kills the rest, if you comes to him, says he wants you for the machine. Says you have to brings the blue box, tells me to tell you where's an' when."

The Doctor looked at Jack and Martha, and then at the Seer, and then over at the awful sight in front of him.

"When and where?" he said coldly.

********************************

They had spent the time before they had to leave gathering the bodies, and setting a funeral pyre.

The Doctor had insisted on giving them a Time Lord funeral and rites, and had stood apart from the others once the pyre had caught light.

He watched as the young girl, who had more courage than any child her age should have, murmured a prayer, and sprinkled powder on the flames. He breathed in the spicy aroma, but could still smell the stench of death.

He was lost in the memories of another pyre, not so long ago. He had been angry then, and he was angry now.

Murder was murder, no matter what spin you put on it, and this bastard had ordered children to be executed, and that had sealed his fate.

If Moisan wanted a Time Lord, then he would get a Time Lord.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty Eight

Moisan waited patiently, unlike the soldiers that fidgeted around him. They had been rattled by the ferocity of the feral children, and even now they were keeping their distance from the cage they were in.

A breeze suddenly whipped up from no-where, and a shape began to form in front of Moisan and the troops.

The shape coalesced into a blue wooden box.

The Time Lord's ship, all that power in such a tiny space Moisan thought.

But the machine was just an appetiser, he wanted the pilot, control the pilot, control the machine. He had such plans for the Time Lord, not like that fat idiot Naah. He wanted power; the power that the Time Lord used like it was a child's toy.

*********************************

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, followed by Jack, the Seer and Martha close behind.

The Doctor eyes found and locked onto Moisan, like lasers.

"I'd say doctor, but that would be an insult to Martha here, so I wont," he said, the humour in his voice not reaching his eyes.

"I hope your going to keep your part of the bargain, the children?"

"Of course, why would I need these vermin," Moisan gestured, and the cage door was opened.

The children didn't hesitate and ran straight to the Doctor with cries of 'Sky Lord', several of the younger children clung to his legs.

"Jack, Martha, take the children, head for the rebel quarters, and whatever you hear, don't look back."

Jack looked sharply at the Doctor, went to protest, then saw the look in the Doctor's eyes.

Without a word he rounded up the children, who were loathe to leave the Doctor, took Martha by the hand, and turned away.

"Jack?" Martha said, as they walked away. She felt his hand tighten over hers as he tried to look round.

"Don't," he said.

**********************************

The Doctor watched as his two companions, and the children walked into the relative safety of the undergrowth.

Once they were out of sight, he turned back to Moisan.

"Let's get on with it then," he said.

"Yes, let's," Moisan said, and gestured to two of the guards nearest the Doctor.

He didn't resist as they twisted his arms behind him, and one of the forced his head down. He couldn't see Moisan approaching, carrying a very long hypodermic.

"I would say this isn't going to hurt, but I'd be lying," he said and placed the point of the needle at the base of the Doctor's skull.

*******************************

Jack's hand tightened again, as the cry of uncontrolled agony rang out.

Martha jumped. "Doctor!" she cried and went to turn, but found her way blocked by Jack, eyes hard as flint.

Martha, don't," he said.

"But they're hurting him!" she protested.

"Martha, ignore it, we have to get these kids to safety!" Jack said harshly, and shoved her forward, trying to close his ears to the sounds behind him.

He was starting to get annoyed at Martha's refusal to move.

"Jack?" she said.

"Martha move!" he snapped, but Martha still didn't move.

"Jack, where's that girl, the Seer?"

***********************************

The Seer had managed to slip away, whilst the two companions were busy with the others. She had made her way back to where the city gang had the Sky Lord.

She had slipped aboard on of their flying machines, and she watched the undead maker stick a sharp metal thing in his head.

She almost cried out when he had arched in agony, his agony filled cry grating on her nerves.

She hid behind a crate, tears falling unbidden at the Sky Lord's pain.

She could hear the undead maker shouting orders, and minute later, the cage the children had been in was loaded onto the flying machine.

She stared, a hand was caught between the bars, only inches from her hiding place... the Sky Lord. She so desperately wanted to reach out and comfort the Sky Lord, but gang members' feet blocked her way.

She would have to wait, waiting was something she had become very good at.

********************************

It had taken Jack and Martha a good hour to reach the outer post of the rebel held territory, and another thirty minutes convincing the border patrol, that they should contact the General.

It was another hour before a shuttle arrived, and Jack was relieved to see someone he thought was dead.

Mylas listened as Jack explained what had gone on, his face becoming stonier by the minute.

It wasn't easy to herd a dozen feral children into the shuttle, some who wanted to go back and fight the city gang, but they managed in the end.

"I'll make sure they're taken care of," he said to Jack. "Are you sure you don't want me to ask for back up?"

"Thanks, but no, we just need a ride to wherever they've taken the Doctor."

"Moisan had a second laboratory in the mountains. I can get a shuttle to drop you at the base, but you'll have to go on foot from there."

"Fine, just make sure the general keeps his troops back."

"I'd like to know why?" Mylas asked.

"Because friend, there's a storm coming, and you really don't want to get in its way."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Twenty Nine

The Doctor woke up with the worst headache, the base of his skull felt like it was going to split open. On the plus side, he wasn't dead, but on the negative side, he couldn't feel his legs, and he was in a cage.

He didn't need to lift his head, which he couldn't anyway, as it felt like his brains were trying to explode out of his skull, to know who was coming.

"I'd get up," he said.

"A temporary side effect, it will wear off. We couldn't have you running off before you had met my machine. However, I will need you mobile, so you have a short reprise," Moisan smiled unpleasantly, before walking off.

"Not that I was going to run," the Doctor said darkly.

**********************************

Jack and Martha jumped from the shuttle, and headed for the mountain range at a run. They didn't stop, until they reached the rocky incline that was the only way to their objective.

Jack looked up at the distant target. "What is it with these guys and gothic castles?"

"Maybe they have a vampire fetish," Martha replied, giving Jack a ghost of a smile.

Jack returned her smile. "If only they were vampires, be easier than this. I can cope with vampires."

"But oncoming storms," Martha said.

"Straight over my head," he gestured with his hand.

They might be making light of the situation, but if they thought about it for too long, their thoughts became dark.

They had both seen the Doctor when he was angry, and that frightened them. So the thought of the destroyer of whole planets and races being let loose, they couldn't even imagine it.

They both knew they had to get to him, before it was too late, because if the storm broke, it could take the whole universe with it.

***********************************

The Seer had stayed hidden long after the cage and the gang had left; she waited until the flying machine had gone dark, before getting out.

The city gang were careless, thinking that they were safe inside their fort. She wished she had the warriors with her, but wishes didn't save the Sky Lord.

*******************************

The feeling in the Doctor's legs had been back for a while, so he had time to study what he could see of the laboratory from his cage.

He couldn't see the machine Moisan was talking about, but what he could see, didn't fill him with joy. This man was a butcher, passing himself off as a scientist, no he wouldn't feel any regret about what he was about to do, time to make his move.

He reached into his overcoat pocket for his screwdriver, but it wasn't there.

"Looking for this?" a voice said, as Moisan walked out of the shadows, the screwdriver in his hand.

"Interesting, we've tried to make such devices, but the size was impractical. But this is a remarkable piece of technology, all that power in such a compact device."

"It's just a screwdriver," the Doctor said casually.

"To you, perhaps, I however can think of a hundred uses for it," Moisan said.

"You'll never reverse engineer it," the Doctor said.

"Oh, I won't need to, you'll tell me how. I think it's time to meet my machine," Moisan said and gestured to the guards. "Bring him."

***************************************

Jack helped Martha up the last part of the incline, the castle loomed over them. They looked up at the ramparts.

"According to Mylas, they don't bother with patrols, so..." Jack said and aimed a crossbow upwards and fired.

A bolt flew upwards, carrying a rope with it. It flew over the ramparts, and the distant chink of bolt biting into stone echoed downwards.

Jack gave the rope a hard pull, putting all his weight behind it, satisfying himself that it was secure. He looked at Martha. "Are you ready, Maid Marion," he winked.

"As I'll ever be, Robin Hood," she said as she grabbed hold of the rope and began climbing the wall.

They climbed in silence and made a quick ascent, anxious to find the Doctor. True to the information, the ramparts were not guarded, not that Jack minded. They approached a large set of steps, but at the bottom they could see a solitary guard.

Jack gestured for Martha to stay back and moved silently down the steps. There was the sound of a struggle and that unmistakable and unique sound of a neck breaking.

Jack reappeared a few seconds later, a small device in his bloodied hand. "Look what I've found, this tell us where they're keeping the Doctor, and a handy map of the place."

Martha took the device, which looked like smart version of a PDA and looked for herself, seemingly unfazed by the blood. "The laboratory, that doesn't sound good."

"I'm not worried about what he'll do to the Doctor, I'm worried about what the Doctor will do to him. You didn't see the look in his eyes Martha, they were cold, there was nothing there, nothing."

Martha handed Jack the device. "We'll find him," she said, and moved off in the direction the map had shown them.

Jack looked after her." You have turned into a soldier," he muttered before following her.

************************************

The Doctor got his first look at the machine as he was being strapped to it. It looked very similar to the other machines he had destroyed. This one however seemed to emanate power, an almost palpable something.

If it were alive, you would call it malevolence.

"You like my machine, thinking it look similar to the other ones. Believe me, looks are the only thing they have in common. Make sure those restraints are tight, I don't want a repeat of last time," Moisan ordered.

The Doctor hissed through his teeth as he felt the straps bite into his flesh. "So, what is this, another memory extractor, or a mind control machine. You know neither will work on me," the Doctor said coolly.

"Oh, you have no idea what this machine is capable of, but you are about to find out," Moisan said, as the guards tightened the head restraint.

The Doctor had no choice but to wait, as the machine hummed into life. What looked like steel wires began to descend from the innards of the machine.

Two wires, which had wicked looking barbs attached to then hovered in front of the Doctor's eyes, as if taking the measure of him. He stared back defiantly, daring them to do their worst.

"This machine can think for itself, it can see into your mind, and find your weakness, and it seems to have found yours," Moisan said and gestured to the shadows.

The Doctor's eyes widened in horror, when he saw the two guards drag a kicking, screaming girl into the light….. the Seer. The two guards dragged to another table and started strapping her in. When she tried to bite one of the guards, he backhanded her.

"Leave her alone!" the Doctor yelled angrily.

The guards ignored him, and finished strapping her in. The Doctor watched in horror as another set of wires descended and stopped in front of the girl. With warning and with machine efficiency, they buried themselves in the girl's temple.

The Doctor struggled against the restraints, until the two wires in front of him forced their way into his temple. Both he and the Seer went rigid, and both of them screamed in unison!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Thirty

Jack and Martha both tensed when they heard the screams. They had been making their way across the courtyard, sticking to the shadows, avoiding what seemed to have been an infestation of patrols.

"That wasn't just a man's scream, that was a girl's," Martha whispered. She sounded horrified.

"What is that bastard doing," Jack growled.

They moved further back into the shadows, frustrated because they couldn't go forwards or go backwards. All they could do was wait, and hope for a chance to move, and listen to those screams.

*********************************

The Doctor screamed, not because of his pain, but because he was feeling the Seer's pain.

Moisan watched the screen in front of him. "Now, Time Lord, give me your secrets, or feel this child die."

The Seer heard the undead maker's words through her pain. "No, Sky Lord, don'!" she cried.

The Doctor forced himself to look at the girl; she was shaking with the effort of trying not to show her pain. But he could feel it, inside his mind, every nerve and muscle shredding pulse.

With sheer force of will, he shut out his own pain, but was rewarded with more pain from the Seer.

"Resistance, Time Lord, will only result in her dying slower and more painfully. Tell me your secrets," Moisan repeated.

Ignoring him, the Doctor focused on the pain of the Seer. He pushed past it and into her mind.

***********************************

He found himself in a fire-filled room, the flames licking hungrily at the walls, choking smoke blackening everything it touched. For a moment he was disorientated, until he heard the sobs, coming from…..where?

He turned and saw a flight of stairs; he strained to hear above the noise of the fire, he could just hear the sound of crying coming from upstairs.

The flames were already devouring the wall of the staircase as he took them at a run. By the time he had reached the top, the crying had turned to screams. The screams were coming from behind a solitary door, and with one solid kick the door flew off its hinges.

He looked round the room, which was already ablaze, and there in a corner was the Seer. He went to move towards her, but a sheet of flame roared up in front of him, but spurred on by the girl's screams, he leapt through them.

The girl looked up as he knelt down in front of her, ignoring the increasing heat on his back. "S-s-ky Lord," she stammered.

"Hello," he said gently.

He had felt her mind slipping, knew she was dying, even as he entered her consciousness. All he could do now, was to ease her pain.

"Are we going home?" she sobbed.

"Yeah," he said and placed his hand on either side of her head. "Close your eyes." He closed his, and after a few moments opened them again. "Seer, open your eyes," he said.

**********************************

The Seer opened her eyes, and looked round, fearful of seeing the fire. She let out a surprised gasp.

She was no longer in that flame-filled room, but in a flower field meadow. In the distance there was a house, the sounds of laughter drifted towards them.

"Is this heaven?" she said.

The Doctor smiled at her sadly. "So you know."

"Yeah, I be dead soon. You shoulds go, Sky Lord."

"I'm sorry," he said.

"S'alright, I like it here," she smiled at him.

The Doctor sighed. "You know, I don't even know your real name."

"Lia, my name is Lia," the Seer said before she turned and walked towards the distant house.

"Goodbye, Lia, you're home," he said quietly.

He turned away, his face now a mask of stony rage, as the meadow blurred and was replaced once more by the laboratory and that machine.

He detached himself from Lia's already failing mind and body. He looked at the still body, and his anger began to burn, white hot and out for blood. With a silent snarl he reached out in his mind for the machine.

************************************

Moisan walked over to the girl and placed a finger against her neck. "I thought she'd last longer than that, never mind," he said casually and turned to the Doctor. "Now, Time Lord, shall we discuss those secrets."

He frowned. The Time Lord should be talking like it was a confession. His machine had predicted it. Instead, the Time Lord was looking directly at him, and he felt a shiver down his spine at what he saw in those darkening orbs.

"Secret, you want to know a secret," the Time Lord snarled. "How about this for a secret, I control your machine, is that a good enough secret for you."

Moisan felt himself being grabbed by an unseen hand. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the two guards rush forward, only to be repelled by an unseen barrier.

"Oh, no, this just you, me and the machine," the Time Lord growled.

************************************

The Doctor had smashed his way into the machine, had seen the intelligence at the heart of it. He had reached inside the AI, and overwhelmed it, bending it to his will.

When he had heard Moisan casually remark on Lia's death, any spark of mercy or compassion had withered. Sometimes, the monsters didn't deserve to be saved.

He saw the guards approach and used the machines energy to throw up a barrier. Ignoring then, he focused on the one in front of him. "Here's another secret, I don't need the machine to see your weakness," he snarled.

He ordered the machine to release, and he barely noticed the wire rip from his temples and retract. He tensed his muscles and the restraints came away like cotton wool.

He stood and moved right up to Moisan, he looked him right in the eyes, and when Moisan tried to move his head, it was painfully wrenched back.

***********************************

Moisan's eyes widened as the Time Lord's eyes burnt into his. He tried in vain to keep him out of his mind.

The Time Lord suddenly smiled, but it was a smile without mirth, a smile of death. "There it is," the Time Lord said, and grabbed Moisan's head in a vice like grip.

The scenery around him blurred, and he found himself back in the ruins of the old city. The Time Lord was standing a short distance away, looking over his shoulder.

"Have you ever wondered what happened to all those failed experiments you abandoned here, the ones you turned into monsters. I suggest you start running, because, here come the monsters."

A low growl came from behind Moisan; he turned and saw a nightmarish figure lumbering towards him, followed by another, and another.

He backed away. "No, for pity's sake, stop them," he begged of the Time Lord.

"Sorry, can't help you, I really suggest you run."

As he heard the panic-filled footsteps receding, the Doctor let go of the nightmare scape, and let go of Moisan, who was standing rigid with fear.

"That's the problem with monsters, there's always one bigger than you," he said without emotion and turned away, putting Moisan out of his mind, forever.

The Doctor turned back to the machine, and the body of Lia. He gently removed the steel wires and the restraints. He brushed away drying tears, and closed her eyes.

"You're home now," he said softly, before turning back to the machine.

Reaching inside the AI again, he triggered the self-destruct, turned back to Lia, picked her up and walked out of the laboratory.

Unfortunately, he hadn't accounted for the damage his interference had done to the AI, and the self destruct raced to zero. He had only made it half-way along the corridor before the world turned to rubble and dust.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Thirty One

Jack and Martha got their first inkling that chaos had arrived, when there was a deep rumble somewhere within the castle, no not the castle, from underneath the castle.

They held onto each other as the ground beneath their feet actually shifted. Something must have come apart suddenly and spectacularly.

They looked at each other and said"The Doctor!" together.

They took their chance and stepped out of the shadows, and into coated technicians and soldiers were scurrying back and forth, hurriedly loading waiting shuttles.

Jack grabbed one of the passing soldiers. "What the hell is going on soldier!" he barked.

The soldier was too panicked to notice that Jack wasn't in uniform. "It's the prisoner, sir, he's escaped and is destroying the laboratory," he said and pointed to a half destroyed door, before running off again.

They ran for the door, and stepped into a destroyed corridor.

***********************************

Rubble was strewn across the whole corridor, huge chunks of the ceiling were lying like giant Lego bricks, and dust lay heavy in the air.

"Be careful, Martha, this place could come down at any minute," Jack warned as he sidestepped a sparking cable.

"I hope the Doctor isn't in here," Martha said.

"Yeah," Jack answered, but he had the awful feeling that he was. He was just about to clamber over another piece of fallen stone when he heard Martha call him.

"Jack, over here!"

He looked back and saw Martha kneeling in front of a very large piece of stone. He backtracked, and then saw what she had. A hand, which he would know anywhere, was sticking out from the rubble that was covered by the large stone. His heart sank, and he cursed himself for having hoped that he was alive.

*********************************

Martha had started pulling the rubble away. "Help me, Jack!" she shouted, breaking his reverie.

He blinked and began pulling the larger pieces of rubble away. As if by sheer luck, the larger piece of fallen masonry, had been stopped by two smaller pieces, and had formed a cavity.

They worked for what seemed like forever, and only stopped when they saw the Doctor, half buried, and the other half was caked in dust and blood.

"Get him out!" Jack heard Martha shout, but it all seemed very distant.

"Jack!" Martha said again, and followed it with a hefty slap.

Jack shook his head, and the world pulled back into focus. Martha had grabbed hold of the Doctor's hand, and part of his coat and was trying to pull him clear.

It was the sounds of the larger stone shifting that spurred Jack into action. He reached down, grabbed a handful of coat and pulled.

Dirt and pieces of rubble shifted as they pulled the Doctor clear, both of them very aware of the cracking coming from the two supporting stones.

Jack jumped when Martha suddenly dived forward, almost burying herself in the debris.

Seconds later, she emerged, pulling a second person from the rubble. Seconds later, the two supporting stone gave way and turned to dust, the larger stone crashing down into the space.

******************************

Both of them sat back, breathing heavily, not believing their luck. Jack looked over at Martha who was cradling the body of a young girl. He recognised her as the Seer, even through the dust.

"Is she?" he asked.

Martha shook her head, tears already forming in her eyes.

Jack turned his attention to the Doctor, who had not moved. Jack put his head to the Doctor's chest. His hearts were still beating, if erratically. "He's alive," Jack said incredulously.

It was obvious that the Doctor must have tried to shield the girl with his own body; he could see that by the blood staining the front of his jacket.

"We have to move, Martha, we've got to catch one of those shuttles. Help me move him," he said.

"What about the girl?" she asked.

Jack looked at the body of the Seer. "We'll have to leave her," he said, and started to pick up the Doctor.

"We can't," Martha said.

"Martha, I need your help getting him over the rubble, we'll have to leave her," he said in a harsh tone.

Martha stared at Jack, anger in her eyes, ready to argue, when the Doctor let out a rasping bubbling breath. She knew that sound, the sound of fluid, probably blood in the lungs.

Without another word of protest, she picked up the Doctor's legs, and began manoeuvring over the rubble along with Jack.

*******************************

When they reached the courtyard, their hopes of a shuttle were dashed, as the courtyard was empty. They lay the Doctor down, and Jack took his frustration out on the nearest wall.

Martha busied herself doing what she could for the Doctor. "Jack, give me your knife!" she snapped. She took the blade and cut away the Doctor's bloodied jacket and shirt. She was confronted by a large gash in the Doctor's abdomen, which was pulsing out a steady stream of blood.

He was bleeding to death, and there was nothing she could do.

She wiped away a tear with a bloodied hand; she leant over and whispered in the Doctor's ear. "You have to fight, if you die, who's going to take those children home."

The Doctor's eyelids fluttered, and he half opened his eyes. "Lia," he whispered. "So sorry."

"Doctor, it's me Martha, stay with me, please," she said.

The Doctor's eyes shifted. "Martha?" he said in a voice almost too faint to hear. If he was going to say something else, it was cut off, as he choked on his own blood.

"No, don't you dare!" Martha cried, as a trail of almost black blood trickled from the Doctor's mouth.

**********************************

It was Jack, however, who roused the Doctor. He shook the Doctor, knowing it must be agony. "Oh, no, you don't, you are not escaping the guilt by dying, you hear!" he shouted.

The Doctor gave a blood-filled cough and opened his eyes, the anger in Jack's voice cutting through his pain. "Jack," he whispered, and then appeared to be looking upwards. "Is that a shuttle?" he said, before slipping back into unconsciousness

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Thirty Three

Jack and Martha looked up, and stared at the descending shuttle like it was a biblical miracle.

As it landed, a familiar figure jumped out. "Did someone order a shuttle?"

Jack watched as the Doctor was stretchered onto the shuttle.

"Come on, Harkness!" Mylas yelled over the engine.

"Wait, just a few minutes please!" he yelled, and disappeared into the ruined corridor. A short while later he emerged, carrying the body of a young girl.

Jack handed the girl to Mylas, who could see she was dead. "Who was she?" he asked as Jack climbed in.

"A friend," he said, and took the Seer's body and lay her gently on the floor. "He'd never forgive me if I left her behind." He looked over at the Doctor, who was being fussed over by Martha and a medic.

The shuttle suddenly rocked, and they looked out the window. The castle had disappeared into a smoking crater.

"I hope that bastard Moisan went down with it," Jack said.

A while later the shuttle landed beside the TARDIS, and Jack and Martha lowered the Doctor's stretcher to the ground. Jack turned back and took the body of the Seer from Mylas.

"Are you sure about this, our surgeons can help," Mylas said.

"Trust me, the best place for him is his ship, but thanks for the offer," Jack smiled.

"Okay, good luck then," he said and closed the shuttle door.

Jack watched until the shuttle took off, before turning back to Martha and the stricken Doctor.

**********************************

The Doctor came to with a gasp. "Lia!" he cried and sat up, causing a trail of fire across his stomach.

"What are you doing, little one?" the TARDIS echoed in his head.

"Getting up," he said, and slid gingerly off the med-table.

"You should not be walking, your wounds are severe."

"Yeah, yeah," he said, painfully pulling on his clothes, before walking out of the med-bay, only one thing occupying his mind.

"Where are you going?" the TARDIS asked.

He ignored her, and when she asked more forcefully, he shut her out. She let out an indignant squeal. What was her Time Lord doing? When he shut her out like this, he might as well have been invisible. She panicked when she felt her door open.

So she turned to the next best thing.

*********************************

Jack stirred in his sleep; he kept feeling a tickle in the back of his mind. He woke with a start, when he landed with a hard thump on the floor.

"Harkness, stop him, hurry," the TARDIS said.

Jack was startled and worried at the same time. The TARDIS had only spoken to him once before, and that was…… He was off the floor in a flash and sprinted for the med-bay, to find it ominously empty, a pair of discarded pyjamas on the floor.

"Where is he!?" Jack shouted.

"Do not know, he has shut me out, find him, please," the TARDIS sounded desperate.

He ran into the console room, but it was empty, then he saw the open door. He cursed himself for allowing himself to get some sleep, and ran out on the planet's surface.

There was no sign of the Doctor, but he had a good idea of where he was going.

************************************

The rational side of the Doctor's mind was asking him, where the hell in Rassilon's name he was going.

He wasn't listening to his rational side; in fact, he hadn't been listening to it for quite a while, so he told it to go to several versions of hell.

His only thought was to get back to the castle and retrieve Lia's body, and if the TARDIS wasn't prepared to help, then he would damn well walk, injuries or not.

In the back of his mind, a little voice told him that the TARDIS had probably alerted the others. Therefore, he didn't know how much of a head start he had, and his injury was starting to slow him down.

If he regenerated, fine, he would just carry on towards the castle. If he died, then at least he would have tried.

He stopped for a second to get his bearings, and looked down at the spreading red stain on his clothes. Pushing down the pain, he could see the mountain range up ahead. The castle should be just past the first mountain, on top of a rocky incline.

Ignoring the voice that kept telling him to stop, he moved on.

*********************************

Jack was becoming increasingly alarmed, worried and angry.

Alarmed at how far the Doctor had got in such a short time.

Worried at the tell-tale patches of blood he had been following.

Angry, he was angry with the Doctor.

He was angry, because even after all they had been through, he still couldn't let him and Martha in. There was still that invisible barrier between Time Lord and companions.

God, he could be a selfish, self-righteous, arrogant, and blindly stupid son of a bitch. Nine hundred years old, and still emotionally retarded.

He stopped when he noticed something glistening on a rock, it was a bloody handprint. He dabbed a finger in it. Still wet. He couldn't be that far behind.

**********************************

The Doctor's whole body was trembling with the effort of climbing the incline. He was starting to feel light-headed, a sure sign of shock setting in, due to blood loss.

By sheer force of will, he pulled himself up the last part of the incline. He forced himself to stand, and found himself looking at a precipice.

"No, no, no," he whimpered, and started to climb down, his rational side telling him he was out of his mind, but he was no longer listening.

He had only gone a few feet when a wave of dizziness caused him to miss his step and he began tumbling. His downward fall was only arrested by a large boulder, and his world turned black.

************************************

"What are you doing here Sky Lord?" a voice broke through into his darkened world.

The Doctor opened his eyes slowly, and was surprised to see blue sky, and the smell of meadow flowers filled his nostrils.

This wasn't right, this definitely wasn't right.

The voice spoke again. "What are you doing here Sky Lord?"

This time he recognised the voice. "Lia!" he gasped and sat up.

Lia was looking down at him, a gentle smile on her face.

"You shouldn't be here, you ain' dead yet."

He stood up, and absently noticed he wasn't bleeding anymore.

"I had to find your body, but the castle, it's gone."

"Why, its only bones, you has others to care about, you haves to go," she said.

"Why should I, every time I care about someone, they either leave or die. If I stay here, I can't hurt anyone," the Doctor said vehemently.

"Maybe, buts what about the one you's yet to meet, the ones you haves to save."

He went to speak, but she put a finger on his lips to silence him.

"You have lots to do Sky Lord, big things, you haves to meet the red-haired bride again. I dreamed it, before you comes here, before I was dead."

The Doctor frowned, then his eyes widened in surprise.

"Donna, how did you…Lia?"

But Lia and the meadow were fading, and he found himself back in the crater, and bleeding to death.

"No!" he cried and curled up against the boulder.

A voice suddenly echoed in his head. "Get up Sky Lord."

He didn't move, too weak and unwilling.

"Get up and live Sky Lord!" the voice almost deafened him.

He didn't want to, but he found himself getting to his feet, unable to resist the command.

With a pain filled groan, he began climbing, albeit painfully and slowly, but he was climbing.

*********************************

Jack clambered over the last part of the incline, and approached the crater.

He was half expecting to find the Doctor's body along the way, but the stubborn bastard must have kept going, bleeding to death as he went.

Now the trail of blood had stopped at the crater. For the love of god, he must have gone down into it.

He was about to go down himself, when he heard the sound of something moving below.

He jumped when a bloodied hand appeared over the rim of the crater. Coming to his senses, he grabbed the hand, a mixture of fear and relief flooding his body.

He hauled the Doctor up, wincing when he elicited a groan of pain.

He had to grab hold of the Doctor by his waist, to prevent him from collapsing. He recoiled at the sticky wetness of the blood on his hands, as he dragged the Doctor away from the crater.

He managed to stand the Doctor against a large slab of broken rock, so he could get a better look at him.

The Doctor looked pale, paler than usual, he was breathing in short laboured gasps. His mouth, chin and neck were stained with blood.

It was a given that he was probably in shock, but he didn't know enough about Time Lord physiology to know how severe. So he had to go by human symptoms, a thready pulse, the laboured breathing, his skin was cool and clammy. If the Doctor had been human, then he would definitely be in shock.

He had to get the Doctor back to the TARDIS, but he would need the Doctor's help.

He shook the Doctor gently. "Hey, Doc, no time for sleeping," he said.

The Doctor's eyes opened, but they looked unfocused.

"I can't," he whispered, but Jack wasn't sure if he was talking to him.

"C'mon, we have to go," he said firmly.

"No, I have to…" the Doctor said, his voice sounding agitated.

"Come on," Jack said, a little harsher than he wanted it to sound, and tried to put one of the Doctor's arms around his shoulder.

The Doctor recoiled, shrinking against the rock, a look of panic on his face. "No, I have to…Lia"

Jack's patience snapped, and he grabbed the Doctor and shook him hard.

"Enough of this, she's gone!" he yelled, and dragged the Doctor away from the rock.

Despite his weakened state, the Doctor fought to get away from Jack.

"No, I have to, she's alive!" he cried.

Jack's anger mellowed, he must have been hallucinating.

He grabbed hold of the Doctor, and when he tried to turn his face away, Jack took hold of his face.

"I'm sorry, but she's not, because her body is back on the TARDIS," he said softly.

"No," the Doctor whimpered.

"I'm so sorry, but if you die, her death will mean nothing. We have to get back to the TARDIS."

The Doctor eyes focused suddenly, and he nodded once, and leant heavily on Jack.

*********************************

The journey down the incline was slow and laborious. By the time they reached the bottom, Jack was virtually carrying the Doctor.

"Jack, have to stop," the Doctor wheezed.

"We can't, you're bleeding to death," Jack said, and began moving again, only to find the Doctor wouldn't budge.

"Doctor, we don't have the time…," but he was cut off by the Doctor.

"Jack," he said in his 'don't argue' tone. "I'm going to do something that will make it lot easier. I don't want you to panic, the TARDIS will know what to do."

"Doctor….?" Jack began to say, when the Doctor let out a long breath, and would have hit the ground if Jack hadn't caught him.

"Whoa there!" he said as he caught the Doctor, waiting for him to take another breath.

After a few seconds, it became obvious that he wasn't breathing, and despite the Doctor's request, he panicked.

He laid the Doctor down, and put an ear to his chest, there was no heartbeat!

Then he remembered what the Doctor had said, the TARDIS would know what to do.

Fighting down his panic, he scooped up the Doctor, who felt surprisingly light.

He found he could move quickly, and in no time he saw the TARDIS, and an anxious Martha waiting at the door.

******************************

Martha moved out of the way, as Jack ran into the TARDIS.

"Med-bay!" he yelled as he ran up the ramp.

"No, this way," the TARDIS said in his head, and a corridor appeared to his right.

The corridor ended in a single room, which Jack recognised. What had the Doctor called it?... the white room.

He laid the Doctor on the solitary table, stood back, waiting for the room to brighten, frowning when it didn't.

"Leave," the TARDIS said, but Jack didn't move.

"Leave! This is not for you to see," the TARDIS ordered, and the door opened.

"Okay, I get the point, not for stupid apes," he said, the door almost, but not quite hitting his butt as he left.

"No, because this will hurt," the TARDIS said, in what Jack thought was a sorrowful tone.

*******************************

For what had seemed and eternity Jack and Martha had clung onto each other, listening to those heart breaking screams.

The first scream had frightened them, and Jack had tried to force open the door, only to be repelled by the TARDIS.

Since then all they could do was sit outside that room and wait, wishing they could be inside, wanting to ease the Doctor's agony.

Martha had just drifted off to sleep, when the door opened.

Jack shook her awake, and the cautiously entered the room.

The room was still unnaturally bright, but they could make out the familiar silhouette of the Doctor.

He stepped out of the still bright light, blinking as if he had been staring at bright sunlight.

He spotted Jack and Martha, and gave them one of his trademark grins.

"Hello," he said softly, before he was enveloped in a Martha/Jack hug.

***************************************

The Doctor raised the mug of steaming tea, but only inhaled the rich aroma. Everything seemed to smell, taste and feel much brighter, an after effect of the procedure. He knew it wouldn't last, but he intended to enjoy while he could.

He looked across the kitchen table at his two companions. There had been an uneasy silence since the white room, and he knew they were waiting for an explanation.

"I had to do it," he suddenly said, breaking the silence. "I would have died if I hadn't."

Jack put his mug down. "I get that, but I don't get how, you were dead."

"Not really, it just seemed like it. I slowed my metabolism down to nearly zero and shifted my centre of gravity. That's how you could carry me, problem is, it's so close to a death state, that it take a lot of energy to bring me back. It's painful, but it's the only way."

Jack looked at the Doctor, not sure if he believed him or not, but he was unlikely to get any further explanation, as the Doctor had already moved onto another subject.

**************************************

A couple of hours later, Jack was standing outside, leaning on the TARDIS,trying not to listen to the muffled conversation inside.

he TARDIS door opened, and he heard Martha say. "I'll see you again mister."

He pushed himself of the TARDIS as Martha stepped out.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Martha smiled and then sighed.

"I'm sure, fresh start, moving on. You know, I might even look up that Tom Milligan."

"Yeah, you do that," Jack said, and enveloped in a tight hug. "Look after yourself. If you need me."

"I know, I'll call," she said. "What about you?"

"I've bee thinking about that team of mine, they need me, the Earth needs me. I'm going back to Cardiff."

"What about him?" she nodded towards the TARDIS.

"Oh, you know him, he'll never admit to anything. But if he say's he's fine, who are we to argue. So long Martha Jones." Jack said, and turned away, taking out his mobile as he did.

Martha sighed, took one more look at the TARDIS, turned away and didn't look back when she heard the familiar sound of the TARDIS leaving.

******************************

Some Time Later

The sudden breeze caused the meadow grass to swirl in crazy patterns. A blue wooden box appeared and settled with a loud thump.

The door opened and a tall man in brown pinstripe suit and a long tan overcoat stepped out. e stopped for a few seconds before moving on.

He walked for a while, until he came to small glade, filled with blossom covered trees.

He stopped in front of a solitary grave, marked only by bunch of meadow flowers.

The man sighed. "You would have liked Donna, my god she could shout, but still, gone now. You were right, there were people to save. I just thought you ought to know, and I wanted to say thank you. I was being selfish and not seeing the bigger picture. So thank you Lia."

The man turned away, he thought he heard a girl's laughter in the breeze, or was it just his imagination.

Either way, when he stepped inside the wooden box, there was a smile on his face.