TRTSS36: Eternally Yours, Sarah Jane Smith! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, Doctor Who (and other related series) and other properties belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre, limited series. This story ties into the Sarah Jane Adventures episodes "The Wedding of Sarah Jane" and "The Death of the Doctor" (which features the Doctor).
Author's Note: This story is a tribute to the British actress Elisabeth Sladen (aka Sarah Jane Smith, the companion character of the 3rd and 4th Doctor from the "Doctor Who" series), who passed away recently. She will be truly missed.
Part 2
"Yes, you remember me," the Trickster said with a toothy grin.
"So, you're here for revenge against Sarah Jane?" the Doctor said.
"Yes, although my vengeance is to the benefit of an innocent life," the Trickster said. "In this case, I am also an angel…"
The Trickster motions towards Peter.
"The question now is this: will your attempts to save Sarah Jane cost the life of an innocent? BWAH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHA-!"
"Doctor-!" Sarah Jane yelled.
With that, the waves of temporal energy blanket the wedding hall.
"Everyone, hold on to something!" Ranma yelled, as everything goes white…
When the light died down, only the Doctor, Ranma, Cassie and the kids remained.
"Damn it," Cassie said, as she balled her fist. "I should have been more aware of what's been happening."
"See?" Clyde said. "I knew something was going on."
"Clyde?" Rini said.
"What?"
"Shut up."
"…"
"Yeah, why didn't you sense anything?" Ranma asked, as he goes over to his amalgam doppelganger. An amalgam doppelganger, unlike a regular doppelganger, is a doppelganger fused with another life. As a result, the amalgam doppelganger the original personality is influenced by the "alien" personality. That is why Lady Cassandra "Cassie" Smith (i.e. Ranma-onna plus Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta) can alternate between being a total degenerate socialite to the mannerism of a proper British woman-warrior that would make the likes of Boudica, Elizabeth the First, Victoria and Thatcher proud. The irony is that Cassie, in spite of her appearance and actions, thanks to the influence of the original Cassandra, still saw herself as being the male Ranma, even going as far as to flirt with Sarah Jane just to prove her point. Still, amalgam doppelgangers were in the unique position of going through a personal evolution, and can develop their own independence, which is why Cassie could one day "regenerate" into the infamous Professor River Song…
"I DON'T know," Cassie said. "Ever since Peter began dating Sarah Jane, I've been focusing on their happiness."
"And nothing unusual happened?" the Doctor said.
"No. In fact, Peter was being extra nice to me, as a way of getting my approval for him to marry Sarah Jane."
"How?" Ranma asked.
"Well, a few days before Peter proposed to Sarah Jane, we got to together to discuss how to spring the surprise. During that dinner, he gave me this silver pendant as a 'thank you' for my help."
The Doctor takes a look at the pendant that was hanging around Cassie's neck. It was a typical Celtic symbol that allowed for interlocking patterns…
"He knew of my appreciation for all things Briton, so he gave me this," Cassie said.
The Doctor scans the pendant with his sonic screw driver…
"Oh, there's the problem," the Doctor said. "That pendant of yours has properties specifically tailored to inhibit your senses."
"In other words, you've been 'punked'," Ranma said.
"That bastard," Cassie said, as she snatches the pendant from her person. "He knew I would have stopped him, had I known about his interference. Damn…"
"It's not your fault," Luke said, as he glanced over at Clyde for a quick moment. "We all were tricked."
"But what about the others?" Rani asked. "What happened to my Mom and Dad?"
"If I can guess, everyone is safe," Ranma said, as he sniffed the air. "I think we are in another temporal stasis field."
"Specifically, we're caught up in a moment of time, with everyone else moving on," the Doctor said.
"Moving on to WHERE?" Rini asked.
"Normal space-time, kiddo," Ranma replied.
"So, where is Mum?" Luke asked.
"And how do we get out of here?" Clyde asked.
"I know what to do," Cassie said, as her eyes glowed while energy arced around her body.
"What's that?" Rani asked. She rarely gets to see Cassie use her powers, outside of her usual habits of drinking binges…
"She's trying to expand her perception of localize time, using 'Temporal Aura Sensing'," the Doctor said. "It's designed to localize those people or entities that have ether significant amounts of temporal energy, have different temporal signatures or are out of synch with the flow of time."
"We did the same thing when we tried the same thing, when Davros and Dalek Khan had stolen the Earth for his 'Oblivion Machine'," Ranma said.
"If I recall, that this Davros person had shifted the Earth three minutes out of synch with the normal flow of Time," Luke said.
"Is that what is going on?" Rani said.
"Recisely," the Doctor said, as he noticed the tremendous strain on Cassie. She started to bleed from her nose.
"What the-?"
"I'm doing more than just sensing things; I'm trying to remove the layers that is separating us," Cassie said. "I may not be just Ranma Saotome anymore, but I'm close enough!"
"Ranma-papa, you have to stop!" Rini cried out.
"Don't hurt yourself trying make up to me," Clyde said, as he touches Cassie, only to receive a jolt of temporal energy that ran through his system. "Yow-!"
"Clyde!" Rani yelled, as she held Clyde to her.
"I'm not doing it for you, Clyde," Cassie said, as she continued to pour more of her energy into the temporal field surrounding the house. "I'm doing this for Sarah Jane, because…because I love her-!"
"Huh," the Doctor said. He was about to say something, when he smacked his head. "Brilliant!"
"What?" Rani asked.
"This," the Doctor said, as he pulls out his sonic screwdriver. He then turned to Ranma.
"Can you help increase the power?"
"Sure," Ranma said. "But I got something better. '3X2(9YZ)4A'."
Using the Johnny Quick's speed, Ranma began to vibrate his aura.
"What is he doing?" Clyde asked.
"He is visualizing a mathematical computation that grants him 'super-speed'," Rini said. "But instead of running, Ranma-papa is shifting the frequency of the room."
"Hey, it's starting to feel like what happened that brought us here," Rani said.
"Precisely," the Doctor said, as he makes his final adjustments to his sonic screwdriver. "You have the 'X' factor, the 'Y' factor…and the 'Z'-!"
With that, the Doctor uses the additional output to pierce the barriers separating him and his companions from where the Sarah Jane was being held prisoner.
And then, Sarah Jane, Peter and the Trickster appear before everyone's eyes.
"What?" the Trickster said. "How did you escape my trap?"
"Simple, really," the Doctor said with a smug grin. "Cassie provided the power, Ranma amplified that power, and then I used my trusty sonic screwdriver to focus that power."
"Clever," the Trickster said. "But that doesn't mean you can escape here. Not even my Chaos Lord and the Time Lord can overcome my power."
"What if I simply beat you up?" Ranma said, as he cracked his knuckles.
"Ah, but you know that only I can release you from this pocket realm," the Trickster said.
"Well, I don't think so," the Doctor said, as he turns towards Peter and Sarah Jane. "Am I right?"
"Yes, yes that's it," Sarah Jane said with a nod. She then turns towards Peter.
"Peter, when we were separated from the others, I told you about your 'angel'; the being who saved your life, yes?"
"Yes," Peter replied, as he glances over at the Trickster. A month ago, he had a bad fall that would have resulted in his demise, had it not been for the intervention of his guardian angel. A few days later, he met Sarah Jane at a local bookstore, and fell in love at first sight…
"The Trickster is using you in retaliation for stopping him from destroying the world," Sarah Jane said.
"But, we're now together, yes?" Peter said.
"If the Trickster's involved, he knows that Sarah Jane will always be there to stop him," Cassie said. "If I recall, the second time the Trickster showed up, he tried to tempt Sarah Jane into trying to change her own past, by saving her parents' lives, so that he could create the kind of chaos necessary for him to feed upon."
"I didn't know that," the Doctor said, as he turned towards Ranma.
"Did you?"
"Yeah, but I knew you'd frown upon what Cassie end up doing to resolve the crisis."
"Did what?"
"I undid the Trickster's agenda without the need to sacrifice her parents in the bargain," Cassie said. "So, instead of dying so early, Sarah Jane's parents would live a full life."
"But there are fixed points in Time," the Doctor said with concern. "And the village of 'Foxgrove' sits on temporal fissure."
"Well, I kind of had some help in that regard."
"Let me guess: you called upon the 'Prophets of Bajor' for help, didn't you?" the Doctor said with annoyance.
"Um, yes…"
"But, you know better than to do that!"
"Yes, I did, Doctor, but you have to remember two important facts. One, I am a Chaos Lord, just like Ranma, so the rules are nothing more than a guideline to folks like ME. And, two, I care about Sarah Jane's happiness above all else. So, expect me to bend the rules, okay?"
"I…I didn't know how you felt about me, Cassie," Sarah Jane said.
"Because, I didn't want you to know, especially after Peter proposed to you, among the other obvious reason, okay?"
"Oh, I see…"
"Cassie, in the future, can you please consult with me or Ranma first?" the Doctor said.
"Fine, I owe you both that much consideration at least…"
"Actually, Doctor, I consulted with Sailor Pluto on this," Ranma said. "Apparently, the Trickster created the temporal paradox in the first place."
"Explain."
"As far as Sarah Jane knew, she was 'mysteriously' abandoned by her parents. However, the Trickster's interference had created the conditions that would lead to Sarah Jane's parents to seemingly abandon her, and then take off to have the accident that would shape her life. In fact, the Trickster's vendetta against Sarah Jane had created the conditions that would sew the very chaos that he seeks, because SHE is the focal point of events…"
Pause.
"Doctor, had it not been for the Trickster mucking up in Sarah Jane's lifeline, Davros would not have had the idea of creating his Daleks. Ironically, Sarah Jane would be instrumental in keeping that chaos in check at the same time."
"In other words, Sarah Jane is the proverbial 'Pandora's Box'," the Doctor said, as he strokes his chin. "The Trickster used Sarah Jane to create chaos, but prevents him from feeding upon it, thus giving the world hope."
"I'm sorry if you…learned of this, Doctor," Sarah Jane said, as she looks away. "I suppose…you wished that we have never met."
"Sarah, my life would have been poorer if we hadn't met," the Doctor said.
Pause.
"By the way, how was the Trickster defeated exactly?"
"The Prophets to prevent the Trickster from ever entering our world," Sarah Jane said.
"But they do not intervene so easily."
"Actually, Cassie had gave the Trickster a right thrashing," Rani said. "You've should have seen it."
"I can imagine," the Doctor said. "At any rate, you're not at fault, Sarah Jane. The Trickster is."
"So, what if I am?" the Trickster sneered. "I'm saving a one life while giving another a normal one."
"Yes, but you are doing so for your own purposes!" Sarah Jane countered. "Who is to say that by being genuine, you are simply getting me out of the way for some future event?"
Peter looks away, and realizes that he was being used to get back at Sarah Jane for stopping the Trickster in the first place…
"I understand now," Peter said. He then kisses Sarah Jane on the lips, before breaking into a hug. He then turns towards the Trickster.
"I should have realized that even the Devil had been an angel once…"
"Be careful of your actions, Peter Dalton," the Trickster said, as he points a bony finger at Peter. "Reject my gift, and you will cease."
"I know," Peter said, as he throws the wedding ring at the Trickster. "I reject you!"
"No!" the Trickster yelled, as he disappears. And then, everything goes white…
A couple of days later…
"Are you feeling okay?" Cassie asked, as she fixed Sarah Jane a bit of tea.
"I'm feeling much better, thank you," Sarah Jane said, as she accepted the cup of tea. "It's too bad that an innocent victim like Peter was caught up in this…"
"True, true," Cassie said, as she took a drink of tea.
For a moment, there was a bit of silence between the two.
"Ranma, a quick question," Sarah Jane began to say.
"Yes, I made sure that Peter is alive and well," Cassie said. "And because of that, only we, the Doctor, Ranma Prime and the kids remember who Peter was, even if nobody else does, including Peter himself. But don't ask me how, since the explanation involves a string, chewing gum wrapper and fiber."
"…What?"
"I kid. No, I went back in time and changed the past. In fact, Peter should be arriving at one of your favorite bookstores within the hour."
"I see…"
Pause.
"You know, I could run down there and see if they have any good books on paranormal activity," Sarah Jane said, as she sets down her cup.
"If you do decide to go down there, please pick me up a copy of the latest edition of the 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' book."
"Since when have you been so introspective?"
"I figured that if I have to be Cassie, I should find some balance in my life, you know?"
"Yeah, I do."
Tbc.