The Doctor finished materializing the TARDIS in Cardiff and stepped back to talk to Martha who was sitting in one of the console chairs. Just as he was about to open his mouth, he saw a blonde running out from the corridors and straight for the doors. He and Martha watched as Renata groaned as she uselessly pounded on the doors to open them up.
"You might as well give it up," Martha gave the call. Renata gave a long sigh as she turned around, hands on hips, and considered another way out. Martha chuckled and looked at the Doctor, "You owe me ten quid. It's been two weeks and she's still not given up."
"Yeah alright," the Doctor rolled his eyes and mumbled.
"Oh you've been betting on me," Renata angrily looked at the two as she remained at the doors. She blew some air to get a blonde strand off her face, "This is all some joke between you two. Funny, very absolutely freaking funny! I'm laughing," she sarcastically gave a couple a 'ha's', "Open this door right now," she pointed at the door and glared at the Doctor, "You said Cardiff, we're in Cardiff. Perfect place for me."
"You don't even know what year it is," the Doctor reminded her.
"It's not like I care," she snapped, "It's a place outside this box which makes it the perfect place for me to go. Now open the doors!"
The Doctor innocently looked around, "Whaddya say old girl, will you open the doors for her?" he called out to the TARDIS and received a couple hums back.
Renata groaned in exasperation as she once again lost the battle of getting out. It seemed like the TARDIS was on the Doctor's side and was endlessly helping keep her in like a prisoner. She suspected the TARDIS already knew who she was in reality, a Time Lady, which only made it far more stubborn in letting her out.
"Two weeks," Renta held two fingers up, "It's been two weeks since you stole me and for what? To be like a babysitter?"
"I wouldn't have to babysit if you'd quit trying to get away," the Doctor remarked casually.
"I wouldn't have to try and escape if you'd let me go," she gritted her teeth, "This is no fun for any of us. You've traveled to four places and you've had no fun. What is the point in all this? Just let me go."
The Doctor happened to look at the console scanner and saw a very familiar man running for them. Instantly, he started the controls as fast as possible, thanking the heavens the TARDIS had finished soaking up the rift energy it needed for fuel in time.
"What are you doing?" Renata called as the console started sparking like crazy. She tried to go towards them but was knocked back by the violent lurch the TARDIS gave.
"What's that?" Martha shouted as the TARDIS continuously lurched around.
"We're accelerating?" the Doctor watched the time go up and up on the scanner, "Into the future. The year one billion. Five billion. Five trillion. 50 trillion. What?
The year 100 trillion. That's impossible!"
"Why? What happens then?" Martha glanced back to Renata who was struggling to get on her feet using the rails.
"We're going to the end of the universe," the Doctor's eyes were as wide as could be as the scanner continued showing the increase of the years. Finally, the TARDIS decided to stop as it landed, "Well, we've landed," the Doctor said quirtl and stepped around Martha to see Renata
"And the powers off for now," Renata realized and quickly turned for the doors, busting out with hasten.
"We've got to stop her!" Martha, alarmed, started running for the doors after Renata.
The Doctor followed her out and found Renata looking down at none other than Captain Jack Harkness who laid on the floor, unconscious or 'dead'. Renata had a look of horror in her eyes as she stared at the man, unbeknownst to the Doctor it was her getting the Time Lord instinct that something was horribly wrong with Jack. He mistakes it for fear and went over to her, reaching for her arm, "C'mon-"
"Don't touch me," she snapped and pushed past him to walk away from the box and them all. She held her bag closer to her as she looked around the solitary environment.
Martha was trying to revive Jack as the doctor she would be, "Can't get a pulse. Hold on—you've got that medical kit thing."
As Martha ran for the TARDIS he sauntered closer to Jack, still keep an eye on Renata discreetly, "Hello again. Oh, I'm sorry," was all he could say to Jack.
Martha ran back out with a first aid kit and pushed the Doctor to the side, "Here we go. Out of the way. It's a bit odd, though. Not very 100 trillion—that coat's more like World War II," she observed while working.
"I think he came with us," the Doctor suggested while he stepped back, knowing it was only a matter of seconds now until Jack would make his comeback.
"How d'you mean? From Earth?"
"Must've been clinging to the outside of the TARDIS all the way through the vortex. Well, that very him."
"What? Do you know him?" Renata slowly returned to them, now suspicious of the Doctor.
"Friend of mine. Used to travel with me. Back in the old days."
"But he's—I'm sorry, there's no heartbeat," Martha sadly said as she stopped trying to revive him, "There's nothing. He's dead," And just then Jack gasped loudly as he returned to life, grabbing hold of Martha who screamed in horror, "Oh well, so much for me. It's all right. Just breathe deep. I've got you now."
Jack started calming down and had a chance to look Martha over, "Captain Jack Harkness. And who are you?"
"Martha Jones."
'Nice to meet you, Martha Jones," out came Jack's flirting.
"Oh, don't start!" the Doctor scolded him.
"I was just saying hello," Jack argued as Martha helped him up.
"I don't mind," Martha smiled sheepishly.
Once Jack had his own balance, he moved to the Doctor where both men had a short moment of silence while they stared at each other.
"Doctor," went Jack.
"Captain."
"Good to see you."
"And you. Same as ever…although…have you had work done?"
Jack scoffed, "You can talk!"
"Oh yes, the face," the Doctor remembered and smiled, "Regeneration. How did you know this was me?"
"The police box kinda gives it away. I've been following you for a long time," Jack frowned, "You abandoned me."
"He abandoned you?" Renata blinked and made Jack look over to notice the second companion he'd missed, "Tell me how you managed to do that because I'm currently trying to do that myself," she crossed her arms.
"And who are you-"
Renata held a hand and stopped the man, "Refrain yourself from flirting and answer my question because I really gotta go."
"Nice companion," Jack looled back at the Doctor, "Where'd you pick this one up?"
"He didn't pick me up, he kidnapped me," Renata corrected him.
"He swung her over his shoulder and brought her into the TARDIS," Martha explained as she saw Jack give a concerned look to the Doctor.
Though that ceased after Martha explained amd instead a teasing smile worked it's way to his lips, "Aw, how romantic," And then he received a shoulder bag to the face.
"I'm gonna want that back," Renata held her hand for her shoulder bag she'd thrown at Jack.
"Sure know how to pick one, Doc," Jack remarked to the alien while he handed the bag back.
The Doctor rolled his eyes, Jack was definitely not helping, "It's a...it's a work in progress," he sighed and turned for the blonde.
"There is no work in progress," she snapped, "Because I am going to leave as soon as I can! In fact," she ran for the TARDIS but as soon as she neared it the box shut its doors completely, "No! C'mon!" she pounded on the doors.
While Jack was very amused by the blonde, he had to question the Doctor about the last blonde that had been with him, "Just gotta ask, Doc, the Battle of Canary Wharf. I saw the list of the dead. It said Rose Tyler."
The Doctor was watching Renata with an amused smile and quickly glanced at Jack to relieve him, "Oh no! Sorry! She's alive!"
"You're kidding?!" Jack let out a breath of relief.
"Parallel world safe and sound," the Doctor finished explaining, "And Mickey! And her mother!"
"Oh yes!" Jack laughed and hugged the alien.
Renata had quit her attempt to flee and turned to the two men, "Who the hell is Rose?" she recalled the mention of the girl in the Doctor's journal and grew curious by the two men's reactions.
"An important woman," Martha muttered and started walking away.
Renata noticed the change in the human amd followed after her, her hearts pinging as she started deciphering just how important that other woman was. The Doctor quickly went after his two companions with Jack and it didn't take long to catch up.
Renata kept glancing at Jack with curiosity and felt her instincts telling her to get away from him. He was wrong, completely wrong.
"Something wrong, blondie?" the immortal man had noticed a while back she'd been looking at him.
"Don't call me that," she said firstly, "But I want to know how you managed to get away from that one," she pointed at the Doctor who was a couple feet ahead of them, "Cos I need out."
"Well, there was a fight and I fought...but I was brought back to life somehow. I was stranded in the year 200,100, ankle-deep in Dalek dust, and he goes off without me."
Renata knew the Doctor had left Jack because of the instincts. That meant she couldn't get him to leave her, and she had to get out. It was completely wrong to be there, in the TARDIS, with the Doctor.
"So how did you leave?" Martha joined the conversation and moved to Jack's other side.
"Lucky for me, I had this," Jack tapped the vortex manipulator he wore on his wrist, "I used to be a Time Agent. It's called a vortex manipulator. He's not the only one who can time travel."
"Oh, excuse me," the Doctor turned around, irritated, "That is not time travel. It's like I've got a sports car and you've got a space hopper."
"Boys and their toys," Renata smirked at him, glad to see a way to get back at him for her capture.
"All right, so I bounced," Jack admitted, "I thought '21st century, best place to find the Doctor' except that I got it a little wrong. I arrived in 1869 and this thing burnt out so it was useless."
"Told you," the Doctor couldn't help the smirk and turned away to continue walking. He wasn't very pleased that Renata was having a decent conversation with the immortal man instead of, well, instead if him. She hadn't even talked to Martha and there she was, talking with Jack.
"I had to live through the entire 20th century waiting for a version of you that would coincide with me," Jack explained for the women to understand.
"That makes you more that 100 years old," Martha did the math in her head and looked at him with surprise.
"And looking good, doncha think?" Jack chuckled, "So I went to the time rift, based myself thing 'cause I knew you'd come back to refuel. Until finally I get a signal on this detecting you and here we are."
"But the thing is, how come you left him behind, Doctor?" Martha looked at the Doctor with suspicion.
"I was busy," the Doctor shrugged casually.
"Is that what happens, though? Seriously? Do you just get bored with us one day and disappear?"
"Not if you're blonde," Jack eyed the newest blonde beside him.
Martha felt uneasy and cast a look at Renata. She knew she had practically told the Doctor to take Renata without her consent and shouldn't even be mad nor upset that Renata would one day take her place, but it still hurt.
"Stop looking at me like that," Renata scolded Jack and moved ahead, "The Doctor kidnapped me and has been forcing me to stay in his TARDIS."
"Oh, yes, I'm forcing you to see the universe, officer take me away," the Doctor held his hands out as if he were being arrested.
"There should be an officer to take you away," Renata snapped, "Hasn't anyone declined your invitation to run away?" she raised an eyebrow, "Did you kidnap them too?'
Renata's question triggered the Doctor's deepest past to surface in his mind, "Once," he whispered and made Renata go quiet, "There was one who said no," everyone could see the rapid change in the Doctor's face. He quirky went ahead and left the trio behind.
Martha sadly looked at Renata who was staring at the ground, "Ren-"
"Don't," Renata blinked rapidly and turned away as well, slowly walking after the Doctor.
"What just happened?" Jack raised an eyebrow, suspecting Martha would know.
"It's a long story and it's not mine to tell," Martha sighed and took him after the others.
They found the Doctor and Renata looking out on the edge of a canyon. Their view consisted of an old tattered city that was deserted.
"Is that a city?" Martha blinked as she looked around for some type of life.
"A city or a hive. Or a nest. Or a conglomeration," the Doctor shrugged, "Looks like it was grown. But look there. That's like pathways, roads…Must have been some sort of life. Long ago."
"What killed it?"
"Time. Just time. Everything's dying now," Renata spoke quietly, her mind wandering back home, her real home that didn't even exist anymore, "All the great civilizations have gone. This isn't just night. All the stars have burned up and faded away into nothing."
"It must have an atmospheric shell. We should be frozen to death," Jack remarked as he looked up at the sky.
"Well, Renata, Martha and I, maybe," the Doctor reminded and looked at Jack, "Not so sure about you, Jack."
"What about the people? Does no one survive?" Martha called their attention back to what was important.
"I suppose we have to hope. Life will find a way," the Doctor sighed.
"Well, he's not doin' too bad," Jack pointed to a man, Prada, who was running along one of the pathways.
Renata's eyes widened as she the man being chased by a larger group behind, "Is it me, or does that look like a hunt?" she asked in horror.
"Come on!" the Doctor broke into a run to go help the chased man below.
Jack barked a laugh as they ran, "Oh, I've missed this!" he was the first to reach to the chased man, "I've got you."
"We've gotta run! They're coming!" Padra cried frantically, "They're coming!"
Jack handed Padra to the group to take out his revolver which was promptly aimed at the chasers. Once the Doctor saw the goal he shouted, "Jack, don't you dare!"
"Fire into the air!" Renata suggested as the chasers grew closer.
Jack took the advice and fired into the air, succeeding in making the chasers stop.
"What the hell are they?" Martha studied the strange lines of the chasers as well as their basic appearance. They looked human but at the same time...they weren't.
"There's more of them. We've got to keep going," Padra repeated, still terrified.
"I've got a ship nearby. It's safe. It's not far, it's just..." the Doctor had began saying when Renata tugged on his arm and pointed him up where more of the chasers were coming down from the direction of the TARDIS, "Or maybe not..."
"We're close to the silo. If we get to the silo, then we're safe," Padra assured, getting ready to run again with or without the group.
"Silo?" the Doctor looked around to his friends.
"Silo," Jack agreed.
"Silo for me," Martha quickly nodded her head.
"That depends, will I be able to stay there?" Renata glanced at Padra.
The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Oh let it go!" he snatched her hand and dragged her into the run with others.
~ 0 ~
The group followed Padra up to a gated area where soldiers and guards awaited on the other side. Padra was the first to reach the gate, "It's the Futurekind! Open the gate!"
The closest guard moved to the gate, "Show me your teeth! Show me your teeth! Show me your teeth!"
Padra looked at the group, "Show them your teeth."
The group smiled widely amd allowed the guards to see their white, normal teeth, "Human! Let 'em in! Let 'em in!" the guard motioned to the others up in the watch tower."
As soon as the gates were opened, everyone ran inside and watched the gates close just as the 'futurekind' arrived.
The guard fired his gun at the ground in front of the Futurekind and forced them to stop. The leader of the Futurekind moved closer and pointed at them, "Humans. Humani. Make feast."
"Go back to where you came from. I said go back!" the guard aimed the gun at them, "Go back!"
"Oh, don't tell him to put down his gun," Jack shot one at the Doctor.
"He's not my responsibility," the alien pointed out.
At that, Jack turned to him, "And I am?" he scoffed, "That makes a change."
"Are you really arguing right now?" Renata snapped at them, "Children!"
Even Martha agreed with her that time. She looled at the guard that had let them in, "Thanks for that."
"Right. Let's get you inside," the guard motioned for them to follow.
Padra walked after the guard first, "My name is Padrafet Shafekane. Please tell me, can you take me to Utopia?"
"Oh yes, sir. Yes, I can," the guard promised as they entered the tunnel carved into a mountain.
As soon as they had been brought in, the Doctor got to asking about his TARDIS that was still out on the side of the Futurekind's. Padra started asking for his family and was directed over to a young boy named Creet while the guard finished with the Doctor.
"Sorry, but how old are you?" Renata questioned the young boy with dislike, the boy looked about ten and that was no age for work.
"Old enought to work, ma'am," Creet responded as they he led the group futher down. He started calling out for Padra's family as they passed the dozens of people lined up on the sides, "Kistane Shafekane. Kistane Shafekane. Kistane and Beltone Shafekane? Looking for a Kistane and Beltone Shafekane. Anyone? Kistane and Beltone Shefkane? Anyone know the Shefkane family? Anyone called Shafekane?"
"It's like a refugee camp," Martha remarked as she looked around.
"Stinking," Jack added then noticed the dirty glare he was getting from a rather large man they were passing, "Ooh, sorry. No offence."
"This is awful," Renata concluded after seeing the conditions the humans were in.
"No, don't you see it?" the Doctor moved beside her, "The ripe old smell of humans."
"Oh the smell's something alright," Renata crinkled her nose, "But I suppose I should be admiring how the humans survived. What with their million years of evolving into clouds of gas and then another million as downloads yet they always revert to the same basic shape. The fundamental humans," she glanced at him and found he was staring at her with a goofy smile, "What?" she raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing, just...I couldn't have said it better myself," he admitted.
Renata couldn't help the small blush with his stare, "Well, I'm smart too," she said weakly.
"I wouldn't know since the only things I've heard from you so far are 'let me go', 'I'm gonna kill you', and the famous 'I'm getting out of here'," the Doctor nudged her.
"You kidnapped me, what did you think was going to happen? I would somehow forget about it?" Renata had to chuckle at his dimwhitness.
"I was sort of counting on it..." the Doctor tugged on his ear as he looked around.
"You are unbelievable," Renata declared and shook her head, still amused by him nonetheless. But her smile faded as her mind remembered what was wrong and what was right. This certainly was wrong and she shouldn't be liking it one bit.
"Captain Jack Harkness," her thoughts were interrupted by the immortal man trying to flirt as he shook a pretty handsome man's hand, "And who are you?"
"Really?" Renata sighed, already seeing a running theme with the man.
"I was just saying hello," Jack turned to her and noticed the Doctor working on a door with the sonic.
Renata followed his gaze and frowned, "Um, Doctor, what do you think you are doing?"
"Well, I believe I am trying to open this door," the Doctor gave her a look, "Yes, I am trying to open a door."
"Quit your sarcasm," she snapped and walked over, "You're going to get in trouble!"
"That's the story of his life," Martha commented while Jack went to help by using the keypad on the side of the door.
"Well you're gonna get us into trouble," Renata insisted and tried pulling the Doctor away from the door. Eventually, Renata grew tired and quite literally cut in between him and the door, "What part do you not understand? We are guests here, you don't go sticking your nose where it doesn't belong," she leaned on the doors, never noticing Jack was still working to get it open, "That's how you get into trouble! It's exactly-"
The Doctor had been trying to keep up with her scolding but when the doors slid open and she nearly fell back, he snapped back into reality and caught her before she slipped back, "Woah, gotcha!" he smiled and gently pulled her away from the door.
Renata was very conscious of his arms around her waist and the first thing she did was push him away, "Thank you," she politely said then turned away, crossing her arms and focusing on getting her red face down.
"Sorry about that," Jack apologized.
"Don't worry about it," she muttered and moved slightly away from the group as they looked out the open doors.
"Now that is what I call a rocket," Martha smiled in awe.
"They're not refugees, they're passengers," the Doctor realized and glanced at the distant Renata, "Renee, come and look."
"That's not my name," she turned around with a huff, "My kidnapper does not get to give me a nickname."
"Well your kidnapper just saved you, so I think he does," the Doctor playfully rolled his eyes as she decided to finally return.
"He said they were going to Utopia," she reminded as she studied the rocket.
"The perfect place. 100 trillion years, it's still the same old dream," the Doctor remarked, "Do you recognize those engines?"
"Nope. Whatever it is, it's not rocket science," Jack shook his head, "But it's hot, though."
"Boiling," the Doctor said as they stepped back and Jack shut the doors, "But if the universe is falling apart, what does Utopia mean?"
"The Doctor?" came an old man and stopped beside Jack.
"That's me," the Time Lord raised a finger.
The old man beamed and took the Doctor away from the group, "Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good."
"It's good apparently," the Doctor glanced back as the group followed them.
They followed the old man, who turned out to be a professor, into a large white room full of machinery of all kinds. A blue alien stood at the entrance, "Chan—welcome—tho," she greeted.
The professor, Yana, lead the Doctor down the tables of machinery, "This is the gravitissimal accelerator. It's part of the..."
"Chan—welcome—tho," the alien, Chantho, greeted the companions as they entered the room.
"Hello, who are you?" Martha politely asked her.
"Chan—Chantho—tho."
"Captain Jack Harkness," Jack flashed one of his smiles as he shook the alien's hand.
"Oh dear Lord, do you flirt with every moving thing that you come across with?" Renata genuinely wondered what were the limits of the immortal man.
"Do you scold everyone you meet?" Jack countered, "I was only saying hello!"
"Your answer is yes, I do, if they're doing something wrong they should stop," Renata shook her head and let out a small sarcastic laugh, 'And you were so not just saying hello."
"You sure know how to pick 'em, Doctor," Jack made a face as he went further into the room, never noticing the trailing Martha he had behind him.
"And all this feeds into the rocket?" the Time Lord ignored the little remark and continued on with the professor.
"Yeah, except without a stable footprint we'll never achieve escape velocity," Yana sighed, "If only we could harmonize the five impact patterns and unify them, well, we might yet make it. What do you think, Doctor? Any ideas?"
The Doctor blinked as he racked his mind for any answer that could help the old man, "Well, u, basically...sort of..." but he came up blank, "...not a clue."
"Nothing?" Yana frowned.
"I'm not from around these parts. I've never seen a system like it," the Doctor shrugged, "Sorry."
"No, no, I'm sorry," Yana looked around dejectedly, "It's my fault. There's been so little help."
"Oh my God," Martha gasped and made everyone turn to her and Jack to see the man pulling out a bubbling container with a hand in it, "You've got a hand. A hand in a jar. A hand in a jar in your bag."
"That's—that's my hand!" the Doctor gawked as he recognized his hand.
"I dread to think why your hand is in there," Renata mumbled and moved with him to Martha and Jack.
"I said I had a Doctor detector," Jack chuckled.
"Chan—is this a tradition amongst your people—tho?" the bluen alien looked between the group with confusion.
"Not on my street," Martha scoffed, "What d'you mean that's your hand? You've got both your hands, I can see them," Martha pointed to the hands of the Doctor, nearly counting them.
"Long story, I lost my hand Christmas day," the Doctor explained, "In a swordfight."
"What on Earth were you doing having a sword-fight?" Renata looked at the Doctor in question, not at all surprised however. It definitely sounded like something he would pull.
"What? And you grew another hand?" Martha blinked rapidly, her mind trying to catch up.
"Um yeah. Yeah I did. Yeah. Hello," the Doctor waved with his fingers.
"Might I ask what species are you?" Yana interjected.
"Time Lord. Last of. Heard of them?" the Doctor looked around, missing the shot
Martha threw at Renata.
Even when Renata had plainly avoided talking to Martha and the Doctor, it didn't mean Martha paid her with the same token. Whenever the Doctor wasn't around, Martha tried her best to convince Renata to reveal her true self to the Doctor. But Renata was adamant that it was wrong, there was no point in doing so.
"Legend or anything? Not even a myth?" the Doctor was getting upset with the blank looks of the professor and his assitant, "Blimey, end of the universe is a bit humbling."
"Chan—It is said that I am the last of my species too—tho," Chantho remarked.
"Sorry, what was your name?" the Doctor looked at the professor and alien.
"My assistant and good friend, Chantho," the professor answered him, "A survivor of the Malmooth. This was their planet, Malcassairo, before we took refuge."
"So the city outside was yours," Renata made the connection, "I'm so sorry."
"Chan—the conglomeration died—tho," the blue alien nodded.
"Conglomeration!" the Doctor exclaimed, "That's what I said!"
Renata scolded him with a look, "You're supposed to say you're sorry."
The Doctor, for once, didn't argue back because she was absolutely right, "Oh, yes, sorry," he said to Chantho.
"Chan—most grateful—tho."
"But you grew another hand?" Martha was staring at the Doctor's hands again.
"Hello again. It's fine. Look. Really, it's me," the Doctor wiggled his fingers at her and even shook her hand.
"All this time and you're still full of surprises," she had to laugh in the end once she finished processing it. The Doctor winked at her and clicked his tongue.
"Chan-you are most unusual—tho."
"Well..."
"Don't feed the ego, please," Renata sighed, "For him, that's a compliment."
"So what about those things outside?" Jack glanced at the professor before the two aliens got into a new disagreement, "The Beastie Boys. What are they?"
"We call them the Futurekind," Yana replied, sounding frightened for some reason, "Which is a myth in itself, but, uh, it is feared they are what we will become. Unless we reach Utopia."
"And Utopia is…?" Renata raised an eyebrow curiously.
"Oh, every human knows of Utopia. Where have you been?"
"Kidnapped," the blonde bluntly answered, making the professor lol at the others for a moment.
"She's kidding," the Doctor tried to supply but Renata remained unmoved.
"I'm really not," Renata declared, "He kidnapped me."
"Renata!" the Doctor frowned.
"Just because you're some kind of hero doesn't mean I won't go reporting your kidnapping!" she snapped, "In fact, I'll go to the shadow proclamation. They'll have you!"
"You won't be doing any of that or else I'll be forced to talk," Martha moved over to the blonde amd gave her a pointer look.
"You wouldn't," Renata caught onto the threat and glared.
Martha accepted the challenge and looked at the Doctor who was more than confused, "Doctor, I think there's something you should know about Renata-"
"Okay! Fine!" Renata quickly cut in and stopped Martha from continuing.
"What? What's going on?" the Doctor studied the two women carefully.
"I meant we should let the professor tell us what Utopia is," Martha supplied an excuse and gestured to the professor.
As everyone followed the professor, Renata yanked Martha's arm back, "That is the last time you threaten me, do you understand?"
"I don't think it is," Martha honestly replied. She didn't like the idea of using something private against Renata but she wouldn't allow Renata to threaten much less hurt the Doctor.
"Let me remind you that just like the Doctor I faught in the war and I know plenty of ways to end you and make it look like an accident. Don't forget where you stand, Martha Jones," Renata let go of Martha's arm and joined the others.
Martha swallowed hard and went to join the group either, certainly not forgetting she was human and therefore far weaker than Renata. But for some reason, she didn't quite believe Renata would do something to her like she'd just threatened. If that was her plan she would've done it the moment Martha had discovered who she really was.
Yana was busy showing the others on the computer screen a navigational chart with a blinking red dot, supposedly Utopia, "The call came from across the stars over and over again. Come to Utopia. Originated from that point."
"Where is that?" the Doctor inquired.
"Oh, it's far beyond the Condensate Wilderness. Out towards the wild lands and the dark matter reefs. Calling us in. The last of the humans. Scattered across the night."
"But how do you know it's actually humans? Or that it's actually a Utopia that's waiting for you there?" Renata suddenly questioned. Humans were always so inclined to a perfect Utopian idea and couldn't help wonder what if the exact opposite awaited for these humans?
"I don't know," the professor honestly answered, "Perhaps it's a colony, a city, some sort of haven waiting for us? The Science Foundation created the Utopia Project thousands of years ago to preserve mankind—to find a way of surviving beyond the collapse of reality itself. Now perhaps they found it. Perhaps not. But it's worth a look, don't you think?"
Renata lightly smiled, "I suppose so..."
"And the signal keeps modulating, so it's not automatic. There's a good sign. Someone's out there," the Doctor began getting into the topic with an excited beam, "And that's…ooh, that's a navigation matrix, isn't it? So you can fly without stars to guide you," he looked at the elderly man and found he seemed distant for some reason, "Professor? Professor?"
"I..." the professor snapped out of his trance and looked at the group, "Right, that's enough talk. There's work to do. Now if you could leave. Thank you."
"You alright?" Renata grew concerned for the man, recognizing the frailty of humans in their third age.
"Yes. I'm fine! And busy!"
"Except that rocket's not going to fly, is it?" the Doctor assumed the reason for the distance of the professor was due to the failure of the dream so far, "This footprint mechanism thing, it's not working."
"We'll find a way," the professor argued.
"You're stuck on this planet. And you haven't told them, have you? That lot out there, hey still think they're gonna fly."
"Well, it's better to let them live in hope."
"Quite right, too. And I must say, Professor..." the Doctor shook of his coat and passed it to Jack before moving around, "Um, what was it?"
"Yana."
"Professor Yana. This new science is well beyond me, but all the same, a boost reversal circuit, in any time frame, must be a circuit which reverses the boost. So, I wonder, what would happen if I did this?" the Doctor smirked as he picked up a circuit and used the sonic on it, activating the power for the entire machinery.
"Chan-it's working-tho!" Chnatho gasped with awe as they all looked around.
"But how did you do that?" Yana gawked as well, unable to believe everything worked in a snap.
"Oh, we've been chatting away. I forgot to tell you, I'm brilliant," the Doctor declared.
"And egotistical," Renata mumbled under her breath, not at all upset, simply remembering that same characteristic throughout his entire lifetimes.
~ 0 ~
After the machinery had been activated, it was all work time for everyone. Renata, Martha and Chantho had been sent out for some supplies while the men continued working on the machines inside the lab. When they reuinited, they had lovely view of the TARIDS being hauled into the room, having been retrieved from outside.
"Exra power," the Doctor beamed as he came out the TARDIS holding a large power line from inside. He inserted it into an outlet and smiled, "Little bit of a cheat, but who's counting? Jack, you're in charge of the retro-feeds."
"Chan—Professor, are you all right—tho?" Chantho had noticed professor Yana sitting down a bit distant again.
"Yes, I'm fine, I'm fine," the professor assured, "I'm fine. Just get on with it."
"Are you sure you don't need some checking up?" Renata walked over to them, "I did a little nursing in my past. I could..."
"I said I'm fine," the professor cast a small smile.
"You were a nurse?" the Doctor raised an eyebrow at her as he joined them.
"For some time," she quietly said, "I did, um...charity work," she quickly turned to the professor before she said something more that would tip the Doctor off, "I would prefer if you stopped working. I'm pretty sure we can all handle this from now on."
"It's just a headache," the professor waved off, still slightly distant, "Just—Just noise inside my head, Doctor. Constant noise inside my head."
"What sort of noise?" the Doctor asked.
"It's the sound of drums. More and more as though it's getting closer."
Renata raised her eyebrows, "Wh-when did it start?"
"Oh, I've had it all my life. Every waking hour. Still, no rest for the wicked," Yana stood up from his chair and went to work with the others.
"Renee, you okay?" the Doctor noticed the oddness in the blonde.
She took a breath to recompile herself then looked at him pointedly, "Renee? Do I have to spell out my name for you with apples or something?"
"I was just-"
"You are my kidnapper, you don't get to give me nicknames, alright? I would appreciate if you remembered where you stood with me."
The Doctor endured her newest snap with silence and watched her go. Martha came over as soon as the blonde was gone and set a hand on his arm, "Don't listen to her, it'll pass."
"She's not wrong, I did commit a crime," the Doctor sighed.
"Oh yeah, you took her, gave her a roof over her head, a beautiful room, food, adventures. Yes, you should definitely go to jail."
"I still took her against her will..."
Martha couldn't argue on that one and really wished she had more courage to tell him why Renata was so upset. Renata wasn't even angry, she was full of senseless guilt of the past, for a man who wasn't even alive anymore and would most certainly want her to be happy. Most of all, Renata was upset with herself, because no matter how much she denied it she did want to be in the TARDIS with the Doctor. Martha was 100% sure.
~ 0 ~
After discovering there was need for a certain man who couldn't die to keep the systems going, Jack was immediately sent down to a room below the rockets, along with the Doctor. Renata and Martha governed the computer that was transmit the conversation going on below the building.
"Renata," Martha tried nearing the blonde who had taken a seat in front of the computer. Martha had stepped away to help Chantho finish up the final wires of the machinery and was now done.
"Don't touch me," Renata coldly warned, making Martha stop.
"I'm sorry for what I said earlier-"
"I don't want to hear it," Renata cut her off, "Stop, please. If you want to make it up to me, I've got a way."
"And that would be?" Martha curiously asked.
"...who is Rose?" Renata slowly turned on her seat to face Martha, for once the anger and scoldingness gone from her dark, brown eyes. Martha was astonished to find a whole new expression on the woman's face, one that she would dare to call...betrayal. Renata glanced at the screen where snippets of the Doctor's conversation with Jack were still coming through, "I know you know," she spoke quietly, "It's in your eyes, your tone whenever she's mentioned, don't you dare lie," she took a deep breath then faced Martha again, "You want to be forgiven for reading my journal? Tell me who this woman is."
Martha swallowed hard, based off on Renata's past with the Doctor she was sure the blonde would suffer for what she would know. She felt sympathy for Renata, "Ren...Renata," she remembered the blonde's snaps for the use of nicknames, "I don't...I don't think it's convenient for you to know."
"Convenient?" Renata bitterly laughed, "You tell me right now who she is. I remember her from John Smith's journal, she was important, very important that much I know. Who is she, Martha?"
"The Doctor's traveled through time for a long, very long time now, of course he's going to meet important people," Martha tried to sway from the answer.
"He travels in time?" professor Yana happeend to be passing by when Martha had said it.
"Don't ask me to explain it," Martha sighed, that was the last thing she needed right now, "That's the TARDIS. The sports car of time travel, he says. Go figure what it actually means," she shook her head.
"Don't play me like I'm stupid," Renata snapped at her, "Who is she? Was she human? Was she alien?" she swallowed hard, "Was she...she someone he got to love?"
"Please don't make me tell you," Martha sighed.
"She is, isn't she?" Renata deduced from the plead in Martha's eyes, "Oh God, she is," she covered her mouth and fell back on her chair, letting it all sink in.
Martha didn't know how to help Renata and much less knew what to say. She was going to go and try to calm her when the professor started mumbling things, certain things that even caught Renata's attention.
"Time travel. They say there was time travel back in the old days. I never believed. But what would I know? I'm just a stupid old man. Never could keep time. Always late, always lost. Even this thing never worked," he pulled out a fobwatch from his waistcoat pocket, one that Renata and Martha were all too familiar with, "Time and time and time again. Always running out on me."
"Where'd you get that from?" Renata slowly rose to her feet again.
"I had it since I was a child," he looked at her and held the watch for her to see, "It's an old relic," he chuckled, "Like me. I was found with it."
"What do you mean?" Martha asked suspiciously.
"An orphan in the storm. I was a naked child found on the coast of the Silver Devastation. Abandoned with only this."
Renata was staring at the watch silently, trying to reconfigure its appearance with any other ones she'd seen in her lifetimes. Martha, in the meantime, took initiative and stepped closer, "Have you opened it?"
"Why would I?" the professor countered, "It's broken."
"How do you know it's broken if you never opened it?"
"It's stuck, it's old, it's not meant to be," the professor shook his head, "I don't know."
Martha slowly reached for it and turned it over, seeing the same engravings the Doctor had. She looked at Renata with curiosity and handed the watch over.
"Martha, go see if the Doctor needs you," the blonde swallowed hard as she started figuring it out. She wasn't even in her full senses when the professor took back his watch.
"What?" Martha couldn't follow except that the watch resembled the one the Doctor had.
"Go," Renata looked up with hard eyes, prompting Martha to leave. After she was gone, Renata looked at the professor with the intention of taking the watch...but she found it was too late. He had already opened the thing and she was forced to watch a familiar golden stream flow directly to him. "P-professor?"
Yana didn't answer and instead went for a lever and closed it, shutting the and locking the main door of the room that would leave the group out.
"Professor?" Renata swallowed hard, seeing the change in the man's eyes.
"Chan—but you've locked them in—tho," the blue alien went after him.
"Not to worry, my dear. As one door closes, another must open," Yana flicked a couple other switches and made the power go down, allowing the FutureKind access to the building.
"Professor, you lowered the defences," Renata cautiously stepped forwards, "The Doctor is still out there and the Futurekind will get in."
"Oh, I know," he casually said.
"Chan—Professor, I'm so sorry but I must stop you. You're destroying all our work—tho," Chantho pulled out a gun on the man, surprising him and Renata.
"Chantho, don't," Renata held a hand for the blue alien, "Please, don't."
"I can say I was provoked," Yana resolved as he held out one of the live cables for her.
"No, stop! Both of you!" Renata exclaimed, but in vain.
"Did you never think, in all those years standing beside me, to ask about that watch? Never? Did you never think, not ever, that you could set me free?"
"Chan—I'm sorry—tho. Chan—I'm so sorry," Chantho stepped back as the professor approached her.
"And you with your 'chan' and your 'tho' driving me insane."
"Chan—Professor, please—"
"That is not my name! The Professor…was an invention. So perfect a disguise that I forgot who I am."
"Stop it!" Renata cried but it was too late, the professor had electrified Chantho, "NO!" she tried to run to the alien but was stopped when Yana held the cable to her as well.
"Professor! Professor, let me in!" came the Doctor's shouts from the other side of the door.
"N-n-n-n-n-no, not me, please," Renata stepped back as the the professor went for her, "Not me, you don't want to do that, please!"
"And why not?" the professor's tone had changed into a dark, cold, condescending one.
"Because I know who you are..."
He scoffed, "Oh, really?"
"Yes, Master," Renata swallowed hard, "The Master, of course I know you. I'd recognize those eyes anywhere."
She had successfully stopped the Master in his spot, but not for long, "Interesting. How would you know that?" he started moving in a circle, forcing Renata to do the same and therefore give him full access to the TARDIS that had been behind her.
"Because you know who I am, and you've got to stop."
"Open the door, please! I'm begging you, Professor! Please! Listen to me!" the Doctor continued his calls from the other side.
"Please, don't kill him," Renata resolved to plead for the outside Time Lord's life, "Not him, please..."
The Master raised an eye brow and threw the cable to the side, relieving Renata only slightly. He went into the TARDIS and started pulling out the cables the Doctor had attached to it.
"Open the door, please!" the Doctor insisted.
"Master, please, just stop. Stop it," Renata watched him return, "Please."
"Who are you?" he inquired suspiciously as he stepped closer to her.
"Renata, don't you remember?" her eyes teared up, but not even the emotions on her face moved the Master. She took a breath and looked down, "Zuria," she spoke quietly, "I was Zuriah once, remember?"
That managed to shake him a bit, "Impossible," he spat, "You all died, I got word from the High Council. You're all dead."
"I deceived them," Renata confessed, "They offered me a deal and I deceived them...just like you would have done. I regenerated during the war but it's still me. I swear. I was Zuriah at the Academy, until I gave myself the name 'Renata.'"
"The pocket watch," the Master realized and she nodded, "Did you really...?"
Renata's tears fell from her face, "It's me. Renata, I swear."
A small smile started spreading on the Master's face but vanished as soon as he saw Chantho, just on the brink of death, reach for the gun and take aim on what she thought would hit him. Quickly, he shoved Renata to the side and took the bullet, quite literally.
"NO!" Renata cried and quickly moved over to the Master, "It's a bullet, only a bullet," she helped him to his feet and hobbled to the TARDIS.
As soon as they were inside, the Master shut the door to her surprise. He staggered, on his own, to the console and quickly worked on the controls. Renata spun around to the doors as she heard the pounding begin on the other side, it was the Doctor.
"Deadlocked," the Master announced as he prevented any access to the TARDIS to be used from the other side.
"Let me in! Let me in!" the Doctor shouted, "Let Renata go!"
Renata covered her mouth, he thought she was being kidnapped. She glanced back at the Master, "Please, don't kill him. He's the only other Time Lord we have, he was your friend..."
"I'm begging you! Everything's changed! It's only the two of us!" the Doctor continued, "We're the only ones left!"
The Master raised an eyebrow at her, questioning her previous statement. Renata sighed and lifted up her necklace and made him smirk, "Oh, clever, perception filter. Stops him from sensing you. I like it. He doesn't know about you, oh very, very, very cle-" the regeneration he'd been suppressing finally took him over and he regenerated on the spot.
Renata shielded her eyes and stepped back. When she lowered her arm she saw the new man before her, far younger than the professor. He looked around hers, and even the Doctor's, age. He had bronze yellow hair and soft blue eyes.
"Ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha!" he cheered as he ran around the console, "Ha, ha, ha!" he took the speaker and started talking to the Doctor outside, "Doctor—ooh, new voice. Hello, hello, hello. Anyway, why don't we stop and have a nice little chat while I tell you all my plans and you can work out a way to stop me? I don't think!"
"Please! Give me Renata back!" the Doctor called, "Let her go!"
"You can't leave them out there," Renata frowned.
"I'm asking you really properly! Just stop! Just think!" the Doctor insisted.
"Use my name," the Master ordered him.
"Master. I'm sorry."
"Off we go, then?" the Master spoke only to Renata, anxiously awaiting her response.
Renata bit her lip and glanced back at the doors. She was still pretty hurt from what she'd gathered on that Rose woman, but she would never allow for anyone to kill the Doctor, not even the Master. But she couldn't stay with the Doctor, she just couldn't. She just had to convince the Master to follow her plans. He had to agree...right?
She gave a small nod, "But we'll travel, right?" she whispered.
"Definitely," he smirked and started dematerializing the TARDIS.
As the Master danced around the console, Renata racked her memory for where she'd left her manipulator back at home. She had plans for the Master and her, and it did not include stealing a TARDIS and leaving the Doctor to die.
Author's Note:
Hey! Sorry for taking forever to update but I was on vacation and I just got back! I hope this chapter was good and that you liked it! Renata and the Master definitely know each other but how? Ideas ;)
For the Reviews:
Midnight Alley: Yeeeah I added that thinking it would definitely be different lmao. Well, we saw how she acted with the two...whaddya think? ;)
speedy-skye: I mean if the Doctor learns (or when he does because he'll eventually do so) I don't think he'd be mad because it essentially is not Martha's secret to tell? You'll have to wait and see how that goes. And as for Renata and the Master, they definitely know each other but how? You'll have to wait until the next chapter! And yes...the Doctor kidnapped Renata xD
Guest: Yeah...it'll definitely be ;)
All the OTPs: I honestly laughed while I wrote that bit too xD. I pictured it so perfectly I had to stop just to laugh xDD. Yup these two match in their stubborness and yet continue to be opposites in other personality traits. They'll be a fun pair to write.
Guest: The secret will be out soon I promise! We'll find out what Martha discovered as we go on! :)
Rosealyn: Thanks! I love hearing that it's different! I don't usually like just going straight off the transcripts and canon story arcs. I hope you continue thinking the same as the story goes on! :)
