Author's Note: A lot of effort went into my Jenny character. I always wanted there to be a gap between "Doctor's Daughter" and this particular story. Day-Old Jenny is fun, I'm sure, but I think it's more interesting to see how Jenny and Seo mature differently to one another. I created a lot of background in preparation for writing the Jenny you see, here.

(She's also pretty obviously found time travel; she's in the wrong century.)

It's interesting to note, by the way, that Jenny is technically the older sister. The Doctor who created Seo was the one from the Facksisil of Balime, which happened *after* the Doctor had finished traveling with Donna. The Doctor who created Jenny was still traveling with Donna.

Despite this, Seo's entrance into this world wound up with the Doctor meeting Seo before he met Jenny.

Anyways.

Enjoy!


The cell was dank, dark, and smelly. Seo was still shaking off lingering effects of the paralyzation beam, trying to restore feeling into her limbs. And trying to look after the unconscious taller girl who was… her… her…

Sister.

"How is this possible?" Seo said, to herself. "It can't be possible! Even the Silence only had the ability to make someone who was mostly human. But…" She looked down at the girl. Adjusted her, so she was more comfortable. "You're even less human than I am."

The girl groaned. "Jenny."

Seo stopped. "Sorry?"

"I'm… Jenny," said the girl. She tried to move, but groaned again under the pain.

Seo supported her, helping her to sit up.

"Who are you?" said Jenny. "Where did you come from? How can you exist?"

"It's a long story," Seo said, with a cringe. "Involving magic, multiple realities, and the Monks of the Order of Dagon." She gave Jenny a warm smile. "Short version is: I'm Seo. From Earth. I got your message, and came to help."

"Did Dad send you?" said Jenny. "Is he…?"

"Absolutely not!" Seo retorted. Crossing her arms. "I'm brilliant alone."

Jenny seemed confused.

And Seo decided it was probably best to change the subject. "You called yourself a Time Lady." She cracked a side-smile. "Did he never give you that lecture?"

"I call myself that because it's what I aspire to be," Jenny said. She managed to sit up on her own, without any assistance. "Dad said it was a code. A heritage to safeguard. A law to uphold. A shared history and a shared suffering and a shared responsibility."

"Yeah, well, he says a lot of things," Seo replied. "I don't listen to most of them. Particularly all those rule and regulation bits." She made a face. "Those are just… rubbish!"

Maybe that was why Aunt Dawn had abandoned her.

That made Seo feel a little sadder.

Jenny looked like she couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. "But it's our responsibility to uphold them," she insisted. "Don't you see? I went out and researched what it meant. What the Time Lords were. That's what Aychron told me to do."

"Aychron?" said Seo.

"My… mentor," Jenny said. A flicker of sorrow passed through her, but she shook it off, immediately. "I had been running away from my heritage for so long, because Dad said I was…." She paused. Then raced on. "But Aychron told me he only said that because I didn't understand what being a Time Lord meant. That I needed to make it a conscious choice, needed to learn what the Time Lords were and swear to uphold their responsibilities. Swear to enforce their rules and regulations."

Seo hadn't thought of that.

She'd always just called herself a 'Time Lady' as an act of stubborn defiance, because she knew that no matter what species she labeled herself as, someone would take offense, somewhere.

That was the problem with being a mix of too many species.

"Aychron sounds… very wise," Seo offered.

Jenny's smile showed all her affection in an instant. "He taught me everything I know," she said. "And when he…" the smile dissolved. Jenny looked away. "After he… passed on… I realized he was right. If there were no more Time Lords anymore, I had to do my part. I did the research, built a time machine, worked out all the ins and outs of time travel. I found those — temporal senses — you know, the ones that are tucked away and dormant except when you travel through time? The ones that tell you when something's wrong and needs to be corrected? A… loose strand in the Web of Time, was the term in one of the books I read."

"You read boring old research books?" Seo cried. "You actually sit down, and take the time to work out—?!"

"This place is wrong," Jenny cut in. "Can't you feel it? The Totans — the indigenous species — they're supposed to thrive. Strike out into the universe, eventually developing a rich and sophisticated culture that's technologically—"

"How do you know all this?" Seo asked. "Have… you haven't been to this planet's future?"

"I did my research," said Jenny. "Aychron said you never go into battle without intelligence. It would be suicide." She peered at Seo. "Don't you do the same thing?"

"I… um… yes," Seo lied. "Of course! I'm… very responsible, too!"

Jenny didn't seem to believe it. But just went on, anyways.

"I don't know how the Vngor managed to wind up here," said Jenny. "They shouldn't even have developed space travel, yet, by this point in history. But somehow, they wound up…"

Oh!

This one, Seo knew.

"I'm guessing," said Seo, "that the Vanguard—"

"Vngor," Jenny corrected.

"…were prisoners," Seo went on, beaming. "Prisoners once held on Earth, but transferred to a prison off-world. Using this — an Earth Prison Ship. That's why they named it Hekatonkheires — the Hundred Handed ones, and the guardians to the gates of Tartarus." She jumped to her feet, then went over to knock on the walls of the cell they were being kept in. "But then… see these scorch patterns? They're pretty distinctive. I think their ship had those timeonic tachyon drives that Earth liked to use in the 71st century, except there was a fault. Instead of propelling them through space, the engines ripped a hole in time. This lot fell through, into the past."

Jenny stared at Seo. A little taken aback. "You knew all that without doing any research?" Shook her head. "How?"

Seo decided it was probably best not to mention that she knew the scorch mark pattern because of a childhood experiment she'd carried out which had gone extremely wrong. And whose impact she'd been very lucky to survive.

"I'm… clever!" Seo said.

Jenny nodded. "Me too," she agreed. "That's why the two of us together can think up a plan. A way to defeat the Vngor once and for all. Drive them off this planet, make sure history takes its rightful course, and—"

"How long have you been doing this for?" Seo interrupted. "Just… traveling through time and space and planet saving?"

Jenny thought it through. "I've… lost track," she admitted. "Been doing it since the day I was born. Must be… about a hundred years ago, I think."

"You're… my age?!" said Seo.

Somehow, Seo had assumed Jenny was a lot older.

"It's just what I do," Jenny replied. "The only life I know. Traveling through the universe, righting wrongs and saving worlds, defeating impossible monsters." She grinned. "And… running. Love the running."

Jenny shifted.

Winced, in pain.

"Not doing so well with the running right now, though," Jenny admitted.

Seo watched her. Analyzing her every movement. There was something about her — something all that independence and determination was trying to hide — no, trying to smother — as if Jenny were running and running through the universe so she wouldn't have to look back.

"You're alone," Seo said.

"I don't need anyone," Jenny put in, hurriedly.

Hurriedly enough that Seo knew it was a lie. It was the same way that Mom said she didn't need a boyfriend or a love-life, even though Seo knew she desperately wanted one, but couldn't risk anyone else getting caught in the Powers That Be's trap.

Seo gave Jenny a kind smile. "You've got me, now, anyways," she offered. "And I'm far too annoying and obnoxious to simply vanish on you."

Jenny, for a moment, looked a little uneasy. Then dismissed it, changing the topic. "We need a plan," she said. "Something clever we can do to fight back. Otherwise, the Vngor will just start draining the both of us for every bit of energy we have, until... our psychic signal… reaches…"

Jenny left the next bit unsaid.

Seo knew what she meant. The only other person who'd be able to pick up a Time Lord telepathic message.

"He might already be here," Seo muttered. Cursing herself inside. "He's always following me around, checking up on me like I'm some great big baby he has to look after."

Jenny stared at Seo.

Her whole mask of determination falling away in an instant.

"What?" Jenny cried. "You… he's actually… with you… but that's not…!"

A look passed across Jenny's face. A look of utter misery and confusion and… unfairness. Like the universe had just crashed in around her and she didn't understand why.

It was the look, Seo realized, that she'd been feeling since the moment Aunt Dawn had left her.

The look was gone in an instant.

As Jenny bit it back.

"I can get out of this cell," Jenny provided. Climbing to her feet. "I've done it before." She staggered forwards, removing a panel of the hull to reveal a series of wires. "But I can't get the others out and get to safety without the Vngor catching me. They always seem to know where I am."

Seo leapt up. Raced over.

"Oh, that's neat!" Seo said, realizing what Jenny must be doing. "You've overridden the door mechanisms!"

Seo reached into the control panel, and connected two bits of wire together. Then grabbed Jenny's hand and led her towards the door. "Come on! Can't lie around here all day!"

Jenny seemed startled. "But… we haven't even thought up a plan, yet!"

Seo dismissed this. "Thinking's overrated," she said. "Let's get started with some of that running you were talking about!"


Apparently, the name 'Korjensky' meant something very significant, in the future.

Which, come to think of it, might explain why every time traveler Alison ran into always did a double-take when they heard her last name. The Doctor. Jack. Even Buffy recognized it, when she first met Alison.

Odd.

But the moment this lot learned Alison was a Korjensky, they let her out. Gave her access to weapons and soldiers and all sorts. Placed all their faith in her, in an instant.

Right, then.

First thing Alison did was call a meeting. Gathered together all the soldiers this lot had, made them all assemble into the barracks. Then started the meeting using a trick Buffy had taught her — one that, according to Buffy, was guaranteed to get everyone's attention.

Alison entered the barracks, grabbed up a battle axe, and threw it across the room.

Thunk!

The sound reverberated, as the axe embedded itself into the far wall.

"You're all going to die," Alison told them.

Everyone stared at her. No one saying a word.

"But you already knew that," Alison continued, walking into the middle of them. "Or you lot wouldn't be hiding away down here, scared to even move." She pointed above her head. "And meanwhile, there's a group up there ready to turn you all into sacrifices. Clawing away at you, bit by bit, until you're too weak and frightened to fight back."

Still, silence.

"Look at this barracks!" cried Alison. Gesturing around herself. "You've got weapons. You've got military strength! But when someone came along who could use it, you gave her only… what? Five soldiers? You think that's enough to do this properly?"

No one said anything.

"So now you have a second chance," Alison said. "Another choice. Will you wait around here, in the dark, for these life-sucking blokes to come turn you into Happy Meals? Or are you going to gather up the full force of your army, and drive them off forever?!"