Jen was stunned by the site of the red planet of brown lakes and grey clouds lighted by a binary star, Gallifrey, the home of her people. The orange sky trees with their silver leaves glittered the landscape of green forests, golden fields, and red deserts. The soaring spires of the domed Citadel stood proud on the horizon. And yet, they were all dead in her time.

The Doctor put his hand on her shoulder as they stood silently. "Do the stories make sense now?" He watched her stand speechless before the sight of their homeland. Before there were just names: Time Lord Academy, Koschei, Mortimus, Ushas, Rassilon, The Time War. Now she was part of this history, his history, blood of blood.

They watched as the TARDIS circled to the dark side of the planet where the nights were lit by the two large moons, and the sparkling reflection of the planet's ring. The Doctor continued to watch Jen's reaction to Gallifrey. Normally their history would have been taught during childhood, but Jen had never been a child. His blonde soldier daughter had sprung like Minerva from the head of Zeus, fully grown from a forced tissue sample on Messaline. Granddaughter Toshi was born out of the love between his daughter and one of his companions, a former Time Agent and con man accidentally imbued with the Time Vortex with such strength that he could not die. His family was not an ordinary one, even by Gallifreyan standards.

"Dad," Jen asked. "Are we Gallifreyan like you? Will Toshi and I go through the regeneration process you spoke about? I came to be in such a strange way, and Toshi is half human."

The Doctor was silent for a moment. "I think so, but I am not sure. Your first recovery could have been the work the Source, the terraforming machine on Messaline. As for Jack, there are so many unknowns, but this I know for sure. His life force, his connection to the Vortex, is enduring. I expect that Toshi has both your qualities. But there are no guarantees that your transformations will take the same pattern as mine, or will happen at all."

Jen returned to the navigation panel. "Where do we go next?"

The Doctor walked over to the panel, and typed in coordinates. "I have something special to show you."

XXXXXXX

The second landing was softer. Jack and Toshi hit a patch of sand that was near the river. They rolled with the momentum and then scrambled to their feet. Toshi's face flushed with excitement. Jack stood up and carefully surveyed the landscape, then relaxed when he noticed their camp further up the slope. He was hot and dusty from their hike, and the clear river water looked refreshing.

"Want to go for a swim before dinner?"

Toshi shook her head. "I want to find Charlie first and feed him. Maybe later."

"Tell you what," the Captain began to take off his coat. "Take my stuff up to the tent while I swim a bit, and then I'll make supper."

He packed his wrist strap, and gun into his backpack and handed it and his coat to Toshi. She hoisted them over her shoulder, and began to climb up the sand and gravel slope to the tent. Jack noticed the white cotton towels that they had set to dry last night on the willows by the river were still there. He walked down to the edge, kicked off his boots, and stripped, draping his clothes over the bushes near the towels. He shivered as he waded into the water at the edge of the river. It was early enough in the summer that the snowmelt from the higher slopes and glaciers still ran into the Merced. Jack noticed that there was a calm deep pool off the main current and dove into it, coming up sputtering from the shock of cold water. He laughed with exhilaration and began to swim lazily, diving to the bottom trying to hand catch the trout that lingered.

The intruder stayed in his hiding place watching. The man he remembered had not aged since the interrogations on Taurus: the square jaw, piercing blue eyes, and well-toned body. His customers, especially the collectors, would bid for one like this if he decided to sell, but his target would be difficult to catch. He fingered his weapon. Snag and drag would be the easiest. The cold calculation of killing and binding Jack before he gasped back to life would be most efficient. He turned and watched Toshi as she climbed the bank to the tent. The child would be easier after he dealt with the father. The sun continued to sink towards the horizon. He had time.

Toshi reached the tent and put down the packs. No sign of Charlie. She shrugged thinking he would be out chasing the ground squirrels or chipmunks in the area. She listened for his bark, but heard nothing. After placing the backpack on the floor of the tent, she shook out the great coat first and brought it to her face. She loved the smell of it. The fabric held the scent of adventure, the spice of distant worlds, but most of all it held the essence of a warm embrace, of him. She looked out the tent entrance, and could see her father was still swimming. Toshi placed the wrist strap on her arm, fastened the gun and holster to her body, and then put on the coat. It was much too big, but it made her feel older and powerful. She whirled the coat around her, put her hands on her waist, and tried to look heroic. Toshi Harkness, Time Agent. She folded her pack into his, and strapped it to her back. She giggled, pretended to point a gun, and whispered "Toshi Harkness, Time Agent on a mission." After she postured a few times, she opened his backpack and looked past the sandwiches. Dad's things were always fascinating.

By the time she left the tent, she decided her time agent mission would be to find Charlie. Toshi knew she would have to be quick, before her father came back. He was bemused when she dressed up in his coat, but would not approve of her playing with the wrist strap or the gun. She needed a point of observation and looked at the large black oak at the back of the camp. Carefully clutching the hem of the coat so it wouldn't trip her, she bounded towards the tree. Letting go of the hem, she climbed the large gnarled branches and settled on one about twelve feet off the ground. Using this platform, she settled in, took out the binoculars from his pack and began to scan the area for Charlie. When she turned it back to the river, she noticed that her father had finished swimming. He was already dressed, sitting on the bank, and pulling on his boots.

Jack finished lacing his hiking boots. The swim was refreshing and now he was hungry. He was not able to catch the fast-moving rainbow trout with his hands so they would have to settle for what was in the cooler or the peanut butter sandwiches they had made for lunch. As Jack listened to the water flowing past him, he realized it was quiet, too quiet. There was no afternoon sound of stellar jay or woodpecker in the air. No ground squirrel chatter. In fact, there was no bird or animal sound at all. The hair began to stand on the back of his head. He stood up slowly scanning the banks of the river, and began to carefully move towards the cover of a stand of quaking aspen nearby.

Toshi continued to scan the hill and meadow behind the campsite for Charley. Nothing. Usually Charlie would come bounding back shortly after they returned from camp. But she could hear nothing, no bark, nothing. When she turned her focus back to the river, she saw her father walking towards the trees on the right side of the campground. An iridescent reflection sparkled in the sun among the boulders on the left side near the river. She zoomed in on the rocks. The figure of a soldier uncoiled himself, and began to stalk her father as he walked towards the trees.

"Dad!" She screamed.

Jack turned towards the sound of his daughter's cry as the shot rang out. The force of the bullet flung the Captain backwards. He stumbled, fell to the ground, and lay still. Toshi could see the blood rushing from the wound in his head and mouth. She bit her hand hard to keep from screaming, and drew further back into the branches of the oak. Her father always told her to hide in case of an emergency. But Toshi didn't want to hide. She wanted to help him. Tears stung her eyes. She knew about her father's unique qualities and heard her parents talking, but she had never actually seen him hurt.

"Dad!" she whispered.

The alien soldier walked over to the still body, and pulled out a metallic rope out of a side satchel. He kicked the fallen man, but there was no movement. Bending down he pulled Jack's wrists together and bound them. Next, he searched his body for weapons. Straightening he looked back into the campsite, scanning for the girl. The cry had come somewhere nearby, but he couldn't pinpoint the origin.

No matter, he thought, just a girl. Easy to catch later. He stepped behind the Captain, and put his clawed hands under the man's arms and pulled him up. Jack's head fell back as the soldier dragged his body to the campsite. He propped the Captain up against a white-bark pine, and waited.

Toshi sat less than fifty yards away from her father. From her hiding place she got a good look at the alien. His back was to her, but she could tell he was humanoid with moss-green reptilian features covered in iridescent scales, clawed hands, and a slate gray military uniform. She noted that he was much taller than her father, and probably stronger given that he moved Jack's body with ease. A jay chattered in the high branches. Toshi shrank back into the shadows of the oak leaves as he began to turn in her direction.

Jack's body shuttered then surged back to life with a gasp. He realized his hands were tied and began to pull at the rope. As his eyes cleared, he could see the Sebecian soldier pointing his weapon. Jack became still.

"That's better, Captain." The soldier sat back keeping his gun leveled at Jack.

Jack quickly glanced around and noted the intruder seemed to be alone. He paled when he noticed Toshi's position in the oak, but turned his eyes away quickly as to not tip off her hiding place.

"What do you want?" Jack snarled.

"You don't remember me?" The soldier kept the gun leveled at Jack. "I'm hurt."

"Should I?"

"We're old friends, Captain," he said evenly. "It has been a couple of years… The mines of Taurus."

Jack's memories of his captivity on Taurus snapped back. "I wouldn't call that friendship, Zar."

"Commander Zarkot to you. A Sebecian losing face is a dangerous thing, Captain. You destroyed a sweet deal in star crystals with the Ravina Cartel." He stood up and approached Jack. "I even had a buyer for you before your little time witch showed up and outed my spy in the Conservatory. The Cartel blamed me for that. Being on both wanted lists is… inconvenient." He used one hand to grab his captive's left arm, and roughly yanked him to his feet.

Jack winced. "I guess you turning a new leaf is out of the question?"

"I had lots of time to think these past years." Zar moved behind Jack pressing the muzzle of the gun against his back. "Start walking over there." He pointed to the entrance of the abandoned mine. Jack complied, glad to be putting distance between them and his daughter's hiding place.

Toshi watched her father and the soldier move towards the mine. Their conversation was out of range. Fear gripped her, but she wanted to do something. Remembering the red button on the wrist strap was for communication to her mother, the child opened it and pressed the red button anyway. Nothing. When she looked up she could see that her father and the alien were at the mine entrance. The soldier pushed Jack inside the entrance towards the shaft. As they disappeared, Toshi carefully climbed down out of the oak tree, and began to move towards the mine while staying in the shadows of the trees. As she got closer to the entrance, she pulled the Webley out of the holster. It was heavy in her hands.

The air in the mine was cold and stale with the acid odor of dried bat droppings. Small rocks littered the floor, make walking difficult. Jack shivered as the cold air enveloped him. As they approached the shaft, he could see Sam's kibble, a wooden and iron bucket apparatus over the shaft, was rotted and partially collapsed.

Jack stopped and turned defiantly, "What do you want!"

Zar pushed his gun into the Captain's chest, backing him against the cold granite wall. "What do you humans say? Revenge is a dish best served cold." He moved closer. "Call your daughter."

"She has nothing to do with this," Jack growled.

"Call her."

"No."

The Commander struck his captive sharply with the barrel of the gun, causing Jack to stumble near the open shaft. He regained his footing, turned, and kicked at the gun. The Sebecian easily stepped aside, aimed, and shot Jack in the knee. The Captain crumbled to the ground writhing in pain.

"If I remember correctly, you heal more slowly when I don't kill you." He put his boot on Jack's shoulder pinning him to the ground and snarled, "Call your daughter!"

A shot ricocheted off the granite, and embedded in the floor of the mine. Zar quickly bent to pull Jack up as a shield, and turned to face the entrance. Toshi stood silhouetted in the light, holding the Webley with two hands.

"Toshi! No!" Jack shouted, "Run!"

"But Dad!" She flattened herself against the corner while trying to get another clear shot.

"Run!" Jack shouted, as he used his good leg to kick the Sebecian causing his shot to veer off, chipping the stone above his daughter's head. Zar swore, pulled his struggling captive to the edge of the shaft and pushed. Jack fell back flailing into the darkness and disappeared.

Toshi screamed as she saw her father fall. She dropped the gun and ran towards the river. Stumbling on the long coat as she neared the edge of the campground, she quickly pulled it up and ran again. The reptilian soldier stopped at the entrance, and picked up the gun. He smirked. She was unarmed. He tucked the weapon into his waistband and stopped to survey the situation. He saw the direction the child was running, and noted that he could easily box her in between the cliff and the river. He then began to walk towards her.

Toshi realized her mistake when she reached the river's edge. She turned around and saw the alien was only two hundred yards away. Trapped! Remembering what her father told her earlier, she pulled back the cover of the wrist strap and searched for the silver button. There were two, one was plain, and the other had a symbol.

Zarkot stopped fifty yards from the child, holstered his weapon, and held up his hands. "I'm not going to hurt you." His voice was cold. "Come here. I'll take you to your father." He held out his hand as he came nearer. Toshi took another step back, then looked at the wrist strap again. As the alien came closer, she closed her eyes and pushed the second button. The soldier swore and ran towards her as a bright light enveloped the small body. Toshi disappeared.