Chapter 9
The Great Escape
"Regeneration" said Clara as she walked around the new Doctor. "Changes everything about him. Well so I have seen"
Amy hadn't asked what was going on, but by the look on her face and her eyes dart up and down the new Doctor. It was clear to see she was confused.
"So" said Clara finally as she stopped walking around The Doctor. "I think you got some explaining to do".
"Ah" said The Doctor holding up his finger and walked over to the console. "You see I am really sorry about the vortex. Yes that was me and well, one should never fly the TARDIS while recovering from Regeneration".
"Yes I know" said Clara as she skipped over to the console to join The Doctor at the console. Excitement filled her body.
"But I can fix that" he said. "Me and Captain Grumpy here have planned a way of flying the TARDIS back into the Vortex and then reversing the energy of the Eye of Harmony".
"The negative energy will overload the Vortex's matrix" said The War Doctor.
"Collapsing it" finished The Doctor.
"Wait a minute" said Amy, now mentally back in the room. "You lot will be trapped in the Vortex"
"Not if this new fellow gets his sums right" said The War Doctor as he patted his future self on the back. "I am sure that he has now fully rested and got a fully working brain".
Clara raised her eyebrows "Never fully worked before" she muttered.
The two Doctors returned to working on the console. Clara and Amy found themselves leaning against the rail and watching the two men work.
"I take it your will be staying with The Doctor" said Amy.
"I've got nothing else to do. When we get back, Starfleet will strip me of my rank. I will be put under investigation. Let alone facing Thomas' family".
"Has he got many?"
Clara nodded "Two daughters. One is Starfleet's youngest Captain. And the other is a teacher".
"Ah" Amy said as she turned her attention back to The Doctors.
"Let alone everyone else who died on the Avenger. Also there will be questions asked about me even entering the Mirror Universe".
"What about your crew that we saved?" asked Amy. "The ones up on the Enterprise".
"They better off staying here. Tell them...Tell them I will miss them greatly".
Amy nodded "and Thomas' body"
"Fire it into the vortex just before we enter it. Starfleet can pick it up and return it to his family".
"BINGO!" yelled the Doctor as the TARDIS console came to life. He danced around the console making sure everything was working.
"The eye is now keyed into the console and we have power to all the systems needed".
"So when do we leave" asked Clara moving slowly over to him.
"Oh in an hour or so" said The Doctor. "Got to get the engines charged up to over 90%".
"Well then" said Amy as she walked over to Clara. "I better head to the Vortex and send that torpedo through".
"Torpedo?" asked The Doctor looking very worried.
"Yes" said Clara "It has the body of my late partner in it".
"Ah ok" said The Doctor lowing his head in respect.
"I will go with Amy and her crew" said The War Doctor. "They could do with my help. If what I have learned is true".
"True?" asked Amy "what is true?"
The Doctor walked over to The War Doctor and shook his hand. The two gazed at each other before The War Doctor turned and put his arm around Amy.
"Now tell me. What are your sleeping quarters onboard the Enterprise like. In here I had a mattress on the floor".
The two of them left the TARDIS, leaving only Clara and The Doctor.
Soon an hour had passed and The TARDIS was in flight and heading right for the vortex. On the monitor Clara watched the Enterprise move to the side to let the TARDIS through.
"Bye Amy" she muttered.
"One minute to the event horizon" said The Doctor.
Clara grabbed the console really hard. She braced herself as the TARDIS entered the vortex and started to shake.
"Hold on" The Doctor advised as he slid around the console and flipped and threw switches then pushed a few buttons.
"Is it working?" asked Clara.
"Yes it's starting to collapse however..."
"HOWEVER WHAT?" yelled Clara over the sound of the Closter bells.
"The collapse is happing way too fast. The electromagnetic field is destabilizing. We need to open up a small rift into another realty, or the TARDIS will explode".
"So we need to find shelter?" asked Clara.
"For the moment" The Doctor said pulling a few leavers "Yes".
"Do it then" said Clara worryingly.
"Hold on then" said The Doctor and then there was a large flash of bright white light and then it all went dark.
