"What's going on? What is in the cage?" Kyleigh asked.
"It's a Dalek." The Doctor answered.
"What's a Dalek?"
"Something not good."
They soon arrived back in Van Statten's office. The Doctor looked at the monitor where there was a communication link to the lobby.
"You've got to keep it in that cell." The Doctor said.
"Doctor, it's all my fault. I'm sorry." Rose said.
"I've sealed the compartment. It can't get out, that lock's got a billion combinations." One of men said from Rose's side.
"The Dalek's a genius. It can calculate a thousand billion combinations in one second flat." The Doctor said.
Kyleigh watched the screen as the doors opened and the Dalek made its way out. The soldiers started shooting at it.
"Don't shoot it. I want it unharmed." Van Statten said.
"That thing is going to kill us all and you're worried about not harming it." Kyleigh shouted.
"Rose, get out of there." The Doctor said.
Kyleigh was filled with panic as she saw the bullets weren't even affecting the Dalek. How were they going to stop it? The Dalek approached the screen and smashed it. Kyleigh jumped back a little. She had seen Rose run out of the room, but she was still worried.
"We're losing power." Goddard said. "It's draining the base. Oh, my God. It's raiding entire power supplies from all of Utah."
"It's downloading." The Doctor said.
"Downloading what?" Kyleigh asked.
"Sir, the entire west coast has gone down." Goddard said.
"It's not just energy. That Dalek just absorbed the entire internet. It knows everything." The Doctor said.
"That is definitely not good." Kyleigh said.
"We've only got emergency power. It's eaten everything else. You've got to kill it now!"
"All guards to converge in the Metaltron cage immediately." Goddard said.
"Tell them to stop shooting at it." Van Statten said.
"It's killing them!"
"They're dispensable. That Dalek is unique. I don't want a scratch on its body work? Do you hear me?" Van Statten said into the com.
Kyleigh clenched her fist. She couldn't believe this guy. There were people's lives at stake, people dying and Van Statten doesn't want to scratch it. Kyleigh unclenched her fist as the shooting stopped. She knew they were all dead she just hoped Rose wasn't among them.
Goddard showed the Doctor a map of the base on the computer screen. "That's us right below the surface. That's the cage, and that's the Dalek." She pointed to a blue light moving along the corridor.
"This museum of yours, have you got any alien weapons?" The Doctor asked.
"Lots of them, but the trouble is the Dalek's between us and them."
"We've got to keep that thing alive." Van Statten said. "We could just seal the entire vault, trap it down there."
Kyleigh had had enough of this guy. She turned and faced him with anger. "My friend is still down there!"
The Doctor put his hands on her shoulders. "Don't worry; we aren't leaving her down there." He turned his attention to Van Statten. "Have you got that? I won't let that happen."
Van Statten stood up straight and glared at Kyleigh. "You better keep your woman in line, Doctor."
Kyleigh said, "I am not his woman." At the same time the Doctor said, "She's not mine to control."
The Doctor then turned back to the computer screen. "It's got to go through this area. What's that?" The Doctor pointed to a place on the map.
"Weapons testing." Goddard answered.
"Give guns to lawyers, technicians, anyone. Everyone. Only then do you have a chance of killing it."
Goddard nodded then stood up and left the room. The Doctor sat at the computer.
"I thought you were the great expert, Doctor." Van Statten said. "If you're so impressive why don't you just reason with this Dalek? It must be willing to negotiate; there must be something it needs."
"Do you ever stop talking?" Kyleigh asked.
"What's the nearest town?" The Doctor asked.
"Salt Lake city." Van Satten answered.
"Population?"
"One million."
"All dead. If the Dalek gets out, it will murder every living creature. That's all it needs."
"But why would it do that?" Van Statten asked angrily.
"Because it honestly believes they should die. Human beings are different, and anything different is wrong. It's the ultimate racial cleansing and you, Van Statten, you've let it loose!" The Doctor then spoke into the intercom. "The Dalek's surrounded by a force field. Bullets are melting before they even hit home but it's not indestructible. If you concentrate your fire you might get through. Aim for the dome, the head, and the eyepiece. That's the weak spot."
"Thank you, Doctor, but I think I know how to fight one single robot." One of the soldiers said.
Shooting was heard as Kyleigh let out an annoyed sigh. Why weren't they listening?
"We've got vision." Goddard said.
The Doctor stood up and looked at the monitor. "It wants us to see."
The Dalek levitated off the ground and made the sprinklers go off. It then shot a beam at the ground, electrocuting everyone. Kyleigh turned around, not wanting to see anymore.
"Perhaps it's time for a new strategy." Van Statten said. "Maybe we should consider abandoning this place."
"Except there's no power to the helipad, sir. We can't get out." Goddard said.
"You said you could seal the fault." The Doctor said.
Kyleigh looked at him with shock. He wouldn't.
"It was designed to be a bunker. In the event of nuclear war, steel bunkheads."
"There's not enough power. Those bulkheads are massive." Goddard said.
"We've got emergency power. We can re-route that to the bulkhead doors."
"We'd have to bypass the security codes. That would take a genius."
"Good thing you've got me." Van Statten said.
"You want to help?" The Doctor asked.
"I don't want to die, Doctor, simple as that. No one knows this software better than I do."
"You can't possibly be saying you're going to close the doors." Kyleigh said to the Doctor. "Rose is still down there!"
"I know, but if I don't do something then millions of people are going to die."
Kyleigh could see by his eyes that he didn't want to close the doors, but that doesn't mean she had to be nice to him about it.
"Sir?" Goddard said. Everyone turned towards the screen.
"I shall speak to the Doctor." The Dalek said.
"You're gonna get rusty." The Doctor said.
"I fed off the DNA of Rose Tyler. Extrapolating the biomass of a time traveler regenerated me."
"What's your next trick?"
"I have been searching for the Daleks."
"Yeah, I saw. Downloading the internet. What did you find?"
"I scanned your satellites and radio telescopes. There was nothing. Where shall I get my orders now?"
"You're just a soldier without commands."
"Then I shall follow my primary order, the Dalek instinct to destroy. To conquer!"
"What for? It's all gone. Everything you stood for, everything you were."
"Then what should I do?"
"All right, you want orders? Follow this one: kill yourself."
"The Daleks must survive."
"The Daleks have failed. Why don't you finish the job and make the Daleks extinct? Rid the universe of your filth. Why don't you just die?"
Kyleigh watched the Doctor. She had never seen the Doctor like this, not when they were dealing with the Slitheen. Of course, she hadn't known him that long but still. He was so angry. Where had all that anger come from?
"You would make a good Dalek." The screen then went blank.
"Seal the vaults."
Kyleigh closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. Rose will be fine. She had been fine throughout the last year. She will be fine this time. Kyleigh had to keep reminding herself that the Doctor had to seal the doors to protect everyone. It wasn't just their lives on the line. It was everyone on the planet.
"Kyleigh, let me see you phone." The Doctor said.
Without hesitation, Kyleigh handed him her phone. He dialed Rose.
"Where are you?" The Doctor asked once Rose picked up. As he was talking to Rose, he was working on the computer. "You've got to keep moving. The vault is being sealed off, bulkhead level 46." Kyleigh looked over at him and saw the pain in his eyes. "I'm the one who's closing them. I can't wait and I can't help you. Now for God's sake, run."
"Done it. We've got power to the bulkheads." Van Statten said.
"The Dalek's right behind them." Goddard said.
Kyleigh paced the room, not being able to stand still as she waited for Rose to come back.
"Doctor, I can't sustain the power. The whole system is failing." Van Statten said. "We have to close the bulkheads."
"But Rose…" Kyleigh said.
"I'm sorry." The Doctor said. He hit the enter key.
"The vault is sealed." Van Statten said.
"Rose, where are you? Rose, did you make it?" The Doctor asked.
Kyleigh held her breath as she waited for the answer. She had to have made it. Her heart dropped when she saw the pain across the Doctor's face. No…
The Doctor dropped the phone. "I killed her."
"I don't believe it." Kyleigh said, tears threatening to escape.
"I'm sorry." Van Statten said.
"I said I would protect her. She was only here because of me and you're sorry? I could've killed that Dalek in its cell but you stopped me."
"It was the prize of my collection!"
"And that's worth more than people's lives?" Kyleigh asked in anger. Tears were now rolling down her face. "Was it worth those men's death? Was it worth my best friend?"
The Doctor turned towards Kyleigh. "Kyleigh, I am so sorry. I…"
Kyleigh grabbed hold of the Doctor's hand. "It's…it's not your fault. If you didn't close the doors then a lot more people would have died."
At that moment, Adam stepped out of the lift. The Doctor dropped Kyleigh's hand and rounded on Adam with anger.
"You were quick on your feet, leaving Rose behind."
"I'm not the one who sealed the vault." Adam said.
The screen then turned on and Kyleigh smiled at what she saw. Rose was alive. Her smile then vanished. Rose was standing with the Dalek.
"Open the bulkhead door or Rose Tyler dies." The Dalek said.
The Doctor took a few steps closer to the screen. "You're alive."
"Can't get rid of me." Rose said.
"I thought you were dead."
"That makes two of us." Kyleigh said.
"Open the bulkhead." The Dalek said.
"Don't do it." Rose said.
"What use are emotions if you can't save the woman you love."
Kyleigh looked at the Doctor to see his reaction.
The Doctor turned to Van Statten. "I killed her once. I can't do it again." He went to the computer and hit the return key.
"What do we do now?" Kyleigh asked.
"Kill it when it gets here." Adam said.
"All the guns are useless." Goddard said. "And the alien weapons are in the vault."
"Only the cataloged ones."
"Show me." The Doctor said. Kyleigh went to follow but the Doctor stopped her. "Stay here."
"I will not. I'm going to help you."
Not having the time to argue the Doctor agreed. On the way out, Kyleigh picked up her phone. Once they got into Adam's workshop the Doctor went through the weapons.
"Broken." He threw it aside and took out another one. "Broken." He threw that one aside and took out another. "Hairdryer."
"Mr. Van Statten tends to dispose of his staff and when he does he wipes their memories. I kept this stuff in case I needed to fight my way out one day."
"What, you in a fight? I'd like to see that."
"I could, you know."
"What are you going to do? Throw you're a-levels at them?"
"Doctor, what about this one?" Kyleigh held up a big weapon.
"Oh, yes, that will do." The Doctor grabbed it from Kyleigh. "Lock and load."
Kyleigh followed the Doctor. It wasn't long before they spotted Rose with the Dalek.
"Get out of the way, Rose." The Doctor said.
Rose turned around. "No. I won't let you do this."
"That thing killed hundreds of people."
"It's not the one pointing the gun at me."
"I've got to do this. I've got to end it. The Daleks destroyed my home, my people. I've got nothing left."
Kyleigh now understood the Doctor's anger. She would be doing the same thing if the Dalek's destroyed everything she knew and loved.
"Look at it." Rose said as she stood aside. The Dalek's casing was opened and inside was a creature. It was feeling the sunlight from the hole in the ceiling.
"What's it doing?" Kyleigh asked.
"It's the sunlight. That's all it wanted."
"But it can't…" The Doctor said.
"It couldn't kill Van Statten. It couldn't kill me. It's changing. What about you, Doctor? What are you changing into?"
The Doctor lowered the gun.
"I couldn't…" Th Doctor kept looking between Rose and the Dalek, and then finally settling on Rose. "Oh, Rose. They're all dead.
"Why do we survive?" The Dalek asked.
"I don't know."
"I am the last of the Daleks."
"You're not even that. Rose did more than regenerate you. You absorbed her DNA. You're mutating."
"Into what?"
"Something new. I'm sorry."
"Isn't that better?" Rose asked.
"Not for a Dalek."
"I can feel so many ideas. So much darkness…Rose…give me orders. Order me to die."
"I can't do that." Rose said.
"This is not life. This is sickness. I shall not be like you. Order my destruction. Obey! Obey! Obey!"
Rose was silent for a few seconds before she said, "Do it."
"Are you frightened, Rose Tyler?"
"Yeah."
"So am I. Exterminate."
Rose ran over to the Doctor and Kyleigh as the Dalek replaced its armor. It levitated into the air and the golden knobs detach themselves to surround the Dalek. The Dalek glowed briefly, and then it exploded, vanishing into nothing. The Doctor just stared at the place the Dalek once was.
The three of them soon made their way back to the TARDIS. Nothing was said until they reached the TARDIS.
The Doctor put his hand on his ship. "A little piece of home. Better than nothing."
"Is that the end of it? The Time War?" Rose asked.
"I'm the only one left. I win. How about that?"
"The Dalek survived. Maybe some of your people did too."
"I'd know. In here." He pointed to his head. "Feels like there's no one."
"Well then, good thing I'm not going anywhere." Rose smiled.
"And neither am I." Kyleigh said.
The Doctor smiled back. "Yeah.
Adam then came running up to them. "We'd better get out. Van Statten has disappeared. They're closing down the base. Goddard says they're going to fill it full of cement, like it never existed."
"About time." Rose said.
"I'll have to go back home."
"Better hurry then." The Doctor said.
"Adam was saying that all his life he's wanted to see the stars." Rose said.
"Tell him to go and stand outside, then."
Kyleigh let out a small laugh.
"He's all on his own, Doctor. And he did help."
"He left you down there." Kyleigh said.
"So did you and the Doctor."
"I didn't want to. I didn't tell him to press the button."
"All right, you two, settle down." The Doctor said.
"What are you talking about? We have to get out of here." Adam said.
"Rose, he's a bit pretty."
"I hadn't noticed." Rose said.
"Oh, you so noticed." Kyleigh said. "The reason I left you two was because you were both making eyes at each other."
"I was not."
"On your head then." The Doctor then walked into the TARDIS followed by Kyleigh and Rose.
"What are you guys doing?" Adam asked. "She said cement and she wasn't joking. We're going to be sealed in. Doctor? What are you guys doing standing in a box? Rose?" He then entered the TARDIS.
As soon as Adam was in Kyleigh shut the door and the Doctor took off.
"This is…this is…it's bigger on the inside." Adam said as he glanced around.
"You get used to it." Rose said. "Come on, I'll show you around." She and Adam then headed down the corridor. The Doctor followed them with his eyes. When they were out of sight he turned his attention back to the console.
"Are you jealous?" Kyleigh asked.
The Doctor looked over at her. "Why would I be jealous?"
Kyleigh shrugged. "Because there is another guy here that Rose will be spending time with."
The Doctor looked back at the console. "I don't care who she spends time with."
"If you say so." Kyleigh took a step to go down the corridor but stopped and looked back at the Doctor. "Doctor, can I ask you something?"
"Hmm?"
"What was the Time War?"
At first The Doctor didn't say anything. He finally looked up at her. "It was a war between my people and the Daleks. And as I said, I'm the only one left of my people. The last one."
Kyleigh was unsure of what to say. I'm sorry just didn't seem enough, "Well, like Rose said, you have her. And now you have me. What was the name of your planet?"
Again, the Doctor was silent. He looked lost in his own thoughts so Kyleigh was just going to leave. She stopped when she heard him say, "Gallifrey." Kyleigh looked back at him. "My planet was called Gallifrey."
Kyleigh gave him a small smile. "That's a nice name. Well, I leave you to…whatever it is you do. I'm going to go find something to eat." With that, Kyleigh turned and made her way to the kitchen.
As Kyleigh walked to the kitchen her mind replayed the conversation she had with the Doctor. She couldn't imagine being the last of her kind. It would take someone very brave to keep on living after a war that had killed all of your people. Kyleigh wasn't sure she could do that.
When she got to the kitchen there was no sign of Rose or Adam. I wonder where they went. Kyleigh thought. Kyleigh shrugged as she made herself a snack.
She was just finishing the last bits of her food when Rose and Adam walked in.
"Hey Kyleigh." Rose said.
"Hey. Having fun on the tour of the TARDIS?" Kyleigh asked.
"Yeah, it's amazing." Adam said.
"At least someone got a tour. I was just shown to my room and the kitchen."
"Well, if you want a tour I can show you around." Rose said.
"Nah, that's all right. I'll just go exploring on my own. Lot more fun that way."
"How long have you been travelling in here, Kyleigh?" Adam asked.
"Not long. Actually, the trip to the museum was the first one I took."
"So then, all this is still pretty new for you. How are you dealing with it? I mean, this isn't something you see every day."
"No, you definitely don't. I'm loving every minute of it." Kyleigh smiled.
Rose decided to make some food for her and Adam so Kyleigh took that time to go. She went back to her room to take a shower. Once she was all washed up, she changed into new clothes, and braided her hair back. She then flopped on her bed. Drained from the day's events, Kyleigh drifted off to sleep.
Lady Artimes Blaine: I agree with you. I love his expression whenever he gets slapped. And that probably won't be the last time Kyleigh slaps him.