A/N: Told ya.
Ten
Mainframe UK had really gone all-out. General Winifred Bambera was going to be arriving in less than six hours and everything was shaping up to be a splendid homecoming. The entire base had been given a thorough cleaning, the molemen were all in order, and they had even dusted off Captain Benton for the occasion. He was wandering around the mainframe in a fit of nostalgia, watching as the finishing touches were being placed on things.
"It always feels good to be here," he told Malcolm, who was the one geriatric-sitting until Kate came back from the loo. "It was so difficult in the old days… almost like we were the laughing stock of the military ventures. Now… a proper base, proper equipment, mostly-proper funding, and a direction to go in that's not necessarily war-like… UNIT has come so far."
"Wish I could take some of the credit, but Kate'd kill me," Malcolm chuckled. "It'll be a year for me next month… saved some shitstains from blowing this place's cover sky-high, but that's not enough to take credit for much more."
"It has been nearly a year since you arrived, hasn't it?" Benton mused. "Been in the free and clear, with your own flat, and you've been dating Tiger how long now?"
"Nearly four months," Malcolm said. Benton was fully-aware of what was going on in Kate's life, sort of as though he was watching out for her in Saint Alistair's stead, and it made the media man almost jealous of his lady, in a way. "Makes me feel on top of the fucking world being with her and to give that up would mean I'm dead. I'm such a sap that I have to remind myself to not propose, since it was around this time I popped the question to my ex-wife."
"That sounds a little hasty, don't you think?"
"It was, but I learned from it; in the end, she was only after my connections. Not only does Kate have a conscious, she listens to the damn thing. In retrospect, my ex never did that… it was all being hungry for power."
"…and since Tiger's at the top of her game, right where she wants to be, you don't have any reservations over her intentions," Benton concluded.
"Tuckers fall hard and fast; at least one marriage needs to occur in my family since my great-grandparents' time that actually succeeds, and I'd rather not all the pressure be on my niece if she decides to get hitched," Malcolm shrugged. "What do you think… ask her nips permission first? They don't mind me, and I'm pretty sure Fiona's fond of having me around, but I can't marry a woman whose kids are against the idea."
"I'm sure the Brigadier would have wanted you to talk to them first anyhow," Benton assured. "Take them out for lunch or something the next weekend Fiona's home and Gordon's off work and explain your situation then. Maybe they could give some sort of insight as to when you should ask Tiger about taking things further."
"Sounds like a plan."
"What's a plan?" Kate asked, having finally approached the two.
"Oh, just figuring out how to bust Johnnie here out of the war museum and over to the titty-pub next week," Malcolm replied. He gave her a playful wink, at which she rolled her eyes.
"I give up; I don't want to know," she said. "Malcolm, I just got a call from Morton and she's come down with the flu—do you think you can pop over to the station and pick up Fiona and Zuri in a couple hours?"
"Can't—put off a meeting with my department for too long now," he frowned. After pondering for a moment, he perked up at an idea. "Lex is off school the week—I can get her to do it."
"Then I'll get her some temporary credentials into the system," she replied. "The girls have wanted to meet for a while now, but never have had the opportunity. This'll be good for them."
"…to co-babysit an advanced ten-year-old? An excellent bonding experience; I'll ring her now."
"Aren't you an evil uncle, volunteering her like that," Benton chuckled. Malcolm flipped him a V as he walked off towards his office, mobile to his ear. He was just inside the lift when his niece picked up.
"What's up?"
"Lex, what'cha doing this afternoon?"
"I was planning on Skyping with Kanda, but she's got a family thing to go to that her mam refuses to let her skip. I think it was a cousin's wedding shower, which would be weird considering it's the middle of the week, but you know Mrs. Keng."
"Well then, how would you like to do your ol' uncle a favor and pick up some people at the train station? Kate's PA was supposed to do it, but she's puking her guts out, and Rajit and I need to be at a meeting." He exited the lift and found that Aparajita was not in her usual spot—probably off causing hell somewhere. "I'll make it worth your while."
"Living rent-free in this classy-ass dump is worth my while," Lex laughed. "Who am I chauffeuring in Britain's tiniest and cheapest limo?"
"You know how we've got this general coming in from fucking Geneva? Kate was able to arrange to have the woman's daughter brought over here from her school as a surprise so they could spend some time together," he explained. Malcolm sat down in his desk chair and glanced out over the atrium, seeing Kate and Benton talking over on the far end. "The nip's a bright one—in secondary school a year early—and is arriving today with an older student as a chaperone."
"Ah, so this isn't something you can exactly trust any of the molemen with, and the rest of the higher-ups are preparing for the pomp and circumstance of General Mam's arrival."
"Right on the nose; besides, the older student with the lass just so happens to be a young lady named Fiona Ferrero, otherwise known as my ladyfriend's daughter."
"Finally! I was starting to wonder if you guys were afraid I was going to kidnap her or something if we ever met!"
"I still don't put it past you, but I think we can take our chances if a third party's involved," Malcolm snerked. "I'll text Fiona your number, let her know the change in plans, and the two of you can take it from there. You can handle a teenager and a preteen for a little while, yeah?"
"Fuck you."
"That's the spirit—thanks again, kiddo."
"Alright; see you in a tic."
Malcolm ended the call and fired off a text to Fiona explaining the situation. She replied with a "K" and a winking face, which allowed him to begin to get his notes together for his impending meeting. He was going to have to go over the past two months' worth of departmental performances and he was not looking forward to it. Too often he simply got those big, about-to-be-roadkill, eyes; he'd clear out the staff and replace them if he could, but too many were just useful enough to not sack, not to mention the fact that most of the people he'd want to hire wouldn't even pass the background checks.
He was nearly done when Aparajita finally came out of the lift looking terribly shaken. She went and silently sat down at her desk and stared at her computer, which made her boss stare at her in concern.
"What's the matter?" he wondered.
"Just… have you talked to Glenn Cullen lately?"
"Not within the past week—I know he's been out for a bit. Why?"
"I was just having a chat with him in the canteen; he was out because a friend of his died," she said.
"Oh, well, when you're as old and crusty as Glenn is, you end up going to a lot more funerals than you care to admit."
"He wasn't that old though," Aparajita said. "Two years older than me—Raj's age—and he's just gone. Survived being deployed overseas a couple times and everything."
"What's Glenn doing hobnobbing with ex-soldiers half his age?" Malcolm frowned. He stood and went to his assistant's desk to make sure she was alright.
"They met in a pub a while back and Glenn would offer him advice since he didn't have a dad to ask things. He was ready to set up a date between us, but dropped that idea when the guy started dating a coworker."
"Ach, that's too bad. Did he say what the lad died from?"
"Hit-and-run; was on his mobile with his girlfriend when it happened. He's never seen someone that upset… like it's just numbed her into nothingness..."
"…and you can't stop thinking about it being your cousin instead of that lad."
"It's silly, but yeah," she admitted.
"Hey, go make yourself a cuppa and take a moment on the couch in my office," he offered. "I'll head down to the meeting by myself."
"You sure?"
"Positive—if I can't handle those goddamned legacy hires and twatballs for a few hours, then I might as well hand over the job to Shaw like the shitstain wanted to begin with."
Aparajita laughed at the notion. "Sounds like a plan."
Taking that as an appropriate response, Malcolm patted her shoulder and went back to his desk to finish up gathering his things. She had just finished making her tea when he was ready to leave.
"By the way," he said on his way to the lift, "I got Lex picking up Fiona and Miss Bambera in Morton's stead—try not to scare the poor lass."
"That's not specific enough," she chuckled. He gave her a grin and entered the lift—she was still a little shaken, but at least she was going to be alright.
Meeting over, Aparajita's nerves back to its steely norm, and a Double Decker in his system; Malcolm was ready for the general to make her appearance and leave. It wasn't that he had anything against her, yet because people were making such a big deal of it, nearly everyone around him seemed to be on the edge of their seats. He didn't think General Bambera sounded like a particularly nasty person, so he simply shrugged it off and decided he'd make a judgement himself after he met the woman.
It was finally time for General Bambera to arrive and thank fuck she was right on schedule. Kate, Benton, and the Scarfys had greeted her on the helipad and brought her underground, showing her everything that had changed within the time she'd been away. Malcolm waited impatiently in the atrium with the remainder of the heads of staff, bouncing his leg as he sat perched atop the railing by the molemen's pit.
"This is going to make me go fucking nuts if Bambera doesn't get here soon," he scowled. If he was being completely honest, the only way things could have been worse was if he was made to wear the UNIT military kit that was stashed up in his office cupboard for true emergencies. "What's keeping them?"
"Who knows?" Glenn shrugged. He, Malcolm, and William, the Scarfys' uncle and technical head of Research and Development, were grouped together while they were waiting for the word that Bambera was coming. The male Osgood was only a little older than Glenn, though to Malcolm, seemed much more in-touch with things than the old political aide.
"It's not like she asks for the show or anything," William said. "I just hope my nieces don't embarrass the mainframe again by asking about the Carbury Incident."
"Ah, she'll behave," Glenn assumed. "Hey, you figure out which one is which yet?"
"Nope—whichever is the Zygon is a perfect replica. It's like Petronella found her long-lost twin or something. Having an extra niece isn't that bad, so I'm not concerned about it."
"I don't know; two of mine might be a bit of trouble," Malcolm chuckled. "You can meet Lex later if you'd like. She's a bit on the sarcastic side, but that's how I fucking raised her."
"Still can't see you as a father-figure, even to a niece," Glenn said, shaking his head. "The mental breakdowns you've caused, the threats you've made…"
"…and not a single one of you fuckers didn't deserve it," Malcolm replied. "Threats for no reason are one thing, and making jokes like that aren't funny in the slightest, but neither of them compare to the shit I had to clear up back then, and not a single one listened to me until I was threatening the worst. You all had it coming."
"My nose didn't have it coming."
"C'mon… I apologized over that one."
"Okay, everyone!" the Head of Security shouted, pressing his mobile's earpiece into his head. "I just got word that they're coming our way! Attention!"
Everyone scrambled to their positions, falling into impeccably-straight lines, and saluted when General Bambera and her entourage came through. They came to a stop by the departmental heads, who all thankfully stood at-ease.
"Not the exact same line-up as the last time I was here, but I've heard that everyone has been doing a brilliant job and for that I congratulate you," she said with a grin. She scanned the group of them, taking note of Glenn and Malcolm both. "So, you two are the new guys in from the government. How's life in the international and interstellar circuit treating you?"
"It's better than I could have ever imagined," Glenn replied.
"Me mam thinks I'm off my rocker, but considering I would have taken 'unemployed' compared to what I was, I'm in paradise," Malcolm added. General Bambera tilted her head at that, narrowing her eyes slightly.
"I hope it's just that she doesn't believe in aliens."
"Actually, she knew about UNIT long before I was born, ma'am," he explained. "She wasn't a wee, meek housewife for even a moment and has participated in more government operations than anyone'll ever know." It was killing him to not cuss in front of the general, but he promised Kate earlier to not unless it was called for, and it was nowhere near that yet.
"Ah, I see," she nodded. "Well then, I'm glad that the two of you are excelling at and enjoying your new roles. Geneva appreciates it."
"Thank you, ma'am," Malcolm and Glenn said together.
"Alright everyone, DISMISSED!" the general ordered. Everyone relaxed and most people went back to their stations. As she watched the dispersal, Bambera turned towards Kate. "I know it sounds like favoritism, but I honestly believe the UK mainframe is amongst one of the better stations in the organization. It makes me proud to say this was my home mainframe."
"It's an honor," Kate replied. "Actually, General, we have a surprise for you."
"You do…?"
"Yes." Kate took the communicator from inside her jacket pocket and spoke into it. "Corporal, escort our guests into the atrium."
"On it," answered Gordon's static-marred voice. Moments later and he appeared out a door with Fiona, Lex, and a small girl who resembled a heavy-browed, pigtailed, light-skinned version of the general, who lit up at the sight of her.
"MUM!" the girl shouted from across the atrium.
"Ah, there's my little Zuri," Bambera grinned. The girl ran up to her and they hugged, holding one another tight.
"I miss you, Mum," the girl whined. Her voice nearly broke Malcolm's heart, as it was the tone of a child close to their parent. "I don't want to go to the stupid English school anymore. Why can't I stay with you and Dad?"
"We went over this: you are going to a school with an advanced curriculum, and although Dad and I miss you too, we know it's for the best."
Young Zuri had clearly heard that answer before, as she made a sad noise and clung to her mother. In the meantime, Fiona and Lex had reached them and hugged Kate and Malcolm, while Gordon resisted, seeing that he was still on-duty.
"This girl really needs to be in Geneva," Fiona told her mother lowly. "Cried almost the entire way here." Lex on the other hand…
"Whoa, Uncle Malc… how come you didn't tell me this was where you two worked?!" she marveled. She was still looking around everywhere, a bit in-awe at her surroundings.
"I figured you'd get here eventually, so I chose to wait for the surprise," he grinned. "Fiona, how's the gilt prison life going?"
"Well enough; how's being Mum's current foreign-blooded boy toy treating you?" the teen snarked back. Kate elbowed her sourly in reply.
"Behave," she hissed.
"Gordy's dad is half-Polish, my Dad's Italian, Malc's Scottish… you definitely like them not-English."
"If you don't stop you are going to be grounded until you go off to university."
Fiona chuckled, not believing her mother for a moment, instead turning her attention towards Malcolm and Lex. "Shock wear off yet?"
"She still can't believe the flat we're in, so no," Malcolm teased. He then noticed that Zuri had approached them, staring at the three timidly. "What's the matter, kiddo? You alright?"
"Thank you, Miss Lewiston, for driving me and Miss Fiona here, and thank you, Miss Fiona, for accompanying me," the girl said. It was enough to snap Lex out of her daze, instead becoming enamored by the child's politeness.
"You're welcome, sweetie," she replied, patting her on the shoulder. "Just be good to your mam, okay?"
"Okay."
"That's a good girl," Bambera said. "Can't forget our manners; don't slip just because your classmates don't remember."
"Some of them are nice, but a lot are rude," Zuri told her mother. She went back to her side and hugged her around the middle, glad to be there.
General Bambera was nearly about to start thanking everyone herself when one of the molewomen over at a scanner station grabbed a printout and ran up to the group. She held it out towards Kate, a terrified look plastered on her face.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, ma'am, but we're picking up the Master's psychic signature alongside a different bioread. He's regenerated… and he's in London."
"Put a tracker on him—watch out for any suspicious activity," Kate ordered.
"Hey! Looks like we've got company!" a moleman shouted from his station. "I'm getting hits over by St. Paul's that are off the charts!"
"Give me CCTV, now," Kate instructed. Everyone in the atrium watched as a camera feed was put up on display across the monitors. Familiar-looking suits of what almost could have passed for armor were standing in the street, the sight of which sent a chill down the employees' collective spine.
"Shit, it's Cybermen!" Bambera growled. She held her daughter closer, glaring at the screens.
"Alright, men! I need battle stations!" Kate shouted, immediately jumping into action. "Just how we drilled! I need Boat One prepped, an undercover squadron down in the epicenter along with outfitted backup, and I need it now!" She then turned around to address the other officers. "General, ma'am, I request that you take your daughter back to Geneva with you and stay there; get her with Ancelyn and brace for the worst."
"That is an excellent suggestion," Bambera nodded. She took Zuri by the hand and led her off towards some soldiers, figuring out a way to get back to headquarters.
"Ahmed," Kate continued, "I need you on Boat One, along with an Osgood, as representatives of the international community and the Human-Zygon Alliance."
"Yes, ma'am," both Ahmed and an Osgood saluted before running off.
"Tucker, as temporary Lieutenant Colonel, you are in charge; Benton, help him out with the more military aspects while I'm gone. Fiona, Lex, go up to my office and stay there, no excuses. I need everyone else at their stations. That is an order."
"Kate…" Malcolm started, though she began to walk off before he could continue. He nearly had to run to catch up with her, finally able to get hold of her arm in a corridor. "Do you have to go?"
"Yes, I'm the Brigadier-Director, and the Brigadier deals directly with the Doctor," she replied.
"You don't tell someone to prepare for the fucking worst and then expect everyone else around you to act like it's some casual, shitty drill. I'm genuinely terrified—you know how much it takes for me to admit that."
Stepping forward, Kate kissed Malcolm on the lips without the privacy of one of their offices at work for the first time that he could recall. It didn't matter that a bunch of people were running about in a panic or that it didn't get past their lips—she kissed him.
"Do a good job and you might get something extra later," she teased. With that, she patted him on the chest and walked away, this time, allowed to go where she needed to be. After watching her go down the corridor for a few seconds, Malcolm turned back around and returned to the atrium, finding that a couple of civilians were still hanging around that shouldn't have been.
"C'mon, you hear what the lady said: to her office you two," he told Lex and Fiona. The younger of the pair simply glared at him in concern, knowing the gravity of the situation.
"Mum doesn't just leave like that," Fiona stated. "Why'd she leave?"
"Because your mam's the Brigadier-Director, and the Brigadier deals directly with the Doctor," he repeated. Glancing over his shoulder at Gordon, he whistled to get the young man's attention. "If you could please make sure the civilians find the appropriate office, then we can make sure they stay safe."
"Yes, sir," Gordon replied. He escorted his sister and friend out of the atrium, leaving the room purely filled with UNIT personnel. Malcolm gave Captain Benton a grin and shoved his hands in his pockets, turning towards the molemen that were already frantically working.
"Right then, you bunch of bent sods! I've only seen footage of these Cybercunts and I want to keep it that way! Let's make the Brigadier-Director proud and make sure nothing happens on this end that we can't fix! Time to fucking earn that paycheck!"