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A/N We crossed 200 reviews! Thank you so much!

Welcome to the final part of 'The Gogan Colonisation'. The chaotic ride comes to an end and the third segment to the key is found. Plus, some Gallifreyan history.

Happy Reading!


The Gogan Colonisation: The Apple

Previously

Rose stumbled out of the portal, furious and nervous at the same time. She gasped as she realised that she was in the same temple that she had been in before. Except, there was no machinery in sight and the temple was spotless.

"She has arrived!" someone announced and Rose saw the group of people who had to be the cultists that worshipped Eris. Before she could understand anything more, the main leader who had announced her presence continued.

"She has arrived! The sacrifice!"

Rose panicked, not knowing what to do. There wasn't anywhere to run since she was at the altar and the temple was full of worshippers. The portal behind her was closed and she had no idea if it even opened from this end.

"She has arrived! The goddess has arrived! The sacrifice! Bring forth the sacrifice!"

Rose did a double take. Hang on, she wasn't the sacrifice?

Her question was answered when a Drahvin was dragged to the front, her hands bound in front of her. Judging from her clothes, she was a slave Drahvin. She looked scared and very distressed as she was brought to the front and forced to kneel before Rose.

Without even thinking, Rose ran over to her and helped her up. The cultists, who had been cheering as the 'sacrifice' was brought to the front, fell silent. The Drahvin looked terrified as Rose helped her up as if expecting Rose to attack her.

"Are you alright?" Rose asked her.

She nodded quickly but then glanced in fear at the cultists who were coming out of their shocked states. Rose's face hardened as she pushed the Drahvin behind her and stared at the worshippers defiantly. "Who's in charge here?" she demanded.

A tall man approached them slowly and kneeled. "I am Vartok," he said. "I speak for everyone here. Is the goddess displeased with the sacrifice?"

"No," said Rose hurriedly, not wanting to see what they would do if she said otherwise. "I want to know why there is a sacrifice in the first place?" That was a safe question, she reckoned. Wasn't human sacrifice a bit primitive for the 36th century?

Vartok looked confused and some of the others started murmuring amongst themselves. "Because the prophecy said so," he said as if it was obvious.

Rose considered going back into the portal, just to strangle Eris. Making sure that the Drahvin was protected, Rose looked at Vartok. "Stand up and tell me everything about the prophecy."


Rory had been having the weirdest day so far. Which was a huge feat considering what his normal day looked like. First, they had landed on a planet where his gender automatically made him the enemy. Then, Rose and Amy had to go and find the segment on their own. He and the Doctor had been impatient the whole time that they had been waiting inside the TARDIS.

And then the Drahvins had come...

Flashback

There was a knock at the doors of the TARDIS and the Doctor and Rory exchanged a bewildered look over their 22nd match of Somesian chess.

"Why are they knocking?" asked Rory as the Doctor went to the doors. "I thought they had their keys."

"Because it isn't them," he said warily as he opened the doors and let the two Elite Drahvins in. "May I help you, ladies?"

"The dimensions of the interior of the ship are significantly larger than the exterior," exclaimed one of them.

"You know in the old days people just said it was bigger on the inside," muttered the Doctor petulantly. "What do you want?"

"Amy Pond requests your presence," said the other one.

"And who might you be?" he asked.

"I am Sister Mila and this is Sister Ariya," said the first Drahvin. She was younger and it appeared, less hostile than Sister Ariya.

"Why did Amy ask for us?" asked Rory. "What have you done to her?" he demanded.

"She is quite safe," said Sister Ariya, glaring coldly at Rory. "It's her wife that is in trouble."

"Rose?" asked the Doctor, alert at once. "What happened to Rose?"

"It is better if you come with us," said Sister Mila diplomatically.

"Explain at once," said the Doctor coldly. "Where. is. Rose?"

"She's dead," Sister Ariya said shortly.

Rory would never forget the expression that crossed the Doctor's face at those words. He had only ever read about seeing someone's heart break but the myriad expressions that crossed the Doctor's face did indeed make it look like his hearts had just been crushed into his chest.

"What?" he whispered, aghast.

"We don't know that for sure," said Sister Mila hesitantly.

The Doctor straightened up, a calm mask in place. "Why did you come here?" he asked. "You certainly did not come here to inform me of my companion's...condition."

"Rose had an important artefact with her when she fell into the time portal. Amy said that only you might be able to help recover it. That artefact is essential to us," said Sister Mila explained.

"I see," said the Doctor. "Lead on then."

"Not like this," snapped Sister Ariya. She nodded at Mila who gave them female robes.

"Er, what are we supposed to do with this?" asked Rory as he examined the, well, dress would be appropriate.

"Wear it," said the Doctor. His cravat was already off, along with his coat and vest. Dressed just in his trousers and shirt, he pulled the robe over his head and expertly began to do up the fastenings. If Rory hadn't been nearly terrified with worry about Rose, he would have been impressed by the speed at which the Doctor got dressed.

His own hands stumbled as he did the complicated fastenings. So much so that the Doctor clucked his tongue in disapproval before doing them up himself. Rory cursed his own burning face as the Doctor seemed completely at ease with the whole thing.

Amy was never going to let them forget this.

Flashback ends

Right now though, the bizarre clothes were off. At least for Rory, they were. The Doctor was still dressed in his as he examined the mainframe. "Amy," he called. "I need your decoder."

Amy gave him the disc that she had used to hack into the system before. The Doctor took it absently and swiped it twice. The reboot sequence started up and finally it came to the screen which would open the time portal. Except there was now an error message on the screen.

"You see?" said Sister Mila. "We need the Apple to complete the process."

"What is the Apple exactly?" asked the Doctor.

"You ought to know," snapped Sister Ariya. "You sent your little cat burglars to find it."

"It's not important what it is," said Amy quickly. If they started asking too many questions, the Drahvins would know that Amy had never even seen the Apple. And then they wouldn't be able to find Rose. "The important thing is to get it to work without the Apple."

The Doctor stared at the screen thoughtfully. "You did it without the Apple before, didn't you?" he whispered to Amy in a very low voice, keenly aware of the Drahvins' superior hearing.

Amy nodded quickly. "I swiped the disc again," she said.

The Doctor knew that he couldn't open the portal like that. If the Drahvins realised that the Apple was a non-essential entity, then they would have outlived their necessity. He quickly made up his mind. "I need my machine," he said. "I might have some equipment in there."

"Fine," said Sister Ariya. "You can go and get it. But one of you stays here."

"I'll stay," volunteered Rory. "The two of you go and bring the TARDIS here."

"Are you sure?" asked Amy, looking slightly concerned.

"Yeah, yeah," said Rory, his voice slightly high. "Trapped in a creepy basement with Amazonian blonde women who want to kill me for being a man. What could possibly go wrong?"

Amy laughed and ruffled his hair affectionately. "We won't be long," she said. "Doc?"

The Doctor raised the hood of his robes and with a nod at the Drahvins and Rory, left the temple with Amy.


"So, the prophecy states that Eri...er, I, require the sacrifice of a blonde female upon arrival?" Rose gathered.

"Indeed, my lady," said Vartok with a bow that made Rose want to fidget.

"And then I'll bless you with the knowledge of the future?" she confirmed.

Vartok nodded eagerly. "We need to know what happens. The prophecy states that the future is colourful and filled with beauty."

"Right," said Rose. "I need a moment alone with the 'sacrifice'," she said the last word quickly and with an apologetic look at the Drahvin who flinched.

"As you wish," said Vartok. If he was confused by the strange request, he did not show it. He quickly ordered everyone to vacate the temple and leave the goddess and the sacrifice alone. Once the last of the people had gone, Rose turned to the Drahvin. "What's your name?" she asked her.

"I have been assigned the number 3," said the Drahvin.

"Right," said Rose. She had almost forgotten that the Drahvin before her wasn't one of the Elite. "How did you get here?"

The Drahvin ducked her head. "Sister Ariya pushed me through the portal when they needed a live subject to test it," she confessed.

"That's horrible," gasped Rose. "Did she know if you were going to be safe?"

Drahvin 3 looked confused at her indignation. "But I'm just a slave," she said. "My life has no importance."

"That's rubbish," said Rose firmly. "You are just as important as anyone else."

She shook her head. "I was grown for the purpose of doing whatever the Elite require of me. They know better than my class. They are stronger, more intelligent and they get the better weapons."

"Doesn't mean that they are more important," said Rose. "We are going to go back, you and me."

The Drahvin looked slightly pleased. "But how? There is no machinery here of the sort that is there in the future," she said. "From what I have been able to gather, they have been putting in 'offerings' when the portal opens from our end."

"So we can't open it from here," said Rose. She smiled at the Drahvin. "But once it opens from that end, we will jump right in."

"But how do we know that it will open?" asked the Drahvin in confusion.

"Oh, it will," said Rose confidently. "You just get ready to leave when it does."


Rory had to stop himself from sighing in relief when the TARDIS materialised in the temple. The Doctor and Amy stepped out almost immediately. "Right, everything is ready," the Doctor declared.

"What is ready?" Sister Ariya demanded grumpily.

"We will use the TARDIS to travel through the portal," said the Doctor. "It will be a bit more stable." It wasn't completely true but he wasn't about to inform the Drahvins that he possessed a time machine. In truth, what they would be doing is enter the tunnel between the portals and map the coordinates of the place that it would come out at. And then use the TARDIS to get to the coordinates and find Rose.

"Well, get on with it then," said Sister Ariya.

"No," said the Doctor. "I need Rory and Amy to help fly the ship."

"Why didn't you need him before?" asked Mila.

"Because it was a short hop and not through an unpredictable time portal," said the Doctor, like it was obvious.

"How do we know that you won't just disappear?" asked Ariya.

"Then send Mila," said the Doctor, looking at the younger Drahvin. "And swipe this across your mainframe's processor once we are all in the TARDIS," he added to Ariya, giving her a small, silicon rod.

"Fine," said Mila as she sent a reassuring look at Sister Ariya and followed Amy and Rory into the TARDIS after the Doctor.

Once inside, the Doctor geared the TARDIS to fall into the portal that was now opening. "Hold on now!" said the Doctor as the TARDIS tilted violently and shook and shuddered as she fell through the portal.

"What is happening?" Rory demanded as he clutched onto the metal scaffolding with all his might.

"Almost there," yelled the Doctor as he pulled a lever and the TARDIS stopped.

"Did we make it?" asked Amy.

"Yes, I think so," said the Doctor as he quickly went outside and found himself in the white, blank void. Amy, Rory and Mila followed after him, looking a bit stunned at their surroundings. "Marvellous technology," said the Doctor with a low whistle.

"I am glad you think so," said a colourful woman as she bounced over to them.

"Eris!" recognised the Doctor. "You are far away from home."

"Hang on, Eris?" asked Rory, his eyes wide.

"Yes, the same one you are thinking of," said Eris with a wink at him. "And I am enjoying a bit of a break."

"The portal is your work, I presume," said the Doctor disapprovingly.

"Nonsense," snapped Mila when Eris bowed in acknowledgement. "We built the portal."

"Why'd you bring the Drahvin cow?" asked Eris, playing with the beads on her necklace. "For your information," she said, glaring at Mila. "I built this whole thing. I even had your lot convinced that my Apple had something to do with it." She tossed the Apple in the air and caught it back. "It's just like old times. Bunch of cows fighting over an Apple."

"Where's Rose?" asked the Doctor.

"Never heard of her," shrugged Eris.

"Don't patronise me," said the Doctor in a calm yet dangerous voice. "You might have everyone here convinced that you are some fearsome goddess but I know exactly how to deal with your lot. Now, unless you wish for me to trap you in a wormhole for all eternity: TELL ME WHERE ROSE IS."

"Blimey Doctor," came a cheeky voice. "Have a bit of a problem with your anger, do you?" The Doctor's face burst into a smile as Rose ran through the void with a Drahvin behind her. But the Doctor only had eyes for her as he grabbed her and planted a smacking kiss on her forehead. Rose giggled as he hugged her tightly. "Not that I am complaining," said Rose. "But do you realise that you are wearing a dress?"

Laughter from Amy and Rory made the Doctor pull away and tug on a strand of Rose's hair in slight admonishment. "Never worry me like that again," he said firmly.

"Yes sir," said Rose, giving a mock salute.

"Touching as this is," interrupted Mila. "We need that Apple."

Eris, who had been scowling the whole time, glared at Mila. "You're not getting it," she said. "You lot are ruining my favourite creation yet."

"Go home, Eris," said the Doctor, rolling his eyes. "I think you have caused enough chaos here."

"No!" said Eris stubbornly, crossing her arms and pouting.

Rose contemplated telling Eris to stop being such a child when she heard a faint sound. Brow furrowing, she pulled out the core from her jacket. The noise grew louder and was pointing towards Eris. The Doctor, Amy and Rory knew at once that the segment was on Eris. Rose wondered briefly how she hadn't felt it before. But she had been a bit distracted back then after all.

"What is that?" Eris asked curiously.

The Doctor did not answer as he took the core from Rose and walked towards Eris. Eris glared at him when he came closer but the beeping became louder. When it came close to the Apple, it gave a loud beep. "Aha, it does explain why the coordinates kept changing," whispered the Doctor. "I'll have that," he said, holding out his hand.

"NO!" said Eris, holding it close to her. "You are not getting that."

"You know I'm not beyond using that wormhole I mentioned before," said the Doctor in a tone of a parent berating a misbehaving child.

"You wouldn't!" said Eris, stomping her foot.

"I most certainly will if you don't give me the Apple," he said firmly. At Eris' unrelenting look, he tilted his head. "I am a Time Lord. How good is your history?" Eris paled slightly and dropped the Apple in his outstretched palm. The Doctor nodded. "Good, now off to home with you. Get rid of this charade, will you?"

Eris nodded sulkily, looking very much like she had been force fed castor oil. She glared grumpily at their backs as the Doctor, his companions and the two Drahvins returned to the TARDIS. When the machine was gone, Eris scowled and screamed in frustration for a moment before meekly starting to clean up her chaotic mess.


"Where are we going?" Rory asked the Doctor in a whisper as he piloted the TARDIS.

"Sending Mila and Rose's friend home," he said.

"They're not going to leave quietly, are they?" guessed Rory. "They're going to want the Apple."

"I don't think they will," said the Doctor with a grin. Rory didn't ask what he meant by that but judging from the Doctor's smile, he guessed that Eris would be taking the machinery away.

He looked over to the other side of the console room where Rose and Amy were hugging tightly. He raised his eyebrows as he saw Amy apologising and Rose smiling happily at her. He wondered if they would tell him if he asked what had happened. Then he decided it didn't matter. It had been their adventure to share and it was fine if they never told him.

When they arrived back in the temple, they found Ariya throwing a fit because the machinery was all gone. She demanded that the Doctor undo whatever trick he had done. Even after Mila assured her that it had all been the work of the goddess that the Gogans from the 36th century had worshipped, Ariya stayed resolute.

Finally, Mila took charge and had Ariya sedated with one of the concoctions they used to subdue their difficult patients. "But we still need the Apple," she had said after Ariya had been taken away.

"Whatever for?" asked the Doctor, astonished.

"We shall build our own technology," she said, her eyes bright. "The Drahvins shall have time tr..." she fell unconscious as Drahvin 3 hit her with a stunning shot of her weapon.

"Escape quickly!" Drhavin 3 told them as they stared at her in shock.

"Thank you," said Rose. "Remember what I said about being important."

"I do," Drhavin 3 nodded. "Hurry!"

The time travellers said their thanks quickly and went into the TARDIS. The Doctor took them away from Goga quickly. Suffice to say that none of them were particularly keen to return there in a hurry.

Amy and Rory had shuffled off to their respective rooms as soon as the Doctor had converted the Apple into a segment of the Key to Time and put it away in the safe.

Rose was yawning and the Doctor finally told her to go to bed. "Aren't you coming?" she asked.

"In a minute," he answered. "I think I'll fetch 'Great Expectations'. We haven't read together in a while."

Rose smiled widely at him. "I'd like that," she said. She missed having him read to her. "I'll get in bed. Don't take too long."

"On my honour," agreed the Doctor with a wink.

Rose grinned at him and went to the ensuite of her room to freshen up before bed. The Doctor finally finished the minor repairs that their little jaunt through the portal had made necessary. He went to the library and found his copy of Dickens' 'Great Expectations'. He missed reading to Rose and he had come far too close to losing her today. Right now, all he needed to do was reconnect with her.

He was hurrying out when he saw that there was a book on the table next to Rose's favourite chair. Frowning, he picked it up and saw that it was written in Old High Gallifreyan. What had Rose been doing with this? His hearts thumping in his chest, he opened it to the bookmarked page.

There is no account of the Other's true name but it was said that he was unlike any Gallifreyan of the time. His intellect was on par with Rassilon and Omega yet it was rumoured that he despised the notion of a strict Time Lord society. He wished for time travel to be used as a means of fighting the evil in the universe which went against everything that the new society was based on.

Apart from his usual bouts of eccentricity, the Other was also distinctive for...falling in love with an Eternal. Her name is lost to the universe, just as his. The forbidden romance came to a tragic end when the Eternal was condemned for falling in love with an ephemeral. She was cast into the vortex, destined to be born as a new being without any memory of her Eternal life. Heartbroken and mad with grief, the Other took his life by jumping into the looms, hoping to be born into a new life just like his lost love.

One legend says that before she died, the Eternal bore him a womb-borne child and in fear of the child's safety, she cast it into the vortex. There is little to no information about the child apart from the fact that she was a female. It is unknown whether she survived her journey through the vortex or even if she ever actually existed.

Hands shaking, the Doctor tore out the page from the book and tucked it into his trouser pocket. Some things should just stay buried.


A/N End of story #3. Thank you for reading.

So, what did you think? We had Eris being sent off to her room, in a way. And Drahvins can throw their tantrums in peace. Plus, the third segment is found.

What did you think of the Gallifreyan history? The Other and an Eternal being that he fell in love with. Wonder who that could be...

Anyway, the next story is #4 The Clone Wars. It has nothing to do with Star Wars, I promise. But it does feature known Doctor Who monsters.

Let me know what you thought of this one. The next one will be up soon. See you then!

~ Phoenix