AN: Here we are! Sorry it took a while. It was harder to write than I thought. But hopefully you enjoy it!
Chapter Fourteen: Sound of Drums
Her first day in London as Harold Saxon's assistant was unsurprisingly hectic, full of lots of sarcastic remarks, and comforting crying interns.
Harold Saxon was apparently notorious for yelling at his interns when something went wrong.
Her job wasn't exactly demeaning but running around for Harry Saxon definitely was odd.
Besides making the phone calls, scheduling appointments, checking e-mails and making spread sheets, she was frequently told to pick out gifts for his current girlfriend, Lucy.
"I'm not a dating service. I am no match-maker. I am an archaeologist and not a specialist at E-Harmony. I am not your personal shopper. I don't even know anything about this woman you're seeing."
"She's about 5'4 wears maybe a size 4 and is blonde with green blue eyes. What more do you need to know?"
"What she actually likes?" Rebecca said rolling her eyes.
"Check her mybook or whatever."
"Myspace?"
"Whatever."
Between that and constantly arranging his schedule and making up lies to account for him being absence for sometimes hours at a time which even she couldn't explain with the TARDIS basically being locked between now and the only other place the literal end of time.
She was however able through the use of her laptop and an algorithm, able to predict when and where Jack and the rest of her friends would come through if the Doctor did what she assumed he would. Use Jack's Vortex Manipulator and come back to London in the right time period.
However that was still nearly a year away and she had to sit through much of her history and avoid running into herself which was easier than expected.
June was the hardest for her. Canary Wharf. She wanted nothing more to run and help all the people whose lives would be lost that day. But instead she sat locked in the safe room which had been installed at Saxon headquarters, head bowed in prayer.
"You know more than anyone else that-" the Master started.
"That we're not alone in the universe," she finished. "I've freaking met satan. You're argument is irrelevant."
Rebecca and the Master were already at each other's throats and with the addition of Lucy, his soon to be bride, Rebecca was ready to snap.
Lucy, whose beautiful (and huge) engagement ring had been picked out by Rebecca, was jealous of the red-head, to the point where she cornered her.
"I don't like how much time you spend with my fiancé."
"Believe me Lucy, neither do I." she told her.
"He's mine."
"You can most definitely have him."
"You don't want him?"
"Not in the slightest."
"Really? But he's so-"
"Arrogant and manipulative. A masochist, a complete maniac?" Rebecca offered. "I can most definitely continue adding more negative adjectives…"
Lucy mostly left her alone after that. Although, thinking back on it, it was at that point in time where a bomb had been sent to Rebecca's office at UNIT. But she made sure that Lucy's wedding looked damn good despite her dislike for the girl.
As the election continued to approach, Saxon asked her more and more odd questions relating to technology and she honestly didn't know the answers.
"WELL FIND OUT!" He'd spit at her and she'd retreat to the TARDIS library in hopes of finding answers.
One day however, she found a cage on the TARDIS console and she could practically hear the TARDIS crying.
"What the hell have you done?" she ran out grabbing him by the collar and pushing him against the wall.
"I always knew you'd like it rough but I am the Master, I prefer to be the dominant one." He said trying to get a grip on her but she brought a knee up to stop any of his further movement as he sunk to the floor.
"Jesus Christ, I never thought you'd be into sadism." He groaned.
"What the hell are you doing to the last TARDIS in all of the universe?" she yelled at him.
"I thought it should be obvious."
"How could you be cannibalizing it? Why would you build to a paradox machine?"
"Why wouldn't I? Oh wait… this is supposed to be the part of the movie where the bad guy reveals his evil plan to one of the heroes because he's cocky and doesn't think anything can stop him. Well tough luck sister, I'm not telling you."
"Fine." She said. It wasn't the first time she would have to figure things out for herself.
It wasn't until a few days later when she realized, paradoxes that were serious enough to require a paradox machine would be one of two kinds: A grandfather paradox, or a Hitler's Murder paradox, and she definitely couldn't see the Master trying to prevent something from happening which meant that someone or someone's most likely the latter, were going to be brought back in time and kill their ancestors. And instead of time correcting itself, and not allowing for the killing of ancestors before their time, they would stay dead and the future-kind would remain.
The Future kind. It stuck out in her head and that was when she realized that he was bringing back the people he had sent to Utopia back on Earth with intentions to kill.
It definitely could not be good.
And with that in mind, and her realization of the Master's murderous tendencies she decided that she needed a contingency plan for her friends in case of an inability to stop the master before he went into a genocidic state.
She checked the TARDIS but most of her functions had become restricted, and her normal ability to help lead Rebecca to exactly what she was looking for disappeared. The only room that seemed to be working was the library and the few bedrooms that had been in use of late.
And with that she made friends with intern Maureen.
"Maureen, how are you doing?" she asked her one day.
"I'm doing analysis charts and I'm rubbish at them and I'm afraid Mr. Saxon is going to yell at me again because last time I messed up the axes and he screamed at me for five minutes straight and I'm positive I had nightmares about it for a week. I begged Stu to trade with me or something and he wouldn't."
"Tell you what- I will do the analysis charts and make step by step instructions for you with pictures so you can do it next time if you go out today and do some errands for me."
"Really? Like dry-cleaning and coffee because that's what I assumed interning would be like and not a small hell."
"Shopping really. I have a list. My friends from UNI are coming into town and we really want to go hiking and camping, and I have a whole trip planned out for us but I don't have time to go get the things we'll need."
"So head over to an outdoor store and pick up these things?" Maureen asked a little surprised. "Because that chart might take you all day and this won't take me more than three hours with traffic."
"Don't worry about time. Once you finish picking up the things, if you could drop them off with my doorman Stan, lovely fellow, he'll put them at reception for me. My address is on the list. Here is a prepaid credit card so they won't get weirded out when you aren't Natalie Goodwin and you're using my credit card. Also treat yourself to lunch on me."
"Thank you Ms. Goodwin." Maureen said.
"It's Natalie. Now go. You're free for the rest of the day afterwards. Also if we could keep this between us. This isn't how I'm supposed to utilize the interns."
"Lips are sealed." She smiled before heading out the door.
Rebecca did the analysis for Maureen which took her less than twenty minutes and the instructions followed.
"Where's the little mousey brunette who normally sits here?" the Master asked Rebecca.
"She's sick. Poor dear. Looked dead on her feet but didn't want to risk getting yelled at when her report didn't get done so came in and tried to do it but I sent her home and did the report so here." She handed him the papers.
"Oh… um.. carry on do whatever it is I pay you to do." He barked at her to which she rolled her eyes.
When she arrived back at her flat late that night, sure enough all of her camping supplies were there at the front desk with Stan. After a few trips she got it back into her flat and began creating survival packs for each of them.
It included a water purifier, including one for salt water, a field guide to what kind of herbs and shrubbery was edible, what was poisonous and what had medicinal properties, an atlas of the world, some MREs as well as some canned food, a tent, waterproofing spray, a raft-with repair kit, flash lights, batteries, matches, lighters, some kindling and a first aid kit and some basic antibiotics. For the girls she also packed enough feminine hygiene products and midol.
She had already, little by little, packed clothing for each of them taking it from their room in the TARDIS to ensure proper sizing and then grabbed heavy duty hiking boots for each of them as well because she didn't know what was coming for them.
She had also predicted where they would land in the city and when and made hotel arrangements accordingly at a nearby hotel under a false name and paid in cash. She also arranged for the bags to be delivered to the hotel.
The only issue right now was being able to get out of work and help her friends when they arrived.
She considered running in general, but she knew she'd be found. The master wouldn't believe that she wanted to take a vacation at precisely that time and she couldn't just call in with the flu. However if she were to vomit in public, no one would be able to deny that she was sick. However she found a stomach calming tea in the TARDIS in her room the last time she had gone in and made sure she had a thermos of it in her bag to quickly counteract the effects of her plan.
A stop at the chemist, resulted in a bottle of the syrup of ipecac which she took a dose of in the bathroom before a meeting with Saxon and the rest of the team after their landslide win in the election and the precursor to first contact.
She was in the middle of giving out morning assignments and had even spotted Tish, Martha's sister, when she felt the nausea come. She quickly held up a hand to stop everyone before rushing over to a waste basket. She quickly emptied the contents of her stomach.
"Oh my god Natalie are you alright?" Intern Maureen asked her.
"I think I ate some bad eggs this morning. Someone just call me a cab, I'm going to head home. Stacy," she told one of the other interns. "On my desk I have the write out of the assignments for today, just tell everyone what they're doing. And grab me my bag someone."
Within a minute, she had her bag on her shoulder and had popped a mint in her mouth, to get rid of the taste of bile. Once outside, waiting for the cab, she had some of the tea and was instantly feeling better. She gave the cabby a general idea of where she wanted to be and then found a park bench and waited, snacking on some saltine crackers.
She heard them before she saw them, the sound of the vortex and things blowing in the air and mainly the snap of everyone cracking their necks.
"Oh, my head." She heard Martha complain.
"Time travel without a capsule. That's a killer." The Doctor said. "Rose, you alright?"
"My head feels a bit funny but I'll be alright." She answered.
"Still, at least we made it. Earth, twenty first century by the looks of it. Talk about lucky." Jack said, dusting his coat off.
"That wasn't luck, that was me." The Doctor argued.
"It doesn't matter," Rebecca said coming out of the shadows. All four of them looked at her cautiously.
"Who are you?" Jack asked… "You look familiar."
"I know you have a headache and this is probably gonna be killer on top of that and so just know that I'm sorry darling. I'm so so sorry." She apologized. "Nemo Est Soleus." She said and watched him clutch his head and let out a groan, falling to his knees.
"What did you do to him? Is she carrionite or something?" Martha asked as she rushed over to Jack.
"No, I'm not but good assumption Martha."
"How'd you know my name?"
"That's Rebecca." Jack said gasping for air. Rebecca walked over and dropped down beside him, grabbing his hands.
"Hey stranger." He said.
"Miss me?" she asked with a small smile.
"Sorry but Rebecca is a brunette, who is about two inches shorter and that's not her." Martha told them.
"You regenerated." Rose said. "It's still you?"
"Yeah, same me. Mostly same personality too. Although I think I'm a bit flirtier. What do you say babe?" she gazed over at Jack.
"How long have you been here?" The Doctor asked her.
"Eighteen months."
"Why didn't you come back for us?" Rose asked. "I mean you can fly the TARDIS right?"
"It didn't dawn on me right away, but I figured it was better to keep an eye on the Master and what kind of shenanigans he was getting into rather than come back for you when I knew what Doc would do and predicted you guys would be here and now. Now come on, I have a hotel room so we can get situated and such."
"What kind of shenanigans has the master gotten into?" Jack asked finally getting up, holding girlfriend for support. She got him steady on his feet before smiling and giving him a quick hug.
"Oh, I must've forgotten to mention it. He's the prime minister. Now come on," she said grabbing Jack's hand and pulling them along through the streets and checking into the hotel.
"You got all this set up for today specifically. How'd do you know when we land?" Rose asked.
"Algorithm on my laptop. But less about me and more about what he's planning." She said.
"I need to know about my family are they okay?" Martha asked.
"Your sister is currently at 10 Downing Street where she has been hired as a PR handler. Your brother is on vacation and he should stay that way. Your parents however are together and being watched."
"I need to see them. What are we waiting for?"
"That's what he's waiting for. He's waiting for us to make a brash decision so he can get into our heads. The best thing you can do for them is to stay away. They'll be safer that way."
"But they're my family." Martha argued.
"Martha, they're being watched by quite possibly the most powerful man on the planet right now. If you go and try and save them, they'll be killed and you might be too." Martha huffed but sat down on the bed.
"Now what can you tell us about Harry Saxon," the Doctor asked.
"Former Minister of Defence. First came to prominence when he shot down the Racnoss on Christmas Eve. Nice work, by the way." Jack said to the Doctor.
"Oh, thanks."
"But he goes back years. He's famous. Everyone knows his story. Look. Cambridge University, Rugby blue. Won the Athletics thing. Wrote a novel, went into business, marriage, everything. He's got a whole life." Martha said.
"But he's got the TARDIS. Maybe the Master went back in time and has been living here for decades." Jack reasoned.
"No." Rebecca said.
"Why not? Worked for me."
"When he was stealing the Tardis, the only thing I could do was fuse the coordinates. I locked them permanently. He can only travel between the year one hundred trillion and the last place the Tardis landed. Which is right here, right now." The Doctor said.
"Yeah, but a little leeway?"
"The eighteen months. He and I landed at the same time, remember?" Rebecca pointed out.
"So how has he managed all this? The Master was always sort of hypnotic, but this is on a massive scale." The Doctor questioned.
"I was going to vote for him." Martha said, beginning to tap her finger.
"Me too." Jack said.
"He created a telepathic network in the satellites." Rebecca said. "It's the same way, you never felt either of us when you were on free. It didn't matter what his policy was or what he did, it was a constant drumming saying vote Saxon, I can help."
Suddenly an alert sounded on her phone.
"Who's that then?" Rose asked.
"Saxon broadcast all channels." She read. "Turn the TV on."
"Britain, Britain, Britain." The Master said. "What extraordinary times we've had. Just a few years ago, this world was so small. And then they came, out of the unknown, falling from the skies. You've seen it happen. Big Ben destroyed. A spaceship over London. All those ghosts and metal men. The Christmas star that came to kill. Time and time again, and the government told you nothing. Well, not me. Not Harold Saxon. Because my purpose. Here today is to tell you this. Citizens of Great Britain, I have been contacted."
"Oh my god is that TISH?" Martha asked, spotting her sister in the background of the cabinet room with Harold Saxon, before Rebecca shushed her.
"A message for humanity, from beyond the stars."
A group of spheres appeared before them.
"People of the Earth, We come in peace. We bring great gifts. We bring technology and wisdom and protection. And all we ask in return is your friendship."
"Ooo, sweet. And this species has identified itself. They are called the Toclafane." The Master said.
"What?" the Doctor asked.
"And tomorrow morning, they will appear. Not in secret, but to all of you. Diplomatic relations with a new species. Will begin. Tomorrow, we take our place in the universe. Every man, woman and child. Every teacher and chemist and lorry driver and farmer. Oh, I don't know, every medical student and shop girl?"
"He knows we're back?" Martha asked.
"I left. Of course he does. He's a little suspicious but he doesn't know where you are as of yet. He'd assume you'd go to Martha's or my flat, so both are probably rigged with bombs."
"You set up the hotel though, wouldn't he-?"
"I had an intern set it up under a false name, I paid with cash and I may or may not have hacked the security system on my laptop to loop security footage of us with the basically blank boring security footage from earlier today. Everything's paid for via cash or untraceable prepaid gift cards which were never properly registered."
"You did think of everything." Jack said impressed.
"Well I did learn from the best." She said leaning over towards him and giving him a kiss.
"More planning less making eyes at each other." The Doctor argued. "Who are the Toclafane? That's a made up species."
"It's… he's created a major paradox." Rebecca said. "He's cannibalized the TARDIS."
"HE WHAT?"
"What exactly does that mean?" Rose asked. "The TARDIS is eating itself?"
"The TARDIS has certain rules that it likes to follow. Don't cause paradoxes is one of the min ones. Unfortunately, the Master couldn't wait to cause one. So the TARDIS is in a machine that once turned on will start to allow paradoxes to occur specifically Grandfather paradoxes and Hitler's Murder paradoxes."
"No!" The Doctor said.
"Well that's definitely not good." Jack said.
"Sorry, Grandfather paradox? Hitler? I'm lost." Rose asked.
"Grandfather paradox- you can't go back in time and kill your grandfather before your father is conceived. If you try, time will correct itself, make it so someone is unable to do that. With the Hitler's Murder paradox, say if you were to go back in time to kill Hitler, the course of history would be completely altered. You can't go back in time to try and prevent something that has to happen. Like the Titanic sinking or Mount Vesuvius erupting at Pompeii. Some things have to happen and you can't change them."
"So you think that he's going for a Grandfather's paradox?" Jack asked watching her intently as her face fell.
"Unfortunately, yes. You locked the TARDIS between here and the end of time. I think, he somehow took the TARDIS and went to the end of time and it's my belief that the toclafane are a consortium of the humans of the future that we sent off to Utopia."
"Oh my god." Rose said. "That's awful."
"Based on what you're telling me, that sounds right." The Doctor piped in. "But what's his actual plan? Like overall big ten years down the plan job interview question."
"I don't know… I've thought about it a lot and I haven't the foggiest clue. I mean… world domination seems vague."
"But serious enough." Jack said. "God I'm starving."
"I'll go get us some food. He's bound to have people looking for us but, he'll be too busy to have someone tailing his assistant with first contact tomorrow."
"You shouldn't go alone." Jack argued.
"Jack, I'm a big girl I can handle myself." She protested. "I'm trying to protect you all."
"He's not wrong though. Safety in numbers right?" Martha said.
"He probably has bounties on all of your heads!" Rebecca reiterated. "Do you not get that? Unless you magically have a way to come with and be sort of invisible, this isn't a good scenario."
"That's it! You all have your TARDIS keys?" The Doctor asked.
"It's been 150 years. And I've been killed more times than that so… no."
"Here." Rebecca said going to take off her necklace when her phone rang. Intern Maureen.
"Hello?" she answered a little groggily to continue the façade that she was sick.
"Hi Ms. Natalie. I'm so so sorry to bother you especially when you aren't feeling well but Prime Minister Saxon had a few questions he needed answered.
"Ask away," she said.
"Are you going to be able to be at first contact on time tomorrow?"
"I'll be at the airport at 4 A.M. as planned."
"Do you need me to send you a car?"
"I already have one set up. Thank you Maureen. How are the arrangements going with President Winters? I take it he didn't take the news well."
"Well actually-" she was cut off by a man's voice coming on the phone.
"Intern Marie can't talk right now." The Master's voice said.
"It's Maureen you cumquat and let her go."
"I want to talk to an old friend of mine. Is he available?" Rebecca looked to the Doctor who stuck his hand out for the phone. She instead put it on speaker and set it on the table.
"I'm here." He said.
"Doctor."
"Master."
"I like it when you use my name."
"You chose it. Psychiatrist's field day."
"As you chose yours. The man who makes people better. How sanctimonious is that?"
"So, Prime Minister, then.
"I know. It's good, isn't it?"
"Who are those creatures? Because there's no such thing as the Toclafane. It's just a made up name, like the Bogeyman."
"I'm surprised the girl hasn't worked it out yet. But after all she is a bit naïve. Thinking people are all inherently good. Ha." He laughed. "Do you remember all those fairy tales about the Toclafane when we were kids back home? Where is it, Doctor?"
"Gone."
"How can Gallifrey be gone?"
"It burnt."
"And the Time Lords?"
"Dead. And the Daleks, more or less. What happened to you?"
"The Time Lords only resurrected me because they knew I'd be the perfect warrior for a Time War. I was there when the Dalek Emperor took control of the Cruciform. I saw it. I ran. I ran so far. Made myself human so they would never find me, because I was so scared."
"I know."
"Suppose the girl did the same."
"I was an infant. My father saved me." Rebecca cut in. "Rassilon wasn't as cold as everyone thought"
"Rassilon, really. But all of them? But not you, which must mean-" the Master was cut off by the Doctor.
"I was the only one who could end it. And I tried. I did. I tried everything."
"What did it feel like, though? Two almighty civilizations burning. Oh, tell me, how did that feel?"
"Stop it!" the Doctor yelled.
"You must have been like God."
"I've been alone ever since until I found Rebecca. But not anymore. Don't you see? All we've got is each other."
"Are you asking me out on a date? Because the girl is much more my type." Rebecca watched Jack stiffen and squeezed his hand at an attempt of comfort.
"You could stop this right now. We could leave this planet. We can fight across the constellations, if that's what you want, but not on Earth." The Doctor said.
"Too late."
"Why do you say that?"
"The drumming. Can't you hear it? I thought it would stop, but it never does. Never ever stops. Inside my head, the drumming, Doctor. The constant drumming."
"I could help you. Please, let me help."
"It's everywhere. Listen, listen, listen. Here come the drums. Here come the drums."
"What have you done? Tell me how you've done this. What are those creatures? Tell me!" the Doctor asked.
"Ooo look. You're on TV." The Master said.
"Stop it. Answer me."
"No, really. You're on telly. You and your little band, which, By the way, is ticking every demographic box. So, congratulations on that. Look, there you are."
Rebecca flipped the TV on with the mute button and indeed saw her friend's faces on the screen, pictures taken from various events. Rose however wasn't.
"You're public enemies number one, two and three. Oh, and you can tell handsome Jack that I've sent his little gang off on a wild goose chase to the Himalayas, so he won't be getting any help from them."
"Damn it." Jack murmured under his breath.
"I've got this." Rebecca mouthed at him. "So Harry, any word on how President Winters is taking this?"
"Oh I'm sure incredibly well. And I'll see you tomorrow."
"Four AM bright and early. By the way you can't track this phone. Have fun!" she said before hanging up.
"You can't track it?"
"It's a disposable cell I hacked to bounce off every cell tower in the area every few seconds so it's practically untraceable."
"You're brilliant." The Doctor told her.
"I try. But Doc… I have a question. And I think most of us here are wondering the same thing." Rebecca said. "Who is he exactly?"
"Yeah, How come the ancient society of Time Lords created a psychopath?" Jack asked.
"And what is he to you? Like a colleague or-" Martha asked.
"A friend, at first."
"I thought you were going to say he was your secret brother or something." Rose said, causing them to laugh.
"You've been watching too much telly." He smiled at her.
"But all the legends of Gallifrey made it sound so perfect." Rebecca said. "Everything I've read made it sound like it was this picturesque smooth running society."
"Well, perfect to look at, maybe." The Doctor qualified. "And it was. It was beautiful. They used to call it the Shining World of the Seven Systems. And on the Continent of Wild Endeavour, in the Mountains of Solace and Solitude, there stood the Citadel of the Time Lords, the oldest and most mighty race in the universe, looking down on the galaxies below. Sworn never to interfere, only to watch. Children of Gallifrey, taken from their families' age of eight to enter the Academy. And some say that's when it all began. When he was a child. That's when the Master saw eternity. As a novice, he was taken for initiation. He stood in front of the Untempered Schism. It's a gap in the fabric of reality through which could be seen the whole of the vortex. You stand there, eight years old, staring at the raw power of time and space, just a child. Some would be inspired, some would run away, and some would go mad. Brr. I don't know."
"What about you?"
"Oh, the ones that ran away, I never stopped. Rebecca probably would've been one of the inspired ones though."
"Could you take me? She asked.
"When this is all over, maybe. I don't know if there's a place to get a good view at any place of other than the academy which is of course gone."
Jack's vortex manipulator beeped.
"Encrypted channel with files attached. I don't recognize it." Jack said.
"Patch it through to the laptop."
"Since we're telling stories, there's something I haven't told you." Jack said, accessing the remote server from Rebecca's laptop, the Torchwood logo appearing.
"You work for Torchwood?" Rose asked a tad disgusted
"I swear to you, it's different. It's changed. There's only half a dozen of us now."
"Everything Torchwood did, and you're part of it?"
"No. I was always wary of the ghosts. Rebecca can vouch."
"I can. I was dating him right before Canary Wharf happened. Which I'm really sorry I wasn't able to be by your side during the aftermath of. But the Master threatened to bomb the Museum gala. He has an affinity for Pyrotechnics as of late. And also, I've been dating Jack post Canary Wharf and Torchwood is pretty bad ass in a good way now."
"The old regime was destroyed at Canary Wharf. I rebuilt it, I changed it, and when I did that, I did it for you in your honor." The Doctor ignored Jack and hit the play button on the file.
"If I haven't returned to my desk by twenty two hundred, this file will be emailed to Torchwood. Which means if you're watching this, then I'm. Anyway, the Saxon files are attached. But take a look at the Archangel document. That's when it all started. When Harry Saxon became Minister in charge of launching the Archangel Network."
"Oh no that's Vivian from the mirror." Rebecca said. "She kept trying to schedule interviews with Lucy and I kept denying them because I knew she knew more than your average reporter. It didn't take a lot to work out that his paper trail only starts 18 months ago."
"But she didn't dig stuff up on you to blackmail you into the interview?"
"My paper trial apparently starts earlier. Future me rocks. Also didn't you need TARDIS keys before?"
"Ah YES! "he said grabbing his sonic. He ran around with the keys doing a few things with them before smiling triumphantly, Rose smiling at him.
"Four TARDIS keys. Four pieces of the Tardis, all with low level perception properties because the Tardis is designed to blend in. Well, sort of. But now, the Archangel Network's got a second low level signal. Weld the key to the network and Martha, look at me. You can see me, yes?"
"Yes."
"What about now?" He put a key around his neck and everyone watched as Martha struggled ot look at him. "No, I'm here. Look at me."
"It's like I know you're there, but I don't want to know."
"And back again. See? It just shifts your perception a tiny little bit. Doesn't make us invisible, just unnoticed. Oh, I know what it's like. It's like, it's like when you fancy someone and they don't even know you exist. That's what it's like."
"You too, huh?" Jack asked taking a look at Martha.
"What?" Rose asked.
"That was ages ago. I don't feel that way anymore."
"Am I the only one in the room who never had a crush on him?" Rebecca asked.
"Yes." They chorused in unison which made her laugh.
"Alright. Now let's get some food for you guys. The keys will help you remain incognito and will let us maintain the safety in numbers bit." Rebecca said. "What are we feeling?"
"Chips!" Rose said immediately. " I haven't had good London chips in ages. Not since before I got to Pete's world."
"Okay. So remedying that." Rebecca agreed and the rest of the group did, picking out a general idea of what everyone wanted so Rebecca and the people who went with her would know what to get.
"Now who's going out to get food?" Martha asked.
"Why don't you and Rose rest? I'll take Jack and the Doctor with me."
"Mrmph mmmrpph mmmrrrmph" Rose's words were muffled by the pillow she had already relaxed into.
"Sorry, didn't catch that?" Rebecca teased.
"Works for me." She said picking her head up before letting it collapsed into the pillow once again.
"Martha?" she let out a yawn.
"Suppose that'll be alright."
"Okay then. We'll be back in a bit. Don't answer the phone, and don't answer the door. If you want to shower or something there are clean clothes for each of you in that duffle bag." Rebecca said slinging her purse over her shoulder and offering a hand to Jack and nodding at the Doctor as the three set out.
"I know you better than to assume you left them there just so they could rest." Jack said. "What's going on?"
"I… I just have a bad feeling. But whatever we do, we make sure they're safe. The three of us, we're survivors and we have the advantages of not dying and regeneration but… they're Human. The Master will definitely try and take Rose because of her connection to Doc and he's already trying to mess with Martha's head to get to us."
"So we protect them."
"They're priority one." The Doctor agreed. "We get them to safety first thing."
"One of them will have to have the Vortex Manipulator once we get up in the sky." Rebecca said.
"Sky?"
"Valiant is a helicarrier." She told them. "And from what I gather of this highly televised event, security won't be that tight because if you've somehow found a way onboard the Valiant which is several miles high in the sky, you probably belong there but that doesn't meant that I'm not worried."
"We'll be okay." Jack assured her, squeezing her hand. She could only pray that he was right.
The three soon returned to the hotel room with fish and chips for each of them and Rebecca set out to explain her plan. She received a text from intern Dana with an update on the Jones family having been taken in for custody which made her sigh. But she kept her mouth shut and
Late that night, as everyone struggled to sleep, Rebecca stepped into the bathroom just to clear her mind when Jack followed her in.
"A girl can't piss in peace now?" she asked him.
"If that's why you were in here, I would've waited but it's not. You're worried."
"Of course I'm worried. He has the world surrounded by a large quantity of volatile most likely homicidal aliens. I don't know what happens next and I don't know if I can control it and I don't like that. I've done so much this past year trying to stop this. What if it's not enough?"
"Then we figure out a different plan. We'll make it through." He assured her, pulling her in for an embrace.
At what cost? She wondered. But that thought quickly disappeared as Jack in normal Jack fashion tried to take her mind off of things.
He succeeded.
But at 3:15 she left her friends in the hotel room and found her cab and made her way to the airport to be taken aboard the helicarrier.
"Aircraft carrier Valiant. It's a UNIT ship at fifty eight point two north, ten point oh two east." She texted her friends the coordinates so they could be able to board closer to first contact.
As soon as she landed, she was taken straight to the bridge.
"How are we doing Tannoy?" she asked one of the workers.
"It's hectic but Europe is now online. Awaiting confirmation from South America. And keep tracking Japan."
"Good to hear. All the necessary people aboard?"
"Yes. Unfortunately."
Rebecca immediately spotted President Winters of the US talking to one of the workers.
"I want the whole thing branded in my suit of office, not the UN. You got that?"
"Yes Mister President." They agreed heading off.
"Good morning President Winters. I'm Natalie Goodwin of the-"
"You're not from my administration? I'd remember you." He said.
"Yes that's correct."
"But you're American. Why don't you work for us?"
"Lack of gun control enforcement, lack of a decent healthcare system and financial aid program for students." She said dryly. "But I'm here to discuss first contact with you."
"It's been talked through enough."
"But sir… the Toclafane are-"
"Are harmless you saw the video." He cut her off. She sighed and shook her head.
"Whatever you say Mr. President." She resigned herself to heading out of the room when The Master and Lucy came in.
"Anything I can do? I could make the tea, or isn't that American enough? I don't know, I could make grits. What are grits, anyway?" the Master asked.
"If you could just sit." Winters said a bit annoyed.
"Ah my lovely assistant is here." The Master said. "Wasn't sure you'd make it."
"You know me, couldn't miss this for the world." She said. "I'm going to check on set up of the conference room."
"You do that. And grab me a bag of Jelly babies while you're at it. There's a bunch in my state room."
"Yes sir." She said with an eye roll exiting the flight deck and grabbing the required items from the Saxon suite before returning and handing them to the Master.
She checked on the Jones' making sure they were alright and fed. She found them uninjured and well just a bit frightened which given the circumstances, was not surprising.
She even checked on the TARDIS and was met by her friends.
"You okay?" Jack asked her.
"So far, so good. But everyone is on red alert. Please be careful. Martha I've checked on your family. They're fine."
"They're here?"
"Yes but they're uninjured, fed, clothed and being cared for. They're a bit shaken up but I've made sure that they'll be okay."
"I thought they were safe." She said.
"They are." Rebecca tried to assure her. "Everyone know the plan?"
"Put a key around his neck and expose the bastard for who he really is." Rose pipped in.
"Order of attempts?"
"Doc, then Jack, then me and Martha can duke it out."
"Good. Please be careful. Everyone is on red alert. Here's a clearance card if you can't get into any of the door ways. I have to go." She said. She looked at all of her friends and hugged each of them.
"Be careful." She warned them before kissing Jack quickly. If her fears were proven to be true, that would be the last time for a while.
As she entered the Flight Deck, it was two minutes till.
"Two minutes, everyone." President Winters was preparing himself at his desk. "According to the treaty, all armed personnel are requested to leave the flight deck immediately. Thank you." All of the armed personnel left and Rebecca noticed her friends slip through the door as they did but maintained her position next to the Saxons.
"Broadcasting at seven fifty eight with the arrival timed for eight hundred hours exactly. And, er, good luck to all of us." President Winters said as Harry Saxon sat at a table with Lucy, eating Jelly Babies.
"My fellow Americans, patriots, people of the world. I stand before you today as ambassador for humanity, a role I will undertake with the utmost solemnity. Perhaps our Toclafane cousins can offer us much, but what is important is not that we gain material benefits, but that we learn to see ourselves anew. For as long as man has looked at the stars, he has wondered what mysteries they hold. Now we know we are not alone."
Rebecca felt the Doctor begin his approach, as she knew he would be but kept calm.
"No longer unique in the universe. And I ask you now, I ask of the human race, to join with me in welcoming our friends. I give you the Toclafane." Four spheres appeared before them.
"My name is Arthur Coleman Winters, President Elect of the United States of America, and designated representative of the United Nations. I welcome you to the planet Earth and its associated moon."
"You're not the Master." A Male sphere said.
"We like the Mister Master." Another sphere said.
"We don't like you."
"I can be master, if you so wish. I will accept mastery over you, if that is God's will." President Winters said.
"Man is stupid." The spheres said.
"Master is our friend."
"Where's my Master, pretty please?" a female sphere said.
"Oh, all right then. It's me. Ta da! Sorry, sorry, I have this effect. People just get obsessed. Is it the smile? Is it the aftershave? Is it the capacity to laugh at myself? I don't know. It's crazy." The Master got up and the Doctor had to step back to avoid being hit by the Master's movements.
"Saxon, what are you talking about?"
"I'm taking control, Uncle Sam, starting with you. Kill him." A sphere pointed its weapon at the President and it shot him, blasting him into little pieces.
All of a sudden, guns were drawn and pointed at everyone.
"Guards." The Master said with a laugh.
"Nobody move! Nobody move!"
"Now then, peoples of the Earth. Please attend carefully." The Master said. The Doctor took off his key and tried to run forward to put his key on the master but was grabbed by two men in black.
"Stop him!" one of the guards yelled. The Master approached him.
"We meet at last, Doctor. Oh, ho. I love saying that."
"Stop it! Stop it now!" the Doctor yelled.
"As if a perception filter's going to work on me. And look, it's the girlie and the freak. Although, I'm not sure which one's which. Oh is that Blondie in the back too?"
Jack ran forward, but the Master zapped him with a screwdriver and Rebecca ran over to his collapsed form on the ground.
"Laser screwdriver. Who'd have sonic? And the good thing is, he's not dead for long. I get to kill him again!"
"Master, just calm down. Just look at what you're doing. Just stop. If you could see yourself"
"Oh, do excuse me. Little bit of personal business. Back in a minute. Let him go." The Master said to the guards.
"It's that sound. The sound in your head. What if I could help?"
"Oh, how to shut him up? I know. Memory Lane. Professor Lazarus. Remember him and his genetic manipulation device? What, did you think that little Tish got that job merely by coincidence? I've been laying traps for you all this time. And if I can concentrate all that Lazarus technology into one little screwdriver? But, ooo, if I only had the Doctor's biological code. Oh, wait a minute, I do." He opened a large metal briefcase, revealing the Doctor's hand. "I've got his hand. And if Lazarus made himself younger, what if I reverse it? Another hundred years?"
The Master aimed his screwdriver at the Doctor who began to convulse rapidly.
"You two go. Teleport." Rebecca ordered the two girls.
"I can't" Rose said.
"We can't stop him. Get out of here. Get out." Jack told her. Rebecca looked over to see Martha had run over to the Doctor, who looked at least a hundred years old, Lucy standing over them, looking unhappy.
"Doctor? I've got you." Martha said.
"Ah, she's a would be doctor. But tonight, Martha Jones, we've flown them in all the way from prison." Martha's father, mother and sister, were ushered in, wrists fastened together with cable ties.
"Come on, move." A guard said pushing them along.
"Mum." Martha said.
"I'm sorry." Francine apologized.
"Is it time? Is it ready?" one of the Toclafane asked.
"Is the machine singing?" a second asked.
"Two minutes past. So, Earthings. Basically, er, end of the world. Here come the drums!" VooDoo Child came on and the Master started singing along, Lucy standing beside him.
"How many do you think?" the Master asked Lucy.
"I, I don't know." Lucy said.
"Six billion." Rebecca said. "There are six billion people down there. And you're trying to destroy them all. You son of a bitch!" she said rushing forward toward him, two guards grabbing her.
"Wow. What a fair point. Six billion people and I had every intention of destroying a large portion of them right this very minute. I was thinking twenty percent. One point two billion people killed right now. Doesn't that sound fun?"
"Don't you dare." She said, struggling against the guards.
"Now I'm feeling fair. I'm planning on rebuilding a civilization, I will need slaves. And maybe the remaining 4.8 billion won't be enough. You know how hard it is to find good help. But maybe I'll only kill a whole ten percent of the population. If you do as I ask."
Rebecca looked at him.
"Rebuilding a civilization. I should've known." She said. The Master gestured for the guards to release her. "Cut the cameras." She said. And with a gesture, the filming was stopped.
"Oh, don't want the whole world seeing you fail bargaining to save their lives." He laughed. "How cute."
"You leave them out of this. Go to an uninhabited planet. We can rebuil"d there."
"But this way is so fun." He pouted. "And you're not in a position to be bargaining much are you?" he asked circling her, stopping behind her and pushing the hair away from her neck.
She had to stop herself from shaking.
"Get your hands off of her!" Jack yelled.
"Hold him." Rebecca ordered. The guards grabbed him and Rebecca walked over to him, taking off his ring that was on her necklace. "I'm so sorry." She said, tears rolling down her face. She put the ring onto his finger.
"What are you doing Rebecca? Get out of here!" he hissed at her.
"Don't you see? I'm the last female Gallifreyan in all of existence. He intends for me to help him repopulate the race." Rebecca said.
"Smarter than I take her for most of the time." The Master agreed. "So what'll it be?"
"No killings."
"No deal I'll kill them all and still make you reproduce."
"One percent." She said.
"15." He said.
"3"
"12"
"5"
"10 percent is my final offer." He said.
"7?"
"10 percent still." He said. Rebecca nodded tears rolling down her cheeks. "Seal the deal with a kiss." He said pulling her in for a slobbery kiss.
"Now that's that settled. Shall we decimate them? That sounds good. A nice word, decimate. Remove one tenth of the population!" He declared and sent out the Toclafane.
"Valiant, this is Geneva. We're getting slaughtered down here. Valiant, report. Help us. For God's sake, help us! They're everywhere!"
"This is London, Valiant. This is London calling. What do we do? They're killing us! The Toclafane are all around. They're killing us."
It was at that moment that Martha and Rose, wearing their backpacks teleported away.
"They'll be okay." Rebecca whispered, wrapping her arms around herself. The Doctor and Jack glanced at each other.
"And so it came to pass that the human race fell, and the Earth was no more. And I looked down upon my new dominion as Master of all, and I thought it good." The Master laughed as he forced everyone to watch the toclafane flood down to the Earth.
This was going to be a long year.
AN: So? What do we think? Hate it? Love it? Want to punch someone in the face?
Also did you all see the Series 9 trailer? I'm excited. What did you think?
Let me know in a review here in this cute little box below.
Thank you!