Philippi…"
Summary: The Doctor, seeking an answer to the mystery of Clara, has decided to turn to the one person who always has the answer…Even if she never tells him straight out. And gets a message from an old acquaintance…
Disclaimer: Who me? No commercial interest or infringement intended whatsoever…
Part XXI…
Dalek Parliament…
"So 'peace is at hand'…How wonderful." River drily to the 13th Doctor, Clara glaring…
"Is it so terrible, that we who have brought so much benefit to the Universe, and you, personally, Sister…Survive?" a warm voice…They turned to see…Emerging from the center of the Parliament chamber, in simple blouse and trousers.
"Rose? Rose Tyler?" River stared.
"No, certainly not…But her form is scattered throughout our memories…" the dalek Rose noted.
"Davros…?" Clara stared, eyeing the "woman", then the silent mobile unit.
"The transfer is not yet complete…But, yes. I…Am Empress Davros." She nodded.
"It's not meant as an insult…" the 13th Doctor noted quietly. "They have come to see Rose as something unique and beautiful. This is a part biological android of course, not a human puppet Rose."
"Miss Tyler has been a decisive factor in the Doctor's development…" the Empress noted, warm smile again. "We only seek to honor her in this."
"Pure evil mocking her in her form…" River frowned. "And you allow this…?" she eyed the Doctor.
"Rose allowed it." He replied, quietly. "Do you actually think I'd let this be without her permission and agreement. And my own other self… But the importance was great enough…And even the Moment agreed it was a chance to be taken."
"The Moment?" Clara eyed him. "The weapon that would have destroyed Gallifrey and the Daleks…?"
"The intelligence that led to mutual salvation…" the Empress noted quietly. "Worthy of honor as is dear Rose."
"Yes. Well, naturally I had to consult with someone…" the 13th Doctor noted, nervous smile. "Not that I wouldn't have done anything to get you out of the Library…"
"I never liked that nervous smile he developed in 13…" River shook head. "It lacks confidence, somehow. I know I should be grateful he's a modicum less smug but…" sigh.
"We know him too, that well?" Clara eyed her.
"For once, I know something you don't?" River beamed. Clara frowning…
"Ladies…" the 13th Doctor rolled eyes. "Can your two thirds settle this later? I've asked the Empress to explain the situation…"
"Meaning…" River eyed Clara… "Something's got wobbly and he needs us to help as always…"
"I took this form in part to communicate more easily with you, since poor Darla is anxious to rejoin her daughter and of course must go." The Empress beamed at the anxious-looking Darla. "She's waiting for you, don't fear." She returned to face River and Clara… "You are quite correct, Dr. Song, dear sister…The Daleks came to see, at last, that they could not survive as they were…Forever at war with the Time Lords who had escaped to a haven from which they could not be dislodged. Strangling in their own hate…Though that hate did prove the salvation of countless species who else would have destroyed themselves or each other without our common menace to unite them. When the Doctor regenerated, to this his 13th form…" she smiled at the Doctor… "Our fate was finally, irrevocably sealed…We had violated all truces, even attacked the Universal Church…And lost. We were, at last, as doomed as we had been since I made my foolish mistake on Scaro eons ago and threw away our greatest strength as a species…Our compassion, our love."
"And now…?" Clara eyed her.
"My fool husband has given it back to you? Courtesy Rose Tyler?" River fumed, glancing at the Doctor who sighed.
"In me, now, and throughout the entire collective hive of the Daleks, something…Borrowed, given as a gift, freely, not taken…Something of Rose Tyler, so like what we once were…Lives now. Not that we're suddenly saints, sisters…" the Empress nodded carefully. "But those tiny threads of compassion and love, that even the Daleks' hate could not stamp out fully in us…And that drove us mad to destroy all to silence them, much like the Doctor's poor old friend…Are growing in us, once more, seeded with Rose Tyler's nature. That, sister…Was our price for peace…" smile. "A chance to survive…The only possible chance. As for assisting the Doctor to recover you…" Rose-like shrug…
"You are our sister and we rather fancy that you should be wife to the Doctor…Our great foe and the one we always knew would save us, if we could be saved."
"All too easy…" River frowned. "Hearts and flowers, universal peace…?"
"Not at all…We aren't saints now, as I told you. And the other aggressive species of the Universe continue on. But we now have a chance to survive and a chance to live, as real beings, not simply machines with one purpose. It may be, in the end, we will be no better than humans…" grin. "But the Doctor has given us a chance when we had none." Fond smile at the Doctor.
"Somehow…We always knew he would…Ever since he refused to destroy us when he had the chance."
"But the Library?" Clara interrupted. "You've already been there? Recovered her…Me…?"
"I have…" the 13th Doctor nodded. "But they haven't…"
"Ah…" River rolled eyes. "So is that it? You need us to help them attack the Library?"
"Penetrate it, yes…Not attack…" the Empress noted.
"We don't want a bloodbath or a war…" the 13th Doctor agreed. "And no one knows the Library and could get into the operating system like someone who is a part of it…"
"Right…" River shaking head. "You needed all three of us…Me, Clara, Idris…We're all essential to getting into the system." Sidelong glance… "So how long and how many tries have you made before you realized you had to manipulate 12 into rounding us up…Or at least, getting us to come, in my case?"
"God, an awful lot, really…" the 12th Doctor's voice as he entered the chamber…
"All hail our friend and savior!" the collective cry…
"Oh, thanks, guys!" wave… "Appreciate it!" beam and nod to universal applause…
The two, Clara and River, shaking heads, narrowly eyeing him and the rather sheepish…
We could tone it…The hubris, I mean?... Down a bit, couldn't we?...13th Doctor…
The 12th halting before the two women with bow and flourish.
"Doctor, welcome back." The Empress smiled. "Well, what do you think? Would Rose be pleased? I think the process worked quite well?"
"Hmmn-hmm…Yes, indeed." The 12th nodded at her, smiling. "I think we did a fine job, Empress. On all levels…"
"I somehow always knew we'd work well together if the chance ever came, Doctor." She beamed.
"Where's the TARDIS, idiot?" River frowned at him. Clearly as eager to cut his conversation with Empress Davros off as she was to upbraid him.
"Oh, I had to park outside the immediate temporal zone…Too many paradoxic currents what with his…" he indicated the 13th Doctor… "And my earlier girl being here together…" nodding at the TARDIS River and Clara had come in.
"And so now you want us to help in this?" Clara stared at him. "Peace with the Daleks, downloading me into me…Oswin…And the TARDIS…?"
"Darling…Call it a wedding present…" the two Doctors, together, winningly…
Clara and River eyeing each other grimly…
"What about the battle? Rasillon's warning? 'Phillippi'?" River noted.
"Your father-in-law sends his love and kisses…Well, maybe not kisses actually…More of a stern greeting and command you live up to the family name and your Gallifrean heritage…" the 13th, apologetically. "And that's part of why we need you, River. Not that we don't need you, constantly, my love…All of you." Wan smile to Clara…
"So you lost, eh?" River, calmly. "And now, after failing God knows how many times, you come running back to the little woman begging for her to fix things?"
"Sounds about right…" Clara nodded.
12th and 13th eyed each other…
"I must get married, Doctor…" the Empress sighed. "It's easy to see what a loving yet powerful arrangement it is. Can you suggest a good mate for the Daleks? Perhaps one of your male companions, they're such fine people, all."
"Well…" the 13th pondered. "Anyone single but Jack Harkness…He'd break your heart and it's too soon in your development for that."
"No disagreement there…" the 12th nodded.