Chapter 21: The Vixen's Daughter

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who.

In the TARDIS, Rose and her companions clung furiously to the console as the TARDIS flew violently through the vortex. They shook to every possible side while Rose tried to regain some control. Sparks flew, Donna and Martha screamed while Rose had a look of deep concern. Donna asked, "What the hell's it doing?"

Rose yelped, "Controls aren't working!" She tried again with a control and sparks flew. The TARDIS made one last rebellious explosion and sparks flew again. Rose and her companions fell backwards, Rose landed in the chair next to the console as the TARDIS landed. Rose helped up the other two girls before suddenly running towards the door and outside.

She exited the TARDIS and looked around curiously. They seemed to be in some underground tunnel, littered with junk and old equipment. Martha and Donna soon followed. Rose asked, "Why would the TARDIS bring us here?"

Martha said smiling, "Oh, I love this bit."

Donna said, "Thought you wanted to go home."

Martha replied, "I know, but all the same..." Rose went about her business, seemingly oblivious to the conversation. "It's that feeling you get..."

Donna asked sarcastically, "Like you swallowed a hamster?" At that moment, the girls heard a loud noise. They looked over to the source of the commotion. Soldiers were coming.

A boy, Cline said, "Don't move, stay where you are! Drop your weapons." The soldiers pointed their guns at the TARDIS crew who showed they were unarmed.

Rose said reassuringly, "We're not armed! Look, no weapons. Never any weapons. We're safe."

A soldier said fearfully, "Look at their hands. They're clean."

Cline ordered, "Alright, process them! The blonde first."

The two soldiers who accompanied Cline moved towards Rose. They grabbed her and dragged her towards a strange machine. Rose yelped, "Oi, oi! What's wrong with clean hands?!"

Martha asked, "What's going on?"

Donna barked, "Leave her alone!"

Rose's hand was forced into the machine and she made yells of pain as it whizzed away doing it's job. Rose said sarcastically, "Something tells me this isn't about to check my blood pressure." She suddenly screamed in agony.

Donna asked, "What're you doing to her?"

Cline replied, "Everyone gets processed."

Rose explained, "It's taken a tissue sample. Ow ow ow ow ow ow! And extrapolated it! Some kind of accelerator?" The machine let Rose go, and she moved back, examining her hand. Donna and Martha ran to her while she looked at a larger machine near the 'processor'.

Martha asked, "Are you alright?" She examined Rose's hand and noticed a Y-shaped graze.

Rose and Donna kept an eye on the other machine as it opened. Rose muttered, "What on earth? That's just..." A woman stepped out from the machine, smoke billowing everywhere. She looked exactly like Rose, wearing leather pants and a dark green t-shirt.

The TARDIS crew looked on curiously as the woman looked around, also curious. Cline ordered, "Arm yourself!" He handed the woman the gun, and she naturally handled it.

Martha asked, "Where did she come from?"

Rose replied, "From me."

The woman was arming the gun as Rose, looking totally shocked herself, explained the situation to Donna and Martha. Donna asked, "From you?! How? Who is she?"

Rose stammered, "Well... she's... well... she's my daughter!"

The young woman looked on with a smile on her face and said, "Hello mum!"

The woman joined the soldiers while Rose, Donna and Martha stayed in the background. Cline asked, "You primed to take orders, ready to fight?"

Jenny said, "Instant mental download of all strategic and military protocols, sir. Generation 5000 soldier primed and in peak physical health. Oh, I'm ready."

Donna asked, "Did you say, daughter?"

Rose replied, "Mm. Technically."

Martha asked, shocked, "Technically how?"

Rose inhaled sharply, "Progenation. Reproduction from a single organism. Means one parent is biological mother and father. You take a sample of diploid cells, split them into haploids, then recombine them in a different arrangement, and grow. Very quickly, apparently."

Jenny said, "Something's coming!" A humanoid fish ran down the tunnel shooting.

Cline shouted, "It's the Haths!" The human soldiers shot back.

Rose's daughter ordered, "Get down!"

Cline said, "We have to blow the tunnel! Get the detonator!"

Rose snapped, "I'm not detonating anything!" A Hath grabbed Martha and pulled her away, while Jenny kicked the other Hath and picked up the detonator.

Cline shouted, "Blow that thing, blow the thing!"

Rose shouted, "Martha! No! Don't!" Rose's daughter pressed the button, and they all ran to cover before the tunnel exploded. Rose went back to see the tunnel sealed and said in a deadly quiet voice, "You've sealed off the tunnel. Why did you do that?!"

Rose's daughter replied, "They were trying to kill us!"

Rose snapped, "But they've got my friend! She's my family!"

"Collateral damage. At least you've still got her, he lost both his men, I'd say you came out ahead."

Donna snapped, "Her name's Martha, and she's not collateral damage, not for anyone! Have you got that, GI Jane?!"

Rose said, setting her jaw, "I'm gonna find her."

Cline pointed a gun at them and said, "You're going nowhere. You don't make sense, you two. No guns, no marks, no fight in you... I'm taking you to General Cobb. Now, move." Rose growled, eyes glowing, and glared at Cline.

Martha woke up in the debris of the explosion and spotted an injured Hath. She said, "Hold on, I've got you, is it your arm, yeah?" The Hath gurgled. "Is that a yes?" The Hath nodded. "Let me examine it. Keep still. Still, yeah? No move!" The Hath nodded. "Half fish, half human, how'm I supposed to know? Is that a shoulder? Feels like a shoulder! I think it's dislocated."

Several Haths marched in and pointed guns at Martha who said, "I'm trying to help him! I am a doctor and he is my patient, and I'm not leaving him! Now, this is gonna hurt. One, two, three!"

Martha snapped the shoulder back into place. The Hath cocked their guns. The injured Hath explained to them that she was helping him, and the guns were lowered. Martha said, standing up, "Now, then. I'm Doctor Martha Jones. Who the hell are you?"

Cline, Rose's daughter, Donna and Rose walked through the tunnels. Donna said, "I'm Donna, what's your name?"

Rose's daughter replied, "Don't know, it's not been assigned."

Donna said, "Well, if you don't know that, what do you know?"

"How to fight."

Donna asked, "Nothing else?"

Rose said, "The machine must embed military history and tactics but no name. She's a generated anomaly."

Donna asked, "Generated anomaly? Jenny-rated. Well what about that? Jenny!"

Rose's daughter said, "Jenny. Yeah, I like that, Jenny." She said the word a few times, feeling it roll off her tongue.

Donna asked, "Jenny Tyler. What do you think, 'Mum'?"

Rose said, "Yeah, it's good, I suppose." She looked away,

Donna asked, "Not what you'd call a natural parent, are you?"

Rose said, "They stole a tissue sample at gunpoint and processed it. She may be my daughter but it's not what I call natural parentage."

Donna said, "Rubbish! My friend Nerys fathered twins with a turkey baster, don't bother her."

Rose scoffed, "You can't extrapolate a relationship from a biological accident."

Donna replied, "Er, Child Support Agency can."

Rose said, "Look, just cos I share certain physiological traits with simian primates doesn't make me a monkey's aunt, does it?"

Jenny stopped and said, "I'm not a monkey! Or a child."

They reached the human encampment, a huge underground room. Rose asked, "So, where are we? What planet's this?"

Cline replied, "Messaline. Well, what's left of it."

The tannoy announced, "... 663 - 75 deceased. Generation 6671 - Extinct. Generation 6672 - 46 deceased. Generation 6680 - 14 deceased. Generation..."

Donna said, "But, this is a theatre!"

Rose joked, "Maybe they're doing Miss Saigon." She sat down.

Donna went on, "It's like a town, or a city, underground. But why?"

Cline just finished reporting to an older soldier who now walked to Rose and Donna. Rose said, "General Cobb, I presume?"

General Cobb said, "Found in the Western tunnels, I'm told, with no marks. There was an outbreak of pacifism in the Eastern Zone, three generations back, before we lost contact, is that where you came from?"

Rose, not trusting him, said, "Eastern Zone, that's us, yeah. Yeah. I'm the Vixen, this is Donna."

Jenny spoke up, "And I'm Jenny."

General Cobb sneered, "Don't think you can infect us with your peacemaking. We're committed to the fight, to the very end."

Rose said, standing back up, "Well, that's fine, I can't stay anyway. I've gotta go and find my friend."

General Cobb said, "That's not possible, all movement is regulated. We're at war."

Rose nodded, "Yes, I noticed. With the Hath. But tell me, cos we got a bit out of circulation, Eastern Zone and all that, so, who exactly are the Haths?"

General Cobb said, "Back at the dawn of this planet, these ancient halls were carved from the earth. Our ancestors dreamt of a new beginning, a colony where human and Hath could work and live together."

Rose asked, "So what happened?"

General Cobb replied, "The dream died. Broken, along with Hath promises. They wanted it all for themselves. But those early pioneers, they fought back. They used the machines to produce soldiers instead of colonists, and began this battle for survival."

Donna said, "There's nothing but earth outside, why's that? Why build everything underground?"

Cline replied, "The surface is too dangerous."

Donna asked, "Well, then why build windows in the first place? And what does this mean?" She pointed at a number stamped on the wall.

General Cobb said, "The rites and symbols of our ancestors. The meanings... lost in time."

Rose asked, "How long's this war gone on for?"

General Cobb replied, "Longer than anyone can remember. Countless generations marked only by the dead."

Donna asked, "What, fighting all this time?"

Jenny explained, "Because we must. Every child of the machine is born with this knowledge. It's our inheritance, it's all we know. How to fight. And how to die."

Rose looked at a holographic map and asked, "Does this show the entire city, including the Haths zones?"

General Cobb replied, "Yes. Why?"

Rose answered, "Well it'll help us find Martha."

Cline said, "We've more important things to do. The Progenation Machines are powered down for the night shift, but soon as they're active, we could breed a whole platoon from you two girls."

Donna said incredulously, "I'm not having sons and daughters by some great big flippin' machine!" She looked at Jenny. "Sorry, no offence but you're not... well I mean you're not real."

Jenny said, "You're no better than her! I have a body, I have a mind, I have independent thought, how am I not real? What makes you better than me?"

General Cobb appraised her. "Well said, soldier. We need more like you if ever we're to find the Source."

Rose said, "Oh, the Source, what's that then, what's a Source? I like a Source, what is it?"

General Cobb said, "The Breath of Life."

Rose asked, "And that would be..?"

Cline said, "In the beginning the great one breathed life into the universe. And then she looked at what she'd done, and she sighed."

Jenny asked, "She? I like that."

Rose said, "Yeah. Right, so it's a creation myth."

General Cobb said, "It's not myth. It's real. That sigh. From the beginning of time it was caught and kept as the Source. It was lost when the war started. But it's here, somewhere. Whoever holds the Source controls the destiny of the planet."

Rose said, "I thought so! There's a suppressed layer of information in this map, if I can just..." She sonicked the map and more tunnels appeared on it.

Donna asked, "What is it, what's it mean?"

Rose pointed at the new spaces. "See? A whole complex of tunnels, hidden from sight."

General Cobb said, "That must be the lost temple. The source will be inside. You've shown us the way! And look, we're closer than the Haths! It's ours! Tell them to prepare to move out. We'll progenate new soldiers on the morning shift, then we march. Once we reach the Temple, peace will be restored at long last."

Rose said, "Um, call me old-fashioned, but if you really wanted peace couldn't you just stop fighting?"

General Cobb said, "Only when we have the Source. It'll give us the power to erase every stinking Hath from the face of this planet!"

Rose said, "Hang on, hang on, a second ago it was peace in our time, now you're talking about genocide!?"

General Cobb said, "For us, that means the same thing."

Rose snarled, "Then you need to get yourself a better dictionary. When you do, look up genocide. You'll see a little picture of me and my boyfriend there and the caption will read 'Over our dead bodies'!" She couldn't believe this power-hungry psycho.

General Cobb said, "And you're the one who showed us the path to victory. But you can consider the irony from your prison cell. Cline, at arms!"

Cline pointed his gun at Rose and Donna. Donna snapped, "Oi, oi oi! All right! Cool the beans Rambo!"

General Cobb ordered, "Take them, I won't have them spreading treason. And if you try anything, Vixen, I'll see that your friend dies first."

Rose growled and Cline ordered, "Come on. This way."

Rose snarled, "I'm going to stop you, Cobb, you need to know that."

General Cobb flinched and said, "I have an army and the breath of god on my side, Vixen, what'll you have?"

Rose breathed, "Me."

General Cobb ordered, "Lock them up, and guard them."

Cline asked, "What about the new soldier?"

Jenny stepped forward but Cobb pushed her away into Rose's arms, who caught her and asked gently, "You okay?"

Jenny nodded and General Cobb said, "Can't trust her, she's from pacifist stock. Take them all!"

Rose, Donna and Jenny entered their cell. Donna noticed there were numbers there too and said, "More numbers. They've gotta mean something."

Rose said, "Yeah. Makes as much sense as the breath of life story."

Jenny asked, "You mean that's not true?"

Donna replied, "No, it's a myth. Isn't it, 'Vixen'?"

Rose replied, "But there could still be something real in that temple, something that's become a myth. A piece of technology, a weapon, probably."

Donna asked incredulously, "So the Source could be a weapon and we've just given directions to Captain Nutjob?"

Rose said sheepishly, "Kinda."

"Not good, is it?"

Rose replied, "No. That's why we need to get out of here, find Martha and stop Cobb from slaughtering the Haths." She noticed Jenny's inquisitive look. "What, what are you, what are you... what are you staring at?"

Jenny said, "You keep insisting you're not a soldier. But look at you! You're wearing combat clothes, you've got army dog tags. You're even drawing up strategies like a proper general."

Rose said, "No, I'm trying to stop the fighting."

Jenny asked, "Isn't every soldier?"

Rose said perplexed, "Well. I suppose. But that's... that's... technically... I haven't got time for this! Donna, give me your phone, mine's dead!"

Donna said, "But we're on a planet in the future. Mine isn't a superphone like yours."

Rose grinned and said, "Just give it. Its time for an upgrade!" Donna handed her the phone and Rose sonicked it.

Jenny said, "And now you've got a weapon!"

Rose said, "It's not a weapon."

Jenny said, "But you're using it to fight back!" She laughed. "I'm gonna learn so much from you, you are such a soldier!"

Rose stammered, "Donna, will you tell her?"

Donna laughed, "Oh, you are speechless, I'm loving this! You keep on, Jenny!"

Martha picked up the phone instantly, "Rose?"

Rose sighed in relief, "Martha! You're alive!"

Martha said excitedly, "Rose! Oh, am I glad to hear your voice! Are you all right?"

Rose replied, "I'm with Donna, we're fine, what about you?"

Donna said, "And Jenny, she's fine too!"

Rose said, "Yeah, and, and Jenny... That's the girl from the machine, the soldier, my daughter, except she is, she's, she's... Anyway! Where are you?"

Martha said, "I'm in the Haths camp. I'm OK, but, something's going on. The Hath are all marching off to some place that's appeared on this map thing."

Rose groaned, "Ohhh... That was me. If both armies are heading that way, there's going to be a bloodbath." Martha asked, "What do you want me to do?"

Rose said, "Just stay where you are, if you're safe there then don't move, alright?"

Martha argued, "But I can help." The phone beeped and the connection broke. "Rose? Rose! Oh I hate you!"

The soldiers and cheers and chanting was heard in the prison cell. Rose said, "They're getting ready to move out. We have to get past that guard."

Jenny spoke up, "I can deal with him."

Rose said, "No. You're not going anywhere."

Jenny asked, "What?"

Rose said harshly, "You belong here, with them."

Donna said, "She belongs with us. With you. She's your daughter!"

Rose replied coldly, "She's a soldier. She came out of that machine!"

Donna snapped, "Oh yes, I know that bit! Listen, have you got that stethoscope?" Rose nodded. "Give it to me. Come on!" Rose reluctantly handed Donna her stethoscope, knowing she was going to get slapped if she didn't.

Jenny asked, "What're you doing?"

Donna said, "It's all right. Just hold still." Donna placed the stethoscope to Jenny's chest, first on the left, then on the right. Then she looked at Rose. "Come here. Listen. And then tell me where she belongs."

She handed Rose the stethoscope and made her hear heartbeats on both sides. She stepped back and stared at Jenny. Rose whispered, "Two hearts."

Donna smiled, "Exactly."

Jenny asked, confused, "What's going on?"

Donna asked, "Does that mean she's a... Time Lord?"

Jenny asked, "What's a Time Lord?"

Rose replied, "It's who I am. It's where I'm from."

Jenny said, "And I'm from you."

Rose snapped, "You're an echo, that's all. A Time Lord is so much more. A sum of knowledge. A code. A shared history. A shared suffering." She paused. "Only it's gone now. All of it. Gone forever."

Jenny asked sympathetically, "What happened?"

Rose replied, "There was a war."

"Like this one?"

Rose laughed at the absurdity of the comparison and said. "Bigger. Much bigger."

Jenny asked, "And you fought? And killed?"

Rose said darkly, "Yes. On the front lines." She remembered her soldier days before she was shot by a dalek and made human.

Jenny asked, "Then how are we different?"

Rose smiled, "Suppose we're not." She and Donna shared a look. "Welcome aboard." Jenny grinned happily

Jenny went to the cell door to talk with Cline, cleared her throat, fluffed her hair up a bit and whispered, "Hey."

Cline said, "I'm not supposed to talk to you, I'm on duty."

Jenny said in a sultry voice, "I know. Guarding me. So does that mean I'm dangerous? Or that I need protecting?"

Cline asked, turning around, "Protecting from what?"

Jenny twirled her hair flirtatiously, "Don't know. Men like you?" She pulled him closer for a kiss, then grabbed his gun and pointed it at him. "Keep quiet and open the door."

During this, Rose and Donna were waiting out of sight. Donna whispered, "I'd like to see you try that!" Rose didn't look all too pleased at the sight of the pimply boy kissing her daughter.

They walked downstairs, but stopped when they noticed another guard. Rose said, "That's the way out." Jenny cocked the gun but Rose stopped her. "Don't you dare!"

Donna stepped between the two and said, "Let me distract this one. I have picked up a few womanly wiles over the years."

Rose said, horrified at the thought of Donna flirting, "Let's... save your wiles for later. In case of emergency." She used a wind-up mouse to distract the guard, then Jenny stepped behind the guard and knocked him out.

Rose snapped, "I was gonna distract him, not clobber him!"

Jenny said in a childish voice, "Well, it worked, didn't it?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "God, you're just like your mother. I should be proud. They must all have a copy of that new map. Just stay there, don't hurt anyone."

Rose looked at the map they took from the guard. Rose said, "Wait! This is it. The hidden tunnel. There must be a control panel."

She sonicked the walls beside the locked door, while Donna noticed another number and said, "It's another one of those numbers. They're everywhere."

Rose said, "The original builders must've left them. Some old cataloguing system."

Donna asked, "You got a pen? Bit of paper? Cos, d'you see, the numbers are counting down." Rose gave her pen and paper and she took notes. "This one ends in 1-4, the prison cell said 1-6."

Jenny said, "Always thinking, both of you. Who are you people?"

Rose replied, "I told you. I'm the Vixen."

Jenny asked, "Vixen? That's it?"

Rose explained, "My human name's Rose Tyler. I don't use it much. I don't use my real name at all, really."

Jenny asked, "So, you don't have a name either? Are you an anomaly too?"

"No."

Donna scoffed, turning back to Rose, "Oh, come off it! You're the most anomalous woman I've ever met!"

Rose took off the cover of the control panel and said, ignoring Donna and rolling her eyes, "Here it is!"

Jenny asked, "And Time Lords, what are they for exactly?"

Rose scoffed, "'For'? They're not... They're not 'for' anything."

Jenny asked, "So what do you do?"

Rose replied, "I travel. Through time and space."

Donna said, going into more detail, "She saves planets, rescues civilizations, defeats terrible creatures. And runs a lot." Jenny laughed slightly. "Seriously, there's an outrageous amount of running involved."

The door slid open. Rose said, "Got it!"

General Cobb's voice from the distance said, "Squad 5, with me!"

Rose asked, "Now Donna, what were you saying about running?" They ran, but soon were stopped by red beams crossing the tunnel, blocking their way.

Donna asked, "That's not mood lighting, is it?" Rose threw the clockwork mouse into the lights. It burst into sparkles when it touched the first beam. "No, I didn't think so."

Rose said, "Arming device." She started to fiddle with the controls while Donna noticed yet another set of numbers and Jenny kept watch.

Donna mused, taking notes, "There's more of these. Always eight numbers, counting down, the closer we get..."

Rose said, "Here we go!"

Donna said, "You better be quick!"

Jenny, hearing the voice of the soldiers, "The General!"

She turned to run back but Rose caught her and asked, "Where do you think you're going?"

Jenny said, "I can hold them up."

Rose said, her mouth set in a firm line, "No, we don't need any more dead."

"But it's them or us."

"It doesn't mean you have to kill them!" Rose snapped, eyes glowing.

Jenny said, not even flinching at her mother's eyes, "I'm trying to save your life!"

Rose pleaded, "Listen to me, trust me, the killing, after a while it infects you. And once it does you're never rid of it."

Jenny hesitated then said, "We don't have a choice."

"We always have a choice."

Jenny said remorsefully, "I'm sorry." She ran off.

Rose called after her pleadingly, "Jenny, please!"

The first soldier caught sight of Jenny and said, "There she is! At arms!"

Jenny opened fire and the soldiers did the same. Hearing the shots, Donna looked very worried and Rose looked betrayed. She snarled, "I told you. Nothing but a soldier."

Donna said, "She's trying to help."

Rose sighed, gave in and called, "Jenny! Come on!" She may have been born with fighting instinct but she was still her daughter. Rose still loved her, no matter what. It was just instinct.

Jenny called back, "I'm coming!"

General Cobb ordered, "Cease fire! Cease fire!" The soldiers stopped firing. At the same time, Rose managed to turn off the red beams.

Donna said, "That's it!"

Rose pleaded, "Jenny! Leave it! Please! Let's go!" She and Donna ran through the now safe corridor hand in hand.

General Cobb walked forward, trying to persuade Jenny, and said, "You're a child of the machine. You're on my side. Join us! Join us in the war against the Hath. It's in your blood, girl, don't deny it."

Jenny took aim, but then she remembered her mother's words and fired at a pipeline over Cobb's head, and a cloud of steam blocked the soldiers view. She laughed then ran to where she left Rose and Donna were.

Rose urged, overjoyed to see her daughter alive and well, "Jenny! Come on! That's it!"

Donna said, "Hurry up!" But just when she reached the corridor the red beams appeared again.

Rose growled, "No, no, no, no! The circuit's looped back!"

Donna said desperately, "Zap it back again!"

"The controls are back there!"

Jenny said, "They're coming!"

Rose said hopelessly, "Wait! J-Just...! There isn't...! Jenny, I can't!"

Jenny said, "I'll have to manage on my own. Watch and learn, Mother!" She got through the blocked corridor with a series of somersaults and flips, much to Rose and Donna's amazement.

Donna gaped at the younger blonde, "No way! But that was impossible!"

Rose said, "Not impossible. Just a bit unlikely!" She hugged Jenny with a proud smile. "Brilliant! You were brilliant! Brilliant! I couldn't have done it any better myself."

Jenny said happily, "I didn't kill him. General Cobb, I could have kill him, but I didn't. You were right. I had a choice." Rose smiled proudly at her, maybe she could make her better after all.

The soldiers arrived to the other end of the corridor. Donna and Jenny went ahead but Rose stayed to talk to Cobb, who ordered his men, "At arms!"

Rose said, eyes glowing, "I warned you, Cobb. If the Source is a weapon, I'm gonna make sure you never use it."

General Cobb barked, "One of us is gonna die today and it won't be me." He opened fire and Rose ran off too.

As they walked along, Jenny asked, "What's it like, the travelling?"

Donna said, "Ah, never a dull moment. Can be terrifying, brilliant and funny, sometimes all at the same time. I've seen some amazing things though. Whole new worlds."

Jenny smiled "Oh, I'd love to see new worlds."

Donna said, "You will. Won't she, Rose?"

Rose asked absently, not really listening, "Hm?"

Donna asked, "D'you think Jenny will see any new worlds?"

Rose said with a little smile, "Suppose so."

Jenny asked, not believing it, "You mean... You mean, you'll take me with you?"

"Can't leave you here, can we?" Rose grinned.

Jenny hugged her mother happily and said, "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She pulled away. "Come on! Let's get a move on!" She ran ahead.

Rose called after her, "Careful, there might be traps!"

Donna laughed, "Kids! They never listen!" But she noticed that Rose still looked troubled. "Oh, I know that look. See it a lot round our way. You've got mum-shock."

Rose asked, bemused, "Mum-shock?" She had never heard of it in her life.

Donna said, "Sudden, unexpected motherhood. Take a bit of getting used to."

Rose said quietly, "No, it's not that."

Donna asked, "Well, what is it then? Having Jenny in the TARDIS is that it? What's she gonna do, cramp your style? Like you've got a sports car and she's gonna turn it into a people-carrier?"

Rose admitted, "Donna, I've been a mother before."

Donna asked surprised, "What?"

Rose said, "I lost all that a long time ago. Along with everything else."

Donna said apologetically, "I'm sorry. I didn't know. Why didn't you tell me? You talk all the time, but you don't say anything."

Rose said, "I know. I'm just..." She sighed. "When I became a Time Lord again, waking up, to find my home gone, it left a hole. When I look at her now I can see them. The hole they left, all the pain that filled it. I just don't know if I can face that every day."

Donna said, "It won't stay like that. She'll help you. We both will."

Rose whispered, "But when they died, that part of me died with them. It'll never come back. Not now."

Donna said, "I tell you something, Rose, something I've never told you before. I think you're wrong."

They heard shooting and Jenny returned to them. She said, "They've blasted through the beams, time to run again. Love the running! Yeah?"

Rose agreed, "Love the running." They smiled at each other lovingly before they ran again.

Rose, Donna and Jenny reached a dead end. Donna said, "We're trapped."

Rose said, "Can't be. This must be the temple." She touched a panel of the wall. "This is a door."

Donna said, ignoring her and looking at the numbers, "And again! We're down to 1-2 now..."

Rose said, "I've got it!"

Jenny reported, "I can hear them!"

Rose said, "Nearly done."

Donna said, still talking about the numbers, "These can't be a cataloguing system."

"They're getting closer!"

Rose called, "Then get back here!"

Donna went on, "They're too similar. Too familiar."

Jenny said, "Not yet."

Rose yelled, "Now! Got it!" The door opened and Rose, Donna and Jenny got inside the "Temple".

Jenny said, "They're coming! Close the door!" Rose pushed some keys and the door slid closed. "Oh, that was close!"

Rose grinned, "No fun otherwise!"

Donna shrugged, "It's not what I'd call a temple..."

Jenny said, "It looks more like..."

Rose finished, "Fusion-drive transport. It's a spaceship!"

Donna asked, "What, the original one? The one the first colonists arrived in?"

Rose replied, "It could be, but the power cells would have run down after all that time. This one's still powered-up and functioning. Come on!" As they ran, they saw someone cutting through another door.

Jenny said, "It's the Haths! That door's not gonna last much longer. And if General Cobb gets through down there, war's gonna break out."

Rose said, pointing to a terminal, "Look! Ship's log!" She got to the controls. "'First wave of Human/Hath co-colonisation of planet Messaline'."

Jenny said, "So it is the original ship."

Donna asked, "What happened?"

Rose read from the log, "'Phase one. Construction.' They used robot drones to build the city."

Donna asked, "But, does it mention the war?"

Rose scrolled down and said, "Final entry... 'Mission commander dead. Still no agreement on who should assume leadership. Hath and humans have divided into factions.' That must be it! A power vacuum. The crew divided into two factions and turned on each other. Start using the progenation machines and suddenly you've got two armies fighting a never-ending war!"

Jenny said, "Two armies who are now both outside."

Donna said, "Look at that." She looked at a screen displaying a set of numbers similar to those on the walls.

Rose said, standing next to Donna, "It's like the numbers in the tunnels."

Donna explained, "No, no, no, no, but listen... I spent six months working as a temp in Hounslow Library, and I mastered the Dewey Decimal System in two days flat. I'm good with numbers! It's staring us in the face!"

Jenny asked, "What is?"

Donna replied, "It's the date! Assuming the first two numbers are some big old space date, then you've got year, month, day. It's the other way round, like it is in America!"

Rose said, running her hand through her head, "Oh! It's the New Byzantine Calendar!"

Donna said, "The codes are completion dates for each section. They finish it, they stamp the date on! So the numbers aren't counting down, they're going out, from here, day by day, as the city got built."

Rose grinned, "Yes! Oh, good work, Donna!"

Donna said, "Yeah! But you're, you're still not getting it. The first number I saw back there, was 6012-07-17. Well, look at the date today!"

Rose read, "07-24. No! Can't be!"

Jenny asked confusedly, "What does it mean?"

"Seven days."

Donna said, "That's it! Seven days!"

Rose exclaimed, "Just seven days?!"

Jenny asked, "What d'you mean, seven days?"

Rose replied, "Seven days since war broke out."

Donna explained, "This war started seven days ago! Just a week! A week!"

Jenny said incredulously, "They said years!"

"No. They said generations. And if they're all like you, and they're products of those machines..."

Rose finished, "They could have 20 generations in a day! Each generation gets killed in the war, passes on the legend! Oh! Donna, you're a genius!"

Jenny said, "But all the buildings, the encampments, they're in ruins."

Rose corrected, "No, they're not ruined, they're just empty! Waiting to be populated! Oh, they've mythologised their entire history! The Source must be part of that too. Come on!"

They ran again and turned around a corner and bumped into Martha, literally, who said, "Rose!"

Rose laughed, "Martha!" They hugged each other tightly and Rose said, "I should've known you wouldn't stay away from the excitement!"

Martha pulled away and saw the redhead. "Donna!" She ran to Donna and they hugged as well.

Donna said. "Oooh, you're filthy, what happened?!"

Martha said, "I, erm, took the surface route." They heard the voice of soldiers suddenly.

Rose said, "That's the general! We haven't got much time."

Donna cried out, "We don't even know what we're looking for!"

Jenny asked, "Is it me, or can you smell flowers?"

Rose said, "Yes! Bougainvillea! I say we follow our nose!" She ran off, Jenny, Martha and Donna right behind her.

The four girls reached a place that looked like a huge greenhouse inside the spaceship filled with palms and other exotic plants. Rose grinned in excitement. "Oh, yes! Yes! Isn't this brilliant?"

In the middle there was a small place around a pedestal that held a glass sphere, containing shining gas. Donna asked, "Is that the Source?"

Jenny breathed out, "It's beautiful."

Martha asked, "What is it?"

Rose replied, "Terraforming! It's a third generation terraforming device!"

Donna asked sarcastically, "So why are we suddenly in Kew Gardens?"

Rose said, "Because that's what it does. All this, only bigger. Much bigger! It's in a transit state. Producing all this must help keep it stable before they finally..." The Haths and the human soldiers appeared from the opposite sides, cocking their guns as soon as they caught sight of each other. "Stop! Hold your fire!"

General Cobb asked, "What is this? Some kind of trap?"

Rose said, "You said you wanted this war over."

General Cobb corrected, "I want this war won."

Rose snapped, "You can't win. No one can. You don't even know why you're here. Your whole history, it's just a game of Chinese whispers. Getting more distorted the more it's passed on."

Rose pointed to the sphere. "This is the Source. This is what you're fighting over. A device to rejuvenate a planet's ecosystem. It's nothing mystical. It's from a laboratory, not some creator. It's a bubble of gases. A cocktail of stuff for accelerated evolution. Methane, hydrogen, ammonia, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids. It's used to make barren planets habitable. Look around you! It's not for killing, it's bringing life. If you allow it, it can lift you out of these dark tunnels and into the bright, bright sunlight! No more fighting. No more killing." She lifted up the sphere and her eyes flashed. "I'm the Vixen, and I declare this war is over!" She threw it to the ground.

The glass ball shattered and the gases escaped, shining in gold and green as they spread out in the air. Amazed by the sight, human and Hath both put the guns to the ground.

Jenny asked, "What's happening?"

Rose replied, "The gases will escape and trigger the terraforming process."

Jenny asked, "What does that mean?"

Rose grinned happily, grasping Jenny's hand, "It means a new world."

Jenny laughed with delight, but then she looked at General Cobb, the only one who wasn't enchanted by what happened. He lifted his gun to shoot Rose, but Jenny stepped in front of her. "Mum! No!"

The bullet hit her and Jenny collapsed into a horrified Rose's arms, while the soldiers held down Cobb and took away his gun. Rose cried out, "Jenny? Jenny! Talk to me, Jenny!" She sat down and took Jenny into her lap.

Martha checked her pulse and the wound. Donna asked, "Is she gonna be all right?" Martha looked at Donna and shook her head without a word.

Jenny whispered, stroking Rose's hand, "A new world. It's beautiful."

Rose said, tears falling down her cheeks, "Jenny? Be strong, now. You need to hold on. D'you hear me? We've got things to do, you and me. Hey? Hey? We can go anywhere. Everywhere. You choose." Rose couldn't lose her. She had just found someone to care for. To love.

Jenny smiled sadly, tears filling her own eyes, "That sounds good."

Rose sobbed, "You're my daughter and we've only just got started. You're gonna be great. You're gonna be more than great. You're gonna be amazing! You hear me? Jenny? Jenny?!"

Jenny closed her eyes and breathed her last breath. Rose kissed her forehead in despair, then she found one last straw to clutch. She murmured, "Two hearts. Two hearts, she's like me. If we wait... If we just wait..." She looked at Martha hopefully for support.

Martha said hesitantly, afraid to break the news, "There's no sign, Rose. There is no regeneration. She's like you, but... maybe not enough."

Rose scoffed tearfully, "No. Too much. That's the truth of it. She was too much like me." She gently put Jenny to the ground and kissed her forehead one last time. Then she got up, walked to General Cobb and picked up his gun.

Rose stood there, teary gold eyes blazing, panting from anger and despair, pointing the gun at Cobb's head. Martha and Donna were shocked to see what she was doing. But then she sighed and lowered the gun and crouched down to Cobb. She said in a deadly whisper, "I never would. Have you got that? I never would!" She stood up again and addressed both fighting parties. "When you start this new world. This world of Humans and Haths... remember that! Make the foundation of this society. A woman who never would!" She threw away the gun and crumpled next to Jenny's body, breaking down. The two parties stayed silent, looking upon the grieving Time Lord.

Jenny was laid out in the theatre room that used to be the human encampment. Rose, Donna, Martha, Cline and a Hath were around her. Suddenly, beams of light came through the windows. Martha said in awe, "It's happening. The terraforming."

Donna said, "Build a city, nice and safe underground. Strip away the top soil. And there it is." She paused. "And what about Jenny?"

Cline pleaded, looking at Rose, "Let us give her a proper ceremony. I think it'd help us. Please." Rose, lost in dark thoughts, nodded her approval.

Rose, Donna and Martha were back in the TARDIS. Rose explained, "Jenny was the reason for the TARDIS bringing us here. It just got here too soon, which then created Jenny in the first place. Paradox. An endless paradox." Donna and Martha watched her with sympathy. "Anyway. Time to go home?"

Martha smiled and put her hand on Rose's. "Yeah. Home." Rose smiled a half smile then started to pull controls, but without her usual enthusiasm.

Donna and Martha walked down the road of Martha's house. Donna asked, "You sure about this?"

Martha replied, "Yeah, positive. I can't do this anymore. You'll be the same one day."

Donna laughed, "Not me. Never! How could I ever go back to normal life after seeing all this?" She looked back to Rose who was a few steps behind them. "I'm gonna travel with that woman for ever." They hugged each other.

Martha said, "Good luck."

Donna said, "And you." Donna stopped while Martha and Rose walked a few steps ahead.

Rose whispered, "We're making a habit of this."

Martha agreed, "Yeah. And you'd think it'd get easier." She looked at Rose. "All those things you've been ready to die for. I thought for a moment there you'd finally found something worth living for."

Rose smiled, "There's always something worth living for, Martha."

The two hugged and Martha whispered, "Bye, Rose."

Rose smiled, pulling back, "Goodbye. Doctor Jones." She started to turn.

Martha called after her, "Hey Rose." Rose turned back to her and hummed. "Jack and I, we love you, okay? Never forget that."

Rose grinned, if only for a moment. "I love you, too. In case you were wondering." She turned towards the TARDIS and walked inside with Donna.

For a second, Martha seemed almost regretting her decision, then she looked at her engagement ring, smiled and rushed into the house.

Rose silently put in some coordinates and flew the TARDIS somewhere. She went out the door and after a while Donna followed.

Sarah Jane should have known something went wrong when the TARDIS appeared in her attic. Rose stumbled out and Sarah Jane caught her as she broke into sobs. Rose's knees buckled and they both slid to the ground, Sarah Jane hugging her.

Donna sat at the kitchen table and Sarah Jane gave her a cup of tea. Rose had gone upstairs to meet Luke. Donna asked, "So, who exactly are you? To Rose?"

Sarah Jane replied, "I'm her security base. She has a problem, she comes to me. I haven't told her to. She just does, and I don't mind it. Rose has lost so much. Lost her planet. Her family. The Doctor. And with Martha leaving her… She may be 800 years old but her soul is still young."

Donna asked, "Does she ever… tell you stuff? Like about her past and things?"

Sarah Jane replied, "Yes. When there's a really terminal case like this one. For example, Rose just lost her daughter, so she told me all about her kids. And her grandkids."

Donna said, "Why does she prefer Rose? I mean that's not her real name. Why doesn't she use Vixen?"

"Rose thinks there are a lot of evil things done by other beings for which she feels she needs to take blame. Because no one else will. The name 'Rose Tyler' reminds her of everything she lost. She thinks that's her penalty."

Donna gasped, "Oh my God."

Rose and Luke ran down the stairs laughing. Luke laughed, "Ok. Please. Stop! I'm sorry!" Rose cornered him in the living room and tickled him.

Sarah Jane said remorsefully, "The only times she ever really laughs are with Luke." Donna smiled sadly as she watched Luke and Rose joke around like a pair of children.

After saying goodbye to Sarah Jane and Luke, Donna and Rose went into the TARDIS. Donna said quietly, "You know, it wouldn't be so bad if you talked to me sometimes."

Rose stiffened and asked, "About what?"

"Whatever you want. I've heard your laughs. You've got two of them." Rose looked at her confusedly. "One is your real laugh, and it sounds so clear and so carefree, I heard you use it today while you were playing with Luke. The second one is so forced and so… I don't know." Donna sighed. "If you could just enjoy yourself. You don't need to face a penalty. Leave the name Rose Tyler. Put your title to use. I promise you. It'll all be all right."

Rose rushed forwards and hugged Donna. She said, "Thank you. Thank you, Donna Noble." She pulled back. "I don't know where I would be without you."

Donna laughed, "Probably halfway under the Thames." She turned serious. "Just be yourself. Be the Vixen."

Cline and the Hath prepared Jenny for the ceremony. They put a pillow under her head and a sheet over her body. But suddenly her mouth opened and light came out, resembling the terraforming substance.

Cline and the Hath looked at each other bemused. Then they were completely shocked when Jenny opened her eyes and smiled at them. Jenny said, "Hello, boys."

Cline and the Hath looked for Jenny. Cline said, "The shuttle!" He went to a panel on the wall and said over the intercom, "Jenny? What're you doing? Come back!"

Jenny was pushing controls to start the engines of the shuttle. She said, "Sorry. Can't stop. What you gonna do, tell my mum?"

Cline asked, "But where are you going?!"

Jenny said, grinning, "Oh, I've got the whole universe! Planets to save, civilizations to rescue, creatures to defeat... and an awful lot of running to do!" She shot off to the sky with a huge smile on her face.