Chapter Twenty Three
He could feel the pain seep into him, and it felt like dying. Jack was screaming against his mind, but his will was not his own. He could see everything, and yet he could not move. There she was, staring at him even as she fell to her knees from the shock that tore her balance from her. The Master lorded over his prey as he kicked the dust into her eyes, his smile becoming toothier, and sharklike. Even when he drew blood from her lips, she smiled up, as if he had nothing that could harm her. She was a like to him.. she spat in the face of danger, laughed at death, but when it came to the humans she loved.. She was scared. But if she was scared now, she didn't show it. The Doctor felt a single tear slide down his cheek as the universe tore his mind to shreds, and yet the only thing he could think of.. was the woman in front of him. There was a time where Rose had been that.. and a piece of him was now forever with her, his love being sent across time and space to belong to the one human he could cling to. Dawn Smith was not a human.. matter a fact, the name was not even hers. She had hidden, she had survived, and now she was here some how..
"Two Timelords… this should further plans.." The Master wrenched back Dawn's hair, hissing at her like a snake. Donna was upon her knees, her grandfather clutching at her shoulders protectively. They had been led down into the chasm beneath the surface, and now Dawn was taking the brunt of the abuse they all had in store for them. Donna could only cry against her grandfather's shoulders as the Daleks tortured the woman before them, and now the Master himself had decided to smack her around with his bare hands. Dawn spat to the side, struggling in vain to get away from the hand that clutched at her hair. The dark strands were caught in an iron grip, and the action only made her cry out in pain. She taunted her abuser, gritting her teeth even as pinkish liquid stained her teeth. "Child.. cad.. I've been tortured by Sontarans.. and they don't even take prisoners. You know nothing of war." At this the Master let go of her hair, sending her sprawling to the earthen flooring. Throwing his hands in the air, the man chuckled haughtily. "Nothing of war! I have its very sound beating within my head.. can you hear it? The sound.. the sound of the drums.. calling all of creation, to war.." Slowly the Doctor stirred, his watery eyes finally coming into focus. Every breath he took was ragged and pained, looking like the very action would cause him to die..
"Let her go.. stop this.." The Master took a step towards his adversary, his eyes wide and shocked. "Ahh, awake to the world I see… good thing considering your mind is bringing it to life.. See you should not have defeated me the way you did.. not with them." Motioning his hands upwards in the canopy of human coffins, he chuckled darkly. "You showed me what is truly possible with these..humans.. And I have to admit, I now know why you like them so much."
Dawn drew herself up, her bound hands shaking. Her plan was to get them down to the Master, but she was still working out the kinks.. Averting her eyes to the Doctor, she could see the lines of blue across his temple. The machine was killing him… it wasn't time yet… "Master…" The man turned at his surname, his blue eyes open wide. Dawn shook her head as she stood slowly. The Master stayed calm, waiting for the rest of her sentence. None came, only the simple word. "Master.." He paused, his lips quivering in confusion. Dawn took a step forwards, her fingers twitching as she held her hands up. "Master…" Finally the man growled, his eyes narrowing into thin slits as she advanced. "What…what are you doing , silly woman." Dawn smiled gently, a dangerous glint shining in her eyes. She knew too much, but not enough… Time could be changed, things could be stopped, but it always would come at a price. And she had come to love her Doctor dearly.. He was what she had always wanted him to be.. and more… Time had never proven wrong, and he had been more fantastic than the woman had ever told her… She remembered the day clearly…
….
She had finished her report upon the Ark of the Covenant, and had returned the artifact to the Vanalic Galaxy, where it had wandered off in the first place. Silly humans had kept the thing far longer than expected, and had actually nearly lost it from its alien owners a few times.. She was going to leave Galifrey.. she was going to leave before they found out her plan…. But the War broke out, and all of her plans went away. That was until she spoke to someone who told her that life was full of surprises.. so many spoilers, so many exciting adventures.. and they would never happen unless the first thing happened. When she left her Tardis, alone..unlocked.. she had seen him stare.. Finally she lured him purposefully.. And when he finally took the machine, Dawn, she was called another name at that time, was over joyed. The Tardis needed to run… but she was always going the opposite direction, with duty and call.. Her Tardis needed to run, far away… and she found a man that was willing to run away with it…
It had cost her…her freedom, he rank… her status in the universe.. But if the Doctor had never taken the Tardis from her… he wouldn't be the Doctor he was today.. All because of one woman, and the Tardis she had long forgotten…
…
Dawn paused, a hint of a smile curving at her lips as she remembered. She regretted saying goodbye, she regretted never telling him who he really was.. But she couldn't tell him, it wasn't the Time.. Looking at the Doctor, the savior of the universe time and time again, Dawn said the few words he had never heard from a single being. She had drawn close, close enough to reach out. The Master slowly smirked, believing she had given into what her fate would be as well.. But slowly his smile faded as the words struck. He had thought she was giving up, and submitting herself to what the Doctor was forced into..but no.. Not as her words fell.. Dawn looked up at the tortured man before her, eyes glassy and scared. But even as she looked fearful, the woman reached forwards. "Thank you… thank you, Doctor…for everything." Reaching forwards, she crashed her lips onto the Doctor's, sending a flash of light into the electrical currents of the wires he was attached to. Even as the Daleks rushed forwards, and the Master shouted, she already started something. The chain reaction hit into every coffin like structure, the cords beginning to fall and disconnect. The Master wailed against the noise, his voice high and frightened. "What have you done!"
…..
"Dawn…what did you do."
The woman before him smiled, even as the haze around her began to separate. Entities began to emit forwards, each a similar woman. One was tan with long, blonde hair, the other a bright eyed, African. Next to her was the woman that he had met as the first Dawn, slightly plump, with short, bleach blonde locks. Across was a short haired brunette, with pale skin. Finally, the most visible was the violet eyed new Dawn..each had the same eyes… clear blue, with a violet ring that made them look like they changed. The Doctor could only see these women, and the white around him. Dawn frowned, the action causing the same reaction across the group. The Doctor realized that each had been a regeneration..each one of these women was Dawn Smith at one time or another.. What had she done, why was time splitting?
Slowly Dawn sighed, her face becoming grim. "I have halted the portal… I've got to Time lock this dimension before it engulfs our own.. the most powerful thing I have is my name.. something that has had power hidden within it for generations. We were the guardians for a reason.." Slowly the Doctor rose his hand to reach forwards. The after shadows of ten different forms waved as well, his tears beginning to fall. Shaking his head, the Doctor's breath caught in his throat. "You can't..you just can't.. Let me.. please." Dawn's eyes snapped up, every pair. Her glare nearly broke his heart. "You'll die under the weight of both…the Time War is the only power yours can do… the link here was started with me.. it ends with me, Doctor…" As she spoke, he knew the truth. Once another timelord made a link between another in another universe in the way the Master had… the only way to sever it was to kill one or the other.. She was going to die.. Slowly she smiled, her own glimmering tears beginning to show. "You… you were brilliant, you were.. Oh, Doctor.. you will do so much… help so many.. And let me tell you… you'll be fantastic." As she said her parting words, Dawn's smile widened, causing her friend to smile back through his own sorrow. She knew something he didn't…he could see it in her eyes…. She knew of what he hadn't lived yet… somehow she knew what was ahead for him…
Slowly she raised her hand, a yellow energy forming in the palm. It coursed forwards as she spoke the native language of Gallifrey..her lips shaking with fear as she did so. She looked so young, yet her eyes so old as she spoke.. she was ready to die… "Elepsile.. Elepsile.. In Time and space do I reside..time In space is my kingdom and crown…my name will burn a thousand suns..my name will fall to the stars like cold death.. remember the name and seal this place….My name is Elecion.. the Executioner of Galifrey, and the Murderer of stars…
And my name is Dawn Smith…companion to the Doctor.."
….
"Do you know how to work this ?" Martha clung to the side rail as Gazora flew the Tardis into the deep. Shaking her head as she pressed onwards, the woman sighed finally as the machine stopped rumbling. Bursting forwards from the Tardis, the pair halted short. The center of the room was in a blindingly white orb, pieces of the room beginning to swirl and convulge onto one spot. The Doctor was crouched over the unconscious figure of Dawn Smith as Donna and Wilfred attempted to drag a half clothed Jack to safety. Daleks were being suck into the light, disappearing into the vortex with screams of pain and anguish. Near the pair on the floor rocked the Master, clutching his head in agony. He was screaming at the top of his lungs, his body fading in and out of view like bad reception on a television. Martha vaulted forwards, yelling over the noise. "Get to the Tardis! This place is falling apart…" As Donna tried to help Jack, Wilfred's body started to do the same that the Master's did. Smiling sadly as he waved, Donna watched as he grandfather disappeared from view. Screaming in terror, she reached forwards, but far too late. Gazora rushed forwards, jerking Noble towards the Tardis. "He's a copy, the actual man you know and love is home in our universe… come on! We've got to go before that time rift engulfs all of us." The Doctor rose with the limp body of Dawn within his arms, cradling her close to his chest as he moved for his Tardis.
Each moved inside, each frightened of what was to happen next. As soon as Donna reached the threshold, the woman collapsed. Gazora cried out as the woman did so against her, attempting to try and support her. The Tardis doors slammed shut on their own, and Martha shouted over Jack's shoulder. "Where is Tosh and Ianto?" The Doctor shook his head as he swept Dawn's hair behind her ear. He lowered his head down to her chest to hear for breath and heart beat. "Same as Wilfred.. they are going to their universe as ours..goes back to the way is was.. I hope.." As the Tardis' light flickered, the rumbling tossed the ship to the side. Each person clung to what they could. Martha crawled forwards in between the buffeting, her eyes wide as she looked down at Dawn. "How..what..what did she do…" The Doctor looked upwards, his eyes full of glassy water, but the tears did not swell over as he swallowed back his emotion. "She time locked herself to this universe…shutting it off from all access….She should be dead..but somehow she's still alive..but just barely…"
…
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The cry echoed in the darkness of his newly re-risen cell shield. Balfus crawled into the corner, shaking his head as the voice returned to it. The Master was screaming in pain and maniacal fury. Clutching the small amulet that had carried the timelord energy to fruition to his chest, the tortured servant attempted to soothe his master by cradling the trinket closer. The Master was trapped once more…
But for how long….