Defender of the Earth
By Lumendea
Chapter Twenty-Five: Star Knight: Thorns
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.
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The room was completely still for a moment as Alenica gaped at the UNIT personnel in stasis and the alien technicians gaped at her. Rose occupied herself with shifting away from the door and keeping her eye on the alien scientist that had claimed responsibility for the mass teleport and the newcomer that had joined him, neither seemed to be armed, but she wasn't certain all their weapons looked like swords. Avoiding, looking at the completely still and vacant-eyed humans caught in the energy field, Rose moved around the room to look at the controls, hoping they would all be distracted for a little bit longer.
"What have you done Geriloc?" Alenica voice rose to a shrill pitch that made Rose flinch.
The scientist, Geriloc, took a step back and hit a button on the wall before Rose could grab his arm. Smirking, he looked back at the Princess. "We are saving the empire!" He looked back at Rose with a sneer and added, "Humans are irrelevant to the importance of the war."
"The war is over," Alenica said angrily. Her hands curled into fists. "My father ended it. We finally have peace."
Grabbing Alenica's arm, Rose tried to pull the Princess back towards the door, but the other girl wouldn't have it. Pulling her arm back from Rose, Alenica marched up to Geriloc. "Release the humans at once! I will not have our empire be so shamed!" Rose noticed the slight hiss of the door opening but had her back to it as it opened still trying to pull Alenica away.
"Our empire was shamed when your father entered into a peace agreement," the cold voice of a guard said from behind them. Rose began to turn, but both of her arms were caught by the guard. Two more grabbed her as she struggled against them. Turning her head, Rose saw the guard she had thrown earlier standing in the doorway with a squad of men which by her count put her against seven of the alien soldiers. The soldier she had judo thrown earlier glared at Rose, his face clearly still hurting from the impact with the ground he had suffered.
"Hello again," Rose said with a smile. "How are you?"
The soldier snarled at her but moved around her to grab Alenica's arm. The two guards holding Rose shoved her forward towards the door and when she began to move, the guard Rose had injured earlier pulled out his sword and put it across Alenica's neck.
"Do not try your tricks again human."
Relaxing her muscles, Rose glared at the soldier and allowed herself to be grabbed again and pulled forward out the door. She managed a quick look at her watch. There were only thirteen minutes left before UNIT would be able to teleport up and she had no doubt that Verigot's men would open fire right away. They needed evidence of a fight and UNIT would give them one.
They were taken back up to the conference room where Verigot stood looking down at the sword. His back was to them as the guards shoved Rose and Alenica into the room. Glancing at Alenica, Rose was pleased to see that the alien girl wasn't shaking or whimpering, but held her chin up high.
"General Verigot, explain yourself at once."
The General slowly turned to face the princess, his face calm and showing no emotion which worried Rose since it illustrated that he still had control.
"Princess Alenica, light of the future," Verigot said softly as he took a few steps towards them. "I am protecting the future of the empire. You father foolishly sued for peace, an act that shamed us."
"Peace was the only way to end the bloodshed," Alenica insisted. "And under the terms of the treaty, we received spaceport rights, which are why my great-grandfather entered into warfare in the first place."
"Your great-grandfather was a visionary!" Verigot said with a frown. "He expanded the empire and I will not allow us to be shamed by peace. At the news of your death, your father will come to Earth with his fleet leaving the capitol open for Blaklin to seize power. Then I shall return home to take power and put us back on the right path, once your father has been dealt with."
"So you are framing my planet for the princess' murder," Rose interjected. "Bring UNIT personnel up to either force a confrontation and if that doesn't work kill them and make it look like a fight to protect the princess. The Emperor comes to attack Earth and thinks you are still loyal and gets stabbed in the back."
Verigot took a step closer to Rose and gestured for the guards to release her arms. Rubbing, her wrists, Rose straightened up to look at the much taller alien that towered more than a foot and a half above her. The general's blue eyes trailed over her, taking in her simple clothing and lack of weapons.
"Are you what Earth sends to protect it? A little girl with no weapons and no plan? I am General Verigot of the Sixth Fleet. My name means he that shakes the stars."
"Well I'm Rose Tyler and I might just surprise you," Rose hissed at Verigot. She took a step away from the guards. "I think this is the point that I ask you to stop for the sake of both our worlds. Earth may not be a highly advanced planet or a united planet, but you may be amazed at how we'll handle a public alien invasion. There is an old saying that I've heard: I against my brother, my brother and I against our cousin and my brother, my cousin and I against the outsider. My history teacher told me that if I only remembered one thing to remember that." Verigot's face remained calm and Rose inwardly growled. "Point is that Earth will throw everything it has at stopping you. It won't be the easy victory that you are hoping for."
The General's face remained impassive and he reached for Rose's hand, grabbing her wrist harshly. His long fingers pried the biodamper off of her thumb before he dropped her arm. He examined the ring with a smirk. "A biodamper. I'll admit that is a surprise on Earth, but this is not technology from your planet." Verigot tossed the ring to the soldier Rose had thrown earlier before looking at the door which opened a moment later.
Suppressing a groan, Rose watched as a soldier walked in carrying the sensor array with the scientist Geriloc following. He placed it on the long table and saluted the General with his sword. The General looked it over and chuckled before looking at Geriloc. "Is it still in operation?"
"Yes sir," Geriloc replied with a sharp nod. "I'm afraid that the humans can see and hear us."
"It does not matter," Verigot said. "Let them watch this girl and their fellows die."
"Verigot," Alenica said. "This is not what our culture is based on." Alenica motioned towards the sword. "We are the descendants of the Star Knights. That sword at your side is to protect."
"I am protecting the legacy of the Star Knights," Verigot said. "Out of the whole of the universe, our ancestors were chosen to wield the power of the swords. We are the superior life forms and we should not be left scrambling for our place in this galaxy."
Scanning, the room Rose tried to find a way out of the situation. She had Alenica, but she did not have the sense that the girl knew how to fight and there were ten aliens in the room, all armed with the swords and potentially other weapons. She listened to Alenica argue with Verigot for another moment, but fail to sway the man. Clearly, the General had embraced warfare as his method of shaping the universe and had twisted the legend of the Star Knights to suit his need to justify it.
She was able to slowly inch her way towards one of the computer consoles, the soldiers were at the door and the General was occupied with Alenica. Rose touched the screen softly and looked at the interface. The translator that the Princess had given her had done its job and she could make out reports on the various ship systems. She started to reach for the option on the teleport systems when the General turned to look at her suddenly. Rose managed a quick block against the tall alien's fist, but she stumbled against a chair as Verigot swung his other arm at her.
Alenica's shout came too late to warn Rose against another soldier came up on her flank. This soldier hit Rose on the side, knocking her into the table and she recovered enough to block his next swing. However, the distraction gave Verigot a perfect opening that he did not waste. The General's next blow sent Rose crashing backwards into the case behind her. Rose's vision blurred and she grit her teeth as fragments of the glass and metal case dug into her hands and arms as she pushed herself up.
Verigot's expression was amused as he stared down at the carnage. The glass in the case had completely given out under the force and the contents had spilt out around Rose. Screaming reached Rose's ears and she realised in the back of her mind that Alenica's was still in the room. Time was running out before war broke out on this ship and she was out of options. Her hand brushed around beside her, searching for a shard of glass large enough to do some damage. Eyes not leaving the General, Rose watched him take a step back and unsheathe his sword. A warmth spread into her hand as it brushed the engraved hilt of the sword and Rose felt a jolt suddenly run up her arm.
"Earth will die so that my civilisation may live. We ruled the stars when your ancestors were still living in caves," Verigot said regaining Rose's attention. "Your name is a flower, Rose you had no chance."
"There is something you should know about roses, Verigot," Rose said defiantly. Forcing herself up, Rose climbed to her knees. "They have thorns!"
It happened suddenly and violently. Rose swung the sword up, barely aware of the action and it crashed against Verigot's downward swing. Rose flinched at the force of his blow, but the ancient sword held. There was a moment of silence and then the golden sword in Rose's hand glowed softly and a high pitched whine filled the room. Verigot's eyes were wide as he stumbled back and Rose took the chance to clamour to her feet. She ignored the sting of the sword against the wounds in her hands and tightened her grip on the hilt.
Around the room, Alenica and the other aliens were covering their ears while Rose barely noticed the whine. Instead, she was focused on the intensifying glow of the sword and grabbed the hilt with her other hand. A steady hum was filling her head with a soft almost musical rhythm. Forcing herself to take a breath, Rose straightened up and held the sword out in front of her. The golden sword flashed and vanished from her hands, Rose felt a brush across the inside of her wrist for only a moment and looked down. A gold cuff bracelet had appeared on her right wrist decorated with a few small swirl designs. Staring at it, Rose tried to pull her thoughts together. Part of her was insisting that something strange had happened while another part of here was arguing that nothing had changed at all.
"Rose!" Alencia's scream made Rose look up sharply and leap back as Verigot swung at her with his heavy sword.
Something shifted in Rose's mind and she threw out her arm towards Verigot, this time not reacting when her golden bracelet shifted over her wrist and returned to its sword form in her hand. It was different now, the once gladius shape of the sword had been replaced with a longer and lighter curved sword with a slim white hilt. All signs of age were gone as the sword impacted with Verigot's sword with a crash. The General's blue face was white with shock as Rose parried the swing and returned with one of her own. Rose wasn't aware of her movements or where they were coming from inside of her, but she moved fluidly with the sword and forced Verigot back. He stumbled on the overturned chair, losing his stance and Rose brought her sword down against his shattering the blade.
Staring down at the shocked General, Rose took a deep breath and looked up at Alenica. The princess was staring at Rose with wide blue eyes that reflected shock, joy, awe and worry all at once. Then the princess nodded to Rose and turned to the soldiers with a sharp motion.
"Put down your swords and surrender back to the leadership of your Emperor and Princess. This plot was defeated by a Star Knight!" Alenica glared at the guards. "Surely you do not seek to fight one chosen by the sword."
Rose gaped at the Princess but heard the swords being dropped to the ground. Then tentatively Rose glanced down at her watch, two minutes to spare. Alenica took a step forward and turned to Geriloc. "You will return the humans to Earth at once and if any harm has befallen any of them I will hand you over to the Star Knight."
"The human," Geriloc hissed as he looked over at Rose. "But-"
"By the ancient laws of our people, a Star Knight holds power over justice." Alenica reminded him in a harsh tone. Geriloc looked at Rose who straightened up and held her sword in front of her in what she hoped was an intimidating fashion. The scientist nodded and stumbled out of the room. Alenica stepped around the table and looked down Verigot with disdain. "And as for you General, I will contact my father immediately and have reinforcements sent to us."
"My fleet-"
"I am taking command of this fleet and how many of them will follow you when I announce that the first Star Knight chosen in over half a million years defeated you," Alenica said. "Oh, I'll also be sure to add that she is a girl from Earth."
Surrender in his eyes, Verigot collapsed against the wall and stared up at Alenica with something of surprise and wonder. Rose could understand that look; Alenica was finally acting like someone who would rule an empire. With grace and poise, Alenica turned back to Rose.
"Now I suggest that we get you to the teleport room to make sure that your fellows have arrived safely." The princess gestured to the sensor box, "Please ask your comrades to give us some time to clean up this mess."
Nodding, Rose turned back to the table and looked down at the sword in her hand. She bit her lip and glanced over at Alenica who looked amused and confused at the same time. Raising an eyebrow in irritation Rose was about to speak when she felt the strange brush against her wrist. She looked down in time to see the sword almost turning into dust and moving against her skin to form the bracelet on her wrist. Giving Alenica a triumphant smile, Rose leaned against the table and checked the small indication light on the sensor box.
"Okay Tosh, you heard the princess. Don't teleport anyone up yet. Our people should be back down in just a few minutes, but do not teleport anyone up. Full control hasn't been reestablished yet and we don't want a gunfight starting.
Grinning at the sensor box, Rose gave the camera a small wave before stepping out of view and turning back to Alenica who was directing a soldier to chain Verigot and take him to a cell.