DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Doctor Who, unfortunately D: I own Odie's plot, and Odie's little settlement of immigrants. I am trying to make this story as accurate as possible, but when many sources contradict themselves, according to Doctor Who, I will ALMOST always take the TV-info as the correct.

Oh dear! This is the longest chapter yet D: 10,425 words! Sometimes, I think I underestimate just how much of my chapters isn't dialogue. Oh well, I maintain my earlier statement, that there will be just one more chapter after this one! Read on :D


"Why Have Human Beings Been Allowed To Go So Near The River?" the Dalek spluttered in the mechanic, emotionless manner that was unique to their race.

"No explanation." One of the humans in the metal helmets answered, the Doctor suspecting that they were the Daleks' servants in some capacity.

"Where Is The Robo-Patrol For This Section?" the Dalek asked.

"Not known."

"You Will Take His Place Until He Is Found. The Humans Beings Are To Be Taken To Landing Area 1." Ian could scarcely believe what he was seeing.

"Daleks, on Earth?" he asked, incredulously, grabbing the Doctor's arm. "Doctor, how is this possible?" The Doctor was as shaken as his young friend, but he none-the-less looked at Ian with a calm gaze, nodding.

"Leave this to me, dear boy." He then turned to face the Dalek. Or, as much as anyone could face an enlarged peppershaker. "I think you'd better let us go."

"We Do Not Release Prisoners. We Are The Masters Of The Earth."

"Not for long," the Doctor said, looking away from the Dalek with disdain. In all of his travels had he never had the displeasure of meeting aliens quite so narrow-minded as the Daleks.

"Obey Us Or Die!"

"Die? And just who are you to condemn us to death, hm?" he asked, before turning to Ian with a meaningful gaze. "I think we'd better pit our wits against them, and defeat them."

"Stop. I Can Hear You. I Have Heard Similar Words From The Leaders Of Your Different Races. They Were Destroyed. I Warn You; Resistance Is Useless."

"Resistance is useless? Surely you don't expect all the people to welcome you with open arms?" the Doctor asked, spreading his arms.

"We Have Already Conquered Earth," the Dalek answered, and the two men looked at each other, the Doctor with a spark in his eyes.

"Conquered the Earth? You poor, pathetic creatures, don't you realize? Before you can conquer the Earth, you will have to destroy all living matter," he pointed out, and Ian agreed with him, even if that perhaps wasn't the smartest thing to say right now. He knew his planet, whether it was 1575, 1963 or 2164; the Earth's inhabitants would never surrender their planet, so long as there was one person willing to fight.

"Take Them! Take Them!" the Dalek yelled, and the servants began pulling the men away, as they heard the Dalek's manic chanting behind them. "We Are The Masters Of Earth. We Are The Masters Of Earth. We Are The Masters Of Earth."


"Survivors Of London. The Daleks Are The Masters Of Earth. Surrender Now And You Will Live. Those Wishing To Surrender Must Stand In The Middle Of The Streets And Obey Orders Received. Message End."

"I can't believe this... Daleks, on Earth?" Barbara asked, her voice shaking. Odie remembered the word 'Dalek' from one of Susan's stories.

"You guys destroyed the Daleks on Skaro, didn't you?" Odie asked cautiously. From what Susan had told her, Odie wasn't going to like the Daleks. First, they had attempted to poison their own planet with radiation, killing everything else so they could survive, and now they had invaded the Earth? Not a good first impression.

"Yes. Or at least, we thought we did. Why are they here?" Susan asked quietly, as Tyler approached them.

"Keep an eye out for David Campbell. He'll be back soon, with news of your friends," he announced, and Odie nodded, acknowledging the information. She quite liked Tyler, even if he was a bit gruff. He seemed like a man of action, who knew what had to be done and how to do it.

"Who's the one with the bad foot?" a young woman asked, as she approached the group. Her hair was dirty blonde, and her face was impassive.

"Me," Susan replied, and the woman nodded.

"Let's have a look then," she said, as Susan was moved to the bench by the table. The woman quickly pulled of her sock, and then Odie was just about ready to pounce, as she began moving the foot around with no ounce of gentleness in her soul.

"Ow!" Susan exclaimed.

"Hey, watch it, you jerk," Odie hissed, slapping the woman's hand away. The woman didn't even look at Odie, as she nodded.

"No bones broken. Why didn't you put a wet bandage on it?" she asked Barbara, and the woman looked around, eyes wide in exasperation.

"We've only just arrived," she pointed out, and the blonde woman seemed to be fighting the urge to roll her eyes.

"I see. Look, I'll see to this, you get the food," she told Barbara, as she returned her attention to Susan. Barbara didn't move. "What are you waiting for?"

"Well, where do I get the food?" Barbara asked, and Odie smirked the tiniest bit, but the blonde woman was unfazed.

"Oh, over there," she said, pointing in a random direction. "And while you're at it, sign down all of your names for work detail," she said, beginning to bandage Susan's foot with some wet towels she had brought to her.

"But Susan can't work until her ankle is better!" Barbara said quickly, the mere idea offending her.

"She can do something with her hands, knitting at a table, can't she?" the woman pointed out, and as Barbara gave up discussing with her, and just left to get the food, the woman finished bandaging and left as well. Odie was fuming at this point.

"Oh, I wish I'd picked up some Irish swearing from Red! She's really making me mad," she said with a sour look on her face. Susan smiled, patting her friend's leg.

"It's fine," Susan attempted to calm her, but Odie would have none of it.

"No, it's not! I want to go back to the TARDIS! These people are-" she began, but Susan gave her a slap on the leg, stopping Odie's rant in it's tracks, as she looked surprised at Susan's stern face.

"Odie, they're under siege, remember? The Daleks have, no doubt, killed off many of their friends and family members. How would you react?" she asked, and Odie sighed, not wanting to admit that Susan was right. She was, of course, but Odie would like to think that she would have been able to maintain just a tad of humanity in the situation. Susan cleared her throat, obviously waiting for a comment from Odie, and the girl groaned.

"Oh, all right. But I still don't like them," she said, just as the blonde woman came back.

"Hey, you! Why are you doing nothing?" she asked, causing Odie's barely appeased temper to flare up again.

"You-" she began, but Susan was about as ready like a mother, who had just taken a cake out of the oven, and was waiting for her children to start prowling around it.

"Odie." Odie stopped talking, looking down at Susan with a pleading look in her eyes. If only she could call her one bad word in Irish! She sighed at Susan's adamant eyes, shaking her head.

"I'm not good with housework. I'm going to go out and relieve the man on watch duty," she muttered, defeated, as she walked around the table. Just as she was about to leave the hideout, David crawled through the opening.

"David," Odie greeted, and David handed her a big crate.

"There are apples there for everyone," he said, passing her, and Odie looked after him.

"Wait!" she called, as she handed the crate of apples to the first random person that passed her, quickly following David. She came to a halt outside a carpet, which played the role of a door to Dortmun's room and lab.

"What about the two men?" she heard Tyler's voice through the carpet, and she felt her heart beat unevenly, awaiting the news.

"Well, when I got to the embankment, I saw them get taken away, but I couldn't do anything!" David's news made her heart fall to the pit of her stomach, and she stared into nothing for a while, processing the idea. The Doctor and Ian, taken by the Daleks.

"That's a shame, we could've used two more men," Dortmun said with a very cold voice, and it was clear to Odie she did not care for the wellbeing of the men, merely the fact that a potential workforce had been wasted. Odie's gut churned. She couldn't take these people!

"I'll tell the girls," David said slowly, sounding honestly sad he had to impart such news to the three, earning him immediate points with Odie.

"Do you know where they were taken?" Tyler asked, and Odie blinked, her heart beginning its slow climb back up in its proper place.

"From the direction they took, I think they took them to the saucer they landed at the Heliport in Chelsea," David admitted, and Odie was through the curtain before she could stop herself, standing in the midst of the three men.

"That's where you're going to attack?" she asked in a rushed voice, surprising David and Tyler. Dortmun just looked at her with the same uninterested look as he always had.

"What are you doing in here!?" Tyler asked dourly, obviously not happy with her for intruding like that, but Odie couldn't care less.

"I want to help!" she announced, causing Dortmun to raise an eyebrow at her.

"Really? What can you help with?" he challenged, and Odie glared at him.

"I'm a quick runner, and quiet too. I think I'm as useful, perhaps more useful, than the men you have here. Most of them look famished, sick or otherwise injured. I'm healthy as can be," she pointed out, and the men fell into silence, David and Tyler looking at Dortmun, waiting for his move. Half a minute ticked by, before he nodded.

"Very well, you can help," Dortmun allowed, and Odie stepped forward.

"But I have a condition," she said with a veiled face. The men looked at her again, Tyler growing suspicious. Conditions were never good. They usually meant sharing food or water.

"Condition?" he asked cautiously, and Odie looked at him, her eyes as steel.

"I will be allowed to attempt to rescue my friends from the saucer. I'm not asking any of you to stay behind and help me, but I will not leave them with the Daleks." David blinked, surprised. Odie didn't seem like the suicidal type, but that was just what she was asking. To be allowed to walk into her own death? He was about to tell her there was no way she could succeed, when Dortmun opened his mouth.

"Allowed. If you succeed, we could use the help from your friends," he agreed, and David had the urge to sneer at the old man, but he dropped it, instead grabbing Odie's shoulder.

"There's not much hope for them though," David pointed out, making Odie look back at him.

"What do you mean?" she asked, cautious, and David shook his head.

"I'll tell you together with the others. I'd prefer not to say it twice," he said slowly, and Odie nodded, the two of them leaving Tyler and Dortmun to continue planning the attack.

"Okay. But be mindful; they're both very worried," begged Odie as they came out to the common room. Susan was easy to spot, as she couldn't move very far in her current condition, and they both approached her.

"Susan?" Odie called, causing the young woman to turn around.

"Yes? Oh, hello David," she greeted with a smile, and the young man nodded awkwardly.

"Hi," he reciprocated the greeting, as the two of them sat down by Susan.

"Do you have any news about my grandfather?" Susan asked, catching onto the tense mood between Odie and David, and David nodded.

"Yes, I do."

"No, I don't think we should tell Barbara," said David, as they had finished getting Susan up to speed.

"But David, I think we should," Susan pointed out, as she held the machine gun he was polishing. Odie was uneasy around it. Guns were never a good thing, ever.

"We don't keep secrets from each other," she said, looking to Barbara who was aiding in washing the dishes after the dinner.

"Listen! We're going to attack the saucer anyways, so we'll put off telling her until afterwards! Who knows, if we get them out, she won't have had to worry about them," David pointed out, obviously very bothered with having the role of giving bad news. "And if it fails... Well then, they'll just have disappeared," he said, standing up to return the machine gun to wherever it was stored.

"All right," Susan timidly called at his back, as she looked at the ground. Odie took a deep breath, readying herself for a discussion. She patted Susan's hand, attracting her attention.

"I'm going to help them with the attack on the saucer, Susan," she admitted, causing the young woman's eyes to widen to twice their normal size.

"What?" she breathed, hoping she heard wrong. Surely, Odie wouldn't do something like that. But somewhere, in the back of her mind, Susan knew that was exactly the kind of thing Odie would do.

"I want to find the Doctor. I can't just sit and wait like this," Odie confirmed Susan's suspicions, causing her to shake her head feverishly.

"But, it's too dangerous!" she said, her voice approaching the point where it became shrill. Odie edged closer to the girl, putting an arm around her shoulder to calm her down. The last thing she needed was for Susan to alert Barbara that something was up.

"Oh please, I'd like to think I've done worse things in the time we've known each other. And besides, I can't do any household work like you and Barbara do. I'm better off doing scouting and helping with attacks. You know it's true," Odie said, attempting to calm Susan down, and Susan did agree that they had done dangerous things before. If attacking the saucer was less or more dangerous than some of the other things, Susan honestly couldn't say. It felt like such an impossible task at the moment, but so had all the other things at the time. Odie running through the Martian desert to reach the water pump in time, crawling up the inside of a corroded drainage pipe, Odie drawing off the policemen in London, so Ian could take Susan and Barbara away from prison... Odie always chose to do the dangerous things.

"Yes, I suppose so," Susan admitted, with a sigh, making Odie smile widely.

"Don't worry so much! Even the Daleks can't catch up to me, I promise," she said, hugging the girl, and while they both knew Odie could make no such promise, as she didn't know the Daleks like Susan did, it did calm the young girl considerably.

"All right."

"Girls, here's dessert for you," Barbara called, as she threw apples to the two girls, who easily caught them.

"Oh, thanks Barbara," Susan said, remembering her manners, as Odie eagerly ate her way through the apple. Nothing like running for your life to increase your appetite.

"Thank you Barbara," David said, as Barbara handed him an apple as well.

"What are these things?" Barbara asked, investigating the metal helmet that had been placed on the table in front of her.

"Oh, they're the Daleks' inventions," Susan shared. "They're called Robomen-"

"No Susan, I told you, you've got it wrong. We took these from dead human beings," David pointed out, and Odie smiled at Susan's pouting face.

"There aren't that many Daleks on Earth, they needed helpers," the blonde woman, who had been identified as Jenny by David, said from across the table. "So they operated on some of their prisoners, and turned them into robots."

"I see," Barbara muttered.

"The Transfer, as the Daleks call the operation, controls the human brain." David's face had turned grave. "Well, at least for a time," he admitted, seemingly remembering something horrible. Odie was getting a bad feeling about this conversation.

"Well, what happens then?" Susan asked, and Odie frowned. She just had to ask.

"Do they revert and become human again?" Barbara asked as well, and Jenny shook her head.

"No, they die."

"I've seen the robots when they break down. They go insane," David said with a sick voice, as if the memory itself was enough to make him physically ill. "They smash their heads against walls, they throw themselves off buildings or into the river."

"The river... So that's what it was," Barbara muttered, her face growing angry. "Daleks! Everything they touch turn into a horrible sort of nightmare," she said, sitting down to stop herself from pacing back and forth.

"Are they still doing these Transfer-operations, David?" Susan asked, but it was Jenny who answered them.

"Oh yes, they keep up their numbers of Robomen. They got my brother last year." Susan glanced briefly at Odie, seeing the young girl's face sadden. Odie briefly saw her brother, Jerry, in her mind, and she realized she could forgive Jenny for her unkind behavior. "That's another reason they land their saucers at the heliport," Jenny continued, and Susan noticed David look at Jenny in a special way, as if he was trying to make her quiet by eyes alone. "That's where the Daleks takes the prisoners and operate on them. Once they've got you aboard a saucer, there isn't a hope."


With bile raising in their throats, the two young girls took each other's hands, gripping onto each other with all the strength they had.

Meanwhile, in a cell in the Daleks' saucer, Ian and the Doctor met a young freedom fighter, whose friend had been murdered by the Daleks, when he attempted to flee. The Doctor looked out through the frosted cell door.

"I'd like a good look into that corridor," the old man admitted, looking around at Ian. "Did you notice the television eyes round about, hm?"

"Yes, I did. There aren't any in here," Ian admitted, looking around the walls. That wasn't to say that the Daleks weren't keeping an eye on them, they probably were, but it just wasn't visible from inside the cell.

"No."

"I'll tell you what I did see, Doctor," Ian said with a slight grin, as he looked back to the old man. "What I took to be a loading bay door. Of course, it could be guarded outside," he admitted, nodding thoughtfully, and the Doctor seemed to carefully consider what he said.

"It will be," the freedom fighter said, leaned against the wall of the cell.

"Yes, never the less, it has possibilities," the Doctor admitted.

"What for? You can't get the door open! There's no escape, I tell you," the man said, obviously causing no small amount of frustration from the old man.

"My young friend, don't be so pessimistic! What is your name, by the way, hm?" the Doctor asked, and though it seemed to irk their new friend, he eventually indulged them.

"Craddock, Jack Craddock."

"Well, Mr. Jack Craddock, don't be such a defeatist! Our job is to try and get out of here, and quickly," the Doctor pointed out with a smile. Craddock shook his head.

"Oh, you're just fooling yourselves! You don't know the Daleks," The Doctor and Ian threw each other a glance, each hiding the amusement mirrored in the other's eyes, as Craddock went by in ignorance. "Once they've got you inside a saucer, you're finished!"

"Craddock. Tell us, how did it happen? The invasion of Earth, everything?" Ian asked, sitting next to the man. Craddock eyed his cellmates with curious eyes. In his eyes, of course, it was impossible for people not to know what had happened.

"You've been on the Moon Station, or something?" he asked, and the Doctor jumped at the most likely alibi.

"Yes, quite so," he agreed. It was probably the closest to the truth Craddock would accept. Craddock took a deep breath, preparing himself to retell the darkest time of Earth's history.

"Well, the meteorites came first. The Earth was bombarded with them about, what, 10 years ago. Cosmic Storm, the scientists called it! When the meteors stopped, everything settled down. And then, people began to die of this new sort of plague," he relayed, his face haunted with memories of his past.

"Yes, that would explain your poster, dear boy," the Doctor admitted to Ian, as he pieced the puzzle pieces together. "Germ-bombs, hm?"

"Yeah. The Daleks were up in the sky, just waiting for the Earth to get weaker! Whole continents of people were wiped out; Asia, Africa, South America," Craddock said, his voice getting higher with the strong emotions tied to his tale. "They used to say the Earth had a smell of death about it."

"But why, Craddock? What were the doctors and the scientists doing about it?" Ian asked. He couldn't believe that humans would just easily go down like that. That idea was about as foreign to him as any alien could be.

"Oh, well, they invented some new kind of drug, but it was too late then," Craddock pointed out.

"Why?"

"The plague had split people up. The little communities of survivors were too far from each other to stand together and fight, and too insignificant on their own to fight an entire invasion," Craddock said. Yes, the plague had been much too effective.

"The tactics of Divide & Conquer, hm?" the Doctor said with a grim face, nodding to himself. It was a smart plan, he had to give that much credit to the Daleks.

"It took six months for the first saucer to land. The Daleks razed some cities to the ground, occupied others. Anyone who resisted was either killed or turned into slaves. Those who didn't become Robomen were shipped off to the mines," Craddock finished his story, shaking his head in hopeless surrender. He couldn't see how anything would ever become like it used to.

"But why, Craddock?" Ian asked insistently. "That's the one thing you haven't told us. What do the Daleks want on Earth?"

"I don't know. Something out of the ground," Craddock speculated. "They've turned the entire of Bedford into a big mining area," he said.

"Why? I mean, what are they digging for?" Ian asked insistently, to which Craddock could just shake his head again.

"I don't know," he repeated. All in all, they knew all too little about the Daleks, and their plans. The Doctor cleared his throat, already moving onto more practical matters, now that they knew the background story for their current predicament.

"Well, suppose we forget all this drab about Bedfordshire. Have either of you seen this?"


"Rebels Of London! This Is Our Last Offer, Our Final Warning. Leave Your Hiding Places, Show Yourselves In The Open Streets. You Will Be Fed And Watered. Work Is Needed From You But The Daleks Offer You Life. Rebel Against Us And The Daleks Will Destroy London Completely. You Will All Die. The Males. The Females. The Descendants. Rebels Of London. Come Out Of Your Hiding Places. The Daleks Offer You Life!"

Odie looked up as the radio transmission ended, watching the rebels all become very excited, as Dortmun showcased his bomb.

"Listen carefully; they have issued an ultimatum. We will give our answer, tonight! Tyler and I both agree, that the best place for an attack will be the heliport where they land the flying saucers."

"A frontal attack!?" Jenny asked wide eyed, staring at Tyler, as if to ask if that was right. Odie had to agree, from what Susan had told them of the Daleks, it did seem an awesome task, but if those bombs worked, it might just go right.

"Yes. A frontal attack," Tyler admitted.

"Of course. We have the superior weapon now. One success will give our people hope again. One victory will set this country, the whole of Europe, alight! That's all we need: One victory!" Dortmun said, lifting himself shakily from his wheelchair, caught up in his excitement.

"At the heliport, how do we get within throwing range?" Jenny asked, identifying a possible problem with the plan. From the way Dortmun lowered himself back into his wheelchair, Odie could tell it was a major problem.

"The heliport is fringed with buildings, right up to the perimeter."

"The Daleks can fire at us, long before we can use the bombs," a freedom fighter Odie hadn't paid much attention to uttered this statement, causing Dortmun to glower at him.

"A surprise attack!" said Dortmun, and the man shorted in disdain.

"The surprise is gone after the first bomb is thrown, and we shall be pinned down in the buildings," he called, and Tyler put a hand on his shoulder, calming him.

"All right, Baker, we know we have to get closer," Tyler comforted, as they all sat, pondering just how they'd get that close without drawing attention to themselves. It was Barbara who came up with the potentially brilliant plan.

"I know," she said, as her eyes coincidentally landed on the metal helmets on the table.

"Who was that?" Dortmun asked, and Barbara quickly got her feet, making everyone look at her. "Well?"

"We could get right into the middle of the Daleks, without them suspecting anything if we use this," Barbara said, handing Tyler one of the metal helmets. He looked at it, his brow furrowed. "Some of your men could disguise themselves as Robomen. They could pretend to be escorting a batch of prisoners to the saucer or something!" A tense silence spread in the room, as they all waited for Tyler's reaction to the plan.

"It'll work," Tyler said with a nod, and excitement spread in the room once more, this time even sweeping Susan and Odie up.

"Yes! It'll work," Dortmun agreed. "We will attack the saucer in one hour, from now!"

"Nice thinking, Barbara," Odie said happily, making Barbara smile timidly at her.

"Whoever said it wouldn't help in real life to study history, huh?" she asked with a shaky chuckle in her voice. Since they began travelling with the Doctor, Barbara most certainly had to draw on her knowledge of earlier ages quite often. Susan laughed wholeheartedly.

"Certainly not you!"


A part of the plan that Odie did not agree with, however, became apparent later on. As she cowered behind a wall from a crumbled building, she stared at her companions with annoyance in her features.

"I still think you two should've stayed back at the base," she announced for the tenth time in the past five minutes.

"I'm just as bad with waiting as you are, Odie. We're going to be here," Barbara replied, a variant of the other answers she had already given.

"The Doctor is going to flay me alive if anything happens to Susan. And Ian won't be any happier if you're hurt, Barbara," Odie pointed out, already fearing for her life if anything happened to the others.

"Grandfather won't be happy with me either, if I don't make an effort to make sure you're all right, Odie," Susan pointed out. Sometimes, Odie seemed to think of herself as outside of the group, as if none of the others would be worried about her if she was left alone. It was really a bad way to think.

"Hush! There they are," David announced, as Tyler's attack group approached the saucer, with two of the men disguised as Robomen.

"Now what do we do?" Susan asked, her body tense and ready. Odie could see her lower lip quivering in fear, but she endured it. Odie couldn't help but think of how much Susan had grown up lately.

"Well, as soon as Tyler's attack group arrives, we start throwing these," David said, handing out bombs to Barbara and Susan. He bypassed Odie, as the two of them knew that Odie wouldn't be needing one.

"Isn't Odie going to have a bomb?" Barbara caught on, and David seemed unsure of what to tell her. He had been the one to point out that it would be best if Barbara didn't know anything, and even Susan didn't know that Odie planned to go into the saucer.

"I'm on Rescue Duty. It's my job to pull people out of the fire, if need be," Odie saved him, coming up with the most likely plan for herself.

"Why do you always sign up for the dangerous missions?" Barbara asked with a motherly look on her face, and Odie grinned in a wary manner.

"That's just who I am, Barbara," Odie pointed out, as she kept a close eye on what was going at the saucer. "I can see Tyler!"

"Stand by," David said slowly, holding a hand up so none of the girls threw the bombs before time. As the Daleks closed in on the fake Robomen, they saw Tyler give off a discrete nod, and the freedom fighters began fighting back. "Now!" Barbara and Susan threw their bombs, causing bright flashes of light to explode when they hit the ground, and Odie immediately sought cover behind the wall, just seconds before David uttered; "Get down!"

Odie waited about half a second, as she listened to the screams of some of the freedom fighters who died in the first waves of attacks, before she looked out again. The freedom fighters were fleeing from the Daleks, luring them away from the saucer.

"Now," she muttered, as she quickly came on her feet and dashed out from cover.

"Odie! Where are you going?" she heard Barbara scream from behind her.

"Barbara, no!" Susan said, holding Barbara back, threw a panicked look after Odie, who was dashing between Daleks, avoiding their line of sight.

"Odie!" Barbara yelled, but their dark friend didn't even stop to look behind her for a second. She was too focused on getting out of this without the Daleks spotting her. It wouldn't be too hard avoiding detection of just one Dalek, their eyestalks didn't provide for optimal sight, but with this many, it was sort of like a puzzle. As she heard the dying screams of freedom fighters around her, she felt the adrenaline surge through her, and it caused her to notice things much easier. She manuevered around the heliport without getting spotted, with no seeming difficulty. Soon, she had entered the saucer, and gotten out of her friends' sights. David dragged the girls with him to another vantage point, further from the action, where he called a familiar figure to them.

"Jenny! Jenny!" The blonde woman, currently clad in a large jacket and a black hood, arrived, David grabbing her arms and swinging her about, so she was closest to the women. "You take them back. I am going to try and do something," he said, turning around to run back. Jenny grabbed him as he tried.

"Not on your own!"

"Just do it!" he ordered, before dashing into the thick of things.

"Well, don't' just stand there, let's go," Jenny ordered sternly, and with everything that was going on, and Odie putting herself in danger, Susan had had enough.

"Shut up, Jenny!" she screamed at her, and Barbara turned to Susan. She couldn't take anymore of Jenny's nonsense right now.

"You know how to get there?" Barbara asked, and Susan nodded.

"Yes, it's just-" she began, when Barbara began moving away from here. Susan latched onto her immediately. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to help Tyler get them out!" she said, proving herself to know more than Susan and the others had told her. She must've guessed it when Odie ran into the saucer.

"There's nothing you can do," Susan begged, not wanting to see another of her friends go in there.

"I don't know, let go of me!" Barbara ordered, slipping out of Susan's grip. She disappeared into the smoke of the bombs, and Susan stood for a second, not knowing what way to run.

"Susan, let's go!" Jenny ordered, and with a last look at the fighting going on around her, Susan did as she was told, leaving her heart and thoughts with her friends at the saucer.


"Get that man off of there," Tyler ordered, as he and Baker stood over an unconscious Roboman, looking at the old man on the operating table. They had just barely reached him in time, it would seem.

"He's unconscious!" Baker announced, as he checked the old man's breathing and pulse. Tyler shook his head. Just what they needed! They needed to get out quickly, and an unconscious old man was only going to slow them down. But leaving him for the Daleks was out of the question, Tyler realized, and he sighed.

"Bring him anyway," he ordered.

"Tyler!" a yell sounded, and he turned around in surprise at the voice. He didn't know why he was so surprised to see her. She had demanded to be allowed inside the saucer, after all, and he hadn't for one second thought David would be able to stop her. He acknowledged her with a brief nod, before pointing to the old man with the hilt of his revolver.

"Odie, is this Susan's grandfather?" he asked, and Odie looked in the direction he pointed. She felt her entire body become as light as a feather, as she looked at the familiar white-maned face.

"Yes! Yes, that's the Doctor," she said happily, and despite the situation, Tyler couldn't keep a small smile from his face, at the sight of Odie's happy face. He was glad she at least found what she was looking for.

"Good. Bring him out," he said, leaving Odie and Baker to get the Doctor, as he helped the others free everyone else in the saucer. Odie ran to the operating table, putting a hand to the Doctor's pale fist.

"Doctor? Doctor, it's me, Odie. Can you hear me?" she called gently, as Baker removed the tubes above the Doctor, giving them more place to pull him off.

"All Robomen Reserves Into Action. Destroy The Invaders." Odie and Baker looked at each other with grim faces, as Baker nodded.

"We need to get out!" he announced, as he lifted the Doctor, draping one of his arms over his shoulder. Odie did the same on the other side, as they began walking towards the exit. When they reached it, Tyler was waiting to make sure everyone got out.

"Get him out of here! Odie, take this, and you make sure they get out of this," Tyler asked, as he handed Odie a knife from his belt. Odie took it, willing her hands to be steady, and she nodded firmly, making a silent promise to the older man, as he ran off, hoping to find others to guide to safety.

"Odie, run ahead," Baker asked, as they began moving away from the battlefield. Odie didn't even look back from her spot a meter or so in front of Baker and the old man, she just shook her head.

"No! I'm staying with you and the Doctor," she said in such a way, Baker couldn't continue arguing with her. There was no way he was going to be able to convince her to leave the old man, he realized.


The duo, with the unconscious third member, moved quietly through the streets, staying out as sight for as long as they could. Odie had taken them inside one of the numerous abandoned buildings on their way, as she had seen a large battalion of Robomen marching on the street ahead of them. They would have to wait it out.

Baker stood by a window, keeping a watchful eye on the street below, as Odie was wiping the Doctor's brow with his handkerchief, which she had known he kept in his trouser pocket.

"How do you know the old man?" Baker asked quietly, and Odie looked up. He didn't look at her, and Odie nodded shakily. A conversation might make time pass quicker, she supposed.

"He's an old friend of mine," she shared, and Baker nodded.

"You've known him for a long time then," he stated, and Odie smiled.

"Most of his life," she admitted, and he briefly looked back to her, his eyes wide.

"Are you older than you look?" he asked, and Odie giggled slightly, shaking her head, as she approached the window, keeping an eye together with the man.

"No, it's him that's younger than he looks," she denied, and Baker blinked.

"But he has a teenage granddaughter," he reminded her, and Odie nodded.

"Yes, I know. She's a good kid," she agreed, and Baker stared at her again. She looked up at him, a teasing smile on her face. He shook his head with an incredulous look on his face.

"Well, at least you have a sense of humor," he said, and Odie rolled her eyes. How would he react if she said she had said nothing but the truth? Not that she would. It wouldn't do to begin talking about time travel and aliens, not with what was going on with the Daleks.

"Why did you want to know?"

"I just thought, you were going through an awful lot to rescue a friend's grandfather," he pointed out, and Odie smiled. Yes, she supposed it did look a bit strange to others who didn't know about her and the Doctor.

"What about you? Don't you have anyone you'd go through fire and water for?" she asked, and Baker's eyes turned haunted, as if spirits from beyond the grave suddenly surfaced in front of him. "You don't have to say anything, if it's too painful."

"My sister... Her husband was turned into a Roboman, and ordered to kill her and their two children." Odie's eyes widened at the thought. She looked at Baker, who was keeping a fixed eye on the street, but she suspected he wasn't even looking at it anymore. Instead, he was seeing the face of his sister in his mind. She put a hand on his arm, calling his attention to her.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, and Baker shook his head.

"You've lost people too, right?" he asked, and Odie blinked, confused.

"What do you-" she began, but he smiled slightly, catching her off guard.

"You have a look about you. I've seen it on other people here," he pointed out, and she smiled sadly. Well, she hadn't lost people to the Daleks, but he didn't have to know how she lost him.

"It was my dad. He tried to protect my mum, my brother and I. He got killed in the attempt," she said, feeling the familiar empty feeling in her heart, as she did whenever she remembered her dad. The two stood in silent companionship from there, watching the street until it was quiet. The Robomen had searched the sector. They had to move, before they came back.


"David!" Baker said, surprised, as the young man suddenly jumped out in front of them. Odie quickly pocketed her knife, which she had been about to throw when she heard something moving around in the bushes.

"Baker! Odie!" David greeted with a relieved look on his face, and Odie frowned, as she saw the knife he held in his hand.

"Put that thing away, for goodness sake," she ordered, as Baker approached David.

"Are you two all right?" David asked, as he accepted the old man from Baker.

"Yes, it's him I'm worried about," Baker admitted, as he and Odie followed David to a small garden in the middle of the alleyways. Susan was waiting for them, and Odie found, she had never been more happy to see the young girl in her life. The two girls hugged each other, absorbing the joy from their reunion.

"Odie! Grandfather!" Susan greeted, before she saw the state the old man was in. "What's wrong with him?" she asked, clearly worried, and Odie shook her head, as David put the old man on the, leaning against Susan's legs, as she sat on a rusted barrel.

"The Daleks were getting ready to Transfer him. We got him out before anything serious happened, but he's a bit groggy," Odie explained with an unhappy look on her face. She didn't like the idea of the Doctor becoming a Roboman, not in the least.

"I'm so glad you're all right," Susan greeted with a big smile, and Odie nodded. She certainly was too...

"What about the others?" David asked, and both Odie and Baker's faces darkened.

"Four or five got away, the rest are either dead of prisoners," Baker shared, causing David to silently bow his head, shaking it in disbelief. So many people had died... The bombs hadn't worked, at all.

"The Daleks are combing the entire place, hoping to trap more of us in the streets," Odie continued Baker's tale.

"What are you going to do then? Are you going to stay here with us?" David asked the two, and Baker shook his head.

"A large group won't stand a chance. I was thinking of trying on my own," he replied, before turning his face towards Odie. "Unless, you want to come with me, Odie?" Odie blinked, confused. The offer was very kind, but she smiled sadly, shaking her head. Baker couldn't know, of course, but it was absolutely out of the question leaving the Doctor.

"No, I'm sorry Baker, I'm staying with the Doctor," she replied, and Baker nodded. He might've tried to fool himself for a moment, but he had probably known all along, that Odie would never leave the old man. He had seen how she looked at him while they were traveling together. It had made him reconsider his idea that her explanation was a joke, there was no way she would look like that if the Doctor was just a good friend's grandfather.

"You're one loyal gal, you know that? I'm going to try and head for the Cornish Coast, it's deserted down there. Not much for the Daleks," Baker said, looking around him, just in case any Daleks overheard his plans.

"That's a good idea," David agreed.

"We must stay in London!" Susan said stubbornly. They couldn't go too far from the TARDIS, Odie realized.

"I must be on my way," Baker said, as he stood up, and David and Odie stood up as well, wishing to bid him farewell and good luck in a proper fashion. David handed him a flagon, Odie assumed was filled with water.

"Baker, wait. Take this flask, it's full," he said, but Baker shook his head.

"I can't-" he began, but David forced the flask into his hand.

"Look, just take it man, there's plenty of food in London! You need all you can get where you're going," he pointed out, and Baker smiled, accepting that statement. There wouldn't be a lot on the Cornish Coast, that was for sure.

"All right, thanks," he said, and Odie blinked, a thought having struck her.

"I have something too," she said quickly, unlatching the knife Tyler had given her from her pants. She handed it to Baker with the tiniest of smiles. "I don't know how much it'll do against a Dalek, but the Robomen aren't metal."

"Thank you," Baker said, accepting the knife. His hand lingered for a while, as both of them held the knife, but then he pulled his hand to himself again. "Good luck to you, I hope you find your friends," Baker said to both her and Susan, and Odie nodded.

"Thanks. Be careful!" Susan called to him. Baker glanced at Odie through the corner of his eyes, seemingly contemplating something. Before Odie had a chance to ask what it was, he quickly kissed her cheek. His unshaved chin itched against her cheek, tickling her, but Odie just smiled, feeling all fluttery inside.

"Take care of yourself, all right?" he asked, and Odie nodded.

"Yes, I will. You too," she said, bidding Baker farewell as he jumped into the alleyways again. The she turned around, ignoring the look Susan gave her, as she sat down, and looked at the Doctor.


The Doctor woke up less than half an hour after Baker left, but it would be another hour before he could move again. Odie was sitting on the large metal box, which made a sort of makeshift tent for them, as she watched Susan walk in circles around the square, the Doctor supporting himself on her shoulder.

"Take it easy," Susan asked, as the Doctor heaved for his breath.

"Yes, it's as times like this that I need my stick," the Doctor pointed out, and Odie nodded. She didn't know where the stick was. Had he even remembered to bring it out of the TARDIS with him? She didn't think he had. She'd have to remember to bring it out for him in the future.

"We'll have to find you one," Odie agreed, as Susan walked the Doctor to the barrel, and helped him sit down, causing a lot of pained gasps from the Doctor, as his rheumatism flared up.

"There you are," Susan said with a smile, as the Doctor nodded, out of breath.

"Well, I think that's quite enough to start with," he admitted. "Did you know, I never realized that walking was so difficult, so exhausting?"

"How's the numbness? Is it wearing off?" Susan asked, as she began rubbing her grandfather's leg, hoping to massage the numbness away. They knew it was caused by the Daleks' drugs, but it was better than doing nothing.

"Yes, I think it is. In quite a while, we might be able to travel," the Doctor speculated, and Susan smiled.

"Oh, that's good! David says we should head for the north," she shared, and Odie smiled. She was quite certain she knew what the Doctor was going to say about this. "There's a resistance group up there, and he says we should join up with them."

"I don't care what that young man says, I make the decisions around here," the Doctor replied, just as Odie knew he would. "And I think we should make out way back to the TARDIS."

"What's the good of that, grandfather? We need someone to help us through all that rubble, and besides, London is crawling with Daleks! We must go north," Susan answered. Odie was quite certain this was one of, perhaps, three rare times she had seen Susan go against her grandfather, and she again marveled at just how much Susan had grown.

"Do you question my authority, child, hm?" the Doctor asked with a meaningful glance at Odie, and she couldn't help but smile widely. She was glad she sat behind Susan, so the girl wouldn't be able to see it.

"Well... N-No, grandfather, i-it's not that at all, it's just-" Susan began, obviously very nervous, and Odie took a deep breath, attempting to stop herself from laughing.

"You seem to place more reliance on that young man's word than mine, don't you?" the Doctor continued pushing, which caused Susan to jump up.

"Oh, grandfather, it's not that!" she complained, and the Doctor and Odie looked at each other, knowing eyes on both their faces. "It's simply that he lives in this time, he understand the way it-" Odie looked up as she heard someone moving in the alley, and she smiled. When you spoke of the sun!

"How is it, David?" she asked, causing Susan to turn around like a spinning top.

"I've been down as far as the river, but they've got patrols on every bridge," David shared, as he fell to his knees on the ground, obviously very fatigued. Odie had suggested that she do the scouting, but David had been against sending her into the streets. He was a real chivalrous man, Odie thought to herself. Whoever said it had died out?

"So what's our next move?" Susan asked, and David shook his head.

"Oh, I don't know," David said, short of breath. He then looked up at the Doctor, who seemed deep in thought. "What do you suggest, sir?"

"Huh? Me?" the Doctor said with no small amount of surprise, and Odie almost fell down in shock.

"Well, you're the senior member of the party, Sir. But I would be grateful for your help," David said with a very matter-of-fact voice, and the Doctor found himself quite embarrassed.

"Yes, well, yes, um," he muttered, as he threw a glance towards Odie, hoping for help, but she gave none of the sort. She just smirked at him, an annoyingly big smirk, causing the Doctor to wrinkle his nose at her, before looking away.

"Yes, of course, young man. Well, I suggest that as soon as I am able to walk again, we should travel north. Then, we might be able to join up with the resistance party," he said slowly, and Susan widened her eyes, looking to Odie, as if to ask if she was hearing this. Odie winked at her, this being her answer, and Susan smiled widely. "Mind you, it is only a suggestion. I really should leave it to you, think about it yourself."

"That's a very good idea, grandfather," Susan said, and the Doctor looked up, an innocent look on his face.

"Huh? What?" he asked.

"I said; it's a very good idea," Susan shared, as she put her arms around the Doctor's neck, her forehead against the Doctor's hair, and Odie giggled at the sight. The Doctor nodded.

"Yes, I think it's a rather good idea, yes," he said, and Odie nodded with him.

"Best idea you've had since we got here."


"I think we should be on our way," the Doctor said, as he stood up. Odie was surprised he had withstood this long. The Doctor didn't usually approved of sitting around, waiting.

"Grandfather, I think we should stay a little longer, don't you? Well, because David looked just now, and there were loads of Daleks!" Susan pointed out, and David nodded.

"Maybe Susan's right, maybe we should wait just five minutes more?" David suggested to the Doctor, when Odie's head snapped up.

"Hush!" she hissed, causing them all to look at her.

"What is i-" David began, when Odie quickly glared at him.

"Be quiet!" she ordered, and this time, David kept his mouth shut. And now that there was quiet, they could hear the steps Odie had noticed. The lean woman carefully slid down from her vantage point atop the metal case, as she sneaked around a bush, looking out into the alleyways. She furrowed her brow, as she saw two Robomen turned around the corner further away. "It's Robomen. They've put some sort of device up there," she shared, when she was certain that no enemies remained.

"It's one of the firebombs!" David said, as he arrived at her side, looking in the direction she was facing.

"Fire-?" the Doctor began, but he never got further, before his old body gave up on him, and he fell to the ground like a ragdoll. Odie turned around, shocked.

"Doctor!" she yelled, as she ran back to the old man, joining Susan by his side.

"Grandfather!" Susan called, before looking up at David. "David, he's passed out!"

"It must be the effect of those drugs." David answered, looking back and forth. He obviously had no idea what he should do first, check on the old man or check on the bomb. Odie bit her lip, before grabbing Susan's arm.

"Go help David, I'll put the Doctor out of sight," she ordered, causing Susan to widen her eyes.

"But-" she began, hoping to argue, but Odie just shook her head.

"Go on," she said, pushing Susan away. Susan was soon at David's side, leaving Odie to drag the Doctor into the metal tent. She grumbled as she made sure to not bang the old man's head on any rocks.

"What a bloody fine time to pass out, Doctor. You really have a sense of timing," Odie muttered, as she left the tent, walking to the bomb.

"So, can you disable it?" she asked, as David and Susan examined the wretched thing. David muttered something to himself at first, and then seemed to register what Odie had asked. He looked up at her, nodding.

"We think so. Stay back a bit," he said, shooing Odie away. She walked to the end of the alley, looking around the corner to keep an eye out for Daleks or Robomen. What she saw made her eyes widen. She slowly left the corner, making sure she was alone, as she approached the body. It was Baker.

"Oh no," she muttered sadly, as she squatted next to him. "You didn't even get that far away. Poor Baker," she whispered to herself, carefully caressing his face. There were no wounds or physical sign of being murdered, so she assumed he had been cornered by Daleks. She drew a shaky breath, feeling something inside of her shattering.

"I need to do something about you. I can't just leave you lying about the street like this," she said to him, as she looked around. Not too far away, there was a broken down door, leading to an apartment building. She assumed it was as good a place as any, as she dragged the grown man inside. It took some effort, but she eventually got him into a living room, where there stood a moldy couch. It wasn't the best place to lay him to rest, but it would have to do, she realized. She got him up, and crossed his arms. She bit her lip, as she retrieved the flask of water and knife from Baker, her eyes growing misty.

"I can't do much better than this, Baker, I'm sorry," she whispered, as she stroked his forehead. As she heard Susan calling for her, she quickly bent down and kissed Baker's forehead, before running back outside.

"Odie!" Susan breathed out in relief, as Odie turned the corner.

"You dismantled the bomb then?" Odie asked, attempting to blink away the curtain laid across her eyes. Susan nodded, now noticing something was up with her friend.

"Yes. What's the matter? Are you crying?" she asked, approaching her. Odie quickly shook her head, attempting a smile.

"Oh, no, I'm fine. What do we do now?" Odie quickly asked, hoping to change the subject, and Susan let it go. Odie would tell her in due time, if something serious was wrong.

"Well, David says that him and I will find a way out of London, but grandfather can't travel right now. Will you stay, look after him?" Susan asked, and Odie couldn't help it. She smiled widely, causing Susan to blink, confused. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. Of course I'll look after him, Susan. Just make sure to come back for us, okay?" she ordered, and Susan smiled, nodding.

"Thank you," she said, as she followed David down the manhole. Odie looked after them, shaking her head as they disappeared.

"Susan, oh Susan," she muttered to herself, as she walked back to the metal case. She looked inside, and saw the Doctor was still unconscious. She crawled inside, in front of him, and pulled a bit on him, so his head was on her lap. She absentmindedly began combing his silver hair, as she let her thoughts drift. And as she once again thought of Baker, she sniffled, as a couple of tears drew lines on her dark face.

"What is this?" a voice said, causing Odie to open her eyes. A shaking, withered hand removed some of the tears on her cheeks. "I haven't seen you cry in ages, my dear. What has happened?" the Doctor asked, worry in his old voice.

"Baker is dead. Shot by Daleks less than 50 meters from here," Odie admitted. When the Doctor had woken up from the drugs, they had explained that Baker had helped save him, and the Doctor had been disappointed he could not thank the man in person. Now, he would never have the chance.

"I'm sorry. I hear he was a good man," the Doctor said, attempting to comfort Odie. She smiled, nodding.

"Yes. Yes, he was."

"Where is Susan?" the Doctor asked, as he looked around, hoping to locate his granddaughter. Odie once again smiled, the smile that was just a bit wider than usual.

"She and David is trying to find a way out of London through the sewers. No Daleks down there," Odie pointed out, and the Doctor hummed in agreement.

"That's true."

"She didn't want to leave you, you know," Odie quickly said, hoping Susan's leaving hadn't saddened her old friend, and he smiled, patting her hand which had come to rest on his chest.

"Oh, I know, my dear, don't worry."

The two remained in silence for a while, thinking on their own matters, waiting for something to happen. Odie was keeping an ear out for any unwelcome sounds, but so far, everything was quiet. Usually, that would be a good thing in a warzone, but she found the quiet eerie.

"What do you think of that David-fellow?" the Doctor then asked, causing Odie to refocus her gaze on him. His face was blank, but she was fairly certain she knew what this was about.

"About him and Susan?" she asked, and the Doctor looked up at her.

"You can see it too, can you?" he asked, and Odie snorted, a laugh caught in her throat.

"I think the only ones who can't see it yet are the two of them," she said. Or maybe they did? Who was to know. Susan was certainly conscious of the young man, and David did seem to be trying to win the Doctor's approval. Or that might just be his personality. "Are you thinking of leaving her behind again?" Odie asked, looking down at the Doctor. He seemed to have aged at least another 100 years just by being asked that question.

"It is too dangerous for her to keep traveling with me. And I do so want her to belong somewhere," he admitted, and Odie smiled, patting the Doctor's chest with her one hand.

"So does she. I think David would be good for her," she admitted, and the Doctor smiled slightly at the thought.

"I agree. But I am afraid that, given the choice, Susan will not leave the TARDIS."

"She won't be able to. She won't leave you, ever," Odie agreed. Susan was very attached to the Doctor, and would no doubt feel lost without him, at least for a time. But if Susan was to ever become truly grown up, she had to break away from the Doctor eventually.

"So what do I do?" the Doctor asked, and Odie looked at her friend. It felt strange, to be asked for advice by the Doctor. Sure, he had asked for it before, but after travelling with him for a while, he just didn't seem to be the type to ever need it. Once in a while, Odie supposed, even the Doctor had things he needed help for.

"This is a matter between you and Susan, Theta. Do what you think is best, and Susan won't hold it against you," Odie said with conviction in her voice, and the Doctor looked up at her.

"You are certain?" he asked, sounding strangely unsure, and Odie looked down at him, an adamant look about her.

"Yes, and frankly, it's strange that you aren't," she pointed out, and the Doctor laughed a bit, nodding. He closed his eyes, deciding to rest a bit before they had to move again.

"Yes, I suppose you are right, I suppose you are right."


There :D A rather long chapter :O Forgive me =_= Now! One more chapter to go with the Daleks, and then we move on. Of course, a very sad part is also coming up in the next chapter :( I trust everyone knows what's going to happen. I cried while writing it, but I am very susceptible to emotional outbursts, so never thee mind xD Hope you look forward to the next one!