I wasn't planning on posting this until Saturday night, but you guys convinced me to! ;) Buckle up folks. It's gonna be a wild ride.
Chapter 29
Rose awoke with a gasp to find herself strapped down by heavy constraints, cinched tight around her arms and legs. Her back and neck ached as she laid on a rather unforgiving metal table in a dark, domed blue room. The air faintly smelled of that familiar tang she had come accustomed to after teleportation- of ionized air and electricity. And it felt like only moments before, she had been riding in the Torchwood tactical sedan with Ross and Adeola. She couldn't have been there long.
A sound from the corner startled her. She turned and did a proper double take. Impossibly thin, spindly, hind legs supported the bulky figure of what she could only describe as a large black insect creature. It was seven to eight feet tall she'd say, armored in a black shell, waxy wings flecked with menacing orange spots, pincers working at the mouth. Dozens of steely, iridescent eyes were focused upon her, and she could see a hundred tiny reflections of her own stunned face staring back at her. Even with little to no idea what this thing was, she knew one thing instantly and instinctively: it was poisonous.
Had she not spent time with the Doctor and worked at Torchwood where such sights were familiar, she would have screamed. Instead, her eyes narrowed as she examined it. It was trying to communicate, making grotesque noises which made the surface of her skin erupt with goosebumps, both grinding at terrifying. Her gaze fell to its appendage which held what appeared to be a contraption with a blinking light. Suddenly, the device began translating.
"Female human, you have been captured for testing and questioning. You will comply."
"Oh yeah?" she asked casually, putting on her typical poker face of confidence to hide her nerves. "What makes you think that?"
"You will comply or suffer," the creature's translator coolly stated.
"Hmph! You're in trouble now," she smiled, struggling at her constraints.
"You anticipate his coming."
Her head whipped back up. "What did you say?"
"You anticipate his coming. So do we."
She blew out a long breath and laid her head down. So this was a trap, and she was the bait. "Who's that?" she asked, feigning ignorance as she attempted to make her own voice as devoid of emotion as the heartless tone of the translator.
"Your mate."
"I don't know what you're talking about," she snapped, cheeks flushing despite herself.
"Physiological responses between you two indicate you view each other as mating partners. Denial is futile. We have your interaction in our data banks."
Suddenly, he raised his translator and clicked. The ceiling above her flooded with images of her and the Doctor from the past three months, shots that only someone from Torchwood could have taken. Several showed them side by side, laughing and smiling a mere feet away from whoever had taken them. She stared in disbelief. "How did you...?"
"We have infiltrated the facility known as Torchwood."
"What do you want?" she pressed, subconsciously tugging at her wrists.
"Information. We have been monitoring the human species but this one registers as superior to human kind. We wish to explore his physiology further. What species is this Doctor?"
Rose shot a cold stare at the alien. "Sorry, but I don't feel much like talking today."
There was a brief silence, then the odd clicking noises resumed. "Then you will suffer." The insect-like creature's long black appendage clicked the device and the pictures vanished. Opening in it's place in the ceiling, another device lowered. A prong emerged, sparking with energy. Rose could do nothing but grit her teeth as it crept closer.
The Doctor's heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline rushing throughout his entire slim frame as he piloted his craft toward the location of the offending ship. She had to be okay. She had to... If she wasn't... Well if she wasn't, then it was likely they could no longer call him the Doctor when he was through with whoever had taken her.
The Sontaran battleship appeared fully visible in the sky, the large outstretching arms looking spider-like as they converged on the spherical center, daring him to come forward. Abruptly, the view screen on the console flicked to life.
"Greetings, I am Commander Strat of the Sontaran Seventh Sector scouting team," declared the rounded, squat form of the warrior in his native language. "You will be board our ship or be destroyed." He spoke with all the arrogance indigenous to his species, his overly large helmet and blue gray armor gleaming on the screen. A courtesy translation of the message then sounded in a monotonous voice, but it was unnecessary. He understood him completely.
Slowly, the large circular sphere split down the center to reveal a hangar bay, swallowing the Chula ship whole as he boarded. The ramp shook as it descended, his converse shoes stepping lightly upon it. He strode onto the Sontaran loading dock as the armored form of the commander sauntered toward him.
"Commander Strat," said the Doctor curtly as he disembarked, his fists clenched at his side.
"Doctor," the scout acknowledged. Despite his face being hidden behind the cumbersome helmet, he detected the unmistakeable impressed tone in the alien's voice at being addressed in Sontaran.
"How do you know my name?" he growled, scrutinizing him.
"In time Doctor, but for now you are expected in holding cell seven." He raised his weapon. "Move, I do not wish to end you before we have the chance to battle."
With the weapon lodged firmly between his shoulder blades, the Doctor had little choice but to meander forward, hands raised in the air. Already his eyes took in the whole of the ship, looking for any clue that could lead to Rose. The cubed lights above them hung low, casting a purple glow upon the tiled floor as they passed several masonry arches. The ship itself was the spitting image of the one he had boarded during the ATMOS incident with one glaring difference: there didn't seem to be any other soldiers on board. Finding a lone Sontaran scout was rare. He had encountered one before long ago in one of his previous regenerations, and if the recent Torchwood disappearances were linked to all of this, then it wasn't good. "This is a rather large ship to be run by only one Sontaran," he commented curiously. "Where are the rest of you?"
"It would be unwise for a captor to reveal the number of his comrades to his enemy, prisoner. Now, in here," he gruffly replied, beckoning toward a row of holding cells. Blue laser bars descended from the top of the arched doorways, hissing menacingly.
With a flash of commander's wrist, the lasers zapped out of existence and the Doctor was shoved forward. He rolled onto the chamber floor, coming to a stop just as the Sontaran tapped a button, the lasers trapping him in. Jumping lithely to his feet, he examined the archway for a way out, thin fingers pressing at the crevices of the stone along the edge.
"Doctor?" came a small voice from behind him. He swung around, wide-eyed as Rose pulled herself to her feet. Swaying slightly, she took a small step forward and he ran to her, catching her in his arms.
"Oh Rose!" He crushed her to him, twirling her around as waves of relief rolled off of him. His breathing was fast and intense as he placed a firm kiss in her hair. He had almost lost her. How could he ever think about leaving her? Even if there could be nothing more between them, he knew then that he would be there for her no matter what.
His grip was iron clad but she didn't care. In that moment, she felt nothing but content to be in his arms. Rose knew then what she wanted, and it was him. He wasn't the same as the one who left, no, but he was worth it. So worth it, and he was her Doctor. She broke free from his embrace to meet his smoldering gaze. Then with deliberate slowness, she kissed him.
His eyes widened in surprise, but he was soon kissing her back lovingly. Starved of her affection, his etiquette was tossed out the window as his hands drew her closer with a sudden lurch, kissing her most exuberantly. She reciprocated his intensity, sliding her hands under his overcoat coat and up his back which caused him to erupt in desire. Oh, how he'd longed to hold her like this! He was planting passionate kisses along her jaw line, down her neck, and back on her mouth with more fervor until he was consumed by her. All the while she twisted her fingers through his hair, and it was all he could do to stifle a groan. With great effort, he let up, resting his forehead against hers, hoping against hope this was what she really wanted.
"I knew you'd come," she whispered, her right palm drummed by his fast-beating heart as she laid it along his right breast.
His soul softened at how very nearly he had left her. "Always, Rose Tyler. Always." It was a new promise, never to be broken again. He clung to her like a vine, arms and fingers spread along her back as they swayed.
"I love you," she confessed into his ear.
Was it so? Really and truly? He nearly jumped back, clutching her shoulders as he peered into her soft brown eyes questioningly. But then she grinned that Rose Tyler grin, tears streaming down her cheeks, and his heart launched into the stratosphere. Once again, lips found lips, eager and hungry.
A sudden sound outside the hallway broke them apart. In an instant, he drew Rose behind him protectively, but the Sontaran had continued down the hall, the sound of footfall fading. The Doctor took a few steps forward to examine their laser prison. The familiar whirl of the sonic screwdriver filled the cell as he knelt. "Deadlocked. Drat!"
"I knew you would come for me, but you still shouldn't have," Rose whispered behind him. He whipped around, curious and somewhat surprised. "They wanted you. They kidnapped me to get to you," she explained.
Eyes darting back and forth, his mind whizzed. "Did they say what they wanted me for?" he urged. "Wait a moment..." Horror gripped him as he finally took in the state of her. She was holding herself up against the wall, her shaking hand clenching her stomach over her singed and burnt shirt. Her hair was a tattered mess, her face speckled with the sheen of sweat. In an instant, he was at her side.
"What did they do to you?" he breathed, rage boiling within him as she helped her to sit on the cold floor tiles. Not bothering to wait for her answer, he lifted up her shirt and promptly gasped. She had a burn mark the size of a grapefruit across her navel, red and blistering.
"'S okay. Doesn't hurt anymore."
His hands flew to her clammy face as the color drained from his own. "Rose, you're going into shock." Gently, he lowered her to the ground, taking off his coat and wadding it into a ball to comfort her head. He then made quick work of tinkering with the settings on his sonic, scanning her stomach. "It's nasty but not life threatening," he sighed with relief, switching to another setting. "This ought to help the burn heal." He waved the sonic over the angry wound before softly running his thin fingers down her cheek and across her jawline. "Try to relax," he whispered, and she managed a small smile. "What did they want?"
"They know you aren't fully human. They wanna know what you are. As you can see, I wasn't feeling particularly chatty," she explained with a wry smile.
His heart flipped. She had been tortured for information on him, and she hadn't said a thing. "Oh Rose!" Filled with compassion, he delicately brushed his lips against her brow, grasping her hand tightly in his.
The sound of heavy boots heralded the arrival of their jailer. The Sontaran was once more at the door now sans helmet. "You will come with me, Doctor," he demanded, his order cutting into the air.
The Doctor was on his feet in an instant, barreling toward him. "What did you do to her?!" he yelled. Rose's eyes grew wide when she realized he wasn't speaking English, but what she assumed to be Sontaran.
"Nothing," Commander Strat smugly replied. "That was the work of Traxitier. We are... entertaining his experiments in his search for a race worthy to give us battle." The commander's glistening face looked upon Rose lying on the floor with derision. "So far we have been... disappointed."
The Doctor was then but inches from his foe's face, a sneer of hatred carved into his features. Only the lasers separated them, eyes locked together in a battle of glares.
"Yes!" cried the commander. "Ah, now you are a warrior. I can see it in your eyes... the blood lust." A grin spread across his mouth revealing a row of jagged teeth. "You have known the taste of blood, have you not, Doctor? Perhaps you will be a worthy adversary."
"You have no idea. If you want an enemy, then you've found one," his low voice snarled from just beyond the blue beams. "Let. Her. Go."
"She is still necessary," the commander said matter-of-factly.
"You wanted me! Leave her out of this!" he yelled.
"The female will serve as incentive for your cooperation. Hand over your sonic probe or she will be incinerated," the commander ordered, raising his weapon.
The Doctor's mind raced through a myriad of options, few of them viable. He could try to overpower the commander with his sonic but then what? Rose was injured. She was in no state to be walking. And the purpose for which the Sontarans wanted him was still unclear. He gritted his teeth as he came to a decision, one he didn't fancy: he would have to see this through.
He turned peering down at the woman who held his heart. "Rose, I'm coming back for you."
She nodded solemnly. "I know."
He gave her one last lingering look before turning to the Sontaran and reluctantly relinquishing his sonic to the commander's outstretched, three-fingered hand. "Don't touch her or I will not comply."
"Your terms are agreeable. Now proceed to lab 2," he gestured to the left with a wave of his weapon. Once again, he was ushered down the hallway, weapon pressed to his back. Soon they entered a large domed chamber with several metal tables and science equipment. It was a crude lab indeed, though it looked more akin to a torture room what with the various probes and sharp instruments neatly lining the counter-tops. The mere sight of them was enough to make him shudder. The sooner he was out of there, the better.
A gruesome creature then lumbered into view, ridged appendages crunching in response to its large insect-like frame. Its outer carapace was pointed and armored. Several eyes reflected the cold lights from above. The Doctor eyed him with an equal measure of wonder and contempt.
"This is Traxitier," the Sontaran announced. "You will comply with his orders, or the female will be destroyed." With that, the warrior gave a curt nod with his entire chest and marched off, his armor clinking off into the distance.
A spurt of clicking and sucking noises emanated from the arthropod's direction. Ah. Interesting. Whatever it was, it was unique to this universe as he couldn't understand it's speech. It was then the peculiar contraption attached to it's forearm began to translate. "Greetings Doctor. You have been expected. We have awaited this encounter with great anticipation."
"What do you want with me?" he asked coldly, doing his best to ignore how uncannily the mechanical voice sounded like a Cyberman.
"Interrogation and testing. Lie," it ordered, using a spindly arm to point toward the metal table with the hand and leg restraints.
"Oh I don't think that will be necessary. I'm perfectly willing to answer your questions. You've got my friend, remember?" The Doctor took a threatening step forward, his voice low. "I promise to behave if you do."
"You must lie for the full body scan. Comply or your mate will suffer further."
His blood ran hot, his hands clenching. "Was it you who hurt her?!" he hollered.
"We will not ask again."
He exhaled, fuming, a scowl carved on his face. With great reservation, he cautiously walked forward and laid on the cold table. Immediately the restraints snapped into place over his thin wrists. Images of the incident in the infirmary came roaring back. This was bad. Really really bad. Their nefarious plans had been interrupted before, but with Rose down, he was on his own this time around.
"The full body scan will now commence. Cease movement," the translator blared amid hollow clicking and sucking noises.
A blinding flash of light hit him square in the face, forcing his eyes shut. On the far wall, a 3D diagram of his internal organs flickered into view, rotating in a holographic projection.
Traxitier moved swiftly toward the results- a lot more swiftly than the Doctor would have thought possible given its awkward form. "Scan indicates a superior brain with double the synapses of a human," it called aloud. "Other internal organs appear to be of average human approximation. DNA registers as a mixture of human and unknown DNA. This is in contrast to the sample we took of the right appendage one month ago. Explain."
"Let me up."
"Explain."
"I'll tell you anything you want to know if you let me up. I've done your scan, now release me!"
Traxitier clicked a button on his device. Suddenly, a three-tiered prong began to descend from the ceiling, sparks emanating from the center.
"An electric shock probe. How crude." So that's how she was tortured. He tugged at his restraints. "Look, you saw what my friend was capable of enduring. You said yourself I'm superior, so you tell me. Do you really think this will be in any way beneficial? If she can withstand your attempts what makes you think I won't?" The probe inched closer, crackling ominously. His pulse quickened. "I refuse to speak under the threat of violence, but if you release me I give you my word, I will answer your questions!"
Traxitier paused for a moment before finally clicking the button on his device, reversing the metal prong until it disappeared in to the ceiling. Another click, and the Doctor's restraints split open. He wasted no time springing up, but was instantly surrounded by another flash of light accompanied by a buzzing and the pungent smell of ionized air. A Sontaran force field. Drat.
"You have been released from your restraints. Now answer."
"You are a tricky one, aren't you?" The Doctor extended a finger to judge the strength of the field and received a decent jolt for his efforts. "What are you doing with the Sontarans, hm?" he gritted, shaking out his hand whilst hunting for any weakness in the field. "Don't like to get your hands dirty? Are you using them for something? Sontarans don't usually ally themselves with... inferior species."
A menacing and sickening rasp echoed from within the body cavity of the creature before him. "We will summon the female if you do not answer." Perhaps he was pushing his luck.
"Alright, fine," he snapped. There was no sense in trying to hide what he was at this point, not when they now had several scans and samples of his body. "You want to know what I am? I'm unique. There's never been anything like me before and you're unlikely to see anything like me again. I used to be a Time Lord. Time Lords have regenerative capabilities. I had my hand cut off and not only did my original self grow that hand back, but the hand regenerated into an entirely new me," he said holding his hand up."But the process took place with the aid of a human. Her DNA was spliced into mine resulting in a new hybrid species. My hand, from which you happened to obtain a tissue sample, is full Time Lord. The rest of me is not. I no longer possess any superior physiological features to that of humans save my intelligence."
Traxitier hissed. "Deceit. We have captured high levels of this restorative energy."
With a tap of an appendage a metal cabinet slid open, a small containment field holding a swirl of floating golden light. His jaw dropped. "But that's- that's artron energy!" However had they managed to catch that?! It must have been from one of his episodes after the regeneration. Of course! That's when all of this started... shortly after he arrived.
"We have confirmed that you are the origin point of the energy. We wish to harness more."
"Oh... right. Well, about that..." He rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat. "Technically it didn't come from me. It came from a full Time Lord. I was just storing it temporarily you could say. It congregated around me because my hand happened to match his bio-metric signature. The energy dissipates shortly after regeneration. What you've got there," he said with a nod, "that's the last of it. I don't have any left. I don't possess the genetic markers to produce more. Only a full Time Lord does."
"On which planet do the Time Lord's reside?" queried the robotic voice.
"Oh sorry, mate. If you're looking to get your hands on another Time Lord you're gonna come up short. I'm from another universe and the path between universes was sealed after the darkness was defeated. And anyway, my home planet is no more. It was destroyed centuries ago. Sorry to say, you are looking at the one and only meta-crisis part human Time Lord in existence," he said smugly. "Not what you were hoping for is it? Only one little old me on this entire planet. Not even full Time Lord like you had hoped. Certainly not worth sending an entire Sontaran armada this way for."
Once again a hiss echoed into the chamber. A victorious smile tugged at the Doctor's thin lips. "Ah, hit a nerve did I? What does a creature like you want an armada to battle earth for anyway, hm? We haven't got an army worthy of them. They shouldn't pay us any notice. We are like bugs to them," he couldn't help but quip. "Hardly worth their time. But you've been busy snatching people and what, running tests on them here? Testing their biological functions and limitations on a scouting mission? Where are they then?" he asked, clasping his hands behind his back with interest.
"They served their purpose and were discarded."
He swallowed, thinking on the implications this could have back on Rose waiting in the holding cell but he had little time to dwell. "You didn't do this by yourself. Who was working for you at Torchwood?"
"This should be obvious to one of your intelligence."
"Who was it?!" he bellowed.
The creature remained silent.
"Okay fine," he spat. The last thing he wanted was to stop the creature from talking. "And how do you fit in, hm? You... now you, you must need the Sontarans for something," he said with a point. "What could that be, eh?"
When it was clear the alien wasn't going to answer he continued, "There's something so familiar about you. So familiar and yet... off. Where are you from?"
"Saturnyne," it finally replied.
"Saturnyne, Saturnyne," he repeated now pacing back and forth in his confined available space. "Haven't been there personally... but I've heard of it. But I can't understand what you're saying so you must be unique to this universe." He turned to inspect Traxitier more closely. "Your carapace and respiratory systems look to be adapted for living on land, not water. You're a different species than that which evolved in my universe. Similar but different. Perhaps you've ran out of resources then, hm? Looking for a planet like Golding Locks looking for a meal, eh? Something not too hot, not too cold, plenty of land, and then you found earth. Oh, but you couldn't just move in could you? Oh no, it was already occupied. So what did you do? You hatched some idiotic plan to get the Sontarans to wipe us out so you could take over! How's that been going for you, hm?"
"A sample of the DNA we confiscated from your hand and a brain scan should be sufficient to warrant a response from the armada. In conjunction with the NOVAE weapon schematics and Torchwood files your planet will be viewed as potentially hostile."
He stopped pacing abruptly. "Potentially hostile? We haven't done anything! This planet isn't populated with Time Lords and that energy device isn't even active, nor is it complete. Your report would be based on lies."
"Falsifying the report is required to save our species."
"You would destroy an entire world in the process?" he questioned in disbelief.
"Humans are inferior. Humans have no qualms destroying and consuming lower life forms. We are no different."
"Humans are sentient. They have potential, they can grow!" he petitioned earnestly, taking a small step forward.
"Our species require a suitable habitat immediately, Doctor."
"I can help you find one, but not like this. Stop this madness and I swear I will do what I can to help you."
"Your compliance thus far is all that is required," the translator coldly stated. "You will be held for future testing and sampling, and your regenerative abilities will be extracted. The female will be incinerated."
His chest thumped wildly. "NO! I answered your questions and you agreed not to hurt her! Traxitier, I'm warning you, don't do this!"
"You are unarmed, your threats are empty."
"Traxitier I'll do anything you want me to do, anything! Just let her go!" he cried desperately, looking for anything to disrupt the energy field. All he had was the exam table he was standing next to. The creature then exited, the door locking behind him. The Doctor's countenance darkened at the sight. Rose.
Think think think THINK! I could use the sonic, don't have the sonic. What do I have? I've got string, a book, and a a a... He thrust his hand into his pocket of his blue suit. "A transmitter! Ha! Yes yes yes!" He spun around and full on kissed it. "I've never been so glad I didn't get around to using something for parts before in my life! You were useless to me without a reintegration point on the receiving end but if I can reprogram you to to send me to the teleportation pod... Oh but where is it?" He spun around once more, taking in the room. "This ship is an exact copy of the one we were on during the ATMOS incident on the other earth. Of course it is, Sontarans are always cloning and copying everything, themselves, even their ships. Well in that case..." He adjusted the knobs on the device gracefully. "Ha!" In a flash of blue light he was gone.
