Chapter 27
The Cyber-Leader would have been very angry.
He wasn't, of course. He couldn't be, no more than he could spontaneously sprout wings. He couldn't be mad, or sad, or glad, he couldn't feel anything; that was removed long, long ago.
But if he could, he'd be furious.
It was not fair, everything had been going perfectly. They had sealed Newport off, prevented interference from UNIT or Torchwood or whatever organizations they had in this time. Its entire populace was there's, to convert at will. They were going to triumph.
Except for the Doctor. The Doctor, it was always the Doctor. No matter what place and what time, it seemed the Doctor always showed up to thwart them, to meddle with their plans! Why couldn't he leave them alone! All the Cybermen wanted to do was bring peace to the universe, to share their enlightenment with the entire universe.
But he wasn't angry. It was impossible.
"How go the repairs on the Conversion Chamber?" he asked.
"It shall be functional again within ten minutes."
"Excellent."
Some good news, at last. The Doctor was an annoyance, but they would still triumph.
"We have located Nichol" another Cyberman reported.
More good news. The Cyber-Leader would have smiled, had he a mouth. That human was becoming a pest as well. They should have converted him long ago.
"Kill him now."
"We cannot"
"Why?"
"He is covered with explosives. If we fire, the resulting explosion could cause tremendous damage."
The Cyber-Leader tightened his fist.
"What is his location?"
"He is near the top of the conversion chamber."
A thought occurred to the Cyber-Leader. He wouldn't…surely he couldn't be that illogical?'
"He is nearing the chamber"
"Fire, kill him now!" the Cyber-Leader ordered.
"It's too late, he's jumped"
"Put the Conversion chamber on screen!"
The Cyber-Leader watched as Caleb Nichol, his body covered with explosives, turned into a fireball midway down.
"No!"
The Cyber-Leader hurried to the controls for the conversion chamber. There had to be something he could do. The conversion chamber was a work of beauty, a triumph of the Cyber-race's technology, it could not be destroyed by a mindless ape!
"Sir, get back, the feedback-"
The Cyber-Leader didn't hear any more than that. Electricity surged through the console, and through it into the Cyber-Leader. He roared in pain as the electricity shocked every part of him, metal and flesh. It felt like every inch of him was stabbed a thousand times at once. He tried to step back, but he couldn't feel any movement. Finally, the electricity went into his head, and he collapsed.
- -
"You're joking, I know you are. Because you can not be fucking serious that we can trust him."
Ryan, Marissa and Summer looked at each other. None of them knew how to respond to Seth. Shouldn't they all feel the same?
Ryan decided to go first.
"Seth, he did save us-"
"He's Oliver. Oliver Trask. The guy that tried to ruin our lives, your life! Why the hell are we even discussing this!"
"Because we're not in any position to turn down help!" Ace cut in. She and the Doctor had kept out of the four Newport teens conversion, keeping an eye on the apparently friendly Cyberman.
Seth turned to the Doctor. "You said that when someone becomes a Cyberman, they're gone, they're not the person we knew!"
"That's true, for 99.9 of the time" answered the Doctor, looking thoughtful. "However, in extremely rare cases, some individuals have been known to resist the conversion to some degree. I've heard rumors of a Cyberman called Kroton, for example, who has been known to help those in need-"
"You said there was no chance!" Summer yelled, distressed. Part of her was still disturbed at having killed Holly Fisher, who was a friend of her and Marissa for many years. Had there been a chance that Holly was still there, deep down? And what of the other Cybermen she had killed? How many of them were people she knew? People who might have been saved?
"Because all it would have given you was false hope for converted loved ones! You would have held back and been captured!" the Doctor shot back.
"You see? He wants to lead us into a trap!" concluded Seth.
"Why? If he hadn't shot that other Cyberman we would have been dead!" argued Marissa.
"I don't know!" screamed back Seth. He then walked up to Marissa, a hateful gleam in his eye.
"But I'm surprised at you Marissa. I didn't think you were this stupid!"
"SETH!" screamed Summer, rushing towards him and holding him.
"What? You thought she would have learned last time about trusting Oliver, but no, she wants to give it another try!"
Marissa started to whimper. Ryan instinctively moved close to her. He never would have thought of Seth as dangerous, but his adoptive brother had become manic since this began, and he wasn't sure how he react.
"Seth, that isn't fair" Ryan said sternly.
"Yes it is! She betrayed you, Ryan, and now she's ready to do it again!"
Suddenly, Marissa stepped forward and slapped Seth. All saved the Doctor stood silent. Marissa continued to stare at Seth, breathing hard, her teary eyes now looking extremely pissed. Seth glared at her in return.
"You bi-" he began.
"Quiet, all of you!" the Doctor cut in. "Tonight could be the beginning of the end for your race! Do you just want to stay here, snapping at each other like animals!?"
"All I'm saying, is that we couldn't even trust him before he was a Cyberman! How can we trust him now?" Seth retorted.
They heard a heavy stomping. They looked up to see the Cyberman – the Cyberman that claimed to be Oliver – looking down at them.
"You do not trust me" he stated.
"No, we don't!" Seth yelled.
Oliver stood silently. He then walked over to a wall, and opened up a hidden compartment. He lifted up his arm and opened up a compartment on his arm, and took out a wire. He connected it to the console.
"I'm downloading all the current information on the building, where troops are positioned, and how best to proceed to the main room."
The Doctor looked at Oliver, then spoke.
"I trust him."
Seth was incredulous.
"I don't"
"Your opinion doesn't matter" replied the Doctor, not looking at the teenager.
- -
It was a cold Mondasian day.
A oxymoron, Tom thought. Every day in Mondas was cold. When he was young, the Sistermen at school told of him of in the past, when geothermal power from the core kept everyone warm all the time. Now, however, all that energy was claimed by the Central Committee, and all they were left with were sweaters.
"Tom, come on!"
Sarah skated up to him, smiling as always.
"I told you, I don't skate."
"And I told you, I don't care" she laughed as she dragged him on.
- -
"Sarah…"
"Sir, you are awake"
The Cyber-Leader slowly lifted himself up.
"What…what happened to me…"
"The feedback…it shocked you, rendered you unconscious for 5.43 minutes."
"Have I suffered any damage?"
"Some minor effects on the brain, but we can repair that later."
"Excellent."
He noticed them watching him.
"What?"
"Who is…Sarah?"
"No one"
- -
Ryan finally had enough. Oliver had been looking at him for over a minute.
"Why are you looking at me?"
"You convinced me not to kill myself."
Ryan was somewhat taken aback by the question.
"Yeah"
"Why?"
Ryan was clearly uncomfortable with the question.
"I've seen enough death"
"But you wanted me to"
Ryan's head snapped up.
"No, I-"
"Your facial features, your movements…you were hoping I did not listen to you."
Before Ryan answered, there was a noise outside the room.
"What was that?" asked Marissa.
"I will check" said Oliver, who marched to the door. He opened it, only to be hit with a blast.
They gasped when they saw the new Cyberman. It was different from the others, lacking a metal mask. And the face was familiar.
"Sandy."
