Thanks to Janahth, Kalniczanka, foxheartwildchases, Yui123, lilrosebuds, Mizzuki, Gairah for following/faving my story.
Savethemadscientist: yep we're very close to the end of season 2.
NicoleR85: thanks!
"What's a Void Ship?" Melanie questioned.
The Doctor pulled off his glasses "Well, it's impossible for starters. I always thought it was just a theory, but…it's a vessel designed to exist outside time and space, travelling through the Void", he explained sounding worried. His Bonded stepped up to him, picking up on his worry and took his hand.
"And what's the Void?" Rajesh asked as the Doctor sat down on the bottom step of the step ladder, pulling Melanie with him.
"The space between dimensions", the Time Lord replied "There's all sorts of realities around us, different dimensions, billions of parallel universes all stacked up against each other. The Void is the space in between, containing absolutely nothing. Imagine that. Nothing. No light, no dark, no up, no down, no life, no time. Without end" his grip tightened on Melanie's hand slightly "My people called it the Void. The Eternals call it the Howling. But some people call it Hell".
"But someone built the sphere. What for? Why go there?" Rajesh asked.
"To explore. To escape. You could sit inside that thing and eternity would pass you by. The Big Bang…end of the Universe, start of the next, wouldn't even touch the sides", the Doctor explained "You'd exist outside the whole of creation".
"You see, we were right. There is something inside it", Yvonne said smugly.
"Oh, yes", the Doctor said looking at her.
"So how do we get in there?" Rajesh asked.
"Are you mad?" Sarah Jane questioned "after what he's just told you, you still want to open it?" she shook her head "unbelievable".
"You're not opening it", the Doctor stated, standing up, tugging Melanie to her feet as he was still clinging onto her hand "What we need to do is send that thing back into Hell. How did it get here in the first place?"
"Well, that's how it all started. The sphere came through into this world, and the ghosts followed in its wake", Yvonne told him.
"Show me", the Doctor said and strode out of the room, turning left with Melanie.
"No Doctor", Yvonne called after him and he changed direction.
"Not a word", the Doctor said to Melanie, her eyes shining with amusement.
"Wasn't going to say anything", she said "though I am wondering what Rose's mother is doing here".
"It was an accident. I was doing some investigating near the Powell Estate, trying to pinpoint the source of the ghosts when she and Rose showed up. Long story short, I located the source which was here and left pretty quickly only to find I had two guests onboard the TARDIS", the Doctor quickly explained.
"Wait, two?" Melanie questioned "Rose is here as well?"
"She is", the Doctor confirmed "she's in the TARDIS at the moment. Or at least I think she is".
"Oh…great", Melanie mumbled. She had nothing against Jackie but her daughter on the other hand… she was the last person that she ever wanted to see.
"Ellie, I promise as soon as we're done here, I'm taking them home and you'll never have to see them again", the Doctor vowed.
"That's easier said than done", Melanie stated "Yvonne isn't exactly going to let us leave, remember?"
"Don't worry, I'll deal with Miss Hartman", the Doctor assured her.
"The sphere came through here. A hole in the world", Yvonne explained showing the Doctor and Melanie a white wall "Not active at the moment, but when we fire particle engines at that exact spot, the breech opens up".
"How did you even find it?" the Doctor asked.
"We were getting warning signs for years. A radar black spot. So we built this place, Torchwood Tower. The breech was six hundred foot above sea level. It was on the only way to reach it", Yvonne continued.
The Doctor put on his 3D glasses "You built a skyscraper just to reach a spatial disturbance?" he questioned rhetorically "How much money have you got?"
"Enough", Yvonne said walking away. Melanie watched her go and the Doctor contemplated the wall.
"Hold on a minute…this is Canary Warf!" Jackie exclaimed as she took a look at the view outside the large window in Yvonne's office "it is, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is", Sarah Jane confirmed, joining her at the window.
"That's the public's name for it", Yvonne spoke up, making them glance at her "But to those who are in the know, its Torchwood".
"So, you find the breach, probe it, the sphere comes through six hundred feet above London, bam. It leaves a hole in the fabric of reality", the Doctor said leaning against the doorframe "And that hole, you think, 'oh, shall we leave it alone? Shall we back off? Shall we play it safe?' Nah, you think 'let's make it bigger!'"
"It's a massive source of energy", Yvonne said turning to him "If we can harness that power, we need never depend on the Middle East again. Britain will become truly independent. Look, you can see for yourself. Next Ghost Shift's in two minutes". She left the office and entered the main area.
"Miss Hartman, you need to stop this next Ghost Shift", Sarah Jane said firmly. It didn't take a genius to work out that having a hole in the fabric of reality is never a good thing. And making it bigger with each Ghost Shift was even worse!
"I don't think so", Yvonne said.
"I'm warning you, cancel it", the Doctor said angrily. They were trying to tell her the dangers of what she was doing and she wasn't listening to them!
"Oh, exactly as the legends would have it. The Doctor, lording it over us. Assuming alien authority over the Rights of Man", Yvonne griped.
"Let me show you", the Doctor said and walked around to the other side of the partition, taking out his sonic as he does so "Sphere comes through" he flashed the device at the glass causing a small hole to appear in one of the Torchwood's Os. The glass splintered and cracked, extending outwards from the hole "But when it made the hole, it cracked the world around it. The entire surface of this dimension splintered. And that's how the ghosts get through. That's how they get everywhere. They're bleeding through the fault lines. Walking from their world, across the Void, and into yours, with the human race hoping and wishing and helping them along. But too many ghosts, and…" the Doctor raised his hand and ever so lightly touched the glass. It shattered all over the floor.
"Well, in that case we'll have to be more careful", Yvonne said making Melanie's mouth drop open at how easily she just dismissed the Doctor's warning. Was she stupid or something?! Yvonne turned to the rest of the staff "Positions! Ghost Shift in one minute".
"Ms Hartman, I am asking you, please don't do it", the Doctor said following after her. He still couldn't believe that even after him showing her what was going to happen, Yvonne was still going to go ahead. He had to stop her! What she was doing was endangering his Bonded and the rest of the planet!
"We have done this a thousand times", Yvonne said, waving him off.
"Then stop at a thousand!" the Doctor shouted.
"We're in control of the ghosts. The levers can open the breach, but equally they can close it", Yvonne assured him.
The Doctor and Yvonne stared at each other in a battle of wills, until… "Okay", the Time Lord said lightly.
"Sorry?!" Yvonne asked startled that he'd just given up so easily.
"Never mind! As you were", the Doctor said going into the office to grab a chair.
"What, is that it?" Yvonne asked staring at him in disbelief.
"No! Fair enough. Said my bit " The Doctor said settling into the chair and beckoned Melanie over. When she came over to him, he tugged her down to sit on his lap wrapping his arms around her "Don't mind us. Any chance of a cup of tea?" the Doctor asked as Melanie made herself comfortable on his lap, resting her head against his chest.
"Ghost Shift in 20 seconds", the young black woman, Adeola, announced.
"Mm! Can't wait to see it!" The Doctor remarked.
"You can't stop us", Yvonne argued.
"No, absolutely not!" the Doctor said lightly "Pull up a chair, Rose, Sarah Jane. Come and watch the fireworks", he added cheerfully to two older women who came to stand behind the chair.
"Ghost Shift in ten seconds…Nine…eight…" Yvonne stares at the Doctor and his Bonded, slightly uneasy. The Time Lord looked back at her, just daring her to go through with it while he traced circles on the back of Melanie's hand. "Seven…six…five…four…three…two…"
"Stop the shift" Yvonne cut in "I said stop".
"Thank you", the Doctor said.
"I suppose it makes sense to get as much intelligence as possible…" Yvonne reluctantly said "But the programme will recommence, as soon as you've explained everything", Yvonne said getting their attention back on the subject at hand.
"Glad to be of help", the Doctor said.
"And someone clear up this glass", Yvonne called to the room "They did warn me, Doctor. They said you like to make a mess", she added to the Time Lord before she disappeared into her office.
Yvonne sat at her desk eyeing the Doctor's feet that were crossed on the desk, the Time Lord having plonked himself in a chair looking completely relaxed. Melanie stood behind his chair. "So these ghosts, whatever they are, did they build the sphere?"
"Must have. Aimed it at this dimension like a cannon ball", the Doctor guessed.
"Yvonne?" Rajesh called through a video link, a small window popping up on the laptop showing the Sphere Chamber "I think you should see this. We've got a visitor. We don't know who she is, but funnily enough, she arrived at the same time as the Doctor".
Yvonne turned the laptop around so that Melanie and the Doctor could see Rose standing next to Rajesh. "She one of yours?" Yvonne asked. The brunette stiffened at the sight of the blonde, the slap the teenager gave her immediately springing to mind.
"Never seen her before in my life", the Doctor said, reaching around to take her hand, rubbing his thumb on the back of it to try and calm her.
"Good! Then we can have her shot", Yvonne said.
"Oh all right then", the Doctor sighed "that's Rose Tyler".
"Sorry" Rose waved "Hello".
"Well, if that's Rose Tyler, who's she?" Yvonne asked nodding to Jackie.
"I'm her mother", Jackie said proudly.
"Oh, you travel with her mother?" Yvonne asked.
"He kidnapped me!" Jackie exclaimed.
"Please, when Torchwood comes to write my complete history, don't tell people I travelled through time and space with her mother…" the Doctor pleaded.
"Charming", Jackie muttered.
"I've got a reputation to uphold!" the Doctor argued. Melanie lightly whacked him around the back of his head with her free hand.
"Hello, you travelled with my mother", she reminded him. Sarah Jane smiled at Melanie's defence of her and including her continued use of the words 'mum' and 'mother', instead of labelling her as her adoptive mother. It was nice.
"That's different", the Doctor said. Before Jackie could protest, a noise suddenly started up in the Rift Chamber getting all of their attention. "Excuse me? Everyone? I thought I said stop the ghost shift" those working at the computers simply ignored Yvonne "Who started the programme? But I ordered you to stop! Who's doing that?!" she pointed at the lever which was rising upwards on its own. "Right, step away from the monitors, everyone" the trio working away, again just ignored her "Gareth, Addy, stop what you're doing, right now. Matt, step away from your desk. That's an order! Stop the levers!"
Two scientists rush over to the levers and struggle to push them down. Melanie ran over to Adeola and paled when she saw the all too familiar pods in her ears "it can't be", she breathed. "Doctor, you've gotta see this", she called and he came over.
"Oh no", the Doctor muttered. He'd hoped that they'd never see those kinds of ear pods ever again.
"What is it?" Yvonne asked wondering why they looked so worried.
"It's the ear piece. It's controlling them. We've seen this before" the Doctor took out his sonic "Sorry. I'm so sorry", he said sincerely before holding the sonic by the ear piece and pressed the button. Adeola screamed in pain as the pods were deactivated and slumped over her desk. Gareth and Matt collapsed in the same way suggesting that their ear pods were connected.
"What happened? What did you just do?" Yvonne demanded.
"They're dead", the Doctor stated.
"You killed them", Jackie said horrified.
"No he didn't", Sarah Jane said as the Doctor turned to the computer "he'd never do something like that".
"Well, clearly he's done just that", Jackie argued "you killed them!" she repeated.
"Jackie, I haven't got time for this", the Doctor said angrily.
"What are those ear pieces?" Yvonne questioned.
"Don't", the Doctor warned.
"But they're standard comms. devices. How does it control them?" Yvonne asked curious.
"Trust me, leave them alone", the Doctor said going over to Matt's computer.
"But what are they?" Yvonne reached for one of Adeola's ear pods and pulled it out. Melanie blanched when she saw the brain tissue attached to it. "Oh god! It goes inside their brain!" she cried, dropping the pod, utterly revolted.
"What about the Ghost Shift?" the Doctor asked Yvonne.
"Ninety percent there and still running. Can't you stop it?" Yvonne asked.
"They're still controlling it. They've hi-jacked the system", the Doctor answered.
"Who's they?" Yvonne questioned.
The Doctor takes out his sonic from his pocket and holds it flat on the palm of his hand, turning slowly on the spot "It might be a remote transmitter but it's got to be close by. I can trace it" he darted off as he received a signal "Jackie, Ellie, Sarah stay here!"
"I guess we're staying here then", Jackie said turning to the brunettes.
"Seems like it", Sarah Jane agreed "honey are you alright?" she asked noticing Melanie rubbing her chest.
"Yeah, fine", she replied, trying to ignore the slight dull ache in her chest due to the absence of her Bonded. She really hoped that this was going to stop at some point. They watched several scientists struggle with the levers down the stop the Ghost Shift but light only grew brighter. Melanie shifted closer to Sarah Jane, feeling really uneasy. "I want the Doctor", she whimpered.
"I know", Sarah Jane said softly, rubbing her back.
Suddenly the Doctor and Yvonne were escorted in by several Cybermen, hands behind their heads. "Get away from the machines!" the Time Lord ordered "do what they say, don't fight them!"
The Cybermen revealed their weapons and shot one of the scientists dead. "What are they?" Jackie asked, terrified.
"We are the Cybermen. The Ghost Shift will be increased to one hundred percent", one of the metal men replied. It clamped a fist to its chest and the lever rises once more, beginning the Ghost Shift.
"Here come the Ghosts", the Doctor said quietly, shifting over to where Melanie was standing, trembling against Sarah Jane. He put an arm around her.
"Oh my god", she breathed, clutching onto his coat tightly when numerous Ghosts stepped through the light, though these looked more defined… they looked like Cybermen "all the Ghosts are Cybermen".
"And there's millions of them all around the world", Sarah Jane added.
"They're invading the whole planet", Yvonne stated.
The Doctor shook his head "no, it's not an invasion. It's too late for that. It's a victory", he corrected. He tightened his grip on his Bonded as he felt her shake even more.
"But what about the Void Ship thing?" Sarah Jane questioned, quietly "does it belong to the Cybermen?"
"Doubtful", the Doctor replied "they don't have the technology to create it, its way beyond them" to the Cybermen, he added louder "how did you create the Sphere?"
"The Sphere is not ours", one of Cybermen answered.
"So if its not yours, who's is it?" Sarah Jane queried.
"It's origin is unknown. The sphere broke down the barriers between worlds, we only followed", one of the Cybermen replied.
"Then what's inside it…?" Melanie whispered, fearfully.
"Rose is down there", Jackie put in, extremely worried for her daughter's safety. And she had every right to be for the sphere contained one of the most dangerous beings in the universe. Four Daleks.
To be continued…