Domination: Volume One

Episode Two: Dark Flames

Featuring the Ninth Doctor

On a distant world made of ash, a god watched the footage of Rose Tyler vanishing. He wondered what this unknown movement would do to his plans. He didn't know whether he would achieve his great aim or not.
It was only a matter of time before he'd find out if he could become a god again.

Brigadier Alastair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart stared in amazement at the TARDIS, which had suddenly materialised in the Doctor's lab. This TARDIS looked different to the TARDIS he had seen before, making him suspect that this version of the Doctor was not one he had seen before.
"Where am I then?" the Doctor wondered, poking his head out, "Earth? 1970s?"
He noticed the Brigadier and he grinned wolfishly.
"Doctor? Is that you?" the Brigadier asked, amazed to see yet another incarnation of the remarkable man.
"Oh, Alastair, it's good to see you. What's the most recent thing that's happened to the past me? I just need to know what to talk about."
"This morning you and Ms Grant mysteriously vanished in your TARDIS."
"Right. I don't suppose there have been any reports of anyone from the future suddenly appearing in a street?"
"No. Why do you ask?"
"I lost my friend recently and my sonic screwdriver picked up a trace of her in this time period."
"But, Doctor, there have been reports of mysterious occurrances at Fang-Sin Monastery."
"Okay then. I'm interested."

At Fang-Sin Monastery, Professor Lauren Dunbar sat, examining a mysterious green crystal which she'd found at the latest crime scene. She'd been sent to Fang-Sin Monastery when UNIT's regular scientific advisor had gone swanning off to, apparently, outer space. Admittedly, she had always wanted to go to outer space since she had been a small child.
"Professor Dunbar, this is the Doctor. Doctor, meet Professor Dunbar." Brigadier Alastair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart said, bringing a man with short black hair who was dressed in a battered leather jacket to her.
"Hang on, not Professor Lauren Dunbar?" the Doctor asked.
"Yes, that's me." Lauren replied, "Have you heard of me?"
"Oh, fantastic. Tell me what you've got so far."
The Brigadier left them to discuss things.
"This crystal apparently was found within the monastery last night, so I was called down here to examine it." Lauren explained to the Doctor, "Do you recognise it?"
"I believe I do. May I?"
He held the crystal in his hand and stared at it in horror.
"Do you recognise it?" Lauren wondered, noticing his shocked expression.
"I'm very much afraid I do."

The Abbot watched from the balcony overlooking the field where the Doctor and Lauren were walking. He was joined by a monk, who held an ancient scroll in his hands.
"He is a fine specimen, is he not?" the Abbot noted, pointing at the Doctor, "He shall make a fine host for the father."
"I think he shall, Abbot. His mind works wonders in an instant. Who is he?" the monk replied.
"He is the Doctor, the enemy of the father. But he shall be rehabilitated by the father. The father shall make him understand his true purpose."
The Abbot headed back inside and gazed at an image of 'the father' on the wall opposite his desk: the image was of a jackal-headed god, dressed in a strange black and red outfit with a black skirt-like piece of clothing shielding his legs from view.

The Doctor had explained to Lauren what the crystal really was: it was a Yakurian Mind Crystal, something used to accelerate the mind powers of an individual. He then explained that Sutekh, last of the Osirans, could be at work, after the Doctor had seen Osiran Servicer Robots on Trimura and Rose had been kidnapped.
"Doctor, you shall submit to the father!" the Abbot suddenly cried, holding an image of Sutekh up high. The image's eyes now had glowing green eyes and green energy began to flow into the Doctor's eyes, making him struggle in pain.
"Stop it! He's in pain, you idiot." Lauren yelled, "Why don't you stop?!"
The flow of energy stopped and the Doctor stood up, his limbs and mind aching, and looked at Lauren.
"Pitiful human," the Doctor said with an evil, sinister voice, "I am gladful that I do not have to live within you. I am Sutekh and now I have triumphed!"

Bizarrely, a crack formed in mid-air and Sutekh stepped out, glaring at the Doctor.
"What is this?" the Doctor demanded, "Who is this imposter?"
"Doctor?! What has happened to you? How could I have controlled you?" Sutekh wondered, showing curiosity for the first time in his life.
"I am not the Doctor, I am Sutekh! I shall bring my gift of death to all life within the cosmos, including you!"
The Doctor closed his hand into a fist for a few seconds and re-opened it, facing Sutekh and turning him to dust.
"The father lives!" the Abbot exclaimed, "All hail the father! All hail the father!"
"Doctor, stand down now." came the voice of the Brigadier, who had aimed his pistol directly at the Doctor and was ready to fire.
"Little human, do you really think a bullet can stop me?" the Doctor snarled, the voice of Sutekh blending with the Doctor's normal rough northern tones.
"No, but perhaps this does." Lauren rapidly said, punching the Doctor in the face and making the green energy rise up into the air and flow into the Abbot. The Doctor stumbled around awkwardly before shielding Lauren and the Brigadier from the Abbot.
"Thanks for that." the Doctor remarked with a grin, turning round to face the Abbot and demanding, "Sutekh, why did you destroy, erm, Sutekh?"
"He was this reality's Sutekh. He is inferior and weak. His mind is shattered because of my power. I will dominate and nothing will stop me now!" the Abbot cried, with Sutekh's voice, raising his hands into the air.
"And why did you kidnap Rose? You'll get nothing out of doing that and you know that perfectly. That's not how you operate."
"Your companion's kidnapping was not my doing."
"That can't be right."
"It is the truth. The truth shall kill!"
The Abbot then vanished, leaving the Doctor, Lauren and the Brigadier alone.

Later, the Doctor, Lauren and the Brigadier were stood outside the TARDIS in UNIT HQ.
"It's been good to see you again, Doctor." the Brigadier said with a slight hint of a smile on his face.
"It's been good to see you, Alastair. But I really need to be getting on with the hunt for Sutekh and figuring out what's happened to Rose." the Doctor said, opening the door and getting a tap on the shoulder from Lauren.
"Doctor, can I come with you?" Lauren wondered, smiling hopefully. The Doctor looked back at her and smiled happily. In truth, he did need someone to help him out a little: a Rose Tyler to help him look for Rose Tyler. And he did miss having a professor for a friend. He'd been called a professor once, a long time ago. Him and professors just worked together.
"Come on in." he said, letting her into the TARDIS and shutting the doors after Lauren had entered. She gazed in wonder at the large room that had been squeezed inside the small blue box.
"This is impossible." she simply said.
"Oh, this is just the beginning."
He dematerialised the ship, detecting a faint trace of Sutekh and piloting the TARDIS towards it.

THE END