3. The Rival.
A day later, V approaches her. "I'd already started looking for your replacement when I saw you yesterday. When we thought you had died, I requested your replacement immediately."
They walk on along the pathway.
Ommera has to think fast. The Doctor had warned her that they might do this. If she is replaced, not only will she be unable to complete her mission, but the result of the whole mission would also be in jeopardy. Then she may have to face her own end-game moment when she is forcibly replaced. She expects this would be painful and doubts that her personal regeneration capability would be up to restoring such significant damage.
Can Ommera prevent her successor from ruining her changes? Her successor may notice her changes and correct every defect she has placed there before they are fully incorporated into the design.
"I don't think we will need that," she says.
V pauses in his walk and looks at her, she pauses and turns to see what his issues are. She can feel his scrutiny. "Explain yourself," he says.
Ommera clasps her hands in front of her. She suddenly feels much more confident. She smiles. "I have the development fully under control," she says confidently. "I have improved it consistently three days in a row, and I have many further ideas to keep on improving it. Any replacement would have nothing to contribute."
V has been scrutinising her but appears to be unable to penetrate her confidence. Instead of pressing for her successor to assist, or to replace her, he backs off. Then he appears confused. "But she is arriving tomorrow."
"Then message her to tell her not to come," Ommera says. She feels less confident about this, but the Doctor has said that she must not have a successor. Ommera steps out to continue along the path they had been walking along. V still stands there.
Ommera unclasps her hands and steps back to him. She speaks gently to him as if to encourage him to fulfil her request, "it's alright to tell her to go back home."
V snaps out of his trance-like state. "Of course, it is." They resume walking along the path.
V keeps his thoughts to himself, as always. He seldom gives much away about his passion for this project.
Ommera hardly dares ask him about his excitement, revealed only the once. What will the circular vehicle be used for? She recalls the insignia on the blueprint of the winged arrow. Will it be a weapon to use at distance? She resolves to add strong ropes to tie the craft down at the test facility to prevent others getting hurt.
In her view, the health and safety at this facility is non-existent.
When Ommera gets back to her accommodation she looks at her hands and clasps them just as she'd done on the pathway earlier. She feels much more confident and in control suddenly and notices her engagement ring glowing slightly. She'd never noticed that happen before. What powers did that ring have? When the Doctor had given it to her, he had told her that it had many properties, and now she feels that she has discovered one of these properties.
Will Ommera escape before the brutal regime pronounces End Game for her?