Chapter Ten:
BIG of a bit chapter, as we start to almost finish up this episode! Please leave a review if you're enjoying this or have anything to say about the story!
The Doctor stared into Nova's eyes intently before giving her a quick scan, he couldn't see anything too wrong with her for now. He assumed it was only affecting the human children or at least he hoped, he thought glancing back at her before gathering his thoughts.
"Right then, that's that," He said spinning around on his heels then petting the metal dog.
"let's go," He said clapping mickey on the back.
He leads the way swinging open the dirty glass door of the coffee shop, the doorbell jingles as he swings it open. Holding the door for everyone he lets them all out of the coffee shop, ruffling Nova's red hair as she passes him giving her a cheeky grin, she gives one back to him before patting down her unkempt hair.
Rose lingers behind waiting for the Doctor as everyone begins to head for Sarah Janes red car parked across from the coffee shop. Mickey helps Sarah Jane load K9 into the trunk of her car as Rose and the Doctor lingered behind with Nova trailing a little bit behind them.
"How many of us have there been travelling with you?" Rose asked awkwardly, as she scuffed her trainers across the asphalt.
"Does it matter" The Doctor replied looking for a few seconds into Rose's eyes before fiddling with his screwdriver in his trench coat pocket.
"Yeah, it does, if I'm just the latest in a long line." Rose huffed crossing her arms stopping walking making the Doctor stop and look at her.
"As opposed to what?" The Doctor quipped back to her, his voice sounding a litter darker than usual.
"I thought you and me were. I obviously got it wrong. I've been to the year five billion, right, but this? Now, this is really seeing the future. You just leave us behind. Is that what you're going to do to me?" Rose said, her eyes watering but no tears leaking down from her face.
Nova felt the Doctor accidentally project emotions, forgetting he was bonded to her, she tilted her head at him curiously as he gave her a quick glance.
"No. Not to you" The Doctor said his voice a little softer.
"But Sarah Jane? You were that close to her once, and now you never even mention her. Why not?" Rose said as she swelled with emotions burning through her chest, she didn't want to just become another one of his forgotten companions to be replaced.
Nova felt that the Doctor was struggling with his emotions a little which was strange for him, though he wasn't used to having a connection with another time lord anymore that he was a little rusty withholding some feelings.
"I don't age. I regenerate. But human's decay. You wither and you die. Imagine watching that happen to someone who you" He said grabbing onto both of Rose's hands looking into her eyes longingly.
"What, Doctor?"
"You can spend the rest of your life with me, but I can't spend the rest of mine with you. I have to live on. Alone. That's the curse of the Time Lords." He said sadly, letting go of Rose's hands and looking again to Nova. 'Maybe not entirely alone anymore' he thought to Nova who just gave him a small smile of comfort in return.
Nova's eyes flickered above the Doctors shoulder to the building behind him where she saw a giant bat-like creature swoop for the Doctor.
"Timelord," A man said stood on the building facing them as the creature swooped down, Nova pulled the Doctor down by the back of his trench coat causing him to duck. The creature then missed the Doctor and flew away retreating into the moon.
"Was that a Krillitane?" Nova asked in sync with Sarah Jane.
"But it didn't even touch us. It just flew off. What did it do that for?" Rose asked the Doctor Shaked by the huge bat-like creature they had just been attacked by.
The Doctor continued to look up into the moon watching the creature retreat, as he held onto Nova's outreached hand "I don't know"
xox
They had made a plan; Sarah Jane was going to go back home and meet the Doctor and the gang back at the school tomorrow as if nothing had happened. So, they could continue investigating. Mickey had gone home with Rose, and the Doctor and Nova went back to the Tardis.
As they made their way through the control room down the Tardis hallway. They were greeted by a series of hums from the Tardis, Nova trailed her hand along the walls and y beams of the Tardis as she made her way back to her room.
The Doctor waited outside her room until she had gotten changed into her PJs that Jackie had gotten her. He knocked twice on the door before coming in. Nova was sat on her bed crossed-legged looking at him.
"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" He said looking into her eyes again.
"I don't feel any different really, just tired I suppose. Do I have to go to school again tomorrow?" She asked looking at her uniform which was now neatly folded on the chair next to her bed.
"I mean" He started as he scratched on the back of his neck looking at the uniform and then back to her. "Your school is run by Krillitanes… that are dangerous" He started.
"bUT but... you teach my class most of the day so I will be fine because… because you're there" She interjected. "Plus, I wanna help" She mumbled at the end.
He squinted his eyes at her a little, parts of him wanted to keep her safe in the Tardis and make sure she wasn't in danger, but parts of him really wanted her to experience all these exciting adventures and learn from them so she could adapt her life better with him. He didn't exactly want her to feel like she was locked up in her room like it was a tower.
"I suppose," He said looking at her "BUT. Try and please stay connected with me as much as you can handle, don't tire yourself out talking too much telepathically with me. But enough so I know you're… okay. Okay?" He asked her getting up from kneeling beside her bed and looking at her faux window the Tardis had made for her sighing at it before closing the curtains on them and looking back at the girl who was getting into her duvet sheets.
He tucked her into like a little burrito and placed a gentle kiss on her head.
"Okay" she yawned "Goodnight"
"Goodnight Nova," He said back to her smiling as the Tardis turned off her bedroom light and little stars appeared on her ceiling but not bright enough to disturb her sleep. He left the room and went off to repair parts of the Tardis, not feeling particularly sleepy himself.
oxo
The Tardis woke her up at 7am in the morning by turning on her lights and opening the curtains, "Alright, aright I'm waking up" Nova moaned at the Tardis who seemed to 'laugh' almost with its hissing and hums. She hopped off the bed and quickly tossed on her clothing and attempted to brush through her thick curls before she neatly put it into two little buns, a piece of hair on either side of her face-framing her delicate face.
She felt her belly grumble as she made her way to the kitchen to find the Doctor already there. "Ah good, I asked the Tardis to wake you I hope old sex- ah old girl didn't do it too harshly," He said frying up some sausage on the oven before him.
Nova raised her eyebrow at him before seating herself at the kitchen island facing him watching him attempt to cook her sausages. "You're burning them" She yawned.
"No. no. I'm making them the right way… not undercooked" He excused, plating them up on a plate in front of her.
"Bon Appetit"
She looked down at her food before looking up and giving him an appreciative smile "You don't cook much do you"
"Not anymore. Not really. No" He said looking down at her assuaged before giving her a grin.
"Still edible though ey?" He said before giving her a pat on the back.
"Now eat up we got some Krillitanes to catch."
oxo
Nova made her way across the schoolyard as the Bell rang, she was walking with some of the students she had made friends with in the past week including her best friend so far. Kenny.
The Doctor got out of Sarah janes car after Nova had headed out with her friends.
"Rose and Sarah, you go to the Maths room. Crack open those computers; I need to see the hardware inside. Here, you might need this." He said walking toward the school his eyes on Novas back as she was laughing with her friends, he handed Sarah his screwdriver but rose looked offended by this as she had her hand out ready for the screwdriver only to see it had been passed to the red-headed lady.
"Mickey, surveillance. I want you outside." He said pointing back to Sarah's car.
"Just stand outside?" Mickey asked offended.
"Here, take these you can keep K9 company," Sarah said throwing Mickey her keys to him, he clumsily catches them still looking offended.
"Don't forget to leave the window open a crack." The Doctor said not looking behind him.
"Don't forget to leave the window open a crack." The Doctor joked carrying on walking towards the school.
"I didn't mean for him."
"Oi," Mickey shouted as the Doctor walked off.
"What're you going to do?" Rose asked the Doctor.
"It's time I had a word with Mister Finch."
The Doctor strode into his school, peeping into the classroom Nova was in 'are you alright'
'yes... I'm fine but I really need to listen'
The Doctor sighed and pulled his gaze from Nova and walked along the hallway until he reached the stairs, scanning every area for the headmaster, Mister Finch.
He got to the top of the stairs, then he looked down and saw the stern balding man staring up at him. He returned the gaze back to the man who walked off, the Doctor began to follow him to the swimming pool.
"Who are you," The Doctor asked standing on the opposite side of the school swimming pool looking at the man.
"My name is Brother Lassa. And you?" Mister Finch replied pacing up and down on the opposite side of the pool to the Doctor who started doing the same mirroring him.
"The Doctor. Since when did Krillitanes have wings?" He replied looking the man up and down.
"It's been our form for nearly ten generations now. Our ancestors invaded Bessan. The people there had some rather lovely wings. They made a million widows in one day. Just imagine." He said with such enthusiasm it made the Doctor crinkle his nose slightly at him.
"And now you're shaped human."
"A personal favourite, that's all," Finch replied looking at his hands before looking back at the Doctor.
"And the others?"
"My brothers remain bat form. What you see is a simple morphic illusion. Scratch the surface and the true Krillitane lies beneath. And what of the Time Lords? I always thought of you as such a pompous race. Ancient, dusty senators, so frightened of change and chaos. And of course, they're all but extinct. Only you. The last." Finch replied to the Doctor before cocking his head to him. "Oh but wait. You're not the last anymore, are you? Not quite extinct yet" He said with a cruel smile on his face.
The Doctor feigned ignorance "What do you mean"
"Oh don't play coy with my Doctor, I know that child has two hearts. Just as you do"
The Doctor kept a cool stern gaze on the man. 'Are you okay' The Doctor asked reaching out to Nova, albeit a little frantically.
'Yes? I'm fine. We are having a break I'm playing with my friends'
The Doctor sighed and let out a breath. "What is this plan of yours what are you playing at," He asked the man his patience running a little thin after the conversation about Nova. 'Good. Stay with your friends and then meet me when you can. Please.'
"oH, you don't know" Finch replied mocking the Doctor who clenched his jaw annoyed.
"Well. That's why I'm asking." Replied the Doctor in a cool tone.
"well then. Show me just how clever you are. Work it out."
"If I don't like it, then it will stop." The Doctor warned looking at the man with a threatening look in his eye "Especially if it involves my daughter."
"Fascinating. Your people were peaceful to the point of indolence. You seem to be something new. Would you declare war on us, Doctor?" The Krillitane responded tilting his head once again at the Doctor getting face to face with him.
"I'm so old now... I used to have so much mercy. You get one warning. That was it." He said coldly the man walking away before stopping and looking back as the man began to talk.
"But we're not even enemies. Soon you will embrace us. The next time we meet, you will join with me. I promise you." He said leaving the pool, leaving the Doctor behind staring after him.
The Doctor decided to quickly try and find Rose and Sarah before getting Nova who seemed to be okay for now.
The Doctor went to the classroom he had sent Rose and Sarah, he saw them both fiddling with the computers, but laughing hysterically with one another it quirked his interest.
"How's it going," He asked looking at them both, whom both shared a look before looking at him and laughing again.
"wot? Listen, I need to find out what's programmed inside these." He said as they began to laugh even harder, Sarah lets out a small snort.
"wot? Stop it" The Doctor said flushing red not understanding why they were hysterically laughing at him.
oxo
Meanwhile, Nova was playing with Melissa, Kenny and a few other students from her class.
"Has anyone seen Milo?" Kenny asked the group as they were playing with a ball chatting in a circle.
"No. why?" Melissa asked Kenny.
"Dunno just not seen him today that's all"
Suddenly they were interrupted by a Klaxon, a tannoid blasted "all pupils to class immediately. And would all members of staff congregate in the staff room"
'Doctor?' Nova thought hard trying to contact him.
"What's going on" Kenny asked.
"Breaktimes finished early isn't that fantastic?" Melissa said joyfully as she skipped past them both into the building.
"Nah I swear she's a bit bent that one" Nova said to Kenny who nodded at her.
'Doctor something is happening they're making us all go inside'
Nova trailed after Melissa with Kenny who seemed to be lagging behind the students a little.
All the students rushed into the building.
'Just try and stay with your friends and I will find you' The Doctor responded.
Nova followed where Melissa went not realising Kenny had been left behind not going into the classroom.
Nova and her friends had gone into their IT classroom, she sat in front of her computer and it's as if her mind went blank. Green images, code going into her mind.
oxo
"What is that?" Sarah Jane asked the Doctor as they were working on the computers trying to get past the deadlock seal. The Doctor does his old trick of looping wires around his neck and shoulders as he tries to get inside the CPU before looking up at the code.
"Some sort of code," The Doctor said astonished as he slowly walked towards the projection of the code on the projector on the wall.
"No… no, they can't be…" He started, his eyes transfixed on the code that was flashing before his eyes.
"They're cracking the Skasis Paradigm. They're trying to crack the Skasis Paradigm." He said panicking but astonished.
"The Skasis what?"
"The God maker. The universal theory. Crack that equation and you've got control of the building blocks of the universe. Time and space and matter, yours to control." He said running his hands through his hair looking at the code.
"What, and the kids are like a giant computer?" Rose asked.
"Yes. And their learning power is being accelerated by the oil. That oil from the kitchens, it works as a, as a conducting agent. Makes the kids cleverer." The Doctor said piecing it all together as he paces around the room.
"But that oil's on the chips. I've been eating them" Rose said.
"What's fifty-nine times thirty-five?"
"Two thousand and sixty-five. Oh, my God." Rose shouted in disbelief.
"But why use children? Can't they use adults?" Sarah asked the Doctor.
"No, it's got to be children. The God maker needs the imagination to crack it. They're not just using the children's brains to break the code, they're using their souls…" The Doctor continued.
"Nova, she had some, some of the chips. Of course I couldn't see anything wrong with her, its just making her smart. Mentally nothing physically. They're going to use her!"
Suddenly the headmaster walked into the room, the double doors banging against the wall as he kicked them open.
"Let the lesson begin. Think of it, Doctor. With the Paradigm solved, reality becomes clay in our hands. We can shape the universe and improve it." He said spreading his arms wide.
"Oh yeah? The whole of creation with the face of Mister Finch? Call me old fashioned, but I like things as they are." The Doctor said getting up close to the teacher looking him face to face.
"You act like such a radical, and yet all you want to do is preserve the old order? Think of the changes that could be made if this power was used for good." He said backing down from him slightly.
"What, by someone like you?" The Doctor said looking at him with disgust.
"No, someone like you. The Paradigm gives us power, but you could give us wisdom. Become a God at my side. Imagine what you could do. Think of the civilisations you could save. Perganon, Assinta. Your own people, Doctor, standing tall. The Time Lords reborn." Finch replied convincing the Doctor.
"Your daughter could see her own planet"
the Doctor stared for a minute looking at him listening actually debating this in his mind.
"Doctor, don't listen to him," Sarah shouted at him.
"And you could be with him throughout eternity. Young, fresh, never wither, never age, never die. Their lives are so fleeting. So many goodbyes. How lonely you must be, Doctor. Join us." Finch said walking between the group looking at Rose before turning back to the Doctor.
"I could save everyone…" The Doctor whispered.
"Yes," Finch replied cooing him on.
"I could stop the war." He continued.
"No. The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it's a world or a relationship, everything has its time. And everything ends." Sarah Jane begged the Doctor.
As if snapping from a trance, a train of thought the Doctor angrily throws a chair at the big projection screen smashing it.
"OUT!"