Zari shuddered as she and Ray returned to their proper size, "That is just so weird."
Ray winced, "Sorry, it isn't meant to include more than one person normally so extending the field makes it a little odd."
She nodded and looked around, "Looks like Rip's aim was good. We're in the cupboard off the lab."
Nodding Ray scanned the room behind the door for any life signs.
"Well?" Zari asked.
"We're clear," Ray said as he opened the door.
Zari followed him, "Good. Let's check the rest of the ship and lock it down."
"We also need to contact Gideon," Ray reminded her.
"From Rip's explanation that might take a little time," Zari frowned, "This partition they've put up to let her hide, I've never heard of anything like it before."
Ray grimaced, "You work on that, while I check the engines. I want to get out of here as fast as possible."
"Be careful," Zari told him.
Nodding Ray replied, "You too."
Zari accessed the computer systems, Rip had told her how to bypass the partition he and Gideon had set up to let her hide to contact her, so expected the AI to be waiting for her.
"Ray," she called, "We have a problem."
"What is it?"
"Gideon isn't here," Zari told him.
The pause at the other side made her frown before he asked, "Are you sure?"
"I followed Rip's instructions and her matrix is empty," Zari replied with a grimace, "Gideon isn't here at all."
"Where is she?" Ray demanded.
Zari sighed, "I wish I knew."
x
Mick shuddered as he stepped into the control centre of the Oculus, the memory of losing his friend all those years ago because of this thing flooding his mind. Once more he was here to shut it down, but this time the Doctor had handed him what looked like a toy. It had a box with all sorts of bits and pieces of metal attached to it, but he'd been assured it would let him shut it down without having to blow himself up.
Before he could question the Time Lord, Rip nodded it would work and Mick may not have liked the former Time Master much, but he knew how smart Hunter was. And trusted him enough for this.
Reaching the control panel, he checked the device and rolled his eyes to see the instructions, 'This side down' and 'Push here'.
Placing it on the panel, Mick hit the button to activate it stunned when an arc of energy hit the box and threw him across the room. Pulling himself to a stand, Mick checked the device and frowned to see it was now a charred mess.
Before he could do anything else, alarms sounded in the room and he knew guards were about to find him. Mick tried to open a portal back to the TARDIS but the nothing happened. Swearing under his breath he decided to move, sliding out of the room he incapacitated the first guard he met and stole his weapon. He needed to find a way back to either the TARDIS or the Waverider and knew it was not going to be easy.
He hoped everyone else's mission were going better. Running through the corridors Mick grimaced realising he was heading to the detention level.
The one good thing was he knew a few defensible positions where he could hole up. Reaching the cells he stopped, recognising the woman held in the cell closest to the door.
Mick aimed at the lock, it looked like he had some help after all.
Rip watched Mick head to the Oculus and closed the portal before turning to the Doctor.
"Can you camouflage the TARDIS so we can land in the Council Chamber without being seen?" Rip asked.
The Doctor nodded, "I can, and I should be able to silence the engines too."
Amy chuckled, waving away the look from Rip, "Just remembering the last time we made the TARDIS invisible. It's a story we'll tell you later."
"Okay," Rip moved to console and connected to the systems. With the TARDIS he could bypass the AI easily. Part of him felt a little bit smug that he had the access to Time Lord technology because this is what Druce wanted. This kind of power. Although, Rip just wanted to spend several weeks taking it apart to see how it worked.
"Amy," he turned to his sister-in-law, "The moment Arden appears I need you to hit this button so it will broadcast to every Captain in the fleet."
"Are you ready to face him?" Amy asked softly, understanding how hard this was for Rip.
"Honestly, no," Rip replied, "But I have to so we can get Rory back. I won't let the Time Masters take anything else from me."
Amy hugged him tightly, "I'm here, if you need me."
"Sara, Amaya," he nodded to them, "Wait for my signal. Don't come out before then because this needs to be done by me alone."
They nodded although Sara didn't look happy about it.
The Doctor turned to him, "Ready?"
Rip nodded and moved to the doors waiting for the Doctor to let him know they'd landed in the right spot. Closing his eyes, Rip thought of his little boy for the strength to face his past fully before he walked out the door.
x
The Council Chambers were empty, but Rip knew that the AI that controlled the central systems would alert the guards that there was an intruder.
Barely a few minutes passed before Arden walked in flanked by several guards.
"Hunter," he stared at Rip, "I am surprised that you're so brazen."
Rip shrugged knowing Amy would ensure they were transmitting what was said, "I don't feel like sneaking around, Barty. We're going to have to do this sooner or later and I have better things to do than listen to you."
"You think you're something special," Arden sneered, "Don't you?"
"Druce thought so."
Anger filled Arden's eyes, "Druce didn't think you were special. You were a tool, Hunter. Manoeuvred into the right place so you would do what you were meant to."
"So, the Council could manipulate time for their own ends," Rip completed for him, "So that they could place a madman in a position of power."
Arden glared at him, "We are Time Masters, we control time."
"No," Rip argued, "We protect time. That is what they drilled into us at every turn, from the moment we were brought here as children, but they betrayed that."
"You have no right to question the Council," Arden snapped.
"I have every right. They murdered my wife and abducted my son," Rip responded, his voice hardening as he forced himself to stay where he was before he smirked at Arden, "I have him back before you feel like gloating."
Anger flashed in Arden's eyes, "It's a shame he will be made an orphan in the next few minutes."
Rip stepped forward, "Really."
A smirk touched Arden's lips, "Doctor Harmon, bring in subject 1894."
Taking a slow breath, Rip watched as his brother walked into the room, his face blank with no recognition in his eyes when he stopped directly in front of Rip.
Arden smirked as he placed a sword in Rory's hand, "How does it feel to know you will die by a sword held in your long-lost twin's hand? Swords were one of your specialty weapons, weren't they?"
Rip rolled his eyes, "My speciality weapon is a rapier, that is a gladius. Honestly Barty, if you're going to threaten me at least do it properly."
Anger filled other man's eyes and he turned to Rory, "Kill him."
x
Rip held himself still as his brother walked towards him, the sword held ready to strike. As Rory swung, Rip dodged moving out of the road each time Rory came at him.
"You won't be able to stay out of the way forever, Hunter," Arden called amused.
Rip ignored him as he concentrated on his brother, he and Rip had spent a week learning to sense one another and move as one. Using this Rip dodged each swing until the opportunity presented itself. As Rory swung, Rip ducked under his arm and grabbed Rory's wrist.
The connection was instantaneous, and in his mind, Rip found his brother trapped in what looked like a glass box. He could see the Centurion half through it while the other parts of Rory were like shadows trapped in the glass.
Reaching out, Rip slowly pushed his hand through the glass to his brother who reached out and gripped it. The glass shattered and Rory fell forward into Rip's arms.
"I've got you," Rip held his brother tightly.
"What did I do?" Rory gasped, "Rip, I…I…"
"You did nothing," Rip soothed, "Amy's fine."
Rory shook his head, face buried against his brother's shoulder, "I remember…I…I…"
Rip pushed him back, "I need you to hold it together for now. I know it's hard and there is a lot I have to tell you, but I need you to let the Centurion take control for the moment. Can you do that?"
Rory's eyes were wet with unshed tears, "Amy…I remember and the boys…"
"Do you trust me?" Rip asked, hating he couldn't just let his brother be with his family instantly, but they had to stop Arden.
Rory nodded.
"Then trust me that Amy and the boys are safe," Rip told him, "But I need you to help stop the people that did this to you, or they will not leave our family alone."
Rory moved back from Rip and Rip watched as the Centurion stepped forward into Rory before they were once more face to face with Rip holding his wrist. His brother looked at him and Rip smiled. Letting Rory go, Rip stepped back as Rory spun to his side sword held ready to fight anyone who came at them.
"Oh," Rip said as Arden stared confused, "Rory and I met several years ago. And we know each other as well as twins do."
"But that shouldn't have mattered with my process," Dr Harmon gasped confused.
Rip shrugged, "You should have done your homework better. Rory is not your average subject, he isn't as young as he looks, he's a lot more dangerous and you went after his family."
Rage covered Arden's face, "You will die together."
"I also didn't come alone," Rip said, hearing the TARDIS doors open behind him. Sara and Amaya took up position beside the brothers as the Doctor stepped outside letting the TARDIS be seen once more.
"They will die with you too," Arden told him.
x
Sara glanced at Rip as the guards filling the Council Chambers at Arden's command, "I'm not sure your plan is working."
"You offered to back me up," Rip reminded her.
"Damn," she sighed, "I guess I did."
Rip shrugged, "It'll work."
"I hope so," Amaya said, "Because we are completely outnumbered."
Rip turned to his brother who was waiting for Rip to give an order, before glancing back at the Doctor who nodded.
"Before you attack," the Doctor spoke up, "I suggest you think about how Captain Hunter got here without anyone noticing. I don't go near Time Masters often but considering what you did to Rory then I am getting involved."
"Why should I pay attention to you, old man?" Arden snapped.
The Doctor turned to Amaya and asked, "Old?"
"I'd say mature like a fine wine," she replied.
"Well, I suppose having lived for at least a few thousand years," the Doctor said winking at her, "Although I did stop counting a long time ago, I am allowed to show a few of my years."
Arden frowned as Harmon caught his arm, "The blue box, the age, he's a…a…"
"The title you're looking for is Time Lord," Rip supplied with a helpful smile.
Arden hesitated before shaking his head, "Typical of you, Hunter. Thinking you are above the rules."
Rip laughed darkly, "You are kidding me."
"Well, Time Lords die just like humans do," Arden noted, "It may take a little extra time, but it will take. Kill them all."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the familiar voice of Eve Baxter came making Rip smile, although he blanched in horror seeing the mess of bruises covering her face.
"Baxter," Arden snarled, "The two traitors dying together is fitting."
"Oh, we're not dying," Eve said as she moved to Rip's side with Mick joining them, "But you have a lot of explaining to do."
Triumph filled Rip as the Time Master Captains, many he recognised although there were plenty he didn't, entered the room all with weapons drawn and taking up position at his side.
"I may have ensured our conversation was broadcast to the entire fleet," Rip told Arden, "The Captains were owed the truth that although we were trained to protect the timeline, the Council were manipulating it for their own ends. They deserved the truth that you were doing the same."
Eve nodded, "We decided that we don't want that anymore. Until a new council can be chosen every one of us will follow Captain Hunter," she turned to the guards there, "You all have a choice who you follow."
Rip watched as all the garrison turned their weapons on Arden, Harmon and the new council, stunned that this had worked.
"You think you've won," Arden snarled at him as two guards took hold of his arms, "But you have nothing. Only I know the access codes to control the Oculus, and only I know the secrets this place holds."
Rip stared at him coldly before replying, "The Oculus has been…" he paused as Mick shook his head before continuing, "Will be disconnected."
They all jumped as a familiar voice suddenly filled the room, "What if I don't agree to that?"