Journey Amongst the Stars
By Lumendea
Chapter Nineteen: Girl in the Fireplace: Through the Mirror
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.
…
Leaving Reinette was difficult, but Rose and the Doctor returned to the ship through the time window. Nervous and angry energy cascaded through Rose and she half hoped that they'd come across some droids. The problem was that they still didn't have a good count of them.
"We know their goal now," the Doctor said. "And their twisted logic for why here. Good job with that question by the way."
"Thanks, but let's focus on stopping them right now. Do you have a plan?"
"This many time windows will need a control center," the Doctor explained. He pulled out the sonic screwdriver and did a quick scan. "This way, I think."
Rose didn't like the uncertainty in his tone, but they lacked information and time. With the droids in the same time as them and knowing where everything was, they were facing a rapid count down. If they were lucky, really lucky, maybe the droids would miss the year that Reinette was thirty-seven. However, as they moved down the corridor, Rose saw more and more time windows.
Reinette was in a garden, smiling and working with the soil despite wearing a very pretty pale gown. She was standing in front of a small crowd in a formal sitting room with a smile, seemingly giving a speech. King Louis was speaking with her and a few others as they leaned over a book laid open on a table. Years and years of her life laid out as a jumble of days that held no order, but great significance. It was disturbing to see a whole human life on display like that. Rose was grateful that Reinette wouldn't see it.
A few of the window had small etchings in the metal beside them, labeling them by Reinette's age. They were the windows that the droids had eliminated. Rose wondered briefly why the droid hadn't just gotten close and waited. They must have charging stations or something on the ship that made that impossible. Maybe the ship wouldn't last much longer. They hadn't found out how recently the accident had been.
Her stomach turned at the memory of the body parts. They'd been fairly… fresh. Maybe it had been only days, and the ship just wouldn't last long enough for them to wait it out. Suppressing a shiver, Rose went with the Doctor into another room. There was a console of controls and wires everywhere.
"This is a control hub," the Doctor muttered. "Lots of things running through here. Maybe something that can help us."
"Why didn't they just open a time window to when she was thirty-seven?" Rose stared at the controls and tried to understand them. It was a mess, and she just wanted to scream. They were lucky that anything was labeled at all.
"The ship is too damaged for that level of precision. They were lucky to even hit the right century." The Doctor slammed a fist down on the controls. "The windows aren't closing. Why won't they close?"
A bell rang in the room, and Rose spun to look at the nearest droid. "What was that?"
"Incoming message, maybe?"
"That's probably not good."
"No, one of them must still be out there with Reinette. That's why I can't close the windows. There's an override."
"So, what can we do?" Rose asked. "We need to focus on that."
"Find one of the labeled windows before she's thirty-seven," the Doctor said. "Tell her that when they come, she needs to stall. Every moment she can give us will help."
Rose nodded and didn't wait around to hear more. The Doctor was already moving around the room, checking everything, and focusing on his task. Worry and dread churned in Rose's stomach. She didn't know enough history to understand what Reinette's death at thirty-seven might mean, but she hated the idea of anything happening to her was even worse.
She returned to the corridor and checked the nearest time windows. One had a simple number of thirty-two scratched into the metal beside it. In the dark, it wasn't easy to see, but Rose knew what to look for. A simple heavy looking tapestry blocked the way, and Rose pulled it back. She peeked out just in case there were guards. There weren't; Reinette was alone in the room.
Lines were beginning to appear on Reinette's face under the layers of makeup. Whether it was from the strain of being stalked by clockwork droids or the pressures of the French Court or simply living in the French Court, Rose didn't know. She was suddenly struck with the awareness that the little girl she'd defended and encouraged was now older than her. Standing still, Rose tilted her head and just watched Reinette for a long moment. Then she stepped through the window to enter the room.
"Reinette?"
Reinette stopped playing and turned to look at Rose, her eyes brightening. "Rose! My lady knight!" Reinette rose from her seat and strode over to Rose. "It's been years."
To Rose's surprise, Reinette took her hands and squeezed them affectionately. Then they sat down in a pair of chairs close to the time window. Reinette's expression was curious and eager.
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. Things are happening fast now. Look, remember the question and the stuff about you being thirty-seven?"
"I do. I am thirty-two at present."
"We haven't been able to close their passages, so they're still coming, but I don't have an exact date for you. When they come, you need to stall them as long as you can. Keep asking them questions or something like that."
"My good protector, please explain to me what is happening?" Reinette shook her head. "I've had too long to wonder, and my mind has spun frightening possibilities."
"That's… fair." Rose swallowed and glanced back at the passage. "I haven't got much time, though."
"Then be exact, and I will be attentive."
"Okay, beyond the doors you've seen us enter is… well, it's like a hallway of doors. Each door opens to a different moment in your life. That's how I met you as a child and then again and again as you grew older. But the doors aren't marked, so the clockwork men have to search them until they find the right door."
"And they will take my head when they find the right one." Reinette's hand trembled, but that was her only sign of distress.
"Keep them talking," Rose told her. "The Doctor and I are searching too. We will find the right door and stop them. I promised you, remember? But I need you to be brave and stall for as long as you can."
"I shall be brave," Reinette promised.
"I'm sorry that this happened, Reinette," Rose said gently. "These clockwork men are interfering with your life. It wasn't supposed to be this way."
"Suppose to?" Reinette chuckled. "I do not think even you, my Lady Knight, can say what was supposed to be. It happened, and I have my life, my influence, and my most dear friend, the king. I will be remembered. I find no fault in that."
Rose smiled and was about to reply when the tapestry hiding the time window was pushed back. The Doctor leaned in, his eyes manic. "Rose! I found it. We need to go!"
"Right!" Rose reached over and squeezed Reinette's hand. "Remember, stall them. We'll be coming. I promise."
Reinette nodded and rose to her feet. Rose saw her glance toward the time window but rushed over herself to follow the Doctor before Reinette could be tempted. Still, as she stepped through, Rose heard a scream echoing down the corridor.
"I fixed the audio link," the Doctor said. "Move!"
"Those screams. Is that my future?" Reinette asked. Her face was a bit paler than before.
"Yes, sorry," the Doctor said. "We don't have time. See you in five years."
Reinette didn't move, and the Doctor let the tapestry drop back into place. Before Rose could say anything, he flicked the sonic screwdriver at the frame surrounding the tapestry. It whirled and sparked. Then he grabbed Rose's hand, and they started to run down the corridor.
"Are you there?" Reinette's voice called ahead of them. "Can you hear me? I need you now. You promised. The clock on the mantel is broken. It is time!"
Rose picked up her speed, and they burst into the control room. There was only a moment for Rose to be confused before the Doctor gestured to a large view screen on the bulkhead that had suddenly come to life. Reinette and the king were being led into the elegant room which was filled with people by a group of clockwork men. The Doctor went to the controls and then cursed long string of alien words.
"They knew we were coming. They blocked it off."
"But they have to get back through," Rose said. "So it can't be completely sealed!"
Her mind was racing. Rose eyed the viewscreen. Maybe… she looked back at the horse that seemed to be following the Doctor through the ship. There was no saddle, but she'd ridden bareback plenty of times. Well, not her exactly, but another her. The Doctor was still fighting the controls, anger, and worry playing across his face. Making up her mind, Rose crossed the room to the horse and after a quick pat of its neck, swung herself up onto the horse. It fidgeted a little but was well trained.
"Rose?"
She urged the horse across the room, lining up with the time window. "I'm counting on you not to make me wait too long, Doctor."
There was just enough time for Rose to see the Doctor's eyes widen comically before the horse bolted forward. Rose braced herself for the horse to throw her off, but it kept moving. Leaning forward, she summoned her sword and lowered her eyes. Rose threw the sword forward, hoping that it would be strong enough to break the material. If it wasn't, then this was going to hurt her and leave Reinette dead.
As soon as the sword left her hand, Rose felt it trying to reform, but the moment it was hurtling forward was enough. Maybe it sensed her intent or the long moment was truthfully brief, but glass shattered ahead of her. The image of the ballroom flickered, but it lingered ahead of the horse. Shards of material surrounded her, there was a sudden sense of cold, but it was gone as soon as it had come.
They hit the ground, the horse's hoofs clanging against the shining ballroom floor. Gasps of alarm echoed around Rose, but she focused her gaze on Reinette. Despite being on her knees, Reinette was smiling triumphantly. Her sword reformed with a flick of her wrist. Swinging her sword, Rose sliced through the head of the nearest droid. The other two spun towards her.
She jumped off the horse and dodged a blade being thrust at her. Rose snapped her sword forward, slicing off the arm and through a large section of the torso. The droid sparked and collapsed alongside the first. The third drew back, and Rose raised an eyebrow.
"The time window is broken," Rose said. She gestured over her shoulder with her left hand. "It's over. Even if you take her head, you achieve nothing. You have failed."
She thought it might fight her, but then the droid simply slumped forward. Then it fell back and hit the ground, breaking into clockwork pieces. The nobles around Rose had all drawn back, their panic fading a bit, but fear still holding on firmly. The king was beside Reinette in a moment, helping her to her feet, and Rose almost smiled.
"You came," Reinette said. Then she schooled her smile into calm features. "What happened to them?"
"They're cut off from the ship," Rose explained. "This wasn't about malice; this was about their purpose, and now they can't fulfill it. They shut down."
Confused twitters surrounded Rose, but she merely sighed. Then she wrinkled her nose. Versailles smelled. Really bad. Reinette smiled at her even as the King kept a tight grip on her arm, still clearly shaken by the events that had transpired. Turning around, Rose eyed the broken mirror and wondered how long it would take the TARDIS to make it through the interference of the time windows. Hopefully, not seven years.