Chapter LIV
Mira's POV
Without hesitation – and thinking – she followed the younger Doctor.
"Mira, wait!" her Doctor tried to stop her, but she had already reached Romana, who was stuffed under some kind of glass cylinder, together with some sort of device. Attached to the outside of the cylinder was a little screen, numbers counting down on it.
"What's that?" she asked, deliberately ignoring her Doctor waving at her. She shortly noticed that Tyssan didn't follow them, but she didn't care.
"A Nova Device," the younger Doctor replied, gently knocking at the cylinder.
"A what?"
"A Nova Device," he repeated as if that would explain it. "Once ignited, it alters the molecules of the atmosphere so that the atoms become flammable. It can burn up an entire planetary atmosphere," he added at last, without stopping to try to wake Romana.
Nova Device. What a suitable name for it.
Most likely it would be banned in her universe, at least by the Cosmic Hanseatic Organisation. They were having similar weapons – they just didn't burn up the atmosphere, but forcing the molecules of the planet's crust to react with each other, turning the whole planet into a gigantic nuclear reactor. Once ignited, the planet would be destroyed within a few days. The process was unstoppable. They had used these weapons a few times – as a last resort. But basically they had been banned even back in the days of the Solar Empire. But wouldn't that be a legitimate case for using them? The homeworld of the Daleks, a race threatening the galaxy, destroying Gallifrey, trying to enslave humanity, as well as other intelligent races? Well, they first had to get Romana out of this cylinder, then they could...
But before she was able to finish the thought, suddenly everything went black.
...
She woke up hearing voices. She didn't know who was talking or what they were saying, and frankly, she didn't quite care. It was only the ugly headache that kept her from falling asleep again.
"Tell me, Doctor, when did you first realise we were robotic?" Slowly but surely the words that reached her ear were starting to make sense again, at least a little. She just couldn't tell who was talking.
"The night the roof fell in on Agella."
"Agella."
"Agella, yes. How's your hand?"
Hand?
Someone was indeed holding her hand, but most likely that wasn't what they were talking about. Finally she blinked, but closed her eyes again almost instantly because of the bright light.
"Welcome back. You're all right?" she heard a voice, somewhat close to her head. By now the drowsiness she had felt moments ago was almost gone and she slowly started to realise what had happened. Only the nasty headache was annoyingly persistent. She knew that migraine-like, brain frying pain. Almost all stun-weapons were based on the same principle. Most likely they were shot by the Movellans, because a blow to the head would feel different.
"Dysfunction or death, as you know it, only occurs in us with massive circuitry disturbance. We are infinitely superior," she heard the female voice again. Yes, Agella. Dead and yet not dead.
She blinked again and finally opened her eyes, finding the face of her Doctor hovering in front of her eyes.
"How are you?" he asked again, whilst the other Doctor continued his conversation with the Movellans.
"Fine," she murmured and lifted herself up, first on her elbows and then into a sitting position. She felt a wave of sickness through her stomach and immediately regretted it. Indeed, she was in the control room of the Movellan space ship, sitting on the lounge.
"I told you to-" the Doctor said concerned, but she gestured him to be silent. He most likely knew what his former self was saying, but she didn't.
"We function logically," the Commander said.
"My condolences to you," the younger Doctor replied.
"Why, Doctor?"
"Because you'll never defeat the Daleks. Let me demonstrate." he said and turned to Romana, who was sitting on the lounge just like herself and the two Doctors. "Romana?"
"Yes?"
She noticed that none of them seemed to be in such a miserable state as she was. Well, obviously the Movellan weapons didn't effect them as much as her.
"Good. We're going to play a game. You know rock-paper-scissors?"
"Yes, but-"
"And," the younger Doctor said and started, hitting with his fist on the palm of his other hand three times, Romana doing the same, even though she obviously had no idea where this was heading. "Paper wraps stone."
They were going for another round.
"What were you doing that for?" she asked her Doctor, but he just silently shook his head.
"And stone blunts scissors," Romana said, this time she had won.
By now some of the Robots, including the Commander, had gathered around them and were watching seemingly fascinated.
"Scissors cuts paper," the Doctor said and laughed, because he had won. "But suppose we were two computers controlling two great battle fleets, eh? Each one working perfectly logically to outmanoeuvre the other." He waved at the robots. "Well, you're robots. You try it."
"We're perfectly-" the Commander said, but got interrupted.
"Try it!" the Doctor repeated way louder this time, making her cover her ears and wince in pain."Go on."
The robots obeyed, but every time they ended up with the same symbol.
"Ha!", the younger Doctor said finally and caught their hands, "You see, you're caught in an impasse of logic. You've discovered the recipe for everlasting peace. Congratulations, I'm terribly pleased."
She already knew that the Doctor had a sense for sarcasm, but with his current regeneration it was a bit different.
"Our objective is victory, Doctor, the destruction of the Dalek Fleet," the Commander said.
"You want to destroy the Dalek Fleet? Seems like we all want the same thing," she murmured, and suddenly she found three reproachful pairs of eyes on her. Oh hell.
"You play with me, eh? Come on," the younger Doctor looked away again and addressed the Commander. This time he obeyed instantly.
"Paper," the Commander said.
"Scissors cuts paper," the Doctor replied.
"Stone."
"Paper wraps stone."
"Scissors."
"Stone blunts scissors. Again. Scissors cuts paper," the Doctor said.
"Stone."
"Paper wraps stone."
"Scissors."
"Stone blunts scissors," the Doctor won another round, and then they stopped playing.
For a moment the Commander seemed to be deeply in thought whilst he was processing something. "Thank you, Doctor," he said eventually. "Our battle computers must have a new element programmed into them. An advantage, however small, that will change the balance of power. You."
"The Daleks want the same thing," Romana said.
"Yes," the younger Doctor confirmed.
"When we reach the fleet you will reprogram our computers," the Commander said.
"I will?"
"Yes. The Dalek fleet will be wiped from the heavens and nothing will stand in our way of the conquest of the galaxy."
"Why the hell is everyone so bloody obsessed with conquering the galaxy?" she suddenly yelled at the Commander, instantly regretting it as a sharp pain shot through her head.
"Because they're robots," the younger Doctor said, and then addressed the Commander again. "You've overlooked something. Suppose I was willing to help you to change the balance of power, which I'm not, Davros will be doing the exactly same things for the Daleks. I mean, he may be mad, but his computer skills are almost as great as mine."
Great. Because they're robots.
What sort of explanation was that supposed to be? Robots with a Nova Device, out and about to conquer the galaxy. But no matter how one would look at it, the Movellans alone would still be better than the Daleks and the Movellans. Or at least, the Daleks and the Movellans would be better than the Daleks with Davros and their homeworld and the Movellans. So, as this dammed Nova Device already was on Skaro, then...
"That is precisely why we're taking you with us, Doctor. When we're safely in space, the Nova Device will detonate and destroy Davros. With your skills, the impasse will be broken," the Commander put her thoughts into words. Then he turned his attention to other things, leaving them there, guarded by one of his crew members.
Doctor's POV
He sat next to Mira and watched his former self and Romana play rock-paper-scissors. He knew what was about to happen next, or at least, what was supposed to happen next. Tyssan would show up, he would distract one of the Robots, the robot would get shot by Tyssan, there would be a short fight and the Movellans would be disabled. At least as long as Mira wouldn't do something unexpected. But from the looks of it he probably shouldn't worry too much - she hardly seemed to be in a state to do anything. She was pale, her eyes were narrowed and she seemed to have a terrible headache – all in all she looked pretty miserable, and he could hardly resist the urge to pull her in his arms to comfort her. Somehow he got the feeling she wouldn't like that right now.
"Scissors cuts paper," he heard Romana say, and then she whispered, "Let's get out."
"Yes. Paper wraps stone," his former self said, "How?"
"Stalemate. Do something," Romana replied.
Yeah, do something. He was always doing something, always coming up with some plan. For a moment he thought about what if - what if he had known back then what would happen to Gallifrey, to his people. What he would do one day. Would he have let the Movellans kill Davros? What would have happened to the Daleks without Davros?
"When I give the signal, move," his former self said and stood up, only to be shoved down again by their guard. "Stone blunts scissors," he immediately continued the game.
"Good plan," Romana said, "Scissors cuts paper. Paper wraps..."
"Jelly Baby," his former self said, and suddenly Romana had a jelly baby on her palm.
"Jelly baby?"
"Hmm," he said and took it back from her. "Doctor catches robot," he then whispered and ate it.
He looked over to the door, it was about time, just to see Tyssan returning.
"Don't you ever speak to me like that again, you understand? Never!" his former self suddenly yelled at Romana and jumped up. He had seen Tyssan as well and was now trying to distract their guard.
Romana didn't hesitate but played along, "What did I say?"
"Jelly Baby. You keep out of this," his former self said to the robot guard, who had come closer. "It's a personal matter, isn't it?"
"Yes," Romana confirmed.
"Mind your own business!" his former self said to the robot.
"You tell him!"
"And you mind your own business, too," he turned at Romana again.
"What?"
"Duck!"
That was the moment when Tyssan shot at their guard. Suddenly the rest of the slave workers stormed the control room, and all hell broke loose. Some of the workers got stunned, some of the robots got ripped of their little control devices they needed to function.
He turned his head and grabbed hold of Mira's arm. "You stay out of that!" he said and pulled Mira behind the couch just as she was about to join the fight. As if she was in any condition to do so. What was going on with her? She must have known that she wouldn't stand a chance right now.
"It's the little devices?" she asked.
"What's with them?" He followed her eyes to the little black devices the robots were carrying on their belts, together with their weapons.
"Nothing. Just... I thought you - your past self – took the weapon from her. Earlier, outside, you know? But it was that little black thing?"
"Yeah. No. I took both. But it's that little black thing they need to function, so I took it as well. You're a bit confused today, aren't you?"
"No, I just didn't pay attention, that's all," she said, trying to sound casually.
By now the fight was almost over – his former self was whistling with a dog whistle, before saying, "Oh well, so much for logic." He handed one of the control devices to Romana. "A mind that could be scrambled by a dog whistle."
"These are the Movellan minds?" Romana asked.
"Well, not quite. They're just power packs with some main circuits."
"Orders for the day and the power to carry them out," Romana said.
"Yes, that's it. Tyssan!" his former self said, and Tyssan walked over to them. "Well done, Tyssan. Any news of Davros?"
"Nothing."
"The Daleks will be sending a ship for him. We mustn't let him get away."
"We've only got a handful of men. How can we stop him?"
"One, two, three four, five," his former self was counting the men Tyssan had brought with him. "I'll go alone. Ask me why."
"Why?"
"They're unconscious. Also I'm a very dangerous fellow when I don't know what I'm doing. You stay here, Tyssan. You'll need the ship to get home. Romana, you help him," he said, entered the lift that would bring him down and out of the ship. "I will return," was the last he heard of himself through the closed doors.
"When will you come back? Will it take long?" Romana asked him.
"Well... You know... Spoilers?" he replied and looked at her, scratching his neck.
It wouldn't take long. He would have a nice chat with Davros, destroy one of his Daleks, and bring Davros to blow up the other Daleks that he had armed with explosives and sent out to destroy the Movellan ship, before they actually could reach their destination. He had improvised, as always.
"I'll go and see if we've got all of them," Tyssan said and left the control room.
After a while – they had helped to put the unconscious men on the couch in the meantime – he returned.
"Well, we got them all," he confirmed.
"Was the Commander with them?" Romana asked.
"No. I thought he was up here."
"Well, I can't find him."
"Oh, he's not important. Even if he got away, he can't do much on his own."
"The Nova Device!", Romana suddenly yelled. "He'll try to detonate!"
She ran to the lift, and just before the doors closed, Mira jumped in with her.
"Wait!" he yelled, but it was too late.
Mira's POV
She ran after Romana, trying to keep up with her and ignoring the throbbing pain in her head. Both weren't easy tasks, and as she thought she wouldn't make it for another fifty yards, she saw one of the robots crawling towards the device that was sitting in the middle of nowhere on a patch of sand. Romana jumped at him without hesitation as soon as she reached him, trying to take the control device from him. They struggled for a moment until he pushed her away from him and it almost seemed as if he would reach the Nova Device, if only for a moment. As he was stretching out his arm, Romana shoved it away, ripping it straight off of him.
Mira froze to the spot for a moment. She knew that the Doctor, and for that most likely all of his species, were quite strong. Stronger than humans at least, but ripping an arm straight off of a robot really required some force. She watched Romana struggle for a moment longer with the robot until he finally got deactivated, and suddenly she knew it would be now or never.
She jumped over to the device and took it, just before Romana could reach it.
"Good, that was just in time," Romana said as she stood up and patted some sand off her cloak. "Give it to me, I'll deactivate it."
"No," she replied after she had taken a few steps back and away from Romana. She knew that wouldn't help her, the other woman was stronger and faster, but she had to try.
What the hell am I doing?
She looked down at the device. It was rather small, all painted black. Her gaze was sliding over the big, red button and a small display for the timed detonator. She knew that detonating it wouldn't free the universe from the Dalek threat. But it would kill Davros and destroy their homeworld. Maybe it would be their end, maybe not, who could say that? Maybe it would save Gallifrey, and many other planets and species out in the universe. At least it was worth a try. The Daleks would blame it on the Movellans, wouldn't they?
Yes, she had promised the Doctor she wouldn't intervene. Wait. No. She had only promised she wouldn't tell his former self anything, hadn't she? Either way, wasn't it in her responsibility to try to end it, here and now? If not for the Doctor's sake and the sake of his people, then for humanity?
"What?" Romana asked, seemingly confused.
"I think the Movellans were right, at least in one way," she said carefully.
"You want to explode it? You'll kill us!"
"I don't have a death wish. We could program it to detonate later, just as the Movellans had planned it," she replied and watched Romana closely. How much could she tell her without saying too much?
"Mira, put that down!" she heard another voice.
Great. Of course he had to follow her, she thought as the slender figure of her Doctor appeared behind Romana.
"No!" she replied stubbornly, looking back and forth between the Doctor and Romana. She had to admit that she had had better plans before. Right now, it wasn't even a bad plan, it was worse. It was more like the absence of any plan at all. Probably the only thing stopping Romana or the Doctor from simply taking the device from her was them being afraid of accidentally setting it off.
Doctor's POV
He should have known it. Well, at least some part of him should. The rest of him still couldn't believe that she was standing there, the Nova Device in her hands.
"Mira, please, you can't do that!"
"No? Why not? Because you couldn't do it? Well, guess what, I'm not you."
"Because you can't interfere with the timelines. You promised me!"
"As far as I remember I only promised not to tell you anything. And I didn't. Besides, I think the whole situation now is a bit bigger than just you and me and promises we made. The Daleks are not only a threat to your- They are a threat to everyone in this galaxy. And if I-"
Did she really think she could stop the Daleks here and now?
"Mira, you're not killing them all. It's just a few of them here and Davros! What-"
"Right, Davros. You yourself said you could have stopped him. You didn't. Maybe now is the time to finally do so."
"By murdering him?" He watched her. He had no idea if she was only acting like this out of her current condition, or if she would be doing it anyway - he wished for the first, but somehow he dreaded it was the later. And he hated even more to admit that she was right; somehow. He probably should have stopped Davros when he'd had the chance to. But he hadn't, and now it was too late. There was no way to change that, at least not without consequences that could destroy everything.
Could they?
"Maybe that's so," he continued carefully because she obviously chose to remain silent. "But still, you can't change the timeline, that would-"
"What makes you so sure I'd change it? Maybe that's what's supposed to happen? You said it yourself, with us being here everything is in flux again. Maybe that's why we're here? To do what you couldn't do back then?"
"What I couldn't do? You mean, murdering Davros?" No need to hide the fact that she was about to murder him behind flowery phrases of saving the universe. Even if she would just do what the Movellans had planned to do anyway, his blood would be on her hands.
"I mean to probably save a lot of lives."
"By murdering someone?" he approached her until he stood hardly three feed away, ignoring that she was trying to hide the device behind her back. At least she wasn't retreating, but remained where she was. She didn't even lower her gaze but looked him straight in the eyes. "How would that make you better than him?"
"We're talking about Davros and the Daleks. Do I really have to explain-"
"Do you believe I don't know that!?" he said, his voice raised but instantly trying to calm himself again. No point in getting emotional. "Do you really think I let you do that? Let you murder someone?"
"What's it to you? And besides, I think it's better than walking away, washing my hands of it and letting him go on with his quest to not only conquer the universe but to kill every living being, as long as the moral high ground is mine? Let me tell you something: There isn't always a moral high ground."
What it was to him? He could hardly believe they were back at this point again. Or was she just talking in rage?
"So, that's it then?" he said. "Is that what you meant by standing up and fight for your ideals rather than hide behind them? Living with the fact that you deliberately murdered someone and destroyed a whole planet?"
"That's my problem, not yours. I have to live with it. And even though I appreciate your concerns for my salvation, I'm afraid you're a little late for that."
She didn't sound cynical whilst saying that, she just stated it as a matter of fact. And that was more disturbing to him than any cynicism or self-loathing she could have put into that sentence.
"So it's true what the Beast said? It called you destroyer of the stars, didn't it?"
"I don't know. Was it? How much of what it said was true, hm?" she said, trying to sound confident, but he could see her lower lip shivering. What had she done? He didn't believe she had done anything out of bad intentions or sheer malignity, but sometimes believing doing the right thing with the best intentions was the worst. He himself knew that all too well, and yet he couldn't tell her. Not now with Romana standing behind him. He wasn't even sure he could bring himself to tell her without Romana being present.
"Do you honestly believe it's on you to decide who shall live and who shall die?" he asked quietly instead of answering her questions.
"With letting him get away you decide that a lot more people have to die," she replied flatly. "How's that any different?"
He could definitely see her point. And he knew exactly that Davros would get away eventually. And yet it would be just wrong. Not only for the sake of the timelines and the consequences of altering them that not even he was able to foresee, but also for her sake. No matter what she had done so far in her life, he wouldn't let her kill another one. But wasn't she right? That there sometimes wasn't a moral high ground? What would all the people say who would die at the hand of the Daleks and subsequently Davros? Would they care if someone did a morally questionable thing to save their lives? On the other hand, she didn't know. She didn't know how things would work out between him and Davros, that he even saved him – not only once – and that he would finally die in the Last Great Time War?
Because I've never told her.
But it wasn't just about Davros. There was Skaro. What impact would the destruction of their homeworld have on the Daleks? As he was still searching for an answer, he saw his former self out of the corner of his eye, walking behind Mira and taking the Nova Device nonchalantly out of her hands. That was weird, he couldn't remember coming back here. But, on the other hand, the last time Romana had been back in the Movellan ship, so there had been no need to go looking for her.
"Ah, good, you've got the Nova Device," his former self said and smiled widely as Mira spun around. "Oh, and sorry to interrupt your conversation, I'm certain it was an interesting one. Just a shame that it would take a few more years till I'll have it again. But I think you might be interested to hear that Davros is in the control room of the Movellan space ship."
Mira's POV
She felt utterly defeated as she was standing in the control room together with the two Doctors, Romana and Tyssan. Davros was indeed there, in some sort of cryogenic chamber. He would have stared at them if he head eyes, she was sure about that. Instead the only thing that gleamed at them was the blue bulb on his forehead. She still didn't know if she really would have set off the Nova Device. The Doctor was right, it wouldn't have made her better than the Daleks. And certainly murder wasn't right. But if a peaceful coexistence wasn't possible, what then? Could she just let him get away, patting herself on the shoulder and say: Well, at least I proved I was better than them? What would her father have done? He had always tried to avoid violence and destruction, but sometimes there hadn't been another way.
Now they were about to hand Davros over to Earth, but it still felt wrong.
"All elephants are pink, Nellie is an elephant, therefore Nellie is pink. Logical?" the younger Doctor asked Davros lightly.
Well, at least someone seemed to be in a good mood. She herself? Not so much. The throbbing pain in her head had become even worse, and she felt like throwing up any moment. She just wanted to get back to the TARDIS and lay down for a while. At the same time she dreaded being alone with the Doctor. Not so much because of being afraid what he had to tell her regarding what she had been about to do, but rather that he would bring up again what the Beast had said. She had a feeling that she wouldn't get away easily this time, and she knew exactly how she could dish out when she felt cornered. Even more so in her current condition, having the migraine of the year, thin-skinned and physically and mentally exhausted. So either she would go on the offensive – and then it would get really ugly – or she would probably just break down. Either way, it was a disaster waiting to happen.
"Perfectly," Davros replied.
"You know what a human would say to that?" the younger Doctor asked.
"What?"
"Elephants aren't pink."
"Humans do not understand logic," Davros said scornfully.
"They're not slaves to it like the Daleks or the Movellans," Romana pointed out.
"That's why the Daleks came back for you. They remembered they were once organic creatures themselves, capable of irrational, intuitive thought. And they wanted you to give it back to them, to get them out of their trap of logic," the younger Doctor explained.
Mira watched him and wondered for a moment if her Doctor only let Davros go now because of the timelines, or if he was still able to be that lenient with him, even after all that had happened since he had been his former self.
"I have failed," Davros replied.
"Yes. What does it feel like?" the younger Doctor wanted to know.
"What will happen to me?" Davros asked instead of giving an answer.
"A high security ship has started out from Earth to meet us. You will be taken to stand trial for your crimes against the whole of sentient creation."
"There is not a ship, not a prison that can hold me!" Davros yelled.
"No, but I think this little device can. It's a cryogenic freezer. Even you can't escape from a solid block of ice. Bye-Bye, Davros," the younger Doctor said and flipped a switch.
As she was still watching how Davros turned into a block of ice, someone pulled at her sleeve. She looked up and saw the younger Doctor, looking down at her and nodding silently to the door where Romana and her Doctor were already standing. Everyone else in the control room was focused on Davros, and so she followed the Doctor.
"I don't like goodbyes," he said as they were out of the space ship.
"But we have to say goodbye," she replied and rubbed her aching forehead as she was walking at his side, fully aware that her Doctor and Romana were walking behind them, able to hear every word.
"Yeah, but I'll see you again eventually. And I'm looking forward to it, Mira. I just hope it won't take another seven-hundred and fifty years."
"Seven-hundred and fifty years!?" she repeated, stopped in her tracks and turned around to face her Doctor. Hadn't he said something about four-hundred and fifty years?
"Well... Are you sure?" he said and looked at his former self, the expression on his face a mixture of embarrassment and confusion.
"Am I? Quite so, I might say. Why?"
"You got your age wrong – a bit," she answered in his stead.
"Did I?" he younger Doctor replied.
"Well, it's obvious that no one has told you what a sensitive topic that is for him," Romana said and smirked at her. "Some might almost say he's a bit vain about that."
"That's not true!" both of them said as one.
"Seems you have to do some calculations now," she said to him. "It's understandable to lose track. As said, I stopped counting at thousand, and then the centuries just flew by." She was trying to make it sound lightly, but she had the suspicion she failed miserably, and not only because of her migraine.
"A thousand?" the younger Doctor said and stared at her, obviously dumbfounded for a moment.
"Well, that's enough. Spoilers? And, by the way, that's it. My TARDIS," her Doctor hurried to said, and indeed, not even thirty yards away was the old time ship.
"May I have a look inside?" the younger Doctor asked, but her Doctor just shook his head.
"Well then, Mira, looking forward to seeing you again," he smiled at her, but, unlike his future self, he didn't make any attempt to hug her.
For a moment she felt incredibly sad for him, knowing what would happen to him before he would see her the next time.
It must have shown on her face because he asked, "What?" the smile slowly disappearing from his face.
"Nothing," she said. And after a moment of hesitation she hugged him, whispering in his ear, "Take care."
"I will," he said, quite surprised. "I always take care, don't I, Romana?"
"Well...," she started but didn't finish. Instead she turned to Mira. "I don't know if we'll see each other ever again, so: Farewell. Nice meeting you." She extended her hand, and Mira shook it for a moment.
"Oh, and really nice meeting the future you too," Romana smiled at her Doctor.
"Yes, but I should really not start saying 'Oi'," the younger Doctor said indignantly, then they turned around and walked away.
"What's so bad about 'Oi'?" her Doctor said and looked at her as indignantly as his former self had sounded.
10th Squad 3rd Seat, bored411 and guest: Thanks for reviewing :-)
theladyofthelost: Thank you very much for your review :-) You really reread it? That's really awesome to hear :-))
