Chapter 13

The Tie Breaker

Jack sat on Rose's bed, swigging a beer. The Doctor, who had been tapping things into the computer, turned to face him.

'So. You're sure she's not a clone?'

'Pretty sure. I listened in on a phone call with Dr Clone and this other creep – I'm guessing it's the Master, though he didn't call himself that...'

'What did he call himself?'

'Tenebraeli... Dr Tenebraeli. He's definitely out on another planet, though I'm not sure which. Anyway, he kept asking Dr Clone when Rose would be 'ready'. Dr Clone said that 'very little of the original Rose remains'. Oh, and they mentioned the date – eleventh of May, 2016..."

"So, she's been corrupted in some way."

"Looks like it. I'm sure it's to do with the crystal. On my way back here I stopped off a few times and spied on Rose. There's no doubt about it. There's a steady deterioration from the time she gets that pendant round her neck – only of course, I just saw her getting better... it was pretty tragic."

"Right. Well, you'll be pleased to know I haven't been idle. I've been doing some research on this thing – and I've learnt some very interesting gossip from the Joshwales column."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yup. Have you heard of the Planet of Angels? It's a planet populated by these extraordinary, intelligent but peace-loving creatures who are rumoured to live in perfect harmony. They possess no weapons and have no means of self-defence. It's a fantastic planet as well, with an abundance of natural resources..."

"How the hell have they survived?" asked Jack in amazement.

"Good question. They are protected by the creatures on the next-door planet, Orelia. These creatures are not so intelligent, but have plenty of sophisticated weapons. They look on the Planet of Angels as a kind of lucky mascot – they go there for holidays and are welcomed - and woe betide anything that threatens it. Anyway, the gossip is that one of the senior members of the tribe of Angels disappeared for a while. It returned to the planet soon after, but its nature was entirely changed. It stirred up trouble between the Angels. It knew how to make weapons and soon all hell broke lose. Other senior members had to call on the inhabitants of Oriel. They disposed of the trouble-maker, and peace was restored. The rumour is that the tribe member had been kidnapped by the Master's clone. He killed it, took its DNA and put it in the Dark Vat... D'you see where this is going?"

"Ah..." said Jack. "You mean, not only does the Dark Vat clone things. It turns them bad..."

"That would make sense. Instead of being like me - friendly, peace-loving and easy going with a GSOH – my clone is mean as hell and in league with the dark forces.

"Right..."

"So, the first thing I want to do is have a look at that crystal. You've got film of it?"

"Sure have. Though I didn't get quite as close as I'd've liked..."

Jack put his hand to the fish-eye camera – indistinguishable from the other buttons on his jacket – and gave it a twist which released it. He handed it to the Doctor. "Go to 36E – when I dropped in on Rose to confirm arrangements for the meeting with Jackie - that should give you a pretty good shot."

A smart, panelled door appeared on the computer screen. It opened and there stood Rose. It was Rose, but there was something strange about her. Besides the fact that she had aged (she looked, as she should, around thirty years old) there was something sinister about the eyes; they were barely human. She looked up at Jack. No emotion registered in those eyes. She summoned him in. He had moved quite close to her and put a hand on her shoulder; she flinched slightly, but didn't brush it away. The crystal round her neck was clearly in view.

"Fantastic," said the Doctor, stopping the film. "That's a good shot. Now, let's take a look."

He began to zoom in on the crystal, until nothing but crystal filled the screen. He continued to zoom. Jack gazed at it, hypnotized. It felt as if they were falling deeper and deeper into the crystal, in the same way the TARDIS flung them deep through space-time. How many times was it enlarged? Five million? A billion? Suddenly something came into view in the centre of the screen.

"Is that it?" asked Jack. "The DNA?"

"Yup," said the Doctor. "There's Rose's double helix – and there's my single strand within it." The Doctor had slowed down the zoom. "But, hang on. There's something odd about it." As the DNA came into focus, Jack noticed that, instead of being smooth, the edges of the strands were jagged, like the cutting edge of a saw.

"That could explain a lot, said the Doctor, stopping the film and printing off a copy. "Both Rose's and my DNA have been corrupted. The Master must've extracted them using the Muon, put them in the Dark Vat, and placed the corrupted strands back in the crystal, leaving others of mine to multiply and produce my clone. If you're right about Rose never taking the crystal off, she'll have worn her own corrupted DNA next to her skin for years. Crystals are amazing things – never underestimate them..." The Doctor began to zoom out once more.

"Is there anything we can do to reverse the damage?" asked Jack.

"Not that I know of... Hey, what's that?"

As the zoom continued to recede, the Doctor noticed a table in the background, slightly to the left of Rose. There was a pile of papers and envelopes on it. On top of them was an unfolded piece of paper with some writing on it. The Doctor swiftly drew a ring around the letter and started zooming in on it.

"Say, Doc, I recognize that handwriting."

"So do I."

Intrigued, Jack stood up and peered over the Doctor's shoulder. The Doctor stopped the film as soon as the writing became legible.

-

Dear Rose,

The date is still set for the eleventh of May, 2016.

I need hardly remind you that, in order for our task to be successful, you must be free of all emotional bonds from your past, present and future. I know that you were thorough in preventing the possibility of future bonds – although I appreciate that you had difficulty in understanding the importance of this at the beginning of your marriage. I also understand that the severing of ties has not always been easy. Your reward lies in the knowledge that together we can rid the universe of a powerful and dangerous impostor whose existence is a threat to us all.

I understand that a 'reconciliation' with the woman who calls herself your mother has been arranged by a friend of the impostor. She will, of course, try every emotionally manipulative trick in the book to persuade you of her right to your affections. Again, I ask you to remember all that I told you about the people around you who try to claim your love but in fact seek your downfall.

Again, it is vital that, by the above date, you are clean of all such ties.

Remember what I say. It will give you strength.

Your friend and ally,

The Doctor