Declaration of War
It was late that night, when a tired Rose Tyler went in search of her Time Lord. She found him, snoring gently, and still tangled up in the excess wiring. Still the device looked complete - at least to her eyes. But what did she know?
Well, she knew that he'd wake up with a painful crick in his neck if she left him lying like he was all night, besides which she wanted him back in her bed. Where, in her opinion he belonged. She was about to wake him, when an ominious shadow passed over her and out of reflex she sidled back a little.
"It's only me." Lieutenant Fallen emerged from the shadowy corner.
"What is it Lieutenant." Asked Rose smoothly, inwardly cursing his sudden appearance.
She couldn't deny that she was attracted to him, he was pretty gorgeous and rugged looking - just her type. With the obvious exception that he wasn't a 900 year od alien with two hearts, naturally.
"Just doing the rounds, checking security. You gonna leave him like that all night? He'll get a crick." Noted the Lieutenant with a hint of amusement. Rose blushed, much to her own annoyance.
"I was just going to wake him actually. He doesn't sleep often, but when he does his snoring can raise the dead!" Thats it Rose, she thought to herself, make a joke out of things. Nothing to see here.. well not yet... She cut off that train of thought which wasnt helping much and tried to look as nonchalent and casual as the Lieutenant did.
"Well then. I'll be off - continue my sweep. All's well and all that. Night Rose." He gave her a jaunty salute, and for an instant she was reminded of Captain Jack and how he used to make the same gesture. It pricked at her somewhat and she stopped him from leaving.
"Lieutenant Fallen"
"Yes Rose?" He turned back politely.
"Umm.. good work up there. On the ship. Brilliant work." She said, cringing inwardly at how pathetic her words sounded even to her own ears.
He nodded once, thoughtfully, and went on his way.
Rose watched him leave, wistfully, and then turned back to find the Doctor leaning on one hand and looking at her.
"Jesus! I thought you were asleep Doctor!" She hissed accusingly.
"I was. Then I woke up." He explained. Still watching her with that look.
"What"
"Nothing. Nothing at all." He answerd a little sadly, and rose, the muscles in his back popping as he did so.
"Now you're going to tell me you were perfectly comfortable lying like that, since Time Lords don't get cricks, aren't you." She asked, trying to inject some levity.
"Actually.. that was bloody uncomfortable. Still - the rewiring is done. All I need to do is input the coordinates and initiate the program. And Boom! No more Daleks to worry about"
"What exactly does it do?" Asked Rose as he walked her down the corridor towards her quarters.
"It creates a Time Eddy - like a ripple in space/time. Only with each ripple - the Daleks move further back along their evolution curve until they're erased for good. It'll take all of seven seconds. If that." He answered simply. She could tell from his tone of voice that this was nearing a little too close to home for him, but that he also knew there was no other choice.
It was either Dalek or Human, and Rose knew what side he would always be on. Thankfully.
She squeezed his hand to remind him of the better things in his life, and he looked at her and smiled.
"How's about I tuck you in." He asked her.
"Hell no!" She answered. He stopped and looked at her confused.
"You're not leaving me alone tonight mister." She said, so firmly, that for a second there he simply looked stunned.
"Come on!" And she pulled him back into her room.
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It was twilight on Gallifrey as well, when Romana looked across the Capitol. The blazing fires had all been extinguished now, but you could still see the smoke spiralling up from the dowsed embers. Nafficilonaucalutius had not been alone, his followers had done alot of damage before they could be stopped. More good people dead.
Was it worth it? Was he worth all of this? She didn't have an answer - but she knew where she would get one.
She climbed into another activated TARDIS and set the coordinates. She'd be back before she was missed.
Going to the console she set the sensors to detect Gallifreyan bio signatures, figuring he'd have flouted his Castellan Guard and be alone.
After four attempts she materialised softly in the Earth Base, in the sleeping quarters of what she assumed was the Doctor's.
"Doctor.." She whispered into the darkness.
"What the bloody hell are you doing in here!" Rose Tyler was a light sleeper, and the fact that Romana had shook her shoulder rather than the Doctor's had helped raise the alarm.
The light snapped on, the Doctor already tying a belt about a hastily donned robe.
"I'm intruding. I apologise, I merely wanted to ascertain.. the President's ahem.. safety.. and now that I have done so.." She stammered, both upset and embarrassed by the truth that was before her. There had been another in his thoughts all along! How stupid was she to even think that he ... that they... she turned to run back into her TARDIS, but Rose blocked the way.
"THE HELL YOU DID!" She thundered, eyes blazing, and hands clenched at her sides.
"Rose, now calm down - Romana was just ... as she said.. and nothing is going on"
"I know that, you know that - somebody wanna tell HER that!" Spat Rose, who was not at her best when roused unexpectedly anyway.
"I know, believe me I know.. I just thought.. you being human and inferior.." She'd said the wrong thing. Definately the wrong thing - Rose slapped her one.
She raised her hand a second time but the Doctor caught it and held her at bay.
"Romana, can you pop out for a second. I'm going to have a chat with Rose, and then I'll be right out to talk to you okay"
Cowed, Romana merely nodded and walked out, leaving Rose hurt and humiliated.
"How DARE you apologise for me! Are you and her.. were you... well were you!" She demanded, eyes shining with unshed tears.
The Doctor looked affronted.
"Do you need to even ask that question Rose? I thought you knew me better then anyone"
"But you don't deny there's an attraction between the pair of you." Rose's anger was simmering now, and she was feeling a little ashamed at having lashed out physically, but she wasn't about to let him think he had the high ground here. Especially not if they ... she crushed that thought. She knew better than that!
"Rose, in the other Universe.. my Universe, Romana was my wife. She was the mother of my children - do you remember that day when I told you I'd been a dad. She was my wife. She died in the first wave of attacks by the Daleks. So yes, there's an attraction there - I'd be a liar if I said otherwise." He answered honestly, looking straight at her.
"But it's not love." He whispered.
She hugged him then.
"I'm sorry. I... it's just, when she ... I'm sorry. Guess I'm just a dumb ape after all"
He cupped her chin then and gave her a gentle kiss.
"Never"
"Never say never ever." She answered coyly. And kissed him back.
"No go and have your talk with her. I'll be here when you get back." She assured.
"Promise?" He said.
"Promise." She replied with a smile.
He nodded once and stepped out into the corridor, leaving Rose cold and alone with her thoughts. Some of which were very unfavourable towards a certain Time Lady.
The talk with Romana was less emotional. He didn't tell her what he'd told Rose, merely explained that there could never be anything more than friendship between them. Romana in turn warned him about a possible traitor in their midst and then they parted company. Romana remained cool and collected up to the point her TARDIS dematerialised and she was safely on her way home, before sobbing her hearts out over a man she barely knew but somehow felt she should be with for the rest of her days. Why was fate so cruel?
The Doctor returned to find Rose sleeping, and clambered in beside her, settling down to a light sleep himself. No real rest would come to him, but he could at least look relaxed. Lying on her side, Rose felt his hand slip around her waist, and waited in the darkness for morning to dawn.
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Jackie Tyler noted the mood change as soon as the two entered the breakfast room. Both look tired but emotionally drained as well - what had happened last night she wondered. Had the Doctor broken Rose's trust or just her heart again? Neither were forthcoming, but then that was nothing knew. She'd find out eventually, but there were more important things under discussion at this morning's meeting.
"Everyone here?" Asked Pete Tyler, who was chairing the meeting - much to Jackie's pride. There were general nods.
"Right then. Doctor?" Pete handed the floor over to the Time Lord who stood and cleared his throat.
"Okay here's the deal. It's all down to timing. Lt Fallen how's that shielding coming?" He asked.
"It's almost complete. Theres a critical power juncture that went down last night, but we've repair crews working on it. It should be operational by the time the Dalek forces arrive. Engineer Tim Pond's overseeing it - the best of the best" He reported.
"Should be!" Commented Ness, with a snort. She was kicked under the table by Fallen who gave his pilot a stern glance. She subsided, but remained stoic. A few seconds of arkward silence followed - everybody imaging what would happen if the shield failed.
"What about our ground foces?" Asked the Doctor, drawing everyone's minds back to the present.
Ness was the one who answered.
"With the shielding your Time Lords have adapted to our aircraft - we figure we'll be able to go one on one, and last at least five minutes." She said.
"Five minutes is all you need. Remember for every five minutes you buy, more civilians have a chance of making it to one of the underground bunkers." Said the Doctor.
"But no heriocs. You get in there, buy the time, eject and run like hell. No looking back, no stops at the seven eleven. Got it?" He added.
"Got it." Said Ness, looking less unconvinced. Maybe this crazy looking man could come up trumps.
"Comms - whose manning comms?" Asked the Doctor.
"Ah that would be me! Sorry I'm late!" Liz Angua burst into the room, Mickey Smith five seconds behind her.
"We ah got held up... on maintenance." He wheezed, trying to look and sound sincere.
The Doctor looked him up and down, and tried to decide whether or not to be nice. "So what comms problem could there possibly be that requires your fly to be undone?" He asked him, even though it wasn't.
Mickey looked down, and then up at the Time Lord with a patent 'you utter bastard' look.
The Doctor's nostrils flared slightly, as he struggled not to laugh. Rose looked at the cieling.
"Right then. Comms Technician Angua isn't it"
"Yup thats me, last time I checked!" She was over compensating and she knew it. So did the Doctor, although he would be nice with her.
"Good. Hate imposters. So Comms Technician Angua. How's that jamming equipment I sent along to you?" He asked.
"Good, good. No big problems getting it installed. Should give the Daleks a run for their money"
"But we have to assume they're going to get into the base." Pointed out Fallen.
"Yup. So sensors on every floor - in every room - bulkheads that can seal off corridors if necessary. We've got some laster cannons but against Dalek armour they won't be much use. The Chancellory Guard will have individual force shields - we've not enough time to come up with more for the entire base. Once the Daleks are in, we get out. It's that simple." Said the Doctor.
"Mickey you're with Comms Division, your job is to keep that jamming at 100. If the Daleks figure out what we're doing, we're finished before we started." Said the Doctor. Mickey nodded sombrely.
"Rose - you and Jackie are in charge of evacuation, your job is to get everyone out of here when the Daleks penetrate the South entrance," Continued the Time Lord, getting into stride.
They both nodded, but Rose had a question.
"What makes you think they'll come through the South entrance?" She asked him.
"Because the others entrances will be well defended by laser cannons. They'll go for the easiest and quickest way in." He answered, flashing her a brilliant smile.
The Doctor went on to list Fallen on defence detail at the main power base juncture, Ness was placed in charge of the pilots - the list went on. Everyone had a place and a position and a purpose.
All they could do was wait.
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It was heading towards evening on the eve before battle, and the Doctor found himself doing a tour of the base. Something Captains used to do, as he reaclled, not sure if it was entirely a good thing. Did he think they were going to die tomorrow? It was always possible - even he couldn't predict which way things might go. So many variables, so many pieces.. even he couldn't play this many games at once.
Then there was Rose. He trusted Mickey implicately, but he couldn't shake the feeling, that this could be it for them.
Would she die in battle after all, as the 'Devil' had claimed back there on that impossible planet beneath the black hole. It seemed so far away, so long ago now. But then again, time was relative... and he should know better then to - stop it! He shook himself roughly. What will happen will happen, and even Time Lords cannot escape Time.
He stopped at one of the science stations, finding an older man working there still.
"Hullo. I'm the Doctor." He said by way of introduction. The man looked up and nodded.
"I'm Hammond, Jacob Hammond - I work in the science divisions here - or at least I used to before it was .. adapted. They said I could keep working - but if you need the station"
"No, no. Tell me Hammond, Jacob Hammond. What're you still doing here? The Daleks are going to be using this place for target practice and I have to say they're aim is VERY good. Why aren't you in one of the shelters?" He asked, looking over the data.
"That's wrong.. should be to the power of 'n' not the power of 'y'" He pointed out.
"Why run. If these Daleks are as ruthless as everyone says they are - well, there won't be much chance if they win. Besides - think of the samples!" His eyes lit up and he corrected the data wordlessly,
"You're welcome. There won't be any samples. Nobody's recreating the Daleks in any shape, way or form. And we will be winning tomorrow." The Time Lord headed towards the door.
"Why are you so certain, Doctor"
He turned, with a wonky smile on his face. Had Rose been there to see it, she would probably have said it reminded her of his previous incarnation.
"Always bet on a Time Lord over a Dalek. Any day." He said.
An alarm went off then - and the Doctor hurried towards the centre.
"What is it! What's happened?" He demanded of Angua as soon as he arrived, ignoring Mickey's dishevelled appearance again.
"It's the power base. There's been an explosion"
"Extent of damage"
"We don't know! Nothing's coming out of that place except calls for help!" She answered, flustered and typing away furiously.
"Lieutenant Fallen come in please! Please respond!" She tried to contact her commander.
"... fire has broken out... we're trying... contain it... we're not sure... sabatoge... possibility..." Static overwhelmed the rest of the message.
Jacob Hammond watched from the doorway, wondering what was going on, and where he should go - he expected to be thrown out of the control centre at any minute, but he was ignored.
"Romana was right. Keep trying to contact the Lieutenant." Ordered the Doctor.
"What's happening?" Asked Rose, still in PJ's and looking rather fetching with her tousled hair.
"Power base was sabatoged. Theres been an explosion. Lt Fallen has it in hand"
"Doctor!" Cried Liz Angua.
"What NOW!" Thundered the Doctor, turning on his heel.
She pointed at the screen dumbly. It showed the Dalek fleet slowing into orbit around the moon.
"Oh bugger!" He whispered.
"Try oh shit more like!" Said Mickey fervently. The Doctor nodded his thanks.
"That too."
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On board the lead Dalek fleet ship, squadrons of Daleks lined up in perfect formation. Their war cry both universal and breathtakingly chilling.
"EXTERMINATE, EXTERMINATE!"
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"Sound the alarm. It's time to fight for our lives." Said the Doctor quietly As the klaxon started up, Rose slipped forward, taking his hand for comfort in her own.
Would they survive the next twenty four hours?