War and Glory
This is the second to last chapter - I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed so far. Here's looking at you.
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The Daleks headed for the South entrance as the Doctor had predicted they would - Ness and the others making it difficult forthem in the air, whilst Walt's guns made things worse at ground levels. Everyone was hurrying to their designated spots - the Doctor tapping last minute instructions into the Hand's interface.
At the power plant a harried Lt Fallen was guarding the back of the team of engineers down next to the power juncture which had been sabatoged. That had been confirmed, only a few minutes ago, yet somehow Fallen couldn't bring himself to be surprised. Alerts had been sent out, but the sabtoeur was not the main focus of their investigation - right now they were concerned with one thing and one thing only. Getting the shield into place.
"Engineer Pond!" He called out. The other man looked up, with a look of desperation in his eyes.
"We're working as fast as we can"
"Work faster. The Daleks are here!" Shouted back Fallen over the wailing klaxon.
Tim Pond just nodded and directed his work crews.
One of his workers Charlie (CyberDalek I got you in there!) pointed out a particular problem, and Pond nodded. Someone would have to go in there to manually reset the power couplings, he thought - but to be on the safe side they discussed other options as well.
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Near the shelters, Rose and Jackie were hurriedly helping others towards the safety of a nearby shelter - and looking up in the sky Rose felt her heart thump in her chest as she witnessed a sight she'd never wanted to see ever again. Dalek platoons, sailing towards them - their weapons spitting out death and raining debris on the ground and people below.
"Hurry it up!" She shouted - and spotted a lone child, standing over the dead body of what had been her mother. Without thinking, she ran and picked up the now orphaned girl and headed back to the shelter entrance with her. She narrowly missed death on three occasions, causing Jackie to hold her breath in terror each time, as her daughter finally made it back to her.
"Are you trying to give me a heart attack, Rose Marion Tyler!" She said, taking the child from her arms and ushering her into the shelter.
Rose shrugged as they hurried to seal off the outer chambers in case a Dalek made it down to ground zero.
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"LOCATE GALLIFREYAN LIFEFORMS - EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!" Exclaimed one of the Dalek leaders, and it's comrades zoomed down towards the base in a second strike attempt.
"Not today thanks!" Shouted an exhuberant Ness as she let loose her cannons. Whilst ineffective against the Daleks outer casing, it gave her precious time to set the explosives Walt had built into the onboard systems. She might not be able to shoot them down, but she could most certainly blow them up! She primed the explosives and then hit the eject. Nothing happed. She tried again, still nothing - and the Daleks were getting too close to the base - she couldn't wait for another aircraft to intercept them. "When you gotta go... take as many of the bastards with you!" She yelled victoriously ... and detonated.
The squadron was blown apart - the Daleks not instantly destroyed badly damaged - being taken out as they fell to Earth by the ground defences. Score one for the good guys. Time bought for the people below to scatter and get out of harms way, time bought for the engineers to work on the shielding, at the cost of one life. If she'd been asked to tally that up, Ness would've agreed that it was worth it.
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At the comms station, Liz Angua was working desperately to continue jamming the Dalek frequencies - preventing them from coordinating their efforts - with Mickey standing guard and helping her out.
"Stand away from that console!" The voice came from one of the corridors and a gun poked from beyond it aimed squarely at Mickey's head, and he dropped his weapon reluctantly. They couldn't risk gunfire - it might hit something necessary.
Nafficilonaucalutius stood behind the weapon, and gestured they step away from the console.
"Who the hell are you! What're you doing - the Daleks are here!" Said Liz, desperately, eyeing the gun.
"What do I care what happens to your world. Your communications device is primitive but I can still use it to contact my allies so I can escape your fate. You will operate it for me!" He hissed at her.
Liz squared her shoulders and gave a determined look which reminded Mickey of Rose.
"I bloody well will not!" She said.
"Then I will kill him." Said Nafficilonaucalutius, officiously.
Liz looked at Mickey, eyes wide with concern.
"Don't lift a finger to help him, Liz." Maintained Mickey, although he sounded braver then he felt.
Talk about a Mexican standoff.
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"Lt Fallen where's my bloody shield!" Shouted the Doctor, over the din, as he helped direct the outer defences.
"Activate the external bulkheads!" He directed on technican who hastily obeyed.
To the side, Jacob Hammond watched frozen in shock and fascination as the Daleks headed in swarms almost, across the available airspace. It was quite a battle scene - with guns blazing, lasers flashing, and people screaming... the fascination was replaced with horror as he realised to what extent people were dying. He looked to the Doctor - and felt some hope. He didn't know why - call it gut instinct - but something told him that if anyone could save them, it was going to be this man - this funny man in his bizarre suit and tie, facing down the hordes of Daleks. And in that instant, he vowed that he'd do whatever it took to help. Jacob Hammond felt his courage rising, his life as a scientist had afforded him both great satisfaction, and great disappointment - and at the age of 53 - it was high time for a last bit of action.
"What can I do to help?" He asked the Doctor.
"Nothing! Wait - raise Lt Fallen on this thing. Tell him I have to launch in under a minute or else we're all going to die"
Ah well, thought Hammond, maybe we're all going to die after all.
He took the mike and did as he was bid.
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Back at the power base, things were not looking good. In order to get the power feedlines up and running, someone would have to go down into the juncture itself and reset the couplings. Grabbing a toolkit, Engineer Tim Pond grabbed his toolkit - a present from his wife - and donned his work helmet. He left instructions, and a message for his wife on the answering machine. Because he knew something else about the juncture.
The couplings were never meant to be manually reset. Power would flow through the juncture the instant he hit that last switch. Engineer Tim Pond was going to his death and he knew it.
He didn't look back as he descended towards the juncture. Nobody noticed him go in the pallaver.
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Nafficilonaucalutius was getting annoyed. Didn't she think he'd do it? Finally he'd had enough.
"Are you going to do what I say or what!" He demanded of a defient Liz Angua. Humans were so weak and stupid, he decided. It was better that they be eradicated.
"What!" Said Liz definately and turned and kissed Mickey full on the lips. He thought she was going to comply, instead she launched herself at him, knocking the gun from his hand. The gun went off and Liz went down gasping in shock. She hadn't expected it to hurt so much. A furious Mickey smashed Nafficilonaucalutius around the head, kept kicking him and lashing out until he was sure the meddling Time Lord wasn't getting up again. He thought he might regenerate, but as the Doctor had once revealed to him on a late evening in the TARDIS, if sufficient brain damage is sustained a Time Lord cannot regenerate properly. Nafficilonaucalutius expired on the base floor quietly.
A panicked Mickey gathered Liz in his arms.
"What'd you do that for!" He exclaimed rocking her and pressing a hand against the wound. It wasn't bleeding too badly, but that didn't mean anything. Right now Mickey would give anything to have the Doctor in the room with them.
"I'll get help. Hold on." He whispered to her.
"Don't leave me. Please.." She begged him. He nodded and stayed with her - what would he do if she died?
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"LIEUTENANT"
"We're going as fast as we can!" Shouted Lt Fallen in response to the Doctor's yell over the comms.
"I MEAN IT!" Came the retort amid more gunfire.
A squadron of Daleks made it past the defenses, obliterating one turret operator and his guns, entering the Base - heading for the Doctor's location unerringly. They knew where the real danger lay.
One of them glided into the Base Control Centre, getting through the bulkheads, as its companions were cut off.
"EX-TERMIN-ATE" It grated and let loose a volley. The Doctor evacuated the majority of the staff out of the room, a few being murderd casually by the Dalek, but he had to stay next to the detonation computer - he still had to launch the Hand.
What was Fallen DOING!
"YOU ARE THE ENEMY KNOWN AS THE DOCTOR. YOU WILL BE EX-TERMINAT-ED" Grated the Dalek as the Doctor dived for cover. It blew up the nearest console to his head.
"Missed me!" Baited the Doctor. Another console - this time to his right was blown up.
We're all going to die, realised Jacob Hammond suddenly.
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Time suddenly stopped, standing still seemingly, and then three things happened simulatenously.
Tim Pond pictured his wife and daughter smiling together at him in his head, as he brought down the final reset switch and was obliterated by the power surging through the juncture, activating the shield which would ultimately protect them and the rest of planet Earth.
Jacob Hammond, scientist and self confirmed batchelor, launched himself at single Dalek, holding one of Walt's primed bombs, and took it out - losing his own life in the process.
The Doctor hit the switch and launched the Hand of Rassilon which ripped its way through the sky - sending the Time Eddy process into effect and wiping out the Dalek fleet.
Time stood still...
And then Time moved on. Most of the Earthside Daleks were destroyed in the confusion, those in hiding would be hunted down over the course of the next few months. People had died, but yet more people survived.
Shakily the Doctor sat down in an empty seat and contemplated the remnants of the Dalek and Jacob Hammond - silently mourning the death of a man that he'd known less then a day.
Elsewhere Rose and Jackie exchanged hugs with each other and the people in their shelter, there were tears of joy and sadness.
A broadcast was sent out to the world that it was safe to come out now.
And Mrs Sheila Pond waited for a call from her husband that would never come.
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It took two weeks to clean up the worst of the debris. There were still the homeless to care for, and medical tents and centres had been set up worldwide to cope with worst cases. The Time Lords were helping - the allies had sent word. Not a single Dalek had escaped the Sol system during the attack and those that were being found were being dealt with.
The Doctor too had his hands full, helping Rose and Lt Fallen coordinate medical reliefs and military operations. So much to do, the list of dead to be coordinated, the beginnings of rebuilding and a new institute for alien relations had been set up. Nobody had opposed when everyone - include the Doctor - had nominated Rose to oversee things.
Finally it looked like things were getting back on track and there was time for everyday life and relationships to seep back in.
Rose came home that evening to find a note on the door.
"I'm in the kitchen, cooking dinner. Follow your nose"
Grinning she entered her quarters.