Unto the Universe
Chapter Twenty-Six: The Sacred Flame: Karn Returned
By Lumendea
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any spinoff material, and I gain no income from this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.
AN: Here we are, part one of the big two-part mid-season episode. Keep in mind that at this point due to how long I've been writing this, I've had to leave Canon behind due to changes in the show, books, comics, and audioplays.
….
The Doctor didn't sleep as much as his human companions, but in the last few nights, since the TARDIS combined his and Rose's rooms into something new, he'd been staying wrapped around his precious human through most of the nights and enjoying it. There were still nightmares, but Rose's soft telepathic presence next to him was soothing on a level that the Doctor wasn't fully prepared to unpack the ramifications of. That was silly, and he knew it. He was sharing a bedroom for the first time in centuries, since his childhood. He and his wife back on Gallifrey had never shared a room.
He quite liked the new room or rather, the fusion of rooms. Rose's white carpet had been replaced with the deep wooden floors that he favored, with several brightly colored rugs scattered throughout the room. Their new duvet was a rich, deep red with golden accents. The wooden furniture in both of their rooms had been the same style, so now they just had a few more bookcases. All the odd and beautiful clocks he'd collected and kept in his room over the years now decorated the walls, interspersed with some of Rose's paintings.
The TARDIS, in a moment of great wisdom, had removed both of their desks and instead created personal rooms for each of them off the main bedroom, a workroom for him and an artist's studio for Rose, giving them both a place to be alone if needed. Rose's wardrobe was still in place opposite the bed, though the Doctor had now found the TARDIS directing his cleaned laundry inside it along with whatever she recommended for Rose. Lastly, Rose's black and gold kintsugi vase remained on the left nightstand, complete with a bouquet of purple lilacs.
It was nice. He liked it even if the first morning he'd been a bit overwhelmed watching Rose get ready for her day. She sang in the shower and combed her hair out while humming at the vanity. Domestic activity of the highest order. He liked it. The Doctor almost hated that he liked it, almost regretted the suggestion of combining rooms, but Rose's face had lit up when they'd opened the door to find the newly decorated room. That had sealed it; no going back.
And right now, with Rose wrapped around him, humming softly as she slowly woke, he didn't want to go back. He shifted, and Rose made a soft sound of protest. Chuckling, the Doctor kissed her forehead. Rose knew he didn't need as much sleep as her so he could slip out without guilt. She snuggled into his pillow as he stood up and dressed, and the Doctor couldn't help but smile. Rose Tyler, sleeping peacefully in their bed in their room. Yeah, he liked this far more than was safe.
As the Doctor stepped out into the hall, he heard the distant sounds of Jack down the hall. He ignored his companion for the time being and headed for the medical bay. The soft hum of his ship was welcome, and he gently touched the wall beside him. She was stronger with every passing day, slowly regaining her ability to create and grow the things she needed which was a relief. Finding parts for a TARDIS or things he could make work for a TARDIS was no easy feat.
The medical wing was quiet as he entered it. Heading to the main medical console, the Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to unlock access to Rose's information. The last of the tests should be done now. The Doctor held his breath as he tapped the screen to open the results. There were so many thoughts swirling in his head. Would Rose's DNA be capable of undergoing a prolonging procedure? Would he find any traces from the Bad Wolf? Nothing had come up yet for either Rose and Jack, but Jack had since proven himself able to come back from the dead.
Rose's DNA results appeared on the screen, neat and tidy. Nothing unusual. The Doctor read through them slowly and carefully, comparing them to her information from when she first came aboard the TARDIS. She was still completely human. He released a breath, unsure of what to make of that. Jack was still human, too, at the genetic level, after all. At least a close human as was typical in Jack's time. Then the real tests, the deeper ones that checked Rose's DNA against procedures, started to appear. The Doctor swallowed.
Was he really considering this? His former selves would be shocked that he was considering having a companion augmented, so they lived longer. He'd always valued life, whatever the form and however long it lasted, so this… the Doctor had mixed feelings.
"Doctor?" he looked up to see Rose in the doorway with a slight frown on her face. She'd already gotten dressed in clothes for the day and braided part of her hair, letting most of it hang past her shoulders. The TARDIS had provided her with a red tunic blouse with golden embroidery on the hem and a jacket that made him certain his original plans for the day weren't going to happen. "Everything alright?"
"Yeah," he replied. "Just double-checking your results," he admitted.
"My results?" Rose repeated. "What for?"
"The sun," he answered. It wasn't the whole truth, but it was close. "Just making sure it didn't cause any mutations or issues in your genetic material. The TARDIS has been running checks since it happened."
"Oh, did it?"
"Nope," the Doctor answered, allowing honest relief into his voice. He scanned to the bottom of the results and swallowed.
There it was. A single word: Compatible. And a list of four different options. Four different ways to keep Rose Tyler with him.
He exhaled, and Rose moved closer to him. The Doctor closed the results and grinned at her. "You're in perfect health, Rose," he said with a beaming smile. "Absolutely perfect."
Rose chuckled. "Glad to hear it." She leaned up to kiss him, and the Doctor eagerly met her lips. "Come on, Jack's working on breakfast."
"Alright."
The Doctor kissed Rose again just because he could. He'd work out a way to start the conversation with her later. Maybe it was too soon. Humans would probably think it was, and his own people would be horrified at the very idea. But the Doctor had already crossed the point of no return. Honestly, that blasted pyramid had been the last straw. Saying the words out loud made his feeling real, too real to ignore. And, well, the Doctor was happy. It was the happiest he'd been in a long time, and while there was a sense of guilt dwelling always in the background, he couldn't bring himself to regret it. Not so long as it made Rose happy.
Jack wasn't a half-bad cook. He liked big and bold flavors, which matched his personality. The Doctor would need to try his hand more at the cooking side of things at this rate. He'd finally managed to regain a bit of his skills, but they were limited. This body, it seemed, favored mechanical work. Just as well, given the condition of the TARDIS after the war. Perhaps the need for that had directly affected his regeneration.
"So, Doc?" Jack asked as they headed for the console room. "Plans for the day?"
"Not sure, maybe just set it to random and see where the TARDIS takes us," the Doctor said.
"As opposed to what?" Jack teased.
The Doctor rolled his eyes, and Rose chuckled softly so the Doctor couldn't even be irritated. In truth, it was good that Jack was comfortable enough to tease. Looking back and knowing what he'd learned of the lad, the Doctor recognized that Jack had been lost before coming aboard. He could take a bit of good-natured teasing if it was a sign that the young man was settling.
But when they arrived in the console room, the Doctor found the screen flashing and Gallifreyan lettering spinning across it. He released Rose's hand and immediately went to the controls. It wasn't an emergency, the TARDIS would have alerted him of that, but there was something she wanted him to see. As his eyes took in the information and the coordinates, the Doctor inhaled sharply and tightened his grip on the console.
"What is it?" Rose asked. She'd joined him by the screen. "Doctor?"
The Doctor exhaled, trying to repress the churning storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. His hands were still gripping the controls, so Rose pressed herself to his side and curled her hands around his arm. He focused on the touch. It wasn't skin to skin, but her presence was enough to provide something solid.
"It's Karn," he said.
"Karn?" Rose repeated. "Like the Sisterhood of Karn?"
How? Right, Sarah Jane. The Doctor nodded. Sarah Jane's adventure with him was far from the last time he'd been on Karn. But even with Morbius, that had been a more pleasant visit than the last one.
"Yeah," he managed. "The planet, it vanished in the midst of the Time War. The Sisterhood was negotiating for protection from Gallifrey, but then they used their powers to hide the planet. I wasn't sure it was still- didn't think it had survived."
That was true, so very true. They weren't Time Lords, not exactly, but they were still Gallifreyans, and more than a few female Gallifreyans had run off to join them and replenish their numbers over the years. But the ringing emptiness in his head remained. So, it might be a trap, or the Sisterhood was all dead, or they were keeping their telepathy on a completely closed loop. Probably around their precious Sacred Flame. There were Gallifreyans still alive; it seemed, but not Time Lords. His emotions churned.
"Doctor," Jack said gently, too gently for the Doctor's taste. "That's a distress call. Shouldn't we go and see what's happening?"
"Right," the Doctor said. He exhaled again. "Right."
Rose stayed close to him as he adjusted the controls. Her lessons were coming along well enough that she stepped in to do a couple of piloting bits without him telling her to. Jack was tense and had moved towards the door, ready for whatever threat showed itself. The Doctor was oddly grateful. The TARDIS shuddered as she changed directions in the Time Vortex.
Despite having vanished in the midst of the Time War, the planet was easy to land on. The TARDIS materialized without any problems. Grabbing the scanner, the Doctor checked the screen as the readings poured in. Everything looked normal for Karn. The only difference was that there were no husks of smoldering wreckage currently on fire compared to the last time he was here. Maybe the Time War had helped the universe forget about Karn and its Elixir of Life.
Switching modes, the Doctor used the scanner to see outside. He wasn't walking into an ambush. Not on Karn, not today. The rocky and barren waste of the planet greeted him. Not far from the TARDIS was a grouping of large rocks that added a bit of decoration to the entrance of a cave and were marked with pictographs. He held back a sneer.
"Let's go and take a look-see," the Doctor said. He shoved himself back from the console. Looking at Rose, he added. "If it is who I think it is, Rose, then they are telepathic. While not Time Lords, they are still mostly Gallifreyan and telepathic."
Jack's eyes widened at him saying they were Gallifreyan. He wasn't explaining this at all well. Rose, however, nodded firmly in her understanding. Taking her hand, the Doctor leaned down to kiss her. The warmth and softness of her lips seeped into his bones, pushing back the chill of anxiety trying to take hold.
"Let's see what the Sisterhood has been getting up to."
Rose and Jack exchanged a worried look. The Doctor ignored them, hating that his tension was apparently so easy for his companions to read. Rose, sure that made sense… considering, but Jack, he didn't like Jack reading him that well. He headed for the door with Rose on his heels and Jack behind her. Stepping outside, the Doctor looked around critically. The rocky and barren landscape was much the same with jagged rocks. On the horizon, the distant star of the solar system was rising into view. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen the dawn on Karn. To him, the planet had always been dark, just like the Dark Ages of superstition that the Sisterhood embodied.
"There are people," Jack said.
Sure enough, a line of women in red robes was exiting the cavern. The Doctor stepped forward, still keeping a hold of Rose's hand, and headed for them. He glanced at Rose, she was watching the Sisterhood curiously, and he wondered how much Sarah Jane had told her about them. The world was still and quiet around them, reminding him that Karn had no living vegetation or wildlife. For a place that was supposed to house the Sacred Flame of Eternal Life, it was dead.
There were over a dozen sisters waiting for them by the entrance, all different ages, and different skin tones. As he got closer, he felt the soft hum of a telepathic network amongst them and brutally shoved down a flash of jealousy.
"Rose," he whispered. "Keep your shields up." He'd already warned her, but it was worth repeating.
None of the sisters made any move to close the distance. All of them were dressed in similar red robes trimmed with gold. Several had hints of gold face paint, but the look wasn't uniform. Then a woman the Doctor remembered well-swept forward, leaving the line of priestesses as the Doctor reached them. Ohila had not changed. Her features were still aged but with a youthful spark in her pale eyes. She and the other Sisters were draped in red dresses and cloaks accented with gold. Ohila's mouth twitched into the ghost of a smile.
"Hello, Doctor," she greeted. Her eyes moved over him, and her tiny smile shifted towards a smirk. "I see you've regenerated." The Doctor didn't grimace at the reminder of the last time he'd been on this planet. Then Ohila's expression softened. "It is good to see you, Doctor, and under better circumstances."
"That depends on the circumstances of why you sent out a distress call," the Doctor said. He wasn't interested in talking about the circumstances Ohila was referring to. "And why Karn is back in the sky."
"Distress call?" Ohila frowned. "We have sent out no distress call, at least not yet. You may be early for once." Then her eyes move to his companions, taking in Jack and lingering on Rose. "As for why Karn has returned, the Time War is over. It was safe to return. It was time." Her eyes remained on Rose as she said that last part. Then she shifted back and gestured towards the opening of the cavern. "Please, come, Doctor. There is much to discuss."
"Such as?" the Doctor asked, giving Ohila a hard look.
But the woman didn't flinch. In fact, she smiled a little. "I may have some of the answers you and your… companion have been looking for." She nodded to Rose and then turned to walk towards the cavern.
The Doctor looked at Rose. The rest of the Sisterhood was standing nearby, just watching them and waiting. When Ohila reached the entrance to the cavern, she turned back and gave the Doctor an expectant look. He grumbled and, still hand in hand with Rose became to walk forward to follow Ohila.