Unto the Universe
Chapter Thirty-One: The Fires of Karn: Into the Heart
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: Heavy lore (well, my universe's lore) dump here. I look forward to hearing what you all think.
….
Grabbing Jack, the Doctor hoisted up the dead weight of his companion and backed towards the TARDIS. As he pulled at Jack's sleeve, the Master's eyes widened, and the Doctor lurched back, knowing that the Master had seen the Vortex Manipulator. For an instant, he worried that the Master would lunge forward, but it was the Monk who grabbed him, twisting the Master's arm behind him and hissed something in his ear.
The Doctor was too far away to hear what was said, but the distraction gave him enough time to get Jack to the TARDIS doors. He started to dig for his key, shifting Jack's weight against the door, but then the doors clicked open. The Doctor had only a moment to be surprised before he shoved stumbled inside.
The Doctor dropped Jack on the floor of the TARDIS, slamming the doors shut behind him. Returning to the controls, he didn't let himself linger on his worry for Jack. He'd either wake up again, or he wouldn't. It seemed utterly impossible, but he had said once himself that life was a quirk of matter that was nature's way of keeping meat fresh.
The question was now what? The first assault had been stopped, but the defences between the Master, the Monk, and the Eternals and the Sisterhood's stronghold were down. And there were still two rogue Time Lords outside. The Doctor swallowed and shook his head, turning to the scanner. The biggest issue, the most immediate threat, was the Time Storm.
Bending down, the Doctor pulled open the granting and grabbed the Extrapolator. Never when he took it from the Slitheen, did he imagine that he'd use it so much. It was still partially linked to the TARDIS system, something the Doctor was grateful for as he switched it on. The TARDIS thrummed, and the console lit up moments before the Extrapolator did the same. With quick movements, the Doctor reinforced the connection and hooked the remaining wires back into place. With the sonic screwdriver, he boosted the power before reaching up to the console and slamming his hand on the button.
The TARDIS shuddered, but a soft beep alerted him that the shield was in place. He exhaled and gave himself a moment to feel relief. Climbing up, he grabbed the scanner and checked the shield dimensions. It wasn't large, but it covered the TARDIS and the entrance to the caverns, blocking the way to Rose. At least for the moment.
Looking back at Jack, the Doctor noted the pallor of his skin and the utter silence of his body. All reason told him that his companion was dead. The Doctor wanted to start properly mourning for the young man, but after everything he'd already seen with regards to Jack, that was difficult. The Doctor couldn't quite believe what had just happened outside. He wasn't sure if it was a case of the life energy Jack carried overwhelming Abaddon or if the power Jack carried had lashed out against the creature in response to the attack, but it had been beyond effective. The Eternals were down one weapon.
"Right," the Doctor said, pushing off the console. "Need to stop the Time Storm."
Easier said than done. His hand twitched, searching for Rose's before he remembered darkly that she was with the Sisterhood. He wished that he trusted Ohila more. He trusted Rose, she'd felt it necessary to go, but now the Doctor was feeling that was a mistake. If she was here… well, if she was here, he might be tempted to send her away again.
"Come on, Old Girl," the Doctor murmured, brushing his hand over the console. "Show me the Time Storm."
His old TARDIS was a type 40 time capsule and had not been built with the more advanced temporal tracking systems of later models. She herself had said she was a museum piece when he borrowed her, or she stole him, whichever way it was. But he'd been using this ship for over a thousand years, if he counted all the bad years, and had made some modifications of his own.
The TARDIS hummed, and readouts began to appear on the scanner. He wished he could track that and the Master and the Monk at the same time. There were too many pieces on the board while he had limited moves available to him. He ran through the various technologies he had in the TARDIS that could be deployed quickly. There were limited options, but he paused to consider a time flow analogue. He hadn't built on the jammers in years, but the technology was familiar enough. It wouldn't be able to stop the storm on its own, but it might buy some time.
Returning to Jack, the Doctor hoisted up the body and carried his companion towards the medical bay. The deadweight was heavy in his arms and tugged at his time senses. Jack wasn't supposed to be dead. Rose had met him, older than this, in her past. The Eternals were after her, and unravelling her timeline was certainly one method of attack. His fingers tightened on Jack's arm as he reached the medical bay.
He laid Jack out on the nearest bed. There was no time to check him over, to try to understand what had happened. The scientific part of the Doctor regretted that he'd never been able to put his finger on what Jack was, A comparison to his corpse, if he came back, would be helpful. But there were more important things. And Jack's screams were still ringing in his head. He could live without answers.
Hurrying out of the medical bay, the Doctor found the nearest storeroom and stepped inside. He was suddenly very grateful for his exploration days with Rose. At least he had some idea of what he had stashed away. Around him, the TARDIS thrummed in warning. The Time Storm might release another creature at any moment. He was a Time Lord, but there was no time. Grabbing some random bits and pieces, the Doctor piled them in his pockets. Then he grabbed a bent metal hat rack and broken umbrella and dragged them back towards the console room.
…..
The heat should have been comforting to Rose, but the pain lingered in her chest. Jack had to be okay. He had to be, but worry still tugged at Rose. She hadn't seen anything die in the creature's shadow, but she trusted the Sisterhood's assessment. Plus… Rose had certainly felt something.
"We're nearly there," Ohila said. The lantern she was carrying flickered.
"What's going on?"
"Other sources of power often give out in the presence of the Heart of Karn," Ohila said. "It overwhelms them." She gave Rose a soft look. "Do not fear; the path is clear right now. We know the way."
"Karn is constant," one of the Sisters said softly behind Rose.
The others picked up the chant. It wasn't very comforting to Rose, but given what was attacking their home and what had happened to their original homeworld of Gallifrey, she wasn't going to begrudge them comfort. She kept moving, following the pathway as all of the light sources flickered. Putting her hand on the wall, Rose focused on the warmth and the smooth surface that felt as if it had been worn down by many years of people's hands on it. Likely for the same reason she was leaning on the wall.
But then a light came into view. A dim but warm glow that was pouring through an opening into the tunnel made the direction clear. Ohila smiled and swept into the cavern beyond, setting down her lantern near the opening and turned to Rose, gesturing her inside.
The cavern was large but not massive. Rose wasn't sure what she'd been expecting, but this was not it. Around them were outcropping of rocks with bits of steam rising out of them. Rose realized that they were geothermal vents of some kind. Water was flowing out of a small spring in the centre of the room. Despite the lack of natural light from the sun, the room glowed with a soft golden hue, allowing Rose to see everything clearly.
"Welcome, Rose Tyler," Ohila announced. "To the Heart of Karn."
Stepping forward, Rose looked around critically. She'd been drawn here by a strong sense of purpose, so strong that it had led her away from the Doctor, and she'd hoped that she would understand it when she arrived. But she didn't. The Sisters lingered nearby, forming a semi-circle around her as Rose moved towards the spring.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," Rose admitted a few moments later. She turned back to Ohila, trying to ignore the disappointment and shock on the face of some of the Sisters. Swallowing, Rose focused her gaze on Ohila. "None of you seem surprised that I am here. You clearly know more than I do, so please, guide me."
"The Sisterhood of the Sacred Flame has been on Karn since the day it was created," Ohila said. "Charged with protecting the truth and the last spark."
"Since Karn was created?" Rose repeated. "But- it's a planet, isn't it? Do you mean terraformed?"
"No," Ohila replied. "The Gold Guardian created Karn, billions of years ago as the Time Lords rose and began to be a threat to the universe."
"The Gold Guardian? But I thought-" Rose cut herself off and then licked her lips. "Something was hidden here, right? That's what going on, isn't it?"
"In a way," Ohila said. She shook her head. "Forgive us. We have kept the knowledge, we train all the Sisters who join us in it, but never did I imagine that I would need to summarize all of it." Ohila gestured around them. "This is the Heart of Karn; this chamber is the source of the Sacred Flame, fueled by the power at the core of the planet. It is a delicate system that was created to help us channel the power of our mind and keep us safe."
"So… you don't just protect the Sacred Flame?" Rose asked. She was still missing something.
"No, the Flame is sacred to us as it was a gift of power. What we protect, what Karn protects is a lost truth." Ohila stepped towards Rose, reaching for her, but she withdrew her hands at the last moment. "A bitter truth that sealed the fate of Gallifrey long, long ago." Ohila inhaled and swallowed. "Rose Tyler, the society of the Time Lords, was built on a horrible crime. At the dawn of sapient life, the first Gold Guardian Lekinaveria arose on Gallifrey, born when she looked into the natural Schism on the planet. Millions of years later… Rassilon murdered Lekinaveria. He killed her, harvested her power to fuel regeneration, and possibility locked the Time Lords so that he would never face a rival version of himself. The Age of the Time Lords was built on their destruction and desecration of a Guardian of the Universe."
"He killed her," Rose repeated. "There was…" She didn't finish the question.
"It was not a simple death. It tortured her, and the power of the Golden Guardian ripped holes through time and space. The Web of Time was not the result of Rassilon seeking to bring order, but rather a villain seeking to patch together the rips in time that his actions had caused. Gallifrey under the Time Lords was the direct result and constant beneficiary of a murder that threatened the universe." Ohila shook her head. "Rassilon used the Gold Guardian's power of Life and Possibility to erase and seal away whole species, imprinted the physical form of Gallifreyans onto the universe, and so many crimes. And then he sought to erase it, to hide the true history of his precious Time Lords. One of Lekinaveria's last acts before her destruction was the creation of Karn as a place where the truth would live. In the midst of her torture, she crafted this world and instructed her followers to flee Rassilon. Here, the truth would be protected. On Karn, if all else failed, a spark of life would be protected. Life began on Gallifrey, but it was not safe there."
"That's why White and Black didn't help in the Time War," Rose said softly. Her mind was spinning, and she felt dizzy as her knowledge shifted. "They would never help the Time Lords. Not after that."
"No, I suspect that the opportunity to be rid of the Time Lords, most of them at least, and the Daleks was rather welcome to them." The room shuddered, and Ohila looked up with worry. "This is the ancient truth of the universe. It has been injured and limping for a billion years. The Time War tore open every last wound. The Eternals know that if there was ever a time to usurp control of the universe, it is now." Ohila stepped forward, reaching out to catch Rose's right hand. "You do know who you are, don't you?"
….
The Master was still outside of the TARDIS when the Doctor stepped outside. His shield was still in place, but the Time Storm was still going strong beyond the Master. Worse, there was no sign of the Monk. The Master chuckled as the Doctor offloaded his junk. It was difficult not to watch the Master. Every instinct told the Doctor to keep eyes on him. And, it was hard not to pay attention to only of the only other Time Lords still alive. The Doctor hadn't had a chance to process that the Master was still alive. The Master was here in a new regeneration.
"Are you really building a time flow analogue?" the Master asked. "Now? Against a Time Storm of this size?" The Master raised an eyebrow and bent down. With the Extrapolator shield in place, he couldn't come too close. "Really, Doctor? Have you really taken leave of your senses?"
"Maybe," the Doctor answered. He kept working and felt the Master's eyes on him. "So, you became human?"
"Yes, made myself a human baby." The Master wrinkled his nose. "I don't recommend the experience."
"A baby, huh," the Doctor chuckled. "I used a Chameleon Arc but didn't revert that far."
"Oh, what were you hiding from?"
"Creatures hunting Time Lords," the Doctor answered calmly. If he could keep the Master talking, then that was at least one enemy busy. He risked a glance up, trying to locate the Monk once again, but he was still nowhere to be seen. "Became a human professor for a few months. Then came back. Interesting experience. I remember reports of your TARDIS returning to Gallifrey. Your death was reported to me, though I never got the details on how you were even still alive."
"The Time Lords resurrected me, thinking I'd be the perfect warrior for the Time War," the Master explained. "My TARDIS was too easy a way to find me."
"And what was your plan after that?"
"I didn't have one," the Master answered. The Doctor looked up in surprise at the admission, and the Master met his gaze. "I didn't believe it when the Monk told me what you did." Then he smiled and shook his head. "And yet… it fits. Is that what you saw in the Schism all those years ago? When we were children on Gallifrey?"
"Among other things," the Doctor answered gruffly. "So, you went to the end of the universe as a baby with no plan? That doesn't sound like you."
"I was there when the Dalek Emperor took control of the Cruciform. I saw it. I ran." The Master swallowed. "I was so scared." He exhaled. "And now the Daleks are dead, and it is just us three. Unless the Eternals find more watches ticking away in the shadows." The Master chuckled. "Or pocket universes. It wouldn't surprise me if others cut and run."
"Rassilon summoned everyone back at the end," the Doctor said.
"As if everyone would obey," the Master laughed. "Mind you; I never imagined the Monk joining the Eternals."
"Where is he anyway?" the Doctor asked. "He's missing the school reunion."
"Oh, we're missing the Rani, Drax, Vansell, Rallon, Jelpax, Millennia, and Magnus for a proper reunion. We were ten, and now we are three. Funny, how that number dwindled because of you." The Master's expression darkened. "Given what happened to Millennia and Rallon after you snuck away from Gallifrey and lost them to the Toymaker."
The Doctor knew that the Master was lashing out, poking him and trying to get a sense of this new body of his. Holding his temper in check was taking all the Doctor had. He wanted to scream at him and then punch him. There were only three of them left, and knew the Master didn't care about the Eternals. He knew the Master didn't care about the Monk. Those old loyalties were... well, they were as dead as the rest of the Deca.
But he had to be calm. The anger burned and clawed at him. Even a few years ago, the Doctor would have surrendered to it. He would have screamed and shouted at the Master despite knowing that was what the other Time Lord wanted. But he remembered the Dalek in Utah. He remembered that rage that had been so hot only to be snuffed out when Rose pointed out that he was the one pointing a weapon at her. So, he held it in. He held it at bay, but it still burned him.
"The Toymaker is the prisoner of the Guardians," the Doctor offered. "He doesn't hold them any longer."
"And Millennia and Rallon?" the Master asked. His eyes were sharp. "Our old friends who were lost to the Toyroom when we were still students?"
"They were released from death long ago," the Doctor answered. That had been true for a long time but offered little comfort even after so many years. The first of the people he had lost on his adventures. That ill-fated trip he and his friends had made while still in the Academy had been the first break in The Deca. "In my fifth body, I was able to destroy the Toyroom. He reformed it later, he always did, but his victims were freed from their torment."
"I suppose that it something." The Master said. The Doctor almost thought he meant it. "Given we're the only ones that remembered them. The Time Lords were fond of erasing anything or evidence of anyone who countered their absolute narrative."
"This from the being that calls himself the Master?"
The Master smirked, amusement bright in his eyes. The Doctor stood, setting the time analogue upright and using his sonic screwdriver to hook the last pieces into place. The Master stood and watched with an amused expression. Then the time flow analogue came to life under the Doctor's hand. The hat rack served as a mostly stable base, and the umbrella turned at the top as the small bits and pieces circled the pole of the hat rack with sluggish movements.