Unto the Universe

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Gallery of Time: Mysterious Persons

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: Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments on the last chapter. They brought me tremendous joy!

….

Rose stared after Alice as the woman walked away. She was fiddling with the end of the cane once again, so Rose hoped that she was increasing the security or running the scan. That odd pressure was building once again. Time Sense the Doctor had called it. Rose couldn't remember if he'd ever discussed that with her before or not though she'd heard from former companions about some of the odd things they'd witnessed the Doctor do.

She studied the Doctor for a long moment as he looked around, trying to get a sense of his mental state. Knowing that the two surviving Time Lords were nearby and potentially looking to ransack his brother's museum couldn't be an easy revelation.

Rose focused on that and not the realization that she hadn't known he had a brother. Looking back, while his next incarnation would tell her a lot about Gallifrey, this was apparently something that he wouldn't discuss. Rose wanted to ask why but didn't dare. That would reveal far too much about the Doctor's future to her. Maybe this Braxiatel was going to be a painful topic for a while.

Siblings were an odd topic for Rose. She didn't have any or even any cousins her age. Growing up, Shareen and later Sharon had slotted into an extended family role for her and then Mickey had basically become her brother once he moved past his crush on her. But there were lifetimes where she'd had siblings. Sometimes full siblings and sometimes half-siblings. Sometimes step-siblings and a couple of adopted siblings. They were… Rose pushed those memories back onto the shelf.

"So," Rose said, focusing on the present. "What do you think? Wait for the Curator or…"

"If it is the Master and Monk, they'll be taking precautions," the Doctor said. "They knew Brax. Not well, but he had a reputation. They'd know to be careful." He shook his head. "No, we need to look around with our eyes."

"What do you think, Doctor?" Jack asked. However, he was looking at Rose, and she wasn't sure what to make of his curious look. "Split up and look around."

"We might have to," the Doctor replied. He didn't sound at all happy with the idea. "This place is a massive maze. There's miles and miles of art."

"And, of course, we're here when there's trouble," Rose groaned softly. "That's deeply unfair."

Her words eased the tension around their trio, but only a little. The Monk and the Master. Two very dangerous threats were likely nearby, and Rose strongly doubted that they were here for the art collection.

The Doctor was thankfully more focused than Rose. Despite being on an asteroid and potentially thousands of years into the future, the Braxiatel Collection had a small display with maps like any museum in Rose's time. Freebies, she couldn't help but think with a smile, had saved her in a museum before. The Doctor grabbed three, looking at the portrait of the Collection's Founder on the back for a moment before handing them to Rose and Jack. He shoved one in his pocket.

"I'll head for the east wing," the Doctor said. "I think he said something about keeping more 'interesting' items there. But what's really dangerous might not be on display."

"Might?" Jack frowned. "Not sure what to make of that."

"It's the Master and the Monk. They're good at making mundane, outdated technology dangerous." He stopped talking as Alice returned to the room, a calm smile still on her face. "The system had finished a complete scan of the Collection. Currently, you are the only life signs beside myself."

"No other staff?" the Doctor asked.

"There are a few others," the Curator agreed. "But they are away handling some rescues of art about to be destroyed. I believe Bernie is currently on Earth in Ukraine in 2022."

"2022?" Rose repeated with a worried frown.

"Yes, a terrible fire is going to consume some stunning traditional pieces. While the people of the era will not know they survived, we'll save them." Alice smiled with a hint of pride gleaming in her blue eyes. "But that is not your primary concern."

"They could still be here," the Doctor said. "How does the system do with biodampers?"

"Not well," the Curator admitted. "As I said, you're welcome to look around." The Curator reached into a pocket carefully hidden amongst the folded fabric of her dress and pulled out a very small device. It was round and black. "This is a master alert. If you do find anything unusual, press it, and the Collection will lock down."

"Just like that?" the Doctor asked. "You're just giving this to me."

"You are the Founder's brother. As I said, the system identifies you as an ally, and in the absence of your brother and Professor Bernice Summerfield, you are recognized as having authority over the Collection. It was one of the last orders he gave."

Rose smiled encouragingly at the Doctor. Tension and worry clung to him. He took a step away, still keeping hold of Rose's hand. She squeezed his hand. "We won't be far," Rose promised. "But we need to check as much of the Collection as possible. Keep your phone turned on." That drew another chuckle from him, and he reached into his leather coat to pull it out. "Is it charged?" Rose pressed.

"Yes, dear," the Doctor answered with a roll of his eyes. "Charged by radiant energy, Rose, remember. Just like yours."

"Doesn't guarantee anything in your coat," Rose retorted. "Even you don't know what all you have in those pockets."

She heard Alice chuckle, but the young woman evaded her gaze. Rose's stomach flipped. Jack was studying the pamphlet.

"Alright, why don't Rose and I go this way," Jack said, pointing to the corridor opposite them. "It branches off a bit later, but we can stay together for a bit."

"Good." The Doctor nodded in agreement.

"I'll go with you, Doctor," Alice offered. "At least until it branches on the other side. If there is a threat to the Collection, then I want to find them as soon as possible."

Rose hated separating from the Doctor. It made sense, but she couldn't shake her worry. Eying Alice, Rose debated arguing, but the Doctor was already heading off. Jack nudged her softly as Rose's eyes followed Alice, trying to understand the odd feeling she had.

"Do you know Alice?" Jack asked as they started walking.

"What?"

"Do you know Alice?" Jack repeated. "The Curator?"

"No." Rose shook her head. "Not sure why you think I would."

Jack shrugged a little but still looked very thoughtful. "Because the last time someone asked me not to flirt with them like that, it was a child of yours from the future." Rose blinked and straightened up, a soft oh escaping her. Jack grinned. "That was one, Adam Tyler. Your son."

"Adam is not my son," Rose replied with a sigh. She forced herself to relax. She couldn't jump to conclusions. "And it doesn't necessarily mean anything."

"Grandson then," Jack said firmly. "I know I'm right about that, Rose. Just struck me as odd. That and she didn't really answer the Doctor's question about how she took over. It would make sense to me that the Doctor's child, the Founder's niece, would be able to get through any genetic locks that were used to secure this place."

That was a good point. Rose wasn't sure how to respond. Alice didn't look a tremendous amount like the next Doctor, but her eyes were… well, exactly like the current Doctor's and with regeneration in the mix, Rose couldn't assume that a child would always look like their father. And she had felt… something when the woman had introduced herself by the name Alice. Rose thought that she might have heard that name before in connection with her future children but didn't completely trust her memory on that. She did recall the wolf brooch the woman had been wearing, which could be a nod to Bad Wolf being her mother.

"We can't make assumptions on that," Rose said firmly. "It could be a trick." The woman had control over a museum belonging to the Doctor's brother originally and had an A name. Jack could be right, or it might be a trap. "I can't say for certain." She sighed a little. "I've never met Alice before. Not like Adam."

Jack smiled at her confirmation of what he already knew and nodded his understanding as they reached a branch in the corridor. "You sure about splitting up?"

"No." Rose shrugged. "Probably not a good idea, but this place is too big."

"See you in hell."

Jack threw Rose his patented grin and headed for the right. Rose noted with fondness that he'd left the passage with more windows and light for her. She glanced back the way they had come, both hoping and dreading that the mysterious Curator might appear. If she was Rose's child with the Doctor, then she'd know something about what was happening. Reaching into her pocket, Rose double-checked that she had her phone. She did; it was too early to be so paranoid. She headed in her direction, pausing to look into the small gallery rooms that filled this half of the wing.

Rose wouldn't have noticed the man at all if the museum had been busier. But there weren't supposed to be any visitors. He was a short man with a hint of grey in dirty blond hair, which was slicked back. Dressed in a very neat suit, he looked like the sort who had just stepped out of a cab on Regent's Street. But he was studying something on his wrist. Holding her breath, Rose pressed herself against the wall and focused on being quiet.

"Anything yet?" a familiar voice demanded. "I can't find anything useful here?"

The Master swung around the far corner, a scowl on his face and his dark eyes fixed on the first man. The Monk, Rose realized with a jolt of worry. She released her breath carefully and took a cautious step back. They hadn't noticed her yet.

"Nothing exact. I suspect that Braxiatel installed systems to hide his technology."

"Are you sure he even brought his technology here?" The Master eyed one of the paintings on the wall with disdain. "Seems more like a monument to his obsession with art."

"And to think that a few lifetimes ago, you had an appreciation for items such as this."

"Not in this life, it seems," the Master said dismissively.

"A pity, you'd be more pleasant company." The Monk sneered.

"You're not a joy in this regeneration either. A pity what happened on Grannus." Rose really didn't like his tone. It sent a chill down her spine. Then the Master huffed and started to turn, making Rose panic for a moment. Thankfully, his focus was on the Monk. "Need I remind you that the Doctor has to be looking for us, the surviving Eternals are angry with you and the Guardians…" the Master trailed off and shuddered. "We NEED leverage."

"Panic does not suit you, Master."

"Just hurry up and find something. That Vortex Manipulator is going to burn out sooner or later with how we've been running from the Eternals."

The Master stomped up to one of the paintings and huffed at it. Rose wasn't familiar with the piece, and the style was alien to her, but she appreciated the vivid colours.

She'd been wondering what had become of the Monk and Master since Karn. Rose glanced back at the Monk as he continued to fuss with the Vortex Manipulator. He'd regenerated again. Either it had been longer to them than it had been to her and the Doctor, or something bad had happened to him in a short span of time. She took another step back and looked at the Master once again. He didn't seem older. He was dressed very similar to how he'd appeared on Karn.

Reaching the door behind her, Rose listened for one moment more in case they discussed something else important. The Master started to reach to touch the painting.

"No, Master," the Monk scolded. "I have no doubt that this place is wired with alarms. Do not make extra trouble for us."

The Master started to turn towards her, and she slipped around the corner. Walking down the corridor, Rose debated lowering her shields and trying to find the Doctor with telepathy but decided against it. That may have been the only reason that the Monk and Master didn't realize that she was there.

As she got further away, Rose picked up her pace and glanced around. This museum was massive. She desperately wanted to have the time to enjoy it properly, but now she had confirmed that the Monk and Master were here. Glancing back, Rose took note of the wing name and nearby sculpture so they could trace her steps. Once she was confident that she had put enough distance between her and the rogue Time Lords, Rose pulled out her phone. Rose sent a quick text to Jack with her findings and location and silenced the notifications on her phone. Then, she hit the speed dial for the Doctor's long-ignored cell phone.

"Rose, are you okay?" the Doctor immediately asked upon answering.

"I'm fine. They're here," Rose said into her phone softly. "I've slipped away from them, but they're in the Tarvien wing." She stumbled a little on the pronunciation of the alien word. "Both of them. The Monk has regenerated again. They're definitely looking for something more than art."

"That might be very bad," the Doctor murmured. "I'm on my way. Keep your shields up. I can't feel them, so they're using some sort of dampener field, and I don't want to risk it hurting you."

Rose agreed softly and stopped talking though she and the Doctor kept the call connected. She hadn't wanted to think about the fact the Doctor couldn't feel his fellow Time Lords, but it wasn't their highest priority at the moment. Or, if Jack was right, it might be something that Alice was using. Rose's stomach turned. She didn't know how to feel and moved further from the room. She considered going back to keep an eye on the Master on the Monk, but with the Doctor, Jack and potentially the Curator on the way, Rose considered that it was wiser to wait.

….

The Doctor kept the mobile phone out. He wasn't overly fond of them, of anything that required being on and charged to be useful. Even this model from almost a century after Rose's time, but built in a rather 'retro' style, took twenty seconds to start, and while the TARDIS did a fine job of managing the signals, it could in theory, still be tracked by certain technology.

Rose was quiet on the other end and he hoped that she'd either leave the area or stay where she was. He didn't have a lot of faith in either of those options, but sometimes she surprised him. Running down the corridor, the Doctor glanced around for the mysterious Curator, who had headed off into another wing. There was something about her that he couldn't put his finger on. He didn't sense her telepathically, but she reminded him of his brother. Maybe it was just the setting or the way she carried herself, but her little knowing smile put him on alert. He couldn't help but consider the possibility that she was a child of Braxiatel. Maybe a hybrid who wasn't telepathic.

But he told himself to focus on the real issue at hand. The Curator didn't matter as long as she didn't try to double cross them or hurt Rose. The Master and the Monk had to be looking for something. Maybe something in particular, or maybe they'd simply discovered the Collection and suspected that Braxiatel had hidden something here. He was almost to Rose when the entire building shuddered, and an explosion ripped through the palace.