Chapter 9

Goodbye, Gallifrey

After that day, and despite Thais' promise that they would meet each other soon, the war only got worse. The shields protecting Arcadia, Antares and every other gallifreyan city weakened. The daleks had taken the war to Gallifrey, and they didn't want to leave.

The army fought them relentlessly, but there were no more strategies, no more clever tricks. Gallifrey's High Command gave permission for the utilization of the Seven Sisters, and the Nightmare Child. All of the Time Lords' deadliest weapons were used against the daleks.

There were rumors of a particular man, a freelance soldier, a general who didn't belong in the army. They claimed he was responsible for the destruction of Skaro, the home planet of the dalek race. They called him the Destroyer of the Worlds.

Edain had a pretty accurate idea regarding the identity of said man, but he didn't know what to think of it. He wanted to be proud that his father was leading the fight against the monsters, but part of him knew that most of his father's actions weren't something to be proud of.

He wondered it, given the chance, his father would choose to save a life, rather than end it.

Ed's 500th birthday came and went, and there were no surprise visits, like he imagined. He celebrated it in Ona's console room, with Mik, Dee and Yan. The androids didn't eat, so he had a cupcake while they played. It wasn't a big celebration, but he'd gotten used to ignoring his birthdays (they were just too close to one another) and, after all, there was a war going on. It really wasn't a time for celebrations.

Just three days later, the shield of Arcadia fell, and the daleks got into the city.

He'd never been so happy to live outside the city, where nobody noticed him. He stacked up Ona with food, and finished getting his baggage inside. Finally, he closed the door. He didn't know it at the time, but he wouldn't leave the spaceship in a very, very long time.

The final fight of the Time War lasted three days. With the shield gone, the sounds of the fight reached the house, haunting Edie's dreams. He spent the three days with their nights at the console room, sending frantic messages to every member of his family, but received no answer. Everyone was silent.

At the end of the third day, when the second sun was setting, the screen turned red, and a loud beep, beep! filled the spaceship. Someone was trying to communicate with him.

Edie ran to the screen, his heart racing.

"Open communications barrier."

The screen cleared. His father appeared before him. His beard was long and untidy, there were purple bags under his eyes, and he looked like every horror from hell was following him.

"Ed, this is important" he said, almost out of breath. "If you aren't in Ona already, get inside and leave Gallifrey. Now."

"What?"

"The whole planet is going to be destroyed" the Doctor said, without looking at him. Only then did Edain realise this was a recorded message. "there will be a crack in the time lock in nine seconds time. That's your only chance of escape, and you must get there in time. Hurry."

"But…"

"Please, Edie, hurry, I can't lose you" he sighed, and Edain saw tears in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Ed, but you have to try. I love you."

The message ended.

Edie stood in silence, looking at the now black screen. He would've probably wasted all his time, but the androids saved him. Mik pinched his ears. Yan climbed his head and tapped him on the forehead. Dee squeaked to call his attention.

"Right" he set off automatically, barely aware of what was happening. Ona caught speed. Edie turned on all the shields and braced himself.

Ona passed by the dalek ships at full speed, dodging almost every shot. Edie looked at the timer. He had five seconds.

Ona shook. They had been hit. Edie gritted his teeth, but didn't slow down.

Four seconds. Mik had hidden inside Ed's shirt again. The other two held on to Edain's ankles as tight as possible.

Three seconds. He could see the crack forming on the surface of the timelock.

Two seconds. They were racing towards it at full speed. If the crack didn't open…

One second. Edie held on to the controls, his eyes closed.

Zero.

Ona slipped through the crack and into the darkness. The crack closed right behind the spaceship. Ona crumbled with the force of the timelock. One of the walls fell on Edain, slamming him against the controls.

"No…"

An explosion so big its energy could have used up twelve hundred suns blasted through the crack, shaking Ona even more. Edie, crushed between the wall and the console, couldn't breathe. He struggled to free himself, only hitting himself in the process. He cried in pain.

He felt the regeneration energy coming through his body.

Gallifrey, he thought.

Then everything went dark.