Big Bang

by Laura Harkness

Ten, Jack, Space, Time, the Universe, Einstein, Black Holes, Vortices, Squirrels and Turtles. The beginning of *everything* is hijacked and the Time Lord and Captain find themselves caught in the thick of things, fighting for the lives of those they love.

9. Part 9

BIG BANG

Part IX

Always be Prepared

Jack was left to his own thoughts as The Doctor made preparations. The Doctor was speaking, but not to Jack, and not at the TARDIS. It was clear that The Doctor was conversing with the TARDIS, and she was answering him back in ways imperceptible to Jack. He wasn't jealous, although in another time and place he imagined he could be – he was too busy thinking about other things. He suspected from his earlier experience that The Doctor and he wouldn't have much "time" once they'd made the jump. They would need to make a convincing case instantaneously with their shift. Jack also suspected that the beings would be as close to omnipotent and omniscient as anything he'd ever encountered. Tricking them would be nearly if not absolutely impossible.

The Doctor turned towards him, "She's ready, come here," he said and held out his right hand. Jack walked over and took The Doctor's extended hand in his left; the Doctor then placed Jack's hand over a small round button on the TARDIS console and covered it firmly with his own. "Put your other hand on the console as well, just there," The Doctor nodded farther to Jack's right, at one of the few "unoccupied" areas of the console. The Doctor's free hand was hovering over a small, pulsing light. "Close your eyes and think of me," he said as he moved his left hand down onto the light, "and don't stop."

White Room

Jack?

Doctor?

Hello!

Hello?

When I told you to think of me, I didn't expect you to think that.

Well… you didn't qualify it.

No, I suppose I didn't. You have quite an imagination…. Don't stop.

What!?

Don't stop thinking about me.

Hokay. Where are we?

Open your eyes.

They were in a white space. A huge white space… Unbelievably massive. Possibly infinite. And totally empty. Except for them.

The Doctor was standing maybe fifty yards away, looking up.

You didn't exactly answer my question.

We're here.

The Doctor was not really speaking, nor was Jack. It was as if Jack was talking to himself, but one of the two voices happened to sound like The Doctor.

I am here, said The Doctor. And so are you. What you are seeing is a construct of the TARDIS. No! Don't think of her, think of me. She's here, too, but she's too busy thinking of us to communicate, besides, she's a little shy.

Jack concentrated on The Doctor, who was now about ten feet away and looking straight at him. He looked at The Doctor's brown eyes, everything else surrounding those eyes so very pale in comparison.

What next? Jack asked.

I'm already doing it. Attend and listen, you can hear me.

The Doctor was fifty yards away again and facing in the opposite direction. He was speaking to Jack and yet to more than Jack.

You have no right to do this, he was saying. You've had your time, and more, and now you must step aside to allow those that follow you to have theirs. This is the way of all things.

A third voice: It is not our way!

No, you are wrong. Everything has its time.

You can not know this.

I can, I have it on good authority, and I know something else: men should not play at being God.

We do not agree; playing is only a step from becoming.

We deserve our chance, interjected Jack.

The Doctor now stood next to him.

You are nothing the third voice said.

We are everything, until we're not.

That had been a fourth voice. No, Jack realized, not a fourth voice, but rather his voice combined with The Doctor's. Their voice.

We are better.

How can you say that? asked The Doctor/Jack.

We are advanced. You are less than nothing.

You can not know us. You can not know who we are. You can not know what we will become.

We do not care.

Jack's left hand searched for and found the strap of worn leather in his pocket. He was totally focused on The Doctor and the debate taking place, but he compartmentalized the tiniest fraction of himself and centered it on the wristband.

Jack! The Doctor was now facing him, and it was his voice alone that was growling. What are you doing?

You're not the only one with your own personal black hole!

The Doctor was now behind him, their backs touching.

You have a singularity?

Yeah.

That's impossible!

Yes it is, Jack hissed.

A trillion voices boomed out at once: YOU WOULD DO THIS?

Yes was the joint response. Together Jack and The Doctor pressed the key to release the singularity, and the TARDIS smiled.