Chapter 13: Madame Kovarian

"The child! At all costs, protect the child!" – Vastra

"I see you accessed our files. Do you understand yet? Oh, don't worry, I'm a long way away. But I like to keep tabs on you. The child then what do you think?" – Madame Kovarian

"What is she?" – The Doctor

"Hope. Hope in this endless, bitter war." – Madame Kovarian

"What war? Against who?" – The Doctor

"Against you, Doctor." – Madame Kovarian

River opened her eyes slowly squinting at the harsh light. The first things she saw were two pale blue eyes peering into her own. Another face moved into her field of vision. It's Amy all flame red hair and green eyes.

"Don't try to move." Amy cautions. "You've been immobile a long time. You'll need to get your strength back slowly. Now River this is your mother, Lucy Saxon, from the memory I showed you."

Lucy spoke for the first time. "Hello River, I don't know what you remember about me, but I'm sorry for not protecting you." She turns towards Amy, "and it's Lucy Cole."

River tries to form words through the jumble in her head, but the only thing that comes out is a raspy murmur. Lucy immediately helps her drink some water and settles her into a more upright position on her pillows.

River finally manages to force out a question. "Why am I so calm? Given everything that has happened to me I should be a wreck right now."

Amy looks sheepish. "That's probably the TARDIS. She thinks you need a break for the moment."

"Where is she?"

"In the corner. I used the cloaking device. You can say hi later." She turns her full attention on Lucy. "How long was I in River's head?"

"Nearly three hours."

"Kovarian will be more than ready by now."

"Explain!" River demands.

"You heard in my memory that the station automatically sweeps for intruders every fifteen minutes. If it detects anything it sends a message to the Silence and it wakes Madame Kovarian from stasis. Before I even materialized on the station I set up all outgoing transmissions to broadcast their usual message; the Silence have no way of detecting my presence. I didn't disable the system waking up Kovarian. I just locked her door. She's been awake for roughly an hour now."

Despite Amy's earlier warning River tries to sit up. Lucy grabs her arm before she can attempt to climb out of bed.

Amy smiles, but it isn't anything close to a happy smile. "Don't move River. I'll bring her to you."

"A child is not a weapon!" – The Doctor

"Oh, give us time. She can be. She will be." – Madame Kovarian

"Except you've already lost her, and I swear I will never let you anywhere near her again." – The Doctor

"Oh, Doctor. Fooling you once was a joy but fooling you twice, the same way, it's a privilege." – Madame Kovarian

When Amy comes back, dragging Madame Kovarian roughly by one arm all River can think about is that the woman who haunted her childhood shouldn't look so small and old. Amy shoves her where River can easily see her.

Madame Kovarian sneered. "All together now the happy little family. Well except for your precious Doctor. Flew off into the sunset did he? He always did get tired of people quickly."

Amy looked her in the eye and said, "Do you know why I'm here?"

"Revenge, information, it doesn't matter. The Silence will have you soon, and I will be even more highly esteemed for presenting you to them."

"You always thought you were more important than you really were. Even during your greatest moment as you taunted the Doctor you were nothing more than a tiny clog in a giant machine. Now you're not even that. You've been abandoned. Frozen in time on the off chance they might one day find a use for you."

"They left me in charge of the weapon and the mother."

In charge? You weren't even awake. The station has its orders. You couldn't change them if you tried. I think you're here just to see if anyone ever comes to find you. They would be interested in anyone who could."

"I served faithfully. I am one of their most trusted allies."

"Then why are you here? What part of their plan left you here? They didn't tell you. They didn't thank you. You were just left here without orders and without a purpose. You, Madame, are nothing more than a spare part." Amy laughed without humor. "They didn't even leave with your signature eye patch."

"Eye drive!" Madame Kovarian corrects fiercely as she instinctively raised a hand to her eye.

"It doesn't matter. You don't matter."

A hint of doubt finally enters Madame Kovarian's eyes, but it is quickly replaced by anger.

"Then why find me? If I'm so unimportant why bother to look for me?" Her voice is triumphant. "You need me."

Amy turns her back on the woman and addresses River and Lucy.

"She isn't important. You two are."

Furious at being ignored Madame Kovarian lunges for Amy, but is brought up short by a force field that flares into life right before her hands would have connected with Amy's skin.

Amy responds without even turning around. "Tsk, tsk, Madame. Bad manners. I've surrounded you with a specialized force field. I can touch you, but it won't allow you to touch anything; there's even space between your feet and the floor."

"You think you're special? Where's the Doctor then? He just keeps you around to do his dirty work."

Amy turns to face the woman she once hated more than she thought it was possible to hate anyone.

"You don't remember, but I've already killed you once. He would have saved you, but I didn't. I didn't find any mercy in myself. Once again he isn't here to protect you. Scared yet? You should be."

Madame Kovarian does look frightened. Her careful façade is crumbling. "You couldn't. You wouldn't kill me."

"I could and I did. Not this time though. This time I'm going to offer you a choice. I'm going to go into your mind and erase every memory associated with the Silence, with the Doctor, and with his friends. Your choice is you either fight my presence in your mind or let me work unhindered."

"And if I fight you?"

"I erase everything. Every memory, every skill, and every thought you have ever had."

"You wouldn't."

Amy drops her voice and leans in until her face is only inches away from Kovarian. "Don't you ever presume to tell me what I would or wouldn't do." Amy straightens back up and continues in a more normal tone of voice. "And then I drop you off somewhere and somewhen nice and quiet. It's up to you at that point what you make of your life."

"The Silence will look for me. They'll find me."

"I rather doubt it, but it won't matter if they do. They won't be able to get anything useful from your mind."

River finally speaks up.

"What about me? Do I get a say in what happens to her?"

Amy's eyes widen and she looks contrite. "Of course. I'm sorry. What do you think should be done?"

"I don't think she deserves a choice. Wipe everything."

Amy walks over to River and takes her hand. "You're right. She doesn't deserve a choice, but I have to give her one. I promised myself after I killed her that I would never act without mercy again. I have to give her a choice."

River pulls her hand out of Amy's grip. "Fine. Don't expect me to be happy about it though."

Amy bows her head. "Understood." She turns to Lucy. "And you, what do you think?"

Lucy swallows hard and whispers, "if anyone doesn't deserve mercy it is me. I can't deny it to someone else."

Amy whirls back to face Kovarian. "Your choice. Now." And there is steel in her voice."

Madame Kovarian laughs a bit madly. "I choose death." And she rips a patch that had been masquerading as skin off her arm.

"Death would certainly be easier. But you don't get the easy way out. Your toxin has already been neutralized. Your only choices are the ones I give you. Resist or cooperate. Either way you spend the rest of your life where you will not harm anyone I love ever again."

Amy reached forward and grabbed Madame Kovarian's face with both her hands. "Choose."

As I get close to wrapping this story up I'd love any feedback you guys have.