The Life and Love story of Rose Marion Tyler
Rose gritted her teeth and let her mind think of the day she lost John, at least lost him in the sense that he was no longer of flesh and blood, and that she could not touch him, could only see an image of him and hear his voice inside of her mind.
FLASH BACK FOUR MONTHS EARLIER:
Rose and John had been called into work. Jack explained as soon as they had arrived, "We've never encountered this race before so I cannot name them, nor is there any record of them in Torchwood's database." He added, "This CTV footage is from downtown Cardiff earlier on this morning." He gestured to Tosh's computer where she had loaded the file of the footage. They all gathered around and watched what was happening on the screen in front of them.
Jack asked as John put on his glasses, "Do you or Rose recognise them from your travels in the other reality?" Rose shook her head as John continued to study the footage intently. "No. I think I would honestly remember ever encountering something like that. I mean Jesus H Christ look at those things Jack?" she commented incredulously, pointing at the computer screen.
The race had a skin that resembled earth's leather, that was a mixture of black, purple and a metallic silver and gold in colouring. They had a nose and mouth that look like a snakes, huge fangs included. Sticking out of the top of their heads appeared dozens of poisonous snakes. It reminded Rose of the Medusa or a Gorgon.
Their eyes were a mixture of gold, red, and green, blended into one with a cat-like black pupil, making for a chilling and knee jerking sight. It was truly a sight only a mother could genuinely love. The sight sent a shiver down the spines of all present, John included.
Owen commented in a grave tone, "Worst of all they are carrying earth guns. Apparently they are aware that if you shoot us with a gun and if bullets penetrate us in certain places it grantees death for us the majority of the time." He gestured to the screen as they watched people being gunned down in cold blood.
He concluded, "They gunned down at least twenty people who unwittingly got in there way this morning. Eight of those victims were children as young as a year-old, babies looking to be barely a couple of months old. Children who did not deserve to die, who never knew such horrors existed, nor will they ever again. They'll never breathe air again; never see their next birthday or even their first."
Rose gasped horrified, placing her hands over her still flat stomach. John looked up from the screen at her reaction, which he had caught reflecting against the computer monitors screen. He understood perfectly what had frightened her. She did not fear for herself, but for the twins.
He turned on his heel and took Rose into his arms and held her close to him. He murmured into her left ear, "I will not allow anything to happen to you and the twins I swear. I will give up my own life first before I allow you and the twins to come to any harm." He placed a quickly kiss on her lips.
As soon as he pulled back from the kiss he turned to face Jack. He said, "I recognise them. It was during the other Doctor's seventh incarnation in the other reality." He added, "They are highly volatile, not caring who or what gets caught up in their path accident or not. "
He continued in a serve and grim tone, "They have no understanding of human compassion or morels. They kill without remorse because they can, because they enjoy it. They will use any means available to kill off those who they deem to be in their way or a hindrance to their main goals."
He added, looking more than a little sick, "The snakes extending out of their heads are full of deadly venom. The snakes spit it out as defensive weapon. The venom can eat through steel, titanium, gold, and platinum, and any other earth metals, even some alien. But worse of all it eats away at human flesh and bone like tearing tissue paper or a knife through melted butter."
He concluded, "If the venom gets in your blood you are truly done for, there is no cure. It will kill you very slowly and painfully. It will be the worst pain imaginable. The venom will burn away and eat you from the inside out."
Gwen and Tosh gagged, placing their hands over their mouths, as did Rose. Even Ianto and Owen looked more than a little nauseous. Jack on the otherhand looked grimmer and paler faced then either Rose or John had ever seen him look in this reality.
Owen growled, "So in other words your saying they all got off likely by being gunned down in cold blood?" He gritted his teeth and added, "From what you have just described, I'd say a bullet to the head is a fucking mercy killing."
John and Rose embraced, kissing tenderly with a noticeable desperate edge. Jack and the others left them to have a moment or two, while they all went and grabbed their guns, loading them and collecting spare bullet clips. They each grabbed a holster, attaching the guns securely before slipping it on.
Rose refused to have a gun, declaring she would not lower herself to the monsters standards. John shocked her to her very core when he told Jack to set up a gun for Rose. He explained to her, "Normally I would not condone it Rose, but your pregnant and need all the extra protection you can get." He added, "Normally I would be willing to give the other race a second chance, a chance to get the hell out of here. But not this lot, no way, they would never take it even if I did offer; they unfortunately are far too like the Daleks in that sense."
He concluded in a pleading tone, "You know the situation is beyond serious when I tell you Rose Tyler to arm yourself with a gun. I don't like guns, but even I can put my aversion for the weapon aside in this case. Take the gun Rose, you don't necessarily have to fire it; it is just a form of insurance. Please." He knew she would fire it, would have to, although he was not about to tell her that.
He took out the old-fashioned sonic screwdriver that had belonged to his seventh and eighth incarnations. The other Doctor had given it to him before they had landed on the beach in Norway after John had finished having the one conversation with the TARDIS that had not left his mind since.
Since then he had made adjustments to it, making it even more advanced then the sonic screwdriver The Doctor had back in the other reality. He had kept the outer design, but now it was no longer just sonic, but a sonic laser. The light was not blue, but in fact a pale red colour. But by far the complete and utter beauty of it though, was the fact not only did it work on wood, but it also opened deadlocked seals.
They also suspected the laser might be able to penetrate Dalektanium. They knew for a fact it could burn through the steel that Cybermen's armor was made of they'd tested it on a piece of the same material. This was something both John and Rose knew would make The Doctor sick with envy. God John would have given just about anything to see his reaction to what he had created.
Rose reluctantly allowed Jack to place the gun holster on her that had a fully loaded gun on either side. Rose really did not like how she looked armed with a weapon, nor did John for that matter, but there was nothing for it. When the time called for desperate measures, those measures needed to be met unfortunately.
Jack and everyone put on their coats before securing their ear-pieces. Tosh was going to stay behind to monitor their progress. Jack then asked Tosh, "Tosh do you have a lock on them?" Tosh replied, "Yes Jack, they are in fact heading in this direction. I guess they've somehow detected our advanced technology and are heading here to take care of what they deem to be a threat to them."
Jack let out a weary sigh as he asked, "How many are we looking at here, Tosh?" Tosh quickly scanned her computer before replying, "Eight, there are eight in total Jack." Jack nodded, six to eight, the odds were against them, but only by two. But they could easily overcome that now that they knew where their weaknesses were located.
Jack nodded to himself once more before worriedly turning to face John. He hated the fact John refused to take a gun. He asked, "That screwdriver of yours, what can it do and can you defend yourself with it?" He had never met someone with such an aversion to weapons that could possibly keep them all alive.
John replied, "It's a sonic laser. It opens doors and works on deadlock seals. And yeah, unfortunately the laser can be used as a weapon. But generally that is not why I redesigned it with laser capabilities." He added, "The laser I suspect will be able to penetrate the flesh of the menace we are about to face." He added, "I know for a fact it can melt the same steel that the Cybermen's armor was made of, we tested it." He heard several gasps of shock at hearing this. Jack was eyeing the device in his hand in an entirely new and definitely more appreciative light.
He quickly informed Jack, "Your bullets could probably cause a bit of damage as well. Aim and concentrate your fire at their heads, if you blow those snakes on their heads to smithereens means they can't use any venom." He concluded, "Also aim for the centre of the chest; it is where their heart is located. It is a very weak point, which is why they are so horrifically venomous to make up for that weakness."
Tosh suddenly called out in alarm, "They're outside and have the Millennium centre surrounded, they gunning down civilians on sight and spewing that venom at the innocent bystanders." They all exchanged a look of grim determination; they had to take this threat down no matter the consequences.
Jack took out both guns as did everyone else except for John. Jack said in a firm but sober tone, "This is it ladies and gentlemen. Some of us may not return alive, but in any case I wish you all a safe return if possible. It has been my honour boys and girls, an honest pleasure working with you all. Let's get out there and I'll see you all in hell."
The others silently nodded before running for the entrance to the hub, guns held out in front of them as Tosh hit a button on her keyboard activating the enormous circular door, deactivating the high-tech deadlock seal.
Within a few minutes they were standing outside the building taking in the horrifying sight that was the surrounding pavements littered with the corpses of innocent people who were gunned down. Not just adults, but children as well.
And worst of all the sound of those unfortunate souls, children included, who were not fortunate enough to receive the less painful and quicker option of being gunned down. Those unfortunately souls were screaming and howling as they withered in agony beyond understanding as they were ate alive from the inside out slowly due to the venom running throughout their veins.
Rose and Gwen had tears rapidly filling their eyes, while Owen and Ianto looked beyond grim. Jack and John on the otherhand were seething with a blinding rage. Jack practically roared, "You show no mercy, you gun them down, you show them as much mercy as they have shown our people. Now let do this."
The team took the safeties of their guns, before aiming and firing, firing with a deadly accuracy. Soon the whole area was awash with the sound of rapid and constant gunfire. The sounds of the monsters screeching in agony and rage as the guns obliterated the snakes on top of their heads, taking down six of the eight in the heart.
Their flesh was badly burned due to the sonic laser that John was using with a deadly aim that never ever missed. The smell of burnt leather mixed in with the burnt venom was truly repulsive. The smell at the moment did not even register on the radar of the Torchwood team, they were filled to the brim with adrenalin and hatred and their minds set solely on the task in front of them.
Fifteen minutes after a lot of cursing and ducking behind the nearest available and solid objects in order to take cover on the part of the Torchwood team, all that remained was two of the eight monsters. Both were missing the snakes from on top of their heads. A green and foul smelling blood was oozing rapidly from burns and gunshot wounds.
It was moments later that they heard two separate gunshots go off, followed by yelps of agony that were definitely human. They all quickly looked in the direction that they had heard the cries of pain. Gwen stifled a scream behind her hand as she realised both John and Rose had been shot in the chest.
Jack and Ianto quickly gunned down the two remaining monsters before they could do anything else. The two hit the floor, but not before shooting Owen and Gwen who were the closest to them. Owen had a wound on his left shoulder, but luckily the aim had been terribly off and had only grazed him. It was not too serious it just oozed a slow trickle of blood, but damn did it hurt like a bitch though.
Gwen had a similar wound on her right thigh, her hand was pure red with her own blood as she clutched at the wound. Ianto and Jack were completely unscathed surprisingly, apparently they had been quicker than the others this time.
Owen and the others ran over to John and Rose, or limped in Gwen's case. She yelled in panic over her ear piece to Tosh, "Tosh quickly get the main door open, John and Rose have been shot in the chest." She heard Tosh's gasp of horror before she exclaimed just as panicked as Gwen, "I am doing it now just get them inside the hub before it is too late to save them."