CHAPTER 3

Rose alerted the Resistance of the hostages held in the human base as soon as possible. Unsure of what to do after that, she joined Starr and a couple of other recruits to a small recreational room. But it was anything but leisure. She and Starr claimed a small card table over by a window.

"I can't believe what they're doing." Star pounded her fist into her open palm. "If I was in charge here, I'd stop everything at once."

"That's the thing." Rose said. "The leaders know what's going on…but they choose to ignore it. They just think that the people here are vermin."

"But Ming said herself, 'They are very much like us, believe it or not'. Then how can we kill them?"

Rose didn't have an answer. She could only stare out a darkened window over towards where she knew the Resistance's base was. "Some people are just twisted." She finally sighed.

"And most of them are here." Starr buried her face in her hands. "But once we're here, we can't leave. The Rift won't reverse."

"The Time Rift that brought you here?" Rose asked.

"It can only bring people here. That's why the Mobians aren't going to Earth or anything." Starr murmured from her hands. "Once we're here…we can't go back. We're sent here to die…"

"Not while I'm standing." Rose said firmly, leaning towards Starr. "You and I…tomorrow when we attack the Resistance, we're bringing the kittens. We'll give them back to them so they can be cared for. The last thing we need is the death of more innocents, especially innocent children."

Starr picked her face up from her palms and whispered, "We can do that?"

"Of course." Rose smiled softly. "Anything is possible."

"Famous last words."

"Listen to me, soldier." Rose growled. "We are getting those kittens out of here if it kills us. I can't stand to see one more person killed, Mobian or Human. So get in the game."

Starr nodded vigorously and said automatically, "Yes, ma'am."

That was when General Ming called them all to the mess hall. Starr and Rose walked out of the recreational room feeling worried, but confident.

WITH THE DOCTOR…

The Doctor's squadron of soldiers had been waiting in the mess hall for some time now. Jason was leaning against his shoulder, still shivering from the previous horror. The Doctor couldn't blame him. Over and over he kept replaying the deaths of the innocents in his head until he thought he would scream…

"Doctor!"

The Doctor looked up to see Rose accompanied by a dark skinned woman who looked determined to do the impossible. The Doctor nudged Jason and pointed to Rose saying, "There she is, quite a looker, huh? I'll leave you to get acquainted. I have to…use the bathroom."

He scurried out of there rather fast. Rose sat across from Jason and the other girl sat next to her. "What was that about?" Rose asked finally.

"Well, he wanted me to meet you." Jason said shakily. "But that was before…now I just don't think I can concentrate on anything right now…"

"What happened?" Rose asked. "Oh, before you begin, this is Jayda Starr."

Jason nodded slowly before saying, "They had us shoot at them. Innocents. Kids too. They said it was 'target practice'…but…I fired at the walls…I couldn't do what they wanted me to…I want to kill them now…our generals, I mean…" His eyes were wide and he was just staring at the tabletop in front of him between his arms, shaking like an earthquake had hit. "I can't do this…I can't fight them…"

Rose reached across the table and took his hand. "I can't either, but together we might have a chance."

His eyes flitted to hers and then away quickly, like he was afraid she'd vanish if he stared at her too long. "What can we do to help?"

"Starr and I are going to smuggle three kittens back to their base tomorrow amidst the battle. It should give us cover enough, and we could aid the Resistance as much as we can." Rose said. "This base here has an entire room full of prisoners…most of them just kids."

"I'll help." Jason said firmly. "I don't care if I die. I'm helping the side that's for good, not evil."

That was about when the Doctor came back and slipped next to Jason again. "I just alerted the Resistance about what happened today…be prepared for a major battle tomorrow." He whispered.

"Wait…you're double agents?" Starr caught up on the conversation. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"We just can't trust like that." Rose said. "This is already risky. Who knows what they'd do if they found out we were double agents."

"Rose, Shhhhh!" The Doctor hissed, but it was too late.

"Can I join your team?" Jason asked softly. "I won't tell anyone, I promise."

"…Fine. I have to alert the Resistance again…" The Doctor got up and, mumbling to himself, left the room.

"Not a word to anyone else, or I slit your throats." Rose growled. "I won't hesitate either."

"I swear on my life and the U.S. I won't tell anyone." Starr raised her right hand. "Side-Switching Soldiers' Honor."

"Good. You too." Rose pointed dangerously at Jason.

"I swear." He squeaked. "I won't tell anyone!"

The Doctor came back a few minuets later. "They know who you are and what you look like, so you should be spared from the firing." He said brightly.

"Should?" Jason and Starr's eyes got wide. "What do you mean-"

"First come, first serve!" General Legacy shouted over the many conversations in the mess hall, and soldiers from everywhere rushed forward to claim a plate and something to eat.

AT THE RESISTANCE…

No one that night could sleep. Even Silver, who could practically sleep through anything. Many of them were fearing for their lives come very early morning. Most soldiers didn't eat anything, but stared straight in front of them, like they could somehow visualize food and surviving.

"Squadrons, meet in the Great Hall." Sonic finally gave the dreaded order. Many Mobians jumped up from the mess hall and walked quickly to the exit.

AT THE HUMAN BASE…

Rose stood at attention and shot a glance at Starr, who was adjacent to her. During the night they had gained access to the hospital, saying to Ming that they were checking on the kittens. While they were in there, Rose managed to fit two of the kittens in her side pockets. They fit, and as long as they didn't move around they'd be fine. Starr stowed the other in her left pocket. Then came the hard task of acting like nothing happened.

But everything went according to plan, because now here they were after a long night of trying to keep the kittens quiet. They were once again in their pockets, but this time it was harder to keep them hidden because they were literally standing shoulder to shoulder with the recruit next to them. At any second, if one of the kittens moved, Rose's cover would be blown…

"Move out!" General Legacy roared. "Now!"

The recruits marched out the nearest door and down the hillside towards the Resistance. Rose clutched her gun and hoped that in the dim light, she would be recognized as a friend.

WITH THE RESISTANCE…

"They're coming!"

Squadrons Three and Four tensed and either readied their weapons or stared worriedly at the approaching line of humans in the distance. Some did both.

The battle was beginning…

WITH THE HUMANS…

Rose knew that Starr was scared. Who wasn't? But if they gave any reason to make the generals doubt them then and there, they would endanger everyone. Rose took a deep breath and continued walking, hoping that Starr did the same. The Mobian's base was now in sight…

"CHARGE! FIRE AT WILL!" General Legacy's shout took Rose by surprise.

What kind of war was this? Unorganized and deadly! They really were throwing away the lives of people like they were meaningless!

Rose ran to the left as a soldier in front of her fell. Gunshots rang out in the still air, and an occasional blast of flame made her hesitate to continue on. Before long Starr was by her side, clutching the kitten in her arms.

"He's scared." She whispered. Her voice almost lost in the noise. "And so am I."

Rose could only nod and mutter, "Come on. We can get at their medical team near the base, and they'll know what to do with them."

A shot narrowly missed her. Rose pressed the button on the side of her wristwatch and screamed, "We're coming! Around the left side of the base! We have the kittens! We-" She was forced to cut the message short as a grenade exploded in front of her. Rose felt the heat and fell backwards. The kittens in her pockets squirmed uncomfortably, but there was nothing she could do at the moment.

"Rose!" Starr shouted. "Rose! Are you ok?"

"I'm fine!" Rose scrambled up and grabbed her gun, which had fallen next to her. "Here…give me your gun!"

Starr handed over the gun and Rose gripped both tightly. "Now run. Get to the base first and tell them I'm coming."

Starr ran off and Rose covered for her, even though she knew she couldn't take a life, Human or Mobian. Starr ran into trouble as she came a great deal too close to the Resistance. Ten guards surrounded her, guns at the ready.

"Don't shoot!" Rose screamed, running up to them. "It's me! Rose! This is Jayda Starr!"

"Quickly, come with us!" One of the guards commanded. They crossed underneath the force field, forcing Rose to leave the guns outside it. She quickly brought the two distressed and terrified kittens out of her pockets and handed them to the guard. He then turned and ran into the base, closely followed by another guard with the other kitten.

"Good job out there." Rose recognized one of the guards. He was with them when they recovered the TARDIS.

"We're going to be in for it later." Rose sighed. "You're Jet, right?"

"Yeah,"

"So what's the plan here?"

"We fight. Simple as that." Jet surveyed the battlefield. "Until one side gives up."

"We should go. We've been here too long." Starr said desperately. "If someone sees us here…we won't stand a chance!"

"Go back the way you came. We'll cover for you." Jet promised. Rose nodded and motioned for Starr to follow her.

They ran back outside the force field and gathered up their weapons, then running as fast as they could back to the battle. Included with the gunshots and explosions, screams of pain now mingled with the scene around them. Rose tore her eyes away from a dying man…imagining that the Doctor had been killed…

A streak of blue caught her attention. Rose glanced to the side to see Sonic running among the battle, taking out people left and right.

"He really is a leader." Starr muttered. "No wonder the Resistance has survived this long."

Something hit the side of Rose's head. She put her hand to her cheek and brought it away stained with blood. She whirled around, gun at the ready, to see what had hit her.

A shell of a bullet had ricocheted off the gun of the soldier beside her. But what he was shooting at seemed to be in a lot more trouble than she was.

Rose felt tears stinging her eyes as the Mobian was killed. There was nothing she could have done to prevent it, and that made her feel like a burden and useless. She turned to Starr and screamed, "Come on! Fall back a little ways to the base!"

Starr nodded, but then her brown eyes widened and she choked out, "Rose…look,"

Rose turned again and looked where Starr was staring.

She was just in time to see Sonic get shot down.