The Doctor's Daughter
Chapter 4 – UNIT
After a brief conversation with Kate, they agreed to meet her at Tower Hill station that was a short walk from the Tower of London itself. They discussed the situation and Kate said she would bring some others with her until they could be sure of their identities. They met with Kate, Osgood, and McGillop outside the station in a discreet corner, still in public view but away from the commuters. "Kate Stewart," Sky semi-smiled. "You'll have to forgive me for not shaking your hand but given the circumstances."
"I do understand," Kate nodded. "And to that effect -" She took out a pen-like object and held one end to her fingertip. She pressed a button and there was sound of mechanism going off. When she took the pen away her finger was bleeding a bit, Kate pressed the finger and it exuded more blood.
"Well she isn't an auton," Sky pronounced. "Nice idea there Kate."
"It was the best solution I could think off," Kate shrugged, producing an alcohol swab to clean her finger. "Osgood."
"Yes," Osgood stepped forward handing everyone a similar pen including McGillop and taking one for herself. They all pricked themselves and presented the blood as a sign they weren't made of plastic.
"So Autons can't bleed?" Ianto asked while they wiped their hands.
"They can have some blood from the Nestene Consciousness but it would just sort of sit inside of them. It wouldn't be able to flow. Besides Nestene blood is pale orange," Sky said. "Now that's out of the way, have you found the signal we discussed yet?"
"We're not sure," Kate admitted. "We've detected something but it's hard to explain."
"Show us," Gwen requested and with that, they all returned to UNIT headquarters located inside the Tower of London. Kate led them through a series of inconspicuous doorways and passages into the heart of the building where there was an underground lab. Osgood dashed to computer and began typing, apparently activating a large hologram screen with a map of England with a blue circle covering a portion of it.
"The blue circle represents the signal," Kate explained. "Interestingly enough London does appear to be the epicentre with just enough range to cover Cardiff. The two main locations for the Doctor's former companions. We believe this is the right one, the only problem is that it's so weak. There's barely any signal there. Before when there were Autons, the telepathic network was much stronger."
"They're only controlling a handful of soldiers this time," Sky surmised. "This isn't an attack on Earth, just the Doctor and his friends. It hardly requires the network to be at full strength."
"Is there no way of tracking the source?" Jenny asked.
"We're trying but it's slow work. At this strength, the signal is difficult to maintain a connection with," Kate shook her head. "We've narrowed it down to London city but that's about it so far."
"It's like using your internet with a bad reception," Gwen inferred. "You're connected but not much else."
"Exactly," Kate nodded.
"Have you considered the Archive?" Sky gave Kate a look that said a lot more than she had out loud.
Kate's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly before returning to normal, "We don't actually know what's in there, the only person who could identify everything is the one person we don't want anywhere near it."
"He knows, he just hasn't said anything…yet," Sky shrugged. "I'm sure the topic will come up. I'm not as much of an expert but I know my way around alien tech. Is there an inventory list or -"
"Um ma'am," McGillop interrupted from another computer station. "You might want to see this." He pressed a couple of buttons and the hologram screen changed to a view outside of the Tower. There amongst the crowd, Donna Noble stood, still as a statue, just staring at the building.
"Probably too much to hope they just let her go," Ianto said dryly.
"I wouldn't think so sir," McGillop replied. "Especially with this -" A few taps on the computer and more images filled with the screen with Jack, Martha, and Mickey, all standing just like Donna as if waiting for the Tower to talk.
"How did they find us?" Gwen gaped.
"Easy, we're hooked up to their personal network except for them, they don't need a fancy computer system. It's in them, in their heads, they can sense the disturbance. We're all sharing the same consciousness right now."
"There's only four of them, we can take care of it," Jenny insisted.
"No, these are the only things keeping our real friends alive," Sky reminded her. "If it looks like the Autons will fail or they're destroyed, there's no reason to keep the others around anymore."
"I just got an idea," Ianto snapped his fingers. "If we're a part of the consciousness now, can't we communicate with the Nestene directly?"
"In theory I suppose," Kate answered. "Why?"
"I figure we can bargain with it. Right now we're at a stalemate, they're out there and we're in here and none of us are budging clearly. It has no choice but to negotiate."
"I don't know Ianto," Sky skeptically. "Nestenes are not the negotiating type."
"No but it will at least buy us some time to come up with a plan," the man countered.
"Fair enough, let's start simple then," Sky pursed her lips. "Send a message on the network, one word: sanctuary."
McGillop typed away furiously for a few moments and then said, "It says, the children of time must die or humans will pay their blood price."
"That's pleasant," Kate remarked.
"Okay say, 'you have them, why are they still alive?'"
The reply came much faster, 'Not all. Some remain, elimination will occur when all the children of time are captured.'
"Bait," Jenny nodded. "They know if they kill the ones they have now there's no reason for us to stay, we could leave Earth, go somewhere they couldn't find us."
"Um Kate?" Osgood called. "The signal is getting stronger. Ever since the first message, it's been getting clearer."
"Keep tracing it," Kate ordered. "Sky keep it talking."
Sky thought it over for a while, "McGillop tell it, 'the Doctor is coming'"
'No he is not.'
"Shall we send him to you when he arrives?"
'He is not coming.'
"Almost there," Kate reported looking over Osgood's shoulder as the girl worked as fast as she could.
"His wrath is unstoppable," Sky continued calmly.
'Lies.'
"No it's the truth and the truth is also that the Pact will not save not you from him."
"We've got it!" Osgood cried.
"Prepare to disconnect," Sky smiled. "Just say one more thing: he's here."
A/N: Hey guys, I know it feels like I've fallen off the face of the Earth but I swear I haven't. I actually got a new job and I'm also doing my online masters in English/Creative Writing so life is a bit full right now. Fear not! I am still around and pushing out chapters. Until next time, ENJOY R&R PLZ!